Post by Trent Matsunoshin on Sept 9, 2007 5:13:50 GMT 1
Well, the season just started with the defending champs making the Saints look bad.....41-10....
Ouch.
Now, the Saints D isn't great, so the 41 by Peyton and Co. really isn't a surprise, but last I checked, the Colts D isn't great either, but THEY didn't allow the Reggie Bush Campaign a single score, as the Saints only TD came via fumble return. That's a little surprising considering that the Saints added a good TE to an already explosive offense, and that Drew Brees could have (and should have) exposed the Colts faulty secondary. But alas, if you take away the run, you can make a team one-dimensional, and the Saints were definitely that thanks to the Colts Defensive Line Dominance.
Anyway....the rest of the matchups for this week:
Sunday:
Patriots at Jets: Smart money is on the Patriots, with some great free agent pickups (WRs Randy Moss and Donte' Stallworth, LB Adalius Thomas) and a contract dispute with CB Asante Samuel cleared up, The Brady Bunch is primed for a Super Bowl run and are probably the best team on paper. But the Jets made some upgrades of their own with RB Thomas Jones and top draft pick CB Darrelle Revis and are the closest challengers to the Pats' top spot in the AFC East. My pick: The Patriots. It might not be a blowout, but the Jets might be starting a rookie left guard which would mean BIG trouble for QB Chad Pennington.
Broncos at Bills: The Bills bring a big-time impact player in rookie RB Marshawn Lynch and QB JP Losman, who could have a breakout season; it might not be much on paper, but the Bills will surprise a lot of people, though there are questions on Defense. The Broncos (I hate to say it) are a definitive playoff-caliber team that only got better with RB Travis Henry, but WR Rod Smith is out, and that could really hurt the Denver Offense. My pick: The Broncos. The Broncos historically have had some of the best Offiensive and Defensive Lines since Mike Shanahan became head coach. This year should be no different as the Broncos should dominate the outmatched Bills on both sides of the ball.
Titans at Jaguars: The Jags fell off hard in the offseason, and while they sport a serious rushing attack (RBs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor) their passing attack is nonexistent, they made the right decision in naming QB David Garrard the starter since he doesn't make a lot of mistakes but I'm not seeing the Jags go anywhere this season. The Titans are gonna live and die on Vince Young this year unless someone (namely RB LenDale White and WR Brandon Jones) steps up and helps Vince Young shoulder the load. My pick: Titans. VY and company were impressive last year with fewer weapons on both sides of the ball, they're not playoff-caliber yet, the Tennessee should look good this week.
Eagles at Packers: The Eagles are near the top of the NFC when they're healthy, and QB Donovan McNabb will be closely monitored by fantasy owners everywhere throughout the season. The Packers D is shaping up to be pretty good and CB Charles Woodson is still one of the best in the league at shutting down WRs, Woodson and Eagles WR Reggie Brown should be a matchup worth watching. The Packers still need more in the rebuilding process though rookie RB Brandon Jackson has been looking real solid in the preseason. My pick: Eagles. This probably won't be close as the Eagles D will be dominant and the offense will play ball control and wear down Green Bay.
Chiefs at Texans: This might be the lowlight of the week. The Texans and new QB Matt Schaub head against career backup QB Damon Huard and the rush-heavy Chiefs. Neither team did much in the offseason in terms of upgrades, so the Chiefs still have no passing attack and the Texans still have no offensive line. My Pick: Chiefs. I'm expecting RB Larry Johnson, a WHOLE LOT of RB Larry Johnson. The Texans sport a young and improving defense, but one can expect the second coming of Jesus to happen before Houston can actually stop a force like that.
Panthers at Rams: Now this is a good matchup with plenty of stories: Will the Panthers' D have any shot at stopping RB Stephen Jackson, QB Marc Bulger, and WR Torry Holt? Will WR Steve Smith run circles around the Rams' nonexistent secondary? Will QB Jake Delhomme be under center for Carolina or are we gonna see free agent acquisition QB David Carr guide the offense? Lots of interesting stuff here, as many are picking the Panthers to make the playoffs over the Rams. My pick: Rams. Their D may be shoddy but the offense has enough weapons to make even the best defenses look bad, and Carolina sports a great D. Regardless, the Rams top goal should be to keep DE Julius Peppers away from Bulger as much as possible, if that happens, the Rams will be victorious.
Dolphins at Redskins: This won't be good for Skins' QB Jason Campbell, as he will get hit early and often by the still-good Dolphins D. The questions lie with the Dolphins' O. Will the Skins' D show up and dominate like they are capable of and force turnovers with their Top 5 secondary? Or does Dolphins' QB Trent Green have enough left to propel his team past the continually disappointing Redskins? My pick: It's a tough call, but I'm gonna go with the Dolphins here, as their defense is still far too good for the Redskins to penetrate.
