Philadelphia Eagles: Does Garcia Mean McNabb’s Injury Is Serious?

Preface: Feel free to tell me after you read this article if I’m reading too much into what’s going on with the roster of the Philadelphia Eagles.

This summer, the Philadelphia Eagles made a number of strong statements. One was allowing defensive captain Brian Dawkins to leave as a free agent for Denver. The other was taking a big chance by signing Michael Vick.

Vick was brought into Philadelphia to not only rehabilitate his image, but to add some versatility to the Eagles offense. The addition raised a number of eyebrows because the assumption in Philadelphia was that the Eagles were, at least in some fashion, committed to Kevin Kolb as the backup to Donovan McNabb.

In the first preseason game Vick played in, there was obvious friction between McNabb and the coaching staff over the use of Vick. The Wildcat apparently needed to be caged (bad pun? too soon?).

Vick is not eligible to play in a regular season game for the Eagles until the third week of the regular season because of his suspension, so the Eagles were comfortable letting a healthy McNabb and Kolb begin the season as the two quarterbacks on the active roster.

Then came Sunday.

McNabb, after scrambling for a touchdown in a game that, at that point, was well in hand, was rolled over by a couple defensive players and fractured one of his ribs.

Kolb entered the game and was underwhelming.

After the game, and in the following 48 hours, the Eagles let it be known that McNabb’s injury wasn’t serious and that they, along with McNabb, were hoping he could play against the high-powered Saints this coming weekend.

Then came the announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, that the Eagles had signed free agent (and former Eagles) Jeff Garcia and activated Vick.

By my math, that means the Eagles have four quarterbacks theoretically eligible to play in Week Three. And you can only dress three.

This is where I might be reading too far into the signing of Garcia: does adding a solid veteran quarterback indicate that McNabb’s ribs might be worse than the Eagles are letting on?

Garcia must have had options to play with other teams. And he would have had he stayed on the free agent market. Within hours of his signing with Philadelphia, the Carolina Panthers signed former Eagles quarterback AJ Feeley. Looking strictly at the resume of each, one would have to think Garcia would generate more demand.

Garcia was cut by the Raiders because, in part, he wanted to see playing time for an organization that had a chance to win (i.e. not the Raiders).

That, and he has historically been a winner, which is something Al Davis hasn’t kept around that franchise in recent years.

So, and I’ll again admit to reading between the lines. If Garcia believes he can still play and wants to be on the field, then what gives with the roster in Philly?

There are three options that I can see being the cause/effect of this addition.

1) The Eagles experiment of grooming Kolb to be their “quarterback of the future” is officially over. In adding Garcia, the Eagles will allow Kolb to hit waivers with the hopes of bringing him back on the practice squad.

2) The Eagles move Michael Vick to a wide receiver. By rule in the NFL, if the quarterback listed third on the depth chart enters the game, the first two quarterbacks are no longer eligible. If Vick is going to contribute, and Garcia thinks he’s going to play, and McNabb comes back in a week or two, then someone can’t play quarterback. Logically, it would be Vick that moves.

3) McNabb’s ribs are more seriously hurt than the Eagles are letting on, and they need a starting quarterback to keep them competitive in the NFC East. They’re probably not comfortable with Vick’s abilities to lead a playoff team after two years in jail, and Sunday would lead any observer to believe that Kolb can’t do that for them either. If McNabb is going to miss significant time (more than four weeks), they need a legit NFL quarterback—like Garcia.

Again, I’m basing my thoughts here on everything that’s been said publicly by the Eagles, their players, and the players’ representatives.

They brought in Vick to get him on the field, they already had Kolb and McNabb is their starter. By most standards, that’s a crowded depth chart.

Adding Garcia makes it an intriguing puzzle.

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Packers on Track After Escaping With Win, Despite Sloppy Play

Last week, I attempted to be the voice of caution for excited Packers fans and pundits ready to anoint the Packers as the favorite in the NFC. After an underwhelming offensive performance and a narrow victory, it should be clear why I was so reserved in my judgment.

