NFL Week 2 BuDa Pick'Em!

Week 2 - Let's do this chums! (All of these picks are outright, no points. Bold teams are home)

Sunday, September 20, 2009

1:00PM/ET

Patriots OVER Jets

Pats D isn't the power it used to be (in fact I'd argue it's weaker than you think), and I'm not convinced about the Jets Offense. The Patriots Offense might not pick up exactly where Brady left his knee, but even though the Jets D is prett-ay good, I still think this is a potential shootout that the Pats win.

Eagles OVER Saints

Brees can rack up all the points he wants against an 0-16 team, but the Eagles Defense is just a little bit better. I know DNabb (Donovan McNabb) is out, but Westbrook seems healthy. It will be close, but I think Philly wins. The Saints Defense is just non-existent.

Redskins OVER Rams

This is a tough call. Washington has a good defense, but Jason Campbell has never looked more clueless than against the Giants last week. The Rams defense isn't terrible, and with StevieSpagsas the head coach, I'm sure they'll kick it up a notch. Campbell's job is on the line and I think he rises to the occasion (180 yards passing, 1 TD). Redskins D-Line makes it very difficult for Bulgerto stay off the ground.

Cardinals OVER Jaguars

Neither of these teams look very good to me at the moment. The Jag quit on Del Rio last year, I don't see much changing this year except that MJD is the premiere and only back - a roll he has never fit into very well. Larry Fitzgerald lights it up while Boldin has injury issues.

Falcons OVER Panthers

Delhomme has never been a great quarterback, but he's looking really shitty lately. It's clear his days are numbered and he is going to be pressured to perform - I foresee a lot ofFavre-esquegunslung throws and a few will be intercepted. Falcons offense seems like the Cardinals at this point, just with a great tight end in Tony G, and a great running back in Michael Turner. It will be interested to see how this team plays out with Matt Ryan in his second (almost) full year as the starting QB.

Vikings OVER Lions

I wish I could predict this to be the Lions first win this season, and I think they can get more than one, but it's early in the year and old man winter (Brett Favre) has yet to become bumped and bruised. With ADP (the good Adrian Peterson) and Chester Taylor at running back, and some decent wide receivers, it doesn't seem likely that an upstart Lions offense will be able to beat this team at this point. Maybe after Favre breaks a hip - call your Life Alert, Brett!

Bengals OVER Packers

I'm probably dead wrong on this, I just see Carson Palmer having a good solid game and Cedric Benson filling the void. The Packers defense is very good, and they're at home, so I'm probably wrong, but whatever. Rodgers is a very good quarterback and it seems he can surely fill the voidFavre left. I'm not convinced Ryan Grant will return to 2007 form, same goes for Greg Jennings.

Texans OVER Titans

Titans were the longest undefeated team of last season - welcome to 0-2 this year bitches. LosingHaynesworth really hurt their defense as they can't put as much pressure on the quarterback and running backs of opposing teams. Plus, the Titans have Kerry Collins as their QB - if it didn't work for the Giants almost 10 years ago, it's not working for Tennessee now. Count it. Also, you could say the Texans are due. I mean, if they're already anointed the 2009 sleeper pick by everyone, they have to start somewhere.

Chiefs OVER Raiders

Ugh, who CARES?! I don't. These teams are terrible and almost unwatchable. I don't think the addition of Matt Cassell helps as much as the loss of Tony G hurts. It does allow Dwayne Bowe to emerge as a more viable fantasy option. Also, JaMarcus Russell deserves everything he gets in life. For both the fact that his mother threw a "Ja" in front of the perfectly fine name of Marcus, and the fact that he held out on his contract like a little bitch. Now what? YOU SUCK, is what. He sucks, and so does the Raider organization. Al Davis is a loony bat. I'm interested to see how Larry Johnson performs...

4:00PM/ET

Bills OVER Buccaneers

Trent Edwards isn't sexy, but Byron Leftwich is hideous. T.O. still struggles with fantasy points, but Lee Evans busts out. After this win, the Bills can kick themselves for not being 2-0.

49ers OVER Seahawks

Frank Gore is very similar to MJD, except that he can perform without Fred Taylor. ZING! Shaun Hill doesn't need to do much to keep this team performing successfully. I think it's close, but the '9ers take it down.

