NFL Week 3 Preview

We are already through two weeks of the NFL season and have Week 3 starting up this weekend. Yes, technically it started Thursday night with the Falcons taking it to Tampa Bay 56-14, but do we really want to call that a football game? The Buccanears failed at every aspect of the game and only actually moved the ball when Mike Glennon game in at quarterback. Tampa Bay will finish at the bottom of the NFC South, if Lovie puts McCown back under center. Calling it right now...

With all of the surprise upsets last week it’s no wonder that I went 7-8 with my picks and now am17-14 on the year. I think this week’s games are a little more predictable and hopefully I can right the ship even though I said that last week too

Chargers @ Bills
- The Chargers surprised everyone by exposing the Legion of Boom last week. Rivers and Co. will now go into Buffalo and try to unseat the surprise 2-0 Bills. The Chargers are one of the more underrated offenses in the league, and should give the Bills defense problems in this one.

- The Bills are off to a hot 2-0 start after knocking off both Miami and Chicago in recent weeks. They were able to win both games by controlling the clock and leaning on the ground game with C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. They may have to lean on EJ Manuel a bit more in this one as the Chargers were able to limit Marshawn Lynch to 36 yards last week.

Prediction: Chargers - 24 Bills - 10

Titans @ Bengals
- Jake Locker and the Titans offense struggled against a Dallas defense last week that was supposed to be one of the worst in the league. This week they'll be going against one of the better defenses in the league. The Titans could have problems moving the football all game and will unlikely be able to keep pace with Cincinnati.

- Bengals leading receiver AJ Green went down with a toe injury early in last week's game. Although he returned to practice on Thursday he may not be 100% come kickoff. Without Green, who will bail out Dalton on his less than accurate throws down the field? Look for the Bengals to lean heavily on the running back tandem of Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard in this one as Tennesse was gashed for 167 yards by DeMarco Murray last week.

Prediction: Bengals - 20 Titans - 10

Ravens @ Browns
- The Ravens looked sharp against the Steelers last Thursday and moved the ball with ease. I believe that they will be able to do the same against the Browns defense as well. Browns corner Joe Haden will likely be shadowing Steve Smith all game, but Flacco has more than enough weapons to take advantage of in other areas of the field.

-Johnny Who? Although the world has not completely forgotten about Johnny Football, it does appear as though the media has largely ignored him at this point. The Browns are off to a surprise start, having beaten the Saints in the closing seconds last week and nearly mounting a comeback against Pittsburgh in Week 1. Hoyer may not set the world on fire, but he showing that the Browns’ front office made the right decision in starting him.

Prediction: Ravens – 27 Browns - 20

Packers @ Lions
- The Packers defense scared me last week. Not in a good way either. Down 21-3 early to the Jets, Dom Caper’s unit looked lost and couldn’t stop a thing. This week they face a very high-powered offense in Detroit. The Packers’ offense will need to score a ton of points in this one as their defense will be giving up plenty.

- The Lions had trouble finding room to maneuver against a very good Carolina defense last week. That won’t be the case this week. I fully expect this to be a very high scoring game and the only question is whether or not Detroit’s defense can hold up against the Packers’ offense. Last team with the ball will likely walk away with this one.

Prediction: Packers – 31 Lions - 23

Cowboys @ Rams
- I thought the Cowboys defense looked really good last week as they were able to stop Tennessee in their tracks. If their defense can just be average, I really feel that the Cowboys can take the NFC East. On a side note, despite being on the Cowboys practice squad, I’m curious to see how many times Michael Sam’s name comes up in this game.

-The Rams can’t seem to catch a break. Sam Bradford was lost to the season early and then his backup, Shaun Hill, went down with an injury shortly after. Not only that, defensive end, Chris Long, is also out for an extended period of time. I think the Cowboys are too strong on offense for the Rams to keep up in this one.

