They Didn't Even Have to Cheat This Time
So I ended up being wrong about the Patriots, who trashed San Diego 38-14 Sunday. They've had back-to-back strong performances against two playoff teams, and definitely look like the team to beat this year. Randy Moss, that miserable bum, also had another great game for his new team. But the problem with Moss has always been that if the team plays badly, he starts dogging it. We'll see what happens with him when the honeymoon is over and the Patriots lose some tough games...if they actually end up losing any games this season, that is.
Raiders Shocked to Learn Game Doesn't End Halfway Through the 4th Quarter
After coming back from a double-digit deficit for the second week in a row, the Raiders managed to choke worse than A-Rod does every postseason. On Sunday, they had two great chances to win the game, first in the last 30 seconds of regulation and then in overtime, but couldn't capitalize on either. Good teams know how to finish games, so clearly the Raiders are not a very good team. I don't know how you teach a team to win close ones at the end, but I think it starts with expecting to win every game. Right now, it's hard to imagine the Raiders, or their fans, expect anything but more losing and frustration.
They're Just Warming up the First Three Quarters
That other Bay Area team showed the proper way to finish a game in St. Louis, as the 49ers won their second consecutive game late in the 4th quarter. The Rams dominated every statistical category except for the one that mattered most: the final score. Frank Gore showed why he might once again lead the NFC in rushing, as he rushed for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns just days after the death of his mother. It's hard not to root for Gore, who has overcome two major knee injuries in addition to his mother's passing, to be a top running back in the NFL.
I knew it All Along...
The list of unbeaten teams after two weeks has some expected names on it, but also several surprises. Green Bay, Washington, Detroit, Houston and San Francisco are 2-0 after they were all in the top half of last April's NFL Draft. It's too early to know if these teams will make the playoffs, but they're all certainly off to unexpectedly great starts. Somebody ask Brett Favre where he found the fountain of youth at.
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady... and Derek Anderson!?
Speaking of unexpected performances, Quarterback Derek Anderson took over the starting job in Cleveland after Charlie Frye was run out of town and was supposed to be just keeping the seat warm for QB of the future, Brady Quinn. Apparently nobody told him that, because he played like an all-pro Sunday and dismantled the Bengals' defense in Cleveland's 51-45 win. Anderson, a sixth-round pick in 2005, threw for 328 yards and 5 touchdowns, which are more than Brady, Manning, Donovan McNabb and Drew Brees had this past week. Sure, the Bengals' defense is terrible, but this is ridiculous. The only person who should be more upset than the Bengals' secondary coach is Quinn. Quinn waited much longer then he wanted to on draft day to get selected after being viewed as a possible first overall pick. If Anderson proves to be more than a fluke and continues to play like this, Quinn will be holding a clipboard on the sidelines for a long time.
NFL Picks: Week 3
Week 2 Picks: 2-2; Season Overall: 2-2
Here are some notable games coming up in Week 3 (odds as posted Sept. 19 on Yahoo! Sports):
Dallas at Chicago (-3) - Last week the Bears managed to beat Kansas City easily, but didn't seem to give their full effort against the struggling Chiefs. They'll have to bring their A-game against the Cowboys, whose offense has been on fire so far this season, scoring more than 35 points in both of their games. Miami's defense did limit Tony Romo last week, but Dallas' defense made up for it. Expect them to harass Rex Grossman and find a way to win on the road.
My Pick: Dallas 20-17
Cincinnati at Seattle (-3.5) - Cincinnati got burned by unknown Derek Anderson last week, but did score 45 points against the Browns. Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson cannot be contained, and I don't think Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander can keep up with the Bengals' offense. Cincinnati will win, but they might have to score 35 to do it.
My Pick: Cincinnati 27-24
St. Louis at Tampa Bay (-3.5) - Something is very wrong with the Rams. They have everything you need to be successful on offense and yet they cannot seem to put it all together. Tampa Bay has looked both very good (week 2) and very bad (week 1) this season. Neither team takes your breath away, but the heat in Tampa is too much for a dome team to handle. Just look at what happened to the Saints when they visited the Bucs last week.
My Pick: Tampa Bay 24-17
"Bet the Farm" Lock of the Week: San Francisco at Pittsburgh (-9) - The 49ers could easily be 0-2 but are undefeated after two very unimpressive performances. Still, they have managed to win both games in the final moments, so they deserve some credit. Pittsburgh has looked so strong this season, the Niners could play well the whole game this week and still probably lose by ten. I expect Pittsburgh's defense to be the star in this game, and I hope Alex Smith has a big bottle of aspirin at home because he's going to be hurting on Monday.
My Pick: Pittsburgh 27-13
Fantasy Game-breaker: Patriots Running Back Laurence Maroney vs. Buffalo - Buffalo hasn't been very good against the rush or the pass this year, and New England has been on a tear. The Patriots are favored by an incredible 16.5 points this week, and they have a solid chance of winning by three touchdowns. They will pass early to take the lead, but I think they will let Maroney run all over the Bills in the second half as they sit on a comfortable lead.
