Week 2 Predictions for the NFL Season

     Week two of the NFL season is here. And this week presents some very intriguing match ups. The Eagles battle the Cowboys in Big D in a struggled for NFC East supremacy. Brett Favre and the Jets take on the Brady-less Patriots at the Medowlands. The Colts and Vikings will attempt to even their records at 1-1 after disappointing losses.

Chicago Bears vs Carolina Panthers: Both the Panthers and the Bears are coming off of shocking victories in week one. The Panthers shocked the Chargers in San Diego as Dante Rosario caught the game winning touchdown with no time remaining. The Bears played a different kind of game as they stormed into Indianapolis and dominated the heavily favored Colts. Matt Forte rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut to lead the Bears. The Chicago defense kept the Colts offense under wraps all night keeping Peyton Manning off balance. Now for this game on sunday, both teams will need to shut down each others ground game if they expect to win. Chicago will need to stop the Panthers two headed monster of De'angelo Williams and rookie Jonathan Stewart, and pressure Jake Delhomme into mistakes. If they give Delhomme time in the pocket he will find people down field and gash the Bear defense. On the other side the Bears will need to rely on Matt Forte to pound the rock and wear down the Panthers defense. If the Panthers can control Forte and keep him as a non factor, there's not much likelihood that the Bears win this game. The Panthers defense will need to shut down forte and make Kyle Orton find his other targets, or lack there of. The Bears don't boast a big-time receiving threat outside of the speed of Devin Hester. My pick for this game:

Bears 21 Panthers 16

Cincinnati Bengals vs Tennessee Titans: This game really shouldn't be a hard one to pick. Tennessee should run right through the Bengals this Sunday in Cincinnati. The Bengals were defeated by the Ravens last Sunday and looked soft on both sides of the ball. Carson Palmer didn't get any sort of protection in the pocket and wasn't able to find his receivers too often going 10 of 25 for only 99 yards. Chris Perry was ineffective on sunday and will most likely be shut down again this Sunday. I think it's pretty easy to say the Bengals have returned to playing the football that earned them the moniker "the Bungals". Tennessee won a hard fought battle with division rival and contender Jacksonville in their home opener. Tennessee should pound the ball and move the chains without much resistance as the Bengals defense is atrocious. Lendale White and rookie sensation Chris Johnson ran for a total of 133 yards last week and might put up the same kind of numbers this week. Vince Young will miss the game with a sprained knee but really wasn't effective in the week one victory. Kerry Collins is more of a passer and probably gives the Titans the best chance of winning. Tennessee boasts one of the leagues top defenses and will be a tough one to crack this week. They are solid at all positions and should have no problem getting to Palmer and keeping TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson non factors. My Pick: Titans 34 Bengals 10

Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions: This is another game that really isn't to difficult to pick. Detroit will need to either shut down the Packer offense or make it a shoot out. I don't see either one of those scenarios happening. The Packers will have a tough test in the secondary at least, with covering receivers Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams. But other than that they should dominate this game. The Packers front seven and their ability to get to the quarterback and shut down the running game should be able to blow through the soft Lions offensive line. The Packers offense won't have much resistance through the ground or the air and they should light up the Detroit defense, which was awful last week in their loss to Atlanta. I don't think theirs a chance the Lions win the one, My Pick: Packers 38 Lions 17

Buffalo Bills vs Jacksonville Jaguars:  One of the more intriguing match ups of week two, the Bills travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jags. Buffalo dominated the Seattle Seahawks last week but are facing a tougher test in this one. The Jacksonville defense struggled stopping the run in their week one loss to the Titans and turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 3 times. David Garrard threw two interceptions which is unlike him and I don't expect that to happen this week. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew will need to run the ball a lot better than they did last week only totalling 31 yards on 14 carries. The Jaguar defense struggled to shut down the Titans run game as they ran through the Jags defense for 133 yards. Marshawn Lynch presents another challenge for them and they will have to bottle him up and make Trent Edwards look to his receivers. Edwards was strong in week one completing nineteen of his thirty passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. Pressure is the key for the Buffalo defense, they sacked pro bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck five times in week one. If they can pressure Garrard into mistakes they have a strong chance of winning. The Bills secondary is not a great one but they get the job done. If Garrard gets time he will pick the Bills defense apart. With that said here's my pick: Jaguars 23 Bills 14

