NFL Predictions: Week 2

Week 2.  Whenever I think about what week 1 means, I think back to when Buffalo 
beat New England 34-0 after Lawyer Milloy left the Pats.  And then Buffalo was very bad, and the Patriots went to the Super Bowl.  Week 1 is basically the 5th preseason game for a lot of teams so far as using it to determine future success.  With that in mind, here's week 2 predictions.

Cincinatti @ Cleveland

How does Romeo Cremmel keep his job?  He took over a bad team and made them worse.  This year's Browns are going to make people long for Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb.  After their defense made Big Ben look like Kurt Warner circa 1999, they've decided to let Charlie Frye go.  Maybe the addition of Ken Dorsey holding a clipboard will get their secondary on track.  So, now Derek Anderson is starting for the Browns.  Derek Anderson played a little bit last year, and actually pretty well, so that's got me wondering why they make the change at halftime in week 1.  I'm guessing it was a symbolic move for Brady Quinn's psyche, but he's got to know that he's walking into a disaster here.  This has to be one of the worst possible scenarios for a rookie QB since David Carr.

... and the Bengals are pretty good.  For a lesson on how to bring a QB into the NFL, the Browns should look up Carson Palmer.

Bengals 38-10

Buffalo @ Pittsburgh

No real test for an average Pittsburgh team.  I think it's great that the Steelers are going to start the year 2-0 and all the Steeler fans I know are going to get all excited.  Seeing them mope around for the next couple months after all their hopes are destroyed is going to fill me with Christmas cheer.

Steelers 28-13

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay

I really don't like Tampa Bay.  It seems like they've got decent talent.  Cadillac Williams, Joey Galloway, Michael Clayton.  Jeff Garcia has been underrated for a long time.  TO said he was gay.  That isn't true and doesn't really matter if he is, but that's all a lot of people think about when they hear his name.  It seems like he's been around forever and he's produced everywhere, even in Cleveland.  Still, they should be better but than what they are.  Seattle shut them down last week.  New Orleans was embarassed in the second half last week against Indy, but there's no shame in that.  They should bounce back with a convincing win.

New Orleans 24-17

Houston @ Carolina

This is a tough one.  A game like this is where having a few games under their belts would make this a lot easier for me.  But I don't do this because it's easy.  I do it for a huge financial gain.  Houston beat Kansas City last week pretty easily.  Carolina beat my dark horse team, the Rams.  I didn't see the Texans game, but apparently Mario Williams has been playing pretty well.  This means now that the Texans picking him over Reggie Bush only makes them look pretty stupid instead of complete f'in idiots.  Carolina?  They're okay.  I have them pegged as one of the better teams to not make the playoffs this year.  Their home-field advantage gives them the edge in a close game.

Carolina 27-24

Atlanta @ Jacksonville

I'm a dog lover, but I don't hate Mike Vick.  He made a mistake.  People make mistakes and make poor choices all the time in their lives.  Most of these instances don't end up with you going to federal prison, but I can see how it could happen.  I really don't think he's that bad of a guy, either.  I don't know the exact circumstances more than anyone who has read the same stories I have, but to make it out of the place where he grew up, he had to feel enormous pressure to show that he was still one of the guys.  To expect a guy who made it like Vick did to forget about where he came from and all his old friends he grew up with isn't fair to anyone.  I'm sure they played a big part in Vick's decision process and I bet he would have felt some repercussions if he didn't go along with some of the things he did.  And not just being labeled a "sell out".  But, really, from a personal standpoint, what would be better: keeping people close to you 
that you've known your whole life, or having people around that may just be hanging around 
because you're Michael Vick?  Probably a tough decision for him.  My name's not Arthur Blank, though.

Even when he was at the top of his game, I didn't think Vick was that great of a quarterback.  Sure, he was an amazing athlete, but his lack of throwing accuracy and a receiving corps with butter fingers made their offense one-dimensional.  It was a hell of a dimension, but they weren't going to win any championships.  

No one knows what he's going to be like when he gets out of prison, but he's not going to be the same.  He's going to play and he'll deserve to play.  Anybody who does his time and pays his dues deserves a shot.  That's why we have a penal system.  

Either way, the Falcons are going to be bad this year.  Jacksonville is pretty good.  I don't care if they lost to Tennessee last week.

