Week 4 Game Breakdowns

DET +1.5 @ DAL


The Lions go to Dallas to face their toughest test to date. Possibly catching the Cowboys at the perfect time with all their injuries they currently have. The Dallas defense is 2nd in the league against the run thus far and should make the Lions one dimensional. Rob Ryan's defense will apply pressure to Stafford whos coming off a 5 sack game. When given time Stafford should have no problem finding holes in the Cowboy secondary. This is one of the games of the week even with the injuries on both sides (particularly the cowboys). I'm unsure as to how effective Dez Bryant will be if he plays as he was a shell of himself last week. Without him the Cowboys are very limited on weapons which I think will be the deciding factor. Lions win 20-17


NO -7 @ JAC


Greg Williams will be dialing up different looks and blitzes at Blaine Gabbert. The Jags will lean heavily on MJD, but he will need more than a 100 yard effort to keep this game within reach. Points will be scarce for the Jags, but will be a plenty for the Saints. Brees and the Saints have put up over 34 ppg so far this season and shouldn't have any problem continuing their pace. The Jags should do a good job of stifling Ingram and Thomas limiting the Saints rushing production, but Brees again will hook up with Jimmy Graham and his favorite pass catcher Lance Moore early and often, connecting with either Meachem or Henderson on a deep pass or two and Sproles on check downs screens and swing passes. He will also be getting Colston back from injury, but he might be brought along slowly thus I look for Moore to lead the team in receiving, eclipsing 70 yards and a score with Graham producing similar totals. Yards will be hard to come by for the Jags offense, with Mike Thomas again leading the receiving totals with 50+ and MJD eclipsing the 80 yard mark. Saints win 27-13


SF +8.5 @ PHI


The Eagles will be looking to rebound after back to back loses. Vick will be looking to make a statement. They can't allow the wheels to come off. I look for Desean Jackson to get back on track with Maclin doubtful to play and the Niners have allowed the second most plays of 40 yards or more. Steve Smith should also jump into relevancy, absorbing a good portion of Maclin's would be targets. The Niners are 3rd in the league against the run, but Vick and McCoy should be able to wiggle their way to adequate totals. Alex Smith will be hard pressed to find open WR's. Frank Gore's availability is in question at this point but Kendall Hunter is likely an upgrade over the sluggish Gore. If Hunter gets the start he stands a good chance at a 100 total yards against the soft Eagle run D. The Niners will need more than just a valiant performance from Hunter to steal this one. Eagles win 24-14


TEN +1.5 @ CLE


Tennessee has the leagues number one Defense along with the most efficient 3rd down offense. The loss of Kenny Britt is huge, but Hasselback has been more than proficient. He will spread the ball around nicely. Chris Johnson is off the a career worst start. He's said to have finally picked up the changes in the offense after missing all of the preseason and to be back in football shape. So far Johnson has been a hesitant runner, looking for the home run. I look for him to turn it around this week providing football fans with his one or two of his Highlight runs. The Browns 26th ranked offense will have trouble getting in rhythm and finding themselves in scoring opportunities. The Titans will key in on stopping the run, making the browns one dimensional. Titans win 20 - 13


BUF -3 @ CIN

The Bills going on the road against a team that is easily looked past after coming off an emotional/triumphant win against the Patriots could equate to a letdown in week 4. I'm going to say otherwise. The Bills offense is just too potent for the Bengals to keep pace with. Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson should again post big numbers. The Bengals should be able to put together some good drives but ultimately fall short. Bills win 27-17

ATL -5 @ SEA

Seattle surprisingly sits as the tenth best defense in totals yards through the first 3 weeks of the season. Their defense should be able to keep this game close throughout. Lynch and the Rushing attack looks destined to once again post pedestrian totals with Tavaris Jackson not having too much more success. Sidney Rice is their lone threat who I look for to once again eclipse the 100 yard mark. Unless the defense can force some Turnovers the Seahawks won't be lighting up the score board. Matt Ryan should have a quality day hooking up with Roddy White and Julio Jones throughout the game. Turner will get his opportunities but will likely have a lackluster game as Seattle is fairly stout against the run (allowing less than 100 yards per game). Atlanta wins 20-13

MIN -1.5 @ KC

Adrian Peterson should be able to lead the Vikings to their first win of the season. The Cheifs have been terrible on defense particularly against the run where they rank 28th against the run. The Vikings defense however is 4th against the run. The Vikings should be able to yet again build a nice half time lead forcing the KC to play catch up in the second half leaving Jared Allen and the Vikings pass rush to do what they do best. Get to the QB. Ground success coupled with the lead should help Percy Harvin's chances at getting open deep downfield for a long score off play action. The teams are both 0-3 but the Vikings have had every chance to be 3-0 in their games and still have actual playmakers on both sides of the ball (Peterson Harvin Allen) where the Cheifs playmakers are on IR. Vikings win 24-13

NYG -2 @ ARI

With Mario Manningham back this week Eli and the Giants have their full arsenal of weapons back. Hakeem Nicks should break out after failing to produce elite totals the last two weeks. Manningham and Cruz should post nice days as well. Bradshaw and Jacobs will put this game on ice as they should have no problem finding room to run against the 27th run defense. The Cardinals will have little room to run whether Beanie Wells plays or not. Kolb will yet again be throwing up prayers to Larry Fitzgerald who should provide 100+ yards and a score, being the lone cardinal with significant success on the day. Giants win 24-17

MIA +7.5 @ SD

With Daniel Thomas Now out for the Dolphins they will be forced to turn to Reggie Bush. The yards Thomas produces on First and Second down will be dearly missed for the Dolphins. They will be forced into a more pass heavy scheme this week where the Chargers rank 9th in defending the pass. Bush will need to come up big on 3rd downs on draws and as a reciever to help extend drives. Henne will lean Heavily on Brandon Marshall in this one. The two have posted nice totals thus far but have been completely out of sync when entering the redzone (connecting on just 1 of 11 passes). Ryan Mathews should once again post strong totals carrying the ground game for the Chargers and Rivers too will post good totals likely leading the Chargers to victory. With Gates looking to be held out again I look for McMichael to step in with a score or possibly even two. In the end Chargers win 28-20


DEN + 12.5 @ GB

Denver should be able to find some scoring opportunities but they just won't be able to keep up with scoring pace of the Packers. Rodgers just has too many weapons to exploit defenses with. Especially against Denvers mediocre cast. Rodgers should eclipse the 300 yard mark hooking up for big plays with his top guns Jennings and Finley. Starks will be able to ice the game away in the second half going over 100 yard total. On the flip side opportunities for Eric Decker and Brandon Lloyd to make plays will be there as teams have been able to get to the Packers secondary thus far this season (31st against the pass).
Packers win 34-20

NE -4.5 @ OAK

There could be a little hangover effect here for the Patriots and the Raiders will be motivated to prove they are legit. McFadden will carry the Raiders with Rookie sensation Denarius Moore playing Robin to his Batman. The Raiders finally have a winning vibe surrounding them. Whispers of Just Win Baby making their rounds. This game is a showcase of perhaps the top two candidates for League MVP as early as it is in McFadden and Brady. McFadden has emerged as the best RB in the NFL this season and will be looking to put the team on his back this week. The deciding factor in this game will be the Defensive line of the Raiders. If they can apply pressure to Brady they will win. If they can't their secondary will be picked apart. I look for another high scoring affair, Patriots 35-28

NYJ +3.5 @ BAL

A matchup against two teams who mirror each other. This will be the most physical game of the week. The Jets have gotten away from what their Identity has been under Rex Ryan. If that continues they will fail to meet expectations. Their O-Line has failed to open up consistent running lanes which is one of the reasons for the increased pass frequency. The Jets will need to establish some semblance of a run game in order to have success. Sanchez will also need to play no mistake football, leaving his defenses in favorable situations and play field position. Ray Rice has the ability to post solid totals against the Jets Defense, but he won't do anything close to what McFadden was able to do a week ago. The Teams are near equals so I will side with the Home team in this one. Ravens 20-17

IND +10 @ TB

The Colts are in complete disarray now. The injuries are piling up and the team was lucky to be in the game last week. Now on the road this week under the command of Curtis Painter I look for the Colts hole to deepen. Joseph Addai will likely be the focal point of the attack for the Colts and he should provide nice totals for them however, Josh Freeman is one of the great young leaders in the NFL. He will lead his team to a win on Monday night, connecting with Mike Williams and company for over 250 yards. The Colts did a great job last week against Rashard Mendenhall but I look for Blount to have a very nice evening on the ground. Bucs win 27-20

Pick ups of the Week

Stevan Ridley - Ridley was the best runner in the Patriots backfield against the Bills. he had 44 yards on 7 carries compared to the Law Firms and Woodheads 37 combined yards on 15 carries. Ridley came in off the bench to provide a spark for the Pats run game. His play should earn him more carries as the season goes on and he holds the potential to take over as the lead guy. Stash him away now before its too late.

