Chris J. Nelson’s 2009 Week 2 NFL Game Predictions

I didn’t end up having time posting my Week 1 picks because I went to the Dolphins-Falcons game, but you’ll just have to trust that I went 11-5 with my picks. It’s not that impressive and I should have done better, but oh well.

Last week’s record: 11-5
Season record: 11-5

Falcons over Panthers — These divisional games are always close, but I have to go with Atlanta as the home team and the team with the better quarterback situation at the moment.

Vikings over Lions — It’s going to take a couple wins by Detroit before I’ll ever pick them, and even then it would have to be a really favorable situation for them, which is hard to imagine. Adrian Peterson and the Vikings should roll over the Lions as the losing streak continues.

Packers over Bengals — I think Cincinnati will improve on their dismal 2008 performance with the return of Carson Palmer, but Green Bay is just too good team all-around and they have to be the pick this week.

Titans over Texans — I’m not too high on Tennessee this season, but they should be able to beat Houston in this one. The Texans do seem to play their division opponents well though, so an upset wouldn’t surprise me.

Chiefs over Raiders — Kansas City played much better than expected in Week 1 despite not having their starting quarterback in Matt Cassel. Meanwhile, JaMarcus Russell was pretty bad against San Diego on Monday night, so I’m going to ride the hot hand in KC.

Patriots over Jets — Sorry Kerry Rhodes, but I think you’re going to be the only one embarrassed tomorrow. New England got off to a bit of a slow start against the Bills, but I expect them to get hot soon, I don’t think rookie Mark Sanchez will be able to keep up with Tom Brady.

Saints over Eagles — This one would be very tough to pick if Donovan McNabb were playing. But, as it stands, Kevin Kolb will get the start, and I just don’t see him being able to keep up with the league’s hottest offense in a shootout. Even against a great Eagles secondary, Drew Brees is simply going to put up way too many points for Kolb to match.

Redskins over Rams — The Redskins are a solid all-around team and played the Giants very well in Week 1. They get a bit of a break with an out-of-division game against St. Louis and should capitalize.

Cardinals over Jaguars — The defending NFC champions were caught a little off-guard in Week 1, as they were upset by the San Francisco 49ers. I think they rebound here in a high-scoring performance against Jacksonville.

Bills over Buccaneers — This one is a bit of a tough one to call, as both had their good moments in some tough losses in Week 1. The Bills lost a heart-breaker late against New England, but I predict they don’t let those emotions carry over and instead get their first win.

49ers over Seahawks — San Francisco surprised Arizona in Week 1, and I predict they win their second straight divisional game here. Seattle just doesn’t impress me outside of a handful of players, and I don’t see them doing much this year.

Steelers over Bears — I don’t think Jay Cutler will have many games as bad as the one last week against Green Bay, but I also don’t see him rebounding enough to put together a win against a tough Steelers defense. Chicago’s secondary is also suspect with some changes at safety, while their defense overall just got much weaker with the loss of Brian Urlacher.

Broncos over Browns — Denver played better than expected in Week 1, even if they did win primarily due to a lucky pass deflection that receiver Brandon Stokley took all the way for a score. The Browns, however, just don’t impress me at all.

Ravens over Chargers — San Diego wasn’t all that impressive against a poor Raiders team in Week 1. I like Philip Rivers a lot, but the absences of LaDainian Tomlinson and nose tackle Jamal Williams (the latter placed on season-ending IR) will hurt against a sound Baltimore team.

Cowboys over Giants — NFC East matchups are just complete toss-ups, aren’t they? I’m a big fan of this Dallas team and I’ll take them in a close shootout, but who really knows…

Colts over Dolphins — I hope I get this one wrong and I would love if Miami rebounded from their dismal performance against Atlanta, but that’s just not the sensible pick. Indianapolis is the better team right now, and I’m very worried about what Dallas Clark and Dwight Freeney could do against Miami’s weak spots.

 

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Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University.  He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and can be followed on Twitter here.

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Rex Ryan’s Dirty 11: Badfellas of the Gridiron

This is not your father’s New York Jets. Hell, this is not even your brother’s New York Jets! If one thing was clear on Sunday afternoon as the Jets stomped all over the highly touted Houston Texans by a score of 24-7, it is this: Rex Ryan has clearly brought an edge to the Jets that has not been seen from the franchise in its entire history.