Prediction: Cowboys – 27 Rams - 9

Raiders @ Patriots
- Nothing has gone right for the Raiders this year as they have fallen to 0-2 on the year losing to both the Jets and Texans. Quarterback Derek Carr has shown flashes and James Jones appears to be a steal in free agency. However, it’s the run game and defense that have struggled this year and both were considered strengths this preseason.

-Despite Gronkowski being back in the lineup, the Patriots just don’t look like the Patriots we are used to seeing. Brady seems to have taken a step back even from his down year, last year. We have seen the pass happy Pats, rely more on the run game this season than before. This should be the week Brady turns things around as he goes against the slow Raiders defense.

Prediction: Patriots – 35 Raiders - 10

Vikings @ Saints
- I don’t think the Vikings would have moved the ball even with Adrian Peterson on the field last week. Matt Cassel and the offensive line looked terrible. Head coach Mike Zimmer has to be at least considering a quarterback change as Cassel forced the ball into double/triple coverage on all 4 of his picks. With that kind of play, there is no way they will be able to keep pace with the Saints inside the dome. Don’t be surprised to see Teddy Bridgewater take a few snaps this game.

-The Saints find themselves at 0-2 after a loss to the Browns last week. Rob Ryan’s defense has struggled to stop anyone as they are on pace to take Dallas’ spot as the worst defense in the league. However, if they can contain Corderrelle Patterson and let Cassel try to beat them, then the Saints should be able to get their first win of the season.

Prediction: Saints – 24 Vikings - 13

Texans @ Giants
- The Texans are another team that is off to a surprising 2-0 start. Granted, they haven’t really faced the stiffest competition in Oakland and Washington. It looks like they might sneak to 3-0 following this week. The Texans will feed Arian Foster the ball in this one as the Giants haven’t been able to stop anyone and won’t anytime soon.

-This is going to be a long year for the Giants as Manning and the entire offense has struggled to adjust to the new offensive system. Manning does not look like a 2-time Super Bowl winning quarterback and his offensive line can’t keep him upright. Not to mention when he does get the ball to his receivers, they can’t hold on to the ball. Against J.J. Watt and the Houston defense, look for more of the same.

Prediction: Texans – 17 Giants - 10

Redskins @ Eagles
- Coming in for an injured RG3, Kirk Cousins played pretty well last week against Jacksonville. With RG3 sitting on the sidelines again for this one, Cousins will get his chance to start. Cousins seemingly outplayed RG3 during the preseason and now is his time to show he's a better fit for what head coach Jay Gruden is trying to do.

- The Eagles have struggled early on in games only to come back and win in the second half. This won't be an issue this week as Washington's defense has had problems stopping any one. Look for the Eagles to keep the pedal pushed down and run circles around Washington's tired defense.

Prediction: Eagles - 27 Redskins - 10

Colts @ Jaguars
- The Trent Richardson trade seems to have failed on the part of the Colts as Ahmad Bradshaw has emerged as the better looking back in Indy. Although the two backs had similar yardage totals last week, it took Richardson twice as many carries to get there. Both backs should find more then enough room to run against Jacksonville.

- The Jaguars defense can't be looking forward to facing Andrew Luck and the Colts this week. After giving up a combined 75 points over the past 2 games, they seemingly can't stop anyone from scoring. Both those games came against average starting quarterbacks in Nick Foles and RG3/Kirk Cousins. They haven't face anyone like Andrew Luck this season, who could throw close to 400 yards in this one.

Prediction: Colts - 34 Jaguars - 17

49ers @ Cardinals
- Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers offense fell apart last Sunday night against the Bears. Kaepernick ended up throwing 3 interceptions last week, 2 of which were picked off by rookie corner Kyle Fuller. The 49ers defense also seemingly couldn't get Chicago off the field. The 49ers fell apart late in that game and never regained their momentum. I don't see them doing that again this week, but the Cardinals do have some weapons that can make this game interesting.