That being said, Packer fans need not panic. The offense was sluggish and play calling unimaginative at times. The pass protection was poor, after a preseason where Aaron Rodgers basically stood in the pocket for as long as he wanted, surveying the field to throwing whenever and wherever he desired.

With the Bears’ pressure, Rodgers was out of rhythm and missed a ton of open receivers. To be fair, his pass catchers didn’t give him much help as they dropped some catchable balls.

The offense we saw Sunday night looked nothing like the offense we saw in August, but we couldn’t expect it to be. That Bears’ defense is much better than expected and boasts a pass rush considerably more fierce than anything the Pack had faced in preseason.

This is the first time the young O-line has had to face that kind of aggressive pressure. Allen Barbre struggled with Ogunleye, but most tackles do. This offensive line has not played together as a unit in the regular season, and we had to expect some growing pains.

As I mentioned last week, teams don’t scheme in the preseason, so once a team gets film on you, they’re going to create matchup problems. Coaches and scouts get paid just to do that.

There was bound to be more pressure in the regular season than the preseason. That’s just the difference in intensity. It will only increase in the playoffs, should the Packers wind up there.

The offense will come around. The real story from the game is the defense. They stuffed Matt Forte and, with the exception of the big play to Hester, held the Bears’ offense in check. Corners are going to get beat like Woodson did, but the Packers’ defense held on that drive. That kind of play-making was non-existent last year.

The Packers turned Jay Cutler into a JV quarterback, forcing off-balance throws and bad decisions to the tune of four picks. If Tramon Williams hadn’t had a case of the “dropsies,” it could have been even more. The Packers could have conceivably picked half a dozen from Cutler, as Dom Capers defense lived up to its preseason billing.

That was the question mark. Aaron Rodgers is in control of the offense, as long as McCarthy grows a pair and picks up his aggressive play calling back up where he left off in the preseason.

But the defense’s ability to matchup with offenses was the big question. Could Al Harris and Charles Woodson adjust to playing zone? Could the Packers get pressure from their front seven without giving up big plays? Could Nick Collins be the same game-changer he was last year, without giving up as many big plays or missing as many tackles?

The answer seemed like an emphatic “Yes,” (with the exception of the Hester TD on which Collins cramped up, whether physically or mentally) after Sunday’s performance.

We watched some of the best teams in the league struggle opening weekend, and the Packers were no exception.

But in the NFL, a win is something to be savored no matter how you come by it or against whom. Luckily, the Packers will get a chance to do a lot more right this Sunday against cellar-dwelling Cincinnati, and they won’t really be tested until that massive Monday night matchup against the Viqueens.

Getting the Bears in Week One was a blessing for the Pack because that offense won’t be held in check for long. When they roll into Soldier Field late in the year, you can bet things will be different.

But after one game, Green Bay got the W and that is all that matters. They sit at the top of the division now, and they’ll get a chance to get in sync as the schedule is soft the next few weeks.

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Chargers Play a Familiar Tune With Victory Over Raiders

Gertrude Stein was clearly wrong about Oakland.

It is precisely there—a place that often gets noticed for the wrong reasons—where the Chargers go to get a victory.

Any place else Monday night, and the team would be practicing this week with the task—yet again—of trying to make up ground, tread water, fill in the hole.

But the Raiders are tonic for a Chargers’ team like none other.

The last 12 games between the two teams have produced 12 positive results for San Diego, a streak that was also matched by the Patriots’ late-game rally over the Bills Monday night.

It’s a rivalry that’s about as current as the Raiders’ multipurpose stadium. Is any other NFL team hosting games on a baseball diamond still?

The Raiders have not won a game in the home-and-home seasonal series since the Bill Callahan era in 2003. A year earlier, they were routed in the Super Bowl and no claims of excellence have made them a factor since.

And, as is often the case in cruel running jokes such as this, on Monday night, the Raiders probably should have won, but didn’t.

The Chargers, slated as prohibitive favorites to win the AFC West, if not challenge for the conference crown, sleepwalked their way through 58 minutes of football as if it were exhibition game No. 5.

