Hello, Guest!

 

- Week 2 Predictions: Control of NFC East

Chris Pokorny September 17, 2006
Chris Pokorny
PFC Owner & Writer

Tell Chris your opinion.

-
It's Week 2 of the regular season, and things didn't quite go down as I had expected last week. I only won half of the games, and what made things worse is that two of the teams I picked to win got shutout. The first week of the season always tends to be funky, but it would have been nice to have gotten off to a fast start to begin the year.

This week, another great matchup will be featured on Sunday night as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Washington Redskins. Although both teams lost last week, this is a game that you simply cannot miss. Meanwhile, teams like the Denver Broncos are counting on their quarterback to shine, because someone else is waiting in the wings. Without wasting anymore time, let's get to this week's picks.

(Red = Prediction)

Battle of the NFC East Part 1
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
After falling short to the Indianapolis Colts a week ago, the Giants are trying to avoid the continuation of a tough schedule. Overall, the Giants played a solid football game against the Colts last week. The running game worked to perfection at times, and Eli did well in throwing the football. Defensively, the Giants completely stopped the Colts' running game, and held Peyton in check enough to keep the game close. They didn't defend Marvin Harrison well enough though, and they can't afford to let the mobile Donovan McNabb have the same production with Donte' Stallworth this week.

The Eagles are coming off of a decisive victory over the Houston Texans. It looked as if the Eagles were finally back - McNabb did great, Brian Westbrook was used in his versatile role, a wideout was established, and the run defense shut down the opposition. They will be facing a much tougher opponent this week, something the Eagles will have to adjust to, whilst the Giants are already prepared. This game won't be decided until the end of the game, when Tiki Barber puts it away with a late touchdown run.

No Tommy Maddox This Time
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
This time around, there won't be a Tommy Maddox to throw a game-ending interception. Some may think that the Steelers kept the Dolphins in the game too long last week, but that's not the case at all. The Dolphins are a solid team, and in the clutch, the defense was able to come up with the big plays. Whether Charlie Batch or Ben Roethlisberger starts doesn't seem to matter: both of them perform well in the system. The Steelers were missing a "power" running back last week, and they hope that'll change after the signing of Najeh Davenport.

The Jaguars looked like they would start off the season on a bad note after losing 10-0 early in the game against the Dallas Cowboys last week. Jack Del Rio got his team to fight back, something they'll be doing all game long against the Steelers. The Jaguars defense will keep the game close, and the offense will do just enough to stay competitive until the fourth quarter. I expect the same type of thing to happen late in the game though - Leftwich will create a turnover after trying to make a play to stay in the game. Steelers win in similar fashion for the second straight week.

Battle of the NFC East Part 2
Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys
It's hard to imagine that one of these teams will have to begin the season at 0-2, putting them far behind in a division where every game counts. Both teams suffered tough losses last week, although the Redskins seemed to be in more control of their game than the Cowboys. Washington had a chance to tie the Vikings at the end of the game, but missed the field goal. Meanwhile, once the Cowboys lost the momentum, it stayed that way. They made a last ditch effort, but it was too little too late. However, there is always room for improvement. The Cowboys got the football to Terrell Owens a little last week, but not in the right situation. Bledsoe played a horrible game after a solid start, and that'll only irritate the troubled receiver even more.

The Redskins will be without Clinton Portis this week, putting their backs against the wall on the road. Mark Brunell will try to hit Santana Moss often in this game, but without a consistent running game, it'll be too difficult to move the play. Their defense will keep the game competitive, but the Cowboys will fix their mistakes from a week ago and pull out a convincing victory when it's all said and done.

Chance for an Upset?
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks
Last week, the entire league saw why Cardinal fans are excited about their offense. They may have one of the top offenses in the NFL, even if Edgerrin James has to grind for every yard in the running game. Meanwhile, the Seahawks experience an offensive funk last week after a lackluster effort from Shaun Alexander, while only putting nine points on the board. This week, they have Deion Branch as a receiver, but it's unknown if he's ready to go yet. The Seahawks defense held Mike Martz' Lions in check a week ago, which creates an interesting match-up this week.

The Cardinals have a good offense, but the Seahawks have a solid defense. The Cardinals do not have a defense, but the Seahawks' offense struggled last week. Guess what that means? The Seahawks will win in a shootout, but they'll do so by two possessions. There is no way the Seahawks offense will struggle two weeks in a row, let alone against the Cardinals defense. Kurt Warner will allow the Cardinals to stay in the game, but when he's forced to score every drive, he's bound to make a mistake sooner or later.

And now, the rest of the week...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Buccaneers were the most disappointing team in the league last week, as they weren't even able to put up a fight against the Baltimore Ravens. Meanwhile, the Falcons were one of the most impressive teams, as they handled the Carolina Panthers with ease. Some people are calling for a turn of events this week, which I feel is very possible. This game will show the Buccaneers are way better than what they offered last week, but not enough to pull this one out on the road. Falcons win on a Koenan field goal.

Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens
This game is very similar to the one above: one team that got shutout is facing a team that was outstanding the week before. Unfortunately, this game has the makings of a blowout from the start. The Raiders were sacked nine time last week by the Chargers, and the Ravens quite possibly may have a better defense than them. The Ravens offense won't have to do much to win this game either - a couple of safe, easy throws by McNair will be suitable enough.

