Game Previews - Week 2, 2003

Prediction: Redskins 17, Falcons 9

Detroit Lions (1-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-1), 1:00 PM
The Lions scored 42 points last week. I SAID THE LIONS SCORED 42 POINTS LAST WEEK! Lots of offense was expected, but Joey Harrington put on a clinic. Unfortunately, it was more of a clinic displaying how easy it is to pass against the Arizona Cardinals. There are two things to take from that first win for Detroit: (1) Charles Rogers and Harrington have great chemistry and can produce, and (2) Detroit's defense is awful. It is very very bad. Many fantasy players have jumped on Arizona's Jeff Blake & Anquan Boldin: though both have skills, it will be easy for many teams to put up big numbers (especially in the air) against Detroit. Despite the pathetic defense, Detroit is capable of putting up some numbers. Green Bay's defense didn't fair any better last week: they let Moe Williams run all over them and the Daunte and Randy show was in full effect. The Detroit running game is still in limbo and although they performed ok as a group, the Packers' defense should fair better stopping the rushing attack this week. However, if they cannot solve their problems against the pass, Harrington and Rogers could make this gamer closer than you might expect.

The key to this game for the Packers is Ahman Green. Last week he did break the goal line twice, but his yards were not up to Green's standards. This Detroit defense is the perfect chance for Coach Sherman to give the ball to Green, let him carry the load, and get his confidence to maximum strength. Look for Green to have a big game. It should be a nice spot for Brett Favre to get his game back into shape as well. He threw 4 picks last week: that is almost as shocking as Detroit scoring 42 points (almost). Favre, despite his lack of receivers (Driver is out for this game; the Packers have signed their old friend Antonio Freeman but don't expect a big performance if he does play), should find success with Javon Walker (Walker looks ready to take the role of great NFL receiver this year). Detroit is improved, but not enough to stop the Packers.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Ahman Green, Javon Walker, Brett Favre, Ryan Longwell, Charles Rogers

2nd String: Joey Harrington, Jason Hanson, Olandis Gary, Green Bay Defense

Prediction: PLions 14, Packers 27

Tennessee Titans (1-0) at Indianapolis Colts (1-0), 1:00 PM
The Titans looked better in week 1 than they have in some time. They played a complete game against the Raiders. The star was, far and away, Steve McNair. At full health, he is capable of taking a game over for his team and delivering the victory. It was obvious, during both the game and halftime interview, that he using the "MVP grudge" to motivate him this year. He hooked up with Derrick Mason for big yards and also found touches for Drew Bennett and Justin McCareins. George, though not stellar, played solid and looked to be at 100% health. The Titans will have the opportunity to achieve offensive success again this week against a disappointing Colts defense. The Colts D was expected to reach new heights this week under Coach Dungy and led by youngster Dwight Freeney. Instead, last week they let Cleveland attack them by air and land (allowing Willie Green to run for 86 yards is not showing "improvement"). George will attempt the same this week.

On offense, the Colts picked up right were they left off last year: Peyton Manning collect some nice yards but threw 2 interceptions, Edgerrin James ran well but didn't find the end zone, and Marvin Harrison struggled as Manning couldn't hook him up. They managed to win but only by the leg of their kicker. One player that should be much happier this week is Harrison. The Titan's pass defense is not very good: Gannon did have a good passing game against the Titans (throwing to Garner and letting Garner pick up good yards after the catch). Harrison is possibly the best receiver in the game and should let it all hang out against this sub par defense. Edge may not have the same luck. He will need to have a great performance for Indy to win, and he will have to fight hard. Garner did perform well last week against the Titans but found most of his yards after receptions. Edge is very capable of the same style of play and it will definitely be part of the Indy game plan. This is going to be a great game: both teams have amazing offensive potential and defenses that are not at the same level. Lets give the edge to Edge: James has gotten warmed up and should be ready to put his stamp on the NFL as one of the best running backs in the game.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Edgerrin James, Steve McNair, Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning, Derrick Mason

