Steelers MAQB: Relax, Passburgh, It’s Not 2003 Any More

The Monday Afternoon Quarterback goes deep while he waits for the Black-and-gold Eyed Peas to take the stage…  

 

First down

There’s one hyphenated word that scares Steelers World like no other. And it’s even printable.

No-huddle.

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians switched to the no-huddle offense against the Tennessee Titans in the regular-season opener, and the results were only slightly short of sensational. But these are the Steelers, right? The physical, aggressive team that runs the ball first and asks questions later?

Besides, the last time the Steelers threw the ball all over the lot, they finished with a 6-10 record in the 2003 season.

Well, I’m here to tell you that the no-huddle can work for this team, and here’s why: Ben Roethlisberger is not Tommy Maddox any more than Megan Fox is Ruth Bussy.

I’ll take Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, Mike Wallace, and Hines Ward over Ward, Plaxico Burress, Antawn Randle-El, and Jerame Tuman while I’m at it. Except for Alan Fanaca, who had to play left tackle because of injuries that season, there’s not much difference in the offensive lines, either.

The point is, the Steelers should play to their strengths, which are quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end—in that order. If it means they have to throw 30, 35, even 40 times a game, so be it.

The pass game has worked for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts all these years. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have done pretty well that way. Now that Roethlisberger has somebody to ride shotgun, it can work for him and the Steelers too.                       

 

Second down

The Steelers have to at least make an attempt to run the ball against the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon, but I don’t expect much improvement from a week ago. Last weekend the Bears front four had its way with the Packers o-line, which is no worse than what the Steelers have to offer these days.

The Steelers can have a lot of success in the pass game, though, especially on short-to-medium throws that can neutralize the pass rush. Because of health issues and a lack of depth, the Bears are vulnerable at linebacker and in the secondary. Middle linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer represents a significant drop-off from Brian Urlacher in pass coverage. After an injured-riddled preseason, Zack Bowman and Charles Tillman will be paired at cornerback for the first time. And nickel back Nathan Vasher is as good as toast.

 

Third down

The wolves are after Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who was every bit as bad as his four interceptions would indicate in the regular-season opener. Coaches and teammates tried to cover his tracks throughout the week, but it’s difficult to feel sorry for a guy who comes off as cocky and above it all.

My advice to the Steelers defense is, try for the knockout punch early. (Paging James Harrison! Paging James Harrison!) A turnover or three-and-out could get the home crowd on their side and prompt Cutler to force the action, something he is known to do often.

 

Fourth Down 

In his only game against the Steelers previously, which came as a member of the Denver Broncos in Week 7 of the 2007 season, Cutler completed 22-of-29 pass attempts for 248 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions against a secondary that was without safety Ryan Clark at the time.

Tight end Tony Scheffler and wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley combined to catch 16 balls for 197 yards in the 31-28 victory. Cutler did a lot of damage on bootlegs, as he picked up 41 yards on three carries himself.

When I asked Cutler what he would take out of that game earlier this week, he told me, “I don’t know. I haven’t gone back and watched that game yet. I don’t know if I will. I’m on a different team. They’re a little bit different defensively, so I don’t now I will look it up.”

This is what Cutler meant to say: “I watch the game film every day. If I could toast their secondary with Troy Polamalu back there, imagine what I can do without him. I mean, Tyrone Carter and Ryan Mundy? Are you kiddin’ me?”

Make it Steelers 31, Bears 27 in a shootout.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Chicago Bears vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Who has the Edge?

For the first time since 1995, the Pittsburgh Steelers come to Chicago and encounter a Bears team lacking their greatest weapon, big play middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. How can the Bears compensate for losing a middle linebacker who has the size of a defensive end and speed of a safety? It’s up to Hunter Hillenmeyer to replace him, but they would like to see their offense pick up some of the slack. That means Jay Cutler bouncing back from a four-interception start. Cutler’s only game against the Steelers was a success, a 31-28 victory in 2007 over the Steelers. The Bears need him to duplicate that day he had for Denver in order to offset the efforts of Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers are favored by 3 points in this 3 p.m. matchup.

Begin Slideshow

Fantasy Football: Week Two Sit Ems

After some week one performances that may have you wondering: “Who will be next to put up the monster game like Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson did?” We can say with the utmost confidence that the players listed below will not be the ones to do so in week two.

These are your weekly Fantasy Football Week Two Sit Ems!

 

QUARTERBACKS—SIT ‘EM

 

Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears) vs. Pittsburgh

After week one, you may be kicking yourself for drafting Cutler. He looked out of sync with the offense all game with a 1:4 TD to INT ratio.

His receivers are obviously not what they were in Denver last season, and he must learn to rely on RB Matt Forte for dump off passes to move the chains.

While he probably won’t be throwing four interceptions again this week, Pittsburgh is a tenacious defensive team that will look to shut down the Bears offense in this week two match-up.

If you’re looking for a week for Cutler to be his usual gunslinger self, wait until at least week three @ Seattle (which still isn’t a great match-up).

 

Jason Campbell (Washington Redskins) vs. St. Louis

Great match-up against the Rams, as Matt Hasselbeck proved that good QBs can tear up the Rams awful pass defense.

However, the Redskins will look to establish the run with Clinton Portis after he struggled to hit the ground running in week one vs. the New York Giants.

Keep in mind that Campbell’s best fantasy game in 2008 featured him throwing for a meager 231 yards and two TDs.

Hopefully, those numbers don’t impress you…he just is not very good.

 

RUNNING BACKS—SIT ‘EM

 

Matt Forte (Chicago Bears) vs. Pittsburgh

Well, maybe one of the Bears offensive standouts (Forte or the aforementioned Cutler) will have a decent game, or maybe they’re in for another long game.

