Week 7 Thoughts and Predictions

AFC EAST                                       Net Points
1. New York Jets 5-1                         58
2. New England Patriots 5-1           41
3. Miami Dolphins 3-3                    -24
4. Buffalo Bills 0-6                           -77
*Buffalo has allowed 30 or more points in 5 straight games. A franchise first.

*The Patriots are rolling and WR Deion Branch played better than Randy Moss had been thus far. No one seems to think they will slip anytime soon. Tom Brady and company seem to be on a mission to get that fourth ring and join the ranks of history’s truly great dynasties. They will have their hands full of course but they quickly overhauled their defense and are stocked with quickly improving young linebackers and defensive backs.

*The 5-1 Jets have Green Bay this week before traveling to Detroit and Cleveland. The consensus pick to reach the Super Bowl this year has done little to disappoint. They tasted success coming within a game last year and it will be fun to watch their Monday night showdown with the Patriots on Dec. 6^th. Most likely the game will go a long way in deciding who wins the division.

AFC NORTH                                   Net Points
1. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-1              55

2.  Baltimore Ravens 5-2               20
3. Cincinnati Bengals 2-4              -9
4. Cleveland Browns 2-5                                -24

*Bengals WR Terrell Owens is fourth in the league in receiving yards. All of the Bengals losses have been close and against good teams. They play in a rugged division where even the worst team is solid this season (Cleveland). They are certainly a solid team but like many others, have a brutal schedule coming up and at 2-4 it looks bleak. Left on the schedule are these playoff contenders: Dolphins, Steelers (twice), Colts, Jets, Saints, Chargers and Ravens. That’s 8 out of 10 games against top contenders.  

*The referee’s decision to give the ball back to Pittsburgh which helped their win over Miami was very bad. It was another absolutely ridiculous call in a season surprisingly full of them. There was of course that call that cost Detroit in week one, and that end-zone interception the Bills had against Baltimore last week just before the half was another example. It was called an incomplete pass because his foot landed on the guy’s leg instead of on the ground. Baltimore scored on the next play. The rules committee is going to have a busy offseason.

AFC SOUTH                                       Net Points
1. Tennessee Titans 5-2                                 82
2. Houston Texans 4-2                   -14
3. Indianapolis Colts 4-2                38
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 3-4           -79
*Look at Peyton Manning’s numbers through 6 games: a 67.3 completion percentage, 13 tds and 2 ints. He is the league’s only four-time MVP and playing his way into consideration for another despite injuries shaking up his receiving core. Remarkable.

*That 200-plus yards and 3 TD’s second-year WR Kenny Britt put up against Philadelphia with Kerry Collins starting, shows the Titans are capable of scoring with more than just Chris Johnson.  

AFC WEST                                          Net Points
1. Kansas City Chiefs 4-2                38
2. Oakland Raiders 3-4                   14

3. San Diego Chargers 2-5             28
4. Denver Broncos 2-5                    -61

*The Raiders scored more touchdowns against Denver (8), than the Carolina Panthers have all season (7). It's hard to tell if their 59-point explosion is an aberration or a sign of things to come. Oakland hasn’t had a competitive unit together since winning it all in 2002 and have generally been an undisciplined, underperforming bunch. One thing for certain is this team is beginning to form an identity under fiery coach Tom Cable and a surprisingly poised and now healthy Jason Campbell under center. They have an abundance of pure athleticism on both sides of the ball and if San Diego isn’t able to rebound in the next few weeks as they have in recent seasons, the Raiders can make this division a two team race with the Chiefs. Who would have thought just a month ago?

*The Chargers lead the league in offense and defense, and have outscored their opposition by four touchdowns, but are 2-5.

*The Chiefs did it again. They just keep winning. They lead the league in rushing by a whopping 30 yards per game, and Matt Cassell is starting to look like he may be worth some of that huge contract and it isn’t just a product of the Belicheck machine.

NFC EAST                                           Net Points
1.  New York Giants 5-2                  22
2. Washington Redskins 4-3        -3
3. Philadelphia Eagles 4-3            15
4. Dallas Cowboys 1-5                     -15

*The Eagles were beaten in all phases of the game against Tennessee, but there isn’t any reason to panic considering the Titans are really good and have won 10 straight against the NFC. Kevin Kolb didn’t play terrible and one of his three picks can be chalked up to the wind carrying it, but the switch back to the electrifying Michael Vick should certainly be a boost. The Eagles have a bye this week before taking on Indianapolis. The Michael Vick versus Peyton Manning show should be a great exhibition in contrasting QB play, a treat for football aficionados.  
* The Cowboys are 1-5 but could easily be 5-1. Consider that 4-2 Houston (whom they beat a few weeks ago), has a -14 point differential compared to Dallas’ -15. Dallas has really beaten themselves consistently. By now you’ve seen the stat showing that just one team in league history has made the playoffs following a 1-5 start.

*The Giants are starting to really gel. The team the country saw manhandle Dallas for much of the game Monday Night is perhaps the most explosive the Giants have ever assembled. Wide receiver hakim Nicks has quickly matured into a top flight performer and has the athleticism to be truly great. Fellow starting wideout Steve Smith made the Pro Bowl in his second season last year and both players had over 100 yards on Monday. I can’t ever recall a defense knocking five quarterbacks out of games as the G-Men have done this year. That front seven is starting to resemble the unit that ended the Patriots hopes of a perfect season in 2007.  