2nd String: Eddie George, Drew Bennett, Reggie Wayne, Mike Vanderjagt, Titans Defense, Colts Defense

Prediction: Titans 20, Colts 27

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-0), 1:00 PM
The Steelers picked up a solid win against a tough team in the Ravens last week. Tommy Maddox had a tremendous game, hooking up with both Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward all over the field. Amos Zereoue didn't have as much fun, but what can you expect against that Ravens' D? Amos can expect more trouble this week: KC's defense proved last week that the off-season moves to improve the defense were money well spent. They held LaDainian Tomlinson to only 34 yards rushing: a spectacular effort. They did not play as well against the pass: Brees did throw for some yards and a couple of TD's and would have had more if his receivers could catch the ball. The KC D will need to improve if it hopes to contain Plaxico and Ward this week.

On the other hand we have Priest Holmes. Ever heard of him? He's been a fantasy god the last couple of years. He proved his abilities again last week lighting up the Chargers both running and catching the ball for multiple scores. Despite the win, Pittsburgh D did not play as well as the units of recent years: they allowed 231 yards of total offense to the Ravens and were especially vulnerable to the running of Jamal Lewis (69 yds, 1 TD). It is fair to say that Holmes could exploit this weakness and win the game by himself. By the way, the Chiefs bring Trent Green to play too. He can throw for big yards despite lacking a real #1 receiver (Holmes was the best receiver last week!). Although he would like to have a big performance from Tony Gonzalez, he doesn't require it to succeed (Dick Vermeil was quoted recently, "…we were rotating him in & out of the ballgame just because he had been gimpy on his knee all week…" when discussing the lack of production from Gonzo; he is said to be fine but is apparently suffering from some kind of pain). Look for lots of Holmes, lots of the time. If KC can't stop the pass and Pitt can't stop the run it becomes a high scoring game. If both teams can sure up their shortcomings, it could be a little slower. Put your money on high scoring, and put your money on Holmes.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Priest Holmes, Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, Jeff Reed, Plaxico Burress, Tommy Maddox

2nd String: Amos Zereoue, Hines Ward, KC Defense, Morten Anderson, Pittsburgh Defense

Prediction: Steelers 23, Chiefs 32

San Francisco 49ers (1-0) at St. Louis Rams (0-1), 1:00 PM
It's hard to believe Kurt Warner is already hurt. Ok, just a little sarcasm. Marc Bulger gets the chance to prove he's a NFL starter much earlier than expected. Can he find success again? Hard to bet against it with the supporting cast they have in St. Louis. The real question is Marshall Faulk: why did he perform so badly last week? The answer is the Giants' defense. They keyed on Faulk and, unlike most that have attempted the same strategy in the past, it worked. How else do you explain a concussion ridden Kurt Warner throwing for over 300 yards and still getting beat down? That was last week. The 49ers defense is not capable of such magic. They will suffer the brunt of his frustration this week. It will be like night and day. Defending the Chicago Bears and then defending Marshall Faulk will provide a rude awakening for this team. To add to the problems, Bulger will be getting his chance to play Pro Bowl QB with Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. Have fun San Fran fans, the party is over.

On the other side of the coin, the 49ers offense could do well. The reason is Terrell Owens. This guy is impossible to cover. He cannot be covered. Did we cover the part about TO being uncoverable yet? If Amani Toomer (who is a great WR) can light up the Rams, do you think Owens could fair well? Although the passing game for the 49ers should find success, the rushing game may not. Hearst and Barlow (mainly Harrison) played well against Chicago. News flash: you could run well against Chicago. However, the Rams did let Tiki Barber run for 146 yards. Is Barber that good or are the Rams that bad? My money is on runner. I will say I do not believe Hearst is as good as Barber, but he's not bad and he will need his A game for the 49ers to compete. Let's review: two talent-rich offenses, two sub-par defenses, lots of points, and it comes down to Marshall Faulk versus Terrell Owens. There is one universal rule of fantasy football that applies in this situation: always put your money on the running back.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Terrell Owens, Jeff Garcia, Marshall Faulk, Marc Bulger, Torry Holt

