Interesting Times

Three weeks into the NFL season and some really interesting things are going on. Let's just jump right in. Here are the 10 most interesting stories, in no particular order, we have going right now.

1. The Buffalo Bills lead the league in scoring. It's true. In a league with Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Mike Vick, Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, and countless other stars, the team scoring the most points is led by Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson, and Stevie Johnson. Go figure.

2. The Eagles, who spent $60 million to sign cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha giving them 3 Pro Bowl cornerbacks, have allowed 8 touchdown passes already this year. That's worst in the league. I'm pretty sure that's not what they were looking for.

3. Tony Romo played 1 week after suffering cracked ribs and a punctured lung, and he played fairly well. Cracked ribs are bad enough, but a punctured lung? Really? Say what you want about Romo being a pretty boy and losing the big games (which I have), but that is some badass stuff right there. I'll tell you one thing: if I had a punctured lung, I wouldn't sit here at my computer and type for atleast 6 months forget about playing a football game.

4. The Colts and the Chiefs both won their division last season. Neither team has a win yet this season. They might not combine to win as many games as one of them won last year. The Colts have the no-Peyton Manning excuse, but seriously is Manning so good that he has been hiding the fact that the rest of his team sucks without him?

5. Speaking of the Chiefs, will they win a single game? So far in 3 games, they've been outscored by 82 points. 82 in three games. They're losing by over 25 points per game. Their leading rusher (Jamal Charles), and second leading reciever (Tony Moeki) are out for the year. Their 1st round draft pick (Jon Baldwin) hasn't played yet. Atleast they have good BBQ in Kansas City.

6. Wes Welker is on pace to have the best season any reciever has had in the history of football. The record for most receptions in a season is 143 by Marvin Harrison, and most recieving yards is 1,848 by Jerry Rice. With 31 catches for 458 yards in just 3 games, Welker is on pace for over 160 catches for over 2,400 yards. Which is only 20 more catches and over 500 more yards than anyone has ever had. All this from a 5'8 guy who looks like he should be playing for the high school JV team.

7. In 3 weeks, the Jacksonville Jaguars have scored 2 touchdowns total, and one was on a Hail Mary pass. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea for them to cut their starting quarterback a week before the first game.

8. The Raiders, Bills, and Lions are all apparently good. What in the name of 1991 Tecmo Super Bowl is going on here. The last time all 3 of these teams were good, the Raiders had Marcus Allen, Bo Jackson, and a living owner, the Bills were riding Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas to 4 straight Super Bowls, the Lions had Barry Sanders, and the first Bush was president. After 3 weeks, the only undefeated teams are the Super Bowl champion Packers, and the Bills and the Lions. I don't think any of this makes sense.

9. Dan Marino currently holds the single season passing yardage record. Dan threw for 5,084 yards 1984. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Phil Rivers, and Matt Stafford are all on pace to shatter that record. That's 5 quarterbacks that are currently on a record-setting pace. Now obviously, all five probably won't break the record, but it's still a pretty interesting stat. Teams are throwing the ball all over the place, and running is becoming secondary. The game is definitely changing.

10. By far the most interesting story of the year so far in my opinion - Detroit police are on the lookout for the "Booty Bus", a mobile strip club run out of a bus in the tailgating parking lots outside of the Lions' stadium. So while others are doing the traditional grilling and drinking tailgate, the Booty Bus is running a makeshift strip club in the next parking spot. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It does combine 2 of American males favorites - tailgating and dancing ladies. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to be the type of environment that people running football teams want to have. But I do have to give the guys who came up with this idea a lot of credit. It's a brilliant money-making stategy, and they've currently got the market all to themselves. I think they might be early favorites for Manly Men of the Year.


I went 12-4 again last week picking the games. I'm on a hot streak. My quick picks for this week's games (home team in CAPS):
Lions over COWBOYS - I only hope the Booty Bus is making the trip to Dallas. And 1 more Tecmo Super Bowl picture because I loved Tecmo football.
BEARS over Panthers - I'm not picking Cam Newton in Chicago.
Bills over BENGALS - Buffalo hasn't been to the playoffs in 12 years, and they'll be 4-0 this year.
BROWNS over Titans - I'll take the home team even if it seems weird to pick a Cleveland win in anything.
Vikings over CHIEFS - Minnesota has been bad, but Kansas City has been terrible.
Redskins over RAMS - St. Louis will fall to 0-4 and still not be out of the race in the terrible NFC West.
Saints over JAGS - The Saints will score more TDs in the 1st half than the Jags have all year.
Steelers over TEXANS - I'm a homer, what did you expect?
EAGLES over 49ers - My lock of the week. Mark it down. Then erase it if I'm wrong.
Giants over CARDS - I won't take an NFC West team to beat anyone besides another NFC team.
Falcons over SEAHAWKS - Same reasoning as above.
CHARGERS over Dolphins - Miami won't find their 1st win in San Diego. They will find another big loss.
RAIDERS over Pats - I don't like the Pats. And, Tom Brady cut his hair. I think that means he lost his strength.
PACKERS over Broncos - Green Bay is really really good.
RAVENS over Jets - Baltimore is at home, and I really don't trust the Jets.
BUCS over Colts - No Peyton = Major Problems.

