2. Baltimore Ravens, 1-0 (3) – Baltimore’s game against the Jets turned out to be just what most people expected – a low scoring game dominated by defense. The Ravens capitalized on 14 Jets penalties. Anquan Boldin looked like a brilliant offseason acquisition. The defense played spectacularly.
3. New England Patriots, 1-0 (5) – New England won a resounding victory over a good Cincinnati team. The offense looks explosive. Tom Brady was exceptionally good, Fred Taylor is an ageless wonder, and Wes Welker is back to old form. The D gave up a lot of yards, but it didn’t matter.
4. Green Bay Packers, 1-0 (4) – The Pack held on for a 27-20 win over Philadelphia. Aaron Rodgers was decent. Losing Ryan Grant is going to hurt, but how much is yet to be seen. The defense was great in the first half, but not in the second. Luckily for the Packers, Michael Vick only played in the second half.
5. Indianapolis Colts, 0-1 (2) – The Colts could neither run the ball effectively nor could they stop the run. That does not bode well for the future, but it’s just one week. The Colts came into the game healthy on defense, but Bob Sanders’ torn bicep will keep him out indefinitely. Peyton Manning isn’t young enough to throw the ball 57 times week in and week out.
6. Minnesota Vikings, 0-1 (6) – Playing at New Orleans is a tough task. Brett Favre looked rusty, but not having Sidney Rice had an obvious affect. The D was solid, and so was Adrian Peterson. Visanthe Shiancoe should be a household name by the end of the year.
7. Cincinnati Bengals, 0-1 (8) – The Bengals ran into a buzz-saw in New England. What happened to Cincy’s defense? Tom Brady did whatever he wanted. Carson Palmer threw for a lot of yards when the Bengals were playing catch-up. Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley, and Jermaine Gresham comprise the League’s best receiving corps. Cedric Benson needs to contribute more.
8. Tennessee Titans, 1-0 (11) – Vince Young continues to shine, going 9-2 over his past 11 games. Chris Johnson picked up where he left off last season, too. The defense had some turnover in the offseason, but played well on Sunday. Then again, the Titans played the lowly Raiders.
9. Houston Texans, 1-0 (13) – What a huge win for the Texans! After losing 15 of their last 16 games against the Colts, Houston took it to Indy in impressive fashion. Arian Foster exploded for 231 rushing yards. If Matt Schaub can have a legitimate running game, look out for the Texans.
10. Dallas Cowboys, 0-1 (7) – What a disaster for Dallas! The Cowboys embarrassed themselves in the nation’s capital. The game hinged on two plays at the end of each half, and both were unjustifiable mistakes. If the team doesn’t start playing better, how safe is Wade Phillips?
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11. New York Jets, 0-1 (12) – The Jets offense won’t look that bad again all season; the Ravens have a great defense. But Shonn Greene needs to hold onto the football and Mark Sanchez needs to convert 3rd downs. The defense played well, but 14 penalties for 125 yards ultimately lost the game for the Jets.
12. San Diego Chargers, 0-1 (9) – The Chargers nearly doubled the Chiefs’ offensive output, but fell victim to some big plays. The Chargers’ defense held the Chiefs to only 62 yards passing! But punt coverage killed this team. Look for San Diego to rebound and have another nice season.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1-0 (14) – Pittsburgh beat Atlanta with old Steeler football – great defense and a punishing ground game. Dennis Dixon was an effective caretaker. The Steelers beat a good NFC team.
14. Miami Dolphins, 1-0 (15) – Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are the most dangerous rushing combination in the League. Playing in Buffalo is not easy, but the Bills are going to struggle this year, especially on offense. It’s hard to gauge the Dolphin defense, which held Buffalo to 166 total yards. Playing at Minnesota this week will be a real test.
15. New York Giants, 1-0 (16) – The Giants won their first game in the new Meadowlands Stadium, outlasting Carolina 31-18. The two teams combined for 9 turnovers! Hakeem Nicks hauled in 3 touchdowns, but Eli Manning needs to take better care of the ball. The defense played well, but at the same time, Matt Moore simply imploded.
16. San Francisco 49ers, 0-1 (10) – Mike Singletary can’t be please with his team’s performance. The Niners fell flat on their faces in Seattle. After getting up 6-0 San Fran gave up 31 unanswered points. If they can’t run the ball effectively, the Niners are going to be in for a long season. Alex Smith needs to put up or get out of town.
17. Atlanta Falcons, 0-1 (17) – Atlanta took Pittsburgh to overtime, but couldn’t find a way to win the game. The Falcons need to do a better job of getting the ball into the endzone. The defense was ok, but couldn’t force enough turnovers against a team missing its top 2 quarterbacks.