As hosts in the regular season opener and nightcap of a primetime television doubleheader, the Raiders were the team that was prepared for the lights.

Aside from the expected erratic passing game in the controls of JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders were otherwise crisp in their execution, while employing a running game that gained yards and a defense that made the Chargers look absolutely ordinary.

It was a game that all the Raiders had to do was keep close because even Russell, for as inaccurate as he mostly was, could complete one deep ball, and he did.

That pass badly torched the Chargers’ secondary and gave the Raiders the lead with two minutes and change to go.

But they’re the Raiders, and the Chargers rallied when Darren Sproles squirted through for a game-winning touchdown run with 18 seconds to spare.

Where would the Chargers be without Sproles? More on that later.

Head coach Norv Turner, general manager A.J. Smith and the rest of the Chargers’ coaching staff need to send a case of their favorite beverage to the schedule warden for penciling the Raiders in for Game One.

Make that two cases.

If the Chargers had opened in Baltimore, Miami, or Tennessee—even Denver—then avoiding the loss column would have been highly unlikely.

The Raiders controlled the line of scrimmage, at times, on both sides of the ball and specifically showed they will be able to make some noise defensively this season with the addition of Richard Seymour, who played both end and tackle Monday night.

Along the other sideline stood a team that more often appeared to be in need of a couple more weeks of two-a-days.

Quarterback Philip Rivers seemingly struggled with the concept of the play clock and more than once was flagged for delay of game.

His notoriously competitive nature was on display again and may have cast a shadow over the game had he not engineered a game-winning, and possibly season-saving, drive at the end.

Rivers’s 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for taunting was familiar, but so was the fourth-quarter comeback.

And familiar, too, was the result over the Raiders—the anticipation of which played on the face of a supremely calm Turner, who seemingly took each misstep by his team as mere inconveniences.

More problematic will be the losses of offensive linemen Nick Hardwick and Louis Vazquez, both of who left Monday night’s game with injuries and could prove difficult to replace.

Rising again, though, to float the fortunes of his team was Sproles, whose $6.6 million franchise tag is looking to be every bit the stimulus the Chargers will need this season.

On the game-winning drive, Sproles, along with Antonio Gates and Legedu Naanee, provided Rivers with the requisite clutch plays to help the Chargers march 89 yards to a 24-20 victory.

Sproles contributed with three huge plays on the drive: a 15-yard reception for a first down and a pair of five-yard runs to cover the final 10—the last through a hole that only Sproles was likely to find.

That 1-0 mark the Chargers now possess looks a lot closer to their .500 record of a year ago than the double digit victories expected from this team.

Unless, of course, they play the Raiders, in which case they’d find a way to win every game.

 

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The Problem With Tom Brady and Suzy Kolber

Tom, whatcha thinkin’?

I know you guys had a tough night, but hey, it finished in legendary Patriots’ style, didn’t it?

Why did you give the cold shoulder to cute little Suzy Kolber after the game as you headed into the locker room?

I know you’re Tom Terrific—the underwear model and the cause of too many women’s fantasies. I can also appreciate that Suzy is not Gisele Bundchen; but like many other authentic football fanatics, I think she’s one of the best female sports personalities in the testosterone saturated NFL universe.

She’s as delicious as an ice cream sundae, cute as a singing penguin, and she knows football. What more could you want?

(I for one would bundle her up and take her on a nice ski vacation.)

You could have at least given her a 20-second sound bite.

Tom, really, it wouldn’t have killed you.

Now, unlike some critics, I don’t think you’ve gone Hollywood on us. I know you’re still our 199th pick made good. You’re still one of the hard-hat and lunch box Patriots gang. You still have your edge and you showed Monday night that you still have the fire and the fireworks we’ve all come to know and love.

We’ll stick with you Tom. But next time, give Suzy 20 seconds!

For the whole ugly snubbing click here!

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In The Can: Oakland Raiders Start to Look at Kansas City Game

As one old Raider used to say, “It’s in the can.”

