NFL Week 5 Picks: Kansas City Chiefs Will Remain Unbeaten

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

One unbeaten left. And boy do they have a challenge waiting for them.

In order to avoid a blemish in their record, the Kansas City Chiefs will have to go to Indianapolis and beat the Colts, usually the epitome of success in the league.

The parity-strong (or stricken depending on your preference) league also has only four winless teams left, all in action looking for that first win.

League officials must also be salivating at the super-star laden, storyline-rich Monday matchup between the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings.

Who do you think will win the big matchup? Will the Chiefs continue their winning ways? Will any of the winless teams finally get in the win column?

Jacksonville (2-2) at Buffalo (0-4)

The Bills got beat down once again last week and then traded running back Marshawn Lynch.

They rank last in the league in rushing yards per game allowed and will have to try and contain Maurice Jones-Drew.

Try being the operative word.

Jones-Drew is eight in the league in rushing yards and had his best game this season last week against the Colts, going for 105, his only rushing touchdown of the season, and added a receiving touchdown as well.

Jacksonville wins.

Tampa Bay (2-1) at Cincinnati (2-2)

Turnovers and Peyton Hillis burned the Bengals last week.

The Buccaneers don’t have the offensive weapons, mainly at running back where Cadillac Williams and his measly 2.5 yards per carry will now share the ball with Kareem Huggins and LaGarrette Blount.

The Bengals are sixth in the league in passing yards per game and Terrell Owens is fifth in the league in receiving yards thanks to his 10 catches for 222 yards last week.

Cincinnati wins.

Atlanta (3-1) at Cleveland (1-3)

Atlanta ranks in the top ten in both rushing and passing yards per game. They also have the best turnover ratio in the NFC, third-best in all of the NFL.

Not to take away from a great game by Browns running back Peyton Hillis last week, the biggest difference-makers in the victory over the Bengals were the Bengals turning the ball over more and being penalized for more yards. The Browns were severely manhandled by the Bengals passing game, which had been lackluster until this game.

In addition to their turnover differential, the Falcons are one of the top ten fewest penalized teams in the league. They should protect the ball well enough to control the game.

Atlanta wins.

St. Louis (2-2) at Detroit (0-4)

Last year this proved to, surprisingly, be an exciting game as the Rams got their only victory of the season.

Other than being at home, Detroit doesn't have much going for them. Matthew Stafford is still out. Jahvid Best is questionable. They lead the league in penalties. Their turnover differential is worse than St. Louis'.

They played Green Bay tight, but the Packers committed four turnovers, which allowed Detroit to keep it close.

The Rams are on a small winning streak (any winning streak for them is good). Their point differential is improving every game, and Sam Bradford is getting more comfortable. His accuracy could be better, but he's throwing for more yards each game and he is limiting his interceptions after a three-pick Week 1.

Rams win.

Kansas City (3-0) at Indianapolis (2-2)

The Colts' biggest weakness, their run defense, has been greatly exposed this season. They rank 29th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. They have been outrushed in three of their four games this season, including against the Denver Broncos lowly ground game (ranked last in the league), and in their two losses they have been outrushed 431 to 102.

The Chiefs on the other hand have one of the best ground games in the league. Both Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles have over 200 yards rushing.

The problem for Kansas City is getting the ball in the end zone. They rank in the bottom ten in the league in points scored (to be fair they did have their bye week last week, so they have a game in hand against most teams).

To win they will need to capitalize on their chances. In the past Thomas Jones has been a great goal-line back, so expect him to get a lot of touches.

Matt Cassel has been less-than-average throwing the ball this season, but the Colts lost last week against the struggling David Gerrard, even though Peyton Manning had a better game. It isn't out of the question for the running game to take over.

Red zone scoring and no turnovers will be key if the Chiefs want to stay unbeaten in this big test.

Kansas City wins.

Green Bay (3-1) at Washington (2-2)

Green Bay came away from last week’s game with the Lions victorious, but just barely. Turnovers are killing the Packers, even in victories.

The Redskins won as well, but they too were not very convincing. They were beat in first downs, total yards and time of possession. They were helped by Michael Vick’s injury, more turnovers, more penalties and a good running game.

