I hope everyone had a great weekend…Just a few comments before signing off for the night.

Let’s start with the Leafs

What a performance against the Senators. While Giguere certainly played a great game (getting his second straight shutout), the team limited the Sens to very few quality chances. I didn’t recognize #2…he was actually skating with the puck – not treating it like a hot potato. And then he started shooting it! Unreal…2 goals. Is it possible that Phaneuf has already had an influence on him? It’s probably too early to suggest this but, is it possible that Dion is team captain material?  Wilson keeps talking about how vocal he is and how different the dressing room is now.  I really like “b side” to the Leafs – Flames deal….Sjostrom is fast and smart. Paired with Kulemin and the team has a legit / quality shutdown unit.  BTW, I know Bozak may not appear to be lighting it up but, 10 points in 14 games is pretty damn good for the rookie. Kessel is really showing his stuff again. Do you think the Bruins would like him back about now?

BTW, the Leafs should be 3-0 after the Flames and Ducks deals…I’m with TSM, Wilson missed calling a time out to settle his team down in Jersey.

Brendan Burke Tributes

A lot of writers and bloggers had some great articles/posts over the weekend re: Brendan Burke – most did a great job (McGran not included). If you are only going to read 1 post, read Kevin Allen…He sheds some insight into how important family is to Brian and tells a great story about Brian reaching out to him during a tough time. You can read Allen here.

I also liked Ron Wilson’s post game comments. You really get a sense for how close he and Brian are. According to Wilson, Brian exchanged texts with Dave Nonis during the game. The boys gave him one less thing to think/worry about...Maybe even a smile. The next couple of days are going to be real tough for Brian – the funeral is on Tuesday. Thank goodness the schedule worked out and the entire team can join their leader. Wilson’s presser below.

wilson

If you want to read the official obituary and get details re: donations, you can find it here.

Super Bowl

Queen Latifah: thumbs down.

Carrie Underwood: I’m not a fan but she outperformed Latifah.

Halftime: I may have been in the minority but, I thought The Who was good. The drummer (Ringo Star’s son) looked just like Keith Moon!

So what did you think of the game? The score and the stats all point to a great game… but….for some reason; it seemed to go by quick and for me and not very exciting. It’s a good thing the Saints won because their coach almost blew it for them. Sean Payton will probably be written up in the papers as a genius but in my opinion both “gutsy” calls were dumb. Drew Brees deserves to be talked about amongst the greats….what a season, what a game. TSN starts their headline article with “Peyton Manning made his first major mistake of Super Bowl XLIV in the final minutes of the fourth quarter “… I need to watch the replay again but; my first reaction was that the received screwed up…his job was to come back to the ball on that play.

Congrats to the Saints and the people of New Orleans…you needed something to smile about.

Ov v. Crosby

Last comment….Ovechkin may have won today’s game – and he may win the cup.  I’m okay with all of that as long as Sidney brings home gold!

Happy Sunday night everyone.

LT

Superbowl XLIV is so close, yet so far away. I’m actually surprised the media hype hasn’t been worse, and Dwight Freeney injury aside, over-analysis of the two teams has been kept to a minimum. I actually enjoy that a good chunk of the spotlight has been put on Jim Caldwell and Sean Payton, the two coaches. Instead of waiting until the end of the article like normal to make my pick, I’m going to jump right into it.

The Indianapolis Colts will defeat the New Orleans Saints, 34-21, to capture Superbowl XLIV.

Two words why this is going to happen: Peyton Manning. I’ve been saying for years now (even prior to his Superbowl victory) that Peyton Manning is the best quarterback the NFL has ever seen. I fully believe that by the time he retires, he’s going to hold most of the significant passing records. We saw against the New York Jets two weeks ago what Manning can do to a defence. He played the first half just testing out the Jets’ stop unit, and in the second half, he completely dissected it.

On Sunday, Manning will be up against a New Orleans defence that specializes in turnovers. They’ll continue to utilize an array of blitz packages on Indy, and their ball-hawking secondary will be ready to pounce on mistakes. The Saints D may be able to keep the team in the game, and of course, their offence features Drew Brees. I have no doubt that the Saints will put up some points, but I see the Colts’ defence providing a surprisingly tough challenge. In their two previous playoff games, New Orleans has faced defences that believe in constant pressure. Indianapolis will look to use its front four to get to Brees (for the record, I believe Freeney will play), but Caldwell & Co. will be happy to sit back in their Cover 2 package and wait for their opportunities.