NFC NORTH                                      Net Points          
1. Chicago Bears 4-3                        12
2. Green Bay Packers 4-3               31
3. Minnesota Vikings 2-4               -5
4. Detroit Lions 1-5                          6

*Should Brett Favre play on a fractured ankle just to extend his unfathomable 291-game (315 including playoffs) streak, which dates back to 1992? Absolutely. Would a healthy Tarvaris Jackson be better suited to lead the team? Absolutely also. It now looks like Favre should have retired after his magical season a year ago, nobody would have blamed him and he is already a folk hero with streets named after him. The Vikings have something of a mess on their hands because his body has taken a real serious beating and is too old (41) to recover quickly. His limping away from the podium following the post game press conference had to be hard for Vikings personnel to watch. Favre, remember didn’t join the team until late in preseason and was coerced to play another season with a $20M contract after team reps retrieved him by jet from his farm in Mississippi.  

*Green Bay’s win over the Vikings needs to be put in perspective. Favre threw 3 int’s and still had the Vikings in position to win in the final seconds. They have OT losses to Washington and Miami. My preseason pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this year, they have the Jets, Cowboys, Vikings (again) and Atlanta coming up. They end the season @ New England, before hosting the Giants and Bears. Those are 7 very tough games coming up in their next 9. I would expect them to break .500 but will that be enough?  

NFC SOUTH                                       Net Points
1. Atlanta Falcons 5-2                     36
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-2     -30
3. New Orleans Saints 4-3             9
4. Carolina Panthers 1-5                 -55
*The Saints are among the league leaders in offensive output. However, they have given up five touchdowns on defense and special teams in their last two losses.
*Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris said, following his team’s last second win over St. Louis, “We’re the best team in the NFC. Yeah I said it.” His Bucs are 4-2, with wins over the Browns (2-5), Panthers (1-5), Rams (3-4) and Bengals (2-4). Their losses were in blowout fashion to the Steelers and Saints. So we’ll see. Morris is 34 and their starting quarterback is 22 and already has 7 victories dating to last season, 5 coming in the final seconds.

*The Falcons rebounded nicely from a loss at Philadelphia a week ago to hold on for a hard fought win over a game Bengals bunch. The offense is finding its groove and the defense has proven to be solid but not spectacular. Defensive end Kroy Beirmann has really come on this season and by the year’s end should be well recognized. Many people now have the Falcons on the short list to make a run at the title out of the NFC. Of course, the win over New Orleans was huge, but the manner in which they did it (NO kicker missed a chip-shot FG in OT), suggests the Saints are still the team to beat.

NFC WEST                                          Net Points
1. Seattle Seahawks 4-2                  13           
2. Arizona Cardinals 3-3                 -62
3. St. Louis Rams 3-4                      -11
4. San Francisco 49ers 1-6             -49

*Seattle has a slim lead in the division but are an average team at best. The fact that they are 4-2 is as good an illustration as any, that the NFC is considerably weaker than the AFC. The Cardinals played another sloppy turnover-filled game and still could have won. The Rams honestly look like they can develop into the best team in the division, and aside from a blowout loss to Detroit, are playing the most consistently week in and week out. Their #1 overall pick in this years draft QB Sam Bradford, can only be expected to get better.   

WEEK 8 Matchups and Predictions

Buffalo (0-6) at Kansas City (4-2) My Pick: Kansas City

Jacksonville (3-4) at Dallas (1-5) My Pick: Dallas

Carolina (1-5) at St. Louis (3-4) My Pick: Carolina

Washington (4-3) at Detroit (1-5) My Pick: Washington

Miami (3-3) at Cincinnati (2-4) My Pick: Miami

Denver (2-5) at San Francisco (1-6) My Pick: San Francisco

Tennessee (5-2) at San Diego (2-5) My Pick: Tennessee

Tampa Bay (4-2) at Arizona (3-4) My Pick: Arizona

Minnesota (2-4) at New England (5-1) My Pick: New England

Seattle (4-2) at Oakland (3-4) My Pick: Oakland

----Games of the Week-------

Green Bay (4-2) at NY Jets (5-1) My Pick: NY Jets

Pittsburgh (5-1) at New Orleans (4-3)  (Sunday night) My Pick: Pittsburgh

Houston (4-2) at Indianapolis (4-2) (Monday Night) My Pick: Indianapolis

NFL Week 5

AFC EAST Power Rankings
1. New York Jets 4-1
2. New England Patriots 3-1
3. Miami Dolphins 2-2
4. Buffalo Bills 0-5