So who wins?

Both teams are without their starting running backs, but Green Bay has more weapons on both offense and defense. Plus Donovan McNabb won’t have the extra juice this week like he did against the Eagles.

Green Bay wins.

Chicago (3-1) at Carolina (0-4)

Jay Cutler was battered around by the Giants defense last week and has since been ruled out for the game against the Panthers.

Last week’s game was absolutely awful; no quarterback protection and no ability to hold onto the football.

Carolina held the Saints in check last week, and Jimmy Clausen had a productive day, which can go a long way in helping the Panthers get their first victory.

As said what seems every week in this blog, Carolina needs to establish the rush with BOTH DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. It will not be an easy task with a strong Chicago run defense in front of them, but the Bears are very vulnerable right now.

Carolina wins.

Denver (2-2) at Baltimore (3-1)

In a very surprising turn of events, we have the top ranked passing offense against the top ranked passing defense.

Kyle Orton is enjoying a great season thus far, but with such a bad rushing game with starter Knowshon Moreno out another week, the lack of balance against a strong defense will severely hurt the Broncos here.

The Ravens offense is still putting it all together, and Ray Rice seems to be much healthier than last week. T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Anquan Boldin appear to be coming together with Joe Flacco in recent weeks, and Todd Heap is doing a better job this season catching the ball.

Baltimore wins.

New York Giants (2-2) at Houston (3-1)

Arian Foster is leading the NFL in rushing yards.

The only stat that Foster hasn’t bested from last year’s rookie season is games played (6). He’s come out of nowhere, but he has had some explosive games on the ground. Yup, it’s one of those seasons in the league.

The Texans will need him with Andre Johnson questionable because of a knee injury.

Houston also will get Brian Cushing back from suspension. Last year’s defensive player of the year will have fresh legs and be more than ready to get after the quarterback. The Texans will hope his energy and excitement to getting on the field will be honed in a positive manner, namely getting after Eli Manning.

Pressured, Manning makes a lot of mistakes, either interception or fumble, and giving the Texans potent offense more chances is a bad thing.

Houston wins.

New Orleans (3-1) at Arizona (2-2)

The Saints have struggled early this season, but have somehow managed to squeak out three wins, including a come-from-behind victory against the winless Panthers last week.

The running game was improved, eclipsing the 100 yard-mark (121 total yards on the ground) for the first time this season. That group should get an additional boost against the Cardinals defense, ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed per game. They also have given up 40-plus points twice.

Arizona has also made another change at quarterback, going with rookie Max Hall. He will have his business cut out for him with wide receiver Steve Breaston ruled out for the game.

New Orleans could use a convincing win, and this game is set up just for that.

Saints win.

San Diego (2-2) at Oakland (1-3)

San Diego’s record isn’t what they’d like, but statistically they are clicking, so they should be able to turn things around.
They are third in passing yards per game, tenth in rushing yards per game, fourth in passing yards allowed per game and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game.

Philip Rivers is fifth in quarterback rating, third in yards, and second in touchdowns. Tight end Antonio Gates is fourth in the NFL in receiving yards and the only tight end in the top ten. He also leads the NFL in receiving touchdowns, with six.

Oakland has been relatively quiet on offense and will be without Darren McFadden, one of two bright spots in the offense (tight end Zach Miller the other).

San Diego wins.

Tennessee (2-2) at Dallas (1-2)

The Cowboys are coming off their bye week in good spirits thanks to the win over the Texans in Week 3. They lowered the number of yards they were penalized for (although there is still room for improvement) and they didn't turn the ball over for the first time this year.

They have a strong passing game (fourth in the NFL in yards per game) and they face a vulnerable Titans pass defense that was just lit up by Kyle Orton last week.

Tennessee has one of the worst passing games in the league and will have difficulty keeping pace. The rushing game, headed by Chris Johnson, is good but the Cowboys have a strong rush defense.

With the Cowboys having home-field advantage and an extra week to prepare, it could be a long day for the Titans.

Dallas wins.

Philadelphia (2-2) at San Francisco (0-4)

Michael Vick and Asante Samuel have been ruled out for the Eagles. So two big injuries right there.

