NFL Picks and Predictions

Photo Credited to Flickr User Summertx

Could it be that the Dallas Cowboys have a new diva in town?

What makes this latest story so sad is the fact that the Dallas Cowboys have won three straight games, and currently reside in first place atop the tough NFC East. One would think that Williams would simply be happy about the situation the Cowboys find themselves.

It sounds to me like Williams is more worried about losing his number one wideout position. If I were him, I think I might worry too. It seems very very clear that the Cowboys are moving more and more towards putting Williams into the number two slot in favor of Austin.

It remains to be seen whether this will become an important story, or just another day in Dallas Cowboys land. I would bet even money that the entire saga will disappear by Sunday. For the Cowboy’s sake, I certainly hope so.

The NFC East is always competitive it seems. Regardless of how many times the experts say that the NFC East will be dominated by one team or another, they always end up being stuck in a high powered struggle. Three weeks ago, the NY Giants seemed as though they were going to run away with the East. Now, three weeks later, they find themselves looking up at not only the Eagles, but the left for dead Dallas Cowboys as well.

While the Eagles were stomping the Giants, the Cowboys were trampling all over the Seahawks. While certainly beating the Seattle Seahawks is no huge task of late, the Dallas Cowboys will certainly take it. for a few weeks there it appeared that Tony Romo was attempting to find his way to the Dallas Cowboys bench. Then came superstar Miles Austin – you know the guy that was supposed to have the breakout year? Before a couple weeks ago nobody even knew who he was. After the last couple weeks everybody knows his name, and Tony Romo in particular. Romo has a new best friend not named Jason Witten, and the reviews are all raving thus far.

As we head into the meat of the NFL football season, one cannot help but wonder how the NFC East will eventually end up. Will the Giants right the ship? Will the Philadelphia Eagles continuing to develop that high-powered offense? Will the Dallas Cowboys continue to get better every single week and give Tony Romo a chance to exorcise those postseason demons? No one seems to know for sure, but I would guess that the NFC East will continue to beat up on each other. This bodes well for the rest of the NFC when it comes time for the wild-card bids. It seems to happen every year.

Atlanta Falcon Running Back Michael Turner - Image Credited to Wikipedia User Jesse Staples

Carolina Panthers – the Carolina Panthers were on most everyone’s list of teams in the NFC that were expected to do quite well this season. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had such impressive statistics in 2008 that it became quite difficult to ignore them any longer. Going into 2009, Williams and Stewart knew that they would be facing not only teams stacking the run, but the second toughest schedule in the entire NFL. Thus far, the Panthers running game has been derailed primarily because quarterback Jake Delhomme has been unable to throw the ball to his own team. In spite of the horrible quarterback play so far, the Panthers find themselves with a two-game winning streak and are a win at Buffalo away from being at .500.

what is even more telling about the Panthers is that Williams and Stewart are beginning to show signs of exploding. In week six game against Tampa Bay, Williams rushed for two touchdowns on 150+ yards rushing while Stewart had one touchdown and also broke the century mark. This marked the first time either running back had topped 100 yards in a game this season. Granted, the Bucs are far from top level competition. Still it is clear that these two running backs have yet to show the best they have to offer in 2009. This makes Carolina a team to look out for in the weeks to come.

Green Bay Packers - The Packers have actually been rather good so far this season. In particular, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been lights out in his second year under center for the pack. The Packers have suffered a good bit of injuries as well as some unfortunate luck to start the season slow. Most everyone that follows NFL football would concede that the Packers are a candidate to explode at any time.

San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco has been a team that has surprised everyone, and so imagining them improving might be a stretch. The reason for San Francisco getting better is simply about one player — Michael Crabtree. The first-round draft pick up the San Francisco 49ers is set to make his NFL debut during week seven after finally signing with the team. If the 49ers were able to perform as well as they have without him, it stands to reason that they should be even better with him. Crabtree is a special player and should be a great playmaker for the 49ers.

Dallas Cowboys - Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys have been pretty much a train wreck in 2009. It seems that every single week the Cowboys find a new way to put questions in the minds of the NFL experts. In particular, Tony Romo has not played up to expectations to say the least. In some ways this may actually benefit the Cowboys. With the emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin, the Cowboys now have a certified playmaker to take the heat off of Roy Williams and Romo. It remains to be seen whether the Cowboys can put it all together, but their talent level is simply too high to continue on the same track.