KEY PLAYERS

Indianapolis: Joseph Addai & Donald Brown. I know it’s two, but one of them needs to step up and deliver for the Colts. I’m not just talking about running the ball, I’m more looking towards catching passes in the flat. With the Saints dealing up all kinds of pressure, the Colts’ rushers are going to need to be aware and get themselves open for check downs.

New Orleans: Darren Sharper. If the Saints want to have a shot of winning the game, Sharper is going to need to play big. He’s the veteran anchor of their secondary, and is quite good at forcing turnovers. I believe Jabari Greer will be able to hold his own against Reggie Wayne, but Sharper will have to help out Tracy Porter and the rest of the Saints’ cornerbacks with Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. And of course, there’s also Dallas Clark.

Either way the game goes Sunday, let’s all hope for an exciting matchup. Enjoy the game!

TWO POINT CONVERSION

- I’ve just finished reading the scariest item I’ve ever seen: NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith said in regards to how likely a lockout is in 2011, “On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s a 14.”

- the Buffalo Bills are switching to a 3-4 base defence. This one won’t be pretty, give it some time

Here’s your bikini of the day from getabikini.com:

On Fan 590 Tonight-

- Grapeline with Don Cherry & Brian Williams at 4:45
- Bob McCown’s co-host from 5:00 to 7:00 is Stephen Brunt
- Robbie Alomar
- Mike Keenan
-Other Conn Smythe dinner guests

On 640 with Brady and Watters thanks to Mike S.:
- Bryan Colangelo, GM of the Raptors
- Rob Higgins, fantasy hockey expert
- hockey insider Pierre McGuire at 6:10
- Lana Duke, owner of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Toronto and a lifelong New Orleans Saints fan

They were some real eye-openers Sunday afternoon, none more so than the Cincinnati Bengals. With their 18-12 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals have moved to 7-2 on the year, but more importantly control the AFC North. They’re a combined 4-0 against the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens this year, and enter a very easy stretch in their schedule. With the way their defence is playing, they should be able to keep the division lead for quite a while.

THE GOOD

Two teams have done an excellent job turning their seasons around – the Carolina Panthers and the Tennessee Titans. Carolina moved to 4-5 with a tough win over Atlanta, thanks in large part to Jake Delhomme. The embattled quarterback was dreadful earlier this season, but has been able to right his game enough to get some wins. Sunday afternoon he threw for just under 200 yards and two scores. With wins in four of their last six (and they should have been able to capitalize against New Orleans last week), the Panthers are still in the race for an NFC wildcard spot.

Tennessee, meanwhile, has won three straight games with Vince Young back under centre. Chris Johnson has rushed for just under 500 yards in those three wins, and their defence seems to be restoring some of its swagger from last season. Word of caution to their next opponents: the Titans are out to show their 0-6 start was a fluke. Word of caution to Titans fans: the three wins have come against Jacksonville, San Francisco, and Buffalo.

THE BAD

Maybe it was just a case of looking past a weak opponent, but the New Orleans Saints need to be careful. I’ve watched the team four weeks in a row now, and I haven’t been impressed with their performance in any of the contests. A narrow five point win over the St. Louis Rams, a game in which the Rams deserved a better fate, tells me that Head Coach Sean Payton needs to get his team better prepared for games. As I’ve said before, come playoff time, the Saints aren’t going to go far if they keep allowing inferior teams to stay in the game.

THE UGLY

The Dallas Cowboys had a great opportunity to open up a two game lead in the NFC East, and went out and had a pathetic outing versus the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys offensive statistics may look adequate, but most of their effectiveness came in garbage time when the Packers were up 17-0. The ‘boys didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter, and Dallas running backs managed only 45 yards on 11 carries. So much for Tony Romo’s November magic.

I know they’re still three games over 500, but this is the Denver Broncos team I thought I’d see. I give full marks to Kyle Orton for finally throwing the ball over 20 yards (he did it twice!),  but even with Orton going down, they have to beat the Washington Redskins. With three straight losses, the Broncos are now tied with the San Diego Chargers in the AFC West.

