Here are my top 5 picks for Week 9 against the spread. As usual, fade at will…

Steelers (5-2) at Broncos (6-1), 8:30PM ET, Monday
This game set up nicely for the Steelers, who have won four in a row, are coming off a bye and are playing a Denver team that was thumped last Sunday by the Ravens. But I fully expect Josh McDaniels and the Broncos to learn from their loss last week to Baltimore and rebound on Monday night. Denver is always a tough place to play – just ask the Cowboys and Patriots, whom the Broncos beat earlier this year at Invesco Field. I don’t expect Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and Knowshon Moreno to have a lot of success against Pittsburgh’s excellent defense, but I do think Denver’s defense will force a couple turnovers to set the offense up in good field position. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been a beast this season and Ben Roethlisberger has always had trouble holding onto the ball. While some will start to doubt the Broncos after last week, I’m holding strong that this is a good football team and will prove it with a small upset Monday night.
Odds: Steelers –3.
Prediction: Broncos 20, Steelers 17.

Texans (5-3) at Colts (7-0), 1:00PM ET
This game has trap written all over it. The Texans have won three straight and four of their last five, while the Colts finally looked beatable last week in their 18-14 win over the 49ers. Your head and gut tell you that Houston will be able to hang with Indy this weekend and at the very least cover the 9-point spread, if not win outright. But don’t be fooled – the Colts are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Colts and have covered in six of those 10 games. While the ATS trends aren’t impressive, Peyton Manning should have his way with an improving, but suspect Houston defense at home. With Bob Sanders sidelined again, the Texans should score, but it’s not like Indy isn’t used to not having Sanders on the field. This one will be a little bit of a shoot out, but I see the Colts winning by a decent margin in the end.
Odds: Colts –9.
Prediction: Colts 35, Texans 24.

Cardinals (4-3) at Bears (4-3), 1:00PM ET
There’s no doubt that Kurt Warner struggled last week in his five-interception performance. But keep in mind that Carolina does have the best pass defense in the league, so while the Cards’ loss to the Panthers was shocking, it’s not like they were attempting to throw the ball against air. Arizona has played much better on the road this season than it has at home, which is a stark contrast from last year. I like Warner and the Cards to rebound this week, even without receiver Anquan Boldin, who is likely out with an ankle injury. Chicago’s secondary has been inconsistent all season and if Warner isn’t gun shy after throwing five picks last week, then he should be able to test the Bears throwing vertically. On the other side, I see Arizona limiting Matt Forte and making Chicago’s offense one-dimensional, like many opponents have done this year. While the Bears have an advantage playing at home, I think they have false confidence after an unimpressive win last week against the Browns and if the Cards can get up early, they should win outright.
Odds: Bears –3.
Prediction: Cardinals 24, Bears 20.

Redskins (2-5) at Falcons (4-3), 1:00PM ET
The Falcons need Michael Turner’s 151-yard effort against the Saints to not be an aberration by the norm. Not that he has to rush for 150-plus yards a game, but if he can start churning out 100-plus yard efforts on a near-weekly basis that will make Atlanta’s offense more balanced and take some pressure off Matt Ryan, who has been struggling of late. The only thing the Redskins have going for themselves right now is that they had last week off. But they won’t have Chris Samuels and Chris Cooley on Sunday and their offense will once again struggle to generate points. The Falcons are coming off an emotional loss on a short week, but they desperately need a win and therefore won’t overlook a soft Washington team.
Odds: Falcons –10.
Prediction: Falcons 30, Redskins 16.

Packers (4-3) at Buccaneers (0-7), 1:00PM ET
If there’s one thing the Packers have done this year, it’s beaten bad teams. Three of their four wins have come against horrible teams and Green Bay has thumped every one of them. The Packers are far from perfect, but they’re going to light up a bad Tampa defense that supplies little to no pressure on the quarterback. The Bucs are also starting rookie Josh Freeman, who will be making the first start of his career. Expect plenty of three and outs, turnovers and sacks as the Packers roll.
Odds: Packers –9.5.
Prediction: Packers 30, Bucs 10.

