Week 1 Review/Week 2 Preview:

For the Week:
v. W/L: (8-8)
v. ATS: (9-7)
v. Aggregate:(9-7)

ATS v. The Loyal Opposition:
CBS-Judge 10-4-2
CBS-Brinson 10-4-2
Walter Football 9-6-1
Postcards From Nowhere: 9-6-1
CBS-Richard 8-6-2
FOXSports Peter Schrager 8-8-0
ESPN Bill Simmons 7-7-2
CBS-Katzowitz 6-8-2
CSNNE Rich Levine 6-8-1
USA Pete O’Brien 5-8-3
CBS-Prisco 4-10-2

Weekly v. W/L v. ESPN NFL Experts & USA Today Analysts:

PFT-Rosenthal 12-4
Accuscore (ESPN) 12-4
PFT-Florio 11-5
Schlereth (ESPN) 11-5
Wickersham (ESPN) 10-6
Pick 'em (ESPN) 10-6
Gary Mihoces (USAT) 10-6
Skip Wood (USAT) 10-6
Hoge (ESPN) 10-6
Sean Leahy (USAT) 9-7
Schefter (ESPN) 9-7
Jim Corbett (USAT) 9-7
Mortensen (ESPN) 8-8
Jon Saraceno (USAT) 8-8
Nate Davis (USAT) 8-8
Pete O'Brien (USAT) 8-8
Postcards From Nowhere: 8-8
Allen (ESPN) 7-9
Golic (ESPN) 7-9
Jarrett Bell (USAT) 7-9
Tom Pedulla (USAT) 6-10

Random Week 2 Thoughts…

Tommy Boy rightfully expressed his chagrin over most of the lower bowl at Gillette leaving early prior to the end of the third quarter on Sunday. Sorry, Tom but that electric atmosphere at the Big House in Ann Arbor is long in your rear view mirror. If Brady wants the big dough, then he should also accept what comes with it. The lower bowl/luxury boxes are the domain of the “haves”. At the ticket prices charged by the Krafts, that’s not a hot dog and beer crowd sitting down there. It’s the white wine and cheese corporate types occupying those seats. They’re more concerned with “being seen”, entertaining clients, constantly checking the Blackberry and less concerned with the event unfolding before their eyes. Look, it’s no big secret: the ambience at Gillette comparable to that of a tennis match. Long gone are the days in Foxboro of knuckleheads cracking beer bottles over each other’s heads and vomiting on one another for entertainment. (That’s really how it was in the good ol’ days in Foxboro). The NFL priced “Joe Fan” out of the marketplace years ago, and that was before the idea of PSL’s came into being. Maybe it’s time for a little competition. Most fans can’t even afford the nose bleed seats nowadays, and who wants to go through the aggravation and traffic anyhow? With HDTV and the quality of NFL television productions, it’s far more comfortable and enjoyable watching the games at home.

Fifty years ago, when the NFL did not open up to other markets hungry for pro football, the AFL came into being. They offered a brand of football that was competitive and more than the NFL’s usual “three yards and a cloud of dust”. The AFL changed how the game was played. The NFL/Establishment laughed at the AFL, but ultimately ended up accepting the AFL franchises as partners because the League's entertainment quality caught on with the fans during the ‘60’s. Over the past 35 years, there have been other leagues that tried and failed (WFL, USFL and XFL). Now, there’s an upstart league (UFL) that’s decided to challenge again. Will it work? Who knows? Is it worth watching? The UFL’s season kicks off on Saturday, as the League’s New England franchise, the Hartford Colonials play Sacramento. We’ll give it a look and let you know…

…Reggie Bush decided to forfeit his 2005 Heisman Award. What took you so long? Everyone with a modicum of sense knew that the rogue operation run by Carroll/Garrett at ‘SC stunk to the high heavens. There were paid players in that program who flouted all of the “gifts” and conventions that accompanied their celebrity status and the powers-that-be turned a blind eye and ESPN pumped it for all it was worth. As long as that tv money kept rolling in, the administration shut their mouths went along for the ride. That it took five years to resolve this rampant corruption speaks volumes about how inadequate the NCAA and member schools are in policing violations. Where were they five years ago when the allegations about Bush originally surfaced?