The Jets deservedly are the talk of the division at this point. True indeed that MNF showdown b/w the Jets and Vikings was a star-studded event with so many subplots from Favre vs. Jets, to Moss returning to the Viks, to Ladainian Tomlinson’s resurgence, Moss and Favre finally playing together etc. The sheer talent and athleticism on display had the look and feel of a Super Bowl match up. I kept thinking man for man, these are the two most talented teams in the league. Both teams’ rosters have been built in much the same fashion as a fantasy team on Madden. The most eye popping stat to come out of it has to be the Jets record-tying 4-game streak without a turnover. The Jets are certainly living up to the hype and the scary part is there is no evidence to support them sliding. Fresh into the starting rotations are LB Calvin Pace, WR Santonio Holmes and a rested CB Darrell Revis. Not to mention QB Matt Sanchez is looking very Phil Simms-esque and thus far has yet to throw a pick. At some point he is expected to have a down game but with perhaps the best O-line in the league, a stifling defense and a coaching staff devoted to a conservative quick-strike attack, the sky is the limit.
There is no way to convince most that New England upgraded with Moss’ departure, but they did re-acquire speedy WR Deion Branch from Seattle, and it will help keep defenses honest. Of course the saying is as long as Brady and Belicheck are together this team is a top contender, but the Pats have a tough road ahead in pursuit of a playoff spot this year. Consider over the next month they play host to Baltimore (10/17), Minnesota (10/31) and Indianapolis (11/21). In addition they have road games against San Diego (10/24) and Pittsburgh (11/14). All said, the Patriots will play 5 of the league’s toughest opponents in the next 6 weeks, and they figure to be underdogs vs. all but the Chargers. It will make or break their season.
The Dolphins are hard to figure here. They have Brandon Marshall and a two-headed running attack but the defense is solid, not overpowering. They are capable on any given Sunday of stopping some top offenses, but consistency is going to be key for the young squad. They have losses to NE and NY already, and a brutal six week stretch ahead playing the Packers, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Titans and Bears. Most assuredly come Nov. 21^st, either Miami or New England will be on the ropes in the AFC playoff picture.


AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens 4-1
2. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-1
3. Cincinnati Bengals 2-3
4. Cleveland Browns 1-4

Well, Baltimore’s narrow defeat of Pittsburgh two weeks ago had most observers catapulting them to the top of their lists. Don’t forget this is essentially the same team that reached the AFC Championship two seasons ago with a pair of rookies at head coach and QB. Only the 2010 has considerably more offensive firepower as RB Ray Rice was then at Rutgers, and WR’s Anquan Boldin, Dante Stallworth and TJ Houshmandzadeh were lacing up in other NFL venues. Also remember that when they travel to New England this week, it will be a rematch of last years wild card game, which was easily the Patriots worst playoff performance in the Brady-Belichick era.
The T.Ocho show, as the new VH1 reality show is termed, is not particularly working in Cincinnati. Terrell Owens is playing his you know what off, but of course, it takes a 53-man effort to win in this league. Once again, in another year and for now his 5^th team, T.O. came out publicly questioning the Bengals offensive approach. Last season en route to capturing the AFC North title and returning to the playoffs for the first time in 4 seasons, the Bengals established themselves as a hard nosed team with gritty defense and a strong run game led by rejuvenated Cedric Benson. Of course for years prior they were an air it out team. They seem to be a bit of both at this point and in any case a clear strategically identity is crucial for a top contender. So far this season they rebounded nicely to an opening week loss to NE to defeat Baltimore in a really bruising game 15-10. Then they cruised to a win over winless Carolina before losing two really tight games to underdogs Cleveland and Tampa Bay. The have a bye this week but then it gets really tough as they play Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis in successive weeks, Man for man Cincinnati is really a good team. This next month will tell the story of how they match up with the league’s best.
Big Ben is back in Pittsburgh and it will be interesting to see how well he performs as it will be his first real game action since last December.

AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans 3-2
2. Indianapolis Colts 3-2
3. Jacksonville Jaguars 3-2
4. Tennessee Titans 3-2

Whoever wins the Jags-Texans game will be in sole possession of first place. The Jags are playing way beyond anyone’s expectations. I mean, some radio show hosts had them pegged as one of the worst teams in the league the last time I did this post two short weeks ago. Since then they defeated Indy and came back hard to win against a game Buffalo unit. People are saying the Colts don’t look as dominant but the fact is Peyton Manning is having his best season to date. That says a lot considering he is the league’s only 4-time MVP. He still has weapons in the passing game and the team showed against KC that the run game can get gritty if need be with Michigan alum Mike Hart. The defense isn’t especially good against the run but conventional wisdom suggest that since it never really was anyway so what’s the concern? The Colts are in the midst of an unprecedented streak having won at least 12 games in 7 straight seasons. The defending AFC Champs (who remember could and should have finished 16-0 last season) have a young secondary that even without oft-injured S Bob Sanders, plays smart and agile. They also still have the speediest set of DE’s in perhaps NFL history in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Don’t count on Indianapolis casually letting the division crown go just yet; though with everyone in the division over .500 after 5 weeks, they have a considerably tougher task than most expected. .


AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 3-1
2. San Diego Chargers 2-3
3. Denver Broncos 2-3
4. Oakland Raiders 2-3

KC’s strong effort in Indianapolis proves to me they are a serious contender. Granted, the season is still young, but there is no denying the Chiefs impressive cluster of young athleticism. They passed a huge psychological hurdle in handling San Diego in week 1 and clearly they are playing like they believe they belong with the elite. You can see they are playing with swag and confidence. Not to mention they have a very formidable 1-2 punch with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, a combo of runners perhaps unmatched in the league. That alone figures to make them competitive week in and week out.
The Chargers have quietly put up the most points and yardage in the league thus far. Though their record is currently below .500, remember they lost in the final minute in two of those, most recently against Oakland; a team they consistently dominate and had all the motivation on their side.
The Chargers figure to right the ship as they have in years past, most notably two seasons ago when they rebounded from a 4-8 start to finish 8-8, which was good enough to win the division. They carried that momentum all the way to the AFC championship. I have seen nothing to suggest they won’t be right there in the end this season as well. San Diego five weeks in is still the favorite
Not so much for Oakland or Denver. The Broncos are solid but not elite in any way, particularly with their run-by-committee backfield. To date, QB Kyle Orton has played the best football of his career, as has WR Brandon Lloyd. They just don’t have enough talent to contend down the stretch in a loaded conference.


NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles 3-2
2. Washington Redskins 3-2
3. New York Giants 3-2
4. Dallas Cowboys 1-3

Washington has a veteran core. They are really an old team in many ways. They have a lot of been there, done that to them, with the likes of QB Donovan McNabb (11^th season), LB London Fletcher (12^th); WR Joey Galloway (15^th), D. Linemen Phillip Daniels (14^th) and Vonnie Holliday (12^th), and slow, over the hill RB’s Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson. Even their FB Mike Sellers is a 10 year vet. Beyond that, deep threat WR Santana Moss is in his 9^th year as is DE/LB Andre Carter. Cornerback Phillip Buchanon is in his 8^th year along with DT’s Albert Haynesworth and Ma’ake Kemoeatu. The owner Daniel Snyder has a reputation as a big free agency spender, and in the last decade has created a culture of thrown together units. They have young talent also of course but there is something to be said for chemistry, growing together through struggles and developing unity (Patriots/Colts/Steelers?). This is truly a do or die situation. They could possibly come together as a unit and do something magical. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall said the right things in the press conference after their win over Green Bay (their second OT win of the season), about the team defying doubters. You like to see and hear that competitive fire. The thing about it is the season is 16 weeks long. They have a squad of castoffs really, and keeping that energy through a 16-game season appears to be a daunting task.
For the sake of brevity I will say that the Giants are back. They dusted off Chicago, Tennessee and Houston in successive weeks. They appear to be the strongest, most situated team in the NFC East. Remember the team that stopped the Patriots undefeated season? They are for the most part still together. This group of young Giant receivers is developing into the best in their franchises’ illustrious history. Really. Watch out for the G-men. If Dallas loses this week to Minnesota (the team that knocked them out of last years playoffs in humiliating fashion), which I believe they will, heads will roll come seasons end because 1-4 is too big a whole for them to climb out of and reach the playoffs given their schedule.

NFC NORTH
1. Chicago Bears 4-1
2. Green Bay Packers 3-2
3. Minnesota Vikings 1-3
4. Detroit Lions 1-4

The Bears came crashing to earth last week in the form of a 9-sack beat down at the hands of the Giants. Its not time to write them off of course, but that week one bad call that negated a late Detroit score looms large. This is a strange season, unusual in that any number of perhaps a dozen teams have been tagged as potential champs. Chicago (believe it or not) was tagged as one of those teams. I feel they should have lost to Detroit and QB Jay Cutler is overrated. They just beat a winless Carolina squad to go to 4-1 and they should be favored against Seattle this week. The week after that they host Minnesota, then travel to Buffalo Nov. 7^th. So looking at the schedule Chicago could/should very well be 6-2 by midseason.
But check their second half schedule: at Dolphins, Eagles, at (revenge-minded) Lions, Patriots, at Vikings on MNF, Jets, and they end the season at Green Bay. The way I see it they can go 3-5 in the second half and make the playoffs in a comparatively weaker NFC. However it develops, the best case scenario is an early playoff exit.
The Lions are showing so much heart that I honestly respect them as a good football team. They should be 2-3 and their 44-6 win over the lowly Rams emphatically illustrates how far they have came in a short time. Remember they won just 3 games the last two seasons. Very similar to the Chiefs in terms of youth and athleticism, I’m not expecting many more wins this year, but they will be the ultimate spoiler down the stretch.

NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 4-1
2. New Orleans Saints 3-2
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-1
4. Carolina Panthers 0-3

The Falcons franchise began in 1966 and until last season had never put together back-to-back winning seasons. They are off to a great this season after impressive wins over Arizona (41-7), and a squeaker over defending champ New Orleans. Their wins over winless San Francisco and one-win Cleveland the last two weeks were by no means easy, and the game winning interception return by DE Kroy Biermann was exactly the kind of play top teams are supposed to make in crunch time.
The Saints are struggling offensively against everyone. No one saw their loss to Arizona coming, and its hard to recall another game in which the winner put up 30 points despite scoring just one offensive touchdown. The Saints stand at 3-2, but would be 4-1 were it not for that chip shot missed FG vs. Atlanta. The mistakes they have made seem easy to correct, but year after we see the defending Super Bowl fail to live up to expectations.
Tampa Bay apparently has a team full of gamers. No one saw them defeating Cincinnati. The poise they displayed down the stretch in the fourth quarter will be a defining moment should this team continue to excel and end up actually competing for a playoff spot; which still no one is anticipating. Still, they have played really well, opened some eyes and appear headed in a great direction as a franchise with QB Josh Freeman under center.