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]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/06/2009-nfl-week-9-picks-predictions/feed/ 3 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/10/30/2009-nfl-week-8-picks-predictions/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/10/30/2009-nfl-week-8-picks-predictions/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:45:42 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=27860

Here are my quick-hit picks for Week 8 in the NFL:

Worth being in trouble with your significant other for:

Vikings (6-1) at Packers (4-2), 4:15PM ET
I think the Packers will have a little something for Brett Favre this time around. I realize he was a legend in Green Bay, but the Packer faithful need to boo this man just as they would Steve Young or Troy Aikman. As long as the Packers somehow figure out a way to get a body in front of Jared Allen, I think they beat a Minnesota team coming off an emotional loss in Pittsburgh last week. Call me crazy, but I don’t think this one will be as close as many expect.
Odds: Packers –3.
Prediction: Packers 30, Vikings 17.

Giants (5-2) at Eagles (4-2), 1:00PM ET
The Giants are hoping to get a few defensive starters back this week (most notably Michael Boley and Chris Canty), but their concern right now should be moving the ball against a Philadelphia defense that played inspired last week in Washington. (Of course, it was Washington.) Both of these offenses struggled last week trying to move the chains consistently and I can see turnovers playing a huge role in this key NFC East battle. Considering the Eagles lead the league in turnover margin, I think they get a win at home. It’s hard to fathom the G-Men losing three straight, but outside of their Week 2 win against the Cowboys, they haven’t been good against teams with winning records this season.
Odds: Giants –1.
Prediction: Eagles 20, Giants 17.

Broncos (6-0) at Ravens (3-3), 1:00PM ET
The Broncos haven’t given anyone a reason not to trust them. They’ve played great defensively, have remained balanced offensively and continue to prove doubters wrong. That said, I think this is the week they suffer their first loss. The Ravens are desperate and Denver doesn’t really have the explosive passing attack to take advantage of Baltimore’s issues in the secondary. I’m willing to bet the Ravens’ coaching staff figured a few things out in their off week and Baltimore will come out ready to play on Sunday.
Odds: Ravens –3.
Prediction: Ravens 23, Broncos 17.

Falcons (4-2) at Saints (6-0), 8:30PM ET Monday
The Falcons are in trouble. Their secondary is starting to show the same problems it had in preseason and Drew Brees should take advantage of that and torch Chris Houston and company. The only chance Atlanta has is to force turnovers on defense and get Michael Turner going in order to leave Brees on the sidelines. I don’t see it happening.
Odds: Saints –10.
Prediction: Saints 38, Falcons 24.

Worth tuning into:

Dolphins (2-4) at Jets (4-3), 1:00PM ET
Even though the two teams combined for over 50 points in their last meeting, this latest battle will be a low-scoring, defensive struggle. I actually like Miami to pull off the small upset this week, because if the Dolphins have struggled with anything this season, it’s quarterbacks that can beat them throwing the ball vertically. Mark Sanchez can’t do that (at least not yet anyhow), so I’m taking Chad Henne and the Fish to sweep the season series in this matchup.
Odds: Jets –3.5.
Prediction: Dolphins 16-13.

49ers (3-3) at Colts (6-0), 1:00PM ET
While I like the move of Alex Smith starting over Shaun Hill, I think the 49ers have been exposed for what they really are: Overrated. That’s not to say that they’re not a good team because they are, but I don’t see them going into Indianapolis and upsetting a good Colts team on the road.
Odds: Colts –13.
Prediction: Colts 28, 49ers 14.

Seahawks (2-4) at Cowboys (4-2), 1:00PM ET
If the Cowboys play with the same focus and intensity as they did last week against the Falcons, then they’ll rout a banged up Seahawks team. But considering they’ve never been consistent under Wade Phillips, I bet this game will be closer than people think.
Odds: Cowboys –10.
Prediction: Cowboys 20, Seahawks 13.

Texans (4-3) at Bills (3-4), 1:00PM ET
The Bills have won two straight thanks to their defense setting up the offense with great field position due to turnovers. But the Texans will take better care of the ball than Buffalo’s previous two opponents and come away with their third straight victory on Sunday.
Odds: Texans –3.5.
Prediction: Texans 27, Bills 13.

