Sunday 1 PM
San Francisco 49ers (0-2) vs Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) @ Arrowhead on FOX
Line: SF by 3
Reason to watch: Chiefs have to very exciting players in Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster. San Fran played the New Orleans Saints tough at home on Monday, despite being 0-2 they are from out of it in the wide open NFC West. Watch out for the K.C. defense, they are stacked with former 1st rounders (Dorsey, Jackson, Eric Berry, Hali, Johnson) and with Romeo Crennel this could be one of the top defenses all season.
Sum it up: Make or Break time for the Niners, Chiefs maybe content bunch starting 2-0.
Detroit Lions (0-2) vs Minnesota Vikings (0-2) @ Metrodome on FOX
Line: Minny by 11
Reason to watch: Lions rookie Jahvid Best continues to light up the scoreboard and stat sheet. Best needs two more TDs to set a rookie mark for most TDs by a rookie in the first three games. Best leads the Lions with 14 receptions. The Vikings almost made it a game last despite Brett Favre turning the ball over three times. Adrian Peterson was un-touchable at times against a tough Miami D. With Percy Harvin questionable, Favre’s receivers will be Berrian, Greg Lewis, Greg Camarillo and Hank (Playboy) Baskett.
Sum it up: Lions played well against an arguably better Philly team last week. Minny looks lost on offense, Ndamukong Suh may kill Favre this weekend.
Buffalo Bills (0-2) vs New England Patriots (1-1) @ Gillette on CBS
Line: Pats by 14.5
Reason to watch: Your that guy at the bar that loves to see the little guy get the crapped kicked out of him by the much larger (possibly steroid filled) bouncer. The Billies are a terrible on offense and have now gone back to Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick. I don’t know who the genius in the room who decided to take a third running back when their offensive line can’t open a can of beans. This unit literally let Packers Clay Matthews prison rape Trent Edwards last week (some real Oz type stuff). The Pats need a better performance out of their young cornerbacks rookie Devin McCourty and Darius Butler if they plan on winning the AFC East.
Sum it up: Watch a movie like 300, Sin City, or Saving Private Ryan to desensitize yourself from this blood-bath. Pats win big.
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) vs New Orleans Saints (2-0) @ Superdome on FOX
Line: Saints by 4
Reason to watch: Another good inter-division match here, Drew Brees is 7-1 in his lifetime vs the Falcons. Losing Reggie Bush is gonna hurt the passing game, expect the Saints to incorperate more four wide sets and use receiver Robert Meachem more. Meachem can help stretch the field and is a big target against the Falcons smaller DBs. Michael Turner looked good in limited action against Arizona. He averaged 8.3 ypc on 9 carries for 75 yards before leaving with a groin injury. Jason Snelling didn’t drop off one bit on 24 carries he ran for 129 yards with 5 catches for 57 yards and 3 TDs. Matt Ryan to Roddy White have been very successful this year hooking up for 20 times for 189 yards and 1 TD
Sum it up: This game will probably be another field goal game. New Orleans on short week still takes it at home.
Tennessee Titans (1-1) vs New York Giants (1-1) @ New Meadowland Stadium on CBS
Line: NY by 3
Reason to watch: To see Chris Johnson run all over a Giants defense that does not look impressive right now. DC Perry Fewell is gonna have his hands full against one of the better offensive line units in the league. If Vince Young can stay confident after his third benching in as many years, The Titans will run to set up the play action pass that VY works so well out of. Eli Manning isn’t without weapons himself, he’s really developing a nice chemistry with Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks. Ahmad Bradshaw should be in line for his first 25-30 carry game of his career.
Sum it up: Maybe we get a couple of long CJ2K runs, other then that it’s probably a tough defensive battle.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) @ Raymond James on CBS
Line: Pit -3
Reason to watch: Because you still can’t believe the Bucs are 2-0. Bucs have benefitted from some favorable scheduling that had them against the offensively inept Cleveland Browns and the sinking Carolina Panthers. QB Josh Freeman has his first real test of the year against a Pittsburgh D that comes back year after year meaner and meaner. Steeler safety Troy Polamalu has been awesome this year with 11 tackles and two INTs. The Steelers will start Charlie Batch under center this week, Batch is kinda like the Kevin Costner of the NFL where you have to keep asking yourself “how does this guy keep getting work”. If you own Rashard Mendenhall in fantasy, it’s gonna be another rough weak as teams will try and force the Steelers to beat them thru the passing game.
Sum it up: You think Giants/Titans is gonna be a snooze-fest, well this is your game if your looking for a nice siesta. Steelers walk to 3-0 and one step closer to Big Ben.
Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) vs Carolina Panthers (0-2) @ Bank of America on CBS
Line: Cinncy by -4
Reason to watch: This might as well be called the Kiper/McShay Bowl when QB Jimmy Clausen starts for the Panthers on Sunday. Both men have basically stacked their reputations on the line (and possibly their career) on Clausen success in the NFL (Kiper believes he a good player with a long future a head, McShay believes he’s overhyped/bust). The Bengals were aweful in the red zone against a Baltimore D that gave them plenty of chances to put points on the board. Panthers Coach John Fox needs Clausen to inspire a team that might have checked out mentally with a lame duck coach.
Sum it up: Bengals could end up making that pink slip come one week earlier then Foxy would like.
Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs Baltimore Ravens (1-1) M&T Bank on CBS
Line: Bal by 11
Reason to watch: Baltimore struggled last week on offense this season but have owned Cleveland for the last three season and don’t expect much to change in this one. RB Ray Rice should be due for a big game against an average Browns run-d. QB Joe Flacco may struggle against a tough Browns secondary.
Sum it up: Ravens move to 2-1, Browns move one step closer to following Buffalo on Draft day.
Dallas Cowboys (0-2) vs Houston Texans (2-0) Reliant on FOX
Line: Hou by 3
Reason to watch: Matt Schaub leads one of the most exciting offense in the NFL. The Texans are showing some real back bone this season, winning against the Colts with a powerful run game then a come back road win lead by Schaub and almost 500 passing yards. The Texans will suffered a big blow this week when LT Duane Brown was suspended for violating the NFL’s policy for performance enhancing drugs. Rashard Butler will make his first career start against DeMarcus Ware and the ‘Boys defense. Butler should try and locate Eagles tackle Winston Justice phone number after the game for consolation and how to cope with being lit up like a Christmas tree. Two of the top receivers are featured in this one with Texans Andre Johnson and Cowboys Miles Austin.
Sum it up: This is a must win for the Cowboys to have any shot at playing in Jerry Land in February.