Over the past 40 years of futility since Jan. 12, 1969, fans of Gang Green have grown accustomed to seeing their defense give up chunks of yards, fail to blitz the quarterback, and allow opponents to storm back to steal the game in the final quarter.

Fans have made ritual trips to the bathroom to vomit after watching another horrific performance from their starting quarterbacks: Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien, Neil O’Donell, Glenn Foley, Rick Mirer, Chad Pennington, Brooks Bollinger, Kellen Clemens, and Brett Favre. It just doesn’t matter; the results have always been the same.

This time around, Jet fans are seeing a different team. They see it on the sideline, moving from the top with Ryan down to the the last man listed on the 53-man roster. This team plays with a brand of violent aggression, sacking, pushing, punching, hitting and clipping their opponents without fear of foul.

This group cares about only three things: (1) Victory, (2) Sending a message that this version of Gang Green will not be pushed around, and (3) Victory. 

Coach Rex Ryan has to take credit for this transformation. From day one, Ryan has instilled a brash, no-holds-barred attitude in the locker room, and it is apparent now that his message has gotten across pretty quickly.

In the Texans game, the Jets held star receiver Andre Johnson to a mere 35 yards on four catches, and they even knocked him out of a few plays after a nasty hit by Donald Strickland in which he smashed Johnson to the ground like a bull striking at Pamplona.

They confined Pro Bowl running back Steve Slanton to a stingy 17 yards on nine carries, exposing the Texans as rather a vanilla football team.

The Jets’ harassment of Matt Schaub was not only unexpected but a graphic display of the Jets’ new approach. On the opening drive of the game, David Harris broke free on the blitz and launched himself seemingly through Schaub, drilling him to the ground as he released the ball. The pass floated incomplete; the Texans had the punt and Schaub limped off the field.

Hitting and rushing the passer is something Gang Green is not known for, but, this team rendition will not only get after the quarterback, they will go after him like a falcon diving at red meat. They hit Schuab over a dozen times on Sunday, even getting away with a couple of late hits, and sacked him twice, including an obvious horse collar sack by Harris, when he yanked Schuab down to the ground by the back of his shoulder pads.

The Jets’ aggressiveness appeared on offense, too. With the clock ticking down in the second quarter, quarterback Mark Sanchez rolled out of the pocket and appeared to have the first down in his sights; at the last minute, he caught sight of Dustin Keller breaking free of coverage; Sanchez drilled the ball across his body to Keller, who made the catch and was tackled after a 25-yard gain.

After the tackle, the Houston linebacker was jawing at Keller. Keller suddenly snapped, got up and pushed the surprised backer away from himself. Soon, most of the Jets sideline marched onto the field and started pushing and shoving other Texan players in defense of their tight end.

Ryan and his coaches had to pull his players off the field to protect them, but the die had been cast that this group was playing with one large chip on its shoulders.

Later in game, after Sanchez threw a costly pick that cut the Jets lead to 17-7, the young quarterback showed true grit. Sanchez released a bomb down the sideline to Keller, who made the catch in stride and dashed 40 yards to the Texan 38-yard line.

Two plays later, Thomas Jones burst through the trenches and scored on a 38-yard sprint to give Gang Green an insurmountable 24-7 advantage.

 
For the past week, the Jets have trash-talked about what they plan to do to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Trash talking is usually cheap, and it is new to see it coming from the Jets who were one of the most disciplined teams in the NFL over the past 12 years.

Those days are gone. Kerry Rhodes, Kris Jenkins, and others have told the media that the Jets plan to make Brady into a Raggedy Ann doll on Sunday afternoon, and I am sure that Ryan is pumping up the troops tonight with another profanity laced stump speech.

In case you didn’t know, several Jet players told the New York Post that Ryan’s speech before the Texans game was so motivational that they were ready to strap on pads and smack into someone right then.

In fact, kicker Jay Feely was quoted as saying that Ryan used “the F-bomb 52 times” during the speech. Imagine what he could be saying tonight. It might sound a little like Geroge C. Scott’s speech at the beginning of Patton, if not more profane.

It is becoming clear that Ryan’s die is cast: This Jets team will play the role of the anti-hero and love it. They will trash talk, illegally kick, trip and tackle anyone who stands in their way, and, somehow, find the means to win ball games with their solid NFL talent.

Talk about being the bad guy; this is a talented group of players who not only win, but win dirty.  