2nd String: Isaac Bruce, Garrison Hearst, Rams Defense, Jeff Wilkins

Prediction: 49ers 20, Rams 28

Houston Texans (1-0) at New Orleans Saints (0-1), 1:00 PM
The Texans pulled the upset of the week in week 1 by beating Miami. They have their work cut out for them again this week against the Saints. David Carr was "A Tale of Two QB's" last week: in the first half he was horrible and in the second he led his team to victory. Ah, the tribulations of a sophomore QB. It is going to take time for Carr to find his consistency in the NFL (and a much better offensive line) and, therefore, it is hard to pick the Texans from week to week. However, the offense is improving. Stacey Mack looked like a sure-fire starter last week, running for 89 yards last week against a tough Miami defense. Corey Bradford, Andre Johnson, and Jabar Gaffney provided great offensive support for Carr. Going against a porous Saints defense, the Texans could surprise again this week. Although they held Seattle to under 200 passing yards last week, they had big troubles containing Koren Robinson. The same problems could be created by Andre Johnson this week. Stacey Mack may not be Shaun Alexander, but he could put up respectable numbers (the Saints let Alexander run for 108 last week). It will be as tough as every game for Houston, but don't be surprised if they put up some points.

The Saints are loaded on offense, but they didn't show it last week. The Seattle defense didn't stop the Saints from moving the chains. They lived off of turnovers: 2 fumbles and an interception from Brooks did major damage to the Saints' efforts. Deuce had a good day but failed to find the end zone. All of this needs to change in week 2 to get a win. Things may be hard for Deuce this week: Houston's D held Ricky Williams to only 69 yards and no rushing TD's. If they are going to win, they cannot rely on defense (they aren't very good). The Saints are going to have to score, and score often, to stay competitive this year. Deuce will need to challenge the tough run D; Brooks needs to hook with Stallworth and Horn* (Horn may not play; he was added to the NFL IR list as questionable with a possible knee injury; an MRI has come up negative); Carney needs to kick it when he's called to do so. Houston will keep it close, but the passing game of Brooks and Stallworth will be too much for Houston to stop. If that's not enough, Carney's kicking in the dome, so give him the advantage.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Aaron Brooks, Donte Stallworth, Joe Horn*, Deuce McAllister, Andre Johnson, John Carney

2nd String: Stacey Mack, David Carr, Billy Miller, Houston Defense

Prediction: Houston 14, Saints 24

Miami Dolphins (0-1) at NY Jets (0-1), 1:00 PM
Can Miami get back on track? Are the Jets really that bad? Yes. Without Chad Pennington, the Jets looked way too old, way too slow, and way to vulnerable last week against the Redskins' defense. Curtis Martin looks like a 30 years old running back: he's lost a step and can't make the corner anymore. Vinny tried his best but couldn't connect with anyone. The Jets offense is in trouble and an upset Miami defense is not a good cure. After losing to the Texans and looking bad on all fronts, the Miami D will start fresh this week and look to reestablish its reputation and expectations this week. They will play a full game this time and shouldn't let Vinny get too comfortable. Jason Taylor will be head hunting and the targets on the Jets are much slower and older than those on the Texans. It's hard to say but easy to believe: the Jets will have a very hard time scoring this week.