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears
The Lions defense had people talking after last week, but their offense did not. Trying to get things going offensively against the Bears isn't the most ideal situation, either. The Bears can pick up their second straight divisional win due to the opponent's offense not being good enough to match up. Like last week, Rex Grossman will not have to throw the football a whole lot, as the Bears defense will do what's needed to win. Expect a low-scoring game with the Bears winning by one possession.

Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
This game will be a lot closer than people expect. The Bengals will be without T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Levi Jones, as the Browns will try to play the way they did in the second half of the game last week. Carson Palmer had some trouble getting the ball to Chad Johnson last week, and it won't get easier against cornerback Leigh Bodden this week, who covered him the best last season. The Bengals will utilize their weapons in the slot position, much like the Saints did last week. Reuben Droughns will get his carries this week, but that won't be enough to upset the Bengals on the road.

New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers
If the Packers didn't lay a complete egg last week, I may have picked them to win this game. However, with how impressive the Saints were in their first game on the road, the same formula should work against the Packers. They didn't dominate the Browns offensively, but they moved the ball effectively with creative plays for Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister. Brett Favre has to find a way to get his receivers the football, but if the Saints defensive line is as good as last week, he'll be on his backside all game long.

Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts
Don't say that this game will be an automatic blowout. Anytime that assumption is made, the game usually ends up tied by halftime. The Texans will keep the game close during the first half, but the Colts will put it away after improving their running game this week. Manning will pick apart the Texans' defense in the second half, coasting to what'll end up being an easy victory. Look for Mario Williams to have trouble making any significant plays.

Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
The Bills nearly upset the Patriots on the road last week due to a few early turnovers. This week, this game could get out of hand, as the Dolphins will physically manhandle the Bills. The Dolphins played a better game than they were given credit for last week, and likewise, the Bills were given too much credit for their game. Look for Culpepper to roll out of the pocket a little more this week as Ronnie Brown finds success in the running game as well.

Carolina Panthers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Could the Panthers, the team that many picked to advance to the Super Bowl, really end up starting the season at 0-2? With the injury problems they've experience already, it's definitely possible. John Fox is too good of a coach not to come up with a strategic gameplan though, and will find ways to utilize the running back duo properly. The Vikings' offense won't make a lot of mistakes, which also means they won't take as many risks against the Panthers defense. Look for Jake Delhomme to lead a late scoring drive in the two-minute warning for a come-from-behind win.

St. Louis Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers
Last week, the story for the Rams was their defense, but it'll switch back to offense this week. The Rams will look to avenge a game they lose against the 49ers last year with better coaching. The defensive performance they had last week will be too tough to match, meaning the Rams will have to have better red zone offense, and can't rely on six field goals from Jeff Wilkins for a win again.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
One thing you have to believe regarding Jake Plummer: you don't get that bad over a span of one season. Plummer must rebound this week simply by doing one thing: not making a mistake. That was the bread and butter of his success last year, and will be enough to beat the Chiefs. The Chiefs are at a huge disadvantage without Trent Green able to play, making them one-dimensional on offense. The Broncos' run defense is stellar, although Larry Johnson will reach the 100-yard mark this week due to a surplus of carries.

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
After the Jets impressive offensive effort last week, this game also made it as a game of the week. However, you have to take into effect that Chad Pennington was facing the Tennessee Titans, a team not known for an overwhelming defense. Tom Brady will be much improved this week after putting the Deion Branch situation behind him. The Patriots' running game will have to be as good as they were last week to prevent any possible upset this week. The Jets will find themselves hurt due to a lack of a running game.

Tennessee Titans vs. San Diego Chargers
I love Jeff Fisher as a coach, but he really dropped the ball by bringing Kerry Collins in at the last second. There was nothing wrong with having Billy Volek start the season, and Vince Young take over later in the year. Instead, the whole situation is a mess, affecting the overall team chemistry offensively as we saw last week. The Chargers will manhandle the Titans this week, the Phillip Rivers won't even have to put forth much of an effort for the second week in a row.

There you have it, my predictions for the second week of the regular season. Last week, I picked the Philadelphia Eagles to defeat the Houston Texans as my survivor pick. I was correct, and this week, I'm taking the Baltimore Ravens to beat the Oakland Raiders. The Ravens should walk all over the Raiders, but against other opponents, I still have questions about their offensive capabilities.

Predictions Record to Date: 8-8
Last Week: 8-8
Survivor Streak: Won 1 (Phi over Hou)

Last week, the season started off with a bang, as Reggie Bush and Vince Young debuted, and Trent Green took a sick shot. It's unfortunate that injuries happen so often, but it's part of the game teams have to learn to deal with. Compared to last week, I'm confident I'll improve upon my poor .500 record. You never know though - after all, this is the National Football League.

-Chris Pokorny


Do you have an opinion on this article? Do you want direct fantasy football advice from one of our writers? You can e-mail us at pokorny@pfcritics.com. Be sure to label your subject line appropriately so we don't think it is spam. Please include your name (can be a screename), city and state. We guarantee a response to any questions or comments you have, and will publish them in our next mailbag session if appropriate.
Sponsors
NFL tickets and Super Bowl tickets

Meet Doc's Advisory Board for:


PFC Pick'em
- The 2008 PFCritics Pick'em Challenge is now open for registration. Join Now and win big! Sponsored by sportsbettingstats.com
Add to My Yahoo!
Topsites
PFCritics.com

© 2004-2024 PFCritics.com. All Rights Reserved.