NFL Week 2!!!

[CRASHER]

  I had a theme all planned out for this week….every year the NFL opens and we have all these expectations going into the first week of the year….the first week plays and in one week all those damned thoughts and expectations instantly go up in smoke and the whole world goes OMG EVEYR THING IS BACKWARDS…..DOGS MARRY CATS, RAIN GOES BACKWARDS…you name it….the world goes nuts and overreacts…..and then TMZ in a well calculated attention ploy (don’t  sell THAT short as a coincidence either)…drops an unreleased video that only shows what the man ALREADY ADMITTED HE DID….but OH MY GOD WE MUST OVERREACT….bah, if it makes Goodell have to step down, I’ll be ok with it….anyway….like I was trying to say…..gotta stay the course and NOT freak out about week 1….and joy….gotta talk about the Ravens first…..

 

Thursday Sept 11:

Steelers at Ravens:

Talk about things being swept under the bus here…..lest we forget, the first ever special teams tackle made by an active head coach….yeah that happened the last time these teams met up too….also forgotten in the Rice-Gate stuff is that the Ravens are now a terrible running team (and from a football perspective Rice was terrible and painfully in the decline and from a football standpoint letting Rice go helps them too)….let’s try to take this from a football point of view….yes the Steelers almost blew it to the Browns after taking their foot off the gas, but the Ravens don’t have a back like Terrance West to lead their rushing attack….and anytime the Ravens have to pass 50+ times its gonna get ugly for them….plus the Cleveland near-comeback is only going to serve as a wakeup call to this young and improved Steelers defense…..also don’t sell this short week short…ESPECIALLY with the scum and vultures in the media annoying the Ravens for Ray Rice quotes….and you only have 2-3 days to game plan?? Yeah that’s a mess…..there’s NO WAY on God’s Green Earth the Ravens are fully ready to play football tonight…..but as an NFL fan I will sit, salute and appreciate your sacrifice….as it needed be done to FINALLY bring down Roger Goodell….it’s all good guys!!! (I was gonna rant more on him and how people have lost their sh!t over this video….but I’m done with this….)

Winner:  Steelers

Game Quality: *** (+1 star for being the END of this Ray Rice nonsense)

 

Sunday Sept 14:

1pm:

Miami at Buffalo:

This is a HUGE AFC East game….well as huge as they get early in the season….Miami has a chance to get a leg up on the rest and go 2-0 in the AFC East….hell Buffalo had a BIG win last week too finally winning in Chicago…the defense looked good and got turnovers…and the running game by committee was solid….the ownership in Buffalo has stabilized and it looks (and rightfully so) the Bills will be STAYING in Buffalo….Jim Kelly is cancer-free….things are looking DAMN GOOD in Buffalo aren’t they?? (and hell unlike Calgary its not snowing like mad there)….but with all football insight aside….sh!t is just going too well for the Bills….it’s still Buffalo…..something’s bound to go wrong…..so this is a gimmie pick this week….(not to mention Miami looked damned awesome in that second half and their D should be able to easily rattle EJ Losman!)

Winner: Miami

Game Quality: ***

 

Lions at Panthers:

Intriguing game….the Panthers had a HELL of a game last week breaking through Tampa’s offensive line and not giving McNown or the Tampa offense a SECOND to breathe…. Derek Anderson did the classic “manage the game” mantra….the billion dollar backfield ran well for once and they pulled out a game no one gave them a chance in hell at…..I’m not going to go too crazy about the Lions ripping the Giants a new one….the Giants are THAT bad this year…..but it will be interesting to see how this diverse and talented offense (though the running game needs be better than it was last week) is handled by this all-world Carolina defense….*ugh*….I really don’t have a feel for this game….it could go either way….I guess I’ll just take the cop out and lean on the home team…..I should do that from now on when I’m in doubt….

Winner: Panthers

Game Quality: ** ¾

 

Atlanta at Cincinnati:

Another weird game of two 1-0 teams that I don’t feel many expected to be this at this point….the Bengals looked solid enough against the Ravens and the pop-gun running game, while the Falcons offense ripped that Saints defense up so badly…even Rob Ryan has gone silent….but Atlanta did that not only at home….but in the friendly confines of a domed stadium…..given it’s not exactly frozen tundra yet in Cinci…and Atlanta’s defense isn’t exactly gonna just down the Bengal attack or the Phenomenal AJ Green …add in some home cooking….a team that can actually PLAY defense and not just talk about it all off-season…..and once again….here I am liking the home team…..

