NFL Week 2 Picks: Will San Francisco 49ers Passing Game Overcome Tough Seattle Seahawks Secondary?

The opening day jitters should be gone now.

Week 1 of the NFL season was crazy, with three safeties, three quarterbacks throwing three interceptions, and three quarterbacks throwing over 400 yards.

What can we expect from Week 2, which features seven divisional games?

New York Jets (1-0) at New England (1-0)

Both teams won in Week 1 by two points or less. But in New England, can the Jets squeak out another victory? New York was aided by a big penalty at the end of their game against the Buccaneers. It’s not to say this will be a blowout like when these teams played on Thanksgiving Day last year, but New England still has Tom Brady at quarterback and that right now is a big edge over Geno Smith.

New England wins.

St. Louis (1-0) at Atlanta (0-1)

Neither team was impressive on defense last week, especially against the pass. What Atlanta has though is a much more balanced attack on offense. Steven Jackson showed that he was a good signing, rushing for 77 yards on only 11 carries. And even though Roddy White was questionable heading into last week’s game, he moved well enough to garner enough attention to open up Julio Jones and Harry Douglas for big days catching the ball.

Atlanta wins.

Carolina (0-1) at Buffalo (0-1)

Both teams lost in one possession games last week but Buffalo looked like the more dangerous of the two. The Bills defense was able to force three turnovers against New England. They were able to put up 21 points on offense.

The Panthers, despite Cam Newton at quarterback, threw for only 119 yards (though to be fair Seattle does have a good secondary). Still, the Panthers didn’t get much going at all.

Buffalo wins.

Minnesota (0-1) at Chicago (1-0)

Christian Ponder’s three interceptions last week played a big role in the Vikings loss.

The Bears took it to a good Bengals team and did not allow a sack to their vaunted defensive line. The Jay Cutler-Brandon Marshall hookup looks as good as ever.

Chicago wins.

Washington (0-1) at Green Bay (0-1)

The Packers have had the unfortunate task of taking on the 49ers in Week 1 the past two years and while both games were great matchups, the Packers have come out the loser both times. They’re a very good 0-1 team.

The Redskins were run all over by the Eagles last week and while the Packers may not play as fast as the Eagles, they are still a very aggressive offense that spreads the ball around and can do maybe even more damage than Philadelphia did.

Green Bay wins.

Miami (1-0) at Indianapolis (1-0)

Two sophomore quarterbacks will continue the path to take the next step and both did well in Week 1.

Miami was aided by three Browns interceptions, but the Dolphins were also able to really cause those turnovers by the pressure their defense brought. The Dolphins are tied for first in the league in sacks (6) and also only allowed 47 rushing yards.

It will be a close game but the underrated Dolphins defense will be key here.

Miami wins.

Dallas (1-0) at Kansas City (1-0)

The smart quarterback against the gunslinger. Tony Romo and Alex Smith play two different styles. But how efficient was the Dallas offense? They were plus-five in the turnover differential but only one the game by five points. The Giants committed three turnovers in the first quarter, yet that quarter ended with a score of 3-3. Where’s the killer instinct?

The Chiefs are very good at home and they won’t make the same mistakes the inconsistent Giants offense did.

Kansas City wins.

Cleveland (0-1) at Baltimore (0-1)

Peyton Manning put on a crazy performance last week against the Ravens to get the defending Super Bowl champions off on the wrong foot. But that was on the road.

Teams that win the Super Bowl traditionally open at home. This will be their home opener and the fans will be very much behind this team.

Playing a Browns team that threw three interceptions last week should help the Ravens get back on track.

Baltimore wins.

Tennessee (1-0) at Houston (1-0)

The first week of the season gives a very small sample pool to make these decisions from. So give credit to the Titans for doing what they had to do to defeat the Steelers, especially defensively. But was it more the Titans defense or the poor play from Pittsburgh’s offense?

