Week Two's Must Win Games in the NFL

While a team can’t win a championship in September, it certainly can lose one. Getting off to a great start builds momentum that can last throughout the year, while starting poorly can put a team in a hole from which it may never recover.

Even though the NFL season is only 1/16th of the way through, several teams enter Week Two in desperate need of a win.

Indianapolis Colts
At Minnesota. Kickoff: 1 PM ET

Tony Dungy and company need a win to wash away the bad taste of last week’s drubbing at the hands of the rejuvenated Chicago Bears. Not only do the Colts need to reestablish  themselves as a dominant force in the AFC, but the league needs them to step up and fill the possible void left by Tom Brady’s injury. 

The league especially needs Peyton Manning's star to shine bright. Facing last year’s worst pass defense may be the perfect remedy for the out-of-sync Colts.

Minnesota Vikings
Vs. Indianapolis Colts. Kickoff: 1 PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings can’t afford to fall two behind the Bears and the Packers (both of those NFC North teams have legitimate shots at starting the season 2-0). Major offseason acquisition Jared Allen failed to make even a tackle, much less a sack, in last Monday night’s game against the Packers. He also cost his team 12 yards in penalties.

Meanwhile, QB Tarvaris Jackson had 16 yards passing in the first half. Both those players need to step it up if they want to avoid starting the ’08 campaign 0-2.

Arizona Cardinals
Vs. Miami Dolphins. Kickoff: 4:15 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals actually won their opening game, and it was on the road, too. With the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers battling one another on Sunday, and the St. Louis Rams appearing to be non-factors, a Cardinal win could put this perennial “sleeper team” in the driver’s seat of the pathetic NFC West.

In a division where conventional wisdom says nine victories is all you need to win it, a 2-0 start by Arizona potentially means they only need to play .500 ball the final 14 games to the make the playoffs. 

New England Patriots
At New York Jets. Kickoff: 4:15 PM ET

With no Tom Brady, the Patriots need to make the statement that they are still the team to beat in the AFC East. They also need to assure everyone (including Matt Cassel) that Matt Cassel is the answer at quarterback while Brady’s on the sideline.

Add to that they are playing the darling New York Jets, with everyone’s favorite quarterback, Brett Favre, a New England victory would put to rest any talk of their early demise. It would also give them two wins going into their next two bye weeks (Miami on Sept. 21 and a real bye on Sept. 28).