Monday Night Breakdown: Two Games, Two Surprises, The Same Expected Results

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Raiders-Chargers: Oakland Looked Very Impressive in Losing Effort

Whether you love them or hate them, you can’t tell me that they didn’t play with heart.

In the famous words of Vince Lombardi, “We didn’t lose, we just ran out of time.”

The San Diego Chargers 12th straight victory did not come as easily as they might have suspected it would. The Oakland Raiders offense moved the ball very effectively, and the defense played stingy, making the San Diego offense work for every yard.

Some people called this Oakland’s “Super Bowl,” and despite losing, I think they made a big statement by setting the pace and tone of the game from the beginning to the end.

The energy was there; the Raiders played with heart. It was an emotional game and a heart-wrenching loss.

Tom Cable said in the postgame press conference, “(the players were) Very hurt, very disappointed, and that’s a good thing. I’ve been a Raider since 2007, and I feel like that’s the first time I’ve been in a locker room after a loss that really got in your gut. That’s a good thing, it sounds funny, but that’s the way you’re supposed to feel about this game.”

This is a stark contrast to last year’s team, when after the second loss of the season to San Diego, you could hear teammates laughing in the background of a Nnamdi Asomugha postgame press conference.

Oakland only gave up one sack, despite the fact that the Chargers continuously sent heavy pressure. Cable said Mario Henderson did a great job against Shawne Merriman in his first ever effort against the all-pro linebacker.

Cable said, “We played our guts out, we just didn’t finish.”

Of JaMarcus Russell he said, “Ya know, the thing I liked about JaMarcus tonight is; one place he has really grown is that he wants to go back in, ‘I want it again, I want it again,’ and I think that’s a real sign of where he’s at and where we’re trying to go with him.”

Unfortunately, JaMarcus Russell never appeared to settle into this one until his knee injury late in the game. JaMarcus was 12 for 30 for 208 yards, one touchdown (which should’ve been two) and two interceptions, only one of which had an effect on the game.

Overall, not an all-star performance from the big quarterback. I could tell by just looking at him pregame that he was nervous. This was a big time game for him. I think it took that injury on a late quarterback sneak before he got his head on straight and calmed down.

Next week, there will not be so much pressure on him. No national microscope, no first game of the year jitters, and the possibility of a return of his favorite wide receiver target Chaz Schilens. I will start JaMarcus in my fantasy football league next week, I don’t expect that of anyone else. Let’s chalk this one up to nerves and not quit on the quarterback just yet.

Oakland tight end Zach Miller was impressive in this game, finding a lot of holes in the middle of the Chargers defense. He finished with a team leading six catches for 96 yards.

Louis Murphy was right behind him with four catches (should have been five) for 87 yards (should have been 106) and a touchdown (should have been two). Why all the should have beens? We’ll discuss that later in the article.

Oakland’s tailbacks combined for 123 yards and one touchdown on 29 carries. In comparison, San Diego’s tailbacks combined for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

Not stellar stats for either squad, which speaks tremendous volumes for how Oakland’s defense played. Oakland gave up only 317 yards to the Chargers “explosive” offense.

They had three sacks, two by new arrival Richard Seymour. They forced LaDainian Tomlinson to fumble for the first time since October of 2006. Michael Huff recovered that fumbled and also intercepted a pass tipped up by Tyvon Branch.

Ok, so Phillip Rivers was 24 of 36 for 252 yards, and led two late touchdown drives, but that’s why they paid him $93 million. He is supposed to be an elite quarterback. He is expected by many “experts” to lead his team to Super Bowl glory this year.

In contrast, Oakland was not expect to have an elite defense, they were predicted by many experts to be the same old Raiders defense, and they were not. They should feel good that Rivers had to throw 36 times to beat them.

Richard Seymour was great for Oakland. I can’t wait to see what he is capable of with a little practice with the team under his belt. Second year safety Tyvon Branch was great in coverage and run support and totalled eight solo tackles and one assist.

Linebackers Ricky Brown and Thomas Howard each totalled seven tackles, and Howard added two assists.

Cornerback Chris Johnson had a great game, with seven tackles plus an assist. He also laid the smack down on Darren Sproles on a swing pass that got the Coliseum pumped. On another play, he cut in front of a quick slant from Rivers and swatted the ball to the ground very athletically.

The Raider defense held the Chargers to 5-12 (41 percent) on third-down conversions. The average gain per rushing play was 3.3 yards, ranking the defense 12th against the run this week.

Oakland’s 148 yards on the ground has them ranked 8th in the league. These are two trends Raider Nation hopes will continue.

In closing, I would like to say, we were very close against a team that is expected to make a Super Bowl run this year.

If the Louis Murphy touchdown that was overturned had stood, it would’ve been a tied ball game.

After the game, I looked around for a minute and asked myself, ‘what happened to that four points, oh yeah, that bullspit call on that touchdown.’ You guys know, the one where Murphy had possession with two feet down, a butt down, and an elbow down before losing the ball when he rolled over on the ground.

You know, that play that all three television announcers agreed they didn’t believe the referee’s would overturn.

Oakland should’ve won this game. Everything was in their favor except a bad call by the ref’s. Oakland even won time of possession 31:37 to 28:23.

But, just think, we were a few Chaz Schilens catches away from beating the Chargers. This just in, Chaz will be in uniform in San Diego, and karma is a…

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Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give in: Oakland Raiders Stand Strong on Monday Night

It is clear to me as I remember select moments in the Oakland Raiders-San Diego Chargers game that the Raider Nation and the Oakland Raiders cannot and will not give up.

The performance last night was very impressive. I charted several episodic moments of the game, and clearly we dominated and stood our ground at the five selected moments that are in the chart.

We are on our way.