Oakland Raiders vs Kansas City Cheifs:  I'm deeming this game, "The Toilet Bowl". Both teams looked bad in their week one openers as they both lost. The Cheifs couldn't take advantage of a soft Patriots defense ( yes i think their soft, I'll elaborate later) and failed to tie the game on their final drive, they had four chances inside the five yard-line. The Raiders were just outplayed and overpowered in all facets of the game on Monday night as the Broncos came into the Colosseum and dominated them. Jamarcus Russel didn't look comfortable in the pocket and didn't get going until the fourth quarter when the game was already decided. Justin Fargas and rookie Darren Mcfadden ran the ball well but it wasn't enough to win the game. Jay Cutler picked apart what is said to be one of the best secondaries in the league. Damon Huard will get the start for the injured Brodie Croyle this week. Huard really gives the Cheifs the best chance to win as he has alot more chemistry with this offense and has more chemistry with #1 target Tony Gonzolez. Larry Johnson should have a big day on this weak raider defense. Here's my Pick for this one: Cheifs 24 Raiders 10

Indianapolis Colts vs Minnesota Vikings:  A battle of surprise 0-1's this week as the Colts enter the Metrodome to take on the Vikes. Peyton Manning was inconsistent in his return to the Colts as his team was dominated by the Bears defense. Minnesota was beaten by the Packers on opening night as the Vikes were handed a shocking and disappointing loss. Minnesota came into the year with high hopes and is a super bowl favorite and looks to rebound this Sunday. Peyton Manning should pass the ball with ease against the weak secondary of the Vikings, but may struggle on the ground as Minnesota boasts one of the best run defenses in the NFL. Adrian Peterson should have another big day as the Colts look to have returned to their days when they couldn't stop anybody's run game.  It's easy to say what each teams offense and defense needs to do to win this one. Minnesota will need to shut down Manning's receivers and Adrian Peterson will need to dominate on the ground. Indianapolis will need to exploit the soft Minnesota secondary on offense, but on defense you can expect them to focus in on Adrian Peterson. My Pick: Vikings 20 Colts 17

New York Giants vs St. Louis Rams:  I might be the only person in the world to see this as a potential sleeper game for the Giants. I think if they overlook the hapless Rams, they may get beaten. The Rams are coming off a disheartening loss to the Eagles in week one where they were just utterly overpowered by the Birds. The Giants are coming off an unspectacular win over the Redskins on opening night and are looking to stake their claim as an NFC Power. For the Rams to win, a lot of things have to go there way. Marc Bulger needs to get protection from his line in order to find his receviers and Steven Jackson will need to be a huge factor. The Rams defense was awful in Philadelphia and they will look to prove that they can keep an offense bottled up. They will likely be without Leonard Little their best pass rusher though which will call Chris Long and James Hall to step up. St.Louis' secondary will need to avoid big plays and blown coverages this week. Brandon Jacobs should play a big factor if he is shut down or goes wild. If he is shut down and the Rams force the G-men to become one dimensional. The Giants on the other hand will have to exploit the Rams secondary and make big plays. Eli Manning will need to play with more consistency than he did in week one and find Plaxico Burress. Jacobs should have a big day on the Rams front seven which is looking to prove they can actually play defense. Their Defense will need to put pressure on Bulger and force him into mistakes. They need to watch Torry Holt, Steven Jackson and tight end Randy Mcmichael. My pick for this one:  Giants 28 Rams 17

New Orleans Saints vs Washington Redskins: Washington hosts the Saints in an early season game which could be a pivotal game for the Skins. Washington will need to run the ball with effectiveness and show some explosiveness in the pass game. On defense the skins will have to pressure Drew Brees and keep Reggie Bush bottled up and force the other Saint targets to make an impact. The Saints are coming off a tough opening week win over the Bucs, but face a lesser foe in week 2. They need to be able to stop Clinton Portis and make the Redskins one dimensional and put the pressure on Jason Campbell to carry the load. On offense, Reggie Bush will need to have somewhat of an impact on the ground to keep the Washington defense honest. Drew Brees will need protection from his line to find his targets. Jeremy Shockey should play a key role in the offense this week with Marques Colston out for the next few weeks. So here's my pick for this game: Saints 27 Redskins 17

Seattle Seahawks vs SF 49ers:  Seattle should keep the niners' bottled up but they really have no receivers to throw to. TJ O'Sullivan needs to prove he can be a quality starter in the NFL and last week wasn't the real Niners. I think this will be a defensive snot bubble of a game that will come down to who's defense can force turnovers or who has the ball last. My Pick:  Seahawks 13 49ers 6

Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccs:  I don't think Matt Ryan and Michael Turner will have the games they had last week against a really bad Detroit defense. Tampa's defense is a bigger challenge and should be tough to break. I think Turner will have a solid game but Ryan will have some struggles. Brian Griese gets the start for the Buccs this week with Jeff Garcia out with a knee injury. But I think Griese might give the Buccs a better chance of winning since he holds onto the ball shorter and has a little bigger of an arm. MY pick:  Buccaneers 31 Falcons 13