The meaning was simple: the game is over, don’t dwell on it, and move on to the next week.

For the Raiders, it was a tough game that ran two minutes too long.

But, as it goes, the Raiders learned some good lessons.

For one, they have a defense that, if allowed time to rest, could be potent. They dropped several players and going into the Sunday matchup against the Chiefs, should have an easier time.

Their offense, while spotty, did pass for over 200 yards, and the running game produced over 100 yards between Darren McFadden and Michael Bush.

We should have had two TDs from Louis Murphy, but it does show his drafting was a good pull.

How does all this compare up against the Kansas City Chiefs?

For one, there is still no “yes” or “no” regarding Matt Cassel’s start for KC. Brodie Croyle lost last week to a Baltimore Ravens team that rolled up 501 yards on offense. To his credit, Croyle did have a 116.1 rating with two TDs. But his team managed only 188 yards and got spotty help on the ground.

If the Raiders can turn in a comparable defense to remove Larry Johnson’s ability and Richard Seymour can get into Brodie’s face on a constant basis, Oakland should have a better game here, evening their schedule.

And a little side note: That Baltimore team gets to go play the Chargers next week, too.

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Panthers-Eagles: Carolina’s Secondary a Bright Spot

My assignment was to take an aspect of the Panthers, whether it be the passing game, running game, offensive line, rushing defense, secondary, or special teams, and analyze it after the Eagles-Panthers game. 

I really didn’t want to write an article criticizing the Panthers, so I tried to look for something the Panthers did well.  I really don’t want to be the type of writer who just goes out and criticizes teams, article after article.

So I looked at the box score after the game ended.

The quarterbacks had a touchdown-interception ratio of 0:5.  The running game averaged a whopping 2.9 yards per carry. The leading receiver reeled in four balls for 42 yards. The defense allowed 38 points.

Oh snap.

However, the Panthers only allowed 82 yards through the air. Against a team featuring Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Desean Jackson, and Brent Celek—who I believe is one of the most underrated tight ends in the league—this is a pretty significant statistic.

Only mustering three passes greater than 10 yards, the Eagles averaged six yards per reception. The Panthers were very good in deep coverage Sunday.

Yes, I know that the Eagles didn’t have to throw much, but they did throw only three times less than they ran. 

I believe Desean Jackson to be, although not an elite receiver, a very good receiver that has the potential to become elite. I would have thought he would have gotten deep on the Panthers, maybe for a 30-yard touchdown reception. 

The Panthers, however, shut him down and held him to two receptions for nine yards. He was targeted seven times. 

Brian Westbrook only had three receptions for eight yards. Brent Celek, the team’s leading receiver, only had six receptions for 37 yards. Kevin Curtis had two receptions for 26 yards.

Chris Gamble and Charles Godfrey each collected four tackles and deflected a pass.  Richard Marshall—the corner opposite Gamble—racked up three tackles, and Quinton Teal put up five tackles filling in at the other safety position. Needless to say, the secondaries were making some plays.

Chris Gamble is turning into a very good corner and will be able to limit a lot of top-tier receivers. If he and Godfrey can start making some interceptions, this could turn into one of the best secondaries in the league.

I understand the circumstances of the measly 82 yards the Eagles put up passing, so don’t go grilling me there. I just feel the Panthers’ secondary is very good and can match up well with the better pass offenses in the league.

The next test for the secondary will be Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez. We’ll see what Carolina can do against a divisional foe with a very good passing attack.

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Monday Night Quarterback: Dallas Cowboys’ Run Defense

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The Dallas Cowboys impressed with their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.

Quarterback Tony Romo looked sharp in the second half and the defense held the Bucs off as the Cowboys won 34-21.

But even with a two-touchdown win over a rather, eh, inferior opponent, the Dallas’s run defense looked rather pedestrian.

Cadillac Williams, coming off of two major knee surgeries, was able to dice the Cowboys’ defense up for 97 yards and one touchdown.

How does a defense so lauded for its aggressiveness allow a running back to chop it up so finely? Well, let’s take a closer look at the statistics.