Whatever the case may be, the Jets will have to back up their new coach and prove to the nation once again that they are indeed a different franchise on Sunday against the New England Patriots. Anything less will be considered a disappointment.
Ask any Jet player or coach; the mantra is “Make my day.”

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Seattle Seahawks’ Pre-Game Primer: Practice Is Over

All right, the preseason is over. Now it’s time to play for the division lead.

The Seahawks’ key NFC West game against San Francisco this weekend is expected to be a slugfest, with two improved defenses controlling the game.

Seattle’s offense struggled to run the ball against St. Louis. The Hawks did break one big run, Julius Jones’ 62-yard touchdown burst. But without that play, they ran for just 105 yards on 33 carries (a 3.2 average).

They’ll probably have an even tougher time running against the 49ers, who held Arizona to 40 yards rushing. That means Matt Hasselbeck can’t come out tight like he did in the opener, when he forced a lot of passes and threw two first-quarter interceptions. He can be excused, considering he hadn’t played since Thanksgiving and because he rebounded to throw three touchdown passes.

He’ll need to be that sharp against the 49ers. History says he will be: In his past 10 games against the 49ers, he is 8-2, with 18 TD passes.

The 49ers will try to get Frank Gore going against the Hawks. He typically eats them up, having averaged over 145 scrimmage yards in six games. He scored two touchdowns last week, but he had a horrible game running the ball – just 30 yards on 22 carries.

That doesn’t bode well against a Seattle defense that shut out the Rams. No, the Seahawks won’t have linebacker Leroy Hill, and Lofa Tatupu is hobbled by a hamstring. But Aaron Curry is one hard-charging, aggressive dude. He’s so aggressive he reportedly got fined $5,000 for unnecessary roughness against St. Louis rookie right tackle Jason Smith last week.

The Seahawks will surely focus on stopping Gore, considering the 49ers’ passing game is not that potent. One guy they do need to watch, though, is Isaac Bruce. He killed them in the 49ers’ 33-30 overtime win early last season, catching four passes for 153 yards.

The Seahawks have won nine of the past 12 against the 49ers and have done quite well in San Francisco, including a 34-13 win last October in Mike Singletary’s first game as interim coach.

It might not be easy, but Hasselbeck & Co. should be able to handle the 49ers and take a nice early lead in the NFC West race.

 

Three & out: Q&A

Three quick questions as the Hawks enter Week 2:

Q: Will we see more of Seneca Wallace on offense with Hasselbeck?

A: Absolutely. The double-pass trick play that resulted in Wallace running for 24 yards against the Rams showed the kind of impact everyone knew Wallace could make for this team. Mike Holmgren always talked about using him that way, but he was far too conservative to do it.

“It’s a great weapon,” Wallace told Clare Farnsworth of Seahawks.com. “Any time you’ve got two guys who play quarterback and you can get them on the field at the same time, it’s going to cause the defense to be on their toes, because you can do so many things out of that personnel. It can be dangerous.”

Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said we will see more of Wallace.

“There will be a variety of stuff we do,” he said. “That’s just the start of it.”

 

Q: Will Walter Jones play this week? And if he does, what happens to Sean Locklear?

A: Mora said Walter would play when he tells Mora he’s ready, but you have to think Mora will be cautious and let Jones sit another game.

“We’ve got to make the right decision there with Walt,” Mora told reporters. “We can’t be greedy.”

Once Jones does return, Mora said earlier this week he doesn’t know what they will do on the line, but he called it “a good problem to have.”

The best solution would be to rotate Locklear with Jones for the first game or two, allowing Jones to ease back in. After that, Locklear could swing from left to right tackle, rotating with Jones and/or Ray Willis just as the Hawks rotate D-linemen and running backs.

Locklear needs to play somewhere, and he’s best suited to tackle. If he moves back to right tackle, Willis probably would become the top backup at right tackle and guard, behind rookie Max Unger.  

 

Q: Are the Seahawks already banged up at receiver again?

A: No. As discussed last week, Deion Branch will never be completely healthy for the Seahawks. The only reason he is on the team is because he makes plays when he is on the field and the Hawks would not have saved much against the salary cap by just cutting him (of course, they could have just told him to reduce his $5 million salary).

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is fine. He missed two days of practice with back spasms, but he said he was ready to go Thursday and the coaches told him to sit out one more day.