Kevin Kolb will be the quarterback and he was supposed to be the long-term guy in Philly. There were lofty expectations for him coming into the season. However, there are two potential issues at hand here.

What will Kolb’s confidence level be? The only reason he is the starter right now is because of Vick’s injury. They kept him on the bench because they have a weak offensive line and feared for his safety coming off a concussion.

Also, with Kolb in at quarterback, the Eagles don’t best utilize the true weapons. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are exciting receivers who play fast and were getting a lot of love from Vick. Kolb looks to tight end Brent Celek and running back LeSean McCoy more (by the way, both Celek and McCoy are banged up and on the injury report. They should play, but they aren’t at their best).

Why not take advantage of the weapons you have?

San Francisco has been truly disappointing. However, Frank Gore has enjoyed a strong year despite the offense’s issues and the Eagles have the 27th ranked defense in rushing yards allowed per game.

The 49ers need to rely on him this week. Give him the ball, let him pound the Eagles front-line, eat up clock and punch the ball into the end zone.

San Francisco wins.

Minnesota (1-2) at New York Jets (3-1)

The two teams that get the biggest headlines in the media go at it. There is no shortage of storylines here.

Brett Favre returns to the Meadowlands, where he participated in a pretty uneventful season with the Jets.

Randy Moss, in his first game as a Viking (well the second time at least) faces off against Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie once again, both of whom shut him down when Moss was with the Patriots.

Santonio Holmes returns from a four-game suspension to play in his first real game for the Jets.

And then there’s Adrian Peterson, Mark Sanchez, LaDanian Tomlinson, Jared Allen and Braylon Edwards.

A cast of characters and a host of subplots showcased in primetime.

The Jets have the upper hand here. They are home and you can expect the fans to give Favre and Moss an earful. Moss and Favre will need time to get to know each other, and playing together on the fly will be difficult with Moss being covered by Revis.

And did you know Mark Sanchez hasn’t thrown an interception yet this season? It’s hard to imagine that he’ll go into a swoon in this game as the Vikings are in the bottom seven in the league in interceptions with two.

New York wins.

Bye week: Miami, New England, Pittsburgh, Seattle

Last week: 9-5

Season: 38-24

Happy Halladays

In the eyes of the Philadelphia Phillies, as good as Cliff Lee is, Roy Halladay would always trump him. On the first day of the 2010 MLB playoffs, “Doc” did that.

At last season’s trade deadline the Phillies strongly pursued Halladay. The asking price was too high so they “settled” on Lee.

Lee was dominant for Philadelphia. He helped get them to the postseason, won his first ever playoff start and was the winning pitcher in the only two games Philly won in the World Series. He finished the 2009 playoffs with a spotless 4-0 record.

However the team did not repeat as champions so the love affair with Halladay continued.

They finally landed their man in December, and fans salivated at a rotation featuring the one-two punch of Halladay and Lee. The Phillies’ front office didn’t have the same plans, though, and looking to restock their farm system, shipped Lee off to Seattle.

The media and fans continuously asked why the two couldn’t coexist for one miraculous season, but were forced to wonder what if.

Looking for more help at this year’s trade deadline, the Phillies went out and traded for Roy Oswalt. The cries for Lee came back strong. “I told you so,” was a popular sentiment. Other phrases uttered included, “If they kept Lee they wouldn’t have needed to trade for Oswalt,” and, “The trade for Oswalt was the team admitting they made a mistake trading Lee away.”

Could Philly fans really be that upset though, as Halladay finished the season with 21 wins, a perfect game, a probable Cy Young award, and another division championship?



Lee was traded to the Texas Rangers, who also made the playoffs. Both teams were scheduled to play on the first day of the playoffs, and fittingly, Lee and Texas would come before Halladay and the Phillies.

Lee delivered a gem. He went seven innings, allowed only one run, and in a masterful display of control struck out 10 opponents while walking none. The Rangers won the game and Lee proved, once again, how dominating he can be.

Fittingly, Halladay did him one better, hurling a complete-game no-hitter, only the second in the history of the playoffs.

While nothing will matter to the Phillies if they don’t win the World Series, tonight proved the Phillies off-season theory.