Falcons at Vikings: A not-so-good matchup between two not-so-good teams. The QB flop Joey Harrington leads the Falcons against the Vikings, who at least have a decent defense and what looks to be a promising rushing attack. This might have been better if Michael Vick decided to keep his nose clean, or if the Vikings signed QB Byron Leftwich instead of QB Kelly Holcomb to backup unknown QB Tarvaris Jackson, but one can only wonder... My pick: Vikings. Minnesota should be able to showcase (or, at least improve upon) their capabilities on both sides of the ball here. The Falcons are starting what will probably be a really forgettable season but could bolster their self-esteem with a win or at least a good performance from Harrington.
Steelers at Browns: Ahh....a Week 1 Rivalry game, this is a pretty good way to turn up the intensity. Big Ben and Co. are clearly the better team on paper, but Head Coach Romeo Crennel's Browns are steadily improving. The Browns made a big offseason pickup (RB Jamal Lewis), shored up the offensive line, and had a good draft, but there are still questions at QB (Charlie Frye isn't great, but Brady Quinn isn't up to speed yet) and on Defense. My pick: Steelers. Look for RB Willie Parker to have a big game against a suspect Browns D.
Lions at Raiders: Head Coach Mike Martz and his Lions get to test their big time passing attack against an impressive Raiders' D. But the Lions D is definitely suspect, and if the Raiders score early and exercise ball control, they could pull this one out. The Matchup to watch: Lions' Treacherous 3 (WRs Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams, and Mike Furrey) vs. The Raiders Secondary and S Michael Huff. My pick: Raiders. Their D should pull this one out if they set the tone early, The Lions offensive line is suspect so expect QB Jon Kitna to be running for his life against Sapp an Co.
Buccaneers at Seahawks: The Bucs have made some strides in free agency (QB Jeff Garcia and LB Cato June) and figure to improve this year, while the Seahawks draw the toughest division in football and every game is gonna be crucial for them. The Seahawks lost a prime target in WR Darrell Jackson and that should figure prominently in how the Bucs' D plays QB Matt Hasselbeck's passing attack. My pick: Seahawks. It will be closer than many suspect as the Bucs bring a solid defense and RB Cadillac Williams is healthy again, but RB Shawn Alexander will turn out to be more than they can handle.
Bears at Chargers: This could be the week's best matchup. Both teams sport a great D but the Chargers have something the Bears don't: RB LaDainian Tomlinson. If the real QB Rex Grossman shows up he could give the good-but-not-great Chargers secondary a run for their money, but if Merriman and Co. get to Grossman early, it could be a long day for the Bears. My pick: Chargers. LaDainian should continue to dominate, so don't look for the game to be put on the shoulders of QB Philip Rivers any time soon. The Chargers D will dominate the not-so-great Bears offense early and often.
Giants at Cowboys: Too many questions on both sides of the ball for the Giants, as there are O-Line issues, questions about RB Brandon Jacobs' workload and durability, and a suspect D. The Cowboys on the other hand, will likely miss WR Terry Glenn due to injury, and have questions about the upcoming post-Parcells era starting this week. My pick: Cowboys. An easy choice here as this one shouldn't even be close.
Monday:
Ravens at Bengals: This should be a marquee matchup with the Bengals' explosive O going up against the Ravens' stout D. This one may come down to who makes the first mistake and turns the ball over. The Bengals' D isn't great but they caused more turnovers than anyone last season and can really make Baltimore look bad if they stop RB Willis McGahee, as the passing attack is marginal no matter who's throwing the ball. My pick: Bengals. It's close, but it will come down to who plays better D. The Ravens have the D to stop Cincy but the Bengals O doesn't make a lot of mistakes, while Cincy's D can exploit the Ravens' one-dimensional offense.
Cardinals at 49ers: There are a lot of expectations for both teams this year in what looks to be a really tough NFC West. Niners' QB Alex Smith could have a breakout season with new weapons WR Darrell Jackson and TE Vernon Davis, plus they have a top rusher in RB Frank Gore. The Cards QB Matt Leinart could also have a breakout season as they have shored up Offensive Line issues and the Cards look to break the franchise's losing culture in the desert. My pick: 49ers. If the Niners' O-Line holds up, QB Alex Smith should be able to school the Arizona secondary, which is marginal at best. Look for both teams to try and establish the run early to take pressure off the passing attack, that should be attainable considering that the 49ers have last season's top RB in Gore.
That's it. We'll see how they hold up.
Short list of picks:
Patriots
Broncos
Titans
Eagles
Chiefs
Rams
Dolphins
Vikings
Steelers
Raiders
Seahawks
Chargers
Cowboys
Bengals
49ers
Ouch.