Miami's offense struggled on all fronts, with one exception. Chris Chambers had a great game and looks to add to those numbers this week against a lack luster Jets defense. The Jets are not as incapable as they might appear: John Abraham is a player and did play well against the Redskins last week. He can't do it alone and one thing he cannot stop is the running game of Ricky Williams. After being contained last week by Houston, Ricky will be looking to vent and the Jets may be the victims. Its hard to believe this guy could be stopped for 2 weeks in a row. Jay Fiedler leaves a lot to be desired, but he can get the job done and help Chambers play to his potential (and if McMichaels can find his A game) then the passing game will be fine. Go with the Dolphins on the road against a damaged Jets squad.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Ricky Williams, Miami Defense, Chris Chambers, Randy McMichael

2nd String: Olindo Mare, Jay Fiedler, Anthony Becht

Prediction: Dolphins 20, Jets 6

Buffalo Bills (1-0) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1), 1:00 PM
Buffalo looked like the team that gained so much hype and acclaim in the off-season. The biggest addition, in fact the biggest free agent move of the year, is the acquisition of LB Takeo Spikes. He's lived in the shadow of the inept Bengals for so long that is about time he got to shine. He will prove, over this year, that he deserves to be mentioned with Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, and Derrick Brooks as the top defensive players of the NFL. He led his unit to a dominating victory over New England last week. The Buffalo D only showed one small hole: the running game faired ok as Kevin Faulk racked up 62 yards. This week they face a Jags offense that looked rejuvenated last week. Led by Mark Brunell, a quarterback that was on the trading block two weeks before, the Jags were solid both running and passing the ball. If they are going to continue this success, it will be up to Fred Taylor to find those holes in the Buffalo defense. Taylor ran for 71 yards last week against a good Carolina defense. However, this Buffalo D may be just as good, if not better, and it is not a good bet that Taylor will find similar numbers. It is almost certain that Brunell will not find his comfort zone this week: Buffalo kept Tom Brady scrambling for his life last week (and kept him on his back a lot too).

If the defense doesn't scare, then Buffalo's offense will put the fear in you. Led by veteran Drew Bledsoe, they tore apart the New England defense last week (a defense that was regarded as one of the better units in the NFL). They passed with ease. They ran at will. Everyone was a contributor and had ample opportunity to get some plays. The Jags defense is not any better. In fact, it is significantly worse. They gave up yards rushing and passing to Carolina last week and earned a last second loss for the team by letting Jake Delhomme lead the team downfield in no time. Stephen Davis lit the Jags' D up for 111 yards. Travis Henry is more than capable of exposing the Jags' weakness against the run for similar, if not bigger, numbers. If the Jags had trouble with Delhomme, Bledsoe should have no trouble picking them apart with Moulds and Shaw. This game is all about Buffalo: expect another dominating defensive effort and an even larger offensive attack than NE suffered in week 1.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Drew Bledsoe, Eric Moulds, Travis Henry, Buffalo Defense

2nd String: Rian Lindell, Mark Brunell, Fred Taylor, Bobby Shaw, Jermaine Lewis

Prediction: Buffalo 34, Jags 10

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Baltimore Ravens (0-1), 1:00 PM
The Browns shocked many last week in failing to score a TD and losing to Indy in a barnburner: 6-9. It is safe to say that hopes of scoring a TD would be higher this week thought the opponent is much tougher on defense. Cleveland's best hope of offense this week may be Kelly Holcomb. Last week the Ravens' D gave up 260 passing yards to Tommy Maddox and it is fair to say Holcomb has the talent and arm to do better. It is also fair to say the Browns lack the receiver strength the Steelers enjoy. Holcomb spreads the wealth and will need some support from the running game to flourish. Rushing for Willie Green may be tough as the Ravens held Amos Zereoue to only 56 yards last week and both Green and Zereoue share a similar style of running. If anything, it is a little surprising the Ravens' defense allowed as much offense as they did last week against the Steelers. Cleveland will run the ball and may find more yards than Pittsburgh was able to gather (or they may not). Only one thing is for certain: the Browns will need a balanced attack in order to pass with efficiency and have a chance to beat this Ravens team.