Either way, the Texans have many more options on offense than the Steelers do. Their defense is better than Pittsburgh’s. And they are at home.

Houston wins.

San Diego (0-1) at Philadelphia (1-0)

Make no mistake about it, the Eagles will be exciting to watch this season, whether they win or lose. Their rushing game was pretty lethal last week against the Redskins and that trend should continue. The Chargers couldn’t hang on to beat the Texans last week and the Eagles will push the pace early on.

Philadelphia wins.

Detroit (1-0) at Arizona (0-1)

What an addition Reggie Bush was to the Lions in Week 1. He looked like the Reggie Bush we all saw play at USC, rushing for 90 yards on 21 carries and catching four passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. Take into account that Calvin Johnson had two touchdowns called back and this offense could be pretty scary.

Detroit wins.

New Orleans (1-0) at Tampa Bay (0-1)

Drew Brees puts up big numbers. He’s not underrated by any stretch of the imagination. But actually watching him play is a treat. His long ball is a thing of beauty, they arc it takes and how it perfectly drops over the receiver’s shoulders into a spot only he can catch it.

A Drew Brees pass is like a David Beckham free kick or a Ray Allen three-point shot. It’s a special skill that has been worked on to perfection.

New Orleans wins.

Jacksonville (0-1) at Oakland (1-0)

The Jaguars scored two points at home last weekend. At least the Raiders played a very competitive game against the Colts.

Oakland wins.

Denver (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1)

Will the Broncos be able to repeat the gaudy stats they compiled against the Ravens in Week 1? Well against the Giants, sure they can.

The Giants defense has holes all over the field but especially in the secondary, especially with Prince Amukamara suffering a concussion last weekend.

Denver wins.

San Francisco (1-0) at Seattle (1-0)

These two teams are the ones most likely to win the NFC West, so this matchup is critical. The Seahawks are one of the best teams at home, but the 49ers are the defending NFC champions.

Something will have to give this weekend. The Seahawks have a very strong secondary that allowed only 119 yards passing to the Panthers, but the 49ers –behind Colin Kaepernick – threw for 404 yards and three touchdowns. And that is without Michael Crabtree.

It will be a fight, but San Francisco is the more accomplished team and even on the road they are tough to overlook.

San Francisco wins.

Pittsburgh (0-1) at Cincinnati (0-1)

Both teams were big disappointments in Week 1 and with all four AFC North teams losing last week this game will be very important.

At least the Bengals put up a fight in Week 1 however. The Steelers finished last week 27th in the league in passing yards and 31st in rushing yards and only two teams put up fewer points than them.

The Bengals still got very good production from A.J. Green (nine catches, 162 yards, two touchdowns). And even though he threw two interceptions, Andy Dalton completed 78.8 percent of his passes.

The Bengals just looked more dangerous than the Steelers.

Cincinnati wins.

Last week: 12-4

Photo Credit

Colin Kaepernick: AP Photo/Ben Margot

NFL Week 2 Picks: Time for the Saints to Rebound

Don’t overreact.

Week 1 was the first real action of the 2012 season any of us saw, obviously. And while we can finally begin to really judge teams and players and get an idea of what trends to look out for it still is only one game.

Sometimes players are still shaking off the early season rust. Sometimes teams and schemes still need to gel. Other times teams could just get a bad draw.

That’s why some teams may have played poorly last weekend or not gotten the result they wanted but there’s still a possibility things can turn out much differently in Week 2, like they did for the Packers.

Chicago (1-0) at Green Bay (0-1)

On Twitter I picked the Packers to win.

Kansas City (0-1) at Buffalo (0-1)

Both teams got trounced in Week 1. This could be an ugly game of football.

But what we could see is two good running backs at work.

Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles had a nice little comeback last week, his first game since Week 2 last season due to injury. He ran for 87 yards on 16 carries, working his way back to prominence.

