JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VS BUFFALO BILLS
The Bills have yet to win a game this year putting them at 0-4 on the season so far. This team officially belongs to Ryan Fitzpatrick after Trent Edwards was sent packing after a few seasons of trying to prove himself. They're going up against another inconsistent team in the Jaguars who last week kicked their way to an upset against the Colts (or was it?). For the past few years Jacksonville has been up and down on a week to week basis. One week David Garrard looks like Donovan McNabb and the next week he looks like JaMarcus Russell. We really won't know what this team is until they finally put up great performances over a long period of time. Buffalo has shown flashes of improvement including almost beating the teams in their division (key word is almost). They are eventually going to keep it together for a win and there's not a better week to do it then at home.
WINNER: BUFFALO
DENVER BRONCOS VS BALTIMORE RAVENS
It took years for everyone to finally realize it but it looks like Kyle Orton may very well be the real deal. Orton has been showing Bronco fans that maybe shifting off Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall the past two seasons may be paying off with one of the top passing offenses in the NFL. That offense was able to fend off a very tough (and they claim to be "cheap") Tennessee defense last week. Now they get to go from one good defense right into another one. If they thought the Titan's defense was "cheap" because of their hard hitting and stuff just wait until they go up against the Ravens. After all these years Baltimore continues to be so dominant on that side of the ball. The difference is that the Titans weren't really able to sustain a consistent offense like they should have. Joe Flacco has been up and down so far this year but he has much better weapons at wide receiver that the Titans do. Not to mention a rushing attack that they plan on showing off to help the pass out. The Ravens just came off of beating the then undefeated Steelers last week to tie for first place in the AFC North. Both of these teams can't win this week (but they can tie) but this game will come down to who will have the most fire power on offense. The Ravens' D will slow Denver down a little but I don't think the Broncos' D will be able to do the same.
WINNER: BALTIMORE
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
There's something in the air. Could it be an upset? The Chiefs are the NFL's only undefeated team left. I have been saying for the past 3 years that I think they have been picking up some great young talent that will be great as soon as they bring it all together. It look as so they have finally done that. Matt Cassel is finally playing like the quarterback they wanted him to be. Although when you have Charlie Weis as an offensive coordinator (who used to run the offense in New England during the Super Bowl years) no one should be surprised. They are kind of like a young New England team in the way they play great team football and win in all aspects of the game. Their success will really be tested this weekend and we will finally see if they are for real when they travel to Indianapolis to battle the Colts. Can anyone really imagine the Colts losing 2 weeks in a row? They still haven't found that running game that's been missing for quite some time now. Peyton Manning has continued to carry that team on his back as he's done for many years (the last time the Colts lost more than 4 games in a season was Manning's rookie year). Peyton has already put up almost 1,500 passing yards (so has a few other QBs, look out Dan Marino) and will need to continue that success if they want to win this week. Will the Colts win 12 games this year? I don't think so. Will the Chiefs have a great year? I do think so. Although in order to be an elite team eventually they will have to be knocked off of that high they are probably on by being undefeated and humble them a little to show them it can happen. Then they will be able to go on and be successful. It's also best for it to happen early. Good thing they're playing the Colts.
WINNER: INDIANAPOLIS
GREEN BAY PACKERS VS WASHINGTON REDSKINS
The Redskins' defense looked to have finally grown up last week against the Eagles (although the Eagles' O-Line is terrible). They really need a repeat performance like that moving forward if they want to succeed. The problem though was once their defense played well their offense didn't play as hot. Washington has too good of a coach to continue to let his team to stay unbalanced like that. Everyone knows how there has been so much Super Bowl talk surrounding the Packers since before the football season started. Aaron Rodgers is playing at a very high level right now (but not quite good enough to get his own street yet). They also have Clay Matthews, the best defensive player in the NFL so far to go along with the rest of the great defense they have. Now we do know the Redskins can put up big numbers offensively by watching the Houston game and that's exactly what they will need to do this week at home to match the points the Packers plan on trying to put up. I say try to put up because we all know they are going to pass the ball because of the HUGE lack of a running game in Green Bay. That will make them one dimensional and give Washington something to really focus on. Meanwhile the Redskins will be more balanced and continue to show why Donovan McNabb was the right move to make for their football team.