Worth being your “B” channel on Sunday:

Jaguars (3-3) at Titans (0-6), 4:05PM ET
It’s now or never for Jeff Fisher and Vince Young. Either they get this thing figured out and start winning some ball games or else they both could be looking for employment elsewhere in the offseason. I like the rested Jags to win what could be a sloppy game.
Odds: Titans –3.
Prediction: Jaguars 13, Titans 10.

Panthers (2-4) at Cardinals (4-2), 4:15PM ET
John Fox has decided to hitch his wagon to Jake Delhomme and it’s his funeral. The Cardinals need to build on the momentum they got last Sunday night in their win over the Giants and start pulling away in the NFC West.
Odds: Cardinals –10.
Prediction: Cardinals 28, Panthers 14.

Worth checking the score every half hour while praying you lived in a different area:

Browns (1-6) at Bears (3-3), 1:00PM ET
The Bears need a win in the worse way after their brutal performance in Cincinnati last Sunday. Fortunately for them, its’ Walter Payton day and they get to play a horrendous Browns team that hasn’t scored a touchdown in five straight quarters.
Odds: Bears –13.
Prediction: Bears 28, Browns 14.

Raiders (2-5) at Chargers (3-3), 4:05PM ET
If San Diego can put together back-to-back impressive wins over bad teams, it might give them confidence heading into the second half. The Chargers haven’t played consistently on defense this year, but JaMarcus Russell is a joke and the Raiders will once again have trouble scoring.
Odds: Chargers –16.
Prediction: Chargers 30, Raiders 6.

Worth poking your eyes out so you don’t actually have to see any of it:

Rams (0-7) at Lions (1-5), 1:00PM ET
If the Rams don’t win this Sunday, they have a pretty good chance of going 0-16 this season, which is ironic when you consider who their opponent is this week. If anyone invests three hours of their time watching this game in its entirety, they should be immediately checked into a psychiatric hospital. That said, I’m glad Matthew Stafford is back for the Lions because he showed promise before he got hurt and I’d like to see him continue to develop.
Odds: Lions –4.
Prediction: Lions 20, Rams 14.

Instead of limiting myself to only four games like I have the previous weeks, I’ve decided to channel my inner Peter King and make predictions (with smaller write ups) on every contest on the NFL schedule this week.

49ers at Texans, 1:00PM ET
It had to have been a long two weeks for San Francisco’s players after the Falcons drubbed the Niners 45-10 in Week 5. Mike Singletary will have his team more focused and I think we’ll see a great defensive effort from San Fran this Sunday to slow down a potent Houston offensive attack.
Odds: Texans –3.
Prediction: 49ers 20, Texans 17.

Packers at Browns, 1:00PM ET
This will be a closer game than most think. The Packers could be looking ahead to a home date with the Vikings next Sunday, although in the end Cleveland’s offense is putrid and while Green Bay has been inconsistent defensively this year, I think they’ll do enough to get the Pack a victory.
Odds: Packers –9.
Prediction: Packers 24, Browns 16.

Chargers at Chiefs, 1:00PM ET
Ron Rivera has no clue on how to get San Diego’s defense back on track, but the young, inexperienced Kansas City secondary could have issues slowing down Philip Rivers and the Bolts’ passing game. Still, I think Matt Cassel and company pull off a surprise upset at home against a San Diego team coming off a short week.
Odds: Chargers –5
Prediction: Chiefs 20, Chargers 18.

Colts at Rams, 1:00PM ET
The Rams have given a nice effort the past two weeks, but this is a horrible matchup for them – even at home. Peyton Manning and company is well rested and the Indy defense will harass Marc Bulger all game.
Odds: Colts –14
Prediction: Colts 34, Rams 14.

Vikings at Steelers, 1:00PM ET
Troy Polamalu was limited in practice this week, which isn’t a good sign for a Pittsburgh defense that desperately needs him in this matchup. The Vikings shouldn’t get away from their game plan because it’s working, although I think this is the first week they stumble. The Steelers haven’t looked impressive all season, but Ben Roethlisberger will connect on enough big plays to aid the Steelers in a tight victory.
Odds: Steelers –5.5.
Prediction: Steelers 28, Vikings 24.

Patriots at Buccaneers, 1:00PM ET
What a crappy game for the folks in London. The Buccaneers haven’t done much right this season and will face a Patriots team coming off a 59-0 effort against the Titans in Week 6. Tampa won’t have much of an answer for Tom Brady as New England rolls.
Odds: Patriots –15.
Prediction: Patriots 33, Buccaneers 10.

