NFL Week 2 thread

eagle eye

Sunday - September 19
- Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans - 6.00 pm
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions - 6.00 pm
- Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals - 6 pm
- Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons - 6.00 pm
- Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings - 6.00 pm
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns - 6.00 pm
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers - 6.00 pm
- Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers - 6.00 pm
- Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys - 6.00 pm
- Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos - 9.05 pm
- St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders - 9.05 pm
- Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers - 9.15 pm
- Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins - 9.15 pm
- New England Patriots @ New York Jets - 9.15 pm
Monday - September 20(Sunday night)
- New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts - 1.20 am
Tuesday - September 21(Monday night)
- New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers - 1.30 am

* All times are GMT

Sunday - September 19
- Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans - 6.00 pm
Well I said I fancied the Titans for the division this year and they started off well last week by thumping the Raiders which doesn't really tell us too much but the defense was impressive as I expected and I think its what makes this team legit contenders for top honours this year. This is a real test for them though and I expect their D to set down a marker there with another great performance. I think they have too much for a really good Steelers D and I expect them to win this one comfortably. Tenessee Titans
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions - 6.00 pm
The Eagles got off to a desperate start last week but almost came back to tie it at the death against the Ravens. They are a very strong team and I expect them to win this one. The Lions were desperately unlucky last week with that ridiculous rule costing them the win. They will want to put things right this week but I can't see them stopping the Eagles from putting up a big score. Philadelphia Eagles
- Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals - 6.00 pm
Well Baltimore's offense look desperate last week. Flacco doesn't look to have moved on from last year but their D was superb against a stuttering Jets O. The Bengals are a good run stopping team and the Ravens winning here is on Flacco's shoulders and I don't like that at all. The Bengals looked poor in the first half against New England last week but managed to put up 24 points by the end of the game. I think they are better than they looked early in the game last week. Cincinnati Bengals
- Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons - 6.00 pm
Cardinals won a desperate affair last week against the Rams. Falcons failed to impress against the Steelers. The running game will be important in this one. Hightower and Beanie Wells(if fit) are a decent 1-2 punch, Cards did well last week to keep Steven Jackson to only 81 yards on 22 carries. So it comes down to Matt Ryan moreso than Michael Turner for Atlanta. I still don't like the Cards though on the road but anything could happen here. Atlanta Falcons
- Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings - 6.00 pm
Viks offense didn't look very good last week but that was against a Saints outfit who have certainly improved their D. Miami struggled to beat the Bills last week, they depend on their running game a lot even with Brandon Marshall there now. I just can't see anyway Miami will be in this game. Vikings receivers need to step up though as does Favre. I think this will be an easy win for the Vikings though. Minnesota Vikings
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns - 6.00 pm
As I expected the Chiefs biggest problem last season has been resolved by good coaching, the front seven looked great against the Chargers. They still have other problems like Matt Cassel who didn't look at all convincing but its the Browns and they don't look to have improved much as of yet. Crennel will want this win a lot and he will fire up his D. Kansas City Chiefs
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers - 6.00 pm
I don't know what to make of this game. The Panthers got badly beaten by the run last week. The Buccs don't have a great running game but I didn't think New York's RBs were all that either. Got to go with the home team though. Carolina Panthers
- Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers - 6.00 pm
The Bills held Miami to 15 points last week but how much of that was their D and how much was a stuttering Dolphins O remains to be seen. This will be a one way traffic with a horrific Bills O line likely to be destroyed by the Packers D. On the other side of the ball the Bills have a decent secondary but its Aaron Rodgers they are facing. Green Bay Packers
- Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys - 6.00 pm
Two teams that were shocking last week but the Bears managed to grab the all important W. The Cowboys O line is really bad, so bad in fact that I can't see them doing much until they get some players back. There are rumours doing the rounds about a Mankins trade with the Patriots. It might all be rubbish but it would make sense for the Cowboys to pick him up. This is another game I can't call. My gut tells me the Bears will shock us here. Chicago Bears
- Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos - 9.05 pm
The Broncos failed to beat the Jags last week and that speaks volumes to me. The Seahawks after a shaky start and the some brilliant goal line D went on to wallop the 49ers. I'm still worried about them against the deep ball but this is Kyle Orton they are facing so I don't expect many accurate deep balls. Hasselbeck looked better than he has for some time last Sunday. Seattle Seahawks
- St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders - 9.05 pm
Raiders got whooped by a really good team last week. The Rams looked desperate last week against the run. Its a hard one to call but I got to go with the home team although I'm hoping they lose it as the Patriots have their first round pick next season. Oakland Raiders
- Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers - 9.15 pm
Chargers looked dreadful last week and I predicted it. They have a wonderfully talented bunch of players but Norv Turner is not a good head coach and as long as he is there they will never reach their full potential imo. Still this is an easy game for them. San Diego Chargers
- Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins - 9.15 pm
Texans running game destroyed the Colts last week but its their passing game that will do the damage here. The Cowboys were able to find their receivers when Romo got protection last week but that was not often enough. Redskins O doesn't look very good to me. Houston Texans
- New England Patriots @ New York Jets - 9.15 pm
Jets O looked absolutely woeful last week. Patriots O looked awesome. Jets D looked good but Cromartie looks like a huge weakness against the deep ball. Still as good as the Patriots D looked last week, I have still to be convinced by them. They ended up gving up 24 points to the Bengals, whether that was 'game over syndrome' or the Bengals O just being bad early in the game and finding their rythm, or it being a bit of both I don't know. As bad as Sanchez was last week, he was up against a top D in the Ravens. This game is never easy for the Patriots but you have to fancy them after last week. Not just their performance but that of the Jets too. I'm expecting a massive game from Bradon Tate here facing Cromartie. New England Patriots
Monday - September 20(Sunday night)
- New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts - 1.20 am
So the Giants won comfortably in the end last week and it was the running game that did it. The Colts lost because they couldn't stop the run. This has to be a major worry for the Colts heading into their home opener across the US on a Sunday night. Still its the Colts and Manning at home and they will be hard to stop. Indianapolis Colts