Even more impressive was the Bills’ C.J. Spiller. Coming on in relief of the injured Fred Jackson, Spiller rushed for a league-high 169 yards last week on only 14 carries to go along with a touchdown. It was truly a special performance, especially because everyone has been waiting for him to have a breakout game since being drafted out of Clemson in 2010.

Ryan Fitzpatrick desperately needs to cut down on his turnovers and Mario Williams needs to get past the offensive lineman covering him but at home with Spiller acting as a spark plug this could be the Bills’ day.

Buffalo wins.

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

The Bengals had a rough outing against the Ravens but this Cleveland team is not nearly as talented.

The Browns defense got to Michael Vick often yet they still lost by a point.

Cincinnati's offensive line isn't as bad and BenJarvus Green-Ellis was a bright spot despite the blowout.

Cincinnati wins.

Minnesota (1-0) at Indianapolis (0-1)

The Vikings barely got past a lackluster Jaguars team at home. But they did win.

While the Colts were completely blown away by the Chicago Bears, it was the start of a new era with Andre Luck at quarterback.

Luck only completed 51.1 percent of his passes and threw three interceptions but he did throw for a touchdown and 309 yards. He got a real taste of what this league is like.

This is a winnable game for the Colts and at home the fans will be ready to get behind Luck.

Indianapolis wins.

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

At home against the Redskins did anyone think Drew Brees and the Saints would go down like they did?

Time to bounce back against a division rival.

The Panthers managed a whopping 10 yards on the ground last week against the Buccaneers and that’s with Cam Newton, who is supposed to be one of the best, if not the best, running quarterbacks in the game. Newton also threw two interceptions.

The Saints need to get a lot more from their running game but Carolina still has a lot of pieces they need to put together in order to be a successful team.

New Orleans wins.

Houston (1-0) at Jacksonville (0-1)

Houston dismantled an overmatched Miami Dolphins team in Week 1. The Texans should have just as good a game against a possibly even weaker Jaguars team, even though they’re on the road.

Houston wins.

Oakland (0-1) at Miami (0-1)

The Raiders had the late Monday night game and will have to travel cross-country to play the Dolphins in the 1 p.m. game. That never bodes well.

The Dolphins looked bad last week and looks to be focusing on the future, but they are winners of six of their past seven games against Oakland and have home-field advantage.

Miami wins.

Arizona (1-0) at New England (1-0)

Coming off the bench last week Kevin Kolb went 6 for 8 for 66 yards and a touchdown in a four-point win for the Cardinals. Not too shabby.

But the Patriots looked too good last week and their defense looked much improved to go against them taking on what seems to be an inferior Arizona team.

New England wins.

Tampa Bay (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1)

Rookie head coach Greg Schiano takes his Buccaneers team to New Jersey, where he did a pretty good job as the head coach of Rutgers University. His team held on and put together a gutsy win against the Panthers in Week 1 thanks in part to a very stout rush defense.

The Giants did not play well at all against the Cowboys and their secondary continues to get thinner and thinner.

But Tampa Bay didn’t overpower the Panthers by throwing the ball, so it’s hard to imagine they’d be able to take full advantage of the Giants’ most glaring weakness. The Giants tend to fluctuate in consistency but after losing last week they could very well turn it on this week.

New York Giants win.

Baltimore (1-0) at Philadelphia (1-0)

The Ravens beat a 2011 playoff team by 31 points in Week 1. The Eagles beat the Cleveland Browns—a team that was 4-12 last year and starting rookies at quarterback and wide receiver in Week 1—by one point in a game that the offensive line was absolutely manhandled and Michael Vick threw four interceptions.

Yet the Eagles are favored in this game. Home-field advantage cannot be worth that much can it?

The Baltimore defense was very strong against Cincinnati and they should be able to take full advantage of an Eagles offense with a porous front-line, an injury-prone quarterback and its top two-wide receivers (DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin) already banged up with injuries.

Baltimore wins.