Now, the Saints D isn't great, so the 41 by Peyton and Co. really isn't a surprise, but last I checked, the Colts D isn't great either, but THEY didn't allow the Reggie Bush Campaign a single score, as the Saints only TD came via fumble return. That's a little surprising considering that the Saints added a good TE to an already explosive offense, and that Drew Brees could have (and should have) exposed the Colts faulty secondary. But alas, if you take away the run, you can make a team one-dimensional, and the Saints were definitely that thanks to the Colts Defensive Line Dominance.
Anyway....the rest of the matchups for this week:
Sunday:
Patriots at Jets: Smart money is on the Patriots, with some great free agent pickups (WRs Randy Moss and Donte' Stallworth, LB Adalius Thomas) and a contract dispute with CB Asante Samuel cleared up, The Brady Bunch is primed for a Super Bowl run and are probably the best team on paper. But the Jets made some upgrades of their own with RB Thomas Jones and top draft pick CB Darrelle Revis and are the closest challengers to the Pats' top spot in the AFC East. My pick: The Patriots. It might not be a blowout, but the Jets might be starting a rookie left guard which would mean BIG trouble for QB Chad Pennington.
Broncos at Bills: The Bills bring a big-time impact player in rookie RB Marshawn Lynch and QB JP Losman, who could have a breakout season; it might not be much on paper, but the Bills will surprise a lot of people, though there are questions on Defense. The Broncos (I hate to say it) are a definitive playoff-caliber team that only got better with RB Travis Henry, but WR Rod Smith is out, and that could really hurt the Denver Offense. My pick: The Broncos. The Broncos historically have had some of the best Offiensive and Defensive Lines since Mike Shanahan became head coach. This year should be no different as the Broncos should dominate the outmatched Bills on both sides of the ball.
Titans at Jaguars: The Jags fell off hard in the offseason, and while they sport a serious rushing attack (RBs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor) their passing attack is nonexistent, they made the right decision in naming QB David Garrard the starter since he doesn't make a lot of mistakes but I'm not seeing the Jags go anywhere this season. The Titans are gonna live and die on Vince Young this year unless someone (namely RB LenDale White and WR Brandon Jones) steps up and helps Vince Young shoulder the load. My pick: Titans. VY and company were impressive last year with fewer weapons on both sides of the ball, they're not playoff-caliber yet, the Tennessee should look good this week.
Eagles at Packers: The Eagles are near the top of the NFC when they're healthy, and QB Donovan McNabb will be closely monitored by fantasy owners everywhere throughout the season. The Packers D is shaping up to be pretty good and CB Charles Woodson is still one of the best in the league at shutting down WRs, Woodson and Eagles WR Reggie Brown should be a matchup worth watching. The Packers still need more in the rebuilding process though rookie RB Brandon Jackson has been looking real solid in the preseason. My pick: Eagles. This probably won't be close as the Eagles D will be dominant and the offense will play ball control and wear down Green Bay.
Chiefs at Texans: This might be the lowlight of the week. The Texans and new QB Matt Schaub head against career backup QB Damon Huard and the rush-heavy Chiefs. Neither team did much in the offseason in terms of upgrades, so the Chiefs still have no passing attack and the Texans still have no offensive line. My Pick: Chiefs. I'm expecting RB Larry Johnson, a WHOLE LOT of RB Larry Johnson. The Texans sport a young and improving defense, but one can expect the second coming of Jesus to happen before Houston can actually stop a force like that.
Panthers at Rams: Now this is a good matchup with plenty of stories: Will the Panthers' D have any shot at stopping RB Stephen Jackson, QB Marc Bulger, and WR Torry Holt? Will WR Steve Smith run circles around the Rams' nonexistent secondary? Will QB Jake Delhomme be under center for Carolina or are we gonna see free agent acquisition QB David Carr guide the offense? Lots of interesting stuff here, as many are picking the Panthers to make the playoffs over the Rams. My pick: Rams. Their D may be shoddy but the offense has enough weapons to make even the best defenses look bad, and Carolina sports a great D. Regardless, the Rams top goal should be to keep DE Julius Peppers away from Bulger as much as possible, if that happens, the Rams will be victorious.
Dolphins at Redskins: This won't be good for Skins' QB Jason Campbell, as he will get hit early and often by the still-good Dolphins D. The questions lie with the Dolphins' O. Will the Skins' D show up and dominate like they are capable of and force turnovers with their Top 5 secondary? Or does Dolphins' QB Trent Green have enough left to propel his team past the continually disappointing Redskins? My pick: It's a tough call, but I'm gonna go with the Dolphins here, as their defense is still far too good for the Redskins to penetrate.