…In other news, it appears that the League office is looking into alleged improper behavior on the part of some Jets’ players after a (stunningly attractive) female reporter from Mexico recently visited the Jets’ facility to interview Mark Sanchez. Patriots’ fans have been down this ugly path (20 years ago), and it’s amazing to hear that another episode of Neanderthal behavior has reared its head again. Once upon a time, the world of sports was strictly a male’s domain. Times have changed, and for the better in this respect. Over the last 30+ years, women have entered the world of sports journalism and proven that they’re every bit as good (and as bad) as the men. Is anyone suggesting that Patriots’ beat reporters like Karen Guregian and Shalize Manza-Young lack competence because they’re women? Are you kidding? They do a great job—far better than the likes of Borges and Tomase. In short, for supposed adult professional males to behave like immature high schoolers when a woman arrives on the scene to do her job is unacceptable. Whether professional male athletes accept it or not, women performing their jobs in the media have equal access to facilities where males may be prevalent and/or be in various stages of undress. So what? If men are “uncomfortable” with females entering the domain as part of their professional responsibilities, then tough, get over it. It’s not as if a locker room has a magical aura about it. The only aura about a locker room is the stink. When the room is open for the media, simple propriety dictates that the athletes wear a towel or shorts and behave as professionals. What’s so difficult about that?

…So many players went down for the year after Week 1, that it was really sad and amazing to see this number of quality players on the shelf. Two players with injury histories we mentioned last week (Kris Jenkins and Bob Sanders) whose returns we felt meant so much to their respective teams are now lost again. Others who went on IR after Week 1 included the Packers’ Ryan Grant, Seattle’s Max Unger, the Texans’ Connor Barwin, Philly’s Leonard Weaver (hideous injury) and Jamaal Jackson.

There is at least three of the “Hobson’s Choice” variety for your consideration this week, starting with this one:

At Cleveland -2 Kansas City 37

“Winnah, winnah, who wants a winnah? Step right up…” It’s only Week 2 and the schedule maker has us picking through the trash with rubber gloves.

Jake Delhomme’s debut with the Browns was eerily similar to the last time we saw him with Carolina, throwing interceptions. He was banged up a little in the Bucs’ game, but healthy or hurt, he needs to deliver the goods against the Chiefs on Sunday. Hmmm…reports on Tuesday indicated that Delhomme was seen in a walking boot, so Seneca Wallace may get the reps at practice this week. The Big Cheese (Holmgren) was brought in with a mandate to build a winning program and won’t tarry long if Delhomme and ManGenius sputter coming out of the gate. The Browns played sloppy football last week and lost. Joshua Cribbs didn’t exactly set the house on fire, and they need his skills to get things moving. They should be highly motivated coming out for the home opener, looking to atone for a bad game. On Sunday, the Browns will hold their inaugural “Ring of Honor” ceremonies and the Ghost of Paul Brown would be most displeased if the team did not perform well.

The early polling for Rookie of the year is already in and the Chiefs’ Dexter McCluster is off to a runaway lead. It’s hard to remember a more electric debut than McCluster’s on Monday night. He was scary good and adds an explosive dimension to the Chiefs that they’ve missed since the days of Tamarick Vanover (’95-’99). Looking at the numbers reveals that, other than McCluster’s touchdown return and Jamaal Charles’ 56-yard touchdown dash, the Chiefs offense didn’t exactly bowl over San Diego. Cassel played a careful game that was dictated in large part by the weather.

Projected Final Score: Cleveland 17, Kansas City 13

At Green Bay -13.5 Buffalo 43

Oh my goodness, those poor Bills. Last week we gave them a reasonable shot to pull off an opening day upset. This week, to quote Robert Cray, “the forecast calls for pain.” Last week Buffalo put up a grand total of 166 yards of total offense. In the Glory Days of Jim Kelly, they’d do that in a quarter. The Bills’ defense didn’t play all that bad against Miami, but let’s face it: the Dolphins aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut. You have to wonder just how bad it’s going to be for the Bills on Sunday. The opening line reeks of utter contempt. Now, the Bills will be without linebacker Paul Posluszny for the next 2-4 weeks.

The Packers had a solid win in Philly on Sunday, cracking heads and putting up big offensive numbers, still Rodgers was dissatisfied with the offensive output. They’ll be looking to improve this week regardless of the opponent. Without Ryan Grant, Rodgers will need to overcompensate on the pass, but one of the few Bills’ strengths is their secondary. Last week, the Pack’s defense fell asleep in the late going as Vick’s arm and legs made the game unnecessarily close in the fourth quarter. Playing four quarters ought to be a point of emphasis this week.