In week one, the Steelers gave up 85 rushing yards to Tennessee, and even though Troy Polamalu will probably be out in week two, they will force the Bears to throw, while focusing on stopping Forte and run game.

While you may not be benching your No. 2-No. 4 overall pick, keep your expectations low as he faces one of the toughest match-ups for any RB.

 

Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Green Bay

The Packers new and improved 3-4 defense looked great in week one versus the Bears, and the Bengals come into Lambeau off an ugly 12-7 loss to the Broncos.

While Benson looked like the focal point of the Bengals offense in week one (108 total yards), he only averaged 3.6 ypc on what most people thought would be an awful Denver run defense.

The Packers are much better than that (Forte averaged 2.2 ypc against them in week one). Benson could be in for a long day in Green Bay.

 

Kevin Smith (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota

Minnesota was tops in the league in 2008 against the run, allowing only 76.9 yards per game on the ground. They bring back run-stuffers Kevin and Pat Williams to devour the middle, who will look to stop Kevin Smith first and foremost.

The Vikings understand that Matthew Stafford will make mistakes, and they will force the rookie to beat them.

The only game that Smith started against Minnesota in 2008 showed him posting 91 total yards and 0 TDs, and he won’t be doing much better than that with Stafford under center.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS—SIT ‘EM

 

Antonio Bryant (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Buffalo

Bryant followed up a stellar 2008 season with 29 yards on two catches to open the 2009 season…Not exactly what you were hoping for as your WR2.

Well, he’s dealing with a knee injury (expects to play week two) now, so he’s not on the right track to have a good showing against the Bills defense.

Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo’s CB that covers the opposing team’s best wideout, will be covering Bryant.

Although Randy Moss burned him for 141 yards in week one, McKelvin did a good job on him (obviously this could be argued, considering 141 yards) and did not allow Moss to make that big play.

 

Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) vs. Pittsburgh

OK, now it’s becoming ridiculous. To reinforce the point that Cutler is a poor start, Hester should not be started this week, as well.

He had a surprisingly good game in week one (90 yds, one TD), but he doesn’t figure to be a consistent player on a weekly basis.

Even with Cutler’s strong arm and Hester’s speed, put Devin on the bench until he can prove he’s a worthy WR3 in all formats (However, if you are awarded RET yards or TDs, you may want to reconsider this).

 

Devery Henderson (New Orleans Saints) @ Philadelphia

The Eagles are no push-over like the Detroit Lions. Fantasy football fans know that Drew Brees is so frustrating (to Saints WR owners) because of his trust in so many players.

Weekly, a new offensive player becomes a fantasy standout for the Brees-led Saints. Last week, it was Jeremy Shockey and Devery Henderson.

Henderson had over 100 yards and a score, but can he do it again? Your guess is as good as any…Facing a much tougher opponent, six TDs seems unlikely, so Henderson could struggle in this match-up vs. the Eagles.

 

TIGHT ENDS—SIT ‘EM

 

Brent Celek (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New Orleans

Celek is going to be a low TE1 on good match-ups (see Lions, Detroit; Bills, Buffalo), as both teams gave up two TDs to opposing TEs week one. However, the Eagles are going to be without starting QB Donovan McNabb, so Celek may not be seeing the same kind of looks with Kevin Kolb at the helm. Although Celek is a TD vulture, he doesn’t figure to play a big role in week two versus the New Orleans Saints.

 

KICKERS—SIT ‘EM

 

Stephen Gostkowski (New England Patriots) @ New York Jets

The Jets had a nice game against Kris Brown (Houston Texans) last week where they only allowed one XP made. Week-to-week this can all change, but it seems that Rex Ryan’s defensive philosophies have already been accepted and put into play.

Gostkowski had a poor game vs. the Bills in which he missed a 41-yard field goal (he nailed a 20 and 28 yarder later in the game). Check out our Kicker Rankings in week two for some better options.

 

DEFENSES—SIT ‘EM

 

Baltimore Ravens D/ST @ San Diego

The Ravens D/ST failed miserably against Kansas City as far as fantasy owners are concerned. Even with Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs expected to play (concussions), San Diego is a much tougher opponent than their week one match-up, the Chiefs.

The Chargers have plenty of weapons in QB Philip Rivers, RBs LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles (if LT doesn’t play, Sproles may be even more dangerous than a banged up Tomlinson), and receivers Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates.

The Ravens may be able to win this one, but you don’t get points for their W-L record.

For the Week Two Start Ems, click here!

*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY JACOB LERMAN*

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week Two: Game of The Week (Fantasy Style)

With Week Two of the NFL season fast approaching, it is once again time for the Bruno Boys to pick a Game of the Week. As always, there’s a fantasy football twist, focusing on a game that we feel will have a lot of impact on the fantasy football world.

This week we will head to Arlington, Texas, and the grand opening of the new state-of-the-art 80,000-seat Cowboys Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys will host their NFC East rivals, the New York Giants. Both teams are coming off victorious Week Ones. The Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-21, while the Giants disposed of the Washington Redskins 23-17. This game should feature some explosive offensive fire power, so let’s take a look at the positional comparisons from a fantasy football standpoint.

Quarterbacks

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is coming off a huge week in which he passed for a career-high 353 yards with three passing touchdowns. He completed 16 of 27 pass attempts, while connecting with six different receivers. Romo did tweak his ankle in the game, but he did not miss anytime. He is expected to play this week, saying his ankle is sore, but he will tape it up and be ready to go.

Romo is the Bruno Boys No. 9 ranked quarterback this week and he is a must start, even against a solid Giants Defense.