Last Week: 12-4
Season: 24-8

NFL Week 3 - A Reason for Everything

And, we're at Week 3. Before we get into anything, I just wanted to point out that I went 12-4 in my picks last week. Now, I didn't pick against the spread, and I'll probably never do that well again, but still. Don't rain on my parade.
Anyway, with Week 3, the novelty of the new season is beginning to wear off. With only 2 games in the books, we can't even begin to discuss playoffs or anything like that. So for the average fan, this might be the time to briefly lose interest in the NFL. It's not new anymore, and it's nowhere near the important playoff stretch. But, I'm telling you, this is no time to stop watching football. We have quarterbacks with punctured lungs, and undefeated teams in Detroit and Buffalo for God's sake. Let's take a look at this week's schedule, and I'll give atleast one good reason to pay attention to each game.

Houston at New Orleans
Watch this one because it is a legitimately important game for both teams. The Texans are 2-0 and finally looking to fulfill the expectations they've have for years. Except their two wins are over really bad teams, so this would be a win that would cement them as a real contender. The Saints are 1-1 and need to keep pace in what is shaping up to be perhaps the toughest division in football. With the Falcons and Bucs tied at 1-1 also and the Panthers seemingly competitive albeit winless, New Orleans can't afford any slip ups, especially at home.
The Pick: Call me a cynic, but I'm still not completely sold on the Texans. I'll go with the Saints.

NY Giants at Philadelphia
This will be worth watching because these two rivals always produce exciting games. That and with annoying New York fans invading a stadium full of dangerous Philly fans, there's always the chance you could witness a fan riot/debacle that will go down in history. As for the game, Mike Vick is questionable after getting concussed last week, and if he doesn't play that could mean trouble for the Eagles. Their backup QB is Mike Kafka. I don't know who that is, but I don't like the sound of it.
The Pick: I say Vick plays, and the Eagles have too many weapons for an injury-riddled Giants defense, so Philly wins. Although if Vick doesn't play and my pick depends on a Kafka, I'm going to feel pretty stupid.

Jacksonville at Carolina
This one has an intriguing match-up between rookie QBs. Although both the Jags and the Panthers are starting rookie QBs, they have to feel very different about their situations. Carolina has to feel good. Despite an 0-2 start, Cam Newton is averaging over 400 yards per game passing. He looks like a star-in-the-making, and the Panthers should feel good about finding a franchise QB. The Jags on the other hand, can't feel good about their QB situation. They drafted QB Blaine Gabbert in the first round, but he made more news in training camp with his golden flowing mane of hair than for his play. He fell to 3rd on the depth chart. Then, the Jags cut their starting QB a week before the season starts, and named Luke McCown the QB. McCown responded by having perhaps the worst game a quarterback as ever had in NFL history. McCown went 6-19 with 4 INTs last week. Yikes. Now, Gabbert is the starter. This won't be good.
The Pick: I think Cam and the Panthers get their first win.

New England at Buffalo
This right here is just good drama. It's like Star Wars. The Pats are the evil empire with Tom Brady Vader and the emperor Belichek. They've ruled the universe of the AFC East for years. Now, a new hope - the young rebel Bills with their gifted jedi mind-tricking Harvard gradute leader Ryan Fitzpatrick are threatening the empire's reign. The Bills are 2-0 for the first time in what seems like decades, but they haven't beaten the Pats since 2003. Brady Vader is 17-1 in his career against the Bills. So there seems to be 3 certain things in life: death, taxes, and Brady beats the Bills.
The Pick: Call me a sucker for good stories or more accurately a hater of everything Patriots, but I'm picking the Bills in an upset. The evil empire falls and the universe regains hope.