Nate Washington - Hes a must add now with the injury to Kenny Britt If you haven't snatched him up already. Washington has a nice rapport with Hasselback and should only build on that going forward.

Randy Moss - If you have the roster space Moss is a nice speculative pick up to hold onto as the buzz around a return is enough to warrant a roster stash.

Kendall Hunter - Frank Gore has looked sluggish to say the least and now his week 4 status is in doubt. Hunter is a very explosive runner with big upside if Gore misses extensive time or his abismal performances continue.

Torrey Smith - Provided us with the surprise performance of the week filling in for Lee Evans, with his 5 catch 152 yard 3 TD out burst. Flacco Loves going deep. If Evans remains sidelined Smith will remain the lone deep threat. He's a boom or bust WR3 as a starter.

Updated Week 3 Rankings

 

 

 

QB's

1. Tom Brady

2. Phillip Rivers

3. Cam Newton

4. Drew Brees

5. Aaron Rodgers

6. Matt Stafford

7. Michael Vick

8. Tony Romo

9. Ryan Fitzpatrick

10. Ben Roethlisberger

11. Josh Freeman

12. Matt Ryan

13. Jay Cutler

14. Matt Schuab

15. Kevin Kolb


WR's

1. Larry Fitzgerald

2. Steve Smith

3. Vincent Jackson

4. Andre Johnson

5. Dez Bryant

6. Kenny Britt

7. Calvin Johnson

8. Mike Williams

9. Mike Wallace

10. Brandon Marshall

11. Roddy White

12. Jeremy Maclin

13. Greg Jennings

14. AJ Green

15. Wes Welker

16. Brandon Lloyd

17. Santonio Holmes

18. Desean Jackson

19. Michael Crabtree

20. Julio Jones

21. David Nelson

22. Lance Moore

23. Stevie Johnson

24. Jordy Nelson

25. Johnny Knox

26. Dexter McCluster

27. Regge Wayne

28. Nate Burleson

29. Dwayne Bowe

30. Anquan Boldin

31. Percy Harvin

32. Eric Decker

33. Deion Branch

34. Plaxico Burress

35. Santana Moss

36. Hakeem Nicks

37. Danario Alexander

38. Sidney Rice

39. Mike Sims-Walker

40. Andre Roberts

41. Robert Meachem

42. Mike Thomas

43. Nate Washington

44. Jerome Simpson

45. Arrelious Benn

46. Devery Henderson

47. Kevin Ogletree

48. Jabar Gafney

49. Early Doucet

50. Greg Little

RB's
1. Chris Johnson

2. Ben Tate

3. Maurice Jones-Drew

4. Ray Rice

5. Adrian Peterson

6. Michael Turner

7. Rashard Mendenhal

8. Shonn Greene

9. Ahmad Bradshaw

10. Jahvid Best

11. Ryan Matthews

12. Darren McFadden

13. Mike Tolbert

14. LeSean McCoy

15. Fred Jackson

16. Peyton Hillis

17. Daniel Thomas

18. BenJarvis Green-Ellis

19. Matt Forte

20. Frank Gore

21. Mark Ingram

22. Willis McGahee

23. Felix Jones

24. LeGarett Blount

25. James Starks

26. Pierre Thomas

27. Brandon Jacobs

28. Beanie Wells

29. Marshawn Lynch

30. Dexter McCluster

31. Tim Hightower

32. Deji Kareem

32. Regge Bush

33. Danny Woodhead

34. Johnathan Stewart

35 Cedric Benson

35. Steven Jackson

36. Deangelo Williams

37. Thomas Jones

38. Darren Sproles

39. Joseph Addai

40. KnowShon Moreno

TE's

1. Rob Gronkowski

2. Jermichael Finley

3. Jason Witten

4. Jimmy Graham

5. Dustin Keller

6. Fred Davis

7. Randy McMichael

8. Greg Olsen

9. Vernon Davis

10. Owen Daniels

11. Evan Moore

12. Tony Gonzales

13. Ed Dickson

14. Scott Chandler

15. Jermaine Gresham

OUT - Miles Austin, Mario Manningham, Lee Evans, Earl Bennett, Malcom Floyd, Jacoby Ford

Game Time Decisions - Beanie Wells, Arian Foster (likely to sit) Antonio Gates (looks to be out) Steven Jackson, KnowShon Moreno

IN - Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Felix Jones (role unknown), Peyton Hillis, Michael Crabtree

Downgraded - Dallas Clark (now Questionable - riskey play)

Other(s) to note - Brandon Petigrew (likely to be active but with limited role)

Pick ups of the Week (Bonus Edition)

Bernard Scott - Cedric Benson Is facing a 3 game suspension

Greg Little - Colt McCoy has been quoted, prasing Littles development and to be wanting to get the ball in his hands more. Little is the most explosive player on the roster and holds more than enough upside to be rostered

Nate Washington - Received at least 8 targets in each game thus far with a good matchup against the Broncos this week.

Kevin Ogletree - Miles Austin out, Dez Bryant not practicing. Could be the number one WR for the Cowboys this week. Will at least start.

Michael Crabtree - If hes available in your league stash him away on your roster. He will return this week from injury and Edwards will miss at least 3 weeks due to injury.