Tuesday - September 21(Monday night)
- New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers - 1.30 am
Saints got the win last week with a more impressive looking D and with their O struggling a bit. This will be a lot easier for them against a team that looked horrific last week on both sides of the ball. I really like the Saints here. New Orleans Saints

Hazys

"We joke around about it, but there's nothing wrong with going 15-1. It started this week. ... Beating the Patriots, today (Wednesday), that's where it started. Our heads are in the right spot and the effort will definitely be there." Rex Ryan

:mad::mad:Ohhh how much do i hate the fcuking Jets!!:mad::mad:

Try going 1-1 first. I hope the Pats beat your sorry asses into a pulp on Sunday.

So fcuking arrogant and you have done nothing worthy of your own arrogance. This arrogance will be their downfall, it has already put a huge target on their chest before the season and a loss to a good team on opening day has all their own fans booeing them already. Talk about adding unwanted pressure on their 2nd year QB who will be crucified by the NY fans and media all season as the cracks start to appear.

Peyton Manning

- Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans - 6.00 pm
Titans looked very impressive last week. The Steelers did enough to get a win, but can they get themselves up again to perform in the absence of Big Ben? This one might be a step too far. The Steelers kept Michael Turner quiet last week, but Chris Johnson is a different proposition entirely. With Vince Youngs dual threat ability, with the added threat of Nate Washington over the top, the Titans should easily outscore the Steelers. Well, as easy as one can against a Steelers defence. Tennessee Titans

- Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions - 6.00 pm
The Lions are without Mathew Stafford, which reduces the threat of Calvin Johnson and Javid Best, who - 2 touchdowns aside - hardly set Chicago on fire last week. Likewise, the Eagles are without Kevin Kolb, although I've never been sold on him so how much of a loss that is remains to be seen. The biggest effect it has is throwing Michael Vick into a WC offence. The Eagles will win this in the ground, assuming Vick doesn't throw a load of picks targeting Jackson and Maclin when he should stick to McCoy and Celek, despite the Lions pathetic secondary. Philadelphia Eagles

- Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals - 6 pm
People are looking too much into the Bengals grabbing 24 points in New England. At one stage, the score was 31-3, and just before half time, Palmer was only 9 of 16 for 55 yards. They racked up most of their points when the game against a NE defence who had the game in the bag. The Ravens are an infinitely tougher proposition. Defence wise, the Bengals were shredded, and that's not including the 4 drops the Pats had in the redzone. The also gave up almost 95 rushing yards to a Taylor and Faulk, who only had 17 carries combined. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee should have hard ons looking at the stat. Flacco passed for 248 yards against the Jets, so he should have no problem against the Bengals considering there's no Darrelle Revis about. Baltimore Ravens

- Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons - 6.00 pm
The Cardinals struggled against the Rams, so I don't see how they can improve on that against the Falcons. Matt Ryan is a stud when he's at home, and considering Derek Anderson did not practice again today, I don't see what the Cardinals have to offer. Atlanta Falcons

- Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings - 6.00 pm
Considering the Dolphins actually beat the Bills on the road for the first time in 6 years, last week wasn't to be frowned at. Their running game could be problematic for the Vikes, as was the Saints running game in the second half last Thursday. Sure, Henne doesn't provide the same deep threat as Brees, but he has some good weapons at his disposal, and Im just not sure the Vikes will be up for this in the same manner they were the Saints. I'm also concerned about their passing game a lot. I think the Dolphins will beat the +6.0 spread, but whether they'll win outright is a tougher call. I'll go for it however. Miami Dolphins.

- Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns - 6.00 pm
Chiefs blew the Chargers away last week, but their offence is still questionable. Apart from Jamaal Charles and Special Teams, they weren't up to a whole heap. Cassell was pretty poor actually, but their defence was very impressive, and should continue to be against the Browns. But how much have they left in the tank after Monday's exertions? There's nothing between these two teams, but I'm going with the Browns for three teams - the Chiefs could be spent after Monday, they're on the road, and the Browns have a better O-line. Cleveland Browns

- Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers - 6.00 pm
The Panthers defence is awful, so Tampa Bay should have a field day against them. Freeman was impressive, even with a broken thumb, and Mike Williams made the most of it for 5 grabs and a TD. I've been saying it all summer, these 2 well form one hell of a QB - WR combo. Cadillac Williams looks rejuvenated again too, so he should also have some fun. You would expect the Panthers offence to improve, if only for the fact it can't be that bad again as it was in New York. The Buccs have difficulty against the run, so if the Panthers run it more than they did last week, they could do well. There's very little between these 2 on the scoreboard, but i'll go with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

- Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers - 6.00 pm
When the spread is 13, you know you're in trouble. The Bills are awful in almost every department. They have an alright secondary, and some good runners, but their O-line sucks so you're not getting anything out of Spiller and co. The Packers have everything on the other hand. Ryan Grant isn't a huge loss, Jackson can easily take over his workload. Basically, the Packers offence will crush the Bills defence, and the Packers defence will crush the Bills offence. This could get ugly. Green Bay Packers

- Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys - 6.00 pm
This should be a great game from a defence point of view. The Cowboys could very well kill Jay Cutler this weekend - no exaggeration. Cutler gets no protection whatsoever, so DeMarcus Ware and co. could literally split him in two. Romo will be under big pressure also, but the fact his O-line is slightly better and that he has better options, adding to the fact that the Jerry Jones Centre of Excellence will be popping for its first home game, edges this one in favour of the Dallas Cowboys.

- Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos - 9.05 pm
Seahawks blew everyone away last weekend, but Im not sure how much of that was their own doing, as the 49ers just imploded. Having said that, aside from Champ Bailey, the Broncos dont offer much defensively. And while Kyle Orton should improve upon Alex Smith's performance, there won't be much Knowshon Moreno can do against a line that kept Frank Gore quiet. It'll probably be a close game, and I could really just pick either team at random and be confident of it coming up. I'll give the Broncos the edge because of Orton. Denver Broncos

- St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders - 9.05 pm
The Rams battled bravely last week but came up short. Bradford threw the ball a lot, but with Nnamdi Asomugha lurking in the secondary, that might not be so wise this time round. The Raiders were trounced by an awesome Titans, so don't look too much into that result. They should bounce back at home. Oakland Raiders.

- Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers - 9.15 pm
The Jaguars actually looked semi-decent last week, which could be the biggest shock of the season. The Chargers meanwhile, are infamous for their slow starts to the season. But Philip Rivers should have too much fun passing against a terrible Jax secondary. San Diego Chargers

- Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins - 9.15 pm
Until the Redskins learn to put more points on the board, they'll never be favourites against a decent team. Houston have too many special players on offence for the Redskins to keep quiet, and I just can't see them outscoring Schaub and co. Houston Texans

- New England Patriots @ New York Jets - 9.15 pm
I said last week that Joe Flacco's superiority over Mark Sanchez would swing the game towards the Ravens. This week, replace Joe Flacco with Tom Brady, and it's a no contest. The Jets gave up far too many penalties against the Ravens - 14 for 125 yards to be exact. Doing the same against the Patriots and handing yards to a Brady led offence would be the dumbest thing in the world. How much can they cut out in under a week? The Jets are without elite defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. He's a huge loss to team that lacks leadership, something that a lot of people picked up on during the televised access to their training camp. Jenkins was the most vocal member of the team - he's a huge absence, physically and mentally. While the Jets passing game is practically non-existent (Sanchez had less than 50% pass completion for a paltry 74 yards last week), the running game is struggling too. Shonn Greene fumbled twice - a big no-no given Rex Ryan's tantrums about protecting the ball during preseason - and got benched as a result. The Patriots were 5th in the league in forced fumbles last year, and handled a good Bengals running game brilliantly last week. This is a no brainer. New England Patriots

- New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts - 1.20 am
Peyton Manning does not like losing, so he won't be doing any favours for baby bro on the back of a trouncing by the Texans. He was great against the Texans despite the result, and the Giants were flattered by an awful Matt Moore led Panthers. The Colts will take this comfortable. Indianapolis Cots

- New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers - 1.30 am
You'd expect to the 49ers to put up a good show of bouncing back after last weeks shambles, but then again, Drew Brees is Drew Brees, and the Saints are the Saints. Might have to wait a bit longer for that first win of the season 49ers fans. New Orleans Saints

Oat23

eagle eye wrote: »

- Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys - 6.00 pm
Two teams that were shocking last week but the Bears managed to grab the all important W. The Cowboys O line is really bad, so bad in fact that I can't see them doing much until they get some players back. There are rumours doing the rounds about a Mankins trade with the Patriots. It might all be rubbish but it would make sense for the Cowboys to pick him up. This is another game I can't call. My gut tells me the Bears will shock us here. Chicago Bears

What game were you watching .
We are 1st in total offense and 2nd in total defense after week one. Made too many mistakes in the redzone but we were nowhere near ''shocking''.

eagle eye

Oatesy23 wrote: »

What game were you watching .
We are 1st in total offense and 2nd in total defense after week one. Made too many mistakes in the redzone but we were nowhere near ''shocking''.