Lee is incredible, Halladay is unhittable.

Photo Credits.
Roy Halladay: AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Cliff Lee: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

The "System" Won't Be Able To Replace Randy Moss

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

In-season trades involving high-profile players are pretty typical. Contending teams pick up big-time talent from teams with no shot in exchange for draft picks and/or prospects.

Have you ever seen a team tied for first in the division get rid of one of its top players? Only to get a mid-round draft pick in return?

The New England Patriots did just that when they traded star wide receiver Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round draft pick in 2011.

No, the Patriots aren’t giving up on the season, at least not literally. Instead it is one of the most arrogant moves ever made.

With this move, Bill Belichick is emphasizing his famous philosophy that they can plug anyone into their system and succeed.

Many people may be able to point out examples that they trust in Belichick, but the evidence is strongly misleading.

People will look to the 2008 season when Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the first quarter of the first game, thrusting Matt Cassel into the spotlight.

Cassel lead the team to an 11-5 record, was franchised after the season, traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and signed a six-year deal worth $62.7 million and was not even remotely close to matching his success.

Cassel was a product of the Patriots system, yes. He had a good year. But he did not get the Patriots into the playoffs. This was a team one year removed from an undefeated regular season and Super Bowl loss. The system did not save them then.

Some people have pointed out that when the Patriots dynasty was at its highest peak, they won championships without true No. 1 wide receivers.

While Deion Branch, Troy Brown, and David Patten were not star receivers, they had plenty of experience under their belts, specifically Patten and Brown, and had developed a good working relationship with Tom Brady.

Other than Wes Welker, the guys expected to fill in for Moss are Brandon Tate (six career games 11 career receptions), Julian Edelman (14 games, 41 receptions, and most of his damage came in three big games), rookie Taylor Price (no stats) and rookie tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.

Moss was Brady’s favorite target. He loved throwing downfield to the tall and speedy receiver, sometimes to a fault. Brady is also without his favorite target out of the backfield, the injured Kevin Faulk, and now has Welker as his only safety blanket, the only guy he really has any working relationship with. Everyone else is unknown to him.

Can Brady work these brand-spanking new guys not only into the system, but into the NFL, fast enough?

Also, those championship teams were dependent on and anchored by strong defenses. The Patriots defense now is also young, inexperienced, poor at rushing the passer and poor in coverage.

Teddy Bruschi, Richard Seymour, Willie McGinest, Lawyer Milloy, Troy Brown and Mike Vrabel aren’t coming through that door anytime soon.

But what about Monday night’s bashing of the Dolphins, when Moss didn’t have a single catch?

The offense played well, but the Patriots had a kickoff returned for a touchdown, a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown and a blocked punt. Chad Henne also threw three interceptions, one of which was a pick-six. Special teams won that game.

It’s no secret what Moss did on the field.

He stretched the field and created space, space for Welker to run his slant routes and, although the Pats didn’t use it too much, space for running lanes. He forced teams to double team him, and even then he would pull off amazing leaping catches and one-handed grabs.

Without him, there is no more double coverage on the field, which means more attention on everyone else. The safety doesn’t have to worry about playing deep, because there is no downfield threat, so he can sit in the box and clog the running lanes, making life difficult for BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead.

That third-rounder New England got won’t help them this year. It may not even help them next year.

Randy Moss would’ve helped them this year, regardless of whether the team was going to bring him back next season. He would’ve helped a lot.

This is not a case of addition by subtraction.

The Patriots, as currently constructed—not past versions of the team, not thinking ahead of any moves to be made—are worse off without Randy Moss.

The system will not be able to replace the thing Moss did on the field and the wins he helped provide.

Eric Hinske: Baseball's Lucky Charm

AP Photo/John Bazemore

Atlanta Braves outfielder Eric Hinske is a career .254 hitter who never batted .280, never slugged 25 home runs, never scored 100 runs and never drove in 85 runs.

Making matters worse, all of his career highs in those categories came in his rookie season, possibly showing he peaked too early.

Stats aside, he couldn’t be more valuable to teams hoping to contend.

After spending the first five and a half seasons of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, the nine-year veteran is making his fourth consecutive playoff appearance for a fourth different team.