Miami at Cleveland
On first glance you might say "Why in the blue hell would I want to watch these 2 terrible teams?" And, that would be a very good question. My answer: The Browns are actually favored, and their running back, Peyton Hillis, was on the cover of Madden which means he's going to fall victim to the Madden Curse at some point. If you know anything about Cleveland sports, you know they are cursed as a city and routinely have the worst thing happen at the most demoralizing time. So, I'm thinking a home game in which they are favored that could finally give them a winning record would be the time the Madden Curse and Cleveland Curse combine to cause something memorable. I wouldn't be surprised if Hillis' leg fell off during a run. And, yes I'm really stretching to find a reason to watch this game.
The Pick: I'll go with Cleveland at home, you know, unless Hillis' leg really does fall off.

San Francisco at Cincinnati
Watch this one just because the Bengals just activated Andrew Hawkins to the active roster. Hawk didn't have an easy path to get here, but he never stopped working and never lost faith. He's an example to anyone who was ever told they couldn't do something. If you somehow get a chance, check in on this game just to give our local guy some support. Also, one of the Bengals other receivers just got caught getting pounds of weed delivered to his house, so Hawk might get some extra playing time if that guy ends up in the clink.
The Pick: A pure homer pick, I'm taking the Bengals.

Denver at Tennessee
Find out what position Tim Tebow plays next. With the Broncos suffering multiple injuries at the receiver position last week, the aspiring QB played the entire second half as a receiver. Unfortunately, he didn't get thrown a single pass, so his receiving career is shaping up to be as unsuccessful as his quarterbacking career. Maybe this week he can get some time on defense, or as a lineman, or at the very least as shirtless team mascot.
The Pick: I'm going Titans. They looked good beating the Ravens last week and have some momentum.

Detroit at Minnesota
Watch to find out if Detroit can continue putting up huge offensive numbers. They've scored 75 points in two games. As long as they're staying healthy they're going to score. Also, watch to see if Adrian Peterson beats up Donovan McNabb in the huddle. The Vikings are 0-2 despite Peterson's 218 yards rushing and over 5 yards per carry because McNabb has been boringly bad. He's throwing for just 120 yards per game, which is only 10 more yards per game than Peterson is running for by himself. AP is a monster, but it has been for nothing because McNabb has been terrible.
The Pick: The Lions continue winning and give the city of Detroit something to be proud of for the first time since the Model T.

Baltimore at St. Louis
This is worth paying attention to just to see exactly what the Ravens are all about and if the Rams have any shot of contending this year. The Ravens looked like one of the best teams in the league in dismantling the Steelers in Week 1, but then lost to what many thought was a rebuilding team in the Titans in Week 2. Are the Ravens as good as they looked in Week 1, then just had a letdown game? Or are they as average as they looked in Week 2, and were just really fired up to beat the Steelers? The Rams need this one bad. At 0-2, they're not out of the race in the horrible NFC West yet, but with games coming up against the Packers, Saints, Cowboys, and Redskins, the road doesn't get any easier. A win here keeps them alive. A loss leaves them as dead as the guys Ray Lewis killed. (What? We're supposed to forget that Ray-Ray got off for killing two guys who they've never charged or questioned anybody else for killing?)
The Pick: I think the Ravens are just plain better than the Rams.

NY Jets at Oakland
Watch to see if the Jets are a serious Super Bowl contender and if the Raiders are a playoff contender. The Jets are 2-0, but got a gift-wrapped win from Tony Romo in Week 1 and an easy win over the Jags last week thanks to Luke McCown's 4 INTs. Oakland was 30 seconds away from being 2-0 with 2 road wins after losing a heartbreaker to the Bills last week. I think this one will be closer than most people think. Plus, Jets QB Mark Sanchez might be a bit distracted going back to California and having to impress all the locals with his SoCal swag.
The Pick: The Jets win a close one.

Kansas City at San Diego
Check this one out to see if the Chargers can score 100 points. Seriously. The Chiefs have given up 89 points in 2 games. They also just lost their leading rusher and only serious playmaker in Jamal Charles for the season. That means little offense for the Chiefs which means more time of the field for their defense which means lots and lots of points for San Diego. Philip Rivers might throw for 600 yards. This will be like a video game when the older brother scores 90 points against his younger brother because the younger brother barely knows how to work the controller. Then the older brother laughs and laughs while the younger one gets mad and cries. Except the Chiefs won't be able to hit the reset button or tell their mother. (Not that I would know anything about that last analogy.)
The Pick: Chargers. By a lot.