18. Washington Redskins, 1-0 (19) – Mike Shanahan got a huge win over the Dallas Cowboys. The ‘Skins couldn’t manage to score an offensive touchdown, but the defense was great. Donovan McNabb will have better weeks when he doesn’t have to play against such a good defense. Truth being told, Dallas lost the game as much as Washington won it.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1-0 (22) – David Garrard had a solid game for the Jags, going 16-21 for 170 yards, 3 tds, 0 picks, and a 138.9 quarterback rating. Maurice Jones-Drew nearly had 100 yards rushing. The Jags were outgained by the Broncos, but being +2 in turnovers might have been the difference.
20. Denver Broncos, 0-1 (18) – The Broncos lost a good game to the Jaguars. Kyle Orton is an underrated quarterback and Knowshon Moreno should have a productive season. Denver lacks enough talent on the outside and the defense needs to get better. Tim Tebow adds an extra dimension that could be especially useful inside the 10 yard line.
21. Philadelphia Eagles, 0-1 (20) – A quarterback controversy is brewing in Philly. Kevin Kolb was ineffective in the preseason and that continued against the Packers. When Michael Vick came into the game, the Eagles looked much, much better. How long can Andy Reid afford to stick with his starter?
22. Seattle Seahawks, 1-0 (27) – Pete Carroll won his first game in Seattle against what looks to be an overrated San Francisco team. The Seahawks started slowly but ended up stomping the Niners. Credit the Seattle defense for dominating the game. Matt Hasselbeck has an opportunity to re-energize his career.
23. Kansas City Chiefs, 1-0 (30) – The Chiefs surprised the Chargers, holding on for a 21-14 win. Mississippi rookie Dexter McCluster bolted for a 94 yard punt return touchdown. KC gained less than 200 total yards, but 0 turnovers and terrific punt returns led the Chiefs to a big victory over the AFC West’s best team.
24. Chicago Bears, 1-0 (24) – The Bears got a gift against the Lions. By all rights, Detroit should have won that game. But until the rule changes, the officials made the correct call. Jay Cutler had a big day and Matt Forte looks to be the Bears’ primary playmaker. The defense was good, except on the last drive.
25. Carolina Panthers, 0-1 (21) – The Matt Moore for Jake Delhomme decision is looking more questionable. Moore and his 4 turnovers (including interceptions in the endzone) lost the game. The Panther defense gathered 4 turnovers, but it wasn’t enough.
26. Arizona Cardinals, 1-0 (29) – The Cards managed to hold off the Rams in St. Louis, narrowly covering the spread. Derek Anderson played well, and Steve Breaston is filling the void left by Anquan Boldin. But the Cardinals lost 4 fumbles, including 2 by Tim Hightower with 1 coming at a time when the Cards were trying to run out the clock. They need to take better care of the ball.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1-0 (31) – The Bucs started off the season on the right foot with a home win over Cleveland. Josh Freeman, Mike Williams, Kellen Winslow, Cadillac Williams – maybe Tampa Bay won’t be that bad this year. But beating the Browns at home isn’t much of an accomplishment.
28. Detroit Lions, 0-1 (26) – What a tough call! Calvin Johnson clearly caught a game winning touchdown pass. But receivers need to finish the play until the rule changes. The Lions played well enough in Chicago and should be better this year. But Matthew Stafford’s availability will dictate the success of this team.
29. Oakland Raiders, 0-1 (23) – At Tennessee the Raiders looked as bad as they did the last several years. They were never in the game, couldn’t stop the run, and weren’t able to establish any offensive continuity. With Al Davis still calling the shots in the front office, Tom Cable should be very worried.
30. Cleveland Browns, 0-1 (25) – Cleveland lost a close game against Tampa Bay in the weekend’s most boring game (Miami vs. Buffalo was a close second). The Browns would be wise to run the ball more often and let Jake Delhomme play the role of caretaker. If asked to be the primary weapon, Delhomme is too turnover-prone.
31. Buffalo Bills, 0-1 (28) – Chan Gailey is set to have a rocky season in Buffalo. The Bills offense is anemic. They need to find more ways to get C.J. Spiller the ball in space. The defense should be average at worst, but until Buffalo can get more offensive production they won’t win games.
32. St. Louis Rams, 0-1 (32) – Last and least – the Rams. Sam Bradford threw the ball 55 times, which is too much for a rookie qb in his first game. Bradford had 240 yards and 1 touchdown, but 3 interceptions and a qb rating of 53.1. The Rams need to be more creative and find ways to get Stephen Jackson the ball. He’s by the far the best player on the team.
Compare the current NFL power rankings with the NFL point spreads for week 2 and see if there is any value you can spot before the lines move on Sunday.