Winner: Bengals

Game Quality: **

 

Saints at Browns:

This is a harder game to gauge then it was about 12 days ago isn’t it?? This vaunted Saints defense, like its coach started out as more talk than actual action…..the Browns have a solid defense and once Ben Tate left the game hurt the Browns moved the ball nicely with Terrence West balancing the game out for them….and lord knows the Saints got gashed in the ground and the air last week on defense…good God I sound like I’m picking the Browns here….that’s madness….maybe the Saints need some more reps to actually get all the upgrades on the same page (God knows you can’t do that in practice or pre-season anymore….)….and you’d have to think this is going to be a VERY pissed off Saints team coming out and taking it out on the Browns….I just hope Hoyer can play well enough to keep Johnny Backup off the field, I’d expect a better Saints team this week since the Browns don’t have the Julio Jones-type player to really give the Saints fits….and 0-2 for the team I expected to see in the Super Bowl….that’s a disaster (least they haven’t played at home….yet)….now I just feel like I’m justifying my Saints pick…screw that…they’re just better….

Winner: Saints

Game Quality: **

 

Patriots at Vikings:

Another game that if you over-analyze the Week 1 results will make you crazy….the Patriot D got rolled over in the second half…..the Pats couldn’t run the ball on Miami…..and Brady was weeping like it was a recent Super Bowl…..the Vikings just beat up on a Rams team that if you listen close enough, you can hear the air fizzling quickly out of the balloon….the Pats haven’t lost two games in a row in like forevers and it doesn’t happen often in the Belicheck/Brady Era….can the Patriots slow down Adrian Peterson though?? If they can do that….they win….I’d love to say they know Matt Cassel well from his days as Brady’s clipboard holder….but if you need that kinda knowledge to beat Matt Cassel….you’re in trouble anyway….and if anything, the trend is take the good team off a loss playing the team you’re not so sure about coming off a win….its hard to think X’s and O’s when even the NFL Network has become the damn Court Channel and spending all its time covering the ass of its damn commish….anyway…yeah….the good team…..right…..moving on……

Winner: Patriots

Game Quality: ** ¾

 

Arizona at NY Giants:

….maybe this is why I was stalling in the New England game…look at the hot garbage I have to talk about in the next two games…..holy hell this is ugly!!!! The Giants looked as bad…if not worse….than any other losing team last week (except maybe the Redskins)…the only player who looked somewhat decent was Rashad Jennings….but as an ex-Raider he’s used to playing well in the middle of a pile of garbage….Arizona had to hold on to the very end against the Chargers….and not only ignore Larry Fitz all game but his crazy father’s rantings on the internets….the Cardinals say they will only throw to the open guy and not design plays for players…WORRY NOT, between the Giants crappy pass rush and turnover-prone offense there shall be PLENTY of opportunity for said Cardinal players and should look much better feasting on a crappy Giants team now….this should be a fun mini-game to play….Over/Under on elINT and how many he throws into that Cardinal secondary….I’ll set it at 3…..and GO!

Winner: Cardinals

Game Quality: ** (one for each time Fitz is targeted)

 

Dallas at Tennessee:

Speaking of teams that had a forgettable week one….there’s always the Cowboys….not only can they look as horrible as possible….but they can’t even be entertaining about it (amazing how the Jerry Jones harassment thing is now being swept under the rug as the commissioner is getting tarred feathered and burned….awful convenient)….thing just collapsed early and often around the Cowboys….maybe possibly Tony Romo is not 100% from all his back stuff….but try to imagine how horrid Brandon Weedon would have looked last week….Good God….even I can’t…..and I want to see Dallas be so bad it kills Jerry Jones (and yes I’m ok with that being a literal death)…you can’t even tell how the Cowboy defense was since it was 14-0 before they even got on the damn field….while the Titans dished out an impressive thrashing on the Chiefs last week (they beat them so bad the Chiefs FORGOT about Jamaal Charles)….one team is looking well-coached, smart and playing like a team….the other is the Cowboys….CONTINUE THE BLOOD LETTING….I may have to watch this just because it could be anti-football worthy……

Winner: Titans

Game Quality: *** (one star to see Jerry squirm like his favorite stripper is standing behind him)

 

Jacksonville at Washington:

The Jaguars looked pretty damn good for a half, and then the Eagles adjusted and whipped them….the Redskins simply got beaten on all game long (especially Griffin….good God he bumped like a McMahon….or worse….an old Bills QB)…it made it really hard to judge the Redskin performance last week…well aside of saying their o-line got their asses kicked….the Jags are a young team, and it’s also hard to tell how they’re going to respond to blowing a game in the way they did last week….and there’s going to be a TON of pressure on Griffin …..a loss here and the noise and chatter for a QB switch is gonna start to pick up and get nasty….at least the Redskin offense is built similar in players to the Eagles one…a few adjustments and some pass protection and I’d like to think the Redskins bounce back….a loss at home to the Jaguars is just nothing short of disastrous….and with Dallas and the Giants, the NFC East has enough disasters …I only wish Phil Simms was calling this game so he had to see REDSKINS written all over!!

Winner: REDSKINS

Game Quality: ** ¾

 

4pm:

Seattle at San Diego:

….considering what the Seahawks did to the Packers last week this could be an ugly go, the Packers are better offensively in every way shape and form…and San Diego just lost to a lesser version of Seattle too…Seattle might be feeling too good about itself and has had ten days to get pats on the back on how awesome they are….but I don’t think Pete Carroll is gonna let that take them off course…I’d love to make a case for San Diego since I am such a Rivers guy….but I can’t…..at least the Non-Denver part of the AFC West is all gonna be 0-2 after this week….there won’t be much to see here…..

Winner: Seattle

Game Quality: **

 

St Louis at Tampa Bay:

Two teams who came into this year with big expectations….one of them is gonna fall flat on their face and probably be DONE by week 2 (especially if the Rams lose this one with everyone else in that NFC West being good….and winning games….a two game hole might as well be 12 right now….)…Tampa’s O-line is a mess, and St Louis is going to be out a key D-Line guy in Long (ironic, it’s usually the OFFENSIVE Long is normally the hurt one….)…the Rams are a mess at QB now…my Shaun Hill hopes lasted about as long as the Cowboys did in Week 1….Its an easy choice when the team that’s a bit less of a mess, also has the better players on it…this could be a bloody train wreck to watch though!!!

Winner: Tampa

Game Quality: **

 

Chiefs at Denver:

Hey could SOMEONE remind Andy Reid he has Jamaal Charles and it’s OK to use him in the second half of a game when his QB looks like dog sh!t and the offense is doing nothing all game?? That would be sweet….thanks….your now overpaid QB would love the same….and maybe get him a damn receiver that can catch the ball once a month too that would be nice…..then again none of that is gonna matter today…add in some nasty week 1 defensive injuries for the Chiefs….and the regular season run up the score machine as their opponents….and a very bitter Bills fan is going to be ecstatic to see the chiefs start the year 0-2 and looking worse by the week….

Winner: Broncos

Game Quality: DUD

 

NY Jets at Packers:

Few teams got their asses kicked as heartily as the Packers did last week….then again it was the perfect storm…defending champs, raising the banner in their house…bad matchup….people still whining about the “replacement refs made the right call catch but god forbid the Packers lose” play….landmines all over the place and the Packers stepped in most of them….this week may be a little better….while the front 7 and the running game will be very Seattle like….the Jet secondary leaves a LOT to be desired and if the Packers use a good quick short passing game they should be able to win some matchups…having a healthy Eddie Lacy back will help too….it also helps that Geno is no Russel Wilson and the Jets did make enough mistakes on offense last week….it’s just Derek Carr had NO CHANCE against that defense…however A-Rod will make them pay if they do the same this week….plus its in Green Bay,  the Packers are better there, and since the Jets won last week…they can sit at 1-1 and still be kinda happy about things….the Packers will be in a world of trouble at 0-2….good team off a loss at home, playing a team they are better than on the road….seems to be a theme…much like stay the course and don’t overreact…….

Winner: Packers

Game Quality: ***

 

Houston at Oakland:

I am truly an evil lil man….I am soooo upset that Matt Schaub isn’t playing this game…think of the revenge and pain an angry Houston team that has pretty much blamed Captain Pick 6 for all 14 of their losses today….a team who’s QB play was SO BAD that Ryan INT’s-Patrick was the QB answer….the main reason Andre Johnson wanted the hell out of town…at least he finally got that stooge Kubiak fired in the process….but anyway….Derek Carr thought he had it bad with the Jet defense last week?? I wish I could watch the film of the Redskin/Houston game with him….it would be like a horror movie triple feature compared to what the Jets showed him…I really can’t make a case for the Raiders…no matter how hard I try….unless their fine upstanding all American citizens storm the field and stab JJ Watt (in Oakland this is still kinda possible)….but that withstanding….Houston’s gonna killlll youuuuuuu….no this is not me retratcing my “Houston is trash” pre-season breakdown….this is the reality of the fact that this defense is gonna look like a charge from an old Viking movie and run killing and slaying all things in Raider black…hell, I’d lay even odds on the 11 Houston defenders taking out all the fans too if they had to…..