The Giants’ Eli Manning also had a good game Week One. He was 20 for 29 passing for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Manning also did a very good job spreading the ball around, hitting seven different receivers on the day. Manning should be considered a high-end QB2 this week and is our No. 14 ranked quarterback.

Running Backs

Both teams feature similar running back systems. They both have power starting running backs and very speedy change of pace runners. The Cowboys’ Marion Barber is coming off a season in which he was slowed by injuries, which have left many of us questioning his durability. In the Cowboys’ Week One contest Barber looked healthy, finishing the game with 14 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown. The Bruno Boys are predicting a similar game from him this week as he is our No. 11 ranked running back.

The Giants’ starting running back is Brandon Jacobs, who powered his way to 46 yards on 16 carries last week. He should be considered a RB2 this week and is our No. 19 ranked running back.

As stated above, both teams feature speedy change of pace backs. The Giants’ Ahmad Bradshaw is ranked No. 35, and the Cowboys’ Felix Jones is ranked No. 49 on our running back rankings. They both could be used as a RB3 or flex position players, although Jones is nursing an injury and you should check his status before inserting him into your lineup.

Wide Receivers

The Cowboys showed Week One that they have a solid trio of wide receivers. Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, and Austin Miles all had touchdowns of 42 yards or more last week. Williams ranks No. 9 on our wide receiver ranking this week, while Crayton and Austin rank No. 43 and No. 48 respectively. Consider Williams a low-end WR1 this week, but Crayton and Austin both need to prove they aren’t one-week wonders and would be best serve as reserves this week.

The Giants don’t have particularly high profile wide receivers, but in the Giants team system they can be very effective. Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, and Mario Manningham all provide excellent targets for Eli Manning. Smith is the Bruno Boys No. 30 ranked wide receiver and should be considered a WR3 or flex option this week. Hixon ranks No. 39 and Manningham ranks No. 69 this week.

Tight Ends

The Cowboys’ Jason Witten is one of Romo’s favorite targets and one of the best tight ends in football. He led the Cowboys with five catches in Week One for 71 yards, and he is our No. 2 ranked tight end this week. Witten is a must-start tight end on a weekly basis.

The Giants’ Kevin Boss is in his second season as New York’s starting tight end and he is proving to be a reliable target for Manning. He had three receptions for 62 yards with a touchdown Week 1 and he could be used as a low-end TE1 this week if necessary.

Kickers

Both the Giants’ Lawrence Tynes and the Cowboys’ Nick Folk were perfect last week. Tynes scored 11 points, while Folk scored 10, and they both make solid starting kicker options this week.

 

Defense

Normally we don’t recommend starting the D/ST units in our featured Game of the Week as we are usually featuring what will be a high scoring affair, but the Giants possess one of the top-three units in fantasy football and are a must-start D/ST on a weekly basis. The Cowboys also have a solid D/ST and they could be used as a low-end starting unit this week.

FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW…

BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL

*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY LARRY JOSEPH*

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Football Week 2 Rankings: Defenses

Week One is in the books for the NFL, and we now have something other than projections to base our rankings on. Before heading to the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 2 Defensive Rankings, let’s first acknowledge it is not time to panic after just one week of your fantasy football season.

Generally, you draft your defense because you have faith in them for the entire season. You should not drop whoever you own and start playing match ups until you’ve seen a few games and noted things are not looking up. With that being said, this weeks rankings will be based on Week One stats along with continued projections. As we head into the article, I would like to explain the “Bruno Boys Star System”.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (* * * * *)—Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week

4-Stars (* * * *)—Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week

3-Stars (* * *)—Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week

2-Stars (* *)—Bruno Boys Try to Avoid Playing this Week

1-Star (*)—Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You COMPLETELY Have To

Key Abbreviations: YPG (Yards Per Game); PPG (Points Per Game)

1. (Minnesota Vikings) @ Detroit Lions

Yes, the Lions lost yet again. Sure, the defense who plays them are likely to be a good start.

The Vikings are a top play for this week, but it’s not just because of the match-up. They simply have a strong defense led by a fantastic d-line. The Lions’ offense could be compared to the one the Vikings faced in Week One, the Cleveland Browns. Minnesota gave up 268 yards total to Cleveland, with most of those coming through the air (179).

With a rookie QB making mistakes in his first start (against a weak Saints defense), Matthew Stafford could be in for a long day. Expect Minnesota to keep the pressure on the Lions as they did the Browns, when they totaled five sacks. 

Bruno Boys Stars: *****

2. (Washington Redskins) vs. St. Louis Rams

While the Redskins lost their first game against the Giants, their defense showed promise but didn’t do anything outstanding as they forced just a couple turnovers, recorded one sack, and gave up 351 yards.

Expect awesomeness in Week Two, however, as they face a Rams team this week that got shut out in Week One and whose offense looked downright putrid, totaling 247 yards. Washington’s defense will dominate this game from start to finish.

Bruno Boys Stars: *****

3. (Seattle Seahawks) @ San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks’ defense was very impressive in Week One against a divisional foe, pitching a shut out while only allowing 247 yards of offense.

While the 49ers beat the reigning NFC Champs, their offense was less than impressive against a meager defense, as they totaled 203 yards. Seattle’s defense was picked as a sleeper defense coming into the year, and they will continue to shine through the second week of the season.

Bruno Boys Stars: *****

4. (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The move from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 for the Packers went a lot better than most people thought it would. The Packers forced new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler into throwing four interceptions and racking up a couple sacks.