Arizona at Seattle
These games between two NFC West teams are the hardest to find reasons to watch since they all suck, but give this one a look just to see the diabolical plan Seattle coach Pete Carroll has going. Everyone in the league agrees that current Stanford QB and next year's #1 overall pick Andrew Luck will be a great QB, but in the NFL it is very hard to lose on purpose to get the best draft pick without angering all the fans who pay lots of money to see your games. Carroll has found a way around this by compiling a talentless and pathetic team all the while convincing acting like he thinks they're good. For example, he brought in Tarvaris Jackson to be the team's starting QB, and just this week said Jackson will continue to be the starter after an 0-2 start because the QB position is not the team's problem. He said this as Jackson is averaging 140 yards a game, has been sacked 10 times, lost 2 fumbles, and has won 1 game since 2009. Carroll has a lose-on-purpose scam going, and no one seems to be noticing. It's like he's an evil genius. Or just incompetent.
The Pick: The Cards win, and Carroll smiles.

Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Very interesting game here as both teams are vying for the division title and this win would go a long way in any tie breaker scenario. Atlanta might have gotten lucky in their win last week over the Eagles, but Tampa barely squeaked by the Vikings.
The Pick: I think this is a close one, so I'll go with the home team here and say Bucs.

Green Bay at Chicago
Watch just to see a boom or bust Jay Cutler performance. The Bears QB is capable of lighting it up like he did in beating Atlanta, or getting lit up like he did when he got beaten (literally) by the Saints and sacked 6 times. The Packers D is perfect for this all-or-nothing approach because they've given up a ton of points this season and are last in passing yards allowed, but they also send tons of blitz and like to beat up quarterbacks. This will be interesting because Cutler could throw for 400 yards and 5 TDs, or end up in the hospital.
The Pick: I think Cutler is more likely to end up in the hospital because his offensive line is terrible and he's a sissy (I mean, c'mon he was engaged to a chick from Laguna Beach or some sissy show like that). I'm picking the Packers.

Pittsburgh at Indianapolis
This should have been worth watching because it was going to be a great game, but with no Peyton Manning and the Colts subsequently sucking that is no longer the case. Now, it's worth watching just to see a depressed Manning making depressed Manning faces on the sideline 100 times when NBC keeps showing him. He's a great QB and everything, but he makes more annoying whiny face than anyone besides...well his brother Eli.
The Pick: The Steelers, and it shouldn't be close. Of course, Manning could probably throw for 400 yards against the Steelers secondary while still wearing a neck brace, so who knows.

Washington at Dallas
Watch just because it's Monday night and it's Monday Night Football. Watch because it's a great rivalry between a team with a scary-looking and easy to hate owner (Dallas) against a team with younger scary-looking and easy to hate owner. Watch because Tony Romo might actually play with a broken rib and punctured lung, which would go down as the toughest and stupidest things any athlete has ever done in a game.
The Pick: I'm not sure if it bodes well for the Cowboys that their QB could realistically suffer a life-threatening injury during the game, and they won last week because of a play made by the guy who won Michael Irvin's reality TV show just to get on the team. I'm going with the Redskins for those reasons. That, and I hate the Cowboys.

NFL Week 2: Lessons Learned

Well, Week 1 is in the books, and we've learned a lot already. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees are really really good. Peyton Manning is kind of important to the Colts. The Steelers won't win many games if they have as many turnovers (7) as points (also 7). Tony Romo can still steal defeat from the jaws of victory. And, it is hilarious when Ron Jaworski accidently swears on Monday Night Football.
Anyway, let's take a look at the Week 2 games, discuss what we've learned, and pick some winners (and by pick, I mean guess).

Kansas City at Detroit
Chiefs - They've got a long way to go to get back to the playoffs if they continue to play defense like they did last week. They gave up almost 400 yards to a Bills offense led by Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson, and Steve Johnson. I think the Bills made up all three of those names. They sound like characters from The OC.
Lions - They'll compete for a playoff spot if QB Matt Stafford stays healthy. Stafford, who has missed 19 games in the last 2 seasons, looked like the real deal while throwing for over 300 yards and 3 TDs last week.
The Pick - I'll go with the Lions here unless Stafford sprains his ankle walking out for the coin-toss. Then my pick automatically switches to the Chiefs.

Oakland at Buffalo
Raiders - The Raiders have long prided themselves on being an intimidating bunch. Their fans dress like dangerous-looking lunatics, and the franchise in general seems to enjoy being labeled as scary outlaws. Well, after their Week 1 win over Denver, there is no doubt that their most intimidating player is their kicker, Sebastian Janikowski. Old Sebass booted a league record 63-yard field goal, and would definitely win any kickers-only royal rumble. Or hot dog-eating contest.
Bills - After an impressive Week 1 shellacking of the Chiefs, Buffalo has convinced me that they'll win 6 games this year instead of 5. It's a start I guess.
The Pick - I'm going with the Bills in this one thanks to the always dangerous west coast team (Oakland) flying across the country to play a 1pm game on the east coast. It always seems like it takes the west coast team two quarters to wake up and realize it's not 10am.