Week 3 Rankings continued

RB's

1. Chris Johnson

2. Ben Tate

3. Maurice Jones-Drew

4. Ray Rice

5. Adrian Peterson

6. Michael Turner

7. Rashard Mendenhal

8. Shonn Greene

9. Ahmad Bradshaw

10. Jahvid Best

11. Ryan Matthews

12. Darren McFadden

13. Mike Tolbert

14. BenJarvis Green-Ellis

15. Fred Jackson

16. Peyton Hillis

17. Daniel Thomas

18. LeSean McCoy

19. Matt Forte

20. Frank Gore

21. Mark Ingram

22. Knowshon Moreno

23. Felix Jones

24. LeGarett Blount

25. James Starks

26. Pierre Thomas

27. Brandon Jacobs

28. Beanie Wells

29. Marshawn Lynch

30. Dexter McCluster

31. Tim Hightower

32. Deji Kareem

32. Regge Bush

33. Danny Woodhead

34. Johnathan Stewart

35 Cedric Benson

35. Steven Jackson *

36. Deangelo Williams

37. Thomas Jones

38. Darren Sproles

39. Joseph Addai

40. Willis McGahee

TE's

1. Rob Gronkowski

2. Jermichael Finley

3. Jason Witten

4. Jimmy Graham

5. Dustin Keller

6. Fred Davis

7. Randy McMichael 

8. Greg Olsen

9. Evan Moore

10. Owen Daniels

11. Vernon Davis

12. Dallas Clark

13. Ed Dickson

14. Scott Chandler

15. Jermaine Gresham

Monitor Injuries. Rankings boost if outlook is good

Week 3 Rankings

QB's

1. Tom Brady

2. Phillip Rivers

3. Cam Newton

4. Drew Brees

5. Aaron Rodgers

6. Matt Stafford

7. Michael Vick

8. Tony Romo

9. Ryan Fitzpatrick

10. Ben Roethlisberger

11. Josh Freeman

12. Matt Ryan

13. Jay Cutler

14. Matt Schuab

15. Kevin Kolb


WR's

1. Larry Fitzgerald

2. Steve Smith

3. Vincent Jackson

4. Andre Johnson

5. Dez Bryant

6. Kenny Britt

7. Calvin Johnson

8. Mike Williams

9. Mike Wallace

10. Brandon Marshall

11. Roddy White

12. Jeremy Maclin

13. Greg Jennings

14. AJ Green

15. Wes Welker

16. Brandon Lloyd

17. Santonio Holmes

18. Desean Jackson

19. Michael Crabtree

20. Julio Jones

21. David Nelson

22. Lance Moore

23. Stevie Johnson

24. Jordy Nelson

25. Johnny Knox

** Dexter McCluster**

27. Regge Wayne

28. Nate Burleson

29. Dwayne Bowe

30. Anquan Boldin

31. Percy Harvin

32. Eric Decker

33. Deion Branch

34. Plaxico Burress

35. Santana Moss

36. Hakeem Nicks

37. Danario Alexander

38. Andre Roberts

39. Mike Sims-Walker

40. Ben Obomanu

41. Robert Meachem

42. Mike Thomas

43. Nate Washington

44. Jerome Simpson

45. Arrelious Benn

46. Devery Henderson

47. Kevin Ogletree

48. Jabar Gafney

49. Early Doucet

50. Greg Little

Beating the Spread Week 3

Season recap 13-9

NE -8.5 @ BUF ---- NE

HOU @ NO -4 ---- NO

MIA + 2.5 @ CLE ---- MIA

DEN + 7 @ TEN ---- TEN

DET -3 @ MIN ---- DET

JAC + 3.5 @ CAR ---- CAR

KC +15 @ SD ---- KC

NYJ - 3.5 @ OAK ---- NYJ

BAL -4 @ STL ---- BAL

ATL + 1.5 @ TB ---- ATL

ARI -3 @  SEA ---- ARI

GB -4 @ CHI ---- GB

PIT -10.5 @ IND ---- PIT

WAS +3.5 @ DAL ---- WAS

Pick ups of the week.

Dexter McCluster - as stated in last weeks pick ups McCluster is a rising player in the Chiefs offense (He received the same total of touches as Charles week 1) and if Charles ever went down McCluster would become RB 2 worthy with the possibility of being plugged in as a WR3 depending on league eligibility standards. That time has come. If McCluster is available in your league don't hesitate to add him to your roster.

Daniel Thomas - Showed great decisiveness and burst in his runs against the Texans. His line proved able to open up consistent holes for the rookie back which he took full advantage of rushing for over 100 yards in his NFL debut. Many people gave up on Thomas after his demotion. As they should've. Thomas displayed nothing but hesitation as a runner which added validity to all the reports. If Sunday was any indication of things to come Thomas will be the lead back for the Dolphins the remainder of the season with Bush sliding into the change of pace role. As the featured back you can expect Matt Forte light numbers from Thomas.


Eric Decker - Received a lot of buzz at the end of Bronco camp then came up big with an 87 yard punt return TD against the Raiders on MNF. Yesterday Decker added to his resume with a 5 catch 113 yard 2 TD out burst, filling in for an injured Eddie Royal. Royal will remain out over the next few weeks. Decker will star in Royals absence and could hold onto the job retaining fantasy value for the rest of the season. Decker should be owned in all 12 team leagues.

Denarius Moore - With Jacoby Ford, Darrius Heyward-Bey out Moore shined, with 5 catches for 146 yards and a nice TD in between two defenders. He also added 25 yards on the ground. Moore is a great athlete with good ball skills. He's a poor mans Mike Wallace. His performance should secure a starting spot for him. He's already put his potential on display. Moore should be snatched up in all 12 team leagues and 10 team leagues with roster space or those who are hurting for upside. He's not startable this week against the Jets, but the schedule is quite fantasy friendly over the few weeks that follow ( NE, HOU, CLE, KC, DEN)


Fred Davis - Davis is probly the best TE in the league that most don't know of. He has been stuck behind Chris Cooley his whole career. Cooley is dealing with injury right now and Davis is taking full advantage with 191 yards and a TD in the first two games. Even when Cooley returns to 100% (he played week 1 and 2) Davis should still be the go to guy.

Danario Alexander - The ultra Talented WR broke out on MNF with 122 yards and a TD. Talent has never been an issue for Alexander as hes a very gifted WR. Knee issues have been his down fall. A wise man once said it best "his knees will make you crazy but his talent will make you hazy". If Alexander can stay healthy it is very possible he will be the Brandon Lloyd of this year as he could put up monstrous totals such as this regularly. This is all you need to know about Danario Alexander. watch listen and enjoy


others to consider: David Nelson, Delone Carter, Jerome Simpson, Titus Young, Ryan Fitzpatrick

Week 2 Game by Game Breakdown

KC @ DET -8 

KC was embarrassed at home last week to the Bills. Detroit fairly easily beast a solid Bucs team on the road. Lets face facts the Chiefs overachieved last year. They had a soft schedule which Charlie Weis exploited not Todd Haley. Weis was a major reason for their offensive success. The loss of Eric Berry will only make them fall further down the NFL heirarchery. The Lions are a force. They can play with any team. Their D-line is dominate and Matt Stafford is quickly becoming one of the leagues best. Stafford will exploit Berry's absence to the fullest, picking apart the cheifs defense making numerous connections with his pass catchers down field. The Chiefs will have to impose a successfull run heavy approach early to stand a chance. They need to give Jamaal Charles the ball as much as he can handle to keep pace with Detroits scoring but we all know Todd Haley has other plans. He will feed McCluster the ball a near equal amount of times. Detroits line should dominate and leave Cassel with limited time to throw or get comfortable. Once the Lions have a big lead they will ice the game feeding Jahvid Best and Jerome Harrison who should provide some explosive runs. Perhaps the Lions call the dogs off a little early and impliment the prevent defense allowing the Chiefs time to make the game appear closer than it really was but either way the Lions will win by double digits. Lions 34 - 17

JAC @ NYJ -9.5

The Jets are coming off a rather fortunate win against the cowboys. Forced to abondon their roots of ground and pound to play catch up. That won't be the case this week. The Jets will be commited to establishing Shonn Greene and the running game early, taking the pressure off Mark Sanchez who will be allowed to drop back and make the occasional throw down field to Plaxico. Uncertainty still surrounds Holmes availabilty but it won't have too much effect on the game as the Jets should win with ease. The offense won't have to put up too many points as Luke McCown and the Jags aren't much of a threat to light up the score board. Especially when matched up against the NYJ defense. This game could quickly turn into a slaughter if the Jets get some big plays early on Special Teams or Defense which is possible. Jets Roll with or without Holmes 24-3

ARI @ WAS -3 1/2

Both teams coming off wins, Washingtons being the most impressive. They stiffled the Giant offense limiting them to just 14 points and Rex Grossman threw for over 300 yards while not turning the ball over. The Redskin defense will attack Kolb, leaving him unable to find rhythem. Kolb will lean on Fitzgerald heavily but looking his way often doesn't translate to production. If the skins grab an early lead forcing the Cardinals in catch up mode the washington defense will take full advantage of the added drop backs. The Cardinals will need a big game out of Beanie Wells to keep their shaky secondary off the field. Rex Grossman should still have all the time he needs to hook up with Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong deep. He will have nice underneath options with fred davis and Jabar Gafney. Skins take it. 27 - 17

BAL @ TEN +6

The Titans should be up and ready for this rivalry game and the Ravens are coming off an emotional win which could spell an upset recipie. I'm going to ride with the more obvious. The Ravens are good on both sides of the ball. The Titans are mediocre on both side of the ball. Ray Rice should have another big day and Flacco will be able to hook up with Lee Evans and/or Ed Dickson for a big play or two. As long as the Ravens can contain Chris Johnson they should be able to cover here. Ravens 27 - 13

SEA @ PIT -14

The Steelers will be angry. They will be looking to make a home opener statement against the Seahawks. Very unfortunate for the Seahawks. Tavaris Jackson will be helpless as the Steeler Defense will wreak Havoc on him. Big Ben will light up the seattle secondary. Connecting with Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown for big plays. This game will be a an early blowout. Steelers 31 - 10

GB @ CAR +10

The Packers Offense looked pretty much unstoppable last week. Which is about right. Rodgers has endless weapons. Rodgers should connect with Jermichael Finley numerous times leading to a lot of hurt on the Panther Defense. They will score time after time. Dom Capers will have the Packer Defense throwing all kinds of different looks at Cam Newton. We will get to see what hes truely made of this week after a historic NFL debut. Whats my prediction on the game? Well to quote Clubber Lang from Rockie III "Pain". Thats my prediction. The Panthers might be able to hang tough for a while at home, but they wont be able to keep up with the scoring pace of the Packers. 38 - 20