The Bengals offense was supposed to be rejuvenated heading into the year and were expected to blow up the scene against a weak Denver team. Instead, they did nothing but shoot blanks. The Bengals haven’t had too much success against 3-4 defenses, and this will continue this week.

Bruno Boys Stars: ****

5. (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Chicago Bears

The Steelers didn’t do well in Week One, giving up 320 yards, forcing two turnovers, and only getting one sack.

With the way the Bears looked in Week One, though, expect a significant upgrade from the preseasons’ top ranked defense.

Cutler will need to improve his reads of a 3-4 defense, but that will be hard as he will see added pressure from a mastermind in defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. The Steelers are without Troy Polamalu, but the way the Bears looked against the Packers, it may not matter.

Bruno Boys Stars: ****

6. (Denver Broncos) vs. Cleveland Browns

Did the Denver Broncos defense, who many ranked near the bottom of the league going into the season, really only give up seven points this past week? There is a lot of doubt as to whether those numbers can continue, but for one more week, it’s tough to say they won’t. Denver gave up 307 yards in Week One, but also recorded two interceptions and three sacks.

Going up against a Browns offense still trying to find their way, the Broncos are worth a flier if you are need of a spot start defense this week.

Bruno Boys Stars: ****   

7. (Tennessee Titans) vs. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans were supposed to be an explosive offense with a healthy Matt Schaub throwing to the dynamic Andre Johnson, with the electric Steve Slaton in the backfield, but that wasn’t the case in Week One. The Tennessee Titans gave up a low 36 rushing yards last week, but a high of 321 pass yards.

Could this be a recipe for Houston to get back on track, or for the Titans to develop their overall defense? Expect the latter, as Tennessee’s defensive line looks as strong as a year ago, while the Texans offense looked to be in a major funk putting up a total of 183 yards of offense against the Jets.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

8. (Arizona Cardinals) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

This may be a bit of a reach, but Arizona’s defense did a nice job against the 49ers in Week One, while the Jaguars offense struggled against the Colts. Arizona allowed a mere 203 yards of total offense while adding four sacks. The Jaguars couldn’t get their offense going against a mediocre Colts defense, gaining 228 yards.

With Jacksonville starting a young offensive line, Arizona’s defense should have success in Week Two.

Bruno Boys Stars: ****

9. (New York Giants) @ Dallas Cowboys

The Giants did very well in Week One against a good Redskins team, allowing 272 yards and creating three sacks, three turnovers, and scoring a touchdown. The Cowboys offense looked impressive against the Bucs, gaining 462 yards.

Who wins this battle of offense versus defense? It could go either way, but look for the defense to come out ahead on this one.

Bruno Boys Stars: ***

10. (Indianapolis Colts) @ Miami Dolphins

The Colts defense did well in Week One, allowing 228 yards and 12 points. Miami’s offense was a disaster against Atlanta, with four turnovers. The Dolphins do have playmakers on offense, but Indy’s defense should be a good spot start for this week.

Bruno Boys Stars: ***

11. (Baltimore Ravens) @ San Diego Chargers

Baltimore’s defense wasn’t stout against the Chiefs last week, as they allowed 24 points. They did play well in allowing the third lowest amount of yards at 188. This may be a dangerous match-up, but after seeing the Chargers’ offense struggle against the Raiders, you have to like the Ravens’ defense to at least be an average play this week, which is where we rank them.

Bruno Boys Stars: ***

12. (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New Orleans Saints

The Eagles were the best defense in Week One, allowing a league low 169 yards, forcing five sacks, seven turnovers, and scoring two touchdowns. The Saints were the best offense in Week One, putting up 45 points on 515 yards.

What can you expect from this match-up? Well, New Orleans will score, but the Eagles’ defense will still put up decent numbers. This match-up can be seen as a risky play, but you should at least get average numbers out of Philly.

Bruno Boys Stars: ***

For the rest of the BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 2 RANKINGS, click HERE!

*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY GREG WARNOCK*

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Giants vs. Cowboys: Preview and Prediction

Every week the NFL brings excitement, confusion, upsets, and just plain brawls.

In the NFC East, you can always count on a Giants-Cowboys matchup to give you all you can handle. I have decided to initiate a series of articles to serve as a commentary on the Cowboys, and the NFC East, for the rest of the season. This article will be my first post and prediction for the 2009 season. 

Sometimes, I get these things right, so if you disagree, feel free to comment in a courteous manner.

 

New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys

You can always trust a rivalry game to bring excitement and to turn the intensity up a notch. But when that rivalry game consists of two NFC East teams the game becomes electrifying.

The Giants are still the Giants, and they are still a formidable team. Although last week, they looked shaky against the Redskins. Even though the Giants were able to squeak out a win, the Redskins exploited the G-mens weaknesses more than once.

Nearing the Sunday night, the Giants are considered to be the underdogs in the grand opening gala that is a Week Two regular-season rivalry matchup between two bitter rivals. The Giants have been on the back-burner all week and have been overshadowed by the spectacle that is the new Cowboy’s stadium. They are more than happy to play the role of the spoiler this weekend.

The Cowboys, on the other hand, are coming off of an amazing performance by Tony Romo and the Boy’s offense. The Defense though looked horrid and weak against the Tampa Bay Buc’s. Cadillac Williams and former Giant Derrick Ward inflicted all kind of damage on the defensive line all game long.

The Cowboys are in trouble if they dont shore up that D-line by Sunday night, because Brandon Jacobs is going to terrorize them in the entire duration of game. But you can also say that the G-men are in trouble too. Tony Romo is going to torch the Giants secondary, and the new Earth, Wind, and Fire (Barber,Jones, and Choice) are gonna bang that D-line back to earth until it is incapable to take more.