It was the kind of game where you had to hang tight, sit still, watch, fight, and even pray.

A four-point loss is not bad, but it is an indication that we have developed more strength than our opponents expected.

Near the end—and I do mean near the very end—the twist occurred. Those are the moments where the Raider Nation and the Raiders cannot falter nor be shaken.

Stand strong, stand tall, and always fight to the end. 

Don’t give up! Don’t give in!

Remember, so many of us were impressed and encouraged by your fantastic performance overall.

It’s been a good day! Be grateful for it!

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Fantasy Football Pitfalls: Week Two

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Should I Have Woken up for Week One?

Wow, what a way to start the season, huh?

And I thought watching preseason games was disappointing.

I have a buddy who lives in Denver, and after Jay Cutler threw his third interception of the first half, I texted him and said, “Can we have (Kyle) Orton back?”

Who would have thought any texts like that would have been sent out back when they announced the trade?

I hate to say it, but I think we would have won that game had Kyle Orton been our quarterback. The only throw that Orton might not have been able to make was the touchdown to Hester, but Hester was so wide open that I have to believe that Orton still might have made that play.

I know it’s only one game and I’m not throwing in the towel yet. I believe that Green Bay is a fairly good team. I do not believe they are a Super Bowl contender like some “experts” are predicting, but they are definitely in the same class (maybe a tad bit higher) than this Bears team.

But it is a little frightening, with all the lead up to the start of the season—the new quarterback, the “underrated” receiving corps, Matt Forte’s “emergence” as a star—that the Bears couldn’t muster up anything better.

I liked the fact that the Bears threw the ball downfield, but did not like that it appeared that Cutler and his receivers were not anywhere near being on the same page.

I know these are wrinkles that we see during the early weeks, but they are not wrinkles that you tend to see from the better teams in the NFL. I am not saying they can’t come back from this, but I’m just a little worried.  That’s all.

Now, with Pittsburgh coming to town, I really don’t know what to think. Sure, it helps that Troy Polamalu is going to be out, but will it help enough? Doubtful. I was hoping the Bears would pull out a victory against the Packers in Week One, eliminating the pressure on the team to not fall to 0-2.

Now, they have to come out and execute their offensive plans perfectly in order to have a chance to get to .500. Starting off 0-2 is not a death sentence in the NFL, but if Minnesota and Green Bay start off 2-0 (Green bay gets Cincinnati and Minnesota has Kansas City), it could be a steep hill to climb getting back into the division race, especially with a tougher-than-thought third game at Seattle.

What I would like to see the Bears get back to (against Pittsburgh) is getting the ball in Matt Forte’s hands on the outside. Throw some screen passes, get him some extended handoff passes (where the quarterback and running back are moving right at the snap, rolling out to one side and Cutler would throw it to Forte almost right away with blockers ahead of him). Doing that will open up Olsen a little more in the middle of the field and also allow them to run the play action and throw the ball deep.

From Cutler, I would like to see a little more fluidity in his decision making. In his defense, we can never truly know if those interceptions were more on him throwing to the wrong spot or the receivers running the wrong routes.

I still believe he should have seen that nobody was in the area, but who really knows what is going on during the plays? If he can get into a rhythm with his receivers, find Olsen a little more, and get the ball to Forte on the outside, the Bears could put up some points on the Steelers’ defense. 

With Polamalu out, Cutler should be able to take advantage of the middle of the field and also on some deep balls.

I liked how Knox looked on his two catches and think his and Hester’s speed should be utilized on the field on the same plays. Let them both run go routes on each side of the field with Forte in the flat and Olsen hovering in the middle of the field about seven yards out—giving Cutler a decision to go deep to either Hester or Knox or check down to Olsen or Forte. Jay should feel a little more confident throwing the ball deep without the ballhawking of Polamalu.

It is going to be a tall task going up against the Super Bowl champions, but these are the games that we need to win to prove we are contenders and these games are the exact reason we brought in Jay Cutler. He needs to show the Chicago fans (and his teammates) that he is a true leader and winner.

The one thing I don’t want to see from him is smiling on the sidelines after he throws his third interception of the first half. I did not take too well to that and believe that moment showed me everything I need to know about Cutler. I understand you can have confidence in your abilities, but he just doesn’t show that the game truly matters to him yet. I hope he proves me wrong.

My prediction: Steelers 24, Bears 10.

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Fast-Starting Fantasy Players To Monitor

It happens every year.

Some fantasy player blows up during week one, most of the time unowned in a majority of leagues, and every owner (and his/her mother) rushes to the waiver wire to place a claim.

You know you tried to get Frisman Jackson a few years ago after his now-infamous week one aberration (eight catches, 128 yards, one touchdown). Those numbers were sick!

By the end of the season, he only doubled his reception total from week one and never found pay dirt again.

But not all fast-starting fantasy football players are created equal. Some are household names. Others—like Jackson—are but skeletons in a walk-in closet of fantasy football failures.

These players do have use to fantasy owners in one way or another. Had Jackson continued to put up sick stat lines, which happens every year off the waiver wire, he would have been a fantasy football Hall-of-Famer. As it were, a savvy owner could have parlayed his week one performance into a trade of some sort for a more stable prospect.

Injuries, break-out performances, and depth chart changes happen every week in the NFL. If you happen to own a fast-starting fantasy player, the pre-bye week period of the regular season schedule may be the best time to assess values and find trade partners.

As trade values go, fast-starting players only can go down.

 

Buyer Beware

Several fantasy players have either (A) been down this road before or (B) have week one fraud written all over them. The following nine stick out like a sore thumb in either or both of those categories.

 

Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys

Week One: 353 passing yards, three touchdowns.