DAL @ SF +3

I know this sounds like a joke, but I think Romo will be motivated this week. Yes. Romo... motivated. I think he may finally be ready to silence critics after yet another meltdown. He looks likley to be without Dez Bryant, but Romo will connect with his favorites (Austin and Witten) time and time again. Alex Smith is very erratic under pressure. Rob Ryan will have the Dallas D getting too him forcing multiple Turnovers. Their Defense just shutdown one of the best Running teams in the NFL so Gore won't carry them. San Francisco didnt do much on offense last week against a weak Seattle secondary (just 209 total yards and 1 TD). They won't do any better offensively this week. They won't get another 2 return TD's again. Dallas had 390 yards of offense last week agains the jets and looked very dominate before the closer minutes mishaps. They won't have the same collapse nor will it be that close. The niners are vulnerable through the air. Dallas wins by more than a FG. 27 - 17

HOU @ MIA +3

Houston was flat dominate last week on both sides of the ball. The Dolphins were exposed to say the least on defense. Houston will impliment a run heavy approach with last years NFL leading rusher back in the mix. The Texans should dominate the time of possesion, leaving their defense rested. They will wear down the Dolphin defense with their runs going for more yardage as the game goes on. Schuab will connect with Andre a fair share of times too but its Foster and Tate who will carry the offense. Texans win 24-17


SD @ NE -7

The Patriots defense gave up over 400 yards last week to Chad Henne. The Chargers held McNabb to 39 yards. The Chargers be able to contain the Patriot offense, at least at a pace the chargers will be able to keep up with Rivers will utilize his WRs size advatage over the NE corners. Hooking up with Vincent Jackson for big plays downfield. I like the Chargers chance at an upset, but given how dominate the Patriots looked last week I will still go with the Pats in the game. 34 - 31
CIN @ DEN -4

Denver really struggles stopping the run and running is what the Bengals will doing often. The Broncos will also be without Knowshon Moreno, Champ Bailey and Ty Warren in this game. This game looks to be brutal to watch. I shall make my pick anyways. Denver 20 - 17


PHI @ ATL +2.5

I will keep this one simple. Vick is not going to lose in his return to the Georgia Dome. He's too much of a competitor. He will be too motivated. Yes the Falcons will be riding Turner to keep Vick off the field, but once Vick does step onto the field he will waste no time making plays. As I predicted in an earlier column It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Eagles win 31 - 17

Sit Start Week 2

Start



Rex Grossman - Grossman is coming off three 300 yard performances in his last 4 games dating back to last season. This week he draws the oh so vulnerable secondary of the Arizona Cardinals who were just lit up last week for 422 yards to Cam Newton and the Panthers. Grossman was very poised last week, making strong accurate throws and didn't register a turnover against the Giants defense. Grossman is primed for success against the Cardinals. week 2 projections: 24-31 315 yards 2 TD's 1 INT


James Starks - Starks lead the team in carries last week. Sure it was just a 12-9 advantage over Ryan Grant and 12 carries isn't exactly workhorse caliber, but he looked much more explosive than Grant. I look for him to get around the 15 touch mark against the soft Panther run D. Start as a nice RB 3 or Flex play
week 2 projections 15 carries 75 yards 2 catches 14 yards 1TD

Ben Tate - coming off a 24 carry 116 1TD performance, but Foster will be back this week and Tate draws the Dolphins this week, a solid run defense. So what makes Tate startable? Kubiak and the Texans are expected to go with a run heavy approach with Tate being heavily in the mix. The Texans running scheme is capable of productive rushing totals against any team. They will wear down the Dolphins defense eventually breaking off big runs. The Texans won't give Foster a full load leaving plenty of carries for Tate and they should be playing from ahead in the 4th, using Tate not Foster as the closer in this one. Tate is very capablee of producing RB2 totals on Sunday. week 2 projections: 16 carries 80 yards 1TD


Nate Burleson - If your not on his bandwagon yet theres still a small windown to jump aboard. He's one of Staffords favorite target especially in the redzone (lead the team in redzone targets last week). Up against the KC Cheifs Defense who gave up 40 points to the Bills last week the matchup is ripe. Stafford will pick the defense apart and Burleson will be one of the main beneficiaries. Look for WR 2 numbers this week. week 2 projections: 6 catches 84 yards 1 TD

Brandon Gibson - Lead the Rams receiving last week. Only a 50 yard total, nothing to get bullish over, but that was against the Eagles secondary. This week he draws the Giants who gave up over 300 yards to the skins last week. McDaniels will have a game plan in place to have the giant secondary exploited again. Look for Gibson to be the lead man once again and start to make a name for himself on MNF. week 2 projections:  5 catches 70 yards 1 TD

Lance Kendricks - A disapointment last week, but the Eagles are always good at limiting TE's. The Giants gave up over 100 yards to TE Fred Davis last week. Kendricks skill set is very similar and with Amendola out Bradford will need a security blanket. Kendricks won't have over a hundred yards like davis but will provide very useful totals for fantasy owners. week 2 projections: 5 catches 53 yards 1 TD

Washington Defense - Last season they were fantasy heaven to opposing players. Now they have become much more aggressive with 2 very good OLB's (Orakpo and Kerrigen) and appear to be a force. Last week they held the Giants to just 14 points, sacking manning 4 times and forcing a TO which they returned for a score. The Cardinals are weak in pass protection and likely to be pass heavy in this game as the Redskins will be putting up points. I look for the skins to apply pressure on Kolb, getting to him and forcing a couple turnovers. week 2 projections: 17 points allowed 3 sacks 2 Turnovers forced.

PPR Special

Cadillac Williams - Received 25 touches last week for 140 total yards(Catching 6 passes for 55 yards). He will draw the start this week for the injured Steven Jackson. The Giants are stout against the run but Williams should get enough carries to be productive. The loss of Amendola should only further his use in the passing game, making a repeat 5 catch game very likely. week 2 projections: 17 carries 62 yards 6 catches 50 yards



SIT

Matt Schuab - Yes the Dolphins just gave up over 500 yards through the air, but that was to brady and the Pats. Exploiting defenses is just what they do when Brady has time. The Dolphins secondary is actually a solid group. The Texans will also be going run heavy. Look for similar production to last weeks output.
 week 2 projections: 200 yards 1 TD

Maurice Jones-Drew - only managed 4 ypc against the Titans last week. This week he faces the Jets who just don't get run on. There won't be room to run for MJD this week and the Jags will be playing from behind. week 2 projections: 17 carries 54 yards 3 catches 10 yards 0TD's

Rashard Mendenhall - Seattle was 2nd in the league against the run last year being flat out dominate before suffering injuries to their DL. They are back and they are healthy. They limited frank Gore to just 59 yards on 22 carries. The Steelers will do their damage through the air this week. Likely building an insurmountable lead leaving the 4th Quarter carries to be handed to Isaac Redman. Maybe Mendenhal can sneak in for a score to save the fantasy day but if he doesn't those who start him will be losing hair on Sunday.
 week 2 projections: 18 carries  48 yards 0 TD

Dez Bryant - Still a mystery whether he will play or not. Even if he does I look for him to be limited. He's a beast without question but the possibility of him not playing and he not being 100% is enough to move him to the bench this week.