TWO POINT CONVERSION

- I know the games generate a lot of revenue for specific markets, but can’t the league switch the Monday nighter if it looks like a dud? I’m sorry, but Baltimore @ Cleveland just doesn’t rev my engine as a Week Ten matchup this season

- Josh Freeman had another nice outing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Count me as surprised. Freeman actually leads the Bucs on scoring drives – a nice change from the quarterback play they were getting earlier in the season

There’s a lot going on right now – Hockey season’s in full swing, with basketball just around the corner. Meanwhile, we’re starting to get a clearer look at the NFL picture, while just two teams remain in Major League Baseball. Locally, things aren’t pretty, but there’s plenty to talk about.

• Are the Toronto Maple Leafs awful, unlucky, or both? It’s a little confusing when you watch them play, but that third period on Saturday night summed up their season nicely. Even when the effort is there, and it was, there simply aren’t enough finishers up front. Sure, Ron Wilson, blame Luongo’s stellar play… Have you noticed that most goalies seem to be on their “A” game against Toronto? Reminds me of Raptors fans justifying the outside shooting of an opponent – “Come on, Shane Battier will never go 7/8 from three-point land again”… If something happens enough, it’s time to look in the mirror.
• That being said, Phil Kessel will help. The cynic will say there’s nobody to get him the puck, but the guy can score. Toronto had plenty of chances to even the score on Saturday, but lack a sniper to get the job done. Speaking of Kessel, let’s talk about the No. 1 pick fiasco. The trade looks horrible right now, but is it? Yes, the Leafs may end up with the first pick in next year’s draft, but it’s still quite possible to move up. In any case, there’s absolutely no guarantee Burke lands a young player with as much potential as Kessel. And really, that’s all the draft is. That first round pick is an imaginary player – If Burke still had the pick and used it on this year’s Phil Kessel, what’s the difference? He’s young, great, and locked up. The GM was certainly banking on a better season from his team, but it’s still possible to view the trade with the glass half full.
• Who wins first – The Leafs or the Raptors? I’ll say the Raps win on Friday in Memphis, so it’ll be tight.
• Speaking of the Toronto Raptors, their first month could be pretty miserable. Games against Cleveland, Orlando, Detroit, New Orleans, San Antonio, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Denver and Utah would be tough for anybody, and especially a team that still hasn’t gelled whatsoever. I’m not saying it’s time to panic – Quite the contrary, actually… But reasonable fans should expect to get killed in at least a few of the early contests. Toronto showed very few signs of improvement throughout the preseason, and going 5-10 out of the gate shouldn’t surprise anyone. The playoffs are still attainable, but the start will be rough. If the team improves, there will be plenty of time to right the ship.
• Despite Frank Zicarelli’s objection, it’s the right call to start DeMar DeRozan. I really think Frank has it completely wrong on this one – He talks about hiding rookies, but the second unit is no place for this. The Raptors backups are having enough trouble scoring and it makes no sense to give DeRozan that responsibility. Instead, let the kid do what he’s been doing – filling the lane, cutting to the hoop, and getting to the line. The starting unit is filled with scoring, meaning DeRozan will get his without having plays run for him. It’s the perfect spot to get him minutes, and it’s not like anybody else has earned them. Antoine Wright? Please, you don’t earn minutes by sitting on the bench, especially when you’ve accomplished next to nothing in this league.
• More important than the starting lineup is the finishing lineup. Right now, I’d say the Raps end games with a lineup of Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Obviously, it’s somewhat dependant on the situation.
• Vince Carter is going to have a huge year for the Orlando Magic. Huge.
• What happened to the Miami Dolphins yesterday? As well as New Orleans played in the second half, it was perplexing to watch Miami abandon their game plan. This team is built on running, but insisted on throwing with a huge lead. It made absolutely no sense, and ended in disaster. On the other side of the ball, the Saints continued to prove they are among football’s elite.
• On the other hand, the New York Giants had every opportunity to beat Arizona, but insisted on handing the game to the Cardinals. Last week, it was the defense. This week, it was the offense. Tom Coughlin has to get them ready for a tough Eagles squad before the wheels completely fall off.
• I hate the Dallas Cowboys, but Tony Romo is a very good quarterback. It’s ridiculous what people say about him, despite the way he carries that offense. Nobody is a “winner” until they win. Peyton couldn’t win in the playoffs, until he did. Same goes for Eli. One of these years, a whole lot of people will be eating crow with regards to Romo.
• Troy Polamalu completely changes the Steelers defense. They were average in his absence, and beastly in his return.
• How depressing is this world series matchup for Cleveland Indians fans? The starting pitchers for Game 1 – CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee – both played for the Indians last season. At least they still have LeBron James… for now.
• As for Philadelphia vs New York, it’s too close to call. Two powerful lineups, two good pitching staffs. The series goes six or seven.
• My “wows” for the week go to Anze Kopitar, Vernon Davis, Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Howard.