They scored 19 points are were lucky not to lose the game. 19 points agianst a bad D does not make a good offense, its pathetic against the Lions actually.

Oat23

eagle eye wrote: »

They scored 19 points are were lucky not to lose the game. 19 points agianst a bad D does not make a good offense, its pathetic against the Lions actually.

The Lions D has been massively improved from last year and was good on Sunday. We consistently shot ourselves in the foot with fumbles in important areas and we should have won by a lot more.

What I seen on Sunday was a good offensive performance (best opening day statistical performance from a Bears offense in over 50 years actually) and a great defensive performance. Like I said the Lions are much improved from last year. Their offense didn't score at all in the second half and their running game was non existent because of our defense.

Just because we didn't blow them out doesn't make the teams performance shocking.

me89

Hazys wrote: »

So fcuking arrogant and you have done nothing worthy of your own arrogance. This arrogance will be their downfall, it has already put a huge target on their chest before the season and a loss to a good team on opening day has all their own fans booeing them already. Talk about adding unwanted pressure on their 2nd year QB who will be crucified by the NY fans and media all season as the cracks start to appear.

Really hate the jets to. very overrated team.. hope we really slaughter them sunday

themont85

The Bears redzone play is awful tbf and has been for the past 2 years. Ints, fumbles, terrible play calls and a terrile line. Their O looked okay up till then but so many points were left out there. Dare I say it (the Boys will probably make mince meat of them now) bit their defence looked fantastic. Peppers is a beast and Urlacher looked like the future HoFamer he was 3 years ago, a fit Urlacher is integral for them.

Sorry for the Bears though but the Bills will be raped by the Pack. Our defence is underrated but the O is horrible. We need fumbles, jammy Ints, miracle special teams play, did I mention jammy ints...

pstokes

i cant see the patriots losing a game this season.. Offence is awesome and defence looks like its been repaired.Go Pats

Also bought my tickets for the game in Wembley,hope to see Tim Tebow

raven136

Revis Christ a lot of people hate the Jets.

Can we that bad on penalties again.On a bit more positve note,we held the Ravens(a pick of many for the superbowl)to 10 points and killed ourselves with penalties and had no offence and only lost by a point.

LT looked better than he had in previous years.

I think we will lose but we cant be as bad again can we,someone please tell me we cant:D

fisgon

raven136 wrote: »

Revis Christ a lot of people hate the Jets.

Can we that bad on penalties again.On a bit more positve note,we held the Ravens(a pick of many for the superbowl)to 10 points and killed ourselves with penalties and had no offence and only lost by a point.

LT looked better than he had in previous years.

I think we will lose but we cant be as bad again can we,someone please tell me we cant:D

A lot of hate on this thread for the Jets, but of course it's all from Pats fans, who wouldn't be the most rational about their NY division opponents. In fact there seems to be a lot of confidence from that direction altogether, I think I heard that quote 'can't see us losing a game this year' ....last year, before 4th and 2, before the Ravens stomped all over them in the playoffs.

The Patriots are not as good as they - or their fans - think they are, they have holes, and the Jets will not be as bad again. This one will be close, look for a reaction from the Jets, Shonn Greene to get more work and Sanchez to be more adventurous. I'm indifferent about the Jets, but I would have a sneaky smile to myself if they pull if off on Sunday, and it wouldn't surprise me.

mikemac

fisgon wrote: »

A lot of hate on this thread for the Jets, but of course it's all from Pats fans, who wouldn't be the most rational about their NY division opponents.

Ravens fan here so don't say it's all from Pat's fans.
You could nearly call the Jets, Ravens lite
Our long time DC there, players like Bart Scott and taken over the "Play like a Raven/Jet" slogan.
I never liked that mantra, they are welcome to it

You'd nearly think Ravens fans would adopt the Jets as a second team

A bit of trash talk and banter is cool, Ochocinco is always at it and I love the guy
Talking about 15-1 and other nonsense from Rex Ryan just turns people off, no matter what team

Now to get my predictions in order.
I got a respectable 10 out of 16 last week, missed out on the Lions and then the Falcons on OT.