Few players in recent memory have been as highly criticized and scrutinized as Tony Romo. I guess that comes with the territory when you are the quarterback of “America’s Team” and when you fizzle down the stretch of a regular season—more than once.

Romo got off to another hot start in week one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 353 passing yards and three touchdowns. But it’s pretty easy when you play against a team in rebuilding mode with a new head coach and the pressure of winning and losing is not so great as, say, when your team needs to win to get into the playoffs.

If Romo can (finally) deliver down the stretch, fantasy owners might be happy to take him among the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees in the future.

Fantasy Spin: Fantasy owners are not trading Romo after week one. More than likely, if you own Romo you are in it for the long haul. Buckle up and try to enjoy the ride.

 

Donovan McNabb, QB, Eagles

Week One: 79 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception; 27 rushing yards, one touchdown.

Remember when Donovan McNabb got benched last year during the second half of the season? His fantasy owners sure do.

D-Nice was not benched for the heck of it. He was playing poorly and the fans were calling for his head. It took that benching to re-motivate the man, which led to a resurgent McNabb and the Eagles’ offense in general.

Perhaps McNabb will continue the hot hand through the course of the regular season. Or maybe not. A cracked rib in week one figures to derail his chances of doing so in the early going.

Despite the good start for McNabb at Carolina, there always is some concern in the back of fantasy owners’ minds about his ability to hold up over the course of a season.

Fantasy Spin: McNabb cannot be traded right now for fair value. Hold onto him and hope he gets back on the field soon.

 

Julius Jones, RB, Seahawks

Week One: 117 rushing yards, one touchdown; two catches for 19 yards.

At this point of his career, I would lump Julius Jones into the fraud category. Every offseason, the JJ hype machine rolls out in full force pumping up Jones’ fantasy value.

So what happens when they start playing real football?

Usually, great disappointment. There is no denying Jones’ talent. But the ability to consistently perform as a fantasy running back? That can be refuted without much of a counter-argument.

Sure, it has not always been his fault. A poor surrounding cast, an offense decimated by injuries and relative ineptitude grounded most of the Seattle Seahawks’ offense last year.

Fantasy Spin: Now is a great time to start shopping Jones. See if you can get a higher-ranked running back or wide receiver who performed below par during week one. If nothing great comes along, try again after his next decent fantasy performance or target an owner with a struggling backfield.

 

Cadillac Williams, RB, Buccaneers

Week One: 97 rushing yards, one touchdown.

Sadly, fantasy owners have been down this road before and met the same grim result.

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, always one of ultimate potential, has been snake-bitten by serious knee injuries during his young career. Most fantasy owners and experts agree that it only is a matter of time now—and not much of it—before Williams breaks down again.

You have to give Caddy credit, though, he fought back, twice, when the odds were against him. If fantasy football were all about who had the most heart, Williams would be the consensus No. 1 pick.

Fantasy Spin: Williams’ value is on the rise and will continue to as he stays on the field and puts up nice numbers. But it will be hard to deal him right now, especially with no serious running back injuries in week one. Stash him on the bench, pray for health and hope for a desperate owner in the coming weeks.

 

Willis McGahee, RB, Ravens

Week One: 44 rushing yards, one touchdown; four catches for 31 yards, one touchdown.

The writing has been on the wall for Willis McGahee for two seasons in a row—this should be his last in Baltimore.

He will not go quietly; however, after scoring two times in the Ravens’ season opener. His pesky presence—along with Le’Ron McClain’s—is a nuisance to Ray Rice owners, who expect the second year back to become the feature of the Baltimore offense.

The coaching staff seems ready to transition to Rice as the primary back, but all three of these players will continue to touch the ball. McGahee’s week one success might not translate consistently the rest of the season with a crowded backfield and limited opportunities as the backup to Rice.

Fantasy Spin: Another nice performance by McGahee—hopefully this weekend—could signal the right time to trade him away. Look for the nervous Rice or McClain owner in your league and try to strike a deal if McGahee has another solid effort.

 

Devery Henderson/Robert Meachem, WR’s, Saints

Week One (Henderson): Five catches, 103 yards, one touchdown.
Week One (Meachem): Two catches, 51 yards, one touchdown.

When you play wide receiver on a prolific passing offense, fantasy owners love you. Unfortunately for those fantasy owners, however, that love all too often goes unrequited.

Devery Henderson has always been a tease to fantasy owners and now Robert Meachem is becoming the same. Loads of potential and speed to burn, Henderson and Meachem also have the luxury of playing with the hottest quarterback in the NFL, Drew Brees.

That works against both players, as well, because Brees likes to spread the ball around. And these two generally are used solely in the vertical passing game. Sure, you will get a huge week now and then, but the fantasy scorecard for these two often features a number of bagels.

Fantasy Spin: Savvy fantasy owners will not be baited into trading for either of these guys at this point. Those who own Henderson and/or Meachem are better served holding onto both for now to see how the Saints’ receiving hierarchy shakes out.

 

Patrick Crayton, WR, Cowboys

Week One: Four catches, 135 yards, one touchdown.

After Crayton took the No. 2 job from Terry Glenn he became an instant fantasy sleeper.

Apparently, his alarm clock is broken.

Crayton never became the receiver fantasy owners hoped he would become when he was named a starting receiver on a pass-happy offense. Drops and all-around inconsistency have limited his value and most fantasy owners have written him off at this point.

Fantasy Spin: Now is a great time to shop Crayton, whose value can only come down after such a performance.

 

Ben Watson, TE, Patriots

Week One: Six catches, 77 yards, two touchdowns.

It seems Watson has his best game of the season during week one every year. And he almost always comes into the season as one of the most highly coveted tight ends.

Fantasy Spin: If he is on your bench—likely—try and ship him out now. Watson is as inconsistent as they come and his value may never be higher. Watch Watson put it all together this season now that I have written him off; just don’t blame me if that happens after you trade him.

