Week 2 picks

• Car @ Atl (-4.5). I just feel badly for Jake Delhomme. He’s a good guy, but he’s played so badly his last 2 games it’s unreal (and I’m not sure, but I believe he may have the NFL record for most turnovers in 2 consecutive games – not sure how he couldn’t with 11). Still, I think this will be a close game. Car is pissed and there are 44 other guys on the team who could play well Sunday.
• MN @ Det (+9.5). My feeling on this game fluctuates – I go from thinking Detroit will surprise and make it a game (like they have the last few times these two teams have played), or they’ll get rolled so badly the NFL may consider simply canceling their games for the rest of the year. I’ll go ahead and say this will be a game – and Detroit may be in it right to the end.
• Cincy @ GB (-9.5). Blowout. Palmer and co may offer a scare early on with a TD or two, but the Pack’s offense will get it into high gear Sunday and level Cincy.
• AZ @ Jax (-3.5). Wouldn’t it be interesting if Matt Leinart, after all he’s been through/put himself through, ends up replacing Warner as the QB because of Warner’s…futility? Warner was terrific last year and fun to watch, but I wonder a bit if that magic may simply not be there anymore – he looked like an old man out there last Sunday.
• Oak @ KC (-3.5). Larry Johnson will have a big game Sunday – huge game. Darren McFadden may too. This will be an offensive game in both of the ways something can be “offensive”. This is one game after which I could see the 2 head coaches squaring off in an all-0ut brawl after the game. Nice tempers…
• NE @ NYJ (+5.5). Rex Ryan is obnoxious. Many New Yorkers pride themselves on their obnoxeity (prefer this made up word to obnoxiousness). Ryan and New York are a good match. I think they take down the once mighty Pats. The Pats’ loss of LB Jerod Mayo hurts a lot – their defense will just plain be weaker this year overall because of his absence. Now, despite picking the Jets to win outright, I must say, I can’t wait to see Rex Ryan have to verbally backpedal when his team gets crushed by some pedestrian team soon because they’ll be way too cocky.
• NO @ Phil (-2.5). Interesting QB group in Philly right now. I read somewhere there are 12 pro-bowls among them, and the only non pro-bowler will likely start (Kevin Kolb). Should be a good game on Sunday. As much as I want NO to win and think that their offense may even overwhelm the Eagles, somehow, I think Andy Reid and co figure out a way to win. One way I can always comfort myself when the hated Eagles win though, is with the thought that some idiot Eagle fan will have to explain to his wife why he decided to punch an elderly grandma in the face at halftime. His only answer will be more cursing.
• Hou @ TN (-6.5). Wow did Houston suck last week. I still can’t believe it. I know the Jets’ D is good, but that was some terrible execution. I really can’t believe that will happen 2 weeks in a row. They have way too much talent and now Andre Johnson’s side-kick Kevin Walter is back – which will help more than most think it would. I pick the upset here.
• StL @Wash (-9.5). The only chance for StL here is that their coach puts together a game plan that handles the Skins like he did when he was Def Coord of the NYG. While I think Wash will win, I don’t think they’ll win by much. As strange as it sounds, the 28-0 StL loss last week to the Seahawks wasn’t as lopsided a game as the score indicates.
• TB @ Buff (-4.5). Was T.O. brought to Buff to be an intentional distraction for…Lee Evans? I’ve seriously wondered this. Owens can still make plays for sure, but Evans is the guy with more of a career left. My guess is Evans goes nuts this week. I also think Leodis McElvin will have a heck of a game (not name) after being the goat last week.
• Sea @ SF (-1.5). Brutally difficult for me to pick this one. I think it will be close and hard fought. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that I think this will become a new hot rivalry in the NFL over the next 10 years or so as both franchises rebuild and become playoff contenders regularly. I’m starting to take Mike Singletary seriously after last week’s nice win at AZ.
• Pitt @ Chic (+2.5). I don’t know why I am so fixed on this but I am taking Chicago. To commit 4 horrible turnovers and barely lose, the team had to be doing something right. And the defense didn’t completely breakdown when Urlacher left because he was out most of the second half. I pick Chicago here and to the likely surprise of many – in a lopsided game. Pitt simply CANNOT continue to win the way they win. It’s often so ugly – it just can’t keep happening (especially now without Palomalu).
• Cleve @ Den (-3.5). This game would kind of be fun to watch. Both coaches spending the whole game trying to outsmart the other – and being very very coy in the process. Watch out for both Braylon Edwards and Brandon Marshall in this one. Marshall in particular. Orton will realize starting Sunday just how good this guy is. One note re Marshall: though I think HE is the idiot for the holdout and his behavior for the most part, his argument isn’t a terrible one. He will be making $2.2 million this year but his stats the last 2 years (2 consecutive years over 100 catches) are more in line with the top 3 or so WRs in the NFL. Again, he should simply play out his contract while making the effort to renegotiate, but in his mini-defense, he has significantly outplayed his present contract (and not for one, but for 2 years).
• Balt @ SD (-3.5). I don’t know – SD didn’t show much winning last week, though it won and that counts. Balt let KC hang around for a while before cruising to a V. While I was set to take SD earlier this week, I think I’ve come around to thinking Balt may just be too talented here. Even with a pick or two from Flacco, I think Balt wins.
• NYG @ Dal (-2.5). Blowout alert. People will accuse me of crack-use once again, but I see a blowout here: Dallas 38, NYG 16. One of these days, my lack of true faith in the NYG as a football team will be supported by what actually happens on the field. I think that will happen this Sunday. The Cowboys are for real this year.
• Indy @ Mia (+3.5). Tough game to call. I don’t like how Indy won last week at home. I think Miami will be happy to be at home and will open things up on Indy’s defense. Also look for a Jason Taylor re-emergence party Monday night. I read an interesting mini-article the other day wondering if Ricky Williams has turned into a veteran leader/role model for the Dolphins. It’s a funny notion, Ricky Williams as a respected leader. What the article didn’t mention is that Williams has simply cast marijuana clouds over his teammates when they disagree with him – leading to passive acceptance of his leadership.