As a unit, the Bucs totaled 174 yards rushing to go along with a healthy 5.6 yards per carry.

I know that this is the first game of the season and the defense hasn’t quite gelled, and there are still a few kinks to work out before the team gets going.

But also think about this—the Bucs mainly used two running backs the entire game: Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward, who basically split time during the game. They both are fairly small backs with an average weight of 222 pounds.

Next week, the ‘Boys face one of the biggest running backs in the league in Brandon Jacobs. Brandon is 6’4″ and weighs 264 pounds.

If the Giants are able to establish the run early, how will they stop Jacobs and the Giants?

But back to the Buccaneers game.

Star corner back Terrance Newman had a nice outing with eight tackles. What’s troubling about that stat is how much the Bucs were able to get to that third level where Newman was able to make eight tackles.

Newman isn’t traditionally an all-out aggressive player. He doesn’t shy away from tackles, but Wade Phillips has to make sure this type of performance doesn’t happen again.

The Bucs not only averaged 5.6 yards a rush, but they had no plays where the running backs were tackled for a loss. That shows that the Bucs were able to get to the second level of the Cowboys’ defense throughout the game.

The Cowboys were able to hold the Bucs off as evidenced by the final score. The Bucs running game may have been more of a mirage than real.

But if the Cowboys have any plans of impressing the possible 105,000 thousand people that are expected to show for the opening of the team’s new stadium, Wade Phillips and crew will have to do more to stop Brandon Jacobs.

-JH

 

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NFL Week One Injury Impact: Breaks, Bumps, & Bruises Hurting Fantasy Teams

Doesn’t it seem like almost every week in the NFL, someone from your favorite team comes away with an injury that puts him on the injury report?

The same thing can be said with your fantasy football team, as injuries to some of your guys force you to look to your bench earlier than you thought. Time to see which injuries from Week One have the potential to make the biggest impact in the fantasy football world.

 

Donovan McNabb, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: McNabb suffered a cracked rib against the Carolina Panthers that could sideline him this week against the New Orleans Saints. Right now, you need to have a backup QB ready because in all likelihood, McNabb won’t be playing. Not only is this week a concern for McNabb owners, but with the news of offensive lineman Shawn Andrews landing on the IR plus Michael Vick coming back in Week Three, McNabb could be losing snaps at times. Sure he is a good quarterback, but with broken ribs, the return of Vick and the loss of one of his best offensive lineman, things aren’t looking so bright for McNabb owners.

Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Indianapolis Colts: Gonzalez strained a ligament in his left knee during the first quarter of the Colts game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The prognosis is for him to miss two to six weeks. While two weeks is being extremely optimistic, your best bet is to expect the latter. The Colts will not rush him back onto the field under any circumstance and will try to break in less experienced options, Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys: An MRI showed Romo does not have a high ankle sprain and should be good to go next week against the New York Giants. Romo looked very good behind center but was playing a weak Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. Expect a tougher outing for Romo this week but the ankle shouldn’t be cause for concern.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers: Tomlinson was not on the field for the Chargers final drive of the game due to a sprained ankle. LT says he could have played if needed but was starting to tighten up as the game went on. Not sure the injury is a concern as much as his playing time. Darren Sproles took a lot of his snaps in the game and was featured a lot more in catching balls out of the backfield, something Tomlinson did well in years past. No need to worry over an injury here but do be concerned the Chargers may hold him back to have him rested for later in the year.

Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh Steelers: Polamalu may be one of the best safeties in the game, making unbelievable plays every week. Good news is he will not need surgery on his left knee and will miss anywhere in the time frame of three to six weeks. This is a big loss in IDP leagues, as he is always making big plays. Anyone owning the Steelers Defense should not worry though. Pittsburgh should have linebacker Lawrence Timmons on the field this week, which means defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will have more flexibility in his blitz packages to compensate for the loss of Polamalu. Expect Polamalu to be out over a month, as the Steelers won’t try to rush him back. It should be noted though, the USC grad is a fast healer.

Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago Bears: What a blow to the Bears defense. They lose their leader in the middle of their defense, the guy who makes all the calls and lines everyone up in the right spots. While people in Individual Defensive Player leagues will miss his 100 tackles, his sack numbers dropped off last year. The Bears defense will take the biggest hit though, as they will struggle with assignments and likely blow a lot of easy plays. Monitor how they do in the coming weeks, but fantasy football owners shouldn’t expect what was originally thought from this team defense.

Antonio Bryant, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bryant returned to the field after having offseason surgery to his knee. He played a little over a half in the opener before shutting it down, which raises concerns among fantasy football owners. Bryant said it was simply due to not playing in a game on his reconstructed knee and he will be fine for Week Two. Since there is no evidence of it being anything else, you must take him at his word for now and hope this is the case.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, New York Giants: Nicks played decently in his first NFL game for the Giants, as he was targeted 4 times and caught two passes for 18 yards. Now he has a couple weeks to reflect on his day. Nicks will be out two to three weeks with a sprained left foot, costing him a chance to continue his growth in the offense and become a good second half fantasy football receiver. While you may not care about this injury, it is the type that could linger well into the season and for a guy who could have had an impact during your playoff fantasy stretch, it doesn’t seem like that impact may happen now.         

Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona Cardinals: Boldin played on Sunday but was not effective, with two grabs for 19 yards. While his hamstring seems to be sore, it is believed he did not suffer any setback and should be fine for this coming week. Boldin is a tough, hard-nosed football player who tends to play with injury. Don’t expect him to miss time unless something happens in practice this week.

Steve Breaston, WR, Arizona Cardinals: It was a shock to see Breaston not play in Week One with his right knee injury, as he practiced all week. The Cardinals held him out for precautionary reasons but he should be good to go this week with another week of practice. Don’t hesitate to throw him into your lineup as a WR3 or Flex play in Week Two as the Cardinals have a favorable matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

 

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Fantasy Football Week Two Rankings: Quarterbacks

Week One of the 2009 season is officially in the books, and it feels like it took forever to get to this point.

The first week of the season saw some great performances by quarterbacks, including six touchdowns by Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, as well as some downright atrocious ones, like the four-interception performance by Jake Delhomme of the Carolina Panthers.

In injury news, Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback, Donovan McNabb, went down in the third quarter with broken ribs, after throwing for only 79 yards. The good news, he did have three total touchdowns before the injury. McNabb was replaced by Kevin Kolb.

McNabb is hoping to play this week against the Saints, but he is listed as questionable and the Eagles did go out and sign Jeff Garcia as insurance. Should McNabb not be able to go, Kolb would get the starting nod this week, but this is a situation all McNabb owners should keep a close eye on this week.

And so we don’t get too far off topic, here are the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Two Quarterback Rankings.

1. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) at Miami

In the offseason, one of the main things the Miami Dolphins wanted to address was their pass defense.

The Dolphins made a few additions, most notably safety Gibril Wilson, but that didn’t stop them from yielding 229 passing yards and two touchdowns to Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons.

The Indianapolis Colts lost wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, a popular preseason sleeper, to injury and he’ll be out 2-6 weeks, but that shouldn’t affect quarterback Peyton Manning too much.

The Dolphins were very susceptible to passes to the tight end against Atlanta, and the Colts have one of the game’s best in Dallas Clark at that position so expect a good game from Manning.

Point Projection: 24 Points

2. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati

Aside from the fluke 87-yard touchdown pass Brandon Stokely caught off a tipped ball from cornerback Leon Hall, the Cincinnati Bengals defense actually played pretty well against the Denver Broncos last week.

But, the Broncos are in a state of transition right now and quarterback Kyle Orton is limited in what he brings to an offense.

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are not limited at all and should have no problem exploiting mismatches against the Bengals’ secondary, which is still not good against the pass.

Rodgers had only a pretty good game against the Chicago Bears last week as he had 184 yards with just one touchdown and no interceptions, but he played well when the team needed him the most.

This week against the Bengals you can expect a much more favorable state line from Rodgers.