Washington (1-0) at St. Louis (0-1)

Robert Griffin III was the first player in NFL history to earn Player of the Week after his first NFL game. Everyone loves him. Seriously, have you heard anyone say anything negative about him?

The Rams didn't look too bad last week, but they lost and the Redskins mojo right now is the highest it's been in at least the past decade.

Washington wins.

Dallas (1-0) at Seattle (0-1)

When the Seahawks play at home they generally do pretty well. They always have a great crowd behind them.

In terms of play though, they did struggle against the Cardinals pass defense. They could struggle even more against a Cowboys pass defense that did pretty well against the Giants offense last week.

Tony Romo has long been on the cusp of good and great in the NFL. He will need to continue to put together similar performances throughout the season but he had as good a start as possible.

Dallas wins.

New York Jets (1-0) at Pittsburgh (0-1)

The defenses for both teams feature some big injuries. Darrelle Revis out for the Jets while James Harrison and Troy Polomalu could be out for the Steelers.

Despite different outcomes a week ago this game could be an ugly slugfest and at home, it's usually the type of game Ben Roethlisberger comes out on top in.

Pittsburgh wins.

Tennessee (0-1) at San Diego (1-0)

The Chargers did a poor job of getting their running game going last week against the Raiders, gaining only 32 yards on the ground.

Chris Johnson had an awful showing in Week 1 with 11 carries for only four yards Tennessee. But on the bright side the Titans do get Kenny Britt back this week after missing the first game due to a suspension in Week 1 and a season-ending injury last year.

The Chargers have always been a pass-first team, but with the addition of Britt Tennessee could do some damage this weekend. There’s also greater potential for Johnson to shake out of his funk as opposed to any of the Chargers’ backs.

Tennessee wins.

Detroit (1-0) at San Francisco (1-0)

The 49ers put together a very impressive performance beating the Packers on the road last weekend. The defense got the job done and the team's new stable of wide receivers came through for them.

The Lions barely slipped past the Rams and Matthew Stafford was not very sharp.

San Francisco wins.

Denver (1-0) at Atlanta (1-0)

Both teams put up impressive victories in Week 1.

What wasn't impressive was the Falcons running game. They ran for 84 yards total and Matt Ryan almost out ran starter Michael Turner.

Peyton Manning had a good first game back and history says he does very well in prime time.

Denver wins.

This Week: 1-0

Last Week: 9-7

Photo Credit.

AP Photo/Bill Haber

NFL Week 2 Awards: Miles Austin Has Huge Game for Dallas Cowboys

Big passes, clutch touchdowns and reckless tackles dominated the NFL in Week 2.

People are saying the NFL has become a passing league and some quarterbacks are continuously putting up gaudy numbers. But that also means that the wide receivers are reaping the benefits.

And in clutch situations the best quarterbacks have their go-to-guy, the one they have the upmost confidence in and can rely on to make the huge play.

There was plenty of great quarterback-to-wide receiver combinations that had big days.

Here’s the good, bad and ugly from Week 2.

MVP of the Week

Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys

The Monmouth University alumnus had a huge day propelling the Dallas Cowboys to their first victory of the 2011 NFL season.

Austin collected nine passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those touchdown passes came in the second half and from two different quarterbacks.

He made a fantastic play on the third touchdown, which brought the Cowboys within three points of the lead with 6:55 to go in the fourth quarter. He leaped in the air to make the catch and once the ball was in his hands he began falling to the ground. When it looked like he would be down at the three-yard line, Austin planted his foot before his knee hit the ground and lunged into the end zone.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots; Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills; Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

Bust of the Week

Dunta Robinson, CB, Atlanta Falcons

Robinson must have some kind of secret vendetta against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Last season Robinson made a helmet-to-helmet hit against Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, giving both him and Jackson concussions. He was fined $50,000 for the hit (Robinson appealed the fine and it was lessened to.