Miami Dolphins vs Arizona Cardinals:  New year, same old Dolphins. Arizona should win easily over the Dolphins. The Dolphins showed some resiliency against the Jets on Sunday but I don't see that happening this week. Arizona should run and throw over the weak dolphins defense. My pick:  Cardinals 34 Dolphins 14

San Diego Chargers vs Denver Broncos:  Just one of the four big Rivalry games this week, the Chargers head into Denver looking to redeem themselves after a shocking last play defeat against the Panthers in week one. LT is questionable and Shawne Merriman has decided to have season ending surgery, that does not bode well for the Chargers. Phillip Rivers will need to find his receivers alot and move the ball with time consuming drives against the stingy Bronco defense.  Denver dominated the Raiders in Oakland on Monday night and rookie Eddie Royal had the best debut for receivers with 9 catches for 148 yards including a twenty six yard scoring strike. Jay Cutler was great as he picked apart one of the leagues best secondaries for 299 yards and 2 touchdowns. They ran the ball well with Selvin Young and Andre Hall as they rushed for 97 yards on only 17 carries. Denvers defense struggled a bit against the Raiders runners as both Justin Fargas and Darren Mcfadden averaged more than 5 yards per carry, and they ran for 142 total yards. My pick for this showdown:  Broncos 24 Chargers 21

New England Patriots vs New York Jets:  This will probably be the most watched game on Sunday. Both teams don't like each other, neither do the head coaches. Matt Cassel, not Tom Brady will lead the Pats into the Meadowlands to battle their division rival New York Jets. Both teams won close battles with defensive stands on the goal line last week. The Pats escaped the Cheifs who had four chances inside the 5 yard line to tie the game, and the Jets got a game winning interception from Darrell Revis to beat Miami. Brett Favre should have a big day as the Pats secondary is very soft after losing Asante Samuel and Eugene Wilson to free agency. Deltha O'neal who really struggles covering people, benefited from a non-call on the final play for the Chiefs as he grabbed the arm of Dwayne Bowe preventing him from making the grab. This secondary was thrashed in the preseason and has not been impressive thus far after week 1. They still have a solid ground game and will need to bottle up Thomas Jones. The Jets were okay but not great in their win over the Dolphins and will face a tough Pats team looking to defy the doubters and win the AFC East again. Lawrence Maroney and Sammy Morris are a tough tandem of running backs who have power and speed, expect " The Hoody" Bill Belichieck to run the ball heavily. Matt Cassel did a good job filling in for Brady on opening day and still has the weapons to succeed on Sunday. Remember, this guy wasn't recruited at USC for nothing. He can play and could have a big day in his first start. My prediction for this one:  Patriots 30 Jets 20

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns: Well this should be a statement game for both clubs on Sunday night. Cleveland will try to show that last years 10-6 record was no fluke and the Steelers are trying to prove that they are the best team in the AFC. If the Browns play the way they did against the Cowboys in the opener, this game WILL be ugly. The Steelers are a nasty team with a strong defense and a powerful offense. Cleveland will have to play a near perfect game if they are to win. The defense of Cleveland will have to step up and shut down Willie Parker and put pressure on Big Ben and force him into mistakes. On offense Derek Anderson will need to find Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow for big plays and Jamal Lewis will need to use his big frame to move the chains. This could either be a slobber knocker or a blowout. With both teams having a lot to prove, here's the pick:  Steelers 24 Browns 16

Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys:  I'm an Eagles fan so I'll try my best not to be so biased. This is the rivalry game of the week and another addition of the Birds and Boys' feud. Dallas dominated the Browns last Sunday in Cleveland but took some shots doing it. Marion Barber is expected to play on Monday but he will do so on badly bruised cartilage in his ribs. Terrence Newman is questionable for the game and if he is out, it will be a big break for the Birds. Here are the Cowboys keys to victory on Monday night. 1) Stop Brian Westbrook and make Mcnabb find the other targets. 2) Put Pressure on Mcnabb. 3) keep an eye on Desean Jackson. 4) Protect Romo and give his receivers time to get open. 3) Exploit the Eagles blitz and find Terrell Owens. 4) play mistake free football. The Eagles are coming off of a dominant 38-3 win over the hapless Rams and are out to prove that they are a threat to Dallas' NFC East crown. The Eagles looked solid on both sides of the ball but face a whole different beast against the Cowboys. Here are the Eagles keys to victory. 1) Pressure Romo into mistakes and make him uncomfortable. 2) Get Brian Westbrook involved early and move the chains. 3) Don't let T.O and Witten get involved early. 4) Protect Mcnabb and let Jackson and the other receivers get open. 5) PROTECT THE FOOTBALL. My Prediction for the Monday night Showdown.:

 Eagles 21 Cowboys 20