The 13 ½ is scary, but look at it this way: Is the Packers’ offense (without Grant) better than Miami’s? Yes. Can the weakened Buffalo defense stand up to whatever Rodgers throws at them? Arguably, yes as the Bills do have a good secondary. Hate to take the points, but…

Projected Final Score: Green Bay 31, Buffalo 17

At Cincinnati +1.5 Baltimore 41

The Bungles played an absolutely wretched first half of football in Foxboro on Sunday before waking up and challenging the Pats in the second half. Too bad there wasn’t a fifth quarter or they could’ve made things interesting. By then, the Pats’ D was playing prevent so it really didn’t matter. There weren’t many good things that Coach Lewis’ crew could take out of Week 1. They’re going to have to come up with more aggressive schemes on both sides of the ball and hope the Ravens are physically and emotionally spent from Monday night’s big win. DC Zimmer is determined that his defense will not be unprepared this week.

On Monday night, the Ravens’ defense put on a show that was about as impressive as the ’85 Bears and Buddy Ryan’s “46”. That they did it against Buddy’s son was not just ironic but delicious. The Jets spent the days leading up to this game yapping that they were the Eighth Wonder of the World and the Ravens did not take kindly to such disrespect. The Ravens’ best response came late in the game when Ray Lewis leveled Keller and knocked the ball loose. Whack! Sanchez never had a chance, as the Ravens swarmed and stung him throughout the game. Joe Flacco had a pretty good game against the Jets’ defense and was able to make use of his new buddy, Anquan Boldin, quite effectively in a couple of instances. Boldin provides a dimension to the offense that Flacco didn’t previously enjoy, so it ought to be a lot of fun watching them work together. Ray Rice didn’t bowl anyone over in the Jets game, but he should have more success pounding the rock on Sunday.

It is noteworthy that there were no “tweets” coming from Cincinnati’s #85 this week…

Projected Final Score: Ravens 24, Cincinnati 20

At Tennessee -5.5 Pittsburgh 37.5

The Steelers came back to post a thrilling OT win against Atlanta on Rashard Mendenhall’s mad dash. However, Dixon didn’t make anyone forget Big Ben with his pedestrian performance at quarterback. This week, the going will be a lot rougher as they make their way to Nashville to meet the Titans, who literally blew the Raiders off the field, 38-13. You’d have to think that Pittsburgh expended a ton of emotional capital in this game and might come in a little bit spent. In Week 1, Chris Johnson made a good start on his vow to break the all-time season rushing record with 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He probably won’t duplicate that effort on Sunday. The Steelers’ D will have to carry this team for the next three weeks. They may have some success limiting Johnson but Young’s mobility is going to be problematic.

Projected Final Score: Tennessee 20, Pittsburgh 13

Philadelphia +4.5 At Detroit 41

The Lions came ever so close to pulling off the upset on Sunday in Chicago, unfortunately that instant replay proved correct and Calvin Johnson did not have full possession of the ball in the end zone. What’s worse is that they’ve lost Matthew Stafford for the next few weeks with a separated shoulder. This is when the NFL’s lack of a rookie cap drives fans bonkers. Stafford received nearly $50M in guarantees as the #1 overall pick in 2009, and while he had a decent rookie season, that was way too much to sign an unproven commodity at a time when the team had so many leaks to repair. Now Stafford is a slightly-proven commodity who will be sidelined while the Lions still have all those holes. If there were a rookie cap, those resources could’ve been expended to properly build the team, not to unjustly enrich one player who has proved nothing at the professional level.

The Eagles left the field a bruised and battered bunch on Sunday. Kevin Kolb’s first day since being installed as the starter didn’t go so well, as he had his face pushed into the turf, got his brains scrambled and didn’t return after the second quarter. Leonard Weaver went out for the year with a gruesome knee injury (you don’t want to see a replay) and Stewart Bradley also went out with a concussion. Bradley’s concussion was serious as he staggered and fell to the ground as his teammates watched helplessly. He was not properly checked out thereafter as the trainers were tending to Kolb and was later allowed to re-enter the field of play. Michael Vick came on in relief and played creditably well, considering this was his first crack at extended play since being a guest of the Federal Government at Leavenworth. The man did his time and (justifiably) paid dearly for his inhuman acts toward animals, so it’s time to let it go. Coach Reid came out after the game and announced that Kolb would be back this week to start. Ever have a concussion? I’ve had at least three playing sports/car accidents. They don’t “go away” in a week. Jason Whitlock begs to differ about Reid’s decision, and so do we. Vick added a dimension to the Eagles’ lackluster offense that was missing under Kolb. We’re not suggesting that Kolb be thrown to the wolves after only one half. To the contrary; concussions are very, very serious medical conditions that need time to heal properly under the supervision of a team’s medical staff (not the “team doctor” played by James Woods in “Any Given Sunday”, either). Reid should keep Vick starting as long as is needed for Kolb to heal.