Tampa Bay at Minnesota
Bucs - They'll need to win this one to stay on track for a playoff spot. After falling to the Lions last week and a tough divisional game against Atlanta next week, Tampa Bay needs this one bad.
Vikings - Donovan McNabb will be the key to the rest of the Vikings' season. Despite 160 rushing yards last week (including 98 on just 16 carries for Adrian Peterson), Minnesota lost because McNabb threw for 39 yards. Yes, 39. He played the entire game. If Donovan can be average, the Vikings will compete.
The Pick - Tampa Bay. I say McNabb is done. He's as cooked as the Chunky Soup he's been selling for years (zing...thank you, thank you).

Chicago at New Orleans
Bears - They'll keep the pressure on the Packers for the NFC North title all season. Their defense is still good, and despite how much fun it is to pick on Jay Cutler, he's still a good quarterback. You know, as long as you're ok with a QB who may or may not have faked an injury in a playoff game because he didn't want to play anymore.
Saints - They will make a Super Bowl run. They lost last week on the road to the defending champs by one score while gaining more yards and more first downs. Aside from the Packers and Patriots, the Saints might be the most dangerous team in the league.
The Pick - New Orleans. I can't see the Saints starting out the year 0-2.

Baltimore at Tennessee
Ravens - Joe Flacco will have a career year. He's got the weapons that he's been missing. Ray Rice is one of the most complete backs in the league. Ricky Williams is a perfect backup because that pothead still can run. Lee Evans gives them a deep threat at receiver that they've never had. Their still dominant defense will give him plenty of support. And, if he wins a league MVP looking like Bert from Sesame Street, then I might have to quit watching football.
Tennessee - Chris Johnson needed to practice instead of skipping all of training camp waiting for a new contract. The league's leading rusher last year gained just 24 yards on 9 carries in last week's loss. That's not good enough.
The Pick - The Ravens win big for the second week in a row as they shut down Johnson and make 35-year-old Titans QB Matt Hasselbeck consider retirement at halftime.

Cleveland at Indianapolis
Browns - Another year, another season, another sport, another lousy time in Cleveland. When you lose your opener to a team who used a red-headed rookie QB and his backup named Gradkowski, you're in for a poor season.
Colts - Obviously the Colts weren't going to be as good without Peyton Manning, but wow. And the news on Peyton is not encouraging. He might miss the entire season, and if he does the Colts won't win more than 6 games. Lucky for them, this might be one of them.
The Pick - I'll go with the Colts just because it seems stupid to pick a team from Cleveland to win anything ever.

Jacksonville at NY Jets
Jags - Forget their Week 1 win over the Titans. They're still bad. The Titans are just worse.
Jets - They won't be as good as some people, including themselves, think they will be. They should have lost last week. If not for a blocked punt returned for a TD and a gift wrapped fumble from Tony Romo on what would have been the clinching Cowboys TD, the Jets would have lost. Offensively, they couldn't run the ball, and Mark Sanchez was still shaky. And their vaunted defense looked incredibly mediocre while giving up 24 points and over 300 yards passing.
The Pick - The Jets. Last week's close call should have them coming out hungry for this game. I know their coach will be hungry anyway.

Seattle at Pittsburgh
Seahawks - Tarvaris Jackson will not last more than 4 games as Seattle's QB. He fumbled 3 times, was sacked 5 times, and threw a pick last week. His only chance? The fact that his backup, Charlie Whitehurst, looks like the Biblical Savior and not a football franchise savior.
Steelers - The main thing we've learned so far about the Steelers is that Big Ben was a better QB as a sleezy single scumbag than he is as a married man. Lucky for Steelers fans, I think Ben still has a lot of scumbag hidden deep down just waiting to get out.
The Pick - The Steelers big.

Arizona at Washington
Cardinals - Kevin Kolb will make the Cards offense respectable again, but that defense needs work. They gave up over 400 yards passing to Cam Newton in Newton's very first NFL game. Not a good sign.
Redskins - They'll be competitive all year, and put up a fight each game. That's a step in the right direction for this franchise. The defense is solid, but they still need more playmakers to be a serious playoff contender.
The Pick - I'll go with the Redskins just because of the west coast traveling to the east coast for an early game thing.