NFC WEST
1. Arizona Cardinals 3-2
2. Seattle Seahawks 2-2
3. St. Louis Rams 2-3
4. San Francisco 49ers 0-5

Two weeks ago I was really firm in my belief that the Cardinals had returned to the bottom half of the league and were for the most part finished as a contender. They had just been destroyed by Atlanta 41-7 and narrowly defeated (24-23) seemingly lowly Oakland, and QB Derek Anderson took most of the blame. Then they were crushed again 41-10 by San Diego. Hence, it was easy to have this take on a franchise who really has had just one ten win season in 30 years. They limped out of weak NFC West into the playoffs at 9-7 before catching fire, during their Super Bowl run of 2008. The thing is once you reach a Super Bowl, the respect you earn last for a couple seasons. That said, they held off some nonbelievers (myself included), with a spectacular defensive effort to defeat defending Champion New Orleans last week. Free agent rookie QB Max Hall did nothing particularly impressive, but they still won. To me that speaks volumes about the makeup and resolve of this roster and staff. They have Seattle and Tampa Bay up next, two teams in similar limbo, struggling to establish themselves as contenders. Arizona is actually second to last in points thus far, so it will be interesting to see if they can find some offensive consistency because you can’t expect to get three Tds every week from defense and special teams.
Seattle ranks near the bottom of nearly every statistical category and before their byte last week were smashed 20-3 by the Rams, a truly no-name team in the midst of a major overhaul. The Rams lost 44-6 to Detroit last week, so now Seattle’s loss looks even worse. They just traded for Buffalo castoff RB Marshawn Lynch to join Justin Forsett in the backfield. So Head coach Pete Carroll has two University of California products to tote the rock. Aging QB Matt Hasselbeck is the team’s second leading rusher with 33 yards so the Lynch acquisition can’t help but be an improvement.
The Seahawks in recent years have acquired and since let go a pretty decent fantasy team worth of WR’s when you consider Nate Burleson, TJ Houshmandzadeh and most recently Deion Branch didn’t work out there. The have a good defense on paper but little else at this point.
San Francisco has to be the best 0-5 team I have ever seen. They have played hard in narrow defeats against Philadelphia, New Orleans and Atlanta, prompting team brass to declare coach Mike Singletary’s job safe. it’s a good thing because they have a strong nucleus on both sides of the ball. I do think QB Alex Smith is a clear bust as a former #1 pick unfortunately.

NFL Week 3 Thoughts

AFC EAST Power Rankings
1. New York Jets 2-1 (Lost to BAL)
2. Miami Dolphins 2-1 (Lost to NYJ)
3. New England Patriots 2-1 (Lost to NYJ)
4. Buffalo Bills 0-3

I’m sure Bills fans are collectively saying good riddance to QB Trent Edwards. How the Bills figured just a month ago that he was the one to lead them is really a head scratcher. He always looked overwhelmed and unprepared. Remember a while back the Bills got off to a 5-1 start, then he got hurt, and was never the same. I would be surprised if he found employment in the NFL again. That’s how awful he had become.
The Jets have taken the early lead in the division with back-to-back wins over Miami and New England. The win over Miami was even more impressive considering they were visiting, and without super star corner Darrelle Revis. As a result, WR Brandon Marshall was able to do what he was brought to South Florida to for: 10 catches, 166 yards and a TD.
This week is interesting as for the second straight week the division plays each other. By Sunday evening each team will have played each other, and we as observers will have better insight as to who the favorite will be going forward. Next Monday night Miami hosts New England. Expect the Patriots to win a close low scoring game.

AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-0
2. Cincinnati Bengals 2-1 (lost to NE)
3. Baltimore Ravens 2-1 (Lost to CIN)
4. Cleveland Browns 0-3

All three of Pittsburgh’s opponents thus far are 2-1, only losing to Pittsburgh. This week division rival Baltimore comes visiting for what promises to be a showcase of blue collar smash mouth football. One of the league’s premier rivalries, games are often decided by a field goal, as was the case with both last year.
Hometown boy Charlie Batch led Pittsburgh to an easy win over Tampa Bay and Baltimore is next in the last game before Big Ben’s return. The Browns played the Ravens tough but they usually play division opponents tough once or twice a year. WR Anauan Boldin has already paid huge dividends for the Ravens. The Bengals beat Baltimore in a defensive gem of a game two weeks ago, and shut down Carolina 20-7 last week. They have rebounded nicely from an opening week blowout loss to NE.


AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans 2-1 (Lost to DAL)
2. Indianapolis Colts 2-1 (Lost to HOU)
3. Tennessee Titans 2-1 (Lost to PIT)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-2

Houston’s loss to Dallas wasn’t a big deal in the big scheme of things, but what a win would have done was stamp them as legitimate contenders. Wide reciever Andre Johnson’s injured ankle is no doubt of bigger concern. Indianapolis continues to roll as do the Titans, who handled the Giants with surprising ease.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 3-0
2. San Diego Chargers 1-2
3. Denver Broncos 1-2
4. Oakland Raiders 1-2

Is Kansas City’s great start an abberation or a sign of things to come? I will say that I do not expect the Chiefs to make the playoffs. They opened eyes with a complete game win against San Diego in week one, a game in which I remarked they had several factors working in their favor (home opener, primetime lights, Chargers missing WR Jackson and OT McNeill). Then they went out and won again, then this past Sunday absolutely smashed a San Fran team nobody thought they would beat. And they did with 400-plus yards of offense. No bells, no whistles, just pure talent by the likes of QB Matt Cassell, WR Dexter McCluster and rookie TE Tony Moeki, whose one-handed TD catch was the Sportscenter play of the week. Convential wisdom cautions me against believing in a team so unproven. Just once can I think of a team as unproven going on to win by season’s end, and that was Kurt Warner’s ‘98 Rams. I do see the Chargers rebounding to take hold of the division this year. The Chiefs have a bye before back-to-back games against Indianapolis and Houston. If they win even one of those games, I’ll be a believer.

NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles 2-1 (Lost to GB)
2. Washington Redskins 1-2
3. Dallas Cowboys 1-2
4. New York Giants 1-2l
Tony Romo for all the criticism he receives, is a top shelf quarterback. I did say he may not be a good leader, but his talent is unquestionable. His new target WR Dez Bryant has the jersey, swag, stature and skill set of Michael Irvin. Though Houston was Vegas’ odds on favorite, many insiders would have viewed a Houston win as a coming out party of sorts for a neophyte franchise lacking in historic lore. The interstate battle was closely contested in the first half, but Dallas’ veteran squad overwhelmed the Texans in every facet of the game after the half. They are back on track after losing to really close games. After the bye expect Dallas to look very much like most expected them to in the preseason.
I really don’t have the time or know where to begin talking about how well Eagles QB Michael Vick has done for himself. His performance against Jacksonville was beyond impressive, he looked like one of the best in the game. He has people talking of him as the early frontrunner for MVP. The Eagles face the Redskins this week. That’s right, the return of QB Donovan McNabb, who held down the Philly organization for 11 years. He was hands down the best QB in franchise history in leading them to four NFC championship game and a Super Bowl appearance. Philly is 6 point favorites.
NFC NORTH
1. Chicago Bears 3-0
2. Green Bay Packers 2-1 (Lost to CHI)
3. Minnesota Vikings 1-2
4. Detroit Lions 0-3
The Bears may have found their man in QB Jay Cutler, tho he still has played errectic at times. Chicago’s 3-0 start is part luck (they REALLY did lose to Detroit), part credit to strong special teams and the acquisition of DE Julius Peppers, who has played lights out. This is still the black and blue division, even with the transition to all-out passing games.
I did pick the Packers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl but the loss of RB Ryan Grant really hurts, the extent of which we probably have yet to see.
Minnesota can rely on a strong ground game as can the Bears. This will be interesting to watch as the season goes on because the top three in this division are really good. I do think Minnesota and Green Bay are still better than Chicago, but that is not guaranteed as the Bears displayed Monday night. Huge win.



NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 2-1 (Lost to PIT)
2. New Orleans Saints 2-1 (Lost to ATL)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-1 (Lost to PIT)
4. Carolina Panthers 0-3

Once the NFL season starts it speeds by, and so much goes on in the 32 team league that much can get overlooked. Atlanta just beat the last two NFC champs, 41-7 over AZ and a hard fought OT win over rival New Orleans (The Saints kicker blew the game missing a sure shot 29-yarder). Their lone loss remember was in OT to unbeaten Pittsburgh. This Falcons team may be the one nobody is paying attention to, that gels at the right time and surprises some people. Runningback Michael Turner is off to a great start to the season and appears be back to his 2008 form (1,690 yards), following his injury shortened season a year ago. Tony Gonzalez, the NFL record holder for yards, catches and TD’s by a TE, is the new ageless wonder and continues to perform at the highest level. His saavy, leadership and experience is an invaluable asset, one which money cannot buy. Also speaking of the offense, WR Roddy White has 3-straight 1,000 yard seasons and is really entering his prime as an athlete. He allows the Falcons to keep defenses honest and respect the deep ball, rather than stack the box against Turner.
After 3 weeks the Falcons have the league’s No. 2 rush offense and is 6^th in scoring
Then there’s QB Matt Ryan, now in his third season, who has yet to make anyone suggest he is anything but a top-flight franchise player. The guy has a Celebrity putt-putt family fun night in ATL and is generally well-liked and unblemished in the football community. He was the guy team brass went to when they decided to dump Michael Vick, the one guy who made them legitimate for a half decade.
The Falcons have winless San Fran and Cleveland coming up, before what promises to be an insane atmosphere three weeks from now when they travel to Philly to take on Michael Vick and the Eagles. That promises to be a huge game which I honestly would pay to see. I can foresee wings and beer right now!
The Saints are 2-1 and really should be 3-0. However, as with nearly all Super Bowl winners, they have been challenged tooth and nail and have had to earn every yard. It’s gotta be incredibly difficult to rise to the occasion week after week as the hunted, but the Saints do have the talent to overcome. It will be interesting to see if they are able to stay playing their A or B game for 13 more weeks. This week they are 13 ½ favorites over winless Carolina, who has officially given the keys to rookie QB Jimmy Clausen. As long as they can contain, that Panther run game, I don’t think they’ll have much trouble getting back on track.

NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks 2-1
2. Arizona Cardinals 2-1
3. St. Louis Rams 1-2
4. San Francisco 49ers 0-3

This division is the weakest in the league (by far, I think), though I can’t totally write off the Singletary-led Niners from challenging the surprisingly solid Seahawks just yet.
Dating back 20 years, the Cardinals had just one winning season prior to winning back-to-back division titles on the strength of a Kurt Warner led passing attack. Gone are key contributors Warner, WR Anquan Boldin, and defensive captain LB Karlos Dansby. Boldin and Dansby are chasing a rings in Baltimore and Miami, respectively, while Warner retired. Coach Ken Whisenhunt and others must have seen something to believe the team would be better without QB Matt Leinart, but Derek Andersen has played really terrible. Thrown in the fact the defense also lost a starting cornerback and got whooped 41-7 last week by Atlanta, and it becomes clear this team has went from contender back to bottom feeder fast.
The Rams won 1 game last year, two in ’08 and 3 in ’07. So they are in the midst of rebuilding and cannot be expected to be competitive in any capacity for a couple years.
Meanwhile the Seahwaks have a solid if not above avg. defense, le by one of the league’s top linebaacking units. They also have great speed on offense, a veteran leader in QB Matt Hasselbeck, and a coach in Pete Carroll with a chip on his shoulder returning to the NFL following unprecedented (yet somewhat illegal!) success at USC. He failed miserably in his previous stint in the pro’s and I think that will rub off well on the organization as a whole. All that said, after just three weeks the Seahwaks appear to be shoe-ins for the division crown, by default if not for talent.

NFL Week 2

1. Tony Romo is not a good leaderFollowing their close loss to Chicago which dropped them to a surprising 0-2, Dallas QB Tony Romo said “It makes you wonder if you’re ever going to win a game.” Throughout his career it’s statements such as these that have led people to conclude he is not a top flight leader. Can you imagine Peyton Manning saying that? Or Brett Favre, Big Ben, Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb or Drew Brees? Of course not. In the circus that is the NFL, Dallas is and will always be a magnified fishbowl, and Romo needs to man up and take the bull by the horns so to speak, like a real Cowboy. Otherwise, this will just be a good team on paper that never materializes into the champions they were predicted to be. He’s obviously go the tools to go down in history statistically, but as one observer suggested, at times it appears Romo’s head is not totally immersed in the game. No doubt there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders having now held the reigns for a 5^th season in Big D. We’ll see how this develops.

2. Kevin Kolb has big shoes to fillOnce again Michael Vick played great. However coach Andy Reid has publicly expressed his allegiance to Kevin Kolb. The Eagles have scored 52 points in the last 6 quarters with Vick under center. I understand an organization doing what they can to prevent a controversy, but Kolb already has a lot to live up to following Donovan McNabb. Now he has to prove he can do better than Vick, the only QB in league history to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a season? The man who brought a subpar Atlanta attack within a game of the Super Bowl? Good luck (unproven) Mr. Kolb.


3. Steelers line backing tradition alive and wellSince ‘94 the Steelers have been a model of consistency advancing to three Super Bowls, winning two (in ‘05 and ‘08), and three other AFC title games. As of week two of the 2010 season, Pittsburgh is once again playing lights out defense. Safety Troy Polamalu has returned after missing most all of last season and intercepted passes in each game. The 09 Madden cover boy looks to have completely healed. 2008 Super Bowl hero and NFL Defensive MVP James Harrison had 10 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles against visiting Tennessee Sunday, who came in as 5 ½ point favorites.
Let me put Sunday’s defensive performance in perspective for you. Tennessee’s Chris Johnson (fresh off a 2,000 yard season) had a string of 12-straight 100-yd games prior to Sunday’s game. He was held to just 35 yards on 16 carries. QB Vince Young, who led the Titans to nine straight wins, was benched for poor play.
Most figured the Steelers needed to be at 2-2 when Big Ben returns to be in position to make a playoff push. The team’s early performance has changed opinions more than a little bit in regards to team potential, and all but silenced the notion that Big Ben’s absence would doom the season.
I have been a Steelers fan since the 1986 season. Then they were at their lowest point in the last three decades. They were a few years removed from the last retirements of the 70’s era, and far from the dominance of 1994-present. That said I have seen a lot of football through the years, and watching highlights Sunday had me thinking this group of linebackers (which goes 6 deep) might have what it takes to put together the best season in team history.
The Steelers became competitive in the early 90’s fielding especially tough defenses built around (then rare) frenetic 3-4 blitz packages, directed by Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau. From 1994 to last Sunday, Pittsburgh has consistently fielded title contending units led by some of the best linebackers in the league.
No franchise in major pro sports can boast as rich a legacy at one position. Consider the pedigree:


Jack Lambert (‘74-‘84)
9 Pro Bowls, 7 first team All-Pro
75^th Anniversary team
1970s All-decade team
1980s All-decade team

Jack Ham (‘71-‘82)
8 Pro Bowls; 6 first team All-Pro, 2 second team All Pro
75th Anniversary all time team
1970s All decade team

Andy Russell (‘66-‘76)7 Pro Bowls, 1 first team All-pro 3 second team All Pro

David Little (81-92) 1 Pro Bowl
Greg Lloyd (‘88-‘97)
5 Pro Bowls 3 first team All-Pro
Chad Brown (’93-’96; ‘06)3 Pro Bowls 2 first team All-Pro

Kevin Greene (’93-’95)5 Pro Bowls, 3 first team All Pro
‘96 defensive Player of the Year (w/ Carolina)
1990s All-Decade team