The Lions will start journeyman Shaun Hill in Stafford’s place and he should give the offense the same level of play that he did with the ‘Niners: “meh”. The problem for the Lions is their secondary. If Vick is the least bit accurate (something that has historically fluctuated from week to week), then he ought to have success finding Jackson and Maclin.

Projected Final Score: Philadelphia 27, Detroit 20

At Dallas -8.5 Chicago 41

“Them Cowboys” return to Big D still smarting after Sunday Night’s loss to the ‘Skins. So, let’s get this straight: they replaced the most-penalized player in the NFL last year (Flozell Adams) with (?) the second most-penalized player in the NFL last year in Alex Barron. Smart move, Jerry. It was Barron’s holding penalty that cost the Cowboys a last-second win. And there was no doubt about it, either. It was a world-class hook n’ grab right under the official’s nose. But games are generally not won or lost on one play. The Cowboys had plenty of chances but failed to execute. Part of that’s their fault while a lot of credit also has to go to Coach Shanahan’s game planning and his team’s execution. This week, the Cowboys ought to be steaming mad (at themselves) coming into this game and be looking to make Cutler and the Bears pay. The only concern on defense is Ware’s neck injury that occurred in the fourth quarter. This is not the first time that Ware has suffered a neck injury and bears watching. He’s one of the best rushing DE’s in the NFL but has to learn that his head is not for tackling.

This will not be pretty for the Bears. Cutler may’ve put up some impressive stats last week, but that was against the Lions’ secondary, which presently consists of three gaping holes and Louis Delmas. The Cowboys’ D will not be as charitable. The outcome of this game depends on how well Romo can move the offense. The Bears were lucky last week.

Their luck’s about to change.

Projected Final Score: Dallas 24, Chicago 14

At Carolina -3.5 Tampa Bay 36.5

“Really don't mind if you sit this one out.”
“Thick As A Brick” Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull

Ugh. Beyond family and close friends, how many people in America actually care about the outcome of this game? 100, if that? The Bucs downed Cleveland in last week’s “Clash of the Terribles” so maybe there’s hope for an amazing Cinderella run. Then again, the Panthers are a better team than the Brownies. The Panthers were treated rather rudely by the G-Men in the last trip to the Big City and they now harbor hopes for also-ran status in the NFC South. Matt Moore took a nasty rap on the noggin against the Giants and still may be seeing stars. He will play on Sunday.

Considering that he was throwing with a broken thumb, Josh Freeman had a pretty good game against the Browns. It looks like he’s discovered a nice target in Syracuse Mike Williams and Cadillac ran for 75 last week.

Flip a coin on the outcome.

Projected Final Score: Carolina 20, Tampa Bay 17

At Atlanta -7 Arizona 43

Historically, the Cardinals have not fared well East of the Mississippi, though that has changed slightly under Coach Whisenhunt. The Cards pulled out a squeaker in St. Louis on Sunday but their defense will have to contend with a more experienced quarterback this week.

Atlanta’s defense played very well in their OT loss to Pittsburgh while Matt Ryan predictably had an off day against the Steelers’ ferocious D. Things should improve for Ryan this week. They’re home and Arizona’s defense is nowhere as intimidating as Pittsburgh’s.

Projected Final Score: Atlanta 23, Arizona 14

At Minnesota -5.5 Miami 40

The Baggie Dome plays host to a rematch of Super Bowl VIII as the Vikes look to rebound from their Opening Night loss in New Orleans against a tough Dolphins group looking to go 2-0. Both teams played to the level of their competition last week, which bodes well for Favre & Co. The Dolphins could’ve made a “big statement” by offensively dominating Buffalo last week, but the Bills’ D played about as well as could be expected (considering they’re arguably the worst team in the league right now). The Vikes’ D held the explosive Saints’ offense to just 14 points—in the Superdome no less. That was no mean feat. This week, they have all the juice from playing at home with a boisterous crowd at their back.