Green Bay at Carolina
Packers - They will be scary good on offense this year. Aaron Rodgers is playing out of his mind, and they're healthier than they were at any point during last season. As a Steelers fan, I don't like any of this. My only consolation: Rodgers once grew this mustache. It doesn't make him a worse QB, but I do think it makes him a worse person.
Panthers - Cam Newton doesn't have as much to learn as all the experts said. Coming in straight from college from a system that was nothing like the NFL system he is being asked to run this year, Newton looked every bit the star he was in college. Despite the loss (Newton's first since junior college over 2 years ago), Cam threw for over 400 yards and 2 TDs in his debut. Not bad.
The Pick - Packers in a blowout. Poor Cam better get used to losing because the rest of his team isn't that good.

Dallas at San Francisco
Cowboys - We learned this long ago, but it gets proved over and over again: Tony Romo is a loser. He puts up flashy numbers, throws for a lot of yards, and then loses the game. Last week, another perfect example as he fumbles on the 1-yard line on what would have been the TD that iced the game for the Cowboys. Instead, the Jets get the ball and complete a 14-point 4th quarter comeback .
49ers - They'll compete for the division title if they can get anything out of their offense. San Fran dominated Seattle for the entire game last week but needed a kick return and punt return TD to seal the game thanks to just 209 total yards of offense.
The Pick - The Cowboys will win. Even Romo will do enough to outscore this 49ers offense.

San Diego at New England
Chargers - They'll run away with the AFC West. The Chief will crash back to earth after last year's playoff run. The Raiders and Broncos are still no good.
Pats - They'll be the team to beat in the AFC just because of Tom Brady. They'll be able to put up points on anyone. They'll probably win 12-14 games. They're probably the early favorites to reach the Super Bowl. And I hated typing every sentence of that. To make myself feel better, I'm posting this picture of Brady going down a water slide just because it makes him look like a sissy.
The Pick - Pats. And I won't be happy about it.

Houston at Miami
Texans - This is they're year to finally make the playoffs. The Colts are Manning-less, and the Titans and Jags are talentless.
Dolphins - Chad Henne might not be hopeless. He threw for over 400 yards against the Pats and ran for another 60. Add in Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush and the Miami offense suddenly looks somewhat explosive. Losing to the Pats on Monday Night Football is nothing to be ashamed of. Having people like this as owners is though.
The Pick - I'm going Texans.

Cincinnati at Denver
Bengals - We learned they can beat Cleveland. Big deal.
Broncos - We learned they can't win a home game against the Raiders. Bad sign.
The Pick - Who cares? The Broncos I guess.

Philly at Atlanta
Eagles - We confirmed that until Mike Vick gets hurt they'll score a lot of points.
Falcons - We learned that they aren't an elite team yet. Elite teams don't get blown out by average teams that start Jay Cutler at QB. Lucky for them, every other team in their division lost, so at 0-1 they are currently tied for the division lead.
The Pick - I think the Eagles win, and the Falcons look like they might be in trouble.

St. Louis at NY Giants
Rams - We learned that injuries aren't going to make this tough early schedule any easier. QB Sam Bradford missed time in last week's game but is hopeful to play. Star running back Stephen Jackson is hurt again and might not play. And after this week: Ravens, Redskins, Packers, Cowboys, and Saints could mean5 straight losses. They need this one bad.
Giants - They aren't going to be a factor this season. The Eagles and Cowboys are clearly better within the division, and they just lost to the Redskins making them on pace for a last place finish. On the bright side, Eli Manning is finally the best Manning playing football which has never happen before.
The Pick - Rams. They need this one.

NFL Preview

Oh yeah, football season, yeah! It's football season. Real football is back. If you can't tell, I'm excited. Let's take a look division-by-division at what's going on this season. These predictions are guaranteed to be average just like Joe Flacco (screw the Ravens). Although I could definitely do worse than average. Just ask the Bengals and the Browns (screw the state of Ohio too).

AFC
AFC EAST - Winner - New England Patriots
What Will Happen - The Bills will be the worst team in the division. I know, not exactly going out on a limb here, but I'm starting with an easy one. Buffalo is no good. Bills Trivia: Alex Riley, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Daniel Bryan - which 1 is the Bills starting quarterback and which 2 are WWE pro wrestlers? The fact that you have no idea is not good for Buffalo's season.
What Won't Happen - Tony Sparano will not be the Dolphins head coach at the end of the season. Miami is so unconfident in his abilities that they tried to hire another coach while Sparano was still under contract. They actually messed up the situation so bad that they had to sign Sparano to an extension just to calm him down when the other coach turned them down. That extension will mean nothing when the Dolphins start the season 1-8. Not even your awesome shades can save you this season, Tony.
What Might Happen - The Jets might collapse this year. After a surprise run to the AFC Championship last season, the Jets are looking to build to another Super Bowl run. Only a few problems: they lost the guy who led them in receiving yards (Braylon Edwards) and replaced him with a guy (Plaxico) who has been in jail for 2 years; their leading rushing is 32 years old; they still have no one who can rush the passer without sending all-out blitzes; and their quarterback is still a guy who looks like he works at a dance club and keeps hitting on your girlfriend.

