Two weeks into the new season and there are already quite a few surprises.
Did anyone think the Saints would be 0-2?
How did the Cardinals beat the Patriots in Foxborough?
How are the Eagles 2-0 despite a myriad of turnovers?
In Week 3 there are a plenty of good matchups and we should see the true colors of some teams like the Dolphins, the Jets, the Seahawks and the Saints.
Who do you think will win?
New York Giants (2-1) at Carolina (1-2)
On Twitter Thursday I picked the Panthers to win.
St. Louis (1-1) at Chicago (1-1)
Steven Jackson is questionable meaning either a less-than-100-percent Jackson or his untested backup Daryl Richardson will be forced to go up against the Bears ninth ranked run defense.
A lot has been said about Jay Cutler and his emotions last week, chastising his offensive line during their loss to the Packers but he tends to come back from criticism well.
Even with Matt Forte due to miss the game for the Bears, Michael Bush has proven before that he is more than capable to fill in for an injured starter.
Buffalo (1-1) at Cleveland (0-2)
After a Week 1 shellacking the Bills took advantage of what looks like a lackluster Chiefs team. That play should continue against the Browns, who are 0-2 and struggle on offense.
The Bills will continue to ride the C.J. Spiller Express, as he is first in the league in rushing yards. The Browns are 18th in the league in rushing defense and will struggle to contain Spiller.
Buffalo wins.
Tampa Bay (1-1) at Dallas (1-1)
Dallas may have lost last week but they still have the sixth ranked passing offense behind Tony Romo.
He should have some luck against the Buccaneers, who rank last in the league in pass defense. That total is largely because of Eli Manning’s performance on them last weekend, but the Cowboys corners were able to at least contain Manning in Week 1.
Tampa Bay is also coming off a huge letdown giving up a big lead to the Giants.
Dallas wins.
Detroit (1-1) at Tennessee (0-2)
The Titans have lost their first two games by an average of 24.5 points.
Chris Johnson is also having an abysmal season. He has 21 yards on 19 carries in two games. He’s second on the team in rushing behind quarterback Jake Locker, who has four carries for 32 yards.
Against a Lions team with an aggressive defense and very good passing offense, the Titans will have difficulty both moving the ball and keeping pace with Detroit.
Detroit wins.
Jacksonville (0-2) at Indianapolis (1-1)
In his first home game Andrew Luck gave the Indianapolis crowd something to cheer for. He had a 64.5 completion percentage, 224 yards, two touchdowns and zero turnovers to go along with the win.
In his second start at home against the hapless Jaguars. Jacksonville hasn’t done too well in anything, currently sitting 31st in passing yards, 24th in rushing yards and 31st in rush defense.
Indianapolis wins.
New York Jets (1-1) at Miami (1-1)
The Dolphins have won two of their past three home games against the Jets. Miami has also won five of its past six home games.
As quarterback of the Jets, Mark Sanchez is 2-4 against Miami and has thrown four interceptions.
Miami wins.
San Francisco (2-0) at Minnesota (1-1)
The 49ers have started the season on a tear. The defense looks like the strongest in the league and Alex Smith has yet to throw an interception.
The Vikings haven't fared too well against teams that seem to be playing at a similar level to them so it's hard to imagine them putting up a fight against a stronger squad.
San Francisco.
Kansas City (0-2) at New Orleans (0-2)
The Saints haven't won a game yet but the Chiefs do look even worse.
The Saints have kept their games relatively close while the Chiefs have lost their two games by an average of 17 points.
New Orleans wins.
Cincinnati (1-1) at Washington (1-1)
The Bengals may have won last weekend and BenJarvus Green-Ellis is 13th in the league in rushing yards. The Bengals have been underwhelming though and that’s largely because of a porous defense.
Much like Andrew Luck for the Colts last week we can expect RG3 to send the Redskins fans into a frenzy.
Washington wins.
Philadelphia (2-0) at Arizona (2-0)
It's surprising how both these teams are 2-0 right now but that's where we currently stand.
Kevin Kolb gets to go up against his former team and show his worth.
Michael Vick looked better last week compared to his Week 1 performance. And although the Eagles committed four turnovers last week they still put up 500 yards of offense.
A high powered offense coupled with a much improved defense the Eagles should figure things out.
Philadelphia wins.
Atlanta (2-0) at San Diego (2-0)
Of all the talk of top quarterbacks in the league, how often is Matt Ryan mentioned?
He should be. He’s completed 70.1 percent of his passes this season, is tied for first in the league in touchdowns and is also No. 1 in quarterback rating. He also hasn’t thrown an interception.
Atlanta looks like they are living up to the Super Bowl contending expectations set up for them last season.
Atlanta wins.
Houston (2-0) at Denver (1-1)
The Texans are another team rolling right now. Their defense is No. 1 in passing yards allowed and eighth in rushing yards. Arian Foster and Ben Tate have combined for the sixth ranked rushing attack.
They’ll face a tough test against the Broncos in Denver, but Peyton Manning and Co. are realizing that No. 18’s return to the league won’t be as easy as they thought possible after Week 1. Three interceptions in the first quarter will do that to you.
Houston wins.
Pittsburgh(1-1) at Oakland (0-2)
Was there anything positive to take away from the Raiders game last weekend? They lost by 17 points, Darren McFadden ran for only 22 yards and allowed a total of 452 yards to the Dolphins, who looked offensively challenged in the preseason.
Meanwhile Pittsburgh, even without Troy Polamalu and James Harrison, held the Jets to 10 points and 219 total yards in their 27-10 victory.
The Steelers may not look pretty but over the years they just continue to get the job done.
New England (1-1) at Baltimore (1-1)
The Patriots did not play well enough to deserve to win last weekend. The Ravens, however, have a legitimate gripe about a questionable offensive pass interference call against the Eagles that brought back a touchdown.
The Patriots will be without tight end Aaron Hernandez, but the Ravens haven’t been able to get their wide receivers involved much. The Patriots boast the seventh best passing defense and fifth best rushing defense. Keeping the pass attack the defense should be able to focus their efforts on stopping Ray Rice.
Although the Patriots lost last weekend at home, one made field goal at the game would’ve done the trick for a victory, much like the AFC Championship Game last season. And for all the talk of the lack of playing time Wes Welker has received he was the team’s leading receiver last weekend and should continue to get more involved.
New England wins.
Green Bay (1-1) at Seattle (1-1)
The Packers haven’t been as sharp in the passing game as the past few years and the lack of Greg Jennings’ impact has hurt them. But Aaron Rodgers is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Does Seattle, who ranks last in the league in passing yards per game really have enough offensive firepower to match the Packers?
While the game will be played in Seattle, there is something to be said about Green Bay’s experience in prime time games and games played on big stages such as Monday Night Football. Since 2009 the Packers are 9-3 in prime time games.
The experienced Packers defense will be aggressive in their pursuit of Russell Wilson and although the rookie quarterback has many endearing traits that have fans rooting for him to succeed, his inexperience and lack of overall talent on the team could prove to be a hindrance in this matchup.
Green Bay wins.
This Week: 0-1
Last Week: 9-7
Season: 18-14
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