 

Those With Favorable Schedules During the Next Two Weeks

A handful of fantasy players have favorable matchups—at least based on the first weekend of real football—during the next two weeks before bye weeks set in across the league.

 

Jason Campbell, QB, Redskins

Week One: 211 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception; 16 rushing yards.
Week Two vs. Rams
Week Three at Lions

Fantasy Spin: Campbell has a chance to string three solid fantasy performances in a row together. If he is on your waiver wire, grab-and-stash immediately. Once the bye weeks roll in, look for a QB-needy fantasy owner and talk trade. You could get some nice value after fat stat lines against the Rams and Lions.

 

 

 

Ryan Grant, RB, Packers

Week One: 61 rushing yards, one touchdown; one catch, six yards.
Week Two vs. Bengals
Week Three at Rams

Fantasy Spin: Grant had a nice day against one of the better defenses in the league—at least by reputation—and the schedule gets a little lighter the next two weeks on paper. He should be able to rack up some yards and touchdowns, but I would not put him on the block anytime soon. He could end up being the steal of fantasy drafts considering his modest draft value this summer.

 

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos

Week One: 19 rushing yards
Week Two vs. Browns
Week Three at Raiders

Fantasy Spin: If Moreno is going to wrestle the job away from Correll Buckhalter and Peyton Hillis, now is the time. You can buy cheap after week one, but be prepared to hold onto him for the long run if the next few weeks go poorly.

 

Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings

Week 1: Three catches for 36 yards and one touchdown; 22 rushing yards.
Week 2 at Lions
Week 3 v. 49ers

Fantasy Spin: Harvin had a solid opening day showing and draws a pair of favorable matchups before the start of bye weeks. The Vikings might be required to open up the passing game soon in preparation for the rest of the season, which makes Harvin an interesting play especially in flex formats. His value is too high to trade away right now, but if you can con an owner for cheap it is a great time to invest.

 

Terrell Owens, WR, Bills

Week One: Two catches, 46 yards
Week Two v. Buccaneers
Week Three vs. Saints

Fantasy Spin: Owens did not overly impress against the Pats in week one, making this a nice time to buy low. He actually may have been hurt this preseason, which means it could take a few weeks to get up to full speed. He is not a bad buy as a low-end WR2 right now and surely there are Owens’ owners in full panic mode after a two-catch performance on Monday Night Football.

 

Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins

Week One: Seven catches, 68 yards, one touchdown.
Week Two vs. Rams
Week Three at Lions

Fantasy Spin: As Campbell goes, so too does Cooley. He has become Campbell’s favorite target and should continue to be the primary beneficiary in the passing game. If you own him, you are not trading him. And if you do not, you will have to pay a hefty price to get him.

 

Zach Miller, TE, Raiders

Week One: Six catches, 96 receiving yards.
Week Two at Chiefs
Week Three v. Broncos

Fantasy Spin: The best receiver in the Raiders’ arsenal, Miller draws a pair of weak AFC West opponents in the next two weeks. If he puts together a string of solid stat lines, consider shopping him as a bye-week filler, injury replacement, or tight end upgrade by week four.

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New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys Preview: Time to Spoil the Party

Week one of the NFL regular season was, as usual, an anxiety reliever for us football fans. All the waiting has come to an end, so now we can just enjoy the ride and focus on football itself.

 

So, continuing my weekly preview of the Giants games, here is what awaits next Sunday.

 

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys—Sept. 20 (Sunday Night Football)

 

This game is the debut of Dallas’ new monstrous stadium, with the world’s largest scoreboard. The Dallas organization made an interesting choice having their biggest rival, the Giants, on the stadium’s opening match.

 

Giants-Dallas games have always been marked by an intense horse race down the stretch, with the games usually being decided in the end. I don’t see any reason why this game should be any different.

 

The Cowboys had a great start to the season, beating Tampa Bay 34-21. In this game, Romo had a career high 353 passing yards, and threw for three touchdowns. Romo showed that he can play very well without the presence of Terrell Owens.

 

An important factor for this is that his replacements, Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton, are two very talented pass catchers. The two alone combined for 221 receiving yards against Tampa Bay.

 

The Dallas defense, anchored by Demarcus Ware, showed its usual strength, pressuring Buccaneers’ QB Byron Leftwich throughout the entire game.

 

The Giants also started off the season with a win, over the division rivals Redskins. The Big Blue high powered defense, led by Osi Umeniyora, showed glances of what is pointing out to be a painful year for opposing quarterbacks.

 

The offense, in particular the young group of receivers, made a strong argument too. While being downgraded for their inexperience all year long, this group showed they CAN make plays, but they will need even more production to win this one.

 

Quarterback Eli Manning also put a ghost behind him, displaying precision and confidence without Plaxico Burress. Eli is looking more like Peyton every day, making crucial audibles and adjustments every play, including the one which generated the TD.

 

Addressing the “X’s and O’s”, in order to win this tough game, the Giants will have to start by stuffing the Cowboys offense. This starts with Task One: kill the running game.

 

This is something that, in my opinion will happen naturally, as the Giants have an incredible D-line, and a very competent group of linebackers. Also, the Cowboys have the tendency of putting the game more in Romo’s hands.

 

However, make no mistake, the Marion Barber-Felix Jones combination can be deadly, and if the Giants fail to stop them, this game will turn into an old Texas shootout, i.e. the type of game the Cowboys like to play.

 

So, stopping the running game will fall on the D-line, especially Canty and Bernard, who played so well shutting down Clinton Portis. Achieving this leads to Task Two: keep Tony Romo under pressure.