Bills Trivia Answer: Ryan Fitzpatrick is the Bills QB. He went to Harvard. Alex Riley and Daniel Bryan are pro wrestlers. They most certaintly didn't go to Harvard.

AFC North - Winner - Pittsburgh Steelers (I'm a homer deal with it.)
What Will Happen - The Steelers will regret not upgrading their secondary. For years, teams (Patriots, Packers in last year's Super Bowl) have beaten the Steelers by spreading the field and making them cover multiple receivers with guys like William Gay. The Steelers got some favorable match-ups in last year's playoffs with the Ravens and Jets because those two teams like to run the ball which plays into the Steelers' strength. Things will be different if they happen to run into someone like the Pats or Chargers in this season's playoff run.
What Won't Happen - No one who spent last week in jail will rush for more yards in the NFL this season than Cedric Benson. The Bengals running back pleaded guilty to assault for two separate incidents in which he punched a former roommate and a bar employee. He served 5 days in jail, and now he'll lead the Bengals in rushing.
What Might Happen - The Browns might be average, and that's a drastic improvement. Colt McCoy might turn out to be a decent NFL quarterback, and Peyton Hillis might be have another great year running the ball. Then again, Hillis has to beat the Madden Curse, and this is Cleveland we're talking about.

AFC South - Winner - Houston Texans
What Will Happen - The Jaguars will look dumb for getting rid of their starting quarterback 5 days before the first game. Now, David Garrad wasn't exactly the second-coming of Joe Montana or anything, but he has been their starter for three years, led them to the playoffs, and has been to the Pro Bowl. Cutting him would be one thing if they were confident in handing over the quarterback job to their first-round pick and quarterback of the future Blaine Gabbert, but Blaine was so bad this pre-season that he got passed up by Luke McCown. Luke McCown will be their starter. Your guess is as good as mine. He's a 30-year-old journeyman who has thrown 9 total touchdown passes in 8 years. Good luck, Jags.
What Won't Happen - Peyton Manning will not be able to rescue the Colts this time. Manning has saved many mediocre Colts teams by being the best quarterback in the league. They've never really had a defense, he's made stars out of ordinary receivers, and I'm pretty sure he's their real head coach at this point because Jim Caldwell looks like he's asleep for most of the game. But age is catching up to Manning, and he's finally going to miss the first start of his 14-year career in Week 1 after neck surgery, and now they're saying he might miss significant time. Old people who get neck surgery don't do well in a profession that requires them to beat up every week.
What Might Happen - The Texans might end up being really good. They have one of the NFL's top running backs in Adrian Foster, top receivers in Andre Johnson, and a good quarterback in Matt Schaub. They also have a top pass rusher in Mario Williams, a top linebacker in DeMeco Ryans, and added a top cornerback in Jonathon Joseph. Things look good in Houston. You know, except for the fact that people have been saying this for the past 3 years, and they've still never reached the playoffs.

AFC West - Winner - San Diego Chargers
What Will Happen - Terrell Pryor will want to go back to school, maybe even just to go to class and get a regular 9-5 job. Seriously, could Pryor have fallen into a worse situation than getting picked up by Oakland? A kid who has been in trouble a few times, got suspended by the NCAA, and seems in need of a stable situation goes to the Raiders. This has bad news written all over it. If Raiders owner Al Davis is still alive (which is questionable), he will not create the kind of atmosphere that young Mr. Pryor needs. Good luck, Terrell.
What Won't Happen - The Chargers won't make a deep playoff run. Despite constantly have one of the most talented rosters in the league, San Diego always seems to underachieve. Last year, dreadful special teams cost them a playoff berth. A lot of blame has to go to head coach Norv Turner, who is still a head coach despite 13 years of head coaching in which he's lost more games than he's won while having what most people consider a more talented team. It's like everyone else in the league is driving racecars and he's driving a tricycle.
What Might Happen - The Broncos might surprise some people. Kyle Orton is a serviceable quarterback, they look to have a strong running game, and the defense gets their best player back from injury (Elvis Dumervil) along with a potentially important rookie in Von Miller. As long as they keep Friar Tebow off the field, they could be ok.

