Jacksonville is coming off the natural high of beating the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night. Not just beating them, mind you, but shutting them out in front of a national television audience. They will need a defensive performance like that again this week, facing Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Reggie Wayne.
Defense will be the key for Indy as well. They need to put pressure on Jacksonville QB Byron Leftwich, who has been less than stellar this year. If Indy can force a few turnovers, they can start some possessions with good enough field position to squeeze needed points out of a stingy Jacksonville D.
PICK - Indy by 3
N.Y. Jets (1-1) at Buffalo (1-1) - 1:00 p.m.
Another. Freaking. Divisional. Rivalry. Yay!
Buffalo has looked pretty good in both their games so far. This week will be their home opener. QB Losman has been solid, and their defense has only given up 25 points.
Jets QB Chad Pennington has looked spectacular through two games, but the running game has been anemic and the defense questionable.
PICK - Bills by 2
Tennessee (0-2) at Miami (0-2) - 1:00 p.m.
One team that's been playing lousy, and another team that is lousy. You could miss seeing this one and not miss much.
Miami has seriously underperformed so far this season. QB Daunte Culpepper should probably be benched for poor play, but his backup is a guy named Joey Harrington, so he should definitely not be benched! Anyway, I think the Dolphins will turn things around this season, just like they did (a little too late) last year.
Tennessee has given up almost three times as many points as they've scored. And this week they're on the road. This is not looking very promising for the Titans.
PICK - Dolphins by 9
Washington (0-2) at Houston (0-2) - 1:00 p.m.
This is probably the "pooper-scooper" game of the week. In other words, it'll stink.
Washington is arguably the worst team in a strong and highly-competitive division. QB Mark Brunell has been playing poorly, and the defense has disappointed. But not all the news is bleak: RB Clinton Portis should be back in action this week.
Houston sucks. Well, to be fair, QB David Carr has looked awesome, completing 76% of his passes with 4 TDs and 0 INTs for a 123.7 passer rating. But the important thing to remember is: Houston (David Carr excepted) sucks.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - RJ Elliott
Calling on the regular crew for their picks...
2 - The Theory
Carolina (0-2) at Tampa Bay (0-2)... Hey, neither team is looking good! But I think that I agree with RJ and Carolina will take the V.
Chicago (2-0) at Minnesota (2-0)... I don't think I've picked Minnesota to win once so far this year... and I predicted Chicago victories twice. I see no reason to halt that train. Chicago.
Cincinnati (2-0) at Pittsburgh (1-1)... A tough pick. I still haven't seen much of Cicny, and I have seen way too much of Pittsburgh. But I'm going to go with Cincy here. Pittsburgh is going to have to prove to me that they're healthy before I can pick them against a high calibur team.
Green Bay (0-2) at Detroit (0-2)... This is a super hard pick. On one hand, Green Bay has been an utter disaster. On the other, Detroit has been an utter disaster. Flip the coin.... and Green Bay barely squeaks out a win.
Jacksonville (2-0) at Indianapolis (2-0)... This will be a good game. Indy has looked good, but not stellar... and Jacksonville has performed quite well. But I gotta tip my cap to Indy. It will be demanding quite a lot to go into Indianapolis and take a victory against a team like that.
N.Y. Jets (1-1) at Buffalo (1-1)... Oh geez. I don't know. We'll give the Jets the nod here, I guess.
Tennessee (0-2) at Miami (0-2)... Miami, who will want to stop underperforming at home.
Washington (0-2) at Houston (0-2)... Washington has been severely disappointing for their fans this year so far. However, they'll get the win on Sunday... but I will enjoy when the Redskin fans start gloating about their win that "It was against HOUSTON."
Baltimore (2-0) at Cleveland (0-2)... Baltimore. By about a thousand points.
N.Y. Giants (1-1) at Seattle (2-0)... I think NY will win this one, although it'll be a good match. I would like to see them lose, though, after last week's horrific game in Philly.
Philadelphia (1-1) at San Francisco (1-1)... I was planning to pick against Philly this week... but I just can't against a team like San Fran.
St. Louis (1-1) at Arizona (1-1)... Neither team is exactly impressive... but we'll give Arizona the advantage here. Because if they lose to a team like the Rams in Arizona, their season is over.
Denver (1-1) at New England (2-0)... I don't care one iota about this game. But I think you've got to pick NE until they stop winning.
Atlanta (2-0) at New Orleans (2-0)... This is a game to stay up for... UNLESS you are like me and don't have cable. In which case you can kiss this game goodbye. I would love to see New Orleans win this one... but since I won't be seeing the game I guess the nod has to go to Atlanta.