 

As previously stated, Romo had a career game against the Bucs’, and gained momentum to face the Giants. This task is the key to winning this game. The pressure applied in the trenches, or the lack thereof, will determine the outcome of the game.

 

The Giants defensive line is packed with great talent, and must be able to wreak havoc in the trenches, keeping Romo under pressure all game.

 

Osi and Justin Tuck must get their presence felt early and often, breathing down Romo’s neck and hitting him as many times as they can. Giving Romo different looks is also important, as this will keep the pressure from places he won’t expect.

 

If Romo has time, he will burn any defense, but he doesn’t function properly under pressure. History shows that he has the tendency to choke down the stretch when pressured. Nevertheless, the Giants MUST be extremely careful, and aggressive, with this guy.

 

Reverting to the offensive side of the ball, we reach Task Three: let it fly early. In the first game against the Cowboys last season, Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw had a rush feast, gaining 200 yards on the ground.

 

However, in the second game, the Giants were never able to establish much of a running game, and with the passing game malfunctioning, the offense was stuck. The Giants cannot, by any means, make the same mistake.

 

I expect the Cowboys D to apply the same strategy, sending blitzes and stuffing the run. Against the Redskins, the G-Men came out spreading the ball around, and keeping things balanced. This should be repeated. Let the young guns fly.

 

If the passing game is established early, the Dallas defense will have to keep honest, and this will allow Jacobs and Bradshaw to run down their throats and put this game away. Moreover, Manning will face his first really difficult test.

 

Eli’s play early on will determine whether the Giants will have a chance to win this game or not. If he starts like he did last Sunday, calm and precise (and I expect nothing other than that), the Giants have a good chance to win.

 

Opportunities must be capitalized on. This is Task Four: make the most out of the opportunities.

 

Last game, the giants settled for a field goal from inside the 10 yard line after they failed to convert a third and one.

 

On the next drive, they once again missed an opportunity from inside the Redskins’ 10 yard line, missing a fourth and one, and turning the ball over.

 

That meant 11 missed points on two drives, and the opportunity to put the game away in the first half. This type of thing cannot happen against the Cowboys, as they have a much more talented offense, and we need all the points we can score.

 

Probable Outcome

 

The probable outcome is going to be a very tight match, played fiercely until the end. The battle for the trenches is going to be brutal, but I think the Giants are a little better positioned to win it on both sides of the ball.

 

It is a wide open game, and both teams badly want to win. This is usually the ingredient for a great football game.

 

Although there are other important matchups, details, and other game changing issues to be covered, I believe that the tasks presented here reflect the key factors for the Big Blue to come back from Dallas with a win.

 

And I don’t know about you, but I desperately want to spoil Jerry Jones party by winning the first regular season game ever played in the New Cowboys Stadium…

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NFL Week 2 Preview: TV Schedule, Announcers, Point Spreads, and Picks

So, let’s quickly take note of what we learned during the first week of the 2009 NFL football season:

• Adrian Peterson is an absolute beast.

• Tom Brady is still, well, Tom Brady.

• Jake Delhomme is still, unfortunately for Carolina, the same Jake Delhomme that we saw last year in the playoffs.

• The Ravens and Falcons, at least for one week, appear that they will pick up right where their turnaround 2008 seasons left off.

• Miami might not be in the same boat.

• Drew Brees and the Saints might have the most explosive offense we’ve seen in a loooong time. (You know, since the 2007 Patriots.)

• Jay Cutler is still the same reckless “gunslinger” that he was in Denver. He’ll have to cut down on the INTs and increase the TDs now that Brian Urlacher is out for the rest of the season.

There is more, as we always learn plenty from the first week of the NFL season.

But do we…really?

It often seems like the greatest disparity from week-to-week for individual teams comes between weeks one and two. In contrast to the preseason, now that each team has seen its starting lineup play an entire regular season game, legitimate and meaningful adjustments can be made.

In cities like Houston, Washington, and Arizona, among others, teams that fancy themselves as playoff threats will need to make adjustments before week two to avoid falling to 0-2.

In cities like San Francisco, Green Bay, and Dallas, the hope is that the positives from last week were not a mirage and that an auspicious 2-0 record is on the horizon.

We shall see.

As you get ready for another week of NFL action, we bring you our handy, dandy NFL TV Schedule and Point Spread post like we do every week. Each game is listed below with the date, kickoff time, TV network, announcers, point spread, over-under, and even a spread pick.

(Note: No, I do not keep track of how I do against the spread each week; honestly, I don’t care. Each pick below is just based on my gut instinct as I type up this post early in the week. I was 14-for-16 picking straight up last week though.)

A couple of quick things to keep in mind:

• All times are ET.

• Some games do not have all of the information filled in (i.e. a few games don’t have spreads yet and the announcer assignments have not yet been announced). I’ll update this post as soon as the information is available at the506.com.

• Point spread and over-under listings are as of Monday night, and obviously subject to change throughout the week. If you want updated point spread info, or some expert advice as you make your weekly picks, below are a few helpful links.

• DocSports: NFL Odds

• DocSports: NFL Picks

And with all that said, here is your mood music and the Week 2 TV schedule, point spreads, announcers, and picks.