NFC East - Winner - Philly Eagles
What Will Happen - Mike Vick will get hurt, and how the Eagles handle his injury will be the key to their season. Vick runs too much and takes too many sacks (34 in just 12 games last year) to stay healthy for the entire season. Since they traded Kevin Kolb, Philly has Vince Young as Vick's backup. Young has had flashes of excellence along with flashes of awfulness. How long Vick is out for and how Young plays during that time will determine if the Eagles make a Super Bowl run or become the Yankees of the NFL (you know spend all kinds of money but don't win championships...zing! Sorry, Chig).
What Won't Happen - The Giants won't have a winning record. It's not all New York's fault as the team has suffered an almost comical number of injuries already this season. So far, the Giants have lost 4 cornerbacks, 2 linebackers, and Pro Bowl defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck to injuries. At this rate, the Giants will be holding try-outs like in the movie Invincible by October just to field a full time. All this means more pressure on Eli Manning to produce, and Eli threw 25 interceptions last year. Not good.
What Might Happen - The Cowboys might be back as serious contenders. Listen, I hate the Cowboys just as much as the next guy, but there's some positive signs coming out of Dallas. Say what you want about Tony Romo, and I have, but he's thrown for over 3,000 yards and 25 TDs in 3 of the last 4 years and was on pace to do it again last year before he got hurt. Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten are as good a pass catching trio as there is in the league, and DeMarcus Ware might be the best pass rusher in the league. Add in a full season for new coach Jason Garrett, who finished last season 5-3, and new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and the Cowboys might be making some noise this season.

NFC North - Winner - Green Bay Packers
What Will Happen - The Vikings will be a playoff team. The Vikings only had 6 wins last season, but that's what happens when you start a quarterback name Tarvaris. They still have the best running back in the league with Adrian Peterson. They should still have a solid defense. And, they add Donovan McNabb who may have just enough left in the tank to make one more title run in his career.
What Won't Happen - The Packers won't suffer the Super Bowl hangover. Their roster is too talented to let them have a down year. Also, they won the Super Bowl last year despite suffering a list of injuries that included losing their starting running back and tight end. Now, all those guys are back along with almost the entire team that just won the Super Bowl. As long as Aaron Rodgers doesn't go down, they'll make another run.
What Might Happen - The Lions might finally be respectable. They've built a scary defensive line that will harass quarterbacks all year. They have playmakers across the board on offense. The only question is if quarterback Matt Stafford can finally stay healthy. He's missed 19 games in two years. He's played in 13. That's not good. Stafford plays all season, and the Lions have a winning record. I'm not sure about the rules, but if I were the Lions I'd wrap Stafford in every kind of padding I could find and make him look like the Michelin Man out there to keep him healthy.

NFC South - Winner - New Orleans Saints
What Will Happen - Someone besides last year's winner Atlanta Falcons will win this division. I picked the Saints, but it could be the Bucs. Either way it won't be the Falcons. Since the NFL realigned the divisions in 2002, no team has ever won the NFC South two seasons in a row. I don't know why this is, or how to explain it, I'm just going to go with it.
What Won't Happen - We won't see any Jimmy Clausen this season. Cam Newton will do enough to keep the Carolina QB job all year leaving Clausen on the bench and out of football and the public eye altogether. And I think we can all agree that no Clausen is a win for all of America.
What Might Happen - The Falcons might have a down year after 13 wins last season. They play in perhaps the toughest division in football meaning any slight slip could allow the Saints and Bucs to pass them up. Their young and talented QB along with a stable of offensive weapons should keep them winning, but I have a hunch based on no real evidence that they won't make the playoffs. If that's not scientific enough reasoning for you, then you're in the wrong place.

NFC West - Winner - Arizona Cardinals
What Will Happen - This will continue to be the worst division in football. Last year, the Seahawks won it with an 8-8 record, and 8 wins might do it again. I really think they should just pool their resources and combine their rosters to make one average team.
What Won't Happen - The Rams won't be the breakout team many people are predicting. They do have some nice young pieces to build around, especially QB Sam Bradford, but their first seven games are Eagles, at Giants, Ravens, Redskins, at Packers, at Cowboys, Saints. That could easily be a 1-6 or 2-5 start, and most teams don't bounce back from starts like that, especially young teams.
What Might Happen - Coach Pete Carroll's squad in his second season here might be worse than his last University of Southern California team. All of his USC QBs were better than the Tarvaris Jackson situation he has going in Seattle.

AFC Championship - Steelers over Pats

NFC Championship - Eagles over Saints

Super Bowl - Steelers over Eagles - I told you I'm a homer, and a PA Super Bowl would be cool.