Jags 27-13

Indianapolis @ Tennessee

Is it just me or is it whenever Tennesse wins under Vince Young, it's either by 3 or less points and coming from behind?  This just isn't a sign of a very good football team.  I think they're crap.  And I think the reason that they're crap is because they spend 3 quarters trying to play one style of football, and when the going gets tough they switch up to a style that favors Young's talents and the talents of the rest of their offense.  Taking a 5 step drop and finding the open receiver is apparently not one of Vince's strong suits.  They've got two VERY good running backs and a decent defense and they should be better than what they play.  Regardless, they're playing Indy this week.  Indy has their weaknesses and this could be a close game, but Indy will win and they won't lose until they play San Diego.  This sounds familiar.

Indy 38-24

San Francisco @ St. Louis

Everybody who reads this blog, probably knows of my healthy obsession with Stephen Jackson.  I guess the Rams are having some O-line issues but I don't think that will stop Jackson from getting 200 yards from scrimmage this week.  San Francisco beat Arizona last week which tells us not much.  This will be a close game.  Besides Jackson, the rest of the Rams offense will struggle.  

Rams 17-13

Green Bay @ Giants

The Giants are favored to win this game.  As I write this, Eli is still questionable.  I'm really starting to not like Favre that much.  He's been overrated for a few years now.  He makes a ton of mistakes.  Enough about Favre, I don't see the Giants winning this game with their #2 QB or a hurting Eli, even in Jersey.   GB wins and goes to 2-0.

The Pack 21-14

Seattle @ Arizona

Boring.  If I have to watch this game because it's the only game at 4, I'm going to be seriously pissed.

Hawks 28-10

Minnesota @ Detroit

I like Minnesota.  They're going to surprise a lot of people this year.  I just noticed Detroit is favored by 3.  No way.  There's some bright spots on Detroit's roster, but Minnesota is a playoff team and Detroit likes losing.

Minnesota 27-21

Dallas @ Miami

From a fan's perspective, I hate Dallas so much.  So, so very much.  Miami couldn't run the ball for nothing last week against the Skins, but Trent Green played pretty well.  I expect Miami to change up their game plan a bit and be a little more successful running the ball.  Dallas lit up the Giants woeful defense for 45 last week.  Miami's defense is a lot better than New York's though and here is where Romo starts to struggle.  4 INT's for Romo.

Miami 17-10

Jets @ Baltimore

Turnovers will kill ya, especially at either end of the field.  A lot of turnovers in Week 1 doesn't mean you're a bad team, though. Causing and committing turnovers isn't just luck.  It can be taught and learned.  When you've 
got a veteran quarterback who knows what he's doing, this isn't going to happen every week. McNair will bounce back.  Kellen Clemens is being reported as the starting QB for the Jets. I'm not a big fan of guys in their first starts for bad teams.  

Ravens 31-7

Oakland @ Denver

Oakland is horrible and I'm a little tired of hearing so much news about them.  Who cares and what difference does it make?  

Denver 28-14

Kansas City @ Chicago

I may have underestimated the Bears' defense.  They were pretty good last week against San Diego and Kansas City is no San Diego.  The Bears will be pissed off this week, but their offense is Gross, man.  If I was a Bears fan, I would really want Griese starting.  He isn't great, but he's better than Rex.  But, they'll win.  They're favored by 12 which is way too much.

Bears 14-10

San Diego @ New England

This is going to be a great game.  And I really like Norv Turner.  He got a bad deal here in Washington and somehow got a label as a guy who is just too nice to his players.  This is the NFL.  You don't have to be a jerk.  Belichick was fined 500 grand by the NFL for something I bet most of the teams in the NFL do.  If they don't, they're cheating themselves and not the game.  Way too harsh and this is Roger Goodell trying to appear like a tough guy once again.  On the field, close.  San Diego won a hard-fought game against the Bears and the Pats beat the cupcake Jets.  The game's in New England.  Chargers pull it out.

Chargers 31-27

Washington @ Philadelphia

Philly's favored by 6.5.  That's crazy.  True, the Eagles should have beaten Green Bay last week.  That would mean something if GB was any good.  Skins are struggling and I don't have my finger on the pulse of this team yet.  I think they're going to beat Philly, though.  My personal feelings get in the way of some of my Skins picks, though, that's why I never bet on them.  

Skins 21-17