A rookie QB is never a good sign for NFL teams. Kyle Boller was respectable in week 1. His obvious weakness it going deep: his leading receiver was Todd Heap and this deep threats (Travis Taylor, Marcus Robinson) only totaled 6 catches for 47 yards. It won't get much better this week against Cleveland. The Browns did a great job of containing Marvin Harrison last week and keeping him on a short leash (his longest catch was 11 yards). Cleveland's defense is not good, but they have played (thus far, the season is only one week old!) with the strategy that they will not allow the big play to beat them. One player that could be key to the Ravens this week is Jamal Lewis. Lewis is the best offensive player the Ravens have and could find the same success Edge James found last week against this defense (67 yards rushing, 29 yards receiving). James and Lewis are very similar: both are strong runners that do their best damage between the tackles and can also hurt you by catching the ball. Look for Lewis to get the ball early and often, attacking the weak Cleveland linebackers in an attempt to win "smash mouth" style. This will not be a high scoring game: expect a better effort from the Ravens' defense and a lot of running from both teams: advantage Jamal Lewis.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Jamal Lewis, Kelly Holcomb, William Green, Ravens Defense

2nd String: Dennis Northcutt, Andre Davis, Quincy Morgan, Phil Dawson, Kyle Boller, Travis Taylor, Matt Stover

Prediction: Cleveland 10, Raven 13

Carolina Panthers (1-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0), 4:05 PM
Finally, a style of game all fantasy players love: defense versus defense! These two teams ranked #2 & #1 respectively for defense in every preseason fantasy poll. Tampa lived up to the hype in week 1, shutting down Philadelphia and making them look extremely vulnerable. Carolina did not, letting the Jaguars (a lack luster offensive team) to find numbers both passing and rushing. However, this week looks better for the Carolina D: as much as the Tampa D seems dominating like last year, the Tampa offense seems to be weak like last year as well. Although the Bucs threw for 238 yards last week, Jurevicius is the only one who found the end zone and he need to perform some crazy acrobatics to do so. Running back by committee was in full force for Tampa as Pittman, Jones, and Alstott combined for 88 yards: not an impressive offensive display to start the year. However, if your defense only needs a TD of two to win, can you really worry too much?

On offense, Rodney Peete played himself out of the starting role in record fashion. Jake Delhomme gets the nod this week and looked decent in his time last week: 120 yards and 3 TD's are nice, but 2 interceptions are not. Stephen Davis rode the Jags D hard for 111 yards but failed to find the end zone. Here is the stat of the game: the Panthers fumbled the ball a total of 4 times last week. You take Delhomme's two fumbles, add his two interceptions, and the two other fumbles in the game by Carolina, and it's like dumping a bucket of blood around the defensive sharks in Tampa. There is no way the Panthers can have half as many turnovers and hope to beat the Bucs. It won't happen: it's hard enough to score against the Bucs, but turnovers will kill you (and it won't take many). Do not expect much from the Panthers this week. The Buc D is just too tough and the offense will manage enough scoring to win it.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Tampa Bay Defense, Carolina Defense, Martin Gramatica

2nd String: Joe Jurevicius, Thomas Jones, John Kasay, Jake Delhomme

Prediction: Panthers 10, Tampa Bay 16

Seattle Seahawks (1-0) at Arizona Cardinals (0-1), 4:05 PM
Arizona proved a couple of things in week 1: (a) if they play a bad defense they can pass for big numbers, and (b) their defense is the worst in the NFL. That said, Seattle is not a great defensive team (gave up a total of 359 yds of offense last week) but their offense is good. Matt Hasselback looked great in week 1: only gathered 137 yards but found the end zone twice and didn't turn the ball over. Shaun Alexander is the meat and potatoes of this team. He gets the bulk of the yards and won't have much trouble with the BAD defense in Arizona. He ran for 108 yds and a TD last week; he'll do better in this one. Another star that could shine bright this weekend for Seattle is Koren Robinson. Robinson will feast on the lack of backfield defense in Zona this weekend. Mark it down: if you have a Seattle player on your fantasy team, start him.

