NFL - Week Two predictions

Only one week into the season, and so much has happened already. Tom Brady is out for the season with a knee injury and is replaced by career backup Matt Cassel. Brett Favre showed he can still play in his Jets debut. The Bears crushed the Colts with Kyle Orton at the helm. And our hometown Redskins got off to a slow start as the west coast offense looked more like it should have stayed in the west. But a new week brings new match-ups and another chance for the Redskins.

Standings:

	Last week	Season total
Anshul	8-8	8-8
Jon	10-6	10-6
Kevin	10-6	10-6
Sean	9-7	9-7

Sunday September 14, 2008

Chicago Bears (1-0) at Carolina Panthers (1-0)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Carolina	Chicago	Chicago	Carolina

Anshul says:
It took the Panthers all the way down to the last play to beat the Chargers. Luckily for them, the Bears are no San Diego.

Jon says:
You've got to hand it to the Bears - beating Indianapolis when no one else (including myself) expected them do. Matt Forte can look forward to a healthy and productive season running the ball and props are due once again to the Chicago defense. Carolina got lucky in week one, when QB Jake Delhomme threw the ball nearly 50 times. Chicago should have no problem stopping that.

Kevin says:
I underestimated both these teams last week. Chicago seems to be redeveloping and Carolina seems to not suck. With Chicago's improved defense and seemingly decent offense, they look like the team to beat here.

Sean says:
I was shocked to learn that Carolina beat the Chargers and that the "I can stop L.T." Honor Society has several new members from the Panthers. As President of the Society, yours truly will induct them with high honors. I was even more surprised to learn that Peyton Manning was unable to lead the Colts to victory versus the Bears. However, I think Carolina will be able to beat the Bears in a battle of even ability.

Tennessee Titans (1-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Tennessee	Tennessee	Tennessee	Tennessee

Anshul says:
The Bengals showed their stagnant offense and defense last week against the Ravens. Even without Vince Young, the Titans should be able to waltz right past Cincinnati.

Jon says:
Cincinnati shouldn't even try. A depressed Young or not, veteran quarterback Kerry Collins will have no problems handling the load and getting the job done. Not to mention, who can handle the Titans' defense? Not Cincinnati. Titans will run the ball all over the Bengals and shut down Ocho Cinco.

Kevin says:
Cincinnati can't play defense. A quarterback who runs that far should ban the Bengals from play this week. Tennessee has the defense to keep up with Cincinnati. In combination with an offense led by Young, it would be sad to see them lose.

Sean says:
This will be more of the same for Tennessee, A strong quarterback and a bad opposing defense will ensure the Titans win this easily.

Green Bay Packers (1-0) at Detroit Lions (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Green Bay	Green Bay	Green Bay	Green Bay

Anshul says:
Time for a stat boost for Aaron Rodgers. The Lions' terrible pass defense will give fans in Green Bay a little bit more to cheer about as Rodgers begins to lead the team.

Jon says:
Sorry Detroit, looks like a 10 losing season the way they played defense last week. John Kitna will try, as will Rodgers - who came out of nowhere and delivered a spectacular performance against Minnesota last week! Give it to the Pack.

Kevin says:
I am very disappointed with Detroit. I am also very pleased with Green Bay. With a secondary quarterback finally starting full time, Green Bay should be able to make quick work of Detroit's untalented secondary.

Sean says:
Why Detroit? Why must you play with my heart!? Once I've finished drying my eyes, I'll be ready to watch Green Bay win.

Buffalo Bills (1-0) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Jacksonville	Jacksonville	Buffalo	Jacksonville

Anshul says:
The Bills showed that they can challenge for a division title, especially with Tom Brady out of the mix. But the Jaguars are way too talented of a team, both offensively and defensively.

Jon says:
Jacksonville is STILL as good as everyone thought they would be in week one. They'll get their act together like they usually do and get in rhythm to beating lower-end AFC teams once again. This is tough, because Buffalo put on a show, but the Bills can't be THAT good, right?

Kevin says:
J.P. Lossman had a surprising start. Coupled with a weak Jacksonville defense, the Bills could take it. MoJo has not been performing to par, especially as the lead running back.

Sean says:
Though the Bills were able to beat the Seahawks, I still doubt that they will be able to make lightning and beat a similarly endowed team. Sorry Buffalo, that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Oakland Raiders (0-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Oakland	Kansas City	Oakland	Kansas City

Anshul says:
I'm going to try something new this season: having faith in Oakland. Don't let me down, Raiders!