Hisnke won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2007, lost in the World Series in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays, won a second World Series with the New York Yankees last year, and will participate in this year’s tournament as a member of the Atlanta Braves.

He doesn’t just sit the bench and go along for the ride either; the man makes some clutch plays. On September 29, Baseball Tonight host Steve Berthiaume tweeted, “Hinske could be headed to 4th straight post-season with 4th different team. He's type of player you win with and need to win.”

With the Red Sox, Hinske ended the 2006 season with a 10-game hitting streak. He contributed in 2007, most notably in a May 17 game against the Detroit Tigers where he made a diving catch in the field and followed it up with a home run later in the game.

In Tampa, Hinske was a World Series roster injury replacement and took advantage of his chance to play on the big stage again, hitting a home run in Game 4 of the World Series.

In Atlanta he has hit several home runs to win games for the Braves. On July 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies he hit a two run homer in the 11th inning to put the Braves up—for good—6-3. August 5 Hinske hit a home run in the sixth inning off Tim Lincecum, who he will face in Game 1 of the NLDS, to give Atlanta a 3-2 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

And the latest one. September 28. Hinske pinch-hit for reliever Craig Kimbrel and crushed a two-run shot over the right-center field fence for his 11th of the season, his third pinch-hit home run of the season, and a 3-1 lead that would hold to keep the Braves three games up in the Wild Card race, a race where every game proved pivotal.

The 2002 American League Rookie of the Year, Hinske has developed into the epitome of a role player. He understands his job and doesn’t complain about it. When he is called, he delivers. Hinske has scored a run each postseason he’s played in.

He adds power off the bench and is a threat late in games. He can play both corners of both the outfield and the infield. He has experience playing at the highest level and knows what it takes to be not only a winner, but a champion.

Hinske is being called a lucky charm. It seems like he has the Midas Touch, but his attitude in the locker room and his performance on the field are a big reason for his teams’ success.

It's Bouna Time...Or Is It?

AP Photo/Gus Ruelas

The name on the back of the New York Red Bulls’ starting goalkeeper’s jersey reads “Coundoul”, but it may as well be Jekyll or Hyde.

Bouna Coundoul is a player with multiple playing personas, and you never really know which side of him will show up.

Known for his catchphrase, “It’s Bouna time,” Coundoul was named MLS Player of the Week for Week 27 for his heroic efforts in a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Wizards.

The Wizards were desperate for points in their pursuit of the playoffs and they attacked with large numbers. Coundoul kept them at bay though, making a career-high 12 saves. The shutout was his tenth of the season, a new franchise record.

His performance was so impressive that it prompted head coach Hans Backe to start his post-game press conference with the statement, “Bouna Coundoul saved us.”

Literally.

The win clinched a playoff berth and moved the Red Bulls into first place in the Eastern Conference. He’s also put together a strong season. In addition to his shutouts—which he ranks fourth in the league in—he posts a record of 13-7-5, a 1.04 goals against average, and 100 saves, good for second in the league.

He has also earned several call-ups to the Senegalese National Team.

He’s extremely athletic and can leap out to snag shots that look impossible to stop. He has a penchant for the heroic making flashy saves at big moments of the game.

On the flipside, however, he makes more egregious errors in net than English National Team goalie Robert Green.

Coundoul seems to either get lost or have his head in the clouds during games. He can find himself too far out of position or misjudge a ball in the air. And he too can knock the ball into his own net (see video at 2:13).

He’s perplexing to watch. Soccer columnist Ives Galarcep stated, “When he’s on he can be as good as anyone in the league. He can still have his hiccups. He can have his brain cramps where he makes plays that can give a coach or a fan a heart attack.”

Those plays can come even when he is on. In the game against Kansas City, minutes before halftime, Coundoul came off his line, in a seemingly random fashion, and was almost beat. Galarcep commented, “Coundoul has one of his trademark brain cramps, comes out for no real reason and almost gets caught outside the area. Somewhere, Erik Soler [New York’s General Manager] is writing down, ‘Still need a new goalkeeper in 2011.’”

Thus is the riddle that is Coundoul.