The former Cincinnati Bengal told reporters he had to get used to the idea that the team actually wanted to rest him as a precaution, because in Cincinnati he apparently was used to the opposite: being told to practice even when he didn’t feel like he could.

In the wake of last year’s Red Cross disaster, the Seahawks obviously are going to be cautious with any injured player this year. That explains why Marcus Trufant (back) is on the PUP, why Deion Branch (hamstring) is being brought along slowly, and why Jones (knee) probably won’t play this week.

 

GAME-DAY STATS

**Singletary’s Niners have won five of their last six games, and QB Shaun Hill is 8-3 as the starter.

**Patrick Kerney likes playing the 49ers. He has had a sack in all four games he has played for Seattle against San Francisco.

**Josh Wilson had a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown last October. He got off to a strong start against the Rams, and it won’t be surprising to see him have another good game in San Francisco.

**On the other side, Nate Clements has played well against Seattle. In the past four games, he has two interceptions and a forced fumble. He also picked off a pass last week, so Hasselbeck will need to keep track of Clements.

**Jon Ryan’s excellent punting carried over from the preseason as he averaged 53.2 yards on five kicks, good for fourth in the league after one game.

**Julius Jones knows how to find the end zone against the 49ers; he has three touchdowns in three games against them.

Two former sports reporters freed from the constraints of traditional print media write about the hot topics on both the Seattle and national sports scenes. No deadlines, no word count, no press box decorum — we’re Outside The Press Box.

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From The Top: As Usual, Jerry Jones Has His Own Agenda

Jerry Jones has always been a league maverick, a new-guard owner operating on his own agenda and working to further his own desires.

You can’t blame him. He wants what’s best for his team, and he does everything he can to get it. He doesn’t always do things that are in the interest of the league, but he certainly does things that are in the interest of the Dallas Cowboys. 

Sometimes it rankles a few people, as was the case last week when he was fined a reported $100,000 for ignoring the NFL’s gag order on talking about Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. 

On Sept. 4, when the Cowboys were in Minneapolis to play the Vikings in a preseason game, Jones talked about the need for a new stadium to replace the 27-year-old Metrodome. It’s an old argument, one Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has been making since he bought the team in 2005. 

But the thing that got Jones in a bit of hot water was his candid statement on revenue sharing.

“Right now, we are subsidizing this market,” he told reporters. “It’s unthinkable to think that you’ve got the market you’ve got here—3 1/2 million people—and have teams like Kansas City and Green Bay subsidizing the market. That will stop. That’s going to stop. That’s on its way out.”

He was referring to the owners’ wish to remodel revenue sharing in the next CBA. It’s one of the big reasons the owners decided to opt out of the current agreement with the players after the 2010 season.

Under the current deal, all teams share national revenue, which is made up mainly of the multi-billion-dollar TV deals. In addition, the 15 richest owners subsidize the poorest with about $150 million more per season from local revenue sources.

That’s the thing that frosts Jones and other big-market owners like New England’s Robert Kraft and Washington’s Daniel Snyder, who have to share revenue that they accrue from stadium naming rights, luxury boxes and local sponsorships.

Jones just built a $1.1 billion football mecca for his Cowboys, and while he pays that off he will be helping to subsidize teams like the Vikings, Colts, Chargers and Cardinals.

As Jones told reporters in 2006, when the owners hurriedly agreed to this CBA on the eve of free agency, “If I’m going to get my fanny kicked, I can put that off until another day. . . . You had to have your league hat on to make this work. And then you had to go one step further than that and think about the fans.”

Well, apparently Jones’ league hat is off and he’s no longer as concerned about  the fans, because he does not want to help fund other franchises any longer. Owners like Jones, Kraft and Snyder have nothing to lose if the NFL goes to an uncapped year in 2010 and then locks out players in 2011, because they already are paying the lion’s share.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

Wayne Weaver, owner of the financially struggling Jacksonville Jaguars, has tipped his hand about what he wants to do in the draft next year: Pick Florida QB Tim Tebow so he can sell some more seats. His football people have to be scratching their heads about that one, as Weaver just jacked up the asking price for any team the Jags might have to try to trade with.

Plus, by talking about how great it would be to get such an “iconic figure” with such “star power,” Weaver basically has said he has no confidence in his current quarterback, David Garrard. What was Weaver thinking?