Jets at Raiders, 4:05PM ET
Oakland is coming off its best effort of the season in a win over the Eagles in Week 6, while the Jets are coming off their worst in a loss to the Bills. Mark Sanchez is struggling, but the Jets will put the game in the hands of their running backs to ease out a win. The Raiders will have a tough time scoring again this week.
Odds: Jets –6
Prediction: Jets 16, Raiders 7.

Bills at Panthers, 4:05PM ET
After wins over the Redskins and Bucs the past two weeks, the Panthers are playing with confidence and a win over the Bills would get them back in contention (at least for the moment). Fortunately for them, Buffalo continues to struggle offensively and has been brutal against the run. DeAngelo Williams could be in store for a breakout game this Sunday.
Odds: Panthers –7.
Prediction: Panthers 27, Bills 16.

Bears at Bengals, 4:15PM ET
The Bears can’t run the football right now, but they catch a break this week facing a Bengals team that won’t have defensive end Antwaan Odom, who is out for the season after suffering an injury last week. Jay Cutler should have plenty of time to throw and as long as he doesn’t turn the ball over (this game isn’t on Sunday night, so he shouldn’t), the Bears should pick up a big road victory.
Odds: Bengals –1.
Prediction: Bears 20, Bengals 17.

Falcons at Cowboys, 4:15PM ET
The Cowboys are well rested coming off their bye, but they face a Falcons team that is playing well defensively right now. John Abraham and company should drum up a good pass rush and force Tony Romo to make some mistakes. Atlanta has done an excellent job protecting Matt Ryan, who could have a big day zipping the ball around Jerry Jones’ new stadium.
Odds: Cowboys –4.
Prediction: Falcons 28, Cowboys 24.

Saints at Dolphins, 4:15PM ET
The Dolphins are winners of two straight and are coming off a bye, but they’ve had issues against quarterbacks that can get the ball out of their hands quickly and attack a defense vertically (see Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers). I don’t see Miami’s defense slowing down Drew Brees and the high-powered Saints’ offense. As long as New Orleans can stop the Dolphins’ ground attack, they’ll remain undefeated.
Odds: Saints –6.5
Prediction: Saints 27, Dolphins 20.

Cardinals at Giants, 8:20PM ET
I don’t like this matchup for the Cardinals, especially with a hobbled Anquan Boldin and the Giants’ coming off a loss. The G-Men will played inspired defensively after they were shredded last wee in New Orleans and should give Kurt Warner plenty of trouble, just as they did last year.
Odds: Giants –7.
Prediction: Giants 30, Cardinals 21.

Eagles at Redskins, 8:30PM ET
A week after suffering an embarrassing loss to Oakland, Philadelphia should rebound on Monday night against a Washington team that can do little offensively. I don’t see Sherman Lewis turning things around overnight for the Redskins and the Eagles won’t allow Donovan McNabb to be sacked six times this week.
Odds: Eagles –7.
Prediction: Eagles 20, Redskins 13.

Giants (5-0) at Saints (4-0), 1:00PM ET
Hopefully readers will give me credit for attempt to predict the toughest games this week. No? All right then…This is by far the hardest game to predict on the Week 6 schedule, so let’s look at some of the facts. The Saints should be well rested coming off a bye and are playing at home. They have the edge then right? They should, but don’t forget that the Giants essentially had a bye themselves since they played Oakland last week and New York always travels well. Drew Brees hasn’t seen a pass rush as good as the Giants’ all season and I think New York will disrupt his rhythm. And while Darren Sharper and the New Orleans defense is playing out of their minds right now, Eli Manning won’t make the same mistakes rookie Mark Sanchez did two weeks ago when the Saints earned a victory against the Jets. I like Brandon Jacobs to get back on track and for the G-Men to pull off a huge win at the Superdome.
Odds: Saints –3.
Prediction: Giants 27, Saints 24.