Some good heads here
A few of ye tipped the Chiefs and Eagle Eye had a good bet on low scoring on Monday night. Ye know your stuff guys!

tallaghtoutlaws

feelingstressed wrote: »

Some good heads here
A few of ye tipped the Chiefs and Eagle Eye had a good bet on low scoring on Monday night. Ye know your stuff guys!

Have to agree with this. Fair few lads on here know their stuff hence why you always get some fairly heated debates even Pats on Pats arguments :D:D This section is becoming more and more active and some very good threads in there. D3P0 and Eagle Eye and other with their betting thread was a nice addition and few nice threads by Archie. Love this time of year when this forum is full of traffic.

I will say though I think I was the only one who tipped the Texans I called the upset and they did their job for me. :cool: :D

I went 10-6 in my week 1 predictions

Peyton Manning

Fairly awesome to come in here every day and have close to 10 threads with new replies. Compared to late May, June and July, this place is unrecognisable! :pac:

tallaghtoutlaws

Sunday - September 19
- Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans - 6.00 pm - Titans to take this. Battle of the Running backs. Steelers offense trying to figure out its passing game may be the uphill struggle for them in this one. Steelers defense not the same as previous years.
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions - 6.00 pm - Something tells me the Lions will figure out Vick and scrape this one.
- Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals - 6 pm - Ravens to sneak this one in a defensive stand.
- Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons - 6.00 pm - cards still finding their feet with Anderson at the helm Falcons to ounce back with a win.
- Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings - 6.00 pm - 4 and AP to win this one
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns - 6.00 pm - Chiefs to win this battle. With that first win under their belt expect them to ring that confidence in this game.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers - 6.00 pm - Panthers struggling at QB and Buccs will take this.
- Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers - 6.00 pm - Blow out Pack in an easdy win.
- Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys - 6.00 pm - Head for some reason says bears but heart says Romo and co will take this.
- Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos - 9.05 pm - Orton is sling the ball around at will and I expect the Seahawks secondary to struggle in this game.
- St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders - 9.05 pm - No reason for my choice here flipped a coin
- Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers - 9.15 pm - Chargers looked bad Monday night and they didn't look like the chargers of old. Jags to take this.
- Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins - 9.15 pm - Again the Texans are on my favourite list tipped them week one and I see them doing the business week 2. That D grows and with Foster showing what he can do offensively Skins will struggle.
- New England Patriots @ New York Jets - 9.15 pm - Even though I am a pats fan the Jets offense is struggling and it could be their downfall.
Monday - September 20(Sunday night)
- New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts - 1.20 am - Manning and Co to bounce back and take this game. If wont be an easy battle but they will squeak it.
Tuesday - September 21(Monday night)
- New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers - 1.30 am - Saints may prove too strong for Willis and Co.

eagle eye

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

Have to agree with this. Fair few lads on here know their stuff hence why you always get some fairly heated debates even Pats on Pats arguments :D:D This section is becoming more and more active and some very good threads in there. D3P0 and Eagle Eye and other with their betting thread was a nice addition and few nice threads by Archie. Love this time of year when this forum is full of traffic.

I will say though I think I was the only one who tipped the Texans I called the upset and they did their job for me. :cool: :D

I went 10-6 in my week 1 predictions

I agree with all this!:D

Except for the bit about the Texans, I went 10-6 also and predicted the Texans too.

tallaghtoutlaws

eagle eye wrote: »

I agree with all this!:D

Except for the bit about the Texans, I went 10-6 also and predicted the Texans too.

Steel my thunder will you

raven136

Ravens @ Bengals:Ravens
Eagles @ Lions:Lions
Dolphins @ Vikings:Vikings
Steelers @ Titans:Titans
Bears @ Cowboys:Cowboys
Chiefs @ Browns:Browns
Buccaneers @ Panthers: Panthers
Cardinals @ Falcons:Falcons
Bills @ Packers: Packers
Seahawks @ Broncos:Seahawks
Rams @ Raiders:Raiders
Jaguars @ Chargers:Chargers
Patriots @ Jets: Patriots(and it pains me)
Texans @ Redskins:Texans
Giants @ Colts:Colts
Saints @ 49ers:Saints

pstokes

Ravens @ Bengals:Ravens
Eagles @ Lions:Eagles
Dolphins @ Vikings:Vikings
Steelers @ Titans:Titans
Bears @ Cowboys:Cowboys
Chiefs @ Browns:Chiefs
Buccaneers @ Panthers: Bucs
Cardinals @ Falcons:Falcons
Bills @ Packers: Packers
Seahawks @ Broncos:Broncos
Rams @ Raiders:Raiders
Jaguars @ Chargers:Chargers
Patriots @ Jets: Patriots
Texans @ Redskins:Redskins
Giants @ Colts:Colts
Saints @ 49ers:Saints

cooker3

Archimedes wrote: »

Ryan Grant isn't a huge loss, Jackson can easily take over his workload. Basically, the Packers offence will crush the Bills defence, and the Packers defence will crush the Bills offence. This could get ugly. Green Bay Packers

Disagree with you here Archi. Grant is quite under-rated. I know beacuse I keep doing it until I see his stats. Grant has the 4th most yards by a RB in the NFL the past 3 years, Jackson has yet to show he is up to it. It may turn out to be a huge loss although I hope Jackson can step up.

darragh16

cooker3 wrote: »

Disagree with you here Archi. Grant is quite under-rated. I know beacuse I keep doing it until I see his stats. Grant has the 4th most yards by a RB in the NFL the past 3 years, Jackson has yet to show he is up to it. It may turn out to be a huge loss although I hope Jackson can step up.