Point Projection: 22 Points

3. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) at Philadelphia

Brees and the Saints looked unstoppable in the preseason and they continued that trend with a dominating performance in the win over the Lions last week. Brees was especially on point as he threw for 358 yards with six touchdowns and one interception.

Will Brees throw six touchdowns every week?

Of course not, but he’s still in the top three this week even though he’s going against a good Philadelphia defense that forced four interceptions last week.

Brees and the Saints’ offense are much better than Delhomme and the Panthers so even though the New Orleans quarterback won’t come close to replicating his performance last week in this game, he’ll still have a good showing.

Point Projection: 21 Points

4. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) at New York Jets

The Jets had the pieces in place for a good defense, and it appears new head coach Rex Ryan has started to shape those pieces into an elite defense like he had when he was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore.

However, it’s a lot easier to game plan for the Houston Texans and Matt Schaub than it is for the New England Patriots and Tom Brady.

Though Brady started slow last week against the Buffalo Bills, he ended the game strong as he finished 39-for-53 for 378 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Expect another good game from Brady, though not one as good as last week.

Point Projection: 20 Points

5. Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) at San Francisco

Last week against an overwhelmed St. Louis Rams defense, the Seattle Seahawks passing game looked incredible.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck repeatedly took advantage of mismatches and rolled up 279 passing yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

The addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh along with Nate Burleson—who combined for 13 catches for 122 yards—helped a lot but it was the play of tight end John Carlson that really allowed Hasselbeck to be successful.

And this week against the San Francisco 49ers the Seahawks will likely use a similar scheme on offense. The 49ers don’t have anybody to match up with Carlson when they have 3-4 wide receivers on the field, which is what makes Hasselbeck another good play this week.

Point Projection: 19 Points

6. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) vs. Baltimore

San Diego Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers did not get off to the start he had hoped in the game against the Oakland Raiders last week.

Perhaps frustrated at his play early in the game or the poor offensive line play, Rivers bounced back in the second half. Even though he’s going against a tough Baltimore defense, it’s the same defense that allowed Kansas City quarterback Brodie Croyle to throw for 177 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.

Point Projection: 18 Points

7. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Carolina

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had no trouble playing well against a supposedly revamped Miami secondary, and while some of that credit goes to his growth as a quarterback, the majority of it lays with tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Gonzalez helped the Falcons find the holes in the Dolphins secondary, which proved to be particularly effective on third down. The Panthers didn’t give up a lot of yards in their opener, but did allow 38 points.

The Panthers will find it hard to come up with a game plan that will stop Ryan, Gonzalez, and running back Michael Turner so expect another good game from the second-year quarterback.

Point Projection: 18 Points

8. Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) at Detroit

The story from the Minnesota Vikings’ first game was running back Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns.

Peterson’s play was so good that perhaps it overshadowed a solid and efficient performance by quarterback Brett Favre. In the win over the Browns, Favre went 14-for-21 for 110 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Since Favre is still getting acclimated to the team and the playbook, and the Vikings have Peterson, Favre probably won’t be posting any 300-yard games anytime soon. However, this week he’s matched up against the Lions, who found a way to give up six touchdown passes last week. Thus, Favre should have a solid day.

Point Projection: 18 Points

9. Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) vs. New York Giants

Could it be that the departure of wide receiver Terrell Owens is just what the Dallas Cowboys offense needed? After the way the offense and quarterback Tony Romo played in the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week it appears that way.

Romo went 16-for-27 for 353 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. And the Cowboys displayed often the ability to create big plays as Romo’s touchdown passes were 42, 66, and 80 yards long.

The Giants have a good secondary and one of the league’s best defensive lines, but that may not be enough to stop Romo in this game.

Point Projection: 17 Points

10. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Chicago

One thing became abundantly clear about the Pittsburgh offense in the team’s overtime win over the Tennessee Titans last week: the Steelers can’t run the ball.