Ravens (3-2) at Vikings (5-0), 1:00PM ET
So, are the Ravens just in a slump or were they overrated to begin with? Give yourself a gold star if you answered, “A little of both.” Baltimore lost several defensive starters and their coordinator Rex Ryan in the offseason – they were due to have a setback at some point. While I think the Ravens are a solid football team, I don’t like this matchup for them. They’re reeling after two straight losses and play an unfamiliar foe in a hostile environment. I also don’t like the matchup between the Ravens’ receivers and the Vikings’ corners and wonder how Joe Flacco will do once Ray Rice and the running game is shut down by Minnesota’s Williams Wall. As long as Brett Favre doesn’t get turnover-happy for the first time this year, I like the Vikings to remain undefeated.
Odds: Vikings –3.
Prediction: Vikings 21, Ravens 17.

Bears (3-1) at Falcons (3-1), 8:20PM ET
I know the Giants and Saints offer the best matchup of the week, but this Bears-Falcons game should be thrilling. Both teams can move the ball through the air and both have issues stopping the pass at times. That’s what we call the makings of a shootout, folks. Chicago will have to pick its poison this Sunday night. If they choose to load the box and stop Michael Turner, then they could be exposed to Matt Ryan picking them apart through the air. I love the matchup of Tony Gonzalez on a banged up Bears’ linebacker corps and inconsistent safety group. But on the flip side, Jay Cutler should have plenty of success throwing against corner Chris Houston and could connect with Devin Hester or Johnny Knox on a couple of big plays. That said, I think Atlanta will jump out to an early lead in front of a rowdy crowd and then hang on in the second half once Cutler and company make a late push. While I could see this game going either way, I like the Falcons at home, especially coming off their performance last week when they absolutely hammered a good 49ers team on the road.
Odds: Falcons –3.
Prediction: Falcons 34, Bears 30.

Broncos at Chargers, Monday, 8:30PM ET
These two teams were supposed to be reversed coming into this game, but instead it has been the Broncos that have taken command in the AFC West. Offensively, the Chargers can score on anyone. But the problem is that they’re not balanced right now and that will be a huge issue against a Denver defense that is playing outstanding football at the moment. If San Diego can’t run the ball, it will have trouble moving the chains on a consistent basis through the air because Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are playing well right now. Defensively, the Bolts don’t have a clue and they can’t generate any pressure on the quarterback, which is what their defense is predicated on. The Broncos have a solid offensive line and Kyle Orton doesn’t make a ton of mistakes. A lot of people think the Chargers will turn their misfortunate around this week, but I think Denver pulls off the small “upset” on Monday night.
Odds: Chargers –3.
Prediction: Broncos 20, Chargers 17.

Here are my four predictions for Week 3 in the NFL. Last week I went 3-1 straight up (friggin’ Titans) and 1-3 against the spread so as usual, gamblers should have no qualms about fading. (These are also my season totals since I didn’t make any predictions for Week 1.)

Titans (0-2) at Jets (2-0), Sunday, 1:00PM ET
It would be foolish to pick against a hot team with everything working in their favor right now…right? Well, I’m going to do it anyway. Jeff Fisher’s team is too good to be 0-2 and while I love what Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez have brought to the Jets, the law of averages suggest that a rookie quarterback is going to struggle at some point. Tennessee’s defense has a way of making opposing quarterbacks look bad (save of their performance last week against Matt Schaub, who threw four touchdown passes) and I’m willing to bet Sanchez suffers some growing pains this week. The key for the Titans is whether or not Kerry Collins can avoid turnovers while facing a New York defense that will use multiple fronts and attack him from all angles. Getting Chris Johnson involved in screen and draw plays would be beneficial for Tennessee, especially if the Jets’ defense continues to be aggressive under Ryan. I don’t see the Titans falling to 0-3 and I think Ryan and Sanchez’s come down to earth a bit this week.
Odds: Jets –3.
Prediction: Titans 16, Jets 13.