I'd say that Jackson can step up. He looked decent enough against Philly. Its a big loss though, but I still consider the Packers to be one of the main contenders, with or without Grant.

Peyton Manning

cooker3 wrote: »

Disagree with you here Archi. Grant is quite under-rated. I know beacuse I keep doing it until I see his stats. Grant has the 4th most yards by a RB in the NFL the past 3 years, Jackson has yet to show he is up to it. It may turn out to be a huge loss although I hope Jackson can step up.

The thing about Grant is, I reckon he posts such good numbers simply because of the offence he has around him. He's a good RB, I won't deny that, but I think the Packers offence could make any RB look better than they really are. I would absolutely love to see what an elite RB could do in that scheme. Having said that, maybe I've been underrating him too much, because I never knew that 3 year stat! Cheers.

Prefab Sprouter

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

- St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders - 9.05 pm - No reason for my choice here flipped a coin

I can remember a time when people spoke of the Patriots in the same way, and it wasnt THAT long ago

As regards the battle of the ex-Los Angeles teams I'm hoping for a much improved Raiders performance.

Prefab Sprouter

Ravens @ Bengals:Ravens D to suffocate Bengals
Eagles @ Lions:Eagles
Dolphins @ Vikings:Vikings
Steelers @ Titans:Steelers Defense to bring Johnson back to earth
Bears @ Cowboys:Cowboys
Chiefs @ Browns:Gonna go with the Browns on this one
Buccaneers @ Panthers: Carolina to run over the Bucs. If Williams fails then Stewart picks up the tab
Cardinals @ Falcons: "The Burner" will ignite!!
Bills @ Packers: Cheeseheads will light up the Bills Secondary
Seahawks @ Broncos:Broncos, and hoping that Tebow-mania will fade away
Rams @ Raiders:Raiders
Jaguars @ Chargers:Heart hopes for Jaguars, head says Chargers
Patriots @ Jets: Patriots
Texans @ Redskins:Washington to come out on top
Giants @ Colts:Colts
Saints @ 49ers:Saints

Chucky the tree

- Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans - 6.00 pm - titans will be to good for them at home.
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions - 6.00 pm - Lions will miss stafford to much.
- Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals - 6 pm- huge game for the bengals, a lose here and it's a real uphill battle for them.
- Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons - 6.00 pm - Cards are a poor team, struggling against the Rams is never a good sign.
- Miami Dolphins @ Minnesota Vikings - 6.00 pm - After last thursday I'm sure Favre regretted staying on but they'll come good this week.
- Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns - 6.00 pm - Chiefs winning back to back games? I doubt it.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers - 6.00 pm - Moore might not be as good as he was hyped but with the run game and steve smith they should be fine against the bucs.
- Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers - 6.00 pm - Easy win for the pack.
- Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys - 6.00 pm - Cowboys by 10, can't see them making as many mistakes as they did last week.
- Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos - 9.05 pm - tough game to call, could go either way but I think the 'hawks will nick a close one. Should be in good form after last weeks win.
- St. Louis Rams @ Oakland Raiders - 9.05 pm - We're better then last weeks result.
- Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Diego Chargers - 9.15 pm - An 0-2 start? Very possible but I can't see it.
- Houston Texans @ Washington Redskins - 9.15 pm - Another tough one to call mainly because Texans are so inconsistent.
- New England Patriots @ New York Jets - 9.15 pm - After what flacco did to Cromartie and Wallace this could be painful for the Jets.
Monday - September 20(Sunday night)
- New York Giants @ Indianapolis Colts - 1.20 am - Colts should win at home.
Tuesday - September 21(Monday night)
- New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers - 1.30 am -After last weeks results 9ers could be in for another hammering

Matt Santos

Guys, I love the opinions and the way you pick winners but lets face it some of the win picks every week are well odds on shots! The real skill is in the handicap. Can any of you predict any of the teams that will cover their respective handicap on a week to week basis?
This is the true test of knowledge isn't it?
So simple to predict that the Green Bay Packers are gonna whip Buffalo this week but will they cover the 13.5 spread?
Here are the respective handicaps at the moment...
Ravens @ Bengals: +1.5
Eagles @ Lions: +4
Dolphins @ Vikings: -5.5
Steelers @ Titans: -5
Bears @ Cowboys: -8.5
Chiefs @ Browns:
Buccaneers @ Panthers:
Cardinals @ Falcons: -6.5
Bills @ Packers: -13.5
Seahawks @ Broncos: -3
Rams @ Raiders: -4
Jaguars @ Chargers: -8
Patriots @ Jets: +2
Texans @ Redskins: +3
Giants @ Colts -5.5
Saints @ 49ers: +5