 

Carolina QB Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions in a 33-13playoff loss to Arizona last season, which was apparently good enough to earn a five-year contract extension that guaranteed him $20 million.

And then he went out and played just as poorly in the season-opening blowout loss to Philadelphia, throwing four more picks. What were the Panthers thinking?

 

Oakland rookie receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey had an uninspiring debut, dropping two passes and catching none. Coach Tom Cable said, “I saw a nervous, uptight young man. A lot of big eyes.” This follows what reportedly was a pretty bad camp for the No. 7 overall pick.

On top of that, he has been completely outplayed by fourth-round pick Louis Murphy. Many, us included, thought the Raiders jumped on Heyward-Bey way too early in the draft, and it looks like we were right. What were the Raiders thinking?

 

First Oakland fell for him. Then Washington did. And that makes cornerback DeAngelo Hall the most overrated player in the NFL. The former Atlanta first-round pick was traded in March 2008 to the Raiders, who gave him a $70 million contract.

After just eight games last season, they figured out he wasn’t worth it and, after paying $8 million for half a season, traded him to Washington. In February, the Redskins decided to give him a deal with $22.5 million guaranteed.

And then, against the Giants in Week 1, he proceeded to do the same things he had done in Atlanta and Oakland: blow coverages, miss tackles and garner penalties. What were the Redskins thinking?

 

Houston cornerback Dunta Robinson, still annoyed over being named the franchise player, had a message for general manager Rick Smith while playing in Houston’s loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.

On his shoes, he had written, “Pay me, Rick.” Instead, Robinson will be paying Smith, who has fined him for conduct detrimental to the team. What was Robinson thinking?

 

The New England Patriots have made some odd personnel decisions this year. First, they traded franchise backup QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel for a song (actually, one second-round pick). Then they added five defensive backs—three through free agency and two in the second round of the draft—and traded away another.

Then, even though they were incredibly thin at QB already, they cut 2008 third-round pick Kevin O’Connell, leaving them only with undrafted rookie Brian Hoyer backing up Tom Brady. Then they traded one of their top defensive players, Richard Seymour, just before the season.

Bill Belichick is the best coach in the game, but he sure seems to have handicapped himself this season. And we can’t help but wonder: What was Belichick thinking?

“From the Top” is a weekly look at issues involving coaching, management and ownership of the NFL’s 32 franchises. Check it and other football stories out at Football.com.

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Chargers-Ravens Fantasy Football Preview: Rolling the Dice

Within the plethora of games this week to preview, the Chargers-Ravens matchup is about as intriguing as the mesmorizing dance moves of “Green Man.”

Sure, we can talk about Drew Brees or Adrian Peterson, but we can also favor more predictable topics such as cookies and milk and the natural passing of gas; this is more entertaining and informative.

For the Chargers, they will have to not only prove that last week’s struggle against Oakland was due to perhaps opening-day jitters but also prove to themselves they can survive without LaDainian Tomlinson.

For the Ravens, this vaunted defense will have to shore up some flaws from last week’s porous performance against Kansas City while riding the hot electrifying arm of Joe Flacco.

From a Fantasy aspect, there are more choices to navigate through than your favorite $9.99 buffet, but, with a little thought, we should be able to see where the value is or is not.

Let’s see what’s what.

 

The Quarterbacks

We begin with Flacco, the head-turning quarterback that has brought salvation to the Raven faithful. Last week Flacco threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns, but he did it against the worst defense in the AFC: the Kansas City Chiefs.

There is no questioning Flacco’s ability and talent; the guy is solid. He is also afforded a very competent rushing attack, making for a pretty balanced offense, but he should get a heftier challenge in San Diego this week, so expect the numbers to drop a bit.

Philip Rivers threw for 252 yards and a single TD against an Oakland defense that was supposed to be a lot worse than they were. Although Rivers is just as solid as Flacco, the defense is the difference maker here.

The Ravens are an incredibly aggressive team that usually plays sound technical defense, so they shouldn’t have too much trouble with the San Diego passing game.

I like Flacco over Rivers in overall Fantasy worth.

Edge: Ravens

 

The Running Backs

I will say it now: Darren Sproles is going to get a wakeup call on Sunday, and he is going to regret answering it. The Ravens feast on flashy smaller backs, so don’t expect anything from Sproles, no matter how good he is otherwise.