Do you go with him, knowing that he can make unbelievable saves but also unbelievable gaffes?

Or do you bring in a more consistent presence in the back who may not make the incredible stops like Coundoul?

Will 2011 see a new man in between the posts for the Red Bulls, or will there be more Bouna Time?

For better or worse, the Red Bulls will be looking to win the 2010 MLS Cup with Coundoul manning the net.

Prime Time for Rookie Tight End Aaron Hernandez

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

It’s no secret that New England Patriots quarterback loves throwing to Randy Moss and Wes Welker. This season, however, Brady has found a new toy in rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez.

The Patriots do spread the ball on offense and a lot of guys get their share of touches, but Hernandez is not only gaining more targets per game (two in Week 1, six in Week 2, and seven in Week 3), he is also encroaching on the balls that Moss and Welker are getting their ways. Last week the former Florida Gator even led the team in targets.

Hernandez is earning Brady’s trust. He has led the team in receptions the previous two games (six) and yards (101 against the New York Jets and 65 against the Buffalo Bills). Even though he only had one grab in the opening weekend, he made it count for 45 yards.

He hasn’t caught a touchdown pass yet and isn’t a prime look on goal-line situations, where fellow rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski gets the nod, as will running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Hernandez also isn’t expected to do much blocking, but he does create a lot of matchup problems.

He’s a tad undersized but extremely athletic. He has good speed and can make big plays in the open field. He has good hands and can get to some awkwardly thrown balls. He also has a good vertical leap. And when he gets the ball he does a good job of evading defenders and getting yards after the catch.

He even got into the running game against Buffalo with one carry for 13 yards.

With Moss and Welker demanding a lot of attention, rightfully so, Hernandez can take quite a bit of pressure of them and really open up the field.

Hernandez has been exciting to watch and his growing chemistry with Brady couldn’t come at a better time as the Pats head to Miami to take on the Dolphins.

The Dolphins rank ninth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. However, they have been weak guarding tight ends.

In Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, VIsanthe Shiancoe had a game-high of six catches for 83 yards. In last week’s loss to the Jets, Dustin Keller found all the seams in the Miami defense, leading the Jets with six catches for 98 yards and adding a game-high two touchdowns.

With the Dolphins inability to contain the tight end and Hernandez’s big play ability—akin to Keller—Brady should look his way quite often in the Monday Night divisional showdown.

NFL Week 4 Picks: Donovan McNabb Will Be Triumphant in Return to Philadelphia

AP Photo/Rob Carr

Only three unbeatens remain: Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City. If you predicted that, raise your hand. You deserve a pat on the back. No one expected that from any of these teams. But as the cliché goes, that is why they play the game.

Which of these teams will be able to continue their success? Who is a real contender?

We know that Kansas City will stay undefeated for another week, as they are one of four teams that has the first bye week in the NFL.

The biggest storyline in Week 4 though will be Donovan McNabb’s return to Philadelphia. After 11 seasons with the Eagles, McNabb will enter Lincoln Financial Field, but this time as a Washington Redskin.

There have been a lot of discussions on TV about how McNabb will and should be greeted by the fans. He is on a rival team, so when the whistle blows, anything that he has done will be forgotten, but McNabb never demanded a trade. He was forced out.

He has done so much for the Eagles, if he is booed by the majority during introductions then Philadelphia fans should be ashamed of themselves for not appreciating everything he has done.

Give him a warm welcome, and then try to rattle him when he’s attempting to throw touchdown passes against your team.

Who do you think will win?

San Francisco (0-3) at Atlanta (2-1)

The Falcons played well last week, beating the defending champions. This season Atlanta is second in the league in rushing yards, have turned the ball over three times, and have a plus-four turnover differential, good enough for a tie for third best in the entire league, first in the NFC.

San Francisco fired offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, thanks to scoring the second fewest points in the league (38).

They seem out of whack, and while a weak division could keep them in contention, it’s difficult to imagine that they beat a well put together team like the Falcons right now.

Atlanta wins.

Cincinnati (2-1) at Cleveland (0-3)

With Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham at his disposal, Carson Palmer is catching some flack for an underachieving offense in Cincinnati.