Atlanta Falcons - The Atlanta Falcons are currently in second place in the NFC South trailing only the undefeated New Orleans Saints. While they are winning football games, they are not doing so in the way in which they were expected to. The running game with Michael Turner has not been up to par this season. This is primarily a problem because Atlanta is definitely a running football team. On the bright side, quarterback Matt Ryan and free-agent signing Tony Gonzalez have developed a very special passing connection. As the season wears on, it is only a matter of time before Turner and that Atlanta offensive line start to gel. When they do the Falcons may not play second fiddle to anyone.

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Week three of great NFL action is already upon us and the week three picks and predictions have been percolating in my mind. I have tried to really get my brain around the fact that Brady was shown up, Peyton ruined my week two upset, and the Cincinnati Bengals are no longer, well….. terrible. Scary, huh? Week three is sure to bring a great deal more surprises. With two weeks in the bag, lets get on to the meat and potatoes of the NFL picks and prediction season. Here are the free week three NFL picks and predictions:

Washington at Detroit

The Redskins are having some major offensive problems this season. The Lions are scoring but simply not enough. While my brain is smelling a possible (gasp) Lion’s win, my gut is telling me that the Redskins will prevail in spite of their offensive problems. I always go with my gut.

Winner – Washington Redskins

Green Bay at St. Louis

The Rams nearly pulled one out last week in spite of the fact that they simply can not seem to score. The offense has gone from the greatest show on turf to watching paint dry in no time flat it seems. Green Bay is having no such problems in spite of the week two loss.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

San Francisco at Minnesota

Now this is a match up we can sink our teeth into. The Niners are for real in spite of what many think. I am shocked to be saying that, but Singletary has made all the difference there this season. The Vikings look every bit the Super Bowl contender that they hoped to be. Favre is not finished yet after all.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

Atlanta at New England

The Patriots are going to be very mad, and that is bad news for a young upstart team like Atlanta. The Falcons are much better than years past, but they will get pounded against the Patriots.

Winner – New England Patriots

Tennessee at NY Jets

Will Sanchez have a rookie game? I am figuring on a possible let down game here for the Jets. The Titans are much better than their record indicates, and the Jets are playing way over their heads. Sooner or later, the bubble has to burst. I say it is this week against the Titans.

Winner – Tennessee Titans

Kansas City at Philadelphia

The Chiefs simply do not have the firepower to stay with Philly in Philly.

Winner – Philadelphia Eagles

NY Giants at Tampa Bay

The Gmen will go into Tampa and destroy the Bucs. They seemed like a Super Bowl team against Dallas, in spite of the fact that they should have lost. Little Eli has certainly grown up.

Winner – NY Giants

Cleveland at Baltimore

Baltimore will dominate this one in a laugher. The Browns are really bad so far. Really bad.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

Jacksonville at Houston

The Texans finally woke up from their slumber and laid a whipping on the Titans. Now they do the same to the Jaguars.

Winner – Houston Texans

New Orleans at Buffalo

Can anybody stop this offensive juggernaut? Not the Bills, that is for sure. Brees throws for 400+ again.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

Chicago at Seattle

The Bears finally showed up against the Super Bowl Champion Steelers and look what happened. I expect they will ride that momentum against an ailing Seattle squad. Matt Hasselback is a must for them, and they will struggle with his rib injury.

Winner – Chicago Bears

Miami at San Diego

The Chargers finally get it all together in one game. They will have the best game of the season against the Fins, and will win going away. The Dolphins have some defensive issues right now that can not be ignored.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

The Steelers now must head into Bengal country to face an upstart squad that is playing like they have nothing to lose. They will have enough to get out of Cinci with a win.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

Denver at Oakland

The Broncos surprised me in week two with a strong showing. The Raiders are the team that is surprising everyone. Expect the Raiders to continue to surprise and pick up a key win.

Winner – Oakland Raiders

Indianapolis at Arizona

The Colts keep on finding ways to win with Peyton pulling them out at the last minute. Arizona looked like the NFC champions finally last week. This game is a tough call, because you never know what you will get with Arizona. Because they are at home, I am going with the Cardinals.

Winner – Arizona Cardinals

MON, SEP 28

Carolina at Dallas

This Monday night match up will give Dallas a second chance to win in primetime at the new stadium. While the Panthers have struggled, they looked like a whole new team last year. I think the Panthers begin to crawl out of their hole this week, and surprise the Cowboys in week three.