AJ Green - potential is here with WRs able to get behind Denver defenders but with Andy Dalton getting the start I don't like his chances. week 2 projections: 4 catches 47 yards



Bold Predictions

Greg Little - lead the Browns in snaps last week. He's by far their most talented weapon. He is going to break out at some point this season. My gut tells me he starts his reign of terror on NFL DB's in the RCA dome. 6 catches 90 yards 1 TD


Harry Douglas - The Falcons will be getting back to pounding the rock against the Eagles this week. Roddy White and Julio Jones will assume much of the defensive attention and draw the top Philly covermen. Douglas will do damage from the slot making plays over the middle and I look for him to come up big with an explosive play, taking advantage of a mismatch. 4 catches 80 yards 1 TD

Antonio Brown - Was targeted 11 times last week. Only hauled in 2 passes but that discrepency will not happen again. Of course neither will his high target total, but a matchup against the vulnerable Seahawks secondary who can be beaten deep and with the Steelers expected to go no huddle at times, the situation is one he can pounce on. 4 catches 74 yards 1 TD

The Return of the Lone Panther

It seems so long ago that Steve Smith, the greatest Panther of all time (not Chris Wienke contrary to popular belief) was competing weekly with Chad "Johnson" and Terrell Owens for best TD celebration (sample of the ole glory days) and was regarded as the best WR in the game. From 2003-2009 Smith posted an Impressive average of 1035 yards. Impressive considering he was always on run first offenses and that 1035 yard average includes the 2004 season which he totaled just 60 yards due to a season ending injury week 1. Throw out that lost season and his average rises to just under 1300 yards per season. Whenever he has had competent QB play Smith has ranked amongst the best WR's in the league in Fantasy and reality. Finishes of 1st, 3rd and 5th in fantasy scoring at the WR position. Steve Smith has never been considered a prototypical receiver, standing 5'9" 185 lbs, but Smith is a relentless competitor. Never taking a play off, playing with heart and a fiery passion for the game. Last year, Smith being his own worst critic, declared himself no longer a number one WR due to his lack of production. His lack of production was not due to his ability, but his team and QB situation. The Panthers ranked dead last in passing yards with just 143 ypg due to Jimmy Clausen's complete confusion at the QB position. He was lost and erratic the entire season. Smith still has elite ability as shown by his 178 yard 2 TD outburst last week (not including a 41 yarder called back). With a new QB and new Head Coach Smith's career is resurected. One might say he's baaaaaaaack. Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski has stated "Steve Smith is the passing game's primary thought on every pass attempted by Cam Newton". With Smith's ability and Newton looking to him early and often, forcing it up to him and giving him every chance to make a play Smith holds monster upside for the remainder of the season. The Panthers offense will often implicate 2 TE sets (Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen) to help establish the run game and press the seams of the defense drawing attention from safetys. Newton has a very strong arm and due to their good run game, his threat as a runner and the skill set both their TE's hold Smith will find himself in more one on one opportunitys than any other eliter WR in the league. Play action deep to Smith will be a lethal play, producing big chunks of yards and quick scores. It's very possible Steve Smith ends the season as a top 10 or even 5 WR.

2011 will be The Year of THE Panther

Beating the Spread WK 2

CHI @ NO -6 ---- NO

KC @ DET -8  ----- DET

JAC @ NYJ -9.5 ---- NYJ
ARI @ WAS -4 ---- WAS

BAL @ TEN +6 ---- BAL

SEA @ PIT -14.5 ---- PIT

GB @ CAR +10 ---- CAR

DAL @ SF +3 ---- DAL

HOU @ MIA +3 ---- HOU

SD @ NE -7 ---- SD

CIN @ DEN -3.5 ---- CIN

PHI @ ATL +2.5 ---- PHI

STL @ NYG -6 ---- STL


week 1 recap: 6-4.

Pick ups of the Week

Brandon Gibson WR STL - With Danny Amendola out his large amount of targets must go somewhere. Gibson will be one of the biggest beneficiaries. Although receiving numbers were bleak last week against the shutdown corners of the Eagles, Gibson still managed a respectable 50 yard total. The match up is much brighter this week against the Giants who were exploited by Rex Grossman and the Redskin passing attack last week for over 300 yards. Gibson's long term outlook also holds promise as he's a 3rd year WR on a pass heavy team.


Cadillac Williams RB STL - With S-jax out Williams will get the start at RB this week. He's expected to see a big workload coming off a 25 touch 140 yard game. He doesn't posses much upside, but he will be getting at least one start and is a must add for steven jackson owners


Rex Grossman QB WAS - Grossman started the final three games for the skins last season throwing for over 300 yards and at least 2 tds in two of them. He did it again week 1 against the Giants. This week he will face the Arizona Cardinals who gave up over 400 yards passing to Cam Newton. They are very susceptible to big plays in the passing game. Grossman will have ample opportunity for gaudy numbers this week. 270 yards and 2 TD's appears to be the floor here.


Cam Newton QB CAR - Newton's NFL debut was nothing less than spectacular. Throwing for 422 yards and 2 TD's adding another score on the ground. His passing numbers will come down substantially but his upside remains high as the potential from his rushing production leaves room for mediocre to bad games from a real life perspective but solid fantasy production. His defense will rank in the bottom half of the league making the play calling more aggressive. He and Steve Smith appear to have a nice rapport. All Smith needs is chances and he will make big plays as he's still one of the leagues best WR's. Look for the two to connect early and often all season long only boosting Newton's totals.


Domenik Hixon WR NYG - It's quite possible Hakeem Nicks misses this weeks game giving Hixon the start. The Rams will be without their top two corners leaving them very vulnerable this week. This leaves Hixon with WR2 potential for this week and works as a handcuff for Nicks owners to hold onto for a week or two.

Dexter McCluster RB KC - He appears to be the handcuff to have for Jamaal Charles owners. Last week Thomas Jones had just two touches, where McCluster had 9 for 67 yards. Yes, they were playing from behind for much of the game but with the loss of eric berry they are likely to be doing so for much of the season. He's particularly valuable in in leagues such as Yahoo where he holds WR eligibility as well. He also gets a bump in ppr leagues as he has excellent recieving skills (5 catches last week). If charles were to ever go down McCluster would instantly become an every week RB 2 who you could possibly start as a WR3 depending on your league format.

Washington Defense - Held the potent Giant offense to 14 points last week. They are a very agressive Defense who hold the potential to create ample Turn Overs. With the Cardinals weak in pass protection the skins won't give Kolb time to get comfortable. look for them to hold the cardinals under 20 points forcing at least 2 Turnovers providing double digit points for fantasy owners.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (AFC East)

New York Jets 13-3

J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets. Building on Momentum 2 years in the making Under Head Coach Rex Ryan, 2011 is the year they dethrone the Patriots to capture the AFC East crown. Entering his 3rd season as a starter Mark Sanchez is ready to lead this team to greater heights with the addition of Plaxico Burress, who gives the team a legit redzone threat. Burress, more motivated than ever will be looking to make a statement each and every week that he's every bit the player he was with the Giants and Steelers. He may not practice much due to nagging injuries suffered throughout the season (Notorious for not practicing) but it won't matter come game time. He is always ready to perform and make his presence known. Shonn Greene is ready to carry the run game. He will be force fed the ball countless times to help build and protect leads. He will pick up numerous tough first downs and help grind out victories all season. Santonio Holmes makes big time plays in big time games. He's a true clutch performer who can be leaned on heavily in crucial moments. Their Defense may have a slight regression with a youth movement on the defensive front, but it won't be significant enough to stop the Jets take off.

New England Patriots 12-4

My projected demotion of the Pats is not a knock on their talent. They will still be amongst the NFL's best. They just simply have a tougher slate ahead of them and I know it may seem silly to compare, but lets take a look at some stats. When is the last time Brady and the Pats won a Playoff game? January 20th 2008. The Jets have won 4 playoff games since then (all on the road). I feel this season is that last chance for the Patriots to bounce back from their rut and return to the glory days. My guess is they remain stagnant while the Jets continue deep playoff runs.

Miami Dolphins 8-8

As stated in the "Talents in South Beach" I like the dolphins chances to surprise this year. They have the talent on both sides of the ball. Their fate will lay in the hands of QB Chad Henne. If he can make the leap he's capable of making they will be a winning football team. They have a full load of tough games including the 4 total against the Jets/Pats, so momentum will be tough to come by. They will be "in" many of their games, leaving themselves just one big play away from flipping the outcome in their favor. With not only an aggressive defense, but offense as well this season the Dolphins will have ample opportunity for to make things happen. The rewards of aggression are not with out risk, but the reward could provide a hefty payoff

Buffalo Bills 5-11

In 2010 the Bills were very scrappy. They played will possibly the most heart out of any team in the NFL. Unfortunately they lacked strong defensive play and the overall talent to have true success in the NFL. The additions of Marcell Dareus and "Lights Out" Merriman their defense looks to have upgraded pass rushing and run stopping ability. Their Offense will still be productive with overachievers Ryan Fitzpatrick Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson carrying the load in HC Chan Gaileys offense. They will be competitive once again in 2011, but they lack the talent needed to ascend from this tough division.