Arizona could find some success passing the ball. Seattle's D isn't extremely tough: they gave up 274 yards to Aaron Brooks, 99 rushing yards to Deuce, and both Stallworth and Horn had good days last week (101 yds and 83 yds respectively). However, what they did do well is keep them out of the end zone and force turnovers. The Saints only scored one touchdown all day and compiled a total of 3 fumbles (all lost) and picked off Brooks once. The Seattle D should have an easier time with this Arizona team. They lack experience at WR, yet are very old at QB and RB. Emmitt won't do much: his best years are behind him and, for the last two years, a 60-yard game is good for him. Blake could find some yards, but don't count on him breaking the goal line too much. Zona will struggle to score in this one, turnovers or not.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Shaun Alexander, Koren Robinson, Matt Hasselback, Seattle Defense

2nd String: Jerramy Stevens, Jeff Blake, Emmitt Smith, Anquan Boldin, Freddie Jones

Prediction: Seattle 36, Arizona 13

Denver Broncos (1-0) at San Diego Chargers (0-1), 4:15 PM
Did any team disappoint last week like the Chargers? Ok, maybe Miami, but Tomlinson was completely shut down by the KC defense. The Chargers will look to reverse their fortunes this week against conference rival Denver. The Chargers have a lot of work to do: receivers couldn't hold on to the ball, the offensive line couldn't contain the pass rush or open holes for LT, and the defense couldn't stop anyone for KC. This week, Brees will fair better if (a) his receivers can hold on to the ball (if you saw last weeks game, the 2 INT's Brees threw are directly related to his receivers inability to hold on to the ball), and (b) if Tomlinson can find some yards. That won't be as easy as hoped: Denver's D, though giving up 1 more offensive yard than they gained themselves (294), kept Corey Dillon in the stable with only 34 yards. If Tomlinson is going to fair any better this week, he will need more help from the offensive line and he will need to get the ball more often (his lack of productivity last week resulted in only 13 carries; he needs AT LEAST 20 to 25 carries a game to do his thing). Denver did have plenty of trouble stopping the pass: Cincy threw for 264 yards last week. Brees could find some numbers, but he can't do it alone.

On offense, the Broncos were all about Clinton Portis last week. Jake Plummer was slow to get going: 115 yards, 0 TD's, 3 INT's, all against a not-so-good Cincy defense. He has the weapons, but Rod Smith & Clinton Portis were the only receivers of significance last week. Ashley Lelie has to become a part of the game plan for Denver to succeed. San Diego gave up 259 net yards of passing offense last week, including plenty of big passing plays (Holmes for 31, Kennison for 21, Hall for 22, Morton for 20, & Boerigter for 25). Lelie is built for the long ball and Plummer's opportunity to show he can heave it is this game. Portis will be fine! He ran for 120 yds and 2 TD's last week. The Chargers let Holmes run for 85 yds and catch for 98 yds last week, including 2 TD's. Put 'em together & Portis is looking good for this week. San Diego is a team that could surprise, but until we see a defensive effort worth a lick and until the offense works together better, don't bet on 'em.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: LaDainian Tomlinson, Clinton Portis, Rod Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Jake Plummer, David Boston

2nd String: Denver Defense, Drew Brees, Ashley Lelie, Josh Norman, Jason Elam, Steve Christie

Prediction: Denver 27, Chargers 17

New England Patriots (0-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (0-1), 4:15 PM
New England was so horrible last week that the Cincy fans have offered to share their grocery bags with them. The Eagles didn't fair much better. Two teams with no wins and it's a little shocking considering the talent there. Buffalo's D just killed New England last week: only 134 yards passing, 4 picks for Brady including the one Sam Adams returned for a TD. They hope to improve this week against a defense that is a little less overwhelming. However, Philly's D isn't bad. Despite the loss, they held Tampa's running back-by-committee to only 90 yards rushing. The Philly D should watch the game against Buffalo: they did everything right and took away the comfort of Tom Brady. If they can get the pass rush going, they can contain the Pats' offense. Kevin Faulk is not a powerful back with big speed, so concentrating on Brady will be the key. The defensive backfield for Philly is solid: try to find a better lineup than Vincent and Sheppard (would include Dawkins, Dawkins but he's out two to six weeks with a sprained right foot). It looks as if the offensive woes of the Pats will continue.