Sunday night Robinson lined up Philadelphia receiver Jeremy Maclin, going in head-first right into Maclin’s helmet, taking him out of the game for a few plays. Even though it was his second offense to the rule, Robinson was fined only $40,000 and received no suspension $25,000).

I’m not sure what’s the worst part of this situation: that Robinson doesn’t know how to tackle a guy without using his head, that head coach Mike Smith supported him, that Robinson didn’t learn from last year or that the NFL didn’t punish him worse for a second offense.

It’s a dirty play, it could hurt not only the guy getting hit but also the guy doing the hitting and it’s making the NFL’s policy look a bit like a farce.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions: Luke McCown, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars; Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs; Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Surprise of the Week

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys

He can put up the numbers, we all know that. What we don’t know is what kind of grit Romo has, what kind of poise and clutch ability he has. Time and time again, Romo will find a way to lose the big game, to lose a close game. Turnovers in clutch moments have scarred his legacy thus far in his career.

Sunday, he did something different though.

Romo did not have a single turnover through the game’s entirety, not even in the game’s final and crucial moments. Instead Tony Romo led two scoring drives (one touchdown and one field goal) in the final 6:55 of the game to erase a 10-point deficit. On the drive that sent the game into overtime Romo completed five of six passes. Then in overtime he completed a 77-yard pass to Jesse Holley, who was tackled at the one-yard line before the Cowboys kicked a field goal to win the game.

Oh, and he did all this with a fractured rib.

Romo stepped up big time when many expected him to crumble and fail.

Honorable Mentions: Tennessee Titans; Washington Redskins

Disappointment of the Week

Baltimore Ravens

When the Ravens blew out the Steelers in Week 1 it was thought that it was a statement to the rest of the league that this was going to be the team to beat. Perennial playoff contenders the Ravens put the smackdown on their biggest rival and toughest competition for the division championship.

But the team did not come prepared to play the Titans. It seemed like one of those situations when a team just thinks they’re going to go into the game and wipe the floor with the opposition. The effort and execution weren’t there and the Titans put it to the Ravens.

Turnovers did nothing to help the Raves, throwing two interceptions and fumbling once. Joe Flacco had a bad game posting a 51.2 quarterback rating. And the secondary, something that has been a concern for the Ravens for the past few years, was picked apart by Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselback (30-42, 358 yards).
Proof that in this league you have to do more than just show up.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions: Jason Hill, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars; Mike Tolbert, RB, San Diego Chargers; Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers

Rookie of the Week

Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Yes, Cam Newton threw for 400-plus yards (432) for the second straight week and also rushed for another touchdown. But he threw three interceptions hurting the Panthers chances at a major upset in a game they led 13-0 early on.

Dalton followed up an abbreviated Week 1 debut with a very good game. He completed 66-percent of his passes, threw for 332 yards, had two touchdown passes and did not throw any interceptions.

Dalton completed at least two passes to seven different receivers, really trying to get everyone to have an impact on the game. And the Dalton and A.J. Green combination looked great, combining for 10 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. He also got 136 receiving yards from Jerome Simpson.

The Bengals need to improve on third downs, where they went 1-11, but Dalton has the early makings of a very good quarterback.

Honorable Mentions: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers; A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals; Daniel Thomas, RB, Miami Dolphins

Tough Luck

Oakland Raiders

Forget that they blew an 18-point first quarter lead.

Forget that the Bills responded to a late-Raiders touchdown with seven points of their own with only 14 seconds left.

The Raiders still had a chance to win it. And they almost did. But as the saying goes, almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. It’s just exactly how close they came to pulling off the victory that’s tough.

At their own 44-yard line Jason Campbell tossed the ball all the way into the end zone with no time remaining. Wide receiver Denarius Moore (who already had a 50-yard touchdown catch) caught the ball, but so too did Bills cornerback Da’Norris Searcy and the two came down to the ground each clutching the ball. The two wrestled on the ground for a moment, but Searcy pulled away with the ball.