Beating the Spread

Eagles (-4.5) vs Rams ----- Eagles

Lions (+1) vs TB ---- Lions

Cleveland (-7) vs Bengals ---- Browns

Titans (+1) vs Jags ---- Titans

Raiders (+ 3) vs Broncos ---- Raiders

Chargers (-9) vs Vikings ---- Chargers

Riskier plays

Texans (-9) vs Colts ---- Texans

Cardinals (-7) vs Panthers ---- Cardinals

Redskins (+3) vs Giants ---- Redskins

Cowboys (+5.5) vs Jets ---- Cowboys

Dolphins (+7) vs Pats ---- Dolphins

Surviving the week

Candidates:


Playing not to lose:

Chargers

Texans

Playing to win

Browns

Cardinals

Lions

Titans


A Cleveland Browns team on the rise at home against a rebuilding Bengals team lead by a Rookie QB making his first NFL start in the dog pound. Roll with the Browns week 1.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year (AFC South edition)

Houston Texans 11-5

With a talented, well balanced offense, a defense looking to be much improved with the drafting of JJ Watt and Brooks Reed, the FA signings of Daniel Manning and Jonathan Joseph under the guidance of new DC Wade Phillips, the Houston Texans will breakdown that Playoff door. It is time. With all the uncertainty that surrounds Peyton Manning and the Colts the Texans will rise to dethrone the Kings of the AFC South. The Texans aren't without uncertainties of their own as last years league leading rusher Arian Foster is dealing with a hamstring issue. Whether it causes him to miss time or not the Texans will go on not missing a beat with ticking time bomb Ben Tate waiting to explode. The Texans defense was a laughing stock last season. Kareem Jackson was historically bad. Glover Quinn became the butt of many jokes. There is no where to go but up for this unit and all they have to be is respectable to get this squad into the post season. With the newly installed 3-4 defense of Wade Phillips I look for the Texans to do exactly that. They have many tough games on their schedule, but it’s no different from the one the colts will be facing and in recent years the Texans have proven able to compete with anyone. Sadly, that’s all they have been able to do is compete. Not win. This year it changes, this year the Texans ascend.

Indianapolis Colts 9-7

Maybe the speculations of Manning’s injury are false. Maybe being the great competitor he is he will over come it all. And who’s to doubt him? He is quite possibly the greatest regular season QB in NFL history and hasn't missed a start since his freshman year at Tennessee. The last time Manning sat out an entire preseason however, the colts got off to a sluggish 3-4 start. Yes, Manning would go on to lead the colts to 9 straight wins capturing his 3rd MVP in the process, but this time around it's different. Manning is expected to miss at least one game, potentially 4-5 games. He's also past his prime at 35 adding validity to the suspected slow recovery and reinjury potential. The Colts with out their franchise center piece could quite possibly fall apart this year. I believe Kerry Collins can prove useful in keeping them from a death sentence 0-4 type start but I don't see him carrying the load by any means. The Colts can rebound no doubt but I am not buying into this situation even with their stock being at such a bargain.

Tennessee Titans 6-10

The contract dispute with Chris Johnson is over, but unfortunately the titans have many more issues to address. Their Defense was atrocious last year (26th) giving up numerous big plays and they have given no reason to believe improvement is on the horizon. Their offense has enough weapons to be dynamic. Outside of CJ2K they have a great big play threat and potential breakout star in Kenny Britt. A WR with the skill set to take a game over (example: 225 3 td outburst against the eagle last season). TE Jared Cook will also prove to be quite the asset in the passing game standing 6'5" 250 lbs with 4.5 speed. He and Britt will produce many big plays downfield this season with teams keying in on Chris Johnson. I have serious questions about just how much is left in the tank for QB Matthew Hasselback (soon to be 36 coming off a 12 td 17 int season). If he is consistently able to get the ball accurately in the hands of his playmakers their offense will put up points unfortunately it will most often be less than the amount their defense gives up.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2-14

Let the Luke McCown era begin? It appears that’s exactly what’s on Jack Del Rio's mind. David Garrard is expected to be released and McCown anointed the starting gig. If there’s one thing positive I can say about McCown its that he has a Cannon for an arm, but like the Knuckle-Puck of Russ from the Mighty Ducks "Its hard to be accurate" - Many years ago the QB fetish man himself John Gruden brought in Luke with aspirations of molding this cannon into an offensive weapon. The McCown experiment was eventually terminated after being fairly productive, but just not the direction the organization was looking to head towards. McCown has risen from the depths of NFL rosters to claim a starting job once again. He can launch the bomb, but the rest of his game brings a lot of uncertainty. It appears Gabbert will get his shot by midseason killing any kind of offensive momentum they may have going. Giving them a bad offense to pair with bad defense (28th last season). Sorry Jags fans, but ready the paper bag masks.

Its The Most Wonderful Time of The Year (AFC West)

San Diego Chargers 12-4

Former First round pick Ryan Matthews is an exceptional talent who will provide many explosive plays in the run game making them a very dynamic offense. He brings great elusiveness, good speed and very good power for his size allowing him to run through many tackles. Phillip Rivers will have his number one wide out Vincent Jackson back for a full season. The two will terrorize defenses all season long. Antonio Gates was able to go in their last preseason game and practice afterwards without limitations. He's always an injury risk but he appears to be healthy. The chargers brought back FA WR Malcom Floyd, although he suffered a concussion just 2 weeks ago it is said to only be minor and he should be ready to provide the chargers with a nice deep option (19.4 ypc last season). Rookie WR Vincent Brown is a very good route runner and another sure handed option for Rivers. He brings them depth and could emerge as a legitimate part of the offense as the season progresses. Their defense has been very solid over the last few years (number 1 overall last year in total defense) and they added snake bitten Bob Sanders this offseason who has the potential (if he can stay healthy) to make this defense dominate. The Chargers play in a fairly weak division and should have little trouble this season taking it back over after a one year lapse.

Oakland Raiders 8-8

The Raiders accomplished something last year that no other team in NFL history has ever done. They swept their division but failed to win it or even make the playoffs. Their will be no divisional sweep for the raiders this season but they will again be very competitive. Breakout Star Darren McFadden will be the focal point of the offense and carry them to victory from time to time. The rest of their rushing attack will be filled by Michael Bush and the game breaking rookie Taiwan Jones. Completing what looks like the best trio of RBs in the NFL. Teams will be forced to stack the box early and often and in doing so will be susceptible to big plays downfield to lightning fast Jacoby Ford and his 2011 PIC Denarius Moore and even.... dare I say.... Darius Heyward-bay? If he ever learns how to catch he might even get into the mix with an occasional play downfield. Jason Campbell will need time to unleash the deep ball which is something the raiders could struggle with. If given time however, he should be able to make things happen in the passing game whether it’s going long to ford and company, throwing newly acquired Kevin Boss underneath or dumping it off to McFadden in space. The loss of Nnamdi Asomugha will hurt their defense (2nd against the pass last season) but given their high volume rushing attack their D is likely to stay fresh longer, alleviating some of the pressure. Despite the loss of their Defensive player the Raiders are a team on the rise and an exciting one with their vast group of game breakers.

Kansas City Chiefs 6-10

The loss of OC Charlie Weis will prove costly for the defending AFC West champs. In the two games without him last season Matt Cassel posted the following stat lines: 11-33 for 115 yards 2 INTs 0TDs 9-18 for 70 yards 3INTs 0 TDs. These stat lines, although a very small sample size, are quite alarming to say the least. The releasing of perennial pro bowl Gaurd Brian Waters and the loss of TE Tony Moeaki (torn ACL) will also prove problematic. Waters a more then dependable blocker and Moeaki a sure handed safety valve who doubles as a big play threat (was expected to see an increased role in the offense being a major contributor) will be deeply missed. The additions of FA Steve Breaston (familiar with the offense) and high upside Rookie Johnathon Baldwin do bring hope. Unfortunately due to Baldwins character issues he injured himself in a scuffle with teammate Thomas Jones, sidelining him for potentially 6-8 weeks, limiting his impact. Steve Breaston and the rest of the offense have proved non-existent in the preseason. Just preseason, I know, but hard not to notice how utterly abysmal their showcase has been. The Chiefs rode their elite run game to success last season as they took full advantage of a soft schedule. This year however they must face the likes of the Pats, Steelers, Packers, Jets, Lions, Colts and of course their divisional foes twice each. The 2011 outlook is not too good for the KC Cheifs.