L.T. is out, for those of you who don’t know, and even if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t be much to look at here. L.T. is hampered by that nagging ankle and historically doesn’t do well against the Ravens’ vaunted defense anyhow, so you need to bench him until further notice.

The Raiders showed the world that the Chargers have flaws in their rushing defense, which will bode very well for the new kid on the block, Ray Rice. Rice is a bruising, punishing back that will have a great deal of success on Sunday, and the Ravens also have—to their afford—Willis McGahee.

I like Rice’s value very much, while McGahee will probably be used in situational downs. If you have Rice, start him; as for any other back in this game, it’s not worth it.

Edge: Ravens

 

The Receivers and Tight Ends

For as much as I like Flacco, I envision him using Todd Heap and the running backs more than his receiving options this week, making the Ravens’ receivers a bit undervalued.

If the Chargers can shut down the outside receiving threat of the Ravens, then Heap should have no problem seeing more than last week’s five-catch performance; I would bank on this scenario.

The Chargers are going to pass the ball—so someone might wanna forward this article to Baltimore (wink-wink)—and they are going to do it a lot. Vince Jackson and Antonio Gates are huge targets with a ton of reliability.

I see the same scenario here for San Diego: A lot of throws out of the backfield and to the TEs, so Gates is bound to have a good day regardless.

Edge: Chargers

 

Intangibles

–          The Ravens are 10-2 when Flacco throws a TD pass.

–          The Chargers are 20-4 at home since 2006

Edge: Even

 

All in all, there are some good matchups in this game, but there are also plenty of guys who you just need to sit if you can afford it. Don’t take any chances and get cute with this game; do what you know is right and stay logical.

In regard to games on the Tele this week, this is a game to watch if it is available to you. The Ravens and Chargers always provide a great contest, and the Ravens, especially, are a team rising to the top faster than you can say Edgar Allen Poe.

For free start-sit advice, visit our “Start-Sit” feed at Top Fantasy Football. Yes, you read correctly, it’s FREE…so what are you waiting for?

As always, gang: Good luck this week! 

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Breaking News? Two Media Outlets Report Chris McAlister Joins Oakland Raiders

Don’t believe everything you read, yet. At Raiders.com, there is no addition to the roster.

The Raiders organization itself is denying this.

So, who knows. My source: http://bleacherreport.com/tb/atQy

Interesting story only for speculation on who McAlister would replace. This story’s author calls Chris McAlister a corner that would be a “safety” on our roster. And playing tomorrow in Kansas City.

Will the Raiders make an announcement before the game? Or tonight?

So, in theory, Huff or Branch might see less time and Routt sees the same time?

This just doesn’t seem right.

The two sources in this story are The Baltimore Sun and something called CSNBayAreaNews.com, whatever that is.

If this all true, and you are a Raider fan, a problem (Stanford Routt) isn’t being directly addressed. Or is it?

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Five Things the Packers Need to Accomplish to Beat the Bengals

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Something About These Vikings Still Makes Us a Little Nervous

If the Vikings were any other Super Bowl contender, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

We wouldn’t be getting antsy about taking the Lions seriously. We wouldn’t flirt with the idea of putting our money on Detroit plus 10.5. And we certainly wouldn’t be wondering why Peter King picked Minnesota to lose.

With any other contender, we’d be counting up Adrian Peterson’s touchdowns in advance. We’d be debating whether Brett Favre qualifies as an elite fantasy option this week. We’d be game-planning for San Francisco.

But we’re not. We’re working up a “wait-and-see” attitude that speaks volumes about how far these Vikings have to go to win our trust.

You’d think a 17-3 mark against the Lions over the past decade would earn Minnesota a little slack here. And you’d think a 45-27 beatdown in New Orleans last week would keep Detroit’s stock down heading into tomorrow’s game.

Look past the Vikings’ daunting head-to-head edge, however, and you’ll see a long list of close calls. Over the past 10 years, 11 of Minnesota’s wins in the series have been single-possession affairs.

Factor in Detroit’s three wins, and the final margin 14 of the past 20 Vikings-Lions games has been seven points or less.

Last season, the Vikings outscored Detroit by a total of six points in two wins, and trailed entering the fourth quarter in both games. Against a Lions team that lost 13 games by at least a touchdown in 2008, that practically constitutes defeat. 

History aside, the consternation over a potential upset tomorrow sheds light on a lack of faith in Minnesota’s ability to dictate the course of the game against an inferior opponent.