The Game is pretty much going to be a QB duel. The Giants are fired-up and, the Cowboys’ Defense looks really shaky. Both QB’s have the ability to light up the scoreboard and, I’m sure, it will be just that.

Prediction: Cowboys win at home 34-28.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week Two: Previews and Predictions

While it may be premature to say that Week Two holds a lot of pivotal games, it definitely sets the tone for the rest of the season. The butterflies of Week One are out of the way, now it’s time to play some football.

My call for game of the week will be New England at New York Jets, should be a huge battle, don’t miss out. Here are my predictions for the NFL’s Week Two.

First up is:

 

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City should have Matt Cassel back this week, and last week took it to Baltimore before Flacco’s last minute touchdown put the game out of reach.

Mark Bradley had a big game last week, but against Asomugha, they’re going to need a comeback performance from receiver Dwayne Bowe.

Oakland has been notoriously bad for the past few seasons, but their defense seems to have shown a spark of hard-hitting life with the addition of Richard Seymour.

Russell managed the offense fairly well last week, opting for short passes and screens most of the game, but still showcasing that rocket arm that scouts went crazy over.

They’ve showed signs of improvement, Russell must continue to improve this week, and McFadden and Bush will only get better as the season progresses.

Prediction: Kansas City 27, Oakland 24

 

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

Tennessee lost last week in an overtime defensive battle with the defending Super Bowl champions. The defense, even without Haynesworth, has showed they can still take it to the limits with the NFL’s best.

Having arguably one of the best receiver corps in the league, Kerry Collins looked less than impressive last week. I’d expect him to bounce back this week against Houston.

Houston was a hot pick in the offseason to make the playoffs this year, but showed very few signs of that in last week’s game against the Jets.

Throwing an interception and putting two fumbles on the ground isn’t going to get it done, and need to do a better job on turnovers this week if they expect to take down the Titans.

Cushing had a solid game in the tackle department and will have to again vs. Johnson and White.

Prediction: Tennessee 28, Houston 17

 

New England Patriots at New York Jets

This could be the game of the week very easily. New England last week played a less than stellar contest against the Buffalo Bills.

At the end of the day, Tom Brady is still Tom Brady, but with the entire year off and injury, he’s just now getting back into his rhythm.

Their defense, even against a rookie line in Buffalo, looked lost defensively, which should be expected after rebuilding in the off-season.

The Patriots have been the model of consistency the last few years, but after losing the experience of Bruschi, Vrabel, Seymour, Hobbs, Seau, and Harrison, you have to wonder if the Patriots haven’t rolled the dice too much this year.

On the other side, sits a fired-up head coach with something to prove, Rex Ryan. The former defensive coordinator from Baltimore has fired up his team and made them into a physical, aggressive unit.

New York was an average team last year, but has looked great this year, earning whispers of a possible division title under rookie Mark Sanchez.

Thomas Jones averaged over five yards a carry, and has looked every bit the Pro Bowler. If New York doesn’t turn the ball over, they very well could upset the New England Patriots.

Prediction: New York 23, New England 20

 

Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers

After last season’s defensive catastrophe, Green Bay’s defense has been completely rebuilt from the ground up, moving from the 4-3 to the 3-4 under one of the best 3-4 coordinators in the game, Dom Capers.

Green Bay’s two sacks and four INTs last week has shown that they’ve made the jump to become a defensive force in the NFC.

Aaron Rodgers continues to excel in the passing game after the departure of Brett Favre, connecting with Greg Jennings and Donald Driver week in and week out.

The ground game needs to get moving early to open up the passing lanes against Cincinnati’s secondary. If Ryan Grant can bring himself back to the 2007 level he was playing at, Green Bay could be looking at a playoff slot this season.

Cincinnati has made improvements on the defensive side of the ball this off-season, drafting USC’s head-hunting linebacker Rey Maualuga and bringing in Tank Johnson and Roy Williams.

The defense looked solid last week in their loss against Denver giving up only 12 points, including an unlikely miracle catch on a tipped ball that made the highlights of every sports show around the country.

Carson Palmer showed some rust after missing last season and most of the preseason, connecting with Ochocinco for 89 yards but surrendering two INT’s. Palmer and Chad need to be in sync with each other this game if they expect to pass on Al Harris and this Green Bay defense.

Prediction: Green Bay 20, Cincinnati 13

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

Minnesota struggled last week in the first half against the Cleveland Browns, but that’s as long as it lasted. In the second half, Adrian Peterson showed why he remains the best running back in the league, putting up 180 yards on 25 attempts, and 3 touchdowns.

Brett Favre did nothing spectacular, but he doesn’t have to with this offense that only got better with the addition of Percy Harvin.

The defense on the other hand, continues to be a force, especially on the line where the Williams Wall and Jared Allen make every quarterback dread Sunday afternoon.

Detroit has shown vast improvement this season under rookie Matthew Stafford. Unfortunately when your secondary accounts for 24 tackles in a game, you can’t expect to pull off many wins.

Detroit will need a big game out of playmakers Ernie Sims and Calvin Johnson to stay competitive against Minnesota’s high powered offense and defense.

Prediction: Minnesota 37, Detroit 16

 

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles

Injuries have been absolutely killer for Philadelphia this year, starting the season as a favorite to win the Super Bowl, and now suffering the loss of starting quarterback Donovan McNabb.

All is not lost, if they can keep it together this week against New Orleans, Michael Vick joins the team in Week 3. Vick should do an adequate job keeping the Eagles above water until McNabb’s mid-season return.

This week will be a big challenge for Philadelphia, Kolb looked unimpressive in his first start, fumbling the ball on two occasions.