Winner – Carolina Panthers
Tiebreaker Score – Panthers 21 Cowboys 17

Week Two Record – 9-7
Season Record – 18-14

Week one certainly has shaken up the power rankings for week two, that is for sure. Some things have stayed the same of course, and it is unsure if some that were picked high can recover. We will see over the course of the NFL football season. Here are the power rankings for week two of the NFL football season. (keep in mind these are before the games in week two)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers stay on top after a week one win over an impressive Titans squad.

2. New England Patriots – The Patriots hold onto number two, but only by the skin of their teeth. They need some work on defense for sure.

3. NY Giants – The Giants have proven their mettle, but face a serious test in Big D during week two.

4. New Orleans Saints – With Brees throwing like that, the Saints have the chance to do something special. Can the defense hold up?

5. Philadelphia Eagles – Will McNabb return and be effective?

6. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are kind of uncertain, but Manning has them right back in the mix.

7. Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan is the real deal, folks. So is that Atlanta defense.

8. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings looked sharp, and with Adrian Peterson in the backfield, there is no ceiling here.

9. Dallas Cowboys – The boys have Romo comfortable again. That could be bad news for the rest of the NFC.

10. San Diego Chargers – Still dangerous in spite of a lackluster week one win over the Raiders.

The rest…..

11. Baltimore Ravens
12. Green Bay Packers
13. Seattle Seahawks
14. NY Jets
15. Tennessee Titans
16. Chicago Bears
17. San Francisco Niners
18. Denver Broncos
19. Arizona Cardinals
20. Buffalo Bills
21. Houston Texans
22. Washington Redskins
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Carolina Panthers
26. Tampa Bay Bucs
27. Oakland Raiders
28. Miami Dolphins
29. Cleveland Browns
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. St Louis Rams
32. Detroit Lions

Drew Brees Lights Up Week One (Photo Credited To Wikipedia Commons User Aquamelli)

SUN, SEP 20

Carolina at Atlanta

This game is one of those where you just don’t know which trend to trust. The Panthers have owned the Falcons in recent years, and they are coming off a poor performance. The Falcons are coming off a great week one performance. Also, history has shown that the Panthers show up after a loss usually. Still, Mattie Ice has shown that he is for real. As much as I hate to do it, Carolina is toast in this one.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

Minnesota at Detroit

The Lions really showed up last week on the offensive side of the ball and they established the fact that they can score on an average New Orleans defense. The Vikings are not average. Adrian Peterson might run for 500 yds in this one.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

Cincinnati at Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers is no joke folks. This guy is for real. The game against Chicago was his growing up game, and he is loaded with confidence. At Green Bay, the Bengals have little chance of stopping their momentum after that fantastic win on Saturday night.

Winner – Green Bay Packers

Houston at Tennessee

The Texans are going to be a good team this year, but it appears they are going to do another late season show up party. This game will be ugly with the Titans still fuming over the week one loss to the Steelers.

Winner – Tennessee Titans

Oakland at Kansas City

The Raiders had some genuine moments on Monday night and showed that they are no pushover this season. The combination of McFadden and Bush looked awfully good. The Chiefs certainly played better than expected, but they will falter in this one.

Winner – Oakland Raiders

New England at NY Jets

Mark Sanchez really gets to find out what big time NFL football is all about. He will play well, but he will learn what a loss feels like against Brady and company.

New England Patriots

New Orleans at Philadelphia

This is a game that would be much more exciting with Mcnabb. The Saints are a juggernaut offensively, and the city of Brotherly Love will see that first hand. The Eagles are going to play well but lose in the final minutes.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

St. Louis at Washington

The Skins had better enjoy this one while they can. The Rams do not come to town every week you know.

Winner – Washington Redskins

Arizona at Jacksonville

The Jaguars are going to give the Cardinals fits, and part of that is because they are better against the pass than the majority of the Cardinal’s opponents. The Cardinals will start the year off 0-2 keeping in time with previous Super Bowl losers the year following.

Winner – Jacksonville Jaguars

Tampa Bay at Buffalo

The Bills are much better than advertised. Edwards played fantastically and that is even before he and Owens get their timing right. Expect a huge night in Buffalo.

Winner – Buffalo Bills

Seattle at San Francisco

There is something about that win in Arizona that has me believing a little bit in the Niners. Mike Singletary has them really rolling as a team, and the talent level is there. Could this be the next Cardinals?

Winner – San Francisco 49ers

Pittsburgh at Chicago

This is going to be a showdown. The Bears are going to have some kind of struggle against the defending champs, but I see Cutler recovering a bit this week. The guy is too talented of a quarterback and he showed flashes of brilliance last week. With the Bears being at home, I see the Steelers losing a rare early season game.