-DL

This week wasn’t so much about teams that proved their worth to me, more about teams that fell far below my expectations. If Cincinnati wants to be taken seriously in the AFC North, they need to beat Houston at home. The New York Jets cannot lose to the Buffalo Bills at home, it’s simply inexcusable for a team that knocked off the New England Patriots just a few weeks ago. And then there’s Philadelphia and Washington….

But there were some solid performances to speak of as well, so that’s where we’ll start.

THE GOOD

The New Orleans Saints are looking like quite the NFC powerhouse right now. I did not expect them to beat the Giants, let alone embarrass them.  Drew Brees shredded the G-Men’s secondary for 369 yards and four touchdowns, and Marques Colston caught eight passes for 161 yards and a score. Even with Minnesota remaining undefeated, the Saints are a far better team due to the way they’re winning games. That’s two undefeated New York teams in three weeks to travel into the Superdome, and two New York teams humiliated.

The Arizona Cardinals went a long way to proving they weren’t just a one year wonder by thoroughly handling the Seattle Seahawks. In a key NFC West matchup, in the harsh atmosphere of Qwest, scored an early touchdown, and never looked back. Kurt Warner completed 32 of 41 passes for just under three hundred yards and a pair of scores before Matt Leinart (remember him) came in for mop-up duty. But the key figure of the game that stood out to me – Arizona allowed only 14 rushing yards. I know the Seahawks aren’t big-time running team anymore, but that is one impressive number.

THE BAD

I knew Tennessee was bad this year. I didn’t know they were that bad. I gave them a very small chance to go winless based on the talent that still remains on their roster, but yesterday was just plain wrong. Was Tom Brady playing against a scout team? Jeff Fisher should make the switch and go with Vince Young for the rest of the season. Who knows, maybe he can get them a win or two.

Sticking with the same game: when your quarterback has just set an NFL record with five touchdown passes in a quarter and you lead 45-0 at half, you do not send said quarterback out to start the second half. It’s called sportsmanship Mr. Belichick.

Neither the Atlanta Falcons nor Chicago Bears looked like serious threats Sunday night. Costly interceptions, fumbles from the goal line, and stupid penalties (way to cost your team a chance to win Orlando Pace) occurred far too often in the game, and each team needs to: a) get their running games back on track, and b) stop having their defences give up long scoring drives

THE UGLY

What can I possibly say about the Washington Redskins? They beat the St. Louis Rams by two points. They become the first team to lose to the Detroit Lions in almost two years. They defeat Tampa Bay by a measly field goal. And then they lose to the Kansas City Chiefs. The combined record of their last four opponents is 2-22. Jim Zorn should pull a Bobby Petrino and quit midseason to bolt for college. Oh wait – I don’t think there’s a college program that would be interested.

The Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Oakland Raiders. There’s no need to go deeper into that one.

TWO POINT CONVERSION

- the New York Jets suffered another huge loss today, literally. 360 pound nose tackle Kris Jenkins will be out for the season according to the NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi. The Jets should call the Browns immediately about Shaun Rogers. Eric Mangini has already given his former team Mark Sanchez and Braylon Edwards, maybe he’d be willing to do another favour

- the trade deadline’s tomorrow, and it’s the one time of year I wish the NFL was more like the other North American professional sports leagues. Nothing would make me happier than somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20 trades with at least four star players changing teams. It won’t happen, but I can dream

Week Four has almost come to an end, and as I write this, I’ve only seen one team playing in the Sunday nighter. San Diego, care to show up for the second half? Right now, it looks like Pittsburgh is responding well to my claim that they needed a statement game to prove their worth to the league.