Jackson and Avant were non-factors last game, and their offensive charge was led by their running backs Westbrook and McCoy.

The defense will keep Brees’ production to a minimum, but Kolb needs to find a way to move the chains this week.

Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense had their way with Detroit last week. Brees hit eight different receivers for 358 yards and 6 touchdowns.

The running game featured Bell rushing for 143 yard. With so many different weapons, including Colston, Henderson, Bush, Shockey, and Bell, it’s going to be a tall order shutting them down.

Prediction: New Orleans 32, Philadelphia 21

 

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

The surprise story of last year was Matt Ryan, and the new security blanket of the second-year quarterback, is veteran Tony Gonzalez. While assumed to be past his prime, Gonzalez remains one of the best tight ends in the league.

Last game, his consistency and sure hands helped him and Ryan connect five times and 73 yards for a touchdown; while Norwood, Jenkins, and White combined for 132 yards over Miami.

Atlanta’s defense features a dominant linebacker corps comprised of Curtis Lofton, Stephen Nicholas, and Mike Peterson that will make it very hard on the Panthers running back duo of Williams and Stewart to get much of anything going.

Jake Delhomme, on the other hand, has been the victim of much controversy with analysts lately, wondering if he still has what it takes to lead the Panthers to the playoffs again.

Last game he threw up four interceptions, fumbled the ball, and looked like a shell of the quarterback he once was.

Delhomme needs to figure out his consistency problems in a hurry before he goes head on with this Atlanta defense or it won’t matter how quick Steve Smith is.

Prediction: Atlanta 24, Carolina 10

 

St. Louis Rams at Washington Redskins

Despite the loss to the New York Giants last week, Washington remains arguably the most improved defense in the NFC. With the signings of Haynesworth and Orakpo, this Redskins team gained some much needed muscle. Jason Campbell will be looking this game to put up big numbers against an over-matched Rams defense, attempting to prove that Washington made a mistake trying to bring in another quarterback in the offseason.

Under Spagnuolo, St. Louis’s defense is improving slowly but surely. Seems like a stretch to say since the Rams gave up 28 unanswered points last week, but a lot of the times Seattle was working on a short field. The Rams need to find a way to produce on offense. When your quarterback is completely less than 50% of his passes, and the opposing defense without two of its star defenders, limits you to 77 yards rushing, you know you have a problem on your hands. Bulger hasn’t put up more touchdowns than turnovers in a season since 2006, if the Rams want to keep it close they need to win the turnover battle.

Prediction: Washington 31, St. Louis 6

Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville was held to only field goals last week by a very improved Colts defense. Jones-Drew running for 97 yards is only a testament to how solid he’s looked this preseason and opening game. Don’t expect Arizona to be able to shut down Garrard like the Colts did, with Holt now having a game under his belt, look for him to step up and catch 6-8 passes while Jones-Drew breaks 100.

Arizona is feeling the effects of the dreaded Super Bowl loser’s hangover, losing 20-16 last week to a fired-up 49ers squad. Kurt Warner looks flustered, throwing 44 times while fumbling once, and giving up 2 picks. With Boldin telling the media he feels a lot better this week than last game, him and Fitzgerald should both have higher numbers this week. Also expect Steve Breaston to add a much needed boost. If Wells and Hightower can find a rhythm on the ground, Arizona should steal a victory here.

Prediction: Arizona 21, Jacksonville 20

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco shocked everyone last week in their defeat of the defending NFC champion Cardinals. Despite a non- existent running game displayed by Gore, Shaun Hill controlled the game very well, and hit 6 different receivers for 209 yards. Issac Bruce broke away for a 50 yard catch and showed why he’s been one of the best receivers in the NFL over the span of his career. With Shaun Hill stepping up, it really makes you wonder what could happen if Crabtree wasn’t still holding out.

Expect Gore to find his legs against an injured Seattle front seven but to be held considerably under 100 yards.

Seattle linebackers are badly banged up with LB Leroy Hill out 2-6 weeks, and Lofa Tatupu questionable with a hamstring injury. Rookie Aaron Curry is going to step up early and throw down a big game against an optimistic 49ers offense Sunday afternoon. Houshmandzadeh is probable for Sunday, so expect a variety of slants to him, Burleson, and Carlson to keep the Niners on their toes all afternoon.

Prediction: Seattle 24, San Francisco 20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills

With all the questions of the rookie offensive line being a big problem for Buffalo this year, they sure didn’t act like it Monday against the New England Patriots. In a near-upset, Buffalo took it to New England right up until the end, where a costly fumble effectively ended their hopes.

After T.O.’s comments in the media, look for Buffalo to come out throwing. Look for either Owens or Evans to become Trent’s number one receiver this week, after Fred Jackson led in rushing and receiving against New England. Also, expect McKelvin to hold on to the ball extra tight this week after two fumbles last game.

Tampa Bay’s offseason shakeup didn’t quite get the job done last week. Their biggest offseason acquisition was Kellen Winslow, and he proved to not be as big a factor as their other two. Byron Leftwich and Derrick Ward. Leftwich played a solid game connecting 25 times on 41 passes, with no picks and 276 yards. Derrick Ward, and especially Cadillac Williams, had a fantastic day on the ground, giving the offense a badly needed jump-start.

Expect Cadillac to have another big game, and Leftwich to connect with Clayton, Stevens, and Winslow for over 200 yards.