There is no official line yet for the Browns or the Panthers...
Now lets see some predictions!!
My four for the weekend are
New England to cover 2 points against the arrogant Jets,
Texans to destroy a Washington team and cover the 3 pts required,
New Orleans to dust themselves down from the defensive battle of last week and shatter Singletary's 49er's and
the Tennesse Titans do a number on Pittsburgh and cover 4 pts.

Matt

Dodge

Archimedes wrote: »

The thing about Grant is, I reckon he posts such good numbers simply because of the offence he has around him. He's a good RB, I won't deny that, but I think the Packers offence could make any RB look better than they really are. I would absolutely love to see what an elite RB could do in that scheme. Having said that, maybe I've been underrating him too much, because I never knew that 3 year stat! Cheers.

I think Grant's stats are all the more impressive because of the GB offence, and their excellent passing game. I know passing opens up runs (and vice versa) but GB are hugely slanted towards the pass.

Won't make predications yet as I only got to see gameday final for last week's games.

landsleaving

Ravens @ Bengals: Ravens to win a close and low scoring game, and Palmer, TO and 85 to fail to exploit the much maligned Ravens secondary. I could see Bernard Scott getting some more carries since the Ravens will prepare for Benson, and stuff him early and often. Flacco should really be better this week against a weaker defense, which looks shaky, but the Pats aren't exactly a fair test.

Eagles @ Lions: If the Lions can plan well enough to force Vick to throw, this could be anyones game. Jahvid Best showing more of the skills he has and averaging something a lot better than 1.4 yards a carry would give Hill and Johnson time to connect, especially if the Lions improved D can step up and stop Vick. Unfortunately, Vick's weapons are probably too good for the Lions, and the run threat will give him too many chances to beat them. The Lions just aren't there yet. Should be closer than most expect though.

Dolphins @ Vikings: Nothing the Dolphins did against the Bills, probably the league's worst team, made me think they can perform at anything like the level of last year. They have the talent to prove me wrong, but I don't trust Marshall, and Henne, while having flashes, is yet to show he can really win games. Favre may miss Rice, and Harvin and Berrian look awful, but he knows how to win, and they took the Champs close and Peterson has the talent to give Favre chances through the air. It's also a lon trip from Miami to Minnesota.

Steelers @ Titans: Steelers defense looks good again, but their gameplan surely has to be stop Chris Johnson and get Vince Young to beat them through the air. I think he's more than capable of that, and with Johnson more than likely to still break a big run or two, Dennis Dixon could be looking at a shootout, and he just doesn't look ready. The Titans Defense looks better than last year, and they should keep an ineffective Mendenhall (despite on long run in OT) at bay. Pittsburgh won't win a passing contest, or a running one. Unless their defense steps up in a huge way, I can't see the Titans losing.

Bears @ Cowboys: The Bears weren't good against the Lions, and really, should have lost, and were only saved by a controversial decision. Cutler will have a lot more to deal with from a better Cowboys defense, and his receivers just aren't that good. Forte will likely see a lot of check down passes, but he may not have the same success he did last week. The Cowboys are better than they showed against the Skins, and should bounce back. Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and even a resurgent Roy Williams, teamed with a talented pool of backs should negate the poor O-line enough to give the Boys the W. Going forward however, that line needs to improve if they're to contend for the playoffs.

Chiefs @ Browns: The Chiefs may have the rain to thank in some part for their victory over the Chargers, but they still played well, and look better on both sides of the team. Jamaal Charles is looking like Chris Johnson lite, and Cassel surely has to have better days, especially against the awful Browns. Talent will show here, and the Chiefs simply have more. Delhomme is an injury concern too, so it looks like the Browns will be one-dimensional. The Chiefs have far better coaching also, and this alone should win them this game, even without a great performance.

Buccaneers @ Panthers: The Bucs just do not have the talent to stop two of the best running backs in the league in Williams and Stewart, and one of the best receivers in Steve Smith. Yes the Bucs are improving, and the Panthers aren't great, but this really should be an easy victory for Carolina

Cardinals @ Falcons: I don't think either team looks great at the moment, but with Fitzgerald off the pace, Hightower fumbling and Wells a question mark, and at best nursing an injury, the Falcons should edge it. The Cards struggled to beat a far less talented team and the Falcons are better than they showed, despite only losing in overtime to the Steelers.