Falcons at Vikings: A not-so-good matchup between two not-so-good teams. The QB flop Joey Harrington leads the Falcons against the Vikings, who at least have a decent defense and what looks to be a promising rushing attack. This might have been better if Michael Vick decided to keep his nose clean, or if the Vikings signed QB Byron Leftwich instead of QB Kelly Holcomb to backup unknown QB Tarvaris Jackson, but one can only wonder... My pick: Vikings. Minnesota should be able to showcase (or, at least improve upon) their capabilities on both sides of the ball here. The Falcons are starting what will probably be a really forgettable season but could bolster their self-esteem with a win or at least a good performance from Harrington.
Steelers at Browns: Ahh....a Week 1 Rivalry game, this is a pretty good way to turn up the intensity. Big Ben and Co. are clearly the better team on paper, but Head Coach Romeo Crennel's Browns are steadily improving. The Browns made a big offseason pickup (RB Jamal Lewis), shored up the offensive line, and had a good draft, but there are still questions at QB (Charlie Frye isn't great, but Brady Quinn isn't up to speed yet) and on Defense. My pick: Steelers. Look for RB Willie Parker to have a big game against a suspect Browns D.
Lions at Raiders: Head Coach Mike Martz and his Lions get to test their big time passing attack against an impressive Raiders' D. But the Lions D is definitely suspect, and if the Raiders score early and exercise ball control, they could pull this one out. The Matchup to watch: Lions' Treacherous 3 (WRs Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams, and Mike Furrey) vs. The Raiders Secondary and S Michael Huff. My pick: Raiders. Their D should pull this one out if they set the tone early, The Lions offensive line is suspect so expect QB Jon Kitna to be running for his life against Sapp an Co.
Buccaneers at Seahawks: The Bucs have made some strides in free agency (QB Jeff Garcia and LB Cato June) and figure to improve this year, while the Seahawks draw the toughest division in football and every game is gonna be crucial for them. The Seahawks lost a prime target in WR Darrell Jackson and that should figure prominently in how the Bucs' D plays QB Matt Hasselbeck's passing attack. My pick: Seahawks. It will be closer than many suspect as the Bucs bring a solid defense and RB Cadillac Williams is healthy again, but RB Shawn Alexander will turn out to be more than they can handle.
Bears at Chargers: This could be the week's best matchup. Both teams sport a great D but the Chargers have something the Bears don't: RB LaDainian Tomlinson. If the real QB Rex Grossman shows up he could give the good-but-not-great Chargers secondary a run for their money, but if Merriman and Co. get to Grossman early, it could be a long day for the Bears. My pick: Chargers. LaDainian should continue to dominate, so don't look for the game to be put on the shoulders of QB Philip Rivers any time soon. The Chargers D will dominate the not-so-great Bears offense early and often.
Giants at Cowboys: Too many questions on both sides of the ball for the Giants, as there are O-Line issues, questions about RB Brandon Jacobs' workload and durability, and a suspect D. The Cowboys on the other hand, will likely miss WR Terry Glenn due to injury, and have questions about the upcoming post-Parcells era starting this week. My pick: Cowboys. An easy choice here as this one shouldn't even be close.
Monday:
Ravens at Bengals: This should be a marquee matchup with the Bengals' explosive O going up against the Ravens' stout D. This one may come down to who makes the first mistake and turns the ball over. The Bengals' D isn't great but they caused more turnovers than anyone last season and can really make Baltimore look bad if they stop RB Willis McGahee, as the passing attack is marginal no matter who's throwing the ball. My pick: Bengals. It's close, but it will come down to who plays better D. The Ravens have the D to stop Cincy but the Bengals O doesn't make a lot of mistakes, while Cincy's D can exploit the Ravens' one-dimensional offense.
Cardinals at 49ers: There are a lot of expectations for both teams this year in what looks to be a really tough NFC West. Niners' QB Alex Smith could have a breakout season with new weapons WR Darrell Jackson and TE Vernon Davis, plus they have a top rusher in RB Frank Gore. The Cards QB Matt Leinart could also have a breakout season as they have shored up Offensive Line issues and the Cards look to break the franchise's losing culture in the desert. My pick: 49ers. If the Niners' O-Line holds up, QB Alex Smith should be able to school the Arizona secondary, which is marginal at best. Look for both teams to try and establish the run early to take pressure off the passing attack, that should be attainable considering that the 49ers have last season's top RB in Gore.
That's it. We'll see how they hold up.
Short list of picks:
Patriots
Broncos
Titans
Eagles
Chiefs
Rams
Dolphins
Vikings
Steelers
Raiders
Seahawks
Chargers
Cowboys
Bengals
49ers