 

NFL Week 2 Preview

TV Schedule – Announcers – Kickoff Times

Point Spreads – Over-Unders – Spread Picks

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Houston Texans (0-1) at Tennessee Titans (0-1)

• Texans-Titans Date: Sunday, September 20
• Texans-Titans Time: 1:00
• Texans-Titans TV Network: CBS
• Texans-Titans Announcers:
• Texans-Titans Point Spread: Titans -7.5
• Texans-Titans Over-Under: 40.5
• Texans-Titans Pick: Houston may not win, but I see no way the Texans go down without a tooth-and-nail fight. This is a team under enormous pressure to win, and the Titans do not have an offense that will put up an extraordinary amount of points. 
• Texans-Titans spread pick: Texans +7.5

 

Arizona Cardinals (0-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

• Cardinals-Jaguars Date: Sunday, September 20
• Cardinals-Jaguars Time: 1:00
• Cardinals-Jaguars TV Network: FOX
• Cardinals-Jaguars Announcers:
• Cardinals-Jaguars Point Spread: Jaguars -3.5
• Cardinals-Jaguars Over-Under: 42.5
• Cardinals-Jaguars Pick: This is a tough one. I am not a big fan of either one of these teams this season. Because the Cardinals have the best player on the field (Larry Fitzgerald) I’m picking them to cover. As to who will win, I say it’s a toss-up. 
• Cardinals-Jaguars spread pick: Cardinals +3.

 

New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

• Saints-Eagles Date: Sunday, September 20
• Saints-Eagles Time: 1:00
• Saints-Eagles TV Network: FOX
• Saints-Eagles Announcers:
• Saints-Eagles Point Spread:
• Saints-Eagles Over-Under:
• Saints-Eagles Spread Pick:

Oakland Raiders (0-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)

• Raiders-Chiefs Date: Sunday, September 20
• Raiders-Chiefs Time: 1:00
• Raiders-Chiefs TV Network: CBS
• Raiders-Chiefs Announcers:
• Raiders-Chiefs Point Spread:
• Raiders-Chiefs Over-Under:
• Raiders-Chiefs Spread Pick:

 

New England Patriots (1-0) at New York Jets (1-0)

• Patriots-Jets Date: Sunday, September 20
• Patriots-Jets Time: 1:00
• Patriots-Jets TV Network: CBS
• Patriots-Jets Announcers:
• Patriots-Jets Point Spread:
• Patriots-Jets Over-Under:
• Patriots-Jets Spread Pick:

Minnesota Vikings (1-0) at Detroit Lions (0-1)

• Vikings-Lions Date: Sunday, September 20
• Vikings-Lions Time: 1:00
• Vikings-Lions TV Network: FOX
• Vikings-Lions Announcers:
• Vikings-Lions Point Spread: Vikings -10.5
• Vikings-Lions Over-Under: 47
• Vikings-Lions Pick: Detroit is going to win a few games this year, but it’s not going to be this one. Adrian Peterson is just too good, and I expect Brett Favre to attempt a few more passes down the field than he did against Cleveland. Detroit may stay close in the first half, but like last week Peterson wears ‘em down in the end. 
• Vikings-Lions spread pick: Vikings -10.5.

 

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) at Green Bay Packers (1-0)

• Bengals-Packers Date: Sunday, September 20
• Bengals-Packers Time: 1:00
• Bengals-Packers TV Network: CBS
• Bengals-Packers Announcers:
• Bengals-Packers Point Spread: Packers -9.5
• Bengals-Packers Over-Under: 42
• Bengals-Packers Pick: The Packers are the better team and I think they will win, but the Bengals’ offense is good enough to cover. Especially after how they lost last week to Denver, I expect the Bengals to come out with some fire. 
• Bengals-Packers spread pick: Bengals +9.5.

 

St. Louis Rams (0-1) at Washington Redskins (0-1)

• Rams-Redskins Date: Sunday, September 20
• Rams-Redskins Time: 1:00
• Rams-Redskins TV Network: FOX
• Rams-Redskins Announcers:
• Rams-Redskins Point Spread: Redskins -10.5
• Rams-Redskins Over-Under: 36.5
• Rams-Redskins Pick: The Rams just are not very good, and showed it last week against Seattle. Washington is another team, like Carolina, that is already desperate after only one week. In front of their home fans I think the Redskins win this one going away, carried by their defense. 
• Rams-Redskins spread pick: Redskins -10.5.

 

Carolina Panthers (0-1) at Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

• Panthers-Falcons Date: Sunday, September 20
• Panthers-Falcons Time: 1:00
• Panthers-Falcons TV Network: FOX
• Panthers-Falcons Announcers:
• Panthers-Falcons Point Spread: Falcons -6.5
• Panthers-Falcons Over-Under: 43
• Panthers-Falcons Pick: The Panthers are in some big trouble with Jake Delhomme, and desperately need him to have a good game. He is a proud veteran and has a great running game to lean on. I would not be surprised to see the Panthers, with their backs already against the wall, win this game. Either way, I think they cover. 
• Panthers-Falcons spread pick: Panthers +6.5.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) at Buffalo Bills (0-1)

• Buccaneers-Bills Date: Sunday, September 20
• Buccaneers-Bills Time: 4:05
• Buccaneers-Bills TV Network: FOX
• Buccaneers-Bills Announcers:
• Buccaneers-Bills Point Spread:
• Buccaneers-Bills Over-Under:
• Buccaneers-Bills Spread Pick:

Seattle Seahawks (1-0) at San Francisco 49ers (1-0)

• Seahawks-49ers Date: Sunday, September 20
• Seahawks-49ers Time: 4:05
• Seahawks-49ers TV Network: FOX
• Seahawks-49ers Announcers:
• Seahawks-49ers Point Spread: 49ers -1.5
• Seahawks-49ers Over-Under: 39.5
• Seahawks-49ers Pick: I am a huge fan of the 49ers this season, and their opening week road victory over the Cardinals was a perfect example of why. The Seahawks will be better this year, but the Rams made them look a lot better than they are last week. The 49ers win by at least a field goal. 
• Seahawks-49ers spread pick: 49ers -1.5.