We’re not sure if we trust the passing offense to shred Detroit’s dismal secondary. We’re not sure if we trust the defense to bottle up Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith.

And we’re not sure if we trust Brad Childress to go for the kill early rather than letting the Lions linger into the second half, as the Browns did last week.

Indeed, at the heart of the lingering unease that surrounds Sunday’s game is the sense (fair or otherwise) that Childress’ Vikings squads have a knack for underachieving.

Fans wanted the playoffs in 2007; they got 8-8. They wanted a Super Bowl berth last year and got a first-round loss at home.

In some circles, Childress is seen as a coach who can’t seem to maximize the sum of his team’s talented parts.

If the Vikings want to make the leap from good to great, they need to put those doubts to rest. They need to stamp out any trace of hope Detroit might have.

At halftime, we shouldn’t be asking if the Vikings are going to pull this one out. We should be asking when they’re going to call off the dogs.

For the record, I don’t expect an upset, or even a squeaker. If the Vikes can drop 34 points on a middle-of-the-pack Browns defense, I don’t see why they can’t hang at least that many on Detroit.

I don’t think Matthew Stafford will stay upright against Minnesota’s front four. Frankly, I don’t see how the Lions will stay within single digits.

If we were talking about any other contender, these things would go without saying.

But we’re talking about the Vikings. And even against the Lions, this is one bunch of Super Bowl hopefuls with plenty left to prove.

 

This article is also featured on Purple Reign, a part of MTR Media. For more on the NFL, follow Marino on Twitter @MarinoEccher.

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Week Three In The NFL: It’s an Easy Week To Pick The Winners

This week seems like a set-up. All these games seem very clear to me this coming third week in the NFL.

Not to go out on a limb, but I am calling for you to challenge any of these picks. Let me know any good reasons these teams will not win thier games, and post a comment.

Washington travels to Detroit this week. Have I said enough yet? Redskins win. There’s a shocker.

Jacksonville goes into Houston to play the Texans at home. Houston is usaully good at home, after they always start the seasons slow. The Texans win this one at home.

The Green Bay Packers travel to St. Louis to man-handle the Rams.This will happen. Look for a big day by the secondary of Green Bay, and Aaron Rodgers.

Cleveland travels to Baltimore and loses. There’s another big surprise.

Kansas City is on the road against the Eagles. Kansas City is no good on the road, against this good defense. Another no-brainer pick.

Oh no, this might actually be a good game, and perhaps a Super Bowl preview? The Atlanta Falcons have arrived folks, with this win in New England. The NFC just might finally win a Super Bowl this season. Pay attention to this game.

Tennessee goes to New York and shows Mark Sanchez a real NFL top rated defense. Not to burst your bubble, Jets fans, but your not quite ready for prime time with the elite teams yet! Tennessee wins on the road.

Minnesota is at home to face the improving Forty-Niners. Not that I’m not happy with the Niners progress, so far this season, but cmon people. In the happy home court of Adrian Peterson, and Brett Favre, the Vikings will be tough this season. Take the Vikings.

New Orleans plays Buffalo at home. Buffalo can not put up 45 points in a game, so Drew Brees and team win by default. New Orleans 45, Buffalo 28 sounds about right.

Chicago goes out west to meet the Seahawks. Jay Cutler will have a good game, and Matt Forte will rush for 126 yards against this run defense. Bears win.

The Giants play a rebuilding Tampa Bay Buc’s team in Florida. This will be over by halftime. Giants win this one, as Tampa Bay starts thinking about starting Josh Freeman very soon.

Pittsburgh plays the Bengals in Cincy. Oh no, Mr. Bill, what are the Steelers to do? This is another no brainer pick. Why would you take Cincinnati even if you live there?

San Diego is at home against Miami, who never travels well to the west coast. If they took a bus, they would not win this game. I fear a long season for the Dolphins this year.

Oakland is at home against Denver. Denver sucks this season, so even this pick is easy. Guess what? The Raiders are getting better, finally. Take the home team in this one. Go Raiders.

Indianapolis plays the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals. This is a good match-up. Can that old guy on the Cardinals have a decent game? Can the Colts win, with that running game? Will we see 100 pass attempts? Probably!

I like Curt Warner to actually win this one, with Boldin, and Fitz both having a fun time against this pass defense.

