NFL Predictions: 10 Things You Must See in Week 3

Week 2 in the NFL saw overtime thrillers, one-sided blowouts, surprising upsets, and numerous quarterback changes.

Week 3 will have teams already fighting for their playoff lives, rookie quarterbacks looking for their first wins, and classic division rivalries.

Here are the 10 things you must see in the NFL this week.

The Vikings Try To Avoid Going 0-3

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MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings watches from the sidelines during the first half of the game against the Miami Dolphins on September 19, 2010 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Pho

The Vikings may be the most disappointing team in the league so far. Although a loss to the Super Bowl champs on the road was not a shock, losing at home to the Dolphins was a bit of a surprise.
 
Brett Favre already has 4 interceptions after 2 games, compared to last year where he only threw 7 all year. 

The Vikings passing game is still not in sync, whether or not that is due to Favre missing training camp or injuries to the receiving corps is debatable, but if the Vikings don't get it straightened out soon their season could be lost.
 
This week the Vikings will be facing an improved Detroit Lions team who have come close to victories over both the Bears and Eagles.

A loss to the Lions would create a huge obstacle to overcome, with either the Packers or the Bears being 3-0 after this week.

Jimmy Clausen's Debut As a Starter

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 19: Jimmy Clausen #2 of the Carolina Panthers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Matt Moore's play has been very disappointing thus far, passing for 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions,  so John Fox has elected to start rookie Jimmy Clausen this week.
 
Clausen was expected to be a first round pick in this years draft, but feel to the 48th pick before being taken by Carolina.

Clausen played at Notre Dame under Charlie Weis, who ran a pro-style offense, so theoretically he should have less of a learning curve than a quarterback like Sam Bradford, who played in a spread offense in college.
 
After starting 0-2 and losing to both the Giants and the Buccaneers, the Panthers need a spark, whether Clausen can provide that spark remains to be seen, but the experience Clausen will gain should pay dividends in the long run.

Battle in Texas: Cowboys Vs. Texans

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The Texans and Cowboys are two of the biggest surprises this year, but for different reasons. The Cowboys are 0-2 after losing to both the Redskins and Bears, while the Texans are 2-0 after beating both the Colts and Redskins.

The Texans' offense has looked great both on the ground and in the air with running back Arian Foster leading the league in rushing and wide receiver Andre Johnson winning AFC offensive player of the week honors.

The Cowboys on the other hand have struggled mightily on offense, scoring only 20 points on offense in the first 2 games.
 
The Texans can make a statement by beating the in state rivals on Sunday, and if the Cowboys lose, they will be in a hole that will be tough to climb out of in the NFC East. 

Michael Vick Is The New Starter For The Eagles

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After repeatedly stating that Kevin Kolb would be the starter once he was fully recovered from his concussion, Head Coach Andy Reid had a change of heart on Tuesday, announcing that Michael Vick would be the Eagles starter going forward.
 
Vick has been very effective this season, and has looked close to his pre-prison form, but the decision to start Vick over Kolb is still a surprising one, considering the Eagles traded away Donovan McNabb to allow Kolb to become the new starting quarterback.
 

2-0 Tampa Vs. 2-0 Pittsburgh

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Possibly the biggest surprise so far this season is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-0 start. Granted the Buccaneers have not played the toughest competition to this point, but it's never easy to get a win in the NFL.

With the return of a healthy Troy Polamalu, the Steelers defense looks like it is back to its Super Bowl winning form.

Last week the Steelers were virtually able to shut down the league's best running back, Chris Johnson, holding him to 34 yards.

As surprising as it is for Tampa to be 2-0 at this point, I would be completely shocked to see them come out of this weekend at 3-0, look for the Steelers defense to lead them to a perfect 3-0 record.

AFC East Matchup: Jets Vs. Dolphins

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The 1-1 Jets head in to Miami to face the 2-0 Dolphins on Sunday Night, the winner taking the lead in the AFC East.
 
The two teams are built in a similar fashion, both teams have great defenses and run ball about as well as any two teams in the league. 

Even with both teams relying heavily on the run, the outcome of this game could be determined by quarterback play.  

Both Mark Sanchez and Chad Henne are young and have been inconsistent in their play so far in their careers. The quarterback who makes the fewest mistakes on Sunday night will give their team the best chance to win.

Which Vince Young Will Show Up on Sunday?

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Titans coach Jeff Fisher benched Vince Young on Sunday in their game versus the Steelers. Young struggled against the voracious Steeler defense, throwing two picks and losing a fumble.

The kind of inconsistency Young displayed on Sunday has been what has kept Young from becoming a top tier quarterback in the NFL.

How Young responds to last weeks benching may help answer the questions that exist about his perceived lack of mental toughness.

A solid game against the Giants could boost his confidence and set the tone for the rest of this season, but a poor performance could be a major setback for Young and the Titans. 

Can Sam Bradford Get His First Win?

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Sam Bradford has played reasonably well his first two games as a pro, but has yet to get a victory after narrowly losing to both the Cardinals and Raiders.
 
Bradford attempted an incredible 55 passes in his first game in the NFL, while in game two, the Rams chose a more balanced attack, limiting Bradford to 25 pass attempts.
 
Beating the Redskins will be no easy task, but if the Rams can get the running game going early and provide Bradford with time to throw the ball, they could pull off the upset at home.

NFC South Showdown: Falcons Vs. Saints

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The defending Super Bowl Champion Saints have looked good so far in victories over both the Vikings and 49ers, and although they have not looked as dominant as they did last year, like any great team, they have been able to find ways to win.

After having their offense shut down by the Steelers in Week 1, the Falcons took out their frustrations on the Cardinals last week in a 41-7 romp.

I give the Saints a slight edge due to the home field advantage, but this should be one of the best games of the week.

Classic Rivalry: Packers Vs. Bears

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This will be the 180th meeting between the Packers and Bears, the Bears lead the series with 91 wins to the Packers 82 with 6 ties.
 
The Packers have been early season Super Bowl favorites and are 2-0, while the Bears are a surprising 2-0 and coming off an impressive road win over the Cowboys.
 
Protecting the quarterback will be of the utmost importance for both teams. Rookie Brian Bulaga will most likely be starting for Chad Clifton at left tackle for the Packers, and will be going up against Julius Peppers most of the game, while the Bears offensive line will have to contain linebacker Clay Matthews, who currently leads the league in sacks with 6.