NFL Week 2: Footblog's Quick Slants

week_2 NFL Week 2: Footblog's Quick Slants

Our brief thoughts on each game this week;

1. Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
Definitely the game of the week featuring 4 of the league's premier playmakers. But it's the Moss vs. Owens battle that figures to take center stage in this one. As good as Owens would like to think he is, Moss is the NFL's only true unstoppable force. The Eagles have the better defense but lack the power runner they'll desperately need to keep this thing from becoming a track meet. Expect a high scoring affair, and when the dust settles the Vikings will come away with an impressive road win. Al Michaels might piddle in his underpants in this one. And John Madden will call at least 3 different players the 'best player in the game today'.
Minnesota 31, Philadelphia 27

2. Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
The biggest name in this game might not be Manning or McNair. It could be Ivan. The hurricane will be gone, but the remnants of which could make for a soggy affair and dampen the prospects for two of the best passers in the game today. The Colts were Belichik'd in the opener thanks in large part to two uncharacteristic costly fumbles by Edgerrin James. Edge is in a contract year, his team is 0-1 and on the road against their toughest divisional foe. James wants a big contract, and this is where he'll have to earn it. Plus, the Titans young stud runner Chris Brown's ankle is still not 100%.
Indianapolis 20, Tennessee 17

3. Carolina Panthers at Kansas City Chiefs
Two teams with playoff aspirations will be scratching and clawing to avoid an 0-2 start to the season. Dante Hall will emerge as the player of the game with a special teams TD. Dick Vermeil will cry.
Kansas City 27, Carolina 24

4. Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Ray Lewis and Jamal Lewis were embarrassed by their 20-3 opening game debacle against their 2003 whipping boys - the Cleveland Browns. Jamal Lewis gained more yards in the first minute of their first meeting last year than he did the entire game last week. Hey, special kudos to the many Baltimore locals who elected to go ahead with their route canal surgery on Sunday instead of re-scheduling to watch the Ravens-Browns game. You made the right call! I feel bad for the Steelers in this one.
Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 0

5. Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
This is Lovie Smith's Super Bowl game this year. Bears fans and management will judge their team based on how they stack up against the Packers. But winning in Lambeau is not for the faint of heart. Meanwhile the Packers look poised to give Favre a shot to end his career with another ring on his finger. The Bears will make this one close on desire alone. Thomas Jones looks as good as advertised for Chicago, but Ahman Green is the game's best pure runner right now.
Green Bay 24, Chicago 20

6. Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals
Dave Wannstedt always has this constipated, confused look on his face on the sidelines. Like he's a stockboy at Staples showing up for his first day at work; "But I thought the pencils go in aisle 54B?" The 80's pornstar moustache doesn't help him either. It took Wannstedt over 100 days to evaluate and choose a starting quarterback going into their opening game loss at home against the Titans. It took him 30 minutes to change his mind. In contrast, Marvin Lewis has the Bengals headed in the right direction. A nationally televised game in Cincinnati? We haven't seen this kind of excitement in Bengaldom since the Ickey Shuffle. There is a lot of pent up angst in Cinci from years of losing and media neglect. This will be Rudi Johnson's coming out party. The Bengals will uncork on Miami.
Cincinnati 35, Miami 21

7. Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys
Jeff Garcia's methodical win against the Ravens was absolutely incalculable in importance for a franchise desperately seeking to get off the Couch and march towards respect and credibility. His girlfriend must have given him a nice private victory dance as well. But this game has 'hangover' written all over it for the Browns. You know Bill Parcells was calling his team 'a bunch of losers' all week. There is no better motivator than having to smell rancid Tuna all practice long. Give Testaverde a little extra Celebrex and Metamucil and he should be able to win this home opener and have some nice stories to tell his granchildren after the game.
Dallas 16, Cleveland 10

8. Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars
Q, Q-Dog, Barry2 whatever nickname you've heard for Quentin Griffin can't be as fitting as this one; good. Shanahan's savvy move to dish Portis for Champ Bailey is looking really stellar right now. Poor Tony Gonzalez. He never had a chance last Sunday night. Bailey took the Chiefs best receiving weapon completely out of the game. The Jaguars were a preseason chic pick to be playoff bound, but I think this team needs a bit more foreplay before they can climax. Griffin will have a much tougher week against a solid Jags D, but a costly Leftwich mistake will be the difference in this one.

9. Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike 'The Walrus' Holmgren has to be tickled coming off an opening game road win. The Seahawks were the preseason fashionable Super Bowl pick by many and if they can vanquish their road demons by winning back-to-back road games to start the season, there will be a lot more people jumping on this gravy train in short order. Tampa Bay threw up a stinker on offense against Gibbs' Skins in week 1. The Bucs offense is about as exciting as watching Aunt Bertha get liposucked on the Life Channel. Hasselbeck & Co. should take care of business in this one even if Alexander is a no-show.
Seattle 23, Tampa Bay 13

10. Washington Redskins at New York Giants
We called it. Kurt Warner could very well register more fumbles than touchdowns this season. And he had a big game for us week 1. Huge game. He fumbled not once, but twice, and failed to account for a touchdown. 2-0, baby! Atta boy Kurt! The Eagles are a good defense, but the Redskins are no slouches either. Counter-trey's and hard-nosed defense are back in vogue. If only this were Theismann and Rogers vs. Simms and Morris. Oh well. Old School is back hardcore. DC kicks butt.
Washington 26, New York Giants 12

11. Buffalo Bills at Oakland Raiders
The Bills are pissed off. Losing at home on the last play of the game is the kind of thing that festers and lingers in your gut like grandma Chloe's 3-day room-temperature haggis. This should turn out to be a better game than we're giving credit for. Defenses are ahead of the offenses in this one.
Buffalo 16, Oakland 13

12. St. Louis Rams at Atlanta Falcons
Vick finally looked like he could hit a barn door with a football for the first time this year. Looks like Matt Schaub will have to wait a bit longer for his chance to start. St. Louis barely shimmed by the hapless Cardinals, and it was painfully obvious to those who watched this game that Marc Bulger is the epitome of mediocrity. Special congrats to Marshall Faulk. You made it through a whole football game without requiring knee surgery. We're shootin' for 2 now.
St. Louis 38, Atlanta 30

13. Houston Texans at Detroit Lions
Two teams who experienced different ends of the spectrum last week. The Lions shed a massive 20+ year opening road game curse beating Chicago. Houston supposedly primed for a breakout season fell flat on their faces in front of their home crowd against the sad sack MartyBallers. The loss of Charles Rogers will really hurt Detroit. If Domanick Davis can get the Texas oil off his hands and hang onto the damn ball, they should win.
Houston 27, Detroit 17

14. New York Jets at San Diego Chargers
Can Curtis Martin do it again? Will Tomlinson finally blow up? Why are you asking me? I don't know. Here is what we do know; Pennington is Ice Man. It's amazing what you can do with a quarterback who doesn't make mistakes. Nice 2-0 start for the J.E.T.S. JETS JETS JETS.
New York Jets 26, San Diego 20

15. New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals
The Patriots are like the Borg. Belichik is Locutus. Resistance Is Futile.
New England 34, Arizona 10

16. San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints
The good people of New Orleans deserve a good football game after the week of hardship they have endured. They'll get it. Sloppy, messy indoor football will be played, but a barn burner it will be.
New Orleans 29, San Francisco 27

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NFL Week 2: Footblog's Quick Slants