On offense, the Bucs exposed the Eagles for what they are right now: a one-man show. If New England wants to be successful on defense, they have to stop Donovan McNabb and that is easier said than done. He can run, he can pass, and he can spread the wealth. NE is strong up front with Colvin, Washington, McGinest, and Vrabel. However, they struggled to stop the run and pass against Buffalo. Philly may find more yards passing as Duce Staley is still on fresh legs after the holdout and the run defense is going to be NE's strong point. Therefore, the burden falls on both Thrash and Pinkston to make plays and get the scoring done. They can do it and they will need to make it count this weekend, or they could be 0-2. Look for a low scoring defensive game and give the advantage to that Philly D, McNabb, & Thrash.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Donovan McNabb, Philly Defense, David Akers, James Thrash

2nd String: Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk, Duce Staley, Adam Vinatieri, NE Defense, Troy Brown

Prediction: Patriots 10, Eagles 17

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) at Oakland Raiders (0-1), 4:15 PM
The Bengals were supposed to be a little better this year. Although one week does not a season make, they looked like the same old Bungles against Denver. Despite a rather poor performance by Jake Plummer, Corey Dillon couldn't get going and no one could get the ball into the end zone. The defense will take time: Marv Lewis will work his magic, but you can't make lemonade out of lemon peels. That said, this team has offensive potential. Jon Kitna has turned into a solid QB, Chad Johnson may be the best young receiver in the game, and Corey Dillon is capable of record-breaking performances. All three will need top games to take it to the Raiders. The Titans did put up nice passing numbers despite the defensive backfield talent the Raiders possess. This gives the Bengals some hope. However, the Raiders did hold Eddie George to 42 rushing yards. Corey Dillon will have to do better if the Bengals have any hope to win.

The Raiders offense did put up decent numbers despite the loss. Although Rich Gannon put up 264 yards, he seemed to lack that superstar edge that made him the NFL MVP last season. This game is perfect for him to get that edge back and get the confidence flowing. The player to watch is Charlie Garner. He may be the single most underrated offensive player in the NFL: he has the full package (he ran for only 22 yards last week, but why run when you can catch the ball and pick up 112 yards). Garner should find similar numbers that Clinton Portis put up against the weak Cincy D. Garner will get more runs, rookie Justin Fargas will get some carries as well, and the Oakland running game will look great. With Gannon passing (by the way, it looks as if Jerry Porter is ok to play and should become the fantasy stud we have all banked on this year) and Garner running, lay the points and go with Oakland.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Rich Gannon, Charlie Garner, Jerry Porter, Sebastian Janikowski, Chad Johnson

2nd String: Corey Dillon, Jon Kitna, Justin Fargas, Oakland Defense, Doug Jolley, Jerry Rice

Prediction: Bengals 13, Raiders 28

Chicago Bears (0-1) at Minnesota Vikings (1-0), 8:30 PM
Chicago is the worse team in the NFL right now (and doesn't look ready to relinquish the title any time soon). Normally, I don't put the word "I" in my reviews, but I am a huge Chicago fan and the fact I am willing to call them what they are says it all. All you have to do is look at the box score: 49 to 7 loss, 127 yards of total offense, gave up 391 yards of offense to the 49ers, Kordell Stewart was the leading passer and rusher with 95 passing yards and 21 yards rushing. One word: pathetic. The loss of Ted Washington (why did they cut him???!!!) and Roosevelt Colvin in the preseason, as well as the loss of Rex Tucker to injury, have hurt this team beyond comprehension. Throw in the fact that Stewart is just plain bad, Anthony Thomas and Adrian Peterson couldn't run out of a paper bag, the 49ers defense just isn't good, and the only playmakers (the receivers) can't rely on getting the ball, and it all amounts to a year of floundering in Chicago. What else is there to say?