Game over.

Honorable Mentions: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers; Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets, for not getting to match-up against Jacksonville Jaguars WR Jason Hill; Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Photo Credits.
Miles Austin: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

NFL Week 2 Picks: Michael Vick Will Be Victorious in His Return to Atlanta

Every week in the NFL is important. That being said, statistically speaking Week 2 can be huge for some teams.

If a team starts the season 0-2 their chances of making the playoffs is just above 12-percent. If they go 1-1 then those odds jump to over 40-percent.

Now take a look at some of the teams that lost in Week 1: Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Atlanta and St. Louis.

All those teams were heavy favorites to make the playoffs and possibly win their division. There’s even been talk of getting to the Super Bowl for those teams.

It’s early in the season and not even close for any of these teams to be hitting the panic button, but history shows that it’s important to get at least one victory in the first two weeks of the season.

How will those teams fare this week?

The biggest storyline, however, will be Michael Vick’s return to Atlanta. Vick lead’s his “Dream Team” back to where his NFL career began as well as where it all fell apart. Will Vick rise to the occasion, or will his emotions (and the Falcons pass rush) get the best of him?

Who do you think will win?

Kansas City (0-1) at Detroit (1-0)

The Chiefs were demolished at home in Week 1, a place they only lost at once last season. Now they have to go on the road against a team that was impressive on the road and will look to show their home crowd that this is not their ordinary Lions.

The big issue for Detroit all offseason was that they could contend IF Matthew Stafford was healthy all year. He showed in Week 1 why that is. He threw for 305 yards and had three touchdown passes to go along with a 118.9 quarterback rating. He did have an interception, but not totally his fault as it tipped off of his receiver.

The Chiefs were manhandled by Ryan Fitzpatrick last week, so it should be another big week for Stafford.

Detroit wins.

Oakland (1-0) at Buffalo (1-0)

The trend the past few seasons is that teams that West coast teams that have to travel across the country to the East coast and play in the 1 p.m. game do not fare well at all. Add to the Raiders woes that they played Monday night in the late game of the Monday doubleheader and that means they have less time to prepare and rest.

The Raiders’ play Monday night was also not terribly impressive. They got the win, so that’s good for them. But their three-point victory was done in most part thanks to Denver’s three turnovers, including a fumble by Kyle Orton with the Broncos at the Raiders’ 24-yard line.

Oakland had fewer yards gained, more penalties for more yards, a worse third down completion percentage and also gave up a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Meanwhile the Bills were incredibly efficient mopping up the field with the Chiefs. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a huge day and he should do well against an Oakland secondary that is not as tough to play against without Nmamdi Asomugha.

Buffalo wins.

Tampa Bay (0-1) at Minnesota (0-1)

It was a disappointing start to the season for both teams. There is much more upside to the Buccaneers however.

The Buccaneers are younger and they have better chemistry and continuity than the Vikings do.

Case in point: Minnesota boasts Donovan McNabb as its starting quarterback. He’s always been a great person who does a lot off the field. He’s a likable guy. And he’s done some great things on the football field as well. Sometimes he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves and instead gets more criticism than what’s fair. That being said, his age (34) is starting to show.

Last season with the Washington Redskins he was benched and was a part of an ugly media frenzy regarding his playing time. Lots of things were said but at the end of the day Mike Shanahan, who is known for getting the most out of his quarterbacks, came to the conclusion that McNabb couldn’t play for him.

Now in Week 1 McNabb hit an all-time low, throwing for only 39 yards and posting an ugly 47.9 passer rating.

Josh Freeman’s Week 1 wasn’t anything to write home about, but he at least threw for triple digits in yards. And he had a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter—the only score in the period—to bring the Bucs within a touchdown of the tie, so at least he had some fight in him.

Tampa Bay wins.