Jon says:
Ouch. The Broncos bit the Raiders' finger and it really hurt. A score of 41-14 doesn't impress me and although Huard and Johnson on the Chiefs barely got the ball against the Patriots (New England won that game, if anyone remembers - even though Tom Brady went down). These division rivals won't be interesting to watch as Kansas City hopes to go .500.

Kevin says:
This seems like it will be a terrible game. Maybe the Raiders will pillage the Chiefs, which would be a historical outcome in the NFL. Maybe the Chiefs will dispose the Raiders, much like the Filipinos routed Magellan. I'd much rather believe in the Raiders from almost half a century ago when they governed by tactical genius John Madden. Only true luck can decide this battle.

Sean says:
John Madden has been reduced to being a painfully obvious announcer: "If they catch the ball in the end zone, that's gonna be a touchdown." Though I can't stand Madden, the Raiders have been been underrated in my opinion - but that won't be enough to beat the Chiefs.

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

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Indianapolis	Indianapolis

Anshul says:
The only thing the Vikings really have going for them is their run defense and their run offense. But with Bob Sanders appearing out of nowhere to make tackles at the line of scrimmage, Peyton and the Colts should rebound from an embarrassing week one performance.

Jon says:
Neither of these teams looked categorically bad. When the Colts have a decent running attack, they will win. But Joseph Addai getting 44 yards last week does nobody any good. The Vikings showed alot of spirit against the Packers, scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter. This one is really tough, but I'll go with the Colts.

Kevin says:
Both of these teams lost their opening games: such a tragedy. The Colts should win this unless they played like they did last week.

Sean says:
Wow. Peyton Manning has defied me, shame on him. If he knows what's good for him, he won't let this happen again.

New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Washington Redskins (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Washington	New Orleans	Washington	New Orleans

Anshul says:
So the Jim Zorn era got off to a shaky start against the Giants. That West Coast offense looked bad, especially in not being able to throw the ball downfield and run a hurry-up offense. But another week of practice should bring better results.

Jon says:
You go, New Orleans. Next?

Kevin says:
This time, the Redskins should take it all the way. Reggie Bush may confuse our somewhat shaky defense. If Jason Taylor plays like he's expected to, Jason Campbell should be able to step up more often and hit the throws that he failed so miserably against the Giants.

Sean says:
HA. New Orleans FTW! (That's "For The Win!" for all you unenlightened folks.)

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

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
New York	New York	New York	New York

Anshul says:
Tough schedule for the Rams, two NFC East teams to open the season. Maybe another 0-4 start?

Jon says:
Oh, St. Louis Rams and your losing ways. Besides getting jacked up by the Eagles, you let me down! At this point, it doesn't matter who you play - you have no Mike Martz, Orlando Pace, Isaac Bruce or a fine example of a West Coast offense. I will never again be so foolish as to pick you.

Kevin says:
This is the blowout of the week. If the Rams are capable of losing a blowout game to the Eagles, they will be shredded by the Giants. That shredding will still occur if Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs both happen to suffer an injury on the first play of the game.

Sean says: I'd hate to say that a loss for the Rams is inevitable...but it is.

San Francisco 49ers (0-1) at Seattle Seahawks (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Seattle	San Francisco	San Francisco	Seattle

Anshul says:
Seattle should be able to rebound from a terrible performance against the Bills. The 49ers meanwhile looked equally bad but don't really show any hope of improvement.

Jon says:
Seahawks are usually solid. So either the Bills are a powerhouse, or the Seahawks are messy. I'm giving the 49ers ONE more chance.

Kevin says:
Ugly. The Seahawks deserve to lose this one after losing so horribly last week. Oh, how I wish Jerry Rice came back from retirement and played.

Sean says:
Wow, this game won't be fun to watch. But it will be an easy win for Seattle.

Atlanta Falcons (1-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Atlanta	Tampa Bay	Atlanta	Atlanta

Anshul says:
All aboard the Matt Ryan train! If he continues to play as he did last week, he should be able to take Atlanta fans' minds off of Mike Vick for once.

Jon says:
High-flying action is what this league needs, not name-changing wide receivers with gold teeth. Nevertheless, Tampa Bay should win this one - I'm taking the unpopular pick.

Kevin says:
Joey Galloway needs to catch some of those crazy 50-yard touchdown passes this year. It's a dog-eat-dog world, and even with home field advantage, cannon-fire won't scare off these birdies. Maybe this Michael Turner can keep that crazy level of play he had last game.

