Chicago vs. Detroit: The good times for the Lions will be on hold for at least a week. Chicago and Jay Cutler are hitting their stride and look to be a good football team. Detroit might turn into a good football team - just not this week. An interesting stat: Cutler is 12-0 heading into a game with a QB rating of 100 or above. Bears by 14.
Cincinnati vs. Cleveland: Eric Mangini seems to have the problem of a disillusioned locker room wherever he goes. It's what drove him out of the Jets and it seems set to do the same thing again in Cleveland. Derek Anderson is in for Brady Quinn. Not that it matters. There is nothing to throw to, aside from Braylon Edwards. It's akin to rearranging the deck chairs on Titanic. The Battle of Ohio will be more of a rout than a battle. Carson Palmer and the Bengals look good - wow, I can't believe I'm actually typing this, but it's the truth. Palmer is becoming the elite QB that he has the potential to be. Should be an interesting season for the black-and-orange. Also for Cleveland, but for different reasons entirely. Bengals by 21.
Oakland vs. Houston: JaMarcus Russell has an awesome arm. He just seems unable to put the ball in the right place. It hasn't been a good start for the Raiders. This match-up with the Texans looms as a must-win if they want to have any credibility. Oops, did I mention the 'C' word about a team run by Al Davis? Oops. Matt Schaub is a better QB than Russell and he has better options wide, including Andre Johnson. Texans by two TDs.
Seattle vs. Indianapolis: Peyton Manning was his usual brilliant self against the Cardinals last week. He might have unearthed a new star in Pierre Garcon. The Seahawks, a team who were the class of the NFC until a few years ago, have been less than their own brilliant selves. They're a different - and not so good - team without Matt Hasslebeck, who is in doubt. The defense isn't good enough. Peyton should pick it apart. A good day for those fantasy owners with Manning, and a bad day for Seattle fans. Although, any day where your team doesn't wear a bright-green uniform should be classed as a pretty good day!! Colts by 28.
Tennessee vs. Jacksonville: In terms of negative effort, the Titans are the early surprise of the season. They only lost three games all last year, and are 0-3 right now heading into a match-up with the Jaguars, who haven't exactly set the world on fire themselves. Both quarterbacks are under pressure. The difference is that the Titans have someone to turn to: Vince Young. The Jags don't. Garrard is their best bet. I'd like to say the Jaguars will win this, but I'm really not sure. Okay, the Titans by a field goal, only because they're a better team - I think - than their record suggests.
NY Giants vs. Kansas City: The Giants should do to the Chiefs what they did to the Bucs last week: hold them to a small amount of total yardage. It was 86 vs. Tampa and won't be much more against Cassell and the Chiefs. Matt Cassell's talent is wasted there. He's behind the worst line in the league and has nothing out wide worth really mentioning (see Cleveland). Their defense is mostly old guys who're no good anymore. It's going to be a long season for the Chiefs. Giants by 24.
Baltimore vs. New England: Arguably the match of the weekend. Should be a very interesting 60 minutes of football. The Ravens defense has been great. Can they shut down Brady? Sure, the Jets did. The Pats offense hasn't quite clicked as yet. Joey Galloway has been a massive disappointment. He's dropped and missed a lot of balls he should have caught. The Pats defense might be made to look silly by Joe Flacco, who is maturing into a really good QB with a gun arm. Ravens by 7.
Tampa Bay vs. Washington: The 2009 Redskins will be forever remembered for being the team against whom the Detroit Lions broke their 21-month losing streak. The 2009 Tampa Bay Bucs might be remembered for being the next team to go winless in a season. They were woeful against the Giants on both sides of the ball. I think the Redskins, despite their poor showing - woeful in the first half - will roll over the Bucs. There isn't much to be excited about down in Florida. Except maybe the Hurricanes!! Redskins by 14.
Buffalo vs. Miami: As I said, not much to excite football fans in Florida. The Bills will probably win here, but the real interest will be focused on whether TO goes catchless this game and who he might trash on Twitter post-game. Bills by 10.
NY Jets vs. New Orleans: Another possible game of the week candidate. I think the Jets defense might shut down Drew Brees and the Saints offense. They've done it to everyone else thus far. The Jets D has been one of the pleasant surprises of the season, not that we should have expected otherwise from Rex Ryan. But the way he's been able to get that unit together and transform them from what we saw last year is impressive. The Saints will be a threat in the NFC, but I think Sanchez and the J-E-T-S Jets might get it this week. If so, by a field goal. Jets by 3 in a low-scorer.
Dallas vs. Denver: The Cowboys didn't look all that impressive last week against equally unimpressive Carolina. They have a lot of work to do. Except for Jason Witten. That guy always seems to be open and it must be a wonderful thing for Tony Romo. He hasn't looked that good. I think he'll get the win with the Cowboys this week. They've got to get the show underway sooner or later. I'm still not sold on the Broncos. A win here and I'm sold, but...Cowboys by 14
San Francisco vs. St Louis: The Rams are another team who might go winless this season. They've been terrible beyond words, and the news doesn't get any better with Marc Bulger out, to be replaced by Kyle Boller. As for thr 49ers, even without Frank Gore, Glen Coffee is going to find plenty of running room against a poor Rams defense. The offense should do it easily. 49ers by 24.
San Diego vs. Pittsburgh: A huge game for the 1-2 Steelers, and a statement win if they can beat Phillip Rivers and the Chargers. It wasn't the usual Steelers team that came out and lost to divisional rival Cincinnati last week. Big Ben didn't look his usual assured self. I think they bounce back with a good win against the Chargers. I also think everyone in that organisation is counting down the hours, days and weeks until Troy Polamalu is back. With him, they're a great defense. Without, just mid-range. Still, the Steelers win at home by 10.
Green Bay vs. Minnesota: I heard someone call the Vikings the best team in the league last week. Come on, wake up and smell the roses! They're not that good - and were a Sage Rosenfels/Tavaris Jackson and a solitary inch away from losing to San Francisco in their last start. Still, the Monday night tilt with the Packers is intriguing, mostly because it'll be the first time that Brett Favre goes up against the team that made him a hero and a Hall of Fame-bound legend. Aside from a brain explosion against the Bengals, the Pack have looked good. Aaron Rodgers runs this team now, and it shows. He's a solid young QB. If they can stop the run, they can win. Pack by 7.
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