Week 2 – Sunday Showdown!
My lock of the week – Green Bay over Carolina
I like to try and pick a home team as a lock to win, but this week doesn’t have too many games where I can say ‘that team will win for sure, no matter what’. Even this game may throw up a surprise or two. My theory is that even when pigs fly, and Cam Newton throws for 400+ yards,and the Panthers still lose then there is no way they beat Green Bay. Unless Cam goes for 600 with 200 on the ground.
Upset Special! – Tampa over Minneapolis
I don’t even think this is really an upset; in my mind Tampa is the better team. Yahoo’s pick distribution favors the Vikes by about 20% though (and I think Vegas does as well), so what do I know. Look for the Bucs to take Minnesota late, Freeman showing strong and Blount running hard. Peterson will probably still rack up 100+ yards though.
Stock Market
In this feature I evaluate the movers and shakers, fallers and risers and decide if they will continue to Fall, Rise, Stay Steady or Bounce Back.
Bengals, crashing to earth…or skies the limit?
Cincinnati is on the RISE; I have to give some love to the Bengals. Before this season, after the Palmer affair and trading Ocho, I was so low on them. I had them getting the number one pick in April no matter what. Now? They’re not going to win their division, they will probably come third, maybe even lose it…but Dalton looks like a keeper (if he keeps developing) and if Benson can keep running proving all his naysayers (I am one) wrong, then this team won’t just totally bust out this season.
Bills? Heading on up…or ready for a crash.
Buffalo are going to STAY STEADY following this week. They had a big, big win last game against the AFC West Champion Chiefs, but now they’re getting Oakland, at home. This is less of a juicy game, and although I think it will be close (literally home advantage is the only thing separating these teams) a win here does not propel the Bills up to power rankings (unless they smash them). Its games versus the AFC East teams that will decide how much of a mover Buffalo are.
Brady and the Pats? More MVPs and Super Bowls or another first round drubbing?
The Pats are going to RISE again this week. Not 500 yards of rising like last game…but they’ll keep heading on up. Chargers versus Patriots has to be the game of this week, possibly the preview of the AFC Championship game. In recent years Rivers has been one of the thorns in The Pats’ side (although, since 2005 with Brady starting, New England are 4 and 0). He can throw and he can throw well. He is a good season or two shy of ‘elite’ though. This year? The Pats have a pass rush and if they can block the Chargers own pass rush I think they win and keep on hyping up.
Buy or Sell?
In this feature I have to Buy or Sell the teams, players, decisions or situations.
Baltimore or the Steelers?
I’m going to BUY the Ravens, and although I’m not SELLING them fully, I will SELL the Steelers. The Ravens just simply look good. Ray Rice is running hard, fast and seems to be a top 5 back. Flacco (so far) has looked competent and that D looks dangerous. In the league where passing has become the main way of progression having Ed Reed floating around in the secondary is a real asset. The Steelers haven’t been good for a while. They just outlast teams, force fumbles in the red zone and beat the lesser teams who can’t score on them. I’m sure they’ll do well (beating all those poor offensive teams) but where it matters, this team just does not have it.
The NFC South?
Now, the NFC south currently has a combined record of 0-4. So this is one of those buy low situations and indeed I am going to BUY the NFC South (and get great value doing it). The Falcons lost a freak game, they’ll compete this week. Tampa lost to a very good Lions team, which only shows they’re the lesser (currently) of the two up and coming teams. Saints took the Packers close and the Panthers just collapsed against the Cards. The Panthers are the only team in this group I would think about selling, the rest are due for a few bounce backs. The divisional games between all of these teams are must watches.
The ‘Rex Grossman’ Redskins?
I will, for now, BUY this team as long as you realise that by BUYING them I just think they will do better. “Better” might just be coming last in the East with more wins than I thought they would. I had this team winning three, maybe four games before the season started. Rex Grossman is an ok QB, I mean he took the Bears to the SB (behind a great defense) and he has his days like last week, but also he will have a four-interception game or two. The Skins seem to be running harder than I thought they would and their D is holding strong. I want to see how they’re going to fare out of division, but I can see this team winning seven or eight if they can perform like they did last week.