Sean says: If the rookie Ryan for the Falcons can continue being lucky, then Atlanta has this in the bag.

Miami Dolphins (0-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Arizona	Miami	Arizona	Arizona

Anshul says:
Looks like the Dolphins are in for another bad season. Though they kept up with the Jets most of the way last week, a potent defense such as Arizona's should change matters.

Jon says:
Ew, Kurt Warner. The Dolphins have Mr. Think-before-you-throw Pennington who, actually, almost made a comeback against his former team. He'll be looking for a win, along with the Dolphins.

Kevin says:
Okay, the Dolphins put up a decent fight against Brett Favre. That was last week, and this is this week. I'm not saying the Dolphins are the worst team in the NFL - that honor can go to the Rams. But they're really bad.

Sean says:
Isn't it obvious? Miami looked bad, Arizona looked good. End of story.

San Diego Chargers (0-1) at Denver Broncos (1-0)

San Diego

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
San Diego	Denver	Denver	Denver

Anshul says:
If the Chargers want to get to the Super Bowl, they have to step it up right now.

Jon says:
Denver is doing something right when Jay Cutler earns 300 yards passing. San Diego is without Shawne Merriman, so this game is pretty much an easy call.

Kevin says:
What happened to L.T.? The Chargers-Carolina game was the upset of the week for week one. Nonetheless, if you saw how much tooling the Broncos did last week against the Raiders, you should understand how I feel.

Sean says:
L.T. will get redemption or L.T. will get angry. The Broncos won't like L.T. when he's angry.

Baltimore Ravens (1-0) at Houston Texans (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Baltimore	Baltimore	Baltimore	Baltimore

Anshul says:
Who needs a pass offense when you have a running game and a stellar defense? Your wide receivers and quarterback can run for touchdowns!

Jon says:
I can't wait for this game. Literally. So let's not even entertain Houston winning this one. Next.

Kevin says:
Baltimore, I have underestimated thee. I'm going to give this team more kudos than before, especially against one of the worst teams in the league. My, my, maybe if the Texans moved to Las Vegas, they could win with pure adrenaline and motivation on their side.

Sean says: Well, given Houston's state of affairs with flooding and power lines above ground being knocked out, not many Texan fans will be able to go to this game. Perhaps it's better this way.

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

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
New York	New England	New York	New York

Anshul says:
This match-up was supposed to be one of the best of the season. But now, it's been reduced to a career back-up playing the NFL's all-time passing leader. The Jets looked good last week and I don't have much faith in Cassel.

Jon says:
I am rooting for the Jets on this one, maybe a bit too much. Favre's impact was much more than expected, which is where the moral and demeanor of the team comes into play. They lost momentum against Miami late in the game - a scary moment, but if they beat a disheartened New England, it will make history. Matt Cassel's not so bad, especially when you have Randy Moss.

Kevin says:
Brady's backup against Brett Farve - this is a very sad situation. The Patriots may be able to perform with star blockers and receivers, but they have to get rid of their low morale. To top that off, the Jets are coming off a win. We'll see how the momentum carries out.

Sean says:
The Patriots have lost their Master Chief, but the star roster should be able to carry the burden in the face of a weaker team with a good QB. Though I can't wait for the Patriots to lose, they're going to win this one.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh

Anshul says:
Pittsburgh killed last week, Cleveland got killed. It's just simple math.

Jon says:
The Steelers will make it to the playoffs. The Browns cannot stop them.

Kevin says:
The Steelers have to step up their defense against an offensive powerhouse to win this one. I'm sure they'll be able to perform, given they go into the game with a cool head and without overconfidence.

Sean says:
What's that? The Browns are an offensive powerhouse? Hurumph, we'll see.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) at Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

Anshul	Jon	Kevin	Sean
Philadelphia	Philadelphia	Dallas	Dallas

Anshul says:
If there is a chance that Dallas will lose, I will pick against them. Philly's offense looked amazing last week while Dallas's could have been better. Is there a shift in power in the NFC east?

Jon says:
The Cowboy team of convicts look good on offense, but Philadelphia has it's act together. So bravo, Philly - go win this one.

Kevin says:
T.O. has proved that he is possibly the best receiver in the league. He has the strength, height and speed to rip through any defense. This heated divisional battle will set the stage for the NFC East, by far the most competitive division ever.

Sean says:
I have devised this simple formula to help those struggling to understand the complexities of this situation (like Jon):
T.O. + ROMO + COWBOYS = SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS
Therefore, DALLAS. ALL DAY, EVERYDAY.