Hey there friends. Week 2 continued on the same trend as week 1. Some very good games (Saints - 49ners), more disappointing surprises (Vikings 0-2) and more injuries (Saints RB Bush broken leg). Nevertheless, it was one great week of football! Now, on to the rankings.
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Prev. #2 The defending champs had a hard fought battle with the 49ners on a windy Monday night. Though San Francisco looked formidable at times, the Saints gutted the stormed and marched down the field for a game winning field goal. The win didn't come without a heavy blow. Saints RB Reggie Bush is out for 6-8 weeks with a broken leg. The next couple of weeks will be critical to the Saints Super Bowl run. NEXT: FALCONS (1-1)
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Prev. #1 Giving the Bills a beatdown doesn't surprise me. Good teams are expected to beat inferior opponents. We'll get a better understanding of how good this team is when they go up against divisional foe, Chicago. We'll also see if the loss of RB Ryan Grant can be overcome by the running of RB Brandon Jackson. NEXT: @BEARS (2-0)
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Prev. #5 Surprise, surprise! The Texans are looking awesome under the play of QB Matt Schaub. Being just 3 yards shy of 500 yards, QB Schaub came out on top in an overtime thriller with the QB Donovan McNabb lead Redskins. Another win against a quality opponent will dictate that the Texans have indeed arrived. NEXT: COWBOYS (0-2)
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Prev. #- Another big surprise comes in the form of the Steelers being 2-0. The Steelers have relied heavily on their defense to keep them in games and ultimately win them. No one envisioned this team winning more than a game without their star QB Ben Roethlisberger but a 3-0 start is very possible with a favorable matchup against Tampa Bay. NEXT: @Buccaneers (2-0)
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Prev. #6 Indy came out firing after their week 1 loss. Indy QB Peyton Manning looked like his old self again while giving his younger brother a beat down he won't soon forget. With a strong balance between passing, running, and defensive plays, the Colts have to be favored to be on top of the AFC South when it is all said and done. Look for them to light up the Broncos and start a winning streak. NEXT: @DENVER (1-1)
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Prev. #- The Jets made a bold statement against the favored Pats. Jets QB Mark Sanchez shined and stayed poised while under pressure. The Jets defense completely shut down the Patriots offense, stifling Pats QB Tom Brady on many occasions. Pats WR Randy Moss had no receptions in the second half, but that wasn't because he was on Revis Island. CB Darrell Revis was injured in the game and is expected to miss at least a week. NEXT @DOLPHINS (2-0)
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Prev. #7 QB Tom Brady was channeling his inner Jim Mora during his press conference after the game. After tearing his team a new one and claiming that they "sucked" it was clear that Tom was not a happy camper. The offense could not move the ball in the second half and because of it, were held scoreless after scoring a quick 14 pts in the first half. Look for them to bounce back with a vengeance against the lowly Bills. NEXT: BILLS (0-2)
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Prev. #3 The Ravens will be a formidable foe once QB Joe Flacco syncs with his offense. The Raven defense has kept them in games and until the offense can find it's groove, expect for LB Ray Lewis to will his team to victories. Look for Flacco to get his act together and light up the Browns for a couple of TDs in the Raven home opener. NEXT: BROWNS (0-2)
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Prev. #- The Dolphins are beginning to look like a playoff team. The defensive pass rush has been one to keep an eye on and if QB Chad Henne can develop some chemistry to WR Brandon Marshall, this offense can win games for the Dolphins down the stretch. This week's game against the Jets will determine how good this Dolphin team can be. NEXT: JETS (1-1)
THE RAIDERS:
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Prev. #(28) This team is nowhere near the top 9... but they would be ranked 27th in my system.
The Raiders took care of business in beating the Rams last week. Though, they did it without the newly acquired QB Jason Campbell. Campbell was taken out of the game at halftime and QB Bruce Gadkowski came in and gave the home crowd a show. He did what Jason Campbell couldn't... get first downs. With the offensive line having issues, Bruce released the ball much quicker than Jason having successful completions to wide receivers. The problem that Oakland faces now is who to start at QB. The "next" Jim Plunkett, Jason Campbell or Bruce Gradkowski? Accordingly to the Raiders, that determination will made later today. Running the ball with RB Darren McFadden has also bolstered the rushing game. The Oakland running game is 3rd in the league with 154 yards a game. Many of those coming behind the strong legs of McFadden. And with strong hands, he's also an easy target for the QB to throw some quick screens to. NEXT: @CARDINALS (1-1)