- It looks like Carson Palmer will have to sit out his 2nd game as he is dealing with a shoulder injury. Enter Drew Stanton who was able to lead the Cardinals past the Giants last week. Stanton likely won't have the same kind of success he did against the Giants as the 49ers will apply pressure all day. Look for the Cardinals to struggle to move the ball and for the 49ers to bounce back with a win this week.

Prediction: 49ers - 20 Cardinals - 10

Chiefs @ Dolphins
- Running back Jamaal Charles suffered a high ankle sprain in last week's loss to the Broncos. Originally listed as out, he has been able to practice on a limited basis the past few days and has been upgraded to questionable. I still have a hard time imagining him suiting up for this game. Knile Davis will be his back up and could end up having a big game as the Dolphins have given up a ton of yards on the ground so far this year.

- Similar to the Chiefs, the Dolphins will be without their lead running back, Knowshon Moreno. Lamar Miller has ran well behind Moreno averaging 4.8 yards a carry and has also caught 6 balls. The Chiefs are another defense that has struggled against the run, so the Dolphins could look to lean on Miller as they try to control the clock and tire out the Chiefs defense.

Prediction: Dolphins - 17 Chiefs - 13

Broncos @ Seahawks
- In a rematch of last year's Super Bowl, the Broncos will travel to Seattle and face the Seahawks. Denver's offense is pretty much the same as was when these two met earlier this year minus Eric Decker. Their biggest change has been on the defensive side of the ball bringing in DeMarcus Ware, Aquib Talib, and T.J. Ward. They're defense should have an easier job containing Russell Wilson in this one and keeping it close, unlike the Super Bowl.

- Last week the Chargers figured out the key in beating the Seahawks and the Legion of Boom. They were able to win with short passing and a good run game. The Broncos could look to duplicate that in this one and expose the Seattle secondary. Seattle will also have the 12th Man behind them, as they didn't have that last week when they were in San Diego.

Prediction: Broncos - 24 Seahawks - 21

Steelers @ Panthers
- The Steelers have had problems stopping teams all year and this week could be no different. The Steelers have worked over the past few years to make their defense younger and quicker, but in doing so they have lost a lot of expeirence on that side of the ball which may be the reason they are struggling. Thier offense hasn't helped matter either as they have struggled to move the ball against the Ravens and in the second half against the Browns. They'll have a hard time doing it again against Carolina's tough defense.

- Although expected to take a step back, the Panthers defense looks almost as good as last year. They were able to hold the Lions high-powered offense to only 7 points in last week's game. They are likely to do the same this week, as Pittsburgh looks like a shell of its former self. Look for the Panthers to apply pressure to Roethlisberger and force him into turning the ball over.

Prediction: Panthers - 24 Steelers - 3

Bears @ Jets

- The Bears surprised everyone by coming back and beating the 49ers late Sunday night. Jay Cutler struggled in the early going, but after taking a shot to the chest, he went 15-16 on his passes including multiple touchdowns to receiver Brandon Marshall. Cutler and the Bears offense could be primed for another big day as the Jets secondary chased Green Bay's receivers all over the field last week.

- Right out of the gate the Jets were able to jump out to a 21-3 lead on the Packers a week ago, but failed to close things out. They were able to get to Rodgers and force him to make quick throws. They could do the same this week as the Bears will be down two starting offensive linemen in Roberto Garza and Matt Slauson. The Jets defensive line won't have an issue sacking Jay Cutler, but they will need help from their secondary on the plays where they aren't able to get to him.

Prediction: Bears - 27 Jets - 20

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Week 2

The season has flown by as we already have our eyes on the third week of the NFL season. It feels like not that long ago, we were spending Sundays with family and friends instead of in front of our televisions watching hours of America's favorite game.

Yeah I said it...Football >> Baseball

Head coach Doug Monroe has his Bills sitting at 2-0
(Photo courtesy of syracuse.com)

Well another week is in the books and it left us with plenty of ooh and ahh moments!