Winner – Chicago Bears

Baltimore at San Diego

The Ravens are for real this year. They not only have that vaunted defense, but they also have a pretty darn good offense. The Chargers looked a bit frail in their week one win.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland at Denver

The Browns are going to hand it to the Broncos this week for one reason. Kyle Orton. The guy had one thing going for him in week one. Luck. That TD was completely luck.

Winner – Cleveland Browns

NY Giants at Dallas

The Giants look fantastic but so do the Boys. I am not a huge fan of the Cowboys, but I do think that they are set to return to prominence this year. This particular week, they take the early upper hand in the NFC East.

Winner – Dallas Cowboys

MON, SEP 21

Indianapolis at Miami

This Monday night matchup is not a gimme for Peyton and the boys. I expect that at home the Dolphins will right the ship. Manning looked almost fallible in their week one struggle against Jacksonville, and the Dolphins are no joke on defense. This will be a fun one, but Indy loses in a close one.

Winner – Miami Dolphins

Tiebreaker – Miami 24 Indy 21

Week One Record – 9-7
Season Record – 9-7

Maybe Delhomme Should Have Warmed Up More (Pic credited to Flickr User Matt Trostle)

Trying to put your finger on what went wrong with the Carolina Panthers on opening day Sunday is not very hard to do.  Your finger will slowly raise up in front of you and point squarely in the direction of Jake Delhomme.  The Cajun was simply horrific and brought back memories the Panthers had wanted to forget.  Last season the Panthers watched a 12-4 regular season come tumbling down with each interception that Delhomme threw against the Cardinals.  In a matter of moments, the Panthers season was over.  Sunday’s opening day massacre against Philadelphia had much the same flavor, and once again the flavor was spicy…Cajun spicy.

During the entire offseason I defended Jake.  Even as I watched the Panthers sign him to a five year contract worth more money than some cities see in a year, I stood up and reminded folks of all the games the fiery Delhomme had led us to wins in.  I reminded everybody of the Super Bowl game where he magically looked like the mirror image of every great quarterback in history.  I reminded them that he had won 54 games since taking over for the Panthers, which places him among the game’s elite.  Then Sunday happened… Again.

The Panther haters said that Jake would stink.  They said that he would cost the Panthers the game.  They said he was an average quarterback at best. They lied.  He was no where near average.

In perhaps the worst quarterback performance since…well since anybody, Jake Delhomme made the Panthers look like the worst team in history.  Do not get me wrong.  The Panthers offensive line did not do him any favors.  He had Eagles flying in his face all day long, thanks to a defense that was blitzing every single play.  The coaching staff did not do much to help out either. They threw their first screen pass at least four sacks into the game, long after the game was decided.  How can you slow down the rush? Throw screen passes to the best player in the game – DeAngelo Williams.  Make not mistake, however, the game was completely and squarely on the shoulders of Jake.

I am finally ready to say that the Panthers made a horrible mistake signing Delhomme to a multi-year lucrative contract. The move was pretty much a killer on the whole, and that is not based only on Sunday.  Delhomme has not been the same for years.  Yes, he led the Panthers to 12 wins in 08.  How many of those wins was won in spite of Delhomme’s performance however?  The Panthers are a team that is loaded with talent. They can overcome a great deal of problems.  Even the talented Panthers could not overcome Delhomme this week.  When you personally give the other team no less than 24 points, the game is pretty much over.  Especially a top notch team like Philadelphia.

So where do the Panthers go from here?  Who lines up under center?  You have to know it will be Delhomme.  Knowing Jake, he will come back in the next game and play fantastically.  That or the great Steve Smith will carry him on his shoulders once again, and make Jake appear like he is better than he is.  Whatever the case, the Panthers have way too much money invested in Delhomme to sit him. Moving forward, they are going to find themselves in an increasingly nasty situation.  Jake must play, and he knows it.  Even Jake does not seem too anxious to do that right now.  He looks like a deer caught squarely in the headlights.

Every year, me and a few of my buddies get together and have a weekly challenge. I thought it would be fun this year to have a little contest. My good buddy, Nick Meyer over at Associated Content picks em every year and we decided to post the results here each week. His week one NFL picks are now live and kicking and so too are mine.

This season we will keep you all posted on how we stack up against one another, and will also have some guest posts from Nick. He is an excellent sports writer and it will be a great treat to have him post a spot or two.