The Vikings looked amazing last week, taking the Packers to the rack for 337 offense yards and 30 points (just as a side note, the Vikings signed RB Charles Stackhouse who spent his rookie season last year with the Giants & showed some flashes of potential; keep an eye on him: if Moe Williams or Onterrio Smith can't find some consistency then Stackhouse could become part of the running back committee). Luckily, the defense was allowed to leave the field when the clock ran out: if Brett Favre had 5 more game minutes, the Packers might have won. In the first half, the defense was awesome: picking off Favre 4 times, holding Ahman Green to only 53 rushing yards for the whole game (they didn't run much in the second half), and injuring Donald Driver didn't hurt either. In this game, they should have no problems pressuring the weak Chicago offensive line, keeping Stewart running for his life, keeping A-Train (or should I say A-Horse & Buggy) and Peterson contained, and keeping the lead they will surely build in the early going. Here's a prediction: the most spoken words this week in the NFL will be "Culpepper to Moss." Urlacher is amazing, but he can't cover everyone and he's not going to play on the offensive line or at cornerback or at quarterback or at running back or act as the coach. Whatever the line is on this game, take Minnesota. Until Chicago looks at Rex Grossman, things won't change. Lets mention Marty Booker in the Key Players, just to keep it somewhat respectable.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss, Aaron Elling, Minnesota Defense

2nd String: Moe Williams, Marty Booker

Prediction: Bears 9, Vikings 32

Dallas Cowboys (0-1) at NY Giants (1-0), 9/15 9:00 PM EST
The intrigue is a little gone from this match up. Granted the story lines run deep: Jeremy Shockey versus Bill Parcels, Bill Parcels versus his old team. However, the Giants are way too talented for this Dallas club. Kerry Collins and company made the Rams look horrible last week. Collins put up 202 yards passing, Tiki Barber was money with 146 yards, and Amani Toomer was himself with 98 yards. Shockey didn't play as well as hoped, but he'll be jacked for this game. He has to back up his mouth and will be itching for the ball. If Alge Crumpler can post 94 yards on Dallas, Shockey is looking good. The Dallas D isn't horrible, but they are not as strong as hoped. Despite young playmaker Roy Williams in the backfield (Derek Ross is also a top talent but is out with a knee injury till at least week 4) Atlanta posted 254 net passing yards using a backup QB and a TE as the main weapons. Kerry Collins, along with Toomer and Hilliard, are capable of bigger numbers. Also, Dallas let Warrick Dunn, Justin Griffith, and TJ Duckett run for a total of 98 yards. If Tiki can perform at all like he did against the Rams, he could put up those numbers himself. Throw in a good kicking game (Matt Bryant) and the Giants are posed to not only beat Dallas, but could be a great team all year.

The effects of Bill Parcels won't be evident for some time, but the offense in Dallas does look better. Quincy Carter looked like a whole new QB last week, posting 268 passing yards with 1 TD and only 1 pick. The running game still leaves little to be desired. However, Aveion Cason (3 years in the NFL out of Illinois State) came from nowhere last week and collected the bulk of the rushing offense (77 yards & 1 TD). The Giants defense is not likely to allow such a performance this week: they held Marshall Faulk to a measly 28 rushing yards last week. That is impressive. Kurt Warner did manage to break 300 passing yards despite a concussion. Too bad Dallas lacks the same passing power. With Joey Galloway and Antonio Bryant, Dallas could post some respectable numbers but it won't be enough. The Giants take this one big and post their message on Monday Night Football: we are here to beat all comers.

Key Fantasy Players

1st String: Jeremy Shockey, Kerry Collins, Amani Toomer, Tiki Barber, Joey Galloway, Giants Defense, Matt Bryant

2nd String: Quincy Carter, Antonio Bryant, Ike Hilliard, Billy Cundiff

Prediction: Cowboys 13, Giants 28