Falcons (2-0) at Patriots (1-1), 1:00PM ET
This is the most intriguing game on the Week 3 schedule because it will serve as a great indication of where both of these teams are right now. The Falcons are 2-0 after beating two playoff teams from a year ago (the Dolphins and Panthers, respectively) and Matt Ryan is off to a tremendous start (108.5 QB rating). But Atlanta’s defense will be tested this weekend against a New England offense that was held to only nine points a week ago and will no doubt be focused on rebounding. Tom Brady hasn’t looked comfortable on his surgically repaired knee and seemed confused by the amount of looks that the Jets’ defense gave him last week. If the Falcons can get creative with their front seven, they might be able to generate pressure on Brady and come up with a couple of turnovers. If that happens, Ryan has more than enough weapons (Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, etc.) in the passing game to pick apart a Patriots’ defense that is riddled with holes right now. It’s usually unwise to go against Bill Belichick and the Patriots when they’re pissed off and needing a win, but this isn’t the same New England defense that we’ve seen throughout the years and I think Ryan will lead Atlanta to a huge victory at Foxboro.
Odds: Patriots –4.
Prediction: Falcons 30, Patriots 27.

49ers (2-0) at Vikings (2-0), 1:00PM ET
Who would have thought that the only game on the Week 3 schedule featuring two 2-0 teams would pit the 49ers against the Vikings? San Francisco’s defense has played great in their two wins, taking away the opponents’ passing attack and frustrating opposing quarterbacks. Thanks to Frank Gore, their running game has been outstanding as well, especially last week when it churned out 256 yards against Seattle. That said, the Niners’ passing game has been a weakness and considering Minnesota will probably limit Gore and San Fran’s rushing attack, it’s time for Shaun Hill to step up and make plays through the air. I think the Vikings will control this game on the ground with Adrian Peterson and take away Gore in order to make Hill beat them through the air. They’ll allow AP to open things up for Brett Favre and the passing game and eventually pull away in the second half to improve to 3-0 on the year.
Odds: Vikings –7.
Prediction: Vikings 21, 49ers 13.

Bears (1-1) at Seahawks (1-1), 4:05PM ET
Jay Cutler bounced back from his brutal showing in Week 1 to lead the Bears to a victory last week over the defending champs. Meanwhile, Matt Hasselbeck was injured in the Seahawks’ loss to the 49ers and is questionable to play this Sunday. If Hasselbeck can’t go, Seneca Wallace will once again get the start, which doesn’t bode well for Seattle. The Hawks are a different team under Wallace then they are Hasselbeck and if doesn’t start, the Bears’ front seven should control this game by limiting the effectiveness of the underneath completions that Wallace usually relies on. If the Seahawks’ defense is left on the field too long, Cutler should make them pay, as long as he can limit the turnovers. Chicago would be wise to get Matt Forte involved early and often and allow the run to set up Cutler and the passing game. I like the Bears in this one, especially if Hasselbeck (who didn’t practice on Wednesday) can’t go.
Odds: Bears –2.5.
Prediction: Bears 17, Seahawks 13.

Here are quick-hit previews for all of Sunday afternoon’s action in Week 2. Be sure to check out my picks and predictions for this week as well.

Patriots at Jets, 1PM ET
Thanks to Rex Ryan and Kerry Rhodes boastfully stating that they won’t be afraid of the Patriots this year (or ever), this has become one of the more intriguing Week 2 matchups. Under Ryan’s guidance, the Jets now play an aggressive, attacking style of defense. If New York’s front seven can generate consistent pressure on Tom Brady, the Jets have a good enough secondary to at least contain Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Without Jerod Mayo (out with an injury) and Richard Seymour (out like yesterday’s news), Bill Belichick’s defense suddenly looks human. Is there an upset brewing in East Rutherford?

Saints at Eagles, 1PM ET
The general consensus is that without Donovan McNabb (out with a rib injury), the Eagles don’t stand a chance Sunday against the offensive juggernaut that is the Saints. But don’t forget that Philly’s defense is a tad more talented than Detroit’s (NO’s opponent last Sunday) and that the Eagles are a tough team to beat at home. While Kevin Kolb certainly doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in the Philly faithful, New Orleans allowed rookie Matthew Stafford and the Lions to put up 27 points on them last week, so maybe Kolb (who will be protected by an excellent line and be aided by the Eagles’ solid running game) won’t have to win the game on his own. Nobody should expect the Saints to roll into Lincoln Financial Field today and put up 45 points again like they did last week.

Rams at Redskins, 1PM ET
It would be nice to see Jim Zorn take the training wheels off his offense and let quarterback Jason Campbell throw the ball downfield more. If Zorn doesn’t trust Campbell to throw the ball vertically against the defensively challenged Rams, then he’ll trust him in any situation. As soon as Zorn establishes the run with Clinton Portis, he should allow Campbell to challenge St. Louis’s suspect secondary and take shots down field. The over/under on sacks for Albert Haynesworth in this game has been set at 24. And the over/under on Marc Bulger flashing that hapless expression after he makes a mistake is 70.