Prediction: Buffalo 20, Tampa Bay 17

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos

To say Denver has had Cleveland’s number since their return to the league would be an understatement, but this isn’t Shanahan’s Broncos. The transition from Shanahan to McDaniels has been anything but a smooth one. Injuries have plagued the players picked up for Cutler so far, Knowshon Moreno(knee) and Kyle Orton(finger). Both are listed as probably but Moreno has yet to show his talent at the NFL level thus far. Orton fits well in the Denver system of game management, he had a solid game last week, but struggled finding the end zone against Cincinatti’s improved defense.

Marshall and Royal were non-factors last week, but against a rebuilding Browns team Royal should find his way to the endzone this week. Buckhalter and Moreno should have an easier time running the ball this week, but expect them to be held under 100 yards.

Cleveland played the first half of last week’s game like a playoff contender, but what happened in the second half showed why they were 4-12 last year. Cleveland struggled to shut down Adrian Peterson last game, but most teams typically do. Against Buckhalter and an injured Moreno they should find more success. Rookie quarterbacks seem to find great success in their fifth start, judging by the numbers over the years, but whether or not that trend continue falls on Brady Quinn.

Your tight end and running back cannot lead your team in receiving if you expect to win, Cribbs and Furrey will have to step up, and Edwards needs to be the playmaker he was two years ago. Expect Quinn to have a decent game, Jerome Harrison to see more touches, and for Cribbs to be the top receiver.

Prediction: Cleveland 23, Denver 20

Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers

After avoiding embarrassment in Oakland last week, San Diego will go into Sunday’s game without LT. Meaning Darren Sproles should have a big game against a bruised up Ravens defense, using his quickness to create a lot of mismatches. “Rivers to Gates” will likely be the phrase most heard Sunday, since not many teams want to throw near Ed Reed deep. San Diego will need a much better performance than last week as a whole to take down Baltimore.

Baltimore comes into the game with two of its star defensemen nursing concussions, Ed Reed and Terrel Suggs. Both practiced Thursday and are expected to go, but whether it will effect their aggression on the field remains to be seen.

Ray Rice had a tremendous game against Kansas City, averaging almost 6 yards a run, but will have his hands full against the Chargers linebackers. Expect a solid game, but he won’t break 100 yards again. Whereas Joe Flacco continues to prove his critics wrong and there’s no reason to think he won’t have a big game against San Diego’s secondary. This game will be largely decided on the turnover battle.

Prediction: Baltimore 28, San Diego 24

Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears

Despite the loss of Troy Polamalu and Brian Urlacher, two of the best defensemen in the NFL, this game should still be a solid defensive battle.

What else is there to say about the defending Super Bowl champions? The Steelers running game isn’t what it used to be, but they have two serviceable backs in Willie Parker and Mendenhall, and the offense is still led by Pro Bowler Ben Roethlisberger. And after last weeks season opener with Tennessee they proved they can always find a way to win.

The Bears have a mountain in front of them to climb Sunday, and if Cutler doesn’t perform better than last week, Pittsburgh’s going to start looking like Mount Everest. Last week, Cutler threw 4 picks in a opening loss to division rival the Green Bay Packers, while the wide receivers proved to be as problematic as everyone feared. Devin Hester had 4 catches for 90 yards, showing he can hang with the receivers of the NFL. But Matt Forte will need to double his production of last week to compete with Pittsburgh.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 30, Chicago 20

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

The theory “addition by subtraction” proved to be true for the Dallas Cowboys in their home opener. After struggling last year to form any team chemistry, the Cowboys released Terrell Owens, in an attempt to build locker room morale. It appears its worked, as Tony Romo led the charge against Tampa Bay putting up 34 points, 3 touchdowns, and hitting 6 different receivers for 353 yards. The combination of Felix Jones and Marion Barber put up 100 yards between the two, and Patrick Crayton outperformed number one receiver, Roy Williams, with 135 yards. Dallas seems to be doing everything right, but the defense of the Giants isn’t anything to be taken lightly.

With the return of Osi Umenyiora, the New York defense improved dramatically, prompting Justin Tuck to have a big game last week as well. Tuck had two sacks, Osi had one, and the Giants made Jason Campbell and the Redskins day pretty rough. Getting to Tony Romo will be a bit tougher, the Cowboys line isn’t quite what it used to be, but they protect their leader adequately.

After becoming the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, Manning has a lot to prove. Although he has a Super Bowl ring, he has yet to become a Top 5 quarterback, in some cases not even a Top 10. Eli has a solid cast around him, but no legitimate playmakers. The Giants hope number one draft pick Hakeem Nicks turns out to be just that, a playmaker, and replacement for recently released Plaxico Burress. Nicks brought in two catches for 18 yards last week, and expect him to build on it this week in his progression. If the offensive line can keep Demarcus Ware at bay, which will be no easy feat, the Giants should be able to move the chains.

Prediction: New York 29, Dallas 23

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins

Indianapolis may not have the offensive power they used to, but the new look of their defense appears to be dominate this year, giving up only 12 points to the Jaguars, and didn’t even do it with Bob Sanders. When Bob returns, the Colts will be among the league’s elite defenses, if they aren’t already. The defense will see multiple looks against the Miami Dolphins and their wildcat offense.

Last week wasn’t a very strong showing by Miami against the Falcons, but that happens when you lose 3 fumbles and throw an interception. If Miami wants to shut down the high-powered Colts led by Peyton Manning, they’ll have to eliminate the turnovers. Ted Ginn will have to be more of a playmaker, and Pennington will have to handle the ball more consistently. Expect to see a few more Wildcat formations this week from Pat White.

Prediction: Indianapolis 20, Miami 13

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week Two NFL Predictions To Consider

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Forward This to D.C.: Six Keys To a Washington Redskin Victory

Forward this article to all Redskin coaches and personnel.