WINNER: WASHINGTON
ST LOUIS RAMS VS DETROIT LIONS
The first place Rams. Who would've ever thought u would be able to say that? Especially with a rookie quarterback in Sam Bradford (the number one overall pick in the NFL draft). Bradford has already shown flashes of looking like a veteran. The West is so wide open right now and they could very well go to the playoffs when it's all over. The Lions, on the other hand, are a lot better than their record. They were a controversial call away from beating the Bears and really hung in there with the Vikings. Detroit was able to do this without their star quarterback Matthew Stafford. They do have more weapons on offense though. The running game with Jahvid Best has really been surprising the league and of course we all know that Calvin Johnson is a beast. their defense has been a little better as well. The Rams with Steven Jackson has the running game that has been able to help the rookie quarterback out a lot. Detroit is playing at home and will eventually win a game this year, and this will be the week.
WINNER: DETROIT
CHICAGO BEARS VS CAROLINA PANTHERS
Julius Peppers returns home as the Bears go to Carolina to play the Panthers. Peppers is part of a defense that has help keep Chicago in first place of the NFC North (for now). There has been a lot of question weather the Bears are a legit team or a really lucky one so far. This week doesn't really help them when they're going up against a winless Carolina team that doesn't really know who they are right now. The Panthers thought Matt Moore was the answer at quarterback but it still looks like they don't know who the answer will be. Rookie Jimmy Clausen has been showing flashes of good (it helps to have had Steve Smith). Jay Cutler is banged up and won't be playing in this game. That's good news for the Panthers, but they won't have Steve Smith. A young QB really needs a lot of help to build confidence and without Smith they will need to keep that running game going (or really get it going anyway). That is going to be a hard test against Chicago and even without Cutler the Bears have a better supporting cast.
WINNER: CHICAGO
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS VS CINCINNATI BENGALS
The first 2 weeks of the season the Bucs looked like they may be contenders this year with Josh Freeman really looking like he's grown up. I still believe he's grown up but I don't think they're ready to contend yet. This is really Freeman's team considering the running game hasn't gone anywhere so far and that defense is bad against the pass. That just may be what the Bengals want to hear with Carson Palmer really struggling so far with being accurate with the football (which is something he doesn't want to do with the recievers he has). We all know what Cincinnati's running game can do but this will have to be the week they get the passing game going like everyone expected them to be able to. I think they get the job done.
WINNER: CINCINNATI
ATLANTA FALCONS VS CLEVELAND BROWNS
It seems like every year the NFC south has a different team at the top. Right now it's the Atlanta Falcons. There are people now saying that they just may be the team to beat in the NFC. Matt Ryan is starting to get going this year and that running game (regardless of which running back they have in) is really pounding their opponents. Are they the best in the NFC? Not so fast. they are good, but they are not the best. They will win the south though, and they will win this football game. The Cleveland Browns have shown flashes of... okay they haven't really shown flashes of anything. The only thing they've proven so far to the NFL is that Jake Delhomme may need to go ahead and retire. That team belongs to Seneca Wallace (and of course Josh Cribbs). I can't believe this is the same Browns team that finished the season like they did last year. So far this year the Browns have started slow, they will cruise slow, and they will finish slow.
WINNER: ATLANTA
NEW YORK GIANTS VS HOUSTON TEXANS
The Giants are a lot better than their record says they are. The problem is that they just get way too many penalties. They should be better disciplined than that if they want to go to the playoffs, especially when the rest of the division isn't really doing anything right now (they are all up and down). The Giants really need to stay healthy at wide receiver as well if they want to continue to contend. The Texans may be without their star wideout Andre Johnson with an ankle injury (he's a game time decision but will probably go). This is the year Houston has to prove to everyone that they are finally here. They have a running game now with Arian Foster to go with that high explosive passing game. They called themselves showing everyone that when they beat the Colts (but then the Jags beat them too). Being in the tough AFC South the Texans don't want to have to be at the end of the season trying to win games. They are already in first place and need to win games like this to stay there. Weather they will win the division is still yet to be seen, but they will stay on top for at least another week.
