Last week, we were reminded that the NFL is not major league baseball, and that the teams at the top and bottom are a lot closer together than you would think. The Steelers went on the road and lost to a mediocre Bears team. the Packers lost to the Bengals. The Jets with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez at the helm knocked off New England.
Game of the Week: Arizona v. Indianapolis
For as good as the slate of games was last week, this week’s games don’t have a lot of high-profile matchups. Arizona and Indianapolis are two similar teams. Both have high-flying offenses that can, in theory, score with the best of them. So far this year, we haven’t seen a whole lot of aerial dominance from either team. Indy escaped both Jacksonville and Miami, while Arizona got manhandled by San Francisco but bounced back with an impressive effort against the Jags. Indy is ripe for an upset, and you’d better believe the Whiz is going to have his team ready to play on Sunday night in the desert. Kurt Warner v. Peyton Manning in a Fantasy Football dream matchup. First one to 40 wins…maybe.
Most Intriguing Game of the Week: New England v. Atlanta
The Falcons are 2-0 and the Pats are 1-1. This will be a litmus test for both teams to see where they really stand. New England’s defense is a shell of its former self and will struggle once again to defend the run. Matt Ryan has the skills necessary to pick apart the Patriots secondary, and the weapons to make it happen. The question in this game will be the Falcons defense. They have played well so far, but haven’t really been tested. Will Brady bounce back or continue his streak of mediocrity?
Worst Game of the Week: Detroit v. Washington
How bad is the Redskins offense? Bad enough that even though this would mark Detroit’s 20th consecutive loss, you have to like the chances of the Lions in this one. The Redskins managed to put up only 9 points against the dreadful Rams defense. If there is a redeeming factor for the Redskins, it’s their defense. Matthew Stafford hasn’t been great so far for the Lions, but you have to remember this is the Lions offense he’s working with. This game promises to be a crapshoot, which might be just what it takes to get Detroit off the schnide.
Upset Special: San Francisco over Minnesota
Minnesota needs Adrian Peterson. Brett Favre can’t win games on his own any more. With Peterson dinged up, and San Francisco’s strong defense coming in, the 49ers have a great chance to move to 3-0. If the 9ers shut down Peterson and force Favre to beat them, the game will swing for San Fran. This game matches up two strong running and mediocre passing teams with strong defenses. Look for a low-scoring, defensive showdown.
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