Denver Broncos 5-11

The Josh McDaniels era has ended and the John Fox era is about to kickoff. Fox will run the ball as much as he can, force feeding Moreno and McGahee, but when he’s had the weapons his offenses have had good passing totals. Remember once upon a time Jake Delhome was a pro bowler with 3,886 yards and 29 TDs season to his credit and Steve Smith was regarded as the best WR in football. Last season Kyle Orton threw for over 3600 yards and 20 TDs in just 13 games and Brandon Lloyd had a career high 1448 yard 11 TD out burst. Their Defense isn’t without flaws (finishing 32 last year.... dead last). The team will be forced to pass much more than John Fox would like but they will have success through the air via the cast of Lloyd, Demaryius Thomas, Eddie Royal and the emergence of Eric Decker. Von Miller will help improve their defense, leaving much less time for opposing QBs to throw, but miller can't bring back their defense to respectability on his own. The broncos will once again have opposing offenses foaming at the mouth the entire week leading up to their match ups.

The San Diego Chargers look primed to finally breakout of this division and emerge as the AFC representative in the Super Bowl

The Talents in South Beach

Not 1, Not 2, Not 3..... Not 7.... Wins for the Dolphins in 2011

Two seasons ago the Bills hosted the Patriots in the first act of the opening Monday Night Football  doubleheader and were just a fumbled kickoff away from stunning the Pats. Last season we saw the Chiefs takedown the San Diego Chargers in the Opening Monday Night Football contest and went on to wear the Division Crown.The Dolphins will kickoff the season hosting the New England Patriots and they will be looking to send a message to the rest of the league.

        The Dolphins enter the 2011 season with little to no expectations. Head coach Tony Sparano will be coaching for his job. He will be looking to do anything and everything to keep it. Enter offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. He will spice up their bland offense with more down field plays and some creative gaget plays such as this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM77uExPycY&feature=related
2011 may also be Chad Henne's last chance as a starting NFL QB. He will be more motivated than ever to prove all his doubters wrong. He won't have to carry the team himself. He has help.

Brandon Marshall is one of the most physically gifted WRs in the game today. He has tremendous after the catch ability. Marshall had posted a 3 year average of 102 catches and 1236 yards 7.7 tds (eclipsing 100 catches and 1120 yards and 6tds each season ) before last years 86 catch 1014 yards 3td out put (in 14 games). Marshall struggled with injuries for much of last season which prevented him from providing his usual big plays. Marshall is completely healthy this season having all his past abilities back as shown by his 60 yard TD reception against the Bucs in wk 3 of the preseason. Something Marshall will be doing often this season. Making big plays. Then comes the Reggie Bush Factor. He's a matchup nightmare who can prove to be quite the offensive asset even as a decoy. He will be used all over the field in many different packages. He will not only give the dolphins another big play threat He will also open things up for the rest of the offense, making life a lot easier on Henne. The domino effect that Bush brings will help a guy like Davone Bess with his great route running skills and even better hands thrive. Bess is a more than reliable WR who catches everything thrown his way. His catches, yards and TD totals have increased every year of his career. Brian Hartline also stands to benefit as he’s a speedy sure handed WR who will be able to make many plays downfield with defenses keying in of Marshall and Bush. Then there’s rookie wide out Clyde Gates, just another weapon for Brian Daboll to cook up things with. Once adapted to the NFL and comfortable with his role Gates and his sub 4.4 speed will thrive in the offense. The drafting of Pouncy will help open things up in the running game, particularly in short yardage situations. Helping them extend drives and punch in short yardage TDs. The signing of Larry "grandmama" Johnson coupled with his immediate anointment of the number two back role should be more than enough to light a fire under 2nd round pick Daniel Thomas who has taken a lot of heat in camp for "tentative running at the goaline" and "tip toeing". If the 230 lb Thomas can change to a more hard nosed style he will be an added weapon for the dolphins.

        The dolphins will be a team to watch this season as they have the potential to be one of the surprises (they had the 6th best statistical Defense last year, if they can stay near that good they will receive help with the offense primed for a big leap). Unfortunately they have to compete with the Jets and Patriots for a divisional title but football is a crazy unpredictable game. The Stars align for even the unlikeliest of teams sometimes. Will it be the dolphins in 2011? We will all find out the answer to that soon enough, but the most certainly are a team with sleeping giant potential.

Its the Most Wonderful Time Of the Year

After a long scare from the lockout we are just a week away from the 2011 season officially kicking off. Just one week from being able to kick back on Sundays and watch the greatest sport in the world being played. The Packers hold the crown but repeats are hard to come by. So who will reign supreme in 2011? What teams will surprise, which will disappoint? Heres a look at the NFC


NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles 12-4

I look for the Eagles to just beat out the Dallas Cowboys after splitting the regular season match ups. The Eagles are incredibly explosive, but they lack the ability to play tough grind it out ball. Its because of this I look for their play making ability to carry them early on before later wearing down and backing into the playoffs. It's bold but I believe the eagles will make their way to 9-0 before suffering back to back losses to first division rival Giants and then the New England Patriots. Over that stretch I see their games against the Rams, Bills, Redskins, Cardinals, Bears, and 49ers as virtual locks. They are far superior on both sides of the ball then the Rams, Bills, Cardinals and 49ers. The Bears a great job of containing (with the help of some terrible field conditions) Vick last year, but One, you cant contain Vick forever (example NYG) and Two the eagles are improved with Andy Reid having an entire offseason to better morph the offense to fit Vick. I also see the bears taking a step back this season from where they were last year. They are tested right away in week two against the Falcons in the Georgia dome, but I don't see anyway Vick goes back to the dome and takes a loss. He will be too motivated, too focused. And he will take full advantage of Atlanta’s questionable secondary. Eagles win 31-17. Their game against the Cowboys will be tough as well, but its a home game and they are coming off a bye so I will give them the benefit of the doubt that they will continue their win streak. Their home stretch (weeks 15-17) will be against the NYJ, @DAL and WAS (who will be looking to play spoiler if there is anything to spoil). A December matchup against the Jets means a heavy dose of Shonn Greene and some good ole smash mouth football. The Jets will be too physical too handle as they will be trying to keep pace with the Pats and will just pound the ball and wear down the eagles eventually breaking away in the 4th. Cowboys come up next who will be in a very tight race with these Eagles. I see the Boys riding the momentum of a late season win streak to victory marking the Eagles 4th loss. Eagles rebound to clinch the division with a victory over Washington Week 17

2. Dallas Cowboys 11-5

The Boys will fall just short of the Division crown but will ride into the playoffs hot (potentially a 9 game win streak). The formula to reaching the Super bowl. Rob Ryan will have their defense improving as the year goes on. Their Offense will blossom with Romo back under center with Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, Kevin Ogletree and Felix Jones out of the backfield. They may not get off to the best of starts, but they will come together at some point during the year and won’t look back

3. New York Giants 8-8

Facing a very tough schedule including the likes of the Pats, Saints, Packers, Jets and of course their tough divisional game. Lacking the dominate D that once carried them to a Superbowl there’s only so much the Jet Blue Offense can do.

4. Washington Redskins 7-9

Year 2 under Shanahan should bring more highs for the redskins than in year one. They will be much more aggressive on D which will exploit teams weak in pass protection and help create Turnovers. Tim Hightower and company will provide solid production from the Running game and their Passing game should have some big plays mixed in with their underrated group of WRs. Ultimately though, the skins lack the talent to keep up with the rest of the division.

NFC NORTH

                                                            Green Bay Packers 14-2

The drafting of Randall Cobb and Alex Green will provide explosiveness in the return game and youth off the bench to fill in for or spell the likes of Donald Driver or Ryan Grant. Grant and Green will much improve their Running game. The Return of Jermichael Finley Completes the most extensive arsenal in Football. The packer’s offense should be nearly unstoppable as it was already dynamic without their Number one Pass Catcher. With a healthy Finley they will have nothing but mismatches for Aaron Rodgers to exploit. Their Defense should pick up right where it left off as well, lead by Clay Matthews and Charles Woodsen the Packers are ready for their Title Defense.