If you are interested in joining into the contest, you are welcome to leave your week one picks in the comments below, and we will be happy to keep up with those as well. Also, we welcome guest blog posts here at NFL Picks and Predictions.

Thanks guys,
Enjoy Week One My Brothers!

Rodney

Going into week one I thought I would rank the NFL teams in the order I see them going into the season. This is a tough thing to do prior to the regular season, because nobody knows how certain players will fit in with new NFL teams and so on. Still, it will be a weekly thing that I do throughout the 2009 NFL football season. Here are my power rankings for week one:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – Until someone proves otherwise, they are the champs.

2. New England Patriots – The Pats seem primed to return to glory.

3. San Diego Chargers – The fact they are finally healthy has the Charger fans in a tizzy.

4. NY Giants – Can they replace Plax? Some think not.

5. Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles are exciting again, but they must show they can be consistent.

6. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are always a threat with Peyton Manning. Even if Dungy is gone.

7. Carolina Panthers – The Panthers have a three headed rushing monster now with hotshot rookie Mike Goodson.

8. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings need to put up or shut up now. They have the quarterback they said they needed.

9. Tennessee Titans – The Titans find a way to be there every year. This year should be no different.

10. Chicago Bears – The Bears are sort of like the Vikings here. They now have a quarterback. What are they gonna do with him?

The rest…..

11. Atlanta Falcons
12. Baltimore Ravens
13. Arizona Cardinals
14. Green Bay Packers
15. Dallas Cowboys
16. Miami Dolphins
17. Seattle Seahawks
18. Houston Texans
19. New Orleans Saints
20. Buffalo Bills
21. NY Jets
22. Washington Redskins
23. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Denver Broncos
26. Tampa Bay Bucs
27. Oakland Raiders
28. St Louis Rams
29. Cleveland Browns
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Detroit Lions

While certainly these rankings are a work in progress, they are the way I see the NFL shaking down as of right now. Feel free to share your picks or thoughts in the comments below.

Finally the dress rehearsals are over. Week One of NFL football is upon us.  No more Sunday afternoon wishing, and no more guessing about who is good and bad.  This week we will begin to find out which NFL teams are for real, and which NFL teams are just playing for a draft pick.  We welcome you to NFL picks and predictions if you are a new visitor, and we hope you will sign up for our weekly NFL picks. We have a long and storied history of success, and this year will be no different. Without further ado, here are the Free 2009 NFL Week One Picks and Predictions:

THU, SEP 10

2009 Week One NFL Matchup – Tennessee at Pittsburgh

What a heavy weight matchup to have at this time of year.  Every season we see what might be a preview of a conference final in week one, and this certainly qualifies. Both teams have their share of supporters for a Super Bowl visit, and both are highly talented. The difference here is that Pittsburgh is at home.  Big Ben and the boys will be riding high after this Thursday night match up. A week one loss for the Titans is nothing to worry about.  They will make it back soon enough.

Winner – Pittsburgh Steelers

SUN, SEP 13

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Miami at Atlanta

This game highlights two teams who have spent a great deal of time proving others wrong during the last year.  The Dolphins came from nowhere to win the division from the Patriots (albeit with Brady hurt) and the Falcons turned a team led by a rookie quarterback into a winner.  They are both in position to continue their improvement, but Atlanta seems more ready to me.  With the addition of Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons are an offensive juggernaut. I expect the wildcat will give them some fits here and there, but they will win at home in the end.

Winner – Atlanta Falcons

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Denver at Cincinnati

The Denver Broncos have been in major turmoil this past off season. The loss of Jay Cutler and the controversy surrounding Brandon Marshall have left the squad in a mess. With Cincinnati, it is all about second chances (sometimes third, fourth, and fifth as well). Carson Palmer, Ochocinco, and Mr. trouble Chris Henry are all trying to make a comeback of sorts.  Palmer is back after injuries yet again.  Ocho is trying to prove he is still an elite receiver (and kicker?) and Henry is trying to prove he can still play at this level without getting into trouble.  Henry has been incredibly impressive this preseason, and the Bengals are excited.  With that, I am picking an upset this week for this game.  The Bengals will get off to a great start at home.