3 - Emerson
Carolina by 10
Chicago by 7
Pittsburgh by 3
Green Bay by 6
Indy by 10
Buffalo by 4
Miami by 14
Houston by 7
Baltimore by 21
N.Y. Giants by 13
Philly by 8
Arizona by 3
New England by 17
New Orleans by 6
4 - RJ Elliott
You've got less than 36 hours to post your picks, Suss... ;-)
5 - Mr. Football
Philly losing to San Fran? I just don't see it happening. Obviously if Westbrook can't play then the offense takes a hit, but I still think they're superior to the Niners.
I'm liking the Atlanta pick..I just think they'll win by more than 4. The Saints played the Browns and Packers; I understand the Falcons past two opponents have been disappointments, but they're still superior to the teams the Saints played.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
Okay, okay.
Carolina over The Bay
Chicago over Vikes
'Sburgh over 'Nati
Lions over The Pack
Indy over Jags
Jets over Bills
Fins over Tenn
'Skins over Texans
Ravens over Browns
C-Hawks over New York Football Giants, but not the New York Badminton Giants
Phiwwy over Saint Francisco
Errorzona over Saint Lou
FEMAFalcons over New Orleans7 - RJ Elliott
What about NE vs. Denver? ;-)
8 - SHARK
WINS
Bucs
Steelers
Lions
Colts
Bills
Dolphins
Texans
Ravens
Seahawks
49ers
Cardinals
Patriots
Saints
9 - RJ Elliott
Shark: You skipped the Bears-Vikings game...
10 - Matthew T. Sussman
New England, which I guess is Old Iriquois.
11 - RJ Elliott
Final Scores for Sunday's early games:
Redskins 31, Houston 15 (RJ 1-0)
Carolina 26, TB 24 (RJ 2-0)
Colts 21, Jacksonville 14 (RJ 3-0)
Bengals 28, Steelers 20 (RJ 3-1)
Packers 31, Lions 24 (RJ 3-2)
Jets 28, Bills 20 (RJ 3-3)
Miami 13, Tennessee 10 (RJ 4-3)
Chicago 19, Vikings 16 (RJ 5-3)
12 - RJ Elliott
Sure, I'm a little disappointed to be only 5-3 so far, but take a look at how ESPN's NFL "experts" are doing:
Theismann 4-4
Salisbury 5-3
Hoge 4-4
Jaworski 5-3
Schlereth 5-3
Allen 5-3
Mortensen 3-5
Golic 4-4
13 - Matthew T. Sussman
6-2. Hooah.
14 - Matthew T. Sussman
How the fleurk was the TB/Carolina game that close?
15 - RJ Elliott
Carolina went up 17-0 early in the 2nd, and was up 20-7 at halftime. TB took the lead in the 3rd 21-20. They traded field goals to make it 24-23 TB. But Carolina kicked the winning field goal with just 2 seconds left in the game. The highlight of this late drive was a 12-yard scramble up the middle by Delhomme on 4th-and-7 with under a minute left. This was a GREAT game!
16 - Matthew T. Sussman
I noticed Gradkowski got into that game. His only throw was a 16-yard reception.
He will start a game this year.
17 - Matthew T. Sussman
I know it's just the first quarter, but all you Giants bandwagonners aren't lookin' so hot
18 - Jet in Columbus
Neither did the OSU Buckeyes yesterday Matt and look how that turned out
...but that's only my opinion
© 2006 Jet in Columbus
19 - Matthew T. Sussman
The Buckeyes were never in trouble. The Giants are down 21-0 right now.
P.S. - That copyright thing? Lame. But that's only everyone's opinion.
20 - RJ Elliott
ROTFL!
21 - Jet in Columbus
That copywrite "thing" is an inside joke that Christopher Rose started between us that I've carried on out of fun... thank you.
And who the fuck made you high and mighty spokesman for everyone else????????
Someday I'll read something civil out of you towards me without an accompaning smart-ass remark about something being lame (which is getting old too) and I'll have to have CPR. I don't see you getting pissy with Mark about his Decafinated Voracious or anyone else on this site.
I don't know what your problem is with me, and frankly I'm past caring, but I wish the hell you'd get over it.
People are starting to whisper things...
...but of course that's only my opinion
© 2006 Jet in Columbus
22 - Matthew T. Sussman
Anybody else just hear a cat hiss?
23 - Jet in Columbus
Ohhhhhh what a snappy retort. I'm soooooo embarrased. at least it wasn't a pussy
24 - RJ Elliott
Final Score:
Baltimore 15, Browns 14 (RJ 6-3)
The ageless Matt Stover kicks a game-winning 52-yard field goal with 20 seconds left...
25 - RJ Elliott
Final Score:
Rams 16, Arizona 14 (RJ 6-4)
Kurt Warner commits 4 turnovers, including a fumble deep in Rams territory with under 2 minutes left...