 

Baltimore Ravens (1-0) at San Diego Chargers (1-0)

• Ravens-Chargers Date: Sunday, September 20
• Ravens-Chargers Time: 4:15
• Ravens-Chargers TV Network: CBS
• Ravens-Chargers Announcers:
• Ravens-Chargers Point Spread:
• Ravens-Chargers Over-Under:
• Ravens-Chargers Spread Pick:

 

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Denver Broncos (1-0)

• Browns-Broncos Date: Sunday, September 20
• Browns-Broncos Time: 4:15
• Browns-Broncos TV Network: CBS
• Browns-Broncos Announcers:
• Browns-Broncos Point Spread: Broncos -3.5
• Browns-Broncos Over-Under: 37.5
• Browns-Broncos Pick: I hate to say it, but this will probably be the ugliest game of the week. The Broncos stole one in  Cleveland last year, and I think the Browns do the same thing this year. The Broncos were lucky last week, and the Browns stood toe-to-toe with Minnesota for a half. I say we see more of the first half Browns on Sunday. 
• Browns-Broncos spread pick: Browns +3.5.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Chicago Bears (0-1)

• Steelers-Bears Date: Sunday, September 20
• Steelers-Bears Time: 4:15
• Steelers-Bears TV Network: CBS
• Steelers-Bears Announcers:
• Steelers-Bears Point Spread: Steelers -3.5
• Steelers-Bears Over-Under: 37.5
• Steelers-Bears Pick: Jay Cutler threw 4 INTs on Sunday in the loss to the Packers. And on Monday we found out that Brian Urlacher is out for the year. But Pittsburgh is a 3.5 favorite in Soldier Field? The Steelers may win, but not by more than a field goal. I think Cutler has a solid rebound game and the Bears win outright. 
• Steelers-Bears spread pick: Bears +3.5.

 

New York Giants (1-0) at Dallas Cowboys (1-0)

• Giants-Cowboys Date: Sunday, September 20
• Giants-Cowboys Time: 8:20
• Giants-Cowboys TV Network: NBC
• Giants-Cowboys Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
• Giants-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -2.5
• Giants-Cowboys Over-Under: 44
• Giants-Cowboys Pick: I’m high on the Cowboys this year, and think that the loss of T.O. has been wildly overestimated. Dallas has a running game that rivals the Giants’, and a better corps of receivers than Eli Manning has. If Dallas can give Tony Romo time, they’ll be okay. I think they will, and that the Cowboys win by a field goal. 
• Giants-Cowboys spread pick: Cowboys -2.5.

 

Indianapolis Colts (1-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-1)

• Colts-Dolphins Date: Monday, September 21
• Colts-Dolphins Time: 8:30
• Colts-Dolphins TV Network: ESPN
• Colts-Dolphins Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden
• Colts-Dolphins Point Spread: Colts -3.5
• Colts-Dolphins Over-Under: 42
• Colts-Dolphins Pick: The Colts will be without a proven No. 2 WR and have no running game to speak of. With the Dolphins coming off of a terrible loss, I think the Parcells-Sparano combo has them ready to play. I think the Dolphins actually win this game outright in front of their home fans on Monday night. They’ll certainly cover 3.5 points. 
• Colts-Dolphins spread pick: Dolphins +3.5.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Daily Haze: Week One in The Books

The first week of the 2009 fantasy football season is in the books. How are your fantasy teams doing?

Mine? Not so great. In five leagues, I won a grand total of one game. Ouch. The good sign is that a few of my teams were in high-scoring affairs but drew the short end of the stick. Another team went up against Drew Brees.

Hopefully, week two is more kind to yours truly.

Blaine may have a waiver wire feature later today, but I wanted to throw a few names out there for owners in need of help this morning. These guys probably should be owned after week one’s performances:

• Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens (307 yards, three touchdowns)
• Mark Clayton, WR, Ravens (Five catches, 77 yards, one touchdown)
• Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets (272 yards, one touchdown)
• Chansi Stuckey, WR, Jets (Four catches, 64 yards, one touchdown)
• Mike Bell, RB, Saints (143 rushing yards)
• Patrick Crayton, WR, Cowboys (Four catches, 135 yards, one touchdown)
• Cadillac Williams, RB, Buccaneers (97 rushing yards, one touchdown)

Here are today’s great reads:

• The Michael Crabtree-San Francisco 49ers standoff continues with Crabtree reportedly leaving town. [ProFootballTalk]
• Taking a look at some of the players who had an impact on all of week one’s fantasy football games. [National Football Post]
• Kyle Orton’s fantasy day looks pretty solid on paper, but dig deeper than the numbers: He had squat until that fluke touchdown pass to win the game. [FanHouse]
• A look at the studs of the week one fantasy football season in photographic form. [SI.com]
• If your favorite team—or fantasy team, for that matter—got off to a slow start, week one is not really the time to panic. [The Big Lead

Got a pressing fantasy football question and need an answer now? Or just want to chat about all the recent developments in the sports world? Head over to The Hazean’s fantasy football forums for all that and more. Also remember to check out The Hazean’s fantasy rankings and mock draft database.

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Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Power Groupings: Steelers Reign, but One-Man Armies Threaten Champs

The 2009 NFL season is officially upon us, and with it comes the first real opportunity for premature evaluations and knee-jerk reactions.

With the meaningless preseason out of the way, now is the appropriate time to cue every optimist offering their reminders that it’s only Week One. But with all positivity aside, the reality of the regular season is that a loss only serves as a step away from the ultimate goal.

Oddly enough, the ultimate goal is actually open to interpretation. Many would lead you to believe it’s all about the Super Bowl, except it’s really not in some cases.

If you’re Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, the goal is to break Jim Marshall’s record for most consecutive starts and stick your tongue out at the Green Bay Packers.

If you’re the Detroit Lions, the goal is to not supplant the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the record books for the most consecutive losses.