Sticking on the topic of statement games, how ’bout those Denver Broncos. After an early Marion Barber touchdown, the Broncos completely shut down the Dallas Cowboys and moved to 4-0. They’ve now won more games than I thought they’d win all year, and I’m really curious to see if their defence can keep it up.

And then there’s Tennessee. I won’t get into too much detail today… but that was pathetic. I would not want to be Jeff Fisher right now. Without further delay, let’s get into the goods.

THE GOOD

Matt Stafford flashed his potential in the first half of Detroit’s 48-24 loss to Chicago. He led the Lions on three touchdown drives, and finished the day 24 of 36 for 296 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Detroit has to be excited about what he’s shown thus far, even if his record may not be as sparkling as the Sanchize in New York.

I’d also like to contragulate two other quarterbacks making their debuts: both Chad Henne of Miami and Josh Johnson of Tampa Bay looked comfortable under center. Henne got the Dolphins their first win of the season in a cake walk over the Bills, while Johnson kept his team close to the Redskins, only to lose by three. Great debuts for both men.

The New Orleans Saints got by the New York Jets 24-10, without a strong day from quarterback Drew Brees. He threw for only 190 and no scores, and instead the Saints were led by their… defence? Perenially a laughing stock, New Orleans’ defence is thriving under coordinator Gregg Williams, and contributed two scores – a 99 yard interception return by Darren Sharper, and a fumble recovery in the endzone by Remi Ayodele. If the defence can keep up the strong play, New Orleans will be a force come January.

 
THE BAD

Matt Stafford may have a dislocated right kneecap. The Lions did not comment on the extent of the injury after the game, and Stafford will undergo tests Monday. Tough break coming off a career day for the young signal caller.

If the Cincinatti Bengals wanted to be taken seriously following their upset win over Pittsburgh, they sure didn’t show it. Yes they beat the Browns 23-20 in overtime – but they beat the Browns 23-20 in overtime. You cannot barely escape Cleveland with a win if you want to be a contender, you need to walk all over them and move on.

 
THE UGLY

Tony Romo is crippling the Dallas Cowboys. He was 25 of 42 for 255 yards and a pick against the Broncos, and went without a passing touchdown for the second straight week. Even worse, he’s going to get someone hurt. He was constantly throwing high to his receivers, and in particular, he left Roy Williams out to dry with a high pass. Williams went up for the ball, and was drilled in the ribs by linebacker DJ Williams when he was coming down. If this keeps up, we may see Jon Kitna quarterbacking America’s Team soon.

Cleveland is bad, St. Louis is worse. 108 passing yards from Kyle Boller. 79 rushing yards from Steven Jackson. Three turnovers, all leading to San Fransisco defensive touchdowns. Right now, I’m looking at the Rams’ Week Eight matchup with Detroit and thinking that the Lions are going to blow out their opponent.

 
TWO POINT CONVERSION

- here’s how the Oakland Raiders’ last three first round picks performed against Houston; QB JaMarcus Russell (1st overall, 2007) 12 of 33 passing for 128 yards; RB Darren McFadden (4th, 2008) 6 carries, -3 yards; WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (7th, 2009) one catch for 18 yards. Yep, that sure is a black hole in Oakland alright – it’s pulling in talent and not giving it back

- the Miami Dolphins had eight different players run the ball against the Bills. Who says the Wildcat is dead?

*** NOTE ***

By the time I finished writing this, the Sunday nighter sits at 35-21 Pittsburgh. At least San Diego played 30 minutes of football.

Each week of the NFL season, I will preview matchups, give my point-spread predictions, and offer fantasy advice for the day ahead.

Week 2 is always tough – It’s easy to draw conclusions from opening week performances, but those can be misleading. Don’t forget, the Giants were 0-2 in 2007, and heading for a third straight defeat against Washington. Suddenly, they’re Super Bowl champs. Similarly, players can significantly impact expectations in Week 1. Yes, Mark Sanchez dominated the Texans, while Andre Johnson struggled. I’m seeing some changes in the immediate future.