2. Detroit Lions 10-6

Yes, I'm all aboard the Detroit bandwagon. Their Defensive Line is flat out scary. Teams will be left one dimensional as they wont be able to run against this dominate group. When you make teams one dimensional good things happen for you defense. They will be able to force many turnovers and wreak havoc on opposing QBs anytime they decide to blitz. Their Offense Lead by Matthew Stafford, will be hard to keep pace with. They are loaded with talent. They lack a bruiser who can help protect leads by picking up tough firstdowns and killing clock, but I don't think it will deter them from too many wins. Calvin Johnson Is uncoverable. Nate Burleson is an excellent compliment opposite of Megatron. He runs very precise routes, is sure handed and has great body control. They have two Great pass catching TE's in Schefler and Petigrew, a good deep threat in rookie Titus Young and the game breaker Jahvid Best out of the backfield. This team is ready to go as far as Stafford is prepared to take them. As long as he can stay on the Field he will lead this young team into the playoffs.

Chicago Bears 7-9

Their Offense is run by Mike Martz who loves to air it out, but the Bears aren't built to do so. It just doesn't work. To execute many of his 5 and 7 step drops Cutler needs time to throw, time for the routes to develop. Unfortunately their O-line just simply can't provide him with the allotted time. I know winning patches up bad blood. It heals all wounds, but how much will Cutlers alleged quitting in the NFC championship game be in the minds of bear players? Perhaps its insignificant, but that’s not something players forget, unless of course you're winning. With games against the Falcons, Saints and Packers the first 3 weeks the wheels could come off rather quickly.

Minnesota Vikings 5-11

McNabb won't be able to lead them back to winning ways. Christian Ponder will see at least 6 starts. Maybe McNabb can be competent enough for the weapons of AP and Harvin to carry the offense which is possible, but All in all this teams outlook is not promising

 

NFC SOUTH

New Orleans Saints 13-3

WHO DAT nation will return to the top of the NFC South. A fairly easy string of games on the schedule this year will allow the Saints to just keep on rolling. I believe sweeping the Falcons is quite possible given Atlanta’s switch to an up tempo offense. Who does up tempo better than Drew Brees and the Saints - The addition of Mark Ingram will have the saints doing what makes them such a dominate offense, Running the ball effectively (28th in the league with just 95 yards a game last season. 6th in the league the year before with 131 ypg and second in the NFC in rush attempts) to set up Drew Brees and this high powered offense. With Brees also being healthy his 22 INT season will be a complete anomaly as he will be back to his incredibly efficient ways thanks to a very productive Run game. Pierre Thomas is also back and healthy giving them a very nice one two punch. The emergence of Jimmy Graham will only give this offense yet another dimension. A very big, very athletic target who will thrive on thirdowns and the red zone. The addition of Shaun Rodgers and drafting of Cameron Jordan will help sure up their Run D (16th in the league) which will have a domino effect on the rest of their Defense making everything else better. The Saints looked primed for another Superbowl Run in 2011.

Atlanta Falcons 9-7

How can a young team coming off a 13-3 season miss the playoffs the following year when they only improved in the offseason? "If it ain't broke don't fix it" The falcons and their more conservative run heavy style works for them. It takes pressure off their defense by shortening the game and winning the Time of Possession battle. It’s also good in holding onto the ball preventing Turnovers. Something the Falcons have thrived on. Now an expected change in offensive philosophy to an up tempo style in a lockout shortened offseason could be a recipe for disaster. Although they have the horses to do it with the Addition of Julio Jones and the emergence of Harry Douglas, so did the Cincinatti Bengals last season with TO, Ochocinco, Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham when they went  from a division sweep (as a ground and pound team) to a miserable 4-12 season with an air it out style. I'm not saying they are going to be terrible because they won't. I just believe they stand a good chance to take a major step back as they get used to the switch. It will leave their Questionable secondary (22nd last year) more vulnerable as games are likely to be extended the more passes are thrown. The more drop backs you have the more teams will be inclined to throw blitzes at you leaving more room for Turnovers (as throwing more passes alone leads to a likely increase in INT's) They are a very talented team without question, but bumps in the road could indeed put a SuperBowl Run on hold as they will face the likes of the Eagles, Packers, Texans, Colts (later in the year when they should have things together) Detroit and of course the Saints Twice.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-8

I love Josh Freeman. I'm also a fan of Mike Williams and Blount. I just feel the Bucs over achieved a bit last year. I know you shouldn't read too much into preseason but it’s hard to ignore how awful their O-line has been. If they can't protect Freeman his 25-6 TD:INT ratio will most certainly come down. Blount is a nasty runner but he needs blocking just as much as the next guy. I still think they will be respectable just not in the playoff hunt as they were a year ago.

Carolina Panthers 3-13

When I look at their schedule I just don't see where I can pick out wins. 1-15 is very possible, but there is a lot of parody in the NFL and I guess I'm in a generous mood so I will say 3-13. Maybe Cam Newton comes in and has a Vince Young like rookie season, but I don’t see it. Newton will make plays with his legs and be a force near the Goaline but he will have a tough time reading defenses and .... well.... completing passes to his own team. The panthers were a joke of an offense last year. I don't see a huge improvement here.

 

NFC WEST

St Louis Rams 8-8

Am I crazy to think 8-8 is good enough to win this division back to back years? Maybe, but not a lot has changed. Sure the Cardinals have Kolb now which will be enough to push for this division title, but this division is still weak and has a relatively tough schedule. The progression of Bradford and the added weapons of Lance Kendricks and Mike Sims-Walker coupled with Josh McDaniels offense should be enough to win the division taking Steven Jackson to the place that has long eluded him since his rookie season. The playoffs. A shame for a complete workhorse with 6 straight thousand yard seasons to his credit. Its ok though for 2011 will provide a return to postseason football. After a rough start to the season (I'm projecting a 1-6 start due to a murderers row of Philly, NYG, Baltimore, NO, GB and DAL in the first 7 weeks) the Rams will make a historic return to the top of the division Finishing on a 7-2 run, claiming the division from the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals 7-9

Kevin Kolb is a huge upgrade over the cast the Cardinals had last season. The Cardinals lack an O-line capable of providing consistent protection. It will also be hard pressed to create holes for Beanie Wells to run through. The Cardinals are good enough to win this division given its weakness. I just think the Rams have a better chance.

San Francisco 49ers 6-10

Not a lot to excite here. Alex Smith once again enters as the Starter, but rookie QB Colin Kaepernick waits in the wings. He’s a skilled runner but lacks the passing ability needed to succeed at this level. It just doesn't look good either way. If Gore stays healthy and Smith can play a Trent Dilfer like role at QB they might be able to put some wins together and contend for the division. As of right now I just don’t see it happening

Seattle Seahawks 4-12

With Tavaris Jackson under center and a defense mediocre at best (27th last season) The outlook is very very bad. There will not be a return trip to the playoffs. Seattle will be a bottom dweller in 2011

 

PLAYOFF TEAMS

1. Packers

2. Saints

Wildcard Weekend

3. Eagles vs

6. Lions

4. Rams vs

5. Cowboys

Divisional Round

Packers vs Lions

Saints vs Cowboys

NFC Championship

Packers vs Cowboys

NFC Champ

I Love the Packers chance at repeating at least as NFC champs but in todays game it's just so difficult to repeat. Their Offense Will be nearly unstoppable through the Air, but In the one and done format of the NFL playoffs anything can Happen. I think it may just be time for the Cowboys who seem to be out of the spotlight without the Super Bowl or Bust campaign going to finally reach the Pinnacle and capture an NFC tittle. Like the Packers they are loaded on offense. The Emergence of Felix Jones who may just be the Key to a Super Bowl run as deemed by Jerry Jones "If Jones does well, we will do well the better he does the further we go" will be huge. A threat to take it the distance anytime he touches the ball. Health will be a huge factor for the cowboys as health concerns surround their best two weapons (Dez and Jones). Their Health will be key, but 2011 just may indeed bring a return of Jerrys World.