Chicago (1-0) at New Orleans (0-1)

Chicago was impressive in Week 1. And maybe they don’t get the credit they deserve. Much like last year they could play well and be successful this year but all you’ll hear pundits say is that they aren’t as good as their record is and that Jay Cutler is an inconsistent quarterback.

Still, are they as good as New Orleans is?

The Saints were tough luck losers to the defending- Super Bowl champs last week even though they put up an impressive offensive performance.

The defense will have to step up and not yield 42 points, no matter how good their offense is. But still with Drew Brees on the field, this team is a strong favorite to play in at least the NFC Championship game.

At home they’ll look to get out their aggressions from last week’s loss.

New Orleans wins.

Baltimore (1-0) at Tennessee (0-1)

The Ravens defense has heard people say that they are getting too old to be effective. And the unit has responded.

The Ravens picked off Ben Roethlisberger three times, made him fumble twice and limited Rashard Mendenhall to only 45 yards rushing and forced him to fumble the ball once as well.

What do you think they’ll do to Chris Johnson, who was a major disappointment with only 24 yards rushing against the Jaguars, and to the injury-prone Matt Hasselbeck?
Baltimore wins.

Cleveland (0-1) at Indianapolis (0-1)

Both teams were ugly in Week 1, but the Colts were uglier.

Kerry Collins, with only a couple weeks to work with the offense, fumbled twice and looked comically out of sorts with his new team after coming out of retirement. And still, he’s much better than the alternative (Curtis Painter).

It’s amazing to think of how valuable Peyton Manning really is. Time and time again he put the team on its shoulders when so many star players around him fell to injury; now with the shoe on the other foot his team cannot function, let alone pick him up.

It’s only one week, but the Colts also were bad on defense and couldn’t run the ball. These have been problems in the past, but they always had Peyton to save them.

Not anymore.

Cleveland wins.

Jacksonville (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)

The defense was shaky early on, but the Jets pride themselves on their defense and that unit stepped up huge in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys.

They got a big game-winning 50-yard field goal from Nick Folk, something no Cowboy fan ever thought would happen.

The running game will need to step up for the Jets, but if their defense—which only allowed 64 rushing yards last week—can contain Maurice Jones-Drew the Jaguars offense offers little else and is not as dynamic as the Jets offense.

New York wins.

Seattle (0-1) at Pittsburgh (0-1)

Pittsburgh was embarrassed last week. No way they let that happen to them again, especially at home.

Take a look at the Seahawks: Tarvaris Jackson did not look good at quarterback, Sindey Rice did not play because of a shoulder injury and has been ruled out again and they ran the ball for only 64 yards.

This is all without mentioning how bad the special teams play was.

The odds are in the Steelers’ favor for a bounce-back game here.

Pittsburgh wins.

Arizona (1-0) at Washington (1-0)

Yes, the Cardinals did an awful job of defending Cam Newton. But this win wasn’t as bad as people make it out to be.

The Cardinals got great games out of Kevin Kolb (309 passing yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions in his Arizona debut), Beanie Wells (90 yards rushing and a touchdown) and Early Doucet (105 yards, one touchdown). If all these guys continue to perform at similar levels and you throw in Larry Fitzgerald this team may not be so bad.

The Cardinals defense did render the Carolina rushing game rather useless.

The Redskins capitalized on a number of the Giants’ mistakes. They played well but they’ll need the Cardinals to play similarly, and it’s tough to imagine anyone else playing as bad as New York did.

Arizona wins.

Green Bay (1-0) at Carolina (0-1)

It was the Cam Newton show for the Panthers last week and that’s all well and good. But he’s only one guy.

The Packers were the best overall team last year and they look even better this year with an impressive win over the Saints. And a lot of guys played big roles, not just one.

Green Bay wins.

Dallas (0-1) at San Francisco (1-0)

So Alex Smith had a 90.4 passer rating and didn’t turn the ball over?

There were multiple Ted Ginn Jr. sightings?