If you’re Marvin Lewis, the goal is keep your job with the Cincinnati Bengals through the end of the season. Actually, that probably wouldn’t be in his best interest.

But that’s enough tone-setting rhetoric for right now.

Doing a little Nino Colla swagger-jack, I’ve decided to break the NFL down into my own four tiers of power, with an irrefutable leader sitting atop. How comfortable they are up there will be open to my interpretation, of course.

The categories will be subject to change as I settle into this new task, but you’re all thoroughly encouraged to rock with me in the meantime. Let the scorn begin.

 

Competition Is None

Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams

The thrill of starting the NFL season may have dissipated very quickly if you pledge your allegiance to any of these teams.

While the Bengals, Lions, and Rams remain constant from 2008, the expectations for the others made their losses even more deflating than the final scores would indicate.

Browns coach Eric Mangini looked most ridiculous in his first outing with his new-ish team. His ridiculous handling of the quarterback situation backfired severely.

Someone should remind the Mangenius that the best competitive advantage comes from having better players—not castaways from the franchise that fired you.

But if there’s a coach who’s in legitimate danger of not finishing the season, it has to be Marvin Lewis.

Sure, the Bengals were victims of circumstance, as their loss transpired in a scenario that no one could have foreseen. Somehow it feels like we’re always saying this about Cincinnati.

Without question, Carolina suffered the most disturbing defeat of all, receiving no return on their good faith investment in Jake Delhomme.

With each turnover more crippling than the previous, the Panthers are in a legitimate soul-searching situation. Was this an embarrassing setback for their freshly extended $42 million quarterback or a gross miscalculation of a 34-year-old’s ability?

 

You’re Doing It Wrong

Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins

ESPN’s Monday Night Football kicked off with what should’ve been a doubleheader of upsets. But then again, “should have” really has no place in NFL discussion, does it?

We deal in what was around these parts.

The Bills and Raiders failed to cash in on opportunities against reputedly stronger teams, letting victories slip away when they were all but guaranteed.

Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin should have taken a knee in the end zone, and the Raiders defense should have avoided the prevent defense, as the aggressive approach slowed Chargers running back Darren Sproles all night.

They didn’t, they lost, and so they did it wrong.

Joining them are the Bucs’ defense for allowing three Cowboys receivers to make emphatic statements about life after Terrell Owens with long touchdown receptions, and the defending NFC Champion Cardinals for not looking like a team that nearly won the Super Bowl seven months ago.

The Bears mortgaged their future on QB Jay Cutler and left no opportunity to build a team through the draft. Maybe receiver Michael Crabtree can fall to one of the draft picks they didn’t give away in desperation for a franchise passer.

The only winning team in this tier is the Broncos. Outside of Brandon Stokley’s circus catch, I’m open to suggestions of anything they did right.

 

Results Were Inconclusive

Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks

This was the tricky section to piece together.

Technically, the teams could’ve been broken up into two more categories, but I wanted to avoid redundancy. The objective here is to identify the teams who aren’t quite there yet.

Without tip-toeing around it, the Patriots belong here. The return of Tom Brady was never enough to make me believe the NFL should tremble again. New England’s offseason moves only validated that for me.

The offense aged with receiver Joey Galloway and running back Fred Taylor. But the defense took the biggest hit with all the lost leadership. A Bills team that scored six points in four preseason games and fired their offensive coordinator exposed that glaring weakness.

Brady is Brady, and he can still stage thrilling fourth-quarter comebacks. But that defense might make him do it more often than ever before.

While the Eagles abused the Panthers at every turn(over), it’s another injury to QB Donovan McNabb that hangs in the balance for Philly.

Backup Kevin Kolb will likely be released as the Eagles’ sideline will house two capable quarterbacks—Jeff Garcia and Michael Vick—if McNabb can’t play.

The Colts and Jaguars played a close game, and the NFC West teams only won because someone had to. The Jets carved the Texans up real nice, but they easily dispatched of a team that’s been known for their slow starts to the season.

 

Pursuit of the Throne

Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans

Trying to pick the most impressive of all the bunch is no simple task.

The Falcons’ decision to trade for future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez will compete with the free agent acquisition of LB Mike Peterson for smartest offseason move.

Or, if you prefer, we can discuss the Saints, Drew Brees, and his machine-like passing touchdown performance. The addition of Darren Sharper to a defense in need of a leader could be exactly what Brees needed to keep his season alive.

The Chargers are probably receiving the most generous position on this list. At times they looked like every bit of the 8-8 team they were in 2008 against Oakland. Then they showed flashes of that threatening postseason team when it mattered.

Ultimately, San Diego receives credit for coming to terms with LaDainian Tomlinson’s age versus Darren Sproles’ explosiveness. There was a game to be won in the final minutes, and Norv Turner asked Sproles to pick up where he left off late last season.

As for the Titans, it’s actually quite simple: lol @ the Redskins for paying Albert Haynesworth so much money.

But the best settling point in this discussion has to be Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and how he bullied the Browns on Sunday.

Brett Favre made his debut with the Minnesota Vikings, and it didn’t even matter. The man who was expected to be the difference-maker for a young team was rendered useless by a running back who can win games alone. Was there anything the old gunslinger did that Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels couldn’t?

 

View from the Top

Pittsburgh Steelers

It’s not going to be so lonely for the Steelers up here much longer.

They default to the top position for winning their first game as defending Super Bowl champions and should hold it until they’re defeated convincingly; or maybe until a team like the Saints or Vikings obliterates a contender of yesteryear—not sure yet.

But between now and then, the Steelers have to figure out where their running game went and how to get it back.

Ben Roethlisberger continues to show his worth as a legit quarterback, but can his offensive line protect him well enough to keep him alive when the running backs struggle?

Losing Troy Polamalu after a monster first half of play is going to hurt.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

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