Cardinals at Jaguars, 1PM ET
Rise and shine, Ken Whisenhunt! It’s once again time for your team to prove themselves after losing to the 49ers last week at home. The effects of losing playcaller Todd Haley this offseason showed last week as the Cards couldn’t muster more than a couple of first downs in their last three offensive series against San Fran. Of course, Jacksonville has its own issues, including a major lack of firepower on the offensive side of the ball. I’m willing to bet that Arizona wins in a small upset today, if only so their supporters can bust out the see-we-told-you-we-weren’t-a-fluke chant for at least one week.

Panthers at Falcons, 1PM ET
Everyone’s ready to write Jake Delhomme off, which is exactly about the time he’ll come out and throw for 270 yards and two touchdowns. Of course both of those scores will come from Steve Smith breaking eight tackles on his way to the end zone and making Delhomme look like a hero. Delhomme needs to focus because he’s in jeopardy of losing his job to A.J. Feeley. The Falcons defense played inspired last week in a win over Miami and I’m sure John Abraham and company are licking their chops at the chance to take Delhomme’s self respect even lower than it already is. But they need to worry about DeAngelo Williams first and foremost. John Fox isn’t going to put the game in Delhomme’s hands, so if Atlanta can’t stop Williams, the Panthers could sneak out of Georgia with a victory.

Vikings at Lions, 1:00PM
I know what everyone is thinking: Adrian Peterson is going to rush for 565 yards and nine touchdowns today in Detroit. But I want you to keep in mind two scores: 12-10 and 20-16. Those are the two scores from Minnesota’s wins over Detroit last year. For some reason, the Lions can usually keep things somewhat close with the Vikings and don’t be surprised if they do it again today. I don’t have the kahones to predict a Lions’ victory, but I bet they at least keep it interesting throughout.

Bengals at Packers, 1:00PM ET
The Packers’ defense looked great last week against Chicago, but now it’s time for Aaron Rodgers and company to puts some points on the board like everyone in Green Bay knows they can. Cincinnati’s defense is actually a little underrated, but the Pack should have more than enough opportunities to put some points on the board as the defense stymies Carson Palmer and the Bengal offense. It would be nice to see Ryan Grant get in the mix early and show the same quickness and burst he did last week against the Bears. A healthy Grant might just be the secret ingredient to Green Bay succeeding offensively this year.

Texans at Titans, 1:00PM ET
Only one running back rushed for over 100 yards on the Titans’ defense last year and that was Steve Slaton. After a disappointing performance in the opener, Slaton and the Texans look to rebound against a team in Tennessee that usually makes its opponents look sloppy on game day. Houston must do a better job of stopping the run or else this team will never be considered a legitimate playoff contender. They’ll get a great test this week going up against Chris Johnson and LenDale White.

Raiders at Chiefs, 1:00PM ET
This may sound crazy, but I’m actually interested to see how Oakland plays in Week 2. The Raiders played inspired football last week against the Chargers and even though they lost, they showed flashes of potential as a team. Richard Seymour made a big impact for their defense and it’ll be interesting to see how Oakland fairs against a team that by all accounts, they should beat. It doesn’t look like Matt Cassel will play again this week for Kansas City, who must get running back Larry Johnson going so that he’ll take the pressure off the passing game.

Bucs at Bills, 4:05PM ET
If it weren’t for a Leodis McKelvin fumble late in Week 1, Buffalo would be 1-0 right now. They’ll face a Tampa team that had issues in pass coverage last week with safety Tanard Jackson out for serving a four game suspension. If Trent Edwards can get Terrell Owens involved in the passing game, the Bills could walk away with a much-needed rebound victory at home.

Seahawks at 49ers, 4:05PM
Which 2008 disappointment will step up today and start the 2009 season 2-0? The 49ers’ win last week in Arizona was impressive, but quarterback Shaun Hill must make more plays in the passing game if Mike Singletary’s team wants to make a playoff push this year. Seattle’s defense looked improved last week against the Rams, although any defense will look good against a St. Louis team that loves to self-destruct. San Fran has the secondary to take away Seattle’s passing game, so can the Hawks get something going on the ground? If not, we could be looking at a 2-0 49ers team by the end of the day.