He’s only completed 56.6 percent of his passes this season—a career low—5.8 yards per pass, second lowest in his career, a 71.3 passer rating, also the second lowest of his career, and has just as many interceptions as touchdowns.

There’s hope against the Browns defense however.

Cleveland was torched by Joe Flacco last weekend, when he went 22-31 for 262 yards and three touchdowns.

If the Bengals can get Cedric Benson and the running game going against a team that ranks 21st in rushing yards allowed per game, things can open up for Palmer and the passing game.

Cincinnati wins.

New York Jets (2-1) at Buffalo (0-3)

The Jets will be going for three straight divisional wins, and while Buffalo put forth a nice effort against the Patriots last week, it won’t be enough.

Mark Sanchez, Braylon Edwards, Dustin Keller, and LaDanian Tomlinson were all in top form last weekend against the Dolphins.

The Jets defense is stingier than the Patriots defense Buffalo was able to put 30 points up against last weekend, and they added former Pro Bowler Trevor Pryce.

The real question here is while the Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins will all compete for the division crown, will the Bills win any game within the division?

New York Jets win.

Seattle (2-1) at St. Louis (1-2)

Seattle need to kickoffs returned for touchdowns by Leon Washington to win last week. They won’t be able to rely on that every week.

The running game specifically needs to step up, managing only 68 yards last week against San Diego.

While the Rams had a big home victory last weekend, Steve Jackson is now questionable and the outlook on him participating in the game does not look good.

Without Jackson, the Rams offense, still trying to find its way, may not have the spark to get going.

Seattle wins.

Denver (1-2) at Tennessee (2-1)

Both teams strengths on offense (Tennessee’s rushing game, and Denver’s passing game) will be somewhat neutralized here by the other team’s strengths on defense.

The problem is Denver cannot run the ball at all. Tennessee’s passing game is not sharp in any way, but it doesn’t need to be with Chris Johnson—fifth in the NFL in rushing yards, tied for first in rushing touchdowns—running around and controlling the clock.

Denver will be without Knowshon Moreno once again, and Tennessee should be able to just sit back on the pass, making it harder for Kyle Orton to do any real damage.

Tennessee is also fourth in the league in sacks, so it could be a long day for Orton.

Tennessee wins.

Detroit (0-3) at Green Bay (2-1)

The Packers had an astonishing 18 penalties last week for 152 yards. They also had two turnovers. They only lost by three points. They beat themselves.

It was an ugly performance, but it should only be a bump in the road for the Packers. A matchup with the winless Lions should be the proper cure.

Detroit can’t run the ball efficiently and they can’t stop the run or pass. They have some talented players, but they are going through a lot of growing pains, literally. Rookie running back Jahvid Best is questionable with a toe injury, and second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford is still out with a shoulder injury.

Green Bay wins.

Baltimore (2-1) at Pittsburgh (3-0)

The Steelers are (sort of) surprisingly undefeated right now. No one thought they would be this good without Ben Roethlisberger, but they are playing good defense and are strong running the ball.

Where they are weak is the passing game. Now down to Charlie Batch, who until last week hadn’t started a game since 2006, they are last in the league in passing yards per game. And surprisingly, the Ravens are best in passing yards allowed per game.

The Ravens’ defense was embarrassed last week giving up 173 rushing yards to Cleveland, but that isn’t the norm, although Rashard Mendenhall will make things difficult.

Baltimore needs to win the turnover battle. That won’t be easy since the Steelers have the best turnover difference while the Ravens have the worst. Still, it can be done, and Baltimore will rely on Ray Rice in order to cut down on their turnovers.

Joe Flacco and Anquan Boldin had a huge day last week, and if that is any sign of the “improved” offense finally clicking, they could be turning the corner.

Baltimore wins.

Carolina (0-3) at New Orleans (2-1)

Drew Brees threw two interceptions last week and Garret Heartley missed another field goal—in overtime. The running game isn’t helping, ranking last in the league in yards per game. Yet the Saints still lost by only a field goal.

It was not a pretty game. None of them have been thus far for New Orleans. Things will need to be improved for the Carolina game, but they should be ok.

The Saints are known for a high-powered offense, led by Brees, that can strike at any time from any spot on the field.