Frank Gore rushed for only 59 yards and no touchdowns, yet the 49ers still won?

Who is this team?

San Francisco was a pleasant surprise in Week 1.

Dallas was predictable.

A blown lead, a late collapse and a costly fourth quarter Tony Romo turnover? I’m feeling a bit of déjà vu.

San Francisco wins.

San Diego (1-0) at New England (1-0)

The Patriots haven’t lost a regular season home game since 2008. They have won four of the past five meetings against the Chargers.

And as good as Philip Rivers is, he didn’t just throw for 517 yards last week.

New England wins.

Houston (1-0) at Miami (0-1)

Houston did a great job against the Colts in Week 1. Derrick Ward and Ben Tate played very well replacing Arian Foster, who looks like he will return to action this weekend. The defense played well. Also, Matt Schaub is still hooking up with Andre Johnson.

The Texans still managed to lose the turnover battle though, with a lost fumble and two interceptions thrown.

The Dolphins played the Patriots tightly, but were no match against a clearly superior team. The defense underperformed (which might be too kind of an assessment) but the offensive skill players played well.

Chad Henne may have been forgotten about because of Tom Brady’s enormous game, but
Henne still threw for 416 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception, but it was a toss-up at the end of the game in an attempt to get a long-scoring play to make the game tighter. He also lead the team in rushing yards and had a rushing touchdown.

Reggie Bush had a good night with 94 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, and Brandon Marshall was unstoppable. New England had a lot of problems matching up with Marshall as the receiver went off for 139 yards.

Miami got a bit predictable when throwing to Marshall, but Bush, Davone Bess and Anthony Fasano all played well enough to force Henne to trust his other options instead of jamming it down the field to Marshall.

Miami wins.

Cincinnati (1-0) at Denver (0-1)

Kyle Orton threw for 304 yards yet the home crowd still chanted for Tim Tebow, who is considered the third quarterback on the depth chart.

The Broncos bested the Raiders in yards, third down conversions and penalties but still lost.

Champ Bailey, Brandon Lloyd and Knowshon Moreno all ended up watching the end of the game from the sidelines.

None of that is good news for Denver.

For the Bengals, Andy Dalton has been cleared to play against the Broncos and is expected to start.

Cincinnati wins.

Philadelphia (1-0) at Atlanta (0-1)

It will be a pretty emotional game. The city of Atlanta loved Michael Vick. And they were heartbroken when his legal trouble brought his tenure there to an end.

The city has since rebounded with Matt Ryan and the team is doing well generally speaking, but Michael Vick is still the most entertaining player in the NFL. It seems like everyone wants a chance to play with him.

And he once was property of the Falcons.

The fans will have a little impact on the game, but the ball won’t be in their hands. It will be in Vick’s. And you have to imagine that he’s had this game circled for quite some time.

There shouldn’t be any animosity on Vick’s part towards the city of Atlanta or the Falcons’ organization, but one would think he would be incredibly excited to show off in front of his former team. He must be salivating at leading his star-studded team up against a side that got rocked last weekend.

We could all be in for a show.

Philadelphia wins.

St. Louis (0-1) at New York Giants (0-1)

All the years experience the Giants have on their roster, all the money their players make, all they talent they have, none of it means a thing anymore. Because this is a team that plays with zero heart.

Their quarterback makes so many mindless mistakes and turnovers and then pouts off the field. The running backs look rather uninspired. The defense is without its two best players and the team’s two real leaders. Special teams was, and has been the past couple of years, a disaster.

And the coach, in four seasons since their Super Bowl victory, doesn’t do anything about it. In fact, his demeanor and harsh personality probably only intensify the terrible attitude this team has.

It doesn’t matter how many players the Rams have to sit because of injury; the Giants need to prove that they’re going to at least show up for a game before anyone predicts them to win.

St. Louis wins.

Last Week: 10-6

Season: 10-6