Ravens OVER Chargers

Phil Rivers isn't that good. He throws like a quarterback version of Johnny Damon - simply Damon-ic! Also, LDT (LaDanian Tomlinson) is out, leaving the full workload to Sproles. He has never performed well when is the only running option. He is a great 3rd down back, and a great 2nd option, and scary if River has to check down to him because he's dangerous in the open field.Flacco is a solid quarterback, and I would argue better than Rivers. Flacco has Mark Clayton to throw to - give him VJax (Vincent Jackson), Antonio Gates, and old man Chris Chambers to throw to with LDT as his running back and suddenly Flacco is ranking tops among quarterbacks. Count it. Also, LDT is done. Writers have been saying it for a while that it is widely known and somewhat secret that he's done. After injuring yourself in the first week of play (while playing through 3 quarters and managing only 55 yards) I think it's fair to say he might possibly, could be, potentially done.

Steelers OVER Bears

Cutler is not grooving with his receivers yet, and even though Polomolu is out, the Steelers D is not that weak without him. Forte struggles, so does Willie Parker (because he's not good). The loss ofUrlacher helps Cutler's fantasy value if you ask me - they'll be behind in a lot of games and he'll be forced to get on page with his receivers as soon as possible.

Broncos OVER Browns

If the Browns had a viable option at running back, I'd say okay, maybe they have a shot. They don't. Jamal Lewis is overweight, has lost speed, and was almost cut before the season started. Plus, the Broncos have Knowshon Moreno - and I will pretend/submit that Knowshon's name is pronounced like "Notion". No one has corrected me yet. It just can't be "Know-Shaun", can it?Argh, god help me if it is, I might just go postal. Can't someone smack these mothers before they write this shit on the birth certificate?!

Colts OVER Dolphins

Chad Pennington, the honeymoon's over. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are decent at running back but the Dolphins don't have many options at wideout for Pennington to throw to. Ted Ginn Jr. is their best, but Pennington can't reach him. Let me just say here that I think Joseph Addai is done - last week was a fluke. He was terrible last year except for maybe two weeks. This year he will maybe have three good weeks, and this week won't be the second.

8:00PM/ET

Giants OVER Cowboys

As if there was any other option? Giants go up by 40, and then they let Feagles continue to punt the ball into the scoreboard until it's about midnight and Jerry Jones cries "UNCLE!" Seriously, the first team to do that (kicking the ball non-stop into the scoreboard) is going to incite a riot. After about three punts I would just snap. I would take the encroachment penalty, take the unnecessary roughness penalty, and just drill the punter. "Don't ever do that again! I know your body doesn't have that ability right now, but when feeling returns to your extremities, DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" Seriously now, RoyE (Roy E. Williams) has replaced T.O. as the primary receiver for the Cowboys, and anyone who didn't see the writing on the wall when that move was made needs some glasses or needs to stop pretending they like sports. Tony Romoisn't as good as America's Team would have hoped, and he's probably getting crazy pussy right now, like boy band pussy, now that he and Jessica have broken up, she gained forty pounds, and he looks relatively the same. Personally, I think Carrie Underwood is hotter/more attractive than Jess Simpson for years, and I feel vindicated. Marion Barber is not performing like he was when he was the secondary back, and Felix Jones won't play every down (similar arguments can be made now AGAINST Barber, like the ones made for him when Julius Jones was here - it's always Barber-Jones issues, weird). Once a secondary back, now the primary, The Juggernaut (Brandon Jacobs) aka "BJake", has filled that role nicely. Eli Manning needs to figure out where to go with his receivers. Even though when he played last year Plaxico did not receive many catches or run for many yards, he was still double teamed on EVERY SINGLE DOWN. KevinGilbride took advantage of that, and that loss was part of the reason the Giants offense sputtered going into the playoffs. No one right now commands that kind of respect among the Giantswideouts, so it is going to be up to Eli and his receivers to figure something out quick. Dom Hixonis listed as the #1 receiver, but from what I saw last week it was Steve Smith #1, and MarioManningham #2. First, let me say that I love the Manning-to-Manningham-Connection finally coming to fruition. Second, Steve Smith was doing more than just slant routes. He was running some deeper routes and, as always, making some great catches. We'll see where this goes.