Hardy Nickerson (87-92)5 Pro Bowls
1990s All-Decade team (Became a monster with Tampa Bay)
Mike Vrabel (‘97-’00) 1 pro bowl 1 all pro (Became major part of New England Championship squads)
Jason Gildon (‘94-’03) 3 pro bowl 1 all-pro
Joey Porter (99-06)4 Pro Bowl 1 All Pro 3 second team All Pro
2000s All decade team

Lawrence Timmons 07-present
James Farrior 02-present2 Pro Bowls 1 first team All Pro

James Harrison 02, 04-Present3 pro bowl; 2 first team all pro; 1 second team All Pro
2008 Defensive Player of the Year (Only started for 3 full seasons)

Lamarr Woodley 07-present1 Pro Bowl, 1 second team all pro

So the 2010 Steelers have James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior and Lamarr Woodley for starters, and SuperBowl vet Larry Foote joining rookies Thaddeus Gibson and Jason Worilds as reserves. In addition, 5 other starters on defense have been with the team at least five years:
DT Casey Hampton 01-present
DE Aaron Smith 99-present
CB Ike Taylor 03-present
SS Troy Polamalu 03-present
DE Brett Keisel 02-present
FS Ryan Clark is in his fifth year with the team and CB Bryant McFadden is in his second stint with the team’s system. I wanted to make the case early, that this defense has a Super look. A seventh Super Bowl and 3 in 6 years looks a like a real possibility.

4. Miami and NY is a huge Week 3 game I am really looking forward to this week’s primetime game between Miami and NY Jets. QB Mark Sanchez finally had the green light to throw all over the field and NY made an early statement defeating New England in sound fashion. ON the other side, Miami put together a spirited effort to defeat Minnesota. Both teams are built in similar fashion, with a nucleus of young fast defenders. Whoever wins this matchup will be in the drivers seat for the Division.

NFL Week 1 Takes

Chiefs defeat AFC West Kings in solid MNF showing
Chiefs rookies McCluster, Eric Berry, Javier Arenas and Moeki contributed big and no doubt the rain helped but that defense played inspired ball for 3 quarters and did just enough late to pull off the upset of the weekend….Arenas and McCluster looked like reincarnations of the original X-factor Dante Hall, and brought the crowd to their feet on nearly every return.
Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson , back-to-back No. 3 overall picks @ DT..finally played big and the defense was flying all over the field….SD’s experience began to overcome KC’s youthful exuberance when Rivers found a wide open Legedu Naanee on the second TD. The blown coverage would be inexcusable, were it not for the fact the extra attention being paid to Antonio Gates was so successful most of the evening.
SD holdouts WR Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeill definitely hurt the team’s overall chemistry. Arrowhead was actually a volatile environment. The fired up effort in their first game in a new stadium was nice to see as a fan of the game. However, it was a downpour for most of the game and the KC offense failed to convert their first 8 3^rd down conversions. Conventional wisdom suggests they will be very hard pressed to consistently repeat their performance as the year progresses. But hey, I do like a good underdog story.Really though, Kevin Kolb is guaranteed the job?
What reason do the Eagles have to rush Kolb back with a Pro-Bowl veteran who led a team to within a game of the SB, and helmed the franchise to the tune of league leading jersey sales and icon status? The guy had one 300-yd game against an undermanned chiefs team last season. What else has he done? Vick ran for over 100 yards in just half a game, and nearly pulled off a come from behind win in electrifying fashion. Does anyone else think the Eagles fans want some more of that?
Texans may be the dark horse for the AFC. Seriously.  
The Texans manhandled the Colts, whose run defense has never qualified as solid sans the playoff run in their Super Bowl winning 06 season. What a game (team record 230 yds) and story for second year RB Arian Foster. His 33 carries alone were eye opening for a player most avid fans had not heard of until recent weeks. Google his story its awesome... Remember when the Texans drafted freak of nature DE Mario Williams #1 ahead of Reggie Bush? Hard to believe how much opinions on that have changed. Williams harassed #18 and along with DT Amobi Okoye whose just 23 entering his 3^rd season, Pro Bowl MLB Demeco Ryans and currently suspended OLB Brian Cushing, the Texans have the nucleus of a defense capable of competing with playoff caliber offenses.

The Patriots aren’t going anywhere The Patriots looked like they are back to their normal selves following their win over a high-hopes Bengals team. They were up 31-7 after Ben Tate’s KO return to open the second half. While Pittsburgh’s Hines Ward is regarded widely as the greatest slot reciever in history, Wes Welker is making a strong case for consideration, albeit with an entirely different skill set. Whereas Ward is a productive throwback who plays with the mentality of a fullback, Welker caught 123 passes (second most in league history) last season despite missing four games. The man had surgery on his knee just 8 months ago and Sunday he scored two Tds. A healthy Welker is key for NE’s offense.
Randy Moss was obviously lacking in taste with his timing regarding his 15-minute address of his contract situation, but as ESPN’s analysts pointed out the fans did not see his positive locker room address to teammates following NE’s win. He remains by all accounts a team leader and influential presence on an increasingly younger team. While the Jets and their various offseason moves garnered all the preseason attention, Belicheck and the boys (no-name defense and all) came out looking like the best team in football on the opening weekend.