Winner: Texicans

Game Quality: ** (though I am looking forward to seeing Carr get treated like his brother…)

 

8pm:

Bears at 49ers:

Man, which 49er player threatened to beat up the NFL Schedule Maker’s wife eh?? First they get the Cowboys….now they get the “Cowboys North” in the Bears….both big receivers are a bit banged up…hell Marshall is used to that….I expect both to play…..and maybe Jay Cutler and the Golden Arm can make some plays against a still less than world beating 49er secondary….but the Niners could probably run for 300 yards against this awful Bears defense…Cutler will make enough mistakes to screw this up…not to mention this is a homecoming game for the new stadium….let the beatdown ensue….which is good it will give Al Michaels and Collinsworth PLENTY of time to talk all holier than thou and bore us to pieces with their incredible views on the Ray Rice incident and make all kinds of excuses for Goodell until Tony Dungy and company bore us into a coma at halftime…..

Winner: 49ers

Game Quality: * ¾ (do you like your Jay Culter INTs served medium rare or well done?)

 

Monday Sept 15:

Eagles at Colts:

NOW THIS IS THE KINDA GAME THE NFL COVETS!!! No defense anywhere, the ball flying left right and sideways….absurd wacky no huddle warp speed and fast forwarded offense s all over….and all these marquis players….oh my!!! ESPN was done right on this one….and I don’t have to hear Chris Berman do pay by play for another damn year…PRAISE THE JESUS!!! All wisecracks in the open this should be a fun watch…the Warp Speed vs the no-huddle….though I am a bit worried about the Eagles O-Line (scary that the only good line in the NFC East is the Cowboys’ one)…Lord knows the line problems are why the Eagles struggled and put many people’s survivor picks on life support (look on the bright side….we can’t pick ‘em again now)….the Colts showed a lot of guts and it’s become a trait of them under Andrew Luck….no lead is too big….or too uncatchable….I don’t think they’ll need a massive comeback in this one, they should be able to go shot for shot with the Eagles and win this one in the end…..

Winner:  Colts

Game Quality: **** (this will be fun!!)

 

NFL Week 1 Power Rankings:

AFC:

1. Denver…blah blah, regular season…blah blah Peyton Manning
2. Miami…all you need is a good second half….
3. Bengals…pulled one out NO ONE expected them to….
4. Buffalo…hell why not, they deserve good news while it lasts….
5. Houston…that defense is nasty as hell, but so is their QB play

NFC:

1. Seattle….DUH
2. Carolina….see the Houston comments, but add a gutty effort by a filling in Derek Anderson
3. Phily….also buying into the “let’s just play the second half” theory like the Dolphins
4. Detroit….good pass rush, balanced offense….get back to me in November
5. 49ers….”you’re welcome” – Tony Romo

[Muevelos]

Have a feeling, Miami beats out NE for the division this year! Looking for the Vikings over Pats as well!

[CRASHER]

Have a feeling, Miami beats out NE for the division this year! Looking for the Vikings over Pats as well!

 

Get back to me in a month about Miami......if the Pats lose to the Vikings and AP doesn't have 225+ yards in the effort, I'd have to pronounce the Pats as dead meat....I don't see it though....not with Matt Cassel there

[Muevelos]

Cassel ia a good band aid and seemed, to play well for the Vikings. Im watching for Patterson to light up the Pats. Dude is amazing to watch run. And your right with Miami, just when you think they got it, they piss it away.

Ans according to PFT, jets waived CB Leon McFadden.

['7']

Cassel ia a good band aid and seemed, to play well for the Vikings. Im watching for Patterson to light up the Pats. Dude is amazing to watch run. And your right with Miami, just when you think they got it, they piss it away.

Ans according to PFT, jets waived CB Leon McFadden.

 

Milliner is starting then

[Muevelos]

Ment to say "and" not ans"

Webb is inactive again as well.