WINNER: HOUSTON
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS ARIZONA CARDINALS
The Saints have been exposed a little bit this season (I know they've only lost one game so far). They don't have a running game right now with Pierre Thomas being out (and I guess Reggie Bush sort of hurt them too). All of the weight has really been on Drew Brees to deliver. So far so good but if they want to keep up with Atlanta and prove that the same team can win the NFC South two years in a row they will have to run the football and play decent defense. I say decent defense because they're playing the Cardinals this week. Let's face it. No Kurt Warner, no running game, and no consistency and Arizona is a team that's sort of just filling up space to make the NFL divisions all even numbers. Derek Anderson wasn't the answer in Cleveland so what made them think he would be the answer in Arizona? This is a guy they used to flip a coin to see who would start between him and Brady Quinn. I feel bad for Larry Fitzgerald (and anyone who has him on their fantasy team). The NFC West is the weakest division in football and which ever team actually ends up winning the division will see a quick exit out of the playoffs.
WINNER: NEW ORLEANS
TENNESSEE TITANS VS DALLAS COWBOYS.
The Titans are looking to prove they are an elite team while the Cowboys are just trying to get to .500. Before Dallas went on their bye week they finally looked like the team to beat when they beat up the Texans. Now they've had time to rest up and get the rest of the pieces together. This can be a real statement game for the Titans if they can win this game. If they do they will have to get the running game going. Chris Johnson hasn't really been living up to everything he's been saying he is (mainly because of the huge target he put on himself with his mouth). They will need the balance on offense to help Vince Young in the passing game with DeMarcus Ware coming after him. The Titans do have one of the best defenses in the league right now but they have been exposed by teams being able to get yards on them inside the 20's. It's when they get in the redzone when they really shine as a D. They love to sack the quarterback and Tony Romo seems to love being sacked so we will see how that goes. The Titans are good, but the Cowboys will come with everything they have to avoid losing at home, and it will be enough.
WINNER: DALLAS
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS VS OAKLAND RAIDERS
Phillip Rivers already has 1,300 yards passing on the year. He is really slinging it around. Even though they really don't have to considering their running game isn't that bad (they just don't get enough carries a game). Not having Vincent Jackson hasn't really seemed to slow them down so far. No they are not on top but they are still showing the talent is there (not to mention they always start off a little slow). The Raiders have been showing why Bruce Gradkowski should've been the starting QB from the start. He has really given them the jolt that they need. Too bad the rest of the team isn't really that good. Darren McFadden has been a huge part of their offense, but he won't be playing in the game. A bad team without all of their weapons usually doesn't end well. Trust me it won't end well.
WINNER: SAN DIEGO
PHILADELPIA EAGLES VS SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Let's just get right to it. The 49ers aren't very good. It's a bad sign for a football team when your leading receiver is your running back and your second leading receiver is your tight end. Their running game just isn't there so far this season. Their defense has shown up every now and then and their special teams may be a bright spot. The Eagles, on the other hand, has a great defense, and explosive offense, and a game changing quarterback that is hard to defend. Wait a minute. Michael Vick isn't playing? Asante Samuel will be on the sidelines? Well then I take it all back. The Eagles have an okay defense, a terrible offensive line, and a quarterback that doesn't know how to avoid the rush very well. When Kevin Kolb is actually able to get the ball off good things can happen because they do have DeSean Jackson and a few other weapons in that passing game. But will it being enough? I mean we are talking about the Niners. There is no way the Niners will continue to lose for they do have some talent on that team, and they have been in some close games. If they were to only win one game this year, this would be the week to take advantage at home. And they will.
WINNER: SAN FRANCISCO
Check back late Sunday night for my prediction of the Monday night game.
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