With that said, here are the 1 p.m. game previews. Picks are in bold:

Oakland at Kansas City (-3)

Despite the Raiders heartbreaking loss to San Diego, I was impressed. Richard Seymour made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball and Oakland’s running game looked good. Michael Bush and Darren McFadden should combine for nice totals in their platoon against a Kansas City defence that struggled to stop Baltimore’s rushing attack in Week 1. Considering this will be Matt Cassel’s first game back from a sprained MCL, it’s hard to recommend any Chiefs player aside from Larry Johnson. Dwayne Bowe caught a touchdown against Baltimore and should have a nice season, but it might take a game before Cassel is back in rhythm. JaMarcus Russell has a strong arm but the majority of his passes will be short tosses to Bush and McFadden, while tight end Zach Miller caught six balls against the Chargers.

Houston at Tennessee (-7)

It’s a tough spread to pick, because it’s hard to believe Houston will replicate Week 1’s bad offensive performance against the Jets. Still, the Titans had plenty of chances to beat the Steelers in Week 1 and will be fired up for their home opener. Tennessee should cover, but barely, since they love to pound the ball on the ground. It’s an especially good idea against a weak Texans defence as Chris Johnson and LenDale White should do plenty of damage. Justin Gage has been a favourite of Kerry Collins and should continue to provide solid numbers. Kevin Walter returns for Houston and will help free up Andre Johnson, who was quiet in Week 1. And while Tennessee smothered the Steelers’ running game, Steve Slaton was surprisingly effective against the Titans last season. I would play Slaton in most formats, but especially if your league counts points-per-reception.

New York Jets at New England (-3.5)

New England was lucky to escape with a win against Buffalo and will be fired up against a division rival and rookie quarterback. Sanchez looks headed for plenty of future success, but I would stay away against the experienced Patriots. The running game should be plenty effective, though, as Thomas Jones and Leon Washington provide the Jets with a formidable tandem. While their stats looked similar last week, Washington was easily the better back throughout the game, but Jones is the better play in touchdown-centric leagues that ignore points-per-reception. Tom Brady will throw a ton on Sunday, making Randy Moss and Wes Welker must-starts, while Bejamin Watson and Kevin Faulk could make an impact. Faulk is a great play in points-per-reception leagues.

Cincinnati at Green Bay (-9)

The Bengals offence was stagnant in a rough Week 1, as Laveranues Coles failed to produce as the No. 2 receiver. I got burned playing Chris Henry but I’m sticking with him against the Packers. After Chad Ocho Cinco, Henry should be Carson Palmer’s second favourite target. Cedric Benson had a decent game against Denver but will struggle against the Packers’ defence. Green Bay has a habit of making things interesting, but Aaron Rodgers and the offence should provide plenty of fireworks. Expect big things from Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Ryan Grant.

Minnesota (-10) at Detroit

The Lions will win a game this year, but it won’t be this week. Look for Adrian Peterson to manhandle Detroit, while Chester Taylor will make a nice flex play and most likely see the endzone. With a big lead, don’t expect to see Brett Favre air it out, but pay plenty of attention to rookie Percy Harvin. I was glad I used Harvin in Week 1 and he will continue to line up all over the field against the Lions. With Favre sticking to short passes and screens, look for Harvin to break at least one huge play. He also has a history of relying on tight ends, meaning Visanthe Shiancoe could be useful. I wouldn’t hesitate to play Bernard Berrian either – yes, there are plenty of options when you are facing the Lions. Calvin Johnson is still an obvious play for Detroit, while Kevin Smith will have the ball in his hands all game and will produce especially well in points-per-reception leagues.

New Orleans (-1.5) at Philadelphia

Philly plays at home and dominated the Panthers in Week 1, but I like the Saints to keep rolling against the Kevin Kolb-led Eagles. Barring a surprise start from the injured Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia should lean even heavier than usual on Brian Westbrook, while DeSean Jackson and the rest of the receivers won’t have as much value against an improved Saints’ defence. Drew Brees isn’t facing the Lions anymore but should still be successful against Philadelphia. Jeremy Shockey already has two more touchdowns than last season and will be targeted plenty, while Marques Colston is the best of New Orleans’ deep receiver corp. I wouldn’t touch any of the Saints’ running backs, considering Philly has success defending the run, while a three-way platoon is tough to read. If I had to choose, Mike Bell is the short-term favourite to get redzone carries, but every TD came through the air in Week 1.

Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)

The Cardinals played nothing like the 2008 model in Week 1, as Kurt Warner and the vaunted offence struggled in a loss to the 49ers. I expect Arizona to rebound against a Jaguars squad that allowed Peyton Manning to complete over 70% of his passes last week. Larry Fitzgerald is a stud, but he and Warner will be impacted by the health of Anquan Boldin, who is questionable with a hamstring injury – keep an eye on his status. Running back Tim Hightower caught a boatload of passes against San Francisco, but that was probably an aberration. I would expect Jacksonville to try and run the ball with Maurice Jones-Drew, who is an absolute monster in points-per-reception leagues, while producing very well in other formats. Still, I expect the Cardinals to stack the box and force the Jags to throw – something I think results in Arizon’s first win.

St. Louis at Washington (-9.5)

The Rams really stink and I think Washington dominates this game. Jason Campbell struggled to find his rhythm against the Giants but should have more time to throw against a defence that will have trouble stopping Clinton Portis. I wouldn’t normally recommend Campbell, but this would be a good time to use him if your other quarterback has a bad matchup. I love Chris Cooley against the Rams, while Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El should have plenty of opportunities to make plays. In touchdown-centric leagues, Ladell Betts would be a solid flex option and has a good chance to see the endzone. There’s not much to like about St. Louis aside from Steven Jackson – He was solid in Week 1 and continues to be one of the most productive players in any format, especially point-per-reception leagues. Tough luck for those who invested in Donnie Avery… it appears that Laurent Robinson is Marc Bulger’s favourite target and is a threat to make a big play on Sunday.

Good luck.

-DL

Here is RotoRob’s latest column.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, resting most of their regulars, failed to tie the NBA record with their 40th home win on Wednesday night. But make no mistake: Quicken Loans Arena has become the hardest place for a road team to come away with an NBA win. And get this: apparently, images designed to whip the home town fans into a booing frenzy are put up on the video screen when opponents go the free throw line. Among the hate-inducing shots: Michigan, Boston Red Sox and John Elway pics seem to do the trick best.

Speaking of Elway, did you hear that his son Jack left the Arizona State football program last week? Apparently, ìheís just tired of football and wants do something else with his life,î according to ASU coach Dennis Erickson. Something else? Like what? Be a trust fund baby? Hey! Actually, thatís my goal as well.

While weíre talking Sun Devils football, theyíve got this young new quarterback this year named Brock Osweiler. Heís 6í8î! And that is one serious rarity for a QB. The only signal caller that tall to ever play in the NFL was failed first rounder Dan McGwire, brother of Mark. Gonzaga tried to recruit Osweiler to play basketball, but he ultimately decided heíd rather play football.

With the NFL draft less than two weeks away, weíre heavily into mock draft season. Iíve seen a couple where the Oakland Raiders are projected to take Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin with the seventh overall pick. This guyís speed with JaMarcus Russellís arm could be a great combination down the road.

The 2009 NFL schedule is out now, by the way. Just over 150 days to go before the start of the season. Are you ready for some football?

With Nate Washington gone, Martin Nance could be a player to watch on the Steelers. Ben Roethlisbergerís former college teammate is looking to stick as a third receiver for Pittsburgh.

Now that Mark Sanchez has decided to enter the draft, there will actually be a competition for the QB job at USC for the first time in over half a decade.

How the hell do the Steelers win the Super Bowl and wind up getting an easier schedule the next season? What a crock of shit.

The New Orleans Saints, who got back to .500 last year, should vault over that this season, as they too have an easier schedule in 2009.

On Thursday, the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame will induct four new members, the first new entrants since 2002. Among the inductees: Bob Horner and Darren Woodson. Horner burst onto the scene, going directly to the majors after the draft. He enjoyed a great rookie year, taking home NL ROY honours right after winning the Golden Spikes as college baseball’s top player. Injuries cut Horner’s career short, but he still wound up driving in 685 runs in 1,020 career games.

The Arizona Cardinals are listening to offers for Anquan Boldin. If he winds up in Dallas, as rumoured, RotoRob football writer Andy Goldstein ñ a long-time Boldin man-crush victim who relocated in Dallas a couple of years ago ñ might die from sheer pleasure.

How about the season debut of MNF this year? Terrell Owensí debut as a Bill and Tom Bradyís comeback game, not to mention the old AFC East rivalry juices that be flowing — now that’s a recipe for a classic.