Projected Final Score: Minnesota 20, Miami 17

At Oakland -4 St. Louis 37.5

This is this week’s “Trifecta of the Terribles” as someone actually has the audacity to charge Yankee Dollars for the privilege of witnessing this event in person. The nerve of some people! Last week, the Raiders went to Nashville and were demolished. Fans at the park had every right to demand a refund because they paid serious cash to watch two teams while only one showed up on the field. So much for all that preseason jive about a “new era” for the Raiders: it was SOS for the Silver & Black. This week, Coach Cable may get a reprieve from the warden as the lowly Rams return to California just for the day. The Mausoleum will be filled with the usual degenerates and other assorted reprobates who get a big kick out of hurling insults (and other unmentionable objects) at the opposition. After the game, they get back on the bus and are safely tucked away in San Quentin until the next home game. Even in the past ten years (in which the Raiders have played a particularly stinky brand of football), Oakland uses its intimidating ghosts of the past to their advantage at home. After last week, they need every conceivable advantage they can scrape up.

The Rams played a pretty good game losing against Arizona, and Sam Bradford acquitted himself well in his pro debut. Provided he stays healthy and (further provided) the Rams build around him with quality talent, the Rams will be making some noise in the next 2-3 years. But that won’t be in time for Sunday.

Projected Final Score: Oakland 23, St. Louis 16

At Denver -3.5 Seattle 39.5

This week we’ll find out if the Seahawks big win last week was a fluke or a sign that they’re a contender. They played great in Pete Carroll’s return to the NFL, whipping a team that was widely considered to be playoff material and making them look like a bunch of scrubs. It was a great victory, but the honeymoon’s over for Pete and his team. This game puts them in a tough spot, as they travel to Denver, where the Broncos pride themselves on making the opposition “suck wind” in the mile-high air late in games. It’s a great advantage that the Broncs have taken advantage of for 50 years. They’ll need it this week, as they were gassed in the humidity of Jacksonville last Sunday (in a game that was delayed for several minutes in the fourth quarter after nasty thunder and lightning hovered over the field of play). The Broncos were surprised that Jacksonville’s defense actually mounted something of a pass rush last week and hurried and harassed Orton. Tim Tebow saw limited action in his pro debut and was ineffective. He’ll continue to get more reps as the season plays out. He’s going to be a really good quarterback and leader given time and patience.

This is a really tough game to forecast, as Denver’s pass rush (without Dumervil) is seriously lacking, but the thin air has a way of catching up to the opposition in the fourth quarter. It’s better to lean on predictable advantages than unknowns.

Projected Final Score: Denver 23, Seattle 20

Houston -3 At Washington 44.5

The Texans put up last week and are now in the conversation as a force with which to be reckoned in the AFC. Arian Foster (one of the best UDFA’s in recent years) had an amazing game against Indy, rumbling for 231 yards and three touchdowns. The pass defense allowed Manning an astonishing 419 passing yards last week and that’s a cause for concern. Can McNabb exploit these deficiencies?

The ‘Skins played a terrific game in their home win over Dallas. Thanks to a stupid Cowboys’ turnover just before the half and an even-more stupid penalty at the end, McNabb’s debut in Washington was successful and he played pretty well. This week, the other half of the Texas Two-Some comes to the DC and there’s a question as to whether a letdown may be in the cards. Coaches Shanahan and Haslett out schemed Son of Bum and Garrett to a fare-thee-well last week and will have their hands full with Schaub. Shanahan’s kid (formerly on the Texans’ staff) ought to provide his dad with a wealth of knowledge regarding the Texans’ offensive tendencies.

Projected Final Score: Houston 24, Washington 20

At San Diego -8 Jacksonville 45.5

You’d have to figure that this trip west is going to be a tough challenge for the Jag-U-ars. After a little lightning scare, they sent everyone home happy (except the Tebow fans) and had a respectable win against Denver. This week, they continue play against the AFC West against a Charger team coming off of a short week. Mr. Mediocre, David Garrard, threw for three touchdowns last week, which probably means he’ll throw three picks this week. Maurice Jones-Drew carried for 98 yards last week and ought to have a similar week against the Chargers’ so-so run defense (5.2/carry last week).

The Chargers stunk out the park in Kansas City, as the Chiefs’ special teams ran wild and Rivers could not control his temper as the team lost 21-14 in a driving rainstorm. When San Diego went down the field and scored early on, maybe they thought that the Chiefs would fold up and call it a day. Think again. The offense then struggled and Ryan Mathews’ debut was not the one for which he’d hoped as he fumbled and struggled to get traction in the rain. The defense had some success limiting Cassel, but Jamaal Charles made up for that by gashing through the line.

Every year, the Chargers struggle coming out of the box only to build up momentum as the season rolls on. After last week, there’s little comfort in the 8.