Winner – Cincinnati Bengals

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Minnesota at Cleveland

The Brett Favre era begins….This game will get a lot of press and rightfully so.  The problem is that the game will not be decided by Brett Favre.  The game will be decided by Adrian Peterson and that Vikings defense.  This one should be ugly, though Cleveland might put up a fight.  I think the biggest mistake they made in Cleveland this season is waiting so long to name the quarterback for their team.  The Browns could have really used a month of playing with the same quarterback for continuity.  We will see where that leads them. This week it will be a loss, but I think Cleveland will show improvements this season over all.

Winner – Minnesota Vikings

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Jacksonville at Indianapolis

The Jaguars had a really odd preseason looking great in one week and terrible in another. The Colts are in a bit of a mixed up season as well without the leadership of long time coach Dungy.  Expect that the Colts will get better at home, and quickly with Manning leading the way.

Winner – Indianapolis Colts

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Detroit at New Orleans

This game is one that is fascinating on several fronts.  For one, the Lions are trying to break one heck of a losing streak, and have some peices in place that might just do it.  Second, the Saints are in dire need of getting off to a hot start playing in the up and coming NFC South. They can ill afford to get behind early like the last couple of seasons. Carolina and Atlanta are far too good for that.  This game will be won by the Saints with Drew Brees passing for over 300 yards at a minimum.

Winner – New Orleans Saints

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Dallas at Tampa Bay

Dallas really needs to win this opening match up against the Bucs.  They are entering a win or else year for head coach Wade Phillips regardless of what Jerry Jones says publicly.  This game will be a very interesting mix of running backs.  For Dallas you have the three headed monster of Felix Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice.  For the Bucs you have former Giant Derrick Ward.  You might be surprised who actually wins the match up.  Upset alert right here.

Winner – Tampa Bay Bucs

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Philadelphia at Carolina

This game is a very tough call.  Philly looks awfully strong, and the Panthers have not lost at home in over a year.  The Panthers also have not unveiled even a little of that rushing attack from a year ago due to Stewart being out with injuries.  He is back now and fully healed, and that is bad news for the rest of the NFL.  Throw in the electric Mike Goodson and you have a rushing attack that is second to nobody.  I give the Panthers the win due to being at home, a superior running attack, and DeAngelo Williams being healthy.

Winner – Carolina Panthers

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Kansas City at Baltimore

This game will be ugly from start to finish. The Chiefs have no chance whatsoever to penetrate the Ravens D.  This game will be a blowout.

Winner – Baltimore Ravens

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - NY Jets at Houston

Quietly, the Houston Texans have built one hell of a football team.  They won regularly last year at the end of the season, and they look ready to continue that trend.  The Jets have hot shot new quarterback Mark Sanchez and little else.  I expect that the Texans will win this one due to a more balanced attack but I expect big things from Sanchez.  He has that look of a future NFL star.

Winner – Houston Texans

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Washington at NY Giants

You got to love the NFC East.  The Giants and the Redskins.  This is what Sunday afternoon football is all about.  Unfortunately this season, the Giants are much more ready to win than the Redskins.  The Skins will put up a fight as always in these matchups, but the Giants will win this one going away.

Winner – NY Giants

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - San Francisco at Arizona

Too much airpower in play here for Arizona.  The Cardinals will win this one in a laugher.

Winner – Arizona Cardinals

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - St. Louis at Seattle

Now this is the real NFC West match up this week.  The Rams are not as bad as some might have you think, and the Seahawks are sporting new players all  over the field.  It seems that the Rams drew a pretty good matchup this week and will get out with a win to start their rebuilding season.  The Seahawks will have all kinds of trouble with Steven Jackson.

Winner – St Louis Rams

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Chicago at Green Bay

The best game of the week will be played in Green Bay.  This game is going to be a slobberknocker of all time proportions.  In case you did not notice, Aaron Rodgers has become a pretty fine NFL quarterback in spite of the naysayers.  Jay Cutler will get to enter the NFC with a bang with this one.  How would you like this to be your first game with a new team?  Cutler will shine brightly this first week, and it could be the start of a huge year in Chicago.

Winner – Chicago Bears

MON, SEP 14

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - Buffalo at New England

New England is about to explode.  Look out below in Buffalo.

Winner : New England

Tiebreaker Score:  New England 32   Buffalo 14

2009 Week One NFL Matchup - San Diego at Oakland

The Chargers are ready to break out this season as they finally have all their parts in place.  The Raiders are close, but not their yet.  Expect the Chargers to win this one, but in a much closer game than you would expect.

Winner – San Diego Chargers

Tiebreaker Score – San Diego Chargers 28  Oakland Raiders 17

Season Record – 0-0