This gets me to Monday night, where Dallas is at home against Carolina, which is on a losing streak, since that play-off game at home last season. Dallas will win , because remember, it’s only week three.

Dallas are world beaters til week seven or eight at least. Take the Cowboys on a Monday night. The stage is set for Romo to deliver passes to 3-4 receivers for touchdowns. Don ‘t punt into the scoreboard. That thing costs a lot of money.

They you have it. A bold prediction of 13-3.

Thanks for your time. Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland

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Raising Arizona: What Will It Take to Ignite the Cardinals Offense?

As the Arizona Cardinals head into Jacksonville for week two, there are a few items on both sides of the ball that will need to be addressed if they plan on playing deep into January.

 

Running the ball

Sure, it was nice to see second-year RB Tim Hightower grab 12 receptions for 121 yards last week. It reminded many of us of Larry Centers, the former Cards fan favorite that set running-back reception records in the mid-90s.

However, there has to be more from the RB position than receptions. They actually have to run the ball! And herein lies the problem.

A notoriously lousy running team, the Cardinals showed last week why improvement in that area is a must for this team.

Sure, they have their aerial attack. But with nagging injuries to No. 2 Anquan Boldin and No. 3 Steve Breaston, the results speak for themselves.

Last week, the running game started to perk up when rookie Chris “Beanie” Wells was inserted in the third quarter. But for reasons known only to themselves, the coaches abandoned it after their best drive of the day.

This is NOT a call for Wells to start at RB. It’s a call to the coaching staff to use what’s working. And Wells’ third quarter drive, including two plays in particular on their lone solid drive of the day, was moving the ball on the ground. At least a few times.

Which brings us to…

 

The Offensive Line

I feel like a lone voice in the woods, because it seems no one is or has been talking about the offensive line’s part in both the lack of a running game, as well as pass protection.

We in Cardinal-land know that this line has been together some 25+ weeks now, if you consider pre-season. Its an amazing achievement in today’s NFL, to be sure. But for a group with that much time together, they often play undisciplined and/or in disarray.

There were four false starts last week in Glendale. When a team only gets between 12 and 16 drives per game, that averages out to 25 percent to 33 percent of drives that are retarded, or at least affected, by false starts.

If it happens early in downs, as it did on the first play of their final drive, it hurts, but may not kill the drive. If it happens on second or especially third down, it could spell disaster.

Follow it up with a holding penalty (as happened on that same drive, turning a first and 10 at the SF 38 into a first and 25 and the Cards 47) and barring a big play, you’re toast.

Levi Brown hasn’t lived up to his fifth-choice-in-the-draft status thus far, although he IS getting better. But he has trouble sticking to D-linemen, and picking up a linebacker on a blitz if they stunt, or the play moves away from his side.

The reason that Hightower had such a big game is because Brown and RG Deuce Lutui aren’t taking their man out of the play.

When the 49ers brought a blitz, Warner’s ONLY choice was to hit the vacated area where Hightower roamed in the flat. He had time to do little else.

Which brings us to…

 

The Pass Protection

Or lack thereof. Okay, it hasn’t been horrible. But the Cardinals pass protection in the preseason AND in Game 1, wasn’t anything to write home about either.

Warner was sacked three times. But two of the sacks happened on that last drive, the last one turning into a fumble out of bounds as the final seconds ticked off the clock.

But he was pressured constantly, which forced throws before the double-teamed All-everything WR Larry Fitzgerald and Pro Bowl partner/gimpy-legged Anquan Boldin could get open for mid-range and deep opportunities.

Unless and/or until the line can help turn the running game into a true threat, Warner will need a bit more time for plays to develop.

That forces walking that fine line of holding your blocks, and being called for holding. But that’s the way the rules are set up these days.

Today’s defensive linemen are fast as well as strong. Moving their feet better and staying low will help in keeping their arms inside, while being able to stick and slow down the defender. 

Once a defender is able to shed a block, the disciplined O-lineman needs to do anything short of extending his arms, or the inevitable holding call will come.

 

The Bottom Line

This is a young offensive line, but these guys have been together for over a year, shoulder to shoulder.

There’s really no excuse for the pre-snap penalties. Russ Grimm needs to get on them, and start threatening jobs if this not horrible, but sloppy play continues.

In the immortal words of one John Madden, “It ALL starts in the trenches.”

It all ends there, too.

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