Projected Final Score: San Diego 27, Jacksonville 21

At NY Jets +1.5 New England 39

Week 2 is going to be a very different experience for both teams…

…The Laurence Maroney Experience came to an end in Foxboro on Tuesday, as he was packaged with a sixth-round pick and traded to Denver for their fourth-round pick next year. What’s to say? Not so much, really; it’s a disappointment whenever a first-round pick fails to live up to expectations. He wasn’t a total bust, but all Patriots’ fans ever got were occasional flashes of brilliance combined with injuries and the infuriating inability to hit holes with confidence and purpose. The Patriots haven’t had a dependable power back since Corey Dillon’s first season with the team. Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris and BJGE will be counted on to pick up those tough inside yards, and none of those guys are particularly reliable or durable. McDaniels knows all about Maroney’s strengths and weaknesses and probably has a plan to put him in the mix with Moreno and Buckhalter. Maroney seems to be a little more durable than both of those guys, so he’ll get his chances. He’s a likeable enough kid, so we wish him well in this next chapter of his career.

And so here we are: two teams with a passionate dislike for each other square off in the Big City. The Jets lost 10-9 in a slobberknocker to the Ravens, and not a lot should be taken out of that game other than two defenses that played 60 minutes of magnificent, hard hitting football. Good luck to the Patriots this week, as they’ll need it. If the Jets’ defense comes out with anywhere near the passion and execution they put forth on Monday night, it’s going to be a long (and bad) afternoon for Brady. The Jets will be forced to go without Kris Jenkins again as he suffered a season-ending knee injury on Monday night. Last year, the Pats went down to the Meadowlands in Week 2 and got smoked. Expect another dose of the same this week. Mark Sanchez and the Jets’ offense posted near-franchise lows in output against the Ravens’ D on Monday night but that was sort of expected. What wasn’t expected was the team’s undisciplined play. Sanchez may have better luck this week; then again he should expect that Belichick is going to throw a bewildering variety of looks at him. The Patriots’ defense gave up 428 yards to the Bengals last week. It doesn’t matter whether a lot of those yards were picked up in garbage time. It’s still not a good sign.

The Jets did a lot of trash-talking leading up to the game but Ray Lewis and the other 10 Raven defenders saved their responses for the field. Sanchez and the Jets’ offense may find the going a lot easier against the young Patriots’ linebackers and secondary, especially if they resort to swing passes and the run game. Even though Shonn Greene fumbled a couple of times and was benched on Monday night, look for him to atone in a big way this week. Brady already knows that the defense he’ll face this week is NOT THE BUNGLES.

Patriots’ Offense: Very Good
Jets’ Defense: Excellent
Jets’ Offense: Good
Patriots’ Defense: Uh, Not So Good

The only possible advantage the Patriots have is the genius holed up in the bunker, secretly crafting plans to exploit the (very few) weaknesses the Jets may have on defense. Still, his machinations may not be good enough. The Patriots had a nice start, but we’re still not buying their defense. Despite all the pundits pushing the panic button on the Jets (the very same ones who already punched the Jets’ ticket to the Super Bowl), we are bullish on their defense. We’re also confident that they will pound the rock all day long with success.

Projected Final Score: NY Jets 20, New England 13

At Indianapolis -5.5 NY Giants 48

Is this the first mano-a-mano showdown between the Mannings? No, they met on 9/10/06 and Big Brother’s team prevailed, 26-21. The suits picked out what looks to be a great matchup for Sunday Night. Little Brother is going to kick Big Brother’s ass this time, let’s get that out of the way first. After last week, Big Brother now knows that a cakewalk to the top of the AFC South is no longer a fait accompli, as it’s been for the last 10 years. The Texans made a loud statement last week that they’re finally ready to contend. (We’ll see, it was only one week). As Bob Sanders is now out again for an extended period, it adds pressure to the defense, which, in turn, makes things harder for Big Brother. Not that he minds, Big Brother is blessed with some serious weapons and knows how to use them better than anyone in the business.

The Giants had a nice opening week, as they started out slowly before steamrolling the Panthers 31-18. Their defense is in the process of rebounding into championship form and will give Big Brother a lot of different looks and a few headaches as well. Little Brother has a few weapons of his own, and Bradshaw and Jacobs are going to pound the rock, just as Arian Foster did last week.

Indy is a tough nut to crack at home, but if Coughlin’s defense knows when to effectively blitz, Peyton’s opportunities for big strikes may be limited.

Projected Final Score: NY Giants 24, Indianapolis 23