 

This is the blueprint that will help the Redskins put last week’s debacle in the rear view mirror and hand the St. Louis Rams a resounding defeat.

 

DEFENSE:

1. Blitz early and often.  The Rams present a unique combination of one of the most immobile QB’s in the league with one of the most inexperienced receiving corps in the league.  If that doesn’t favor an aggressive blitzing defense I don’t know what does.

2. Play tight one on one coverage against the receivers.  The Redskins got killed by playing a very soft coverage scheme last week.  The Rams do not warrant that kind of respect.  Playing tight does leave open the opportunity for a big play, but the Redskins corners are used to this type of coverage and will still have help over the top from LaRon Landry.

3. Run blitz away from Albert Haynesworth.  Last week the Giants ran away from Haynesworth and had moderate success doing so.  The Rams will follow that blueprint.  If the Redskins keep an extra defender down in the box on that side it will help them to cover all their bases.  While Haynesworth was ineffective last week in passing situations he proved his worth on key running plays.

 

OFFENSE:

 

1. More play action on first and ten.  Last year Jim Zorn passed a lot on first down.  Maybe he was looking to avoid a play calling trend, but this decision did not work out in his favor.  Clinton Portis will command enough respect to get defenders to bite on first down play fakes.

2. Mix in a little shot gun hurry up.  Jason Campbell was 14-17 from the shotgun last week.  While I don’t advise doing it all the time it would be a nice change of pace to go with the hurry up offense once per half in non hurry up situations.

3. Sub Portis on second down, not third.  I understand that Zorn is trying to save Portis from an early burnout, and I like the idea.  But I don’t like having the best blocking back in the NFL and the best pass catching running back on the team on the bench in key third down situations.  Betts is a capable player, but the Redskins would be better served using him on second down than on third down.

 

If the Redskins follow these six simple steps they will have greater success this week.  If they don’t they still have the talent to win, but they will give the Rams a break that they do not deserve.

 

Everyone knows what happened in this game last year.  However the Skins do not come into this game overconfident after beating two divisional opponents on the road.  They come in hungry and eager to redeem themselves.

 

Zorn and Campbell may be on a short leash this year.  This is a perfect game to get back on track.  I have every confidence that they will learn from their mistakes and take out their frustration at home against a young team.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Eric Mangini Is To Blame for Short Comings of Brady Quinn and the Browns

I was reading an article from Rants from the dawg pound, by Malcolm Mathers, concerning the status of Brady Quinn, Eric Mangini, and the game with the Minnesota Vikings. I was originally going to make this a comment on his article, but it was too long, so I decided to write my own article, in defense of his starting quarterback, Brady Quinn.

The first drive of the season and they are already playing not to lose. I don’t care how inexperienced your QB is; if you can’t trust your quarterback in that situation than he should not be in there. Consider this; Quinn did not throw a pass on third down until the fourth quarter.

Here is the problem with Eric Mangini and what he did to the Cleveland Browns this offseason.

Instead of naming Brady Quinn the starter from day one, Eric Mangini allowed the Browns to have no leader for his team through the preseason, or until three days prior to the game with the Vikings.

*As for Brady Quinn, apparently he’s a work in progress, which is expected at this point of his career. Still, the dinking and dunking is really starting to grate on my nerves. From what I saw he definitely left some plays on the field and looked afraid to take a shot, which is a terrible trait for a quarterback to have.

In the huddle he looked like a guy who tells his dying wife that everything is going to be okay, but she knows that he’s lying. His timing on his slants were way off and that “miscommunication” with Braylon is on him, not to mention his Garo Yepremian-esque fumble.

The reason for this is that Quinn never had the chance to build his confidence as the starter. He basically was thrown to the wolves, by his coach, and then was expected to lead his team over a very good Minnesota Vikings team.

Quinn never had the chance to learn the timing of Braylon Edwards, or any of the other receivers for that matter. The fault for Brady Quinn’s performance cannot be on Quinn, they have to lie on Mangini.

Look at Peyton Manning in the 2007 season. He missed most of preseason with a knee injury, and it was weeks before he was able to be the Peyton Manning that won league MVP’s. And that was with receivers he already had chemistry with.

I believe that Eric Mangini did not want Brady Quinn as the starter, and the only reason Quinn is the starter is either because Randy Lerner insisted on it, or Mangini knows that Browns fans would have been insane had they had to endure another year with Derek Anderson as the starter.

I believe that those are the only reasons that Mangini went with Quinn, so that after losing a few games, he could make the switch to Anderson, and the Browns fans, just wanting to win, would welcome the change.

If the team did not succeed by the end of the season, then Mangini could say that he selected neither Quinn nor Anderson, and get a one year pass from the Browns and their owner, without being held accountable for another poor season.

I am not a fan of the Cleveland Browns, or Notre Dame for that matter. I have no ties to Brady Quinn, in any way, shape, or form. I do believe that the only chance Cleveland has for success over the next couple of years is if Brady Quinn becomes successful, and I do not believe that Eric Mangini is doing all he can to make that happen.

It is time for the Browns fans to see Eric Mangini for what he really is, a Bill Belichick wanna be, with nowhere near the talent. Mangini does not have the evaluation skills, the drive, the heart, or the brains of his predecessor, Bill Belichick.

Bill Belichick can manipulate the system, the injury report, the defection of coaches, and the injures he wins with, because the man is a great coach, with a system that works in the NFL.

As long as Cleveland fans are willing to give Mangini a free pass in the hopes that he is the next Belichick, you are bound to see more of the same. More losing and more excuses.

Browns fans deserve better than the snake oil that Mangini is selling. For your own sake Dawg Pound, see Mangini for what he really is!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010