Milliner is starting then

Edited September 12, 2014 by CarterforPresident

[MantaRay]

How about those Ravens!

[NJDevs4978]

Care to revise your Steeler defense fetish yet, CRASHER?  Or is this some bizarro attempt at a jinx since you normally don't like the Steelers

Edited September 12, 2014 by NJDevs4978

[devilsrule33]

Few too many red zone targets to Smith. Hard to find a guy that small there, but he has been a beast the rest of the game.

 

Absolutely wasted in Carolina's conservatives offenses over the year catching passes from Rodney Peete, Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore in his prime. Such a shame the Panthers cut him because he would finally be paired with a great receiver in Benjamin. A HOF talent who may not finish his career with HOF numbers.

Edited September 12, 2014 by devilsrule33

[CRASHER]

Care to revise your Steeler defense fetish yet, CRASHER?  Or is this some bizarro attempt at a jinx since you normally don't like the Steelers

 

I just need to STOP picking Thursday Night games....aside of the season openers I'm damned awful at them

 

this is more about how pathetic the Steeler offense has been in leaving them out there all second half (and those two moronic "defenseless players" penalties didn't hurt....and my GF egging me on enjoying the rant made it no easier )

 

what a stinking sh!tshow

[MantaRay]

I will NEVER understand such a foolish move by the Panthers, but getting Smith Sr. Sort of makes up for the stupid Boldin trade

[CRASHER]

I will NEVER understand such a foolish move by the Panthers, but getting Smith Sr. Sort of makes up for the stupid Boldin trade

 

http://overthecap.com/salary-cap/carolina-panthers

 

the INSANE amount of money locked up in their medicore backfield is the exact reason why....three horid and unmovable contracts in one backfield....its awful.......

[Hi, I'm VALUE!]

Next offseason is when Getteman can divest himself from the overpaid backfield of DOOM and save some cap room if overthecap's calculator is accurate.

[Hi, I'm VALUE!]

This may be the most sensible Ray Rice-related article I've read on the web.

[devilsrule33]

This may be the most sensible Ray Rice-related article I've read on the web.

 

We couldn't disagree more. 

 

http://deadspin.com/the-only-thing-unusual-about-ray-and-janay-rice-is-that-1633583402

[Crashline95]

Where would you rather sit for an nhl game - first row behind the goalie or first row in the corner?

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Where would you rather sit for an nhl game - first row behind the goalie or first row in the corner?

 

And this has what to do with the NFL Week 2 exactly?

[NJDevs4978]

And the hits just keep on coming...

 

Peter King ‏@SI_PeterKing  2m

RT @JayGlazer: Texas law enforcement handing down indictment today on Vikings RB Adrian Peterson on charges of injury to a child.

 

Peter King ‏@SI_PeterKing  2m

RT @JayGlazer: With indictment Peterson will have to turn himself in and thus his status for this weekend is now unclear

[CRASHER]

Is this related to that kid he had a few years ago that died???

Geesh.....of all people AP was as squeaky clean as they came.......

 

I should rename this the "Court TV Week 2" thread,......

[NJDevs4978]

Now AP's been deactivated...hoo boy.

[MadDog2020]

New drug policy has passed- a bunch of guys can play this week now, including Welker and Dion Jordan. Josh Gordon's suspension reduced to 10 games. More leniency for weed/amphetamines treated as street drugs, not PED's/HGH testing begins effective immediately.

Edited September 12, 2014 by MadDog2020

[Onddeck]

Wowww tough week for the nfl. Is this the kid from last year or another one?

Thought Gordon was gonna get a little less than 10. 10 games is still a substantial amount for a very minor offense (in my book). It was such a small amount in his system

[NJDevs4978]

Looks like AP beat the kid up pretty bad too...yikes. This might not just be a suspend/cut him thing, this could and should be a pack up for JAILTIME thing.

[MadDog2020]

Apparently Peterson said this was how he was disciplined as a kid as well. He doesn't think he did anything wrong... You can't make this week up for the NFL.

[MadDog2020]

Looks like AP beat the kid up pretty bad too...yikes. This might not just be a suspend/cut him thing, this could and should be a pack up for JAILTIME thing.

Yeah absolutely. The kid is 4 years old. It's one thing to give the kid a couple wacks with the wooden spoon or a slap (my parents hit me when they felt it was necessary, and when they did I deserved it and I'm glad they did it because it taught me a lesson), but this is flat out unacceptable.