Ravens at Chargers, 4:15PM ET
This has all the makings of a great, physical battle. Both of these teams love to hit and create problems for opposing quarterbacks, although San Diego could be in trouble without DT Jamal Williams (placed on IR) plugging up the middle. LaDainian Tomlinson won’t play today, so look for the Bolts to try and use Darren Sproles in a variety of ways. The Ravens will get a great opportunity to see how good their offense really is after shredding Kansas City last week at home. San Diego will look to take away the run and make Joe Flacco beat them his arm.

Steelers at Bears, 4:15PM ET
After opening the 2009 season by throwing four interceptions, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler won’t find any relief this week as Pittsburgh comes to town. Not having Troy Polamalu and Lawrence Timmons will be tough to overcome, although Dick Leabeau is still going to do everything in his powers to make life a living hell for Cutler. The Bears need to get running back Matt Forte involved early and often so that Cutler doesn’t feel like he needs to win games on his own. Of course, it might not matter because Chicago’s secondary is in bad shape and Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger might rip them apart if he can get into a rhythm. Pittsburgh doesn’t have to run effectively to win on Sunday, which is a good thing since its running game is non-existent.

Browns at Broncos, 4:15PM ET
This has all the makings of being the most boring game on the Week 2 schedule. We could be looking at a 6-3 halftime and a 13-10 final when its all said and done in Denver this week. Josh McDaniels will once again try and get his offense rolling with Kyle Orton after lucking into a win last week in Cincinnati. Cleveland’s defense actually played better than the final score indicated last week in a loss to Minnesota. The Browns appear to be an improved team, but they must get better play out of the quarterback position or 2009 will turn out being just like 2008 – a lost cause.

Upset Watch: Cowboys (4-1) at Cardinals (3-2), 4:15 PM ET FOX
I’m going right back to the well. In my primer last week, I warned to watch out for the Cards upsetting the previously unbeaten Bills. I’ll do the same this week as the Cowboys roll into the desert after almost blowing a 17-point lead to the Bengals last Sunday. Dallas has more talent than any other team in the NFC, but they’ve proven to be as fragile as T.O.’s emotions. Arizona flat out plays a different brand of football at home and could have wideout Anquan Boldin back this week, although it’s doubtful. Even without Boldin, the Cards have more than enough weapons to score on a Dallas defense that is giving up close to 23 points a game. The key obviously will be whether or not Arizona can stop the Cowboys’ high-powered offense. Dallas is racking up over 400 yards and 30 points a game and the Cards are just two games removed from surrendering 56 points to the Jets. Even if ‘Zona can’t pull off the upset, I would expect one wild shootout.

Intriguing Matchup: Patriots (3-1) at Chargers (2-3) 8:15 PM ET NBC
Remember when New England mocked Shawne Merriman’s “Lights Out” dance after a playoff win in San Diego a couple of years ago and hurt LaDainian Tomlinson’s feelings? The Pats return to the scene of the crime and no team plays with a bigger chip on their shoulder (and for really no reason) than the Chargers. Even though they won in convincing fashion against the 49ers last week, this is clearly a different Patriots team without Tom Brady. (What a statement, I know). It’ll be interesting to see if Matt Cassel can have a coming out party this weekend, because no team in the entire NFL is playing worse against the pass right now than San Diego.

Other Notable Games:
Bears (3-2) at Falcons (3-2), 1:00 PM ET FOX
The last time rookie QB Matt Ryan faced the Tampa 2 defense he had his worst outing as a pro, throwing two interceptions in a loss to the Bucs in Week 2. He’ll get a chance for redemption this week against Chicago, a team that has typically owned Atlanta in the past.

Jaguars (2-3) at Broncos (4-1), 4:15 PM ET FOX
Big Ben and the Steelers lit up Jacksonville’s defense last week. Will Jay Cutler and the Broncos’ offense do the same on Sunday?

Ravens (2-2) at Colts (2-2), 1:00 PM ET CBS
Peyton Manning vs. Ray Lewis is always fun to watch.