Bills @ Packers: The Bills are the worst team in the NFL right now. The Packers are one of the best. Brandon Jackson should provide adequate backup for Ryan Grant, and even if he doesn't, Rodgers can easily beat the Bills through the air. They have no pass rush, and their secondary just can't deal with the number of weapons in the Packers passing game. Finley should break out here, and start doing what we've been expecting.

Seahawks @ Broncos: The 49ers were the architects of their own downfall as far as I could see. They were terrible, while the Seahawks were adequate and capitalised on their opportunities. I don't think they'll get such an easy ride against the Broncos, and Kyle Orton can certainly hurt them. Eddie Royal looks good again, and with the addition of Maroney, the backfield could offer some surprises. He's not a game changer, but can provide a change of pace from a lackluster Moreno. The Seahawks D should be shown up here, despite a strong week 1 showing. It'll be close, but the Broncos should win.

Rams @ Raiders:I don't like the Raiders chances here. Jackson can destroy them in the run game, and this sets up Bradford to really show his skills. He looked good against the Cardinals, and should have the first game jitters out of his system now. Jason Campbell is yet to prove he can win games with the Raiders, and Darren McFadden hasn't shown he can be relied on to repeat a strong week one showing. The Rams may be poor, but Bradford looks the part already. If they can hold the Cardinals close, they should beat the sorry Raiders.

Jaguars @ Chargers: The Chargers tend to start slow, but a travel weary Jaguar team should provide a chance to atone for week 1. The Jags defense isn't exactly great and Rivers has the skills to light them up. If Matthews can be the runner the Chargers hope for, this one won't be close.

Patriots @ Jets: I thought the Jets were overrated coming into week one, and now it's been confirmed. The Patriots on the other hand looked great. Even if we assume the Pats defense is worse than the Jets, Sanchez and the awful looking Shonn Greene won't be able to do much against them. Sanchez is regressing by the looks of things, and with key injuries hurting them, as well as the lack of a no.1 wideout, the Jets aren't good enough on offense to capitalise on any turnovers the defense creates. On the other side, Moss may land on Revis island, but with Revis sitting out camp, he may be off the pace, and even if he's not, Welker is back with a vengeance, and Brandon Tate looks impressive. The tight ends provide matchup problems as well. I can't see the Jets doing much here.

Texans @ Redskins: Houston gameplanned effectively for the Colts, who expected the passing game to come out in force. The Redskins now have to remain concerned about Andre Johnson, and deal with Arian Foster. They just don't have a talented enough defense for that. Miles Austin was able to gain a lot of yards last week, and Johnson is a step up from him. Donovan McNabb has shown little to make anyone believe he'll be an elite QB at Washington, and Portis already has an injury concern. Haynesorth remains a disruptive force, and Portis found himself at the mercy of the media's attention. Too much distraction to repeat last week's performance.

Colts: Nicks won't score three touchdowns again. Peyton won't take losing well, and he's going to look to get the Colts back on track against baby brother. The Colts may miss Bob Sanders however, with Ahmad Bradshaw looking good, and Brandon Jacobs still a threat if he can get his game going. The Colts are vulnerable to the run, and this could set up Eli for some big plays through the air. At the same time, the Giants aren't all that brilliant on defense either, and Peyton should be able to put up a lot of points in the passing game, especially if drops can be avoided this week. Colts to win in a high scoring contest.

Saints @ 49ers:You have to assume the 49ers can improve after being embarrassed by the Seahawks. The Saints are far better on both sides of the ball and even with an improved performance from Alex Smith and co. there is really very little chance here for the 49ers. The Saints should be able to rack up an impressive score on the way to the win.

death1234567

Ravens @ Bengals: Ravens
Eagles @ Lions: Eagles
Dolphins @ Vikings: Vikings
Steelers @ Titans: Titans
Bears @ Cowboys: Cowboys
Chiefs @ Browns: Browns
Buccaneers @ Panthers: Panthers
Cardinals @ Falcons: Falcons
Bills @ Packers: Packers
Seahawks @ Broncos: Broncos
Rams @ Raiders: Raiders
Jaguars @ Chargers: Chargers
Patriots @ Jets: Patriots
Texans @ Redskins: Texans
Giants @ Colts: Colts
Saints @ 49ers: Saints

tallaghtoutlaws

Prefab Sprouter wrote: »

I can remember a time when people spoke of the Patriots in the same way, and it wasnt THAT long ago

So can I

Si Conando

Ravens @ Bengals: Ravens
Eagles @ Lions: Lions
Dolphins @ Vikings: Vikings
Steelers @ Titans: Titans
Bears @ Cowboys: Cowboys
Chiefs @ Browns: Chiefs
Bucs @ Panthers: Panthers
Cards @ Falcons: Falcons
Bills @ Packers: Packers
Hawks @ Broncos: Broncos
Rams @ Raiders: Raiders
Jags @ Chargers: Chargers
Pats @ Jets: Pats
Texans @ Skins: Texans
Giants @ Colts: Colts
Saints @ 49ers: Saints