Now, obviously Tennessee features one of the best run defenses in the league, but the Chicago Bears aren’t exactly a bunch of slouches either. To win this game, the Steelers will need to rely on the arm of Big Ben, who apparently has found a new favorite receiver in Santonio Holmes.

Roethlisberger may throw a pick or two in this game but it won’t outweigh his production.

Point Projection: 17 Points

11. Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals) at Jacksonville

After playing so well last season, quarterback Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals offense struggled in a losing effort to the 49ers last week. Warner did throw for 288 yards and a touchdown but he also threw two interceptions and completed just 59 percent of his passes.

The Jacksonville Jaguars managed to keep the game with the Colts close last week, but they did give up 294 passing yards in the process. Arizona still has some issues to iron out on offense, especially if the running game continues to suck, so while Warner should be a solid play this week, don’t expect an explosive performance.

Point Projection: 16 Points

12. Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) at San Diego

The growth made by quarterback Joe Flacco from his rookie season has been tremendous, and it was evident how much the Baltimore Ravens trust him as he was allowed to operate out of multiple formations and make a ton of different throws in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs last week.

Consider that Flacco is working with one of the game’s premier offensive coordinators in Cam Cameron, who helped develop Rivers in San Diego, and it’s easy to see why Flacco will be leaned upon this season instead of being asked simply not to lose games.

The match-up with San Diego is not an easy one, but Flacco will play well as the Chargers will focus a lot of attention on stopping the running game.

Point Projection: 16 Points

 

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 2 QUARTERBACK RANKINGS, CLICK HERE!

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Adrian Peterson Did The Work, But Brett Favre Deserves Some Credit

You’re right, Minnesota fans. Adrian Peterson deserves the credit for the Vikings’ 34-20 victory over the hapless Cleveland Browns.

Most of it, anyway.

Yes, 180 yards rushing isn’t easy to come by. And scoring three touchdowns, well, that’s the definition of “carrying” an offensive load.

Peterson, while every bit as dazzling and athletic as advertised, wouldn’t have had as much success on Sunday if it weren’t for Minnesota’s sound offensive line, quality play calling, and well-rounded supporting cast.

Having an elite defense doesn’t hurt, either.

But the main factor that is being glazed over is actually how “little” Brett Favre impacted the game statistically.

While NFL analysts and writers commented on how Favre’s presence made a world of a difference, all I see on B/R is how AP deserves 100 percent of the credit, how Favre “did nothing,” and that he’s still washed up.

But I don’t see it that way.

I actually even think it’s arguable that Favre will help AP in 2009 more than AP will help Favre.

True, Peterson is already the coined “best back in the league.” He already has an NFL rushing title, has topped 1,700 yards in a season, and with three scores on Sunday, is seven touchdowns away from three-straight seasons of 10 or more trips to the end zone.

Still, it’s hard to imagine him having that great of a game with Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center.

Not because he’s not good enough; he most certainly is.

And it’s not because the Browns are a good defense; they most certainly are not.

But the way things were headed at half-time, Cleveland taking a 13-10 lead on a Josh Cribbs punt return, the Vikings were in a sticky situation—one that begged Brett Favre to help them get out of.

Because let’s be honest…

Before Peterson put the game away with his 64-yard touchdown run, the game was still in question.

It took a Favre touchdown pass to rookie Percy Harvin and another Favre-led drive to a field goal to give the Vikings a relatively convincing 27-13 lead.

Yes, Adrian Peterson was the man of the hour. He was the money-maker.

But Brett Favre’s presence behind center kept the Browns guessing, gave AP room to run, and lifted the Vikings over the Browns.

No, 110 passing yards isn’t much. But maybe we’re looking at the wrong numbers. How about zero interceptions?

How about a 95.3 passer rating? How about a 66.7 completion percentage?

Favre wasn’t Drew Brees or Tony Romo on Sunday. Both because he didn’t have to be, and he didn’t mind playing second fiddle.

And that’s why he’s the real MVP for Minnesota after Week One. Despite all of the cries toward his ballooning ego, he put it aside and let someone else take all the credit.

So, like it or not (like him or not) let’s give a little back to the old guy.

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