Carolina and rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who had an awful 53.6 passer rating in his first career start, will not be able to match the Saints score for score, as they rank last in the league in total points.

New Orleans wins.

Indianapolis (2-1) at Jacksonville (1-2)

Peyton Manning looks fantastic so far. He has 1013 passing yards, a 69 percent completion percentage, nine touchdowns, and zero interceptions to go along with a league-leading 116.9 passer rating.

David Garrard’s first game was promising, but he owns a 59.5 completion percentage, 448 yards, five interceptions compared to four touchdowns, and has been sacked 10 times, third most in the NFL.

No reason to think Peyton’s roll will be ending, or even temporarily stopped, in this game.

Indianapolis wins.

Houston (2-1) at Oakland (1-2)

Houston’s offense put up good numbers in last week’s loss to Dallas, they just couldn’t put the ball in the end zone, going 1-3 in the red zone on the day. Add three turnovers—two picks and one fumble—and they were doomed to blemish their unbeaten record.

Oakland has a good pass defense, which could make things difficult for the Texans passing-heavy offense. However, their run defense is pretty weak while Houston’s run offense is pretty good.

And while the Texans have a league-worst pass defense, the Raiders passing game isn’t nearly dangerous enough to make a difference.

The Texans will get back on track against the Raiders.

Houston wins.

Washington (1-2) at Philadelphia (2-1)

Donovan McNabb, the Eagles’ all-time leader in games for a quarterback, yards, passing touchdowns, and playoffs starts, returns to Philadelphia after the team traded him this offseason. He isn’t remembered for throwing four touchdowns on a broken ankle in the 2002 playoffs, but for throwing up in the 2004 Super Bowl.

He was criticized by Rush Limbaugh, Eagles’ fans, and the Philadelphia press. Yet he still was the Eagles’ greatest quarterback of all-time and he did it all with a smile on his face.

Washington hasn’t gotten off to the best start, but McNabb is in the top ten in passing yards (833), ahead of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and the guy that has taken over his position in Philly, Mike Vick.

Vick’s resurgence to the top of the league has been possibly the biggest story of the season thus far, with a feel-good-ring to it. McNabb has praised him, and said nothing much about returning to Philly, but after 11 seasons there has to be a sense of urgency, a want to prove that he is the top guy.

His team has said they want to play their best game for him.

McNabb will be inspired and he will lead his team to victory.

Washington wins.

Arizona (2-1) at San Diego (1-2)

San Diego has the second most passing yards per game, and are sixth and ninth best in the league in passing yards allowed per game and rushing yards allowed per game respectively.

Their one win has come at home and their latest loss was due in part to terrible special teams coverage allowing two kickoff returns for touchdowns (and losing by seven points despite Philip Rivers’ 455 passing yards).

Arizona squeaked by last week when the Raiders missed a field goal with time expiring.

The Chargers are a pass-first team, but if they could expose a rather weak run defense, then they could be in business.

San Diego wins.

Chicago (3-0) at New York Giants (1-2)

Both quarterbacks are in the top ten in passing yards. However the Bears pass defense is not playing nearly as well as the Giants. Maybe that’s because they’ve played Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo, but the Giants still had to matchup with Peyton Manning.

The Bears run defense is tough, but they can’t run the ball either.

The key for the Giants will be for Eli Manning to cut back on his turnovers (he leads the league with six interceptions) and make Jay Cutler turn into the turnover machine that people expect him to be.

At home and becoming a very undervalued team, the Giants can pull off an upset in this game.

New York Giants win.

New England (2-1) at Miami (2-1)

Last year the Patriots were miserable on the road, and they did nothing against the New York Jets in Week 2 to prove those days are behind them. They also, historically, play poorly in Miami.

Last week against the Jets, Chad Henne threw for 363 yards, 166 of which were to Brandon Marshall. The two’s connection has really developed early in the season, and there is no reason to believe that the Patriots porous secondary that allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to complete 71 percent of his passes for 247 yards last week will stop them.

Miami wins.

Bye week: Dallas, Kansas City, Minnesota, Tampa Bay

Last Week: 9-7

Season: 29-19