Its this week's Good, Bad, and Ugly

The Good
-Many surprising teams are off to a hot start starting 2-0 on the year. The Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and Arizona Cardinals are all surprise teams atop their division. The Bills have been led by a stout defense and a decent run game. Texans are relying on their defense to keep them in games and lastly the Cardinals have one of the better passing attacks in the league in addition to a pretty solid defense. As all three of these teams will likely level off in the coming weeks; I think the Cardinals are legit. As I mentioned before they have an above average passing attack led by Larry Fitzgerald, Malcom Floyd, and rookie John Brown. They have a phenomenal pass catching back in Andre Ellington. Oh and they have one of the top 5 defenses in the league. I think the Cardinals will definitely make some noise in the NFC West.

 

- For all the crap I throw at the Dallas Cowboy's you have to be amazed at the 180 that the team

seemed to have done in the past week. The Cowboy's "terrible" defense held the Titans to only 10 points and looked good doing it. In all honesty, one way to counter a terrible defense is to keep the ball away from the opposing offense and that is exactly what they did. Dallas decided to put the game on the on the shoulders of their running back, DeMarco Murray and did he ever deliver. Murray went off for 167 yards and a touchdown as he shredded the Titans defense. If Dallas can continue this ball control style type offense, and if Murray can stay healthy (a big "if" there), then Dallas could actually surprise some people and challenge for the NFC East title.

The Bad
-The Jets looked hot coming out of the gate, up 21-3 against Green Bay at Lambeau. The Packers defense couldn’t stop a thing as the Jets were clicking on all cylinders. The Jets decided to coast in the second half as out of nowhere Green Bay got the offense rolling and scored 21 unanswered points to go up 24-21. Down 7 with under 2 minutes to play down 31-24, Jets’ quarterback Geno Smith threw up a prayer to Jeremy Kerley in the endzone. Kerley comes down with and Packers fans hang their head as this game looks to be heading into overtime. It wasn’t until after the play that the refs said play should have stopped as the Jets called for a timeout prior to the snap. The timeout was given to the Jets as offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, comes running down the sideline to stop the clock. It seems that every the Jets have some play or instance define their season, whether it’s the Butt Fumble of 2012 or the drafting of Sanchize in 2009…this is another one of those “Jets” moments. 

-How bad does the New Orleans Saints defense look right now? Their Week 1 loss to Atlanta can be attributed to Atlanta’s high powered offense. However, I’m not sure what their last second loss to the Browns can be attributed to. Not to mention, Atlanta’s“high-powered” offense looked pedestrian against Cincinnati this past weekend. After giving up a record number of yards a few years ago, the Saints decided to go out and get defensive coordinator Rob Ryan which seemed to have fixed the issue last year. Fast forward to this year, and the Saints have given up over 800 yards to opposing offense, including over 300 to the Browns. I’m not sure what is going on in New Orleans, but Rob Ryan needs to find a solution or he could be fighting for his job at the end of this year.

The Ugly
-The recent case against Adrian Peterson further casts a shadow over what has been a miserable week for the NFL. I won’t rehash the details, as they’ve been on about every sports channel non-stop. Last week the Vikings made the correct move in deactivating Peterson against the Patriots. Earlier this week, Vikings’ owner Zygi Wilf, reinstated Peterson only to deactivate him again last night. One has to wonder, if the Vikings only activated because of how badly they got beat by New England. It wasn’t until public backlash caused Wilf to change course.

The NFL needs to step in on cases like this, early and before public backlash. If the decision is left up to the teams, of course they are going to keep their star players in. Take Carolina for example. Defensive tackle, Greg Hardy, played Week 1 despite being accused of domestic violence that makes what Ray Rice did seem like nothing. Yet again, it wasn’t until the public fired back, that Carolina eventually changed its decision and deactivated Hardy. 

There needs to be a policy in place where the league is the first to step up and discipline these players not the team. Until that happens, there will continue to be stories like this. These types of stories not only paint the NFL in a negative light, but are an embarrassment to people like myself who call themselves fans of the game.

 

      

NFL Week 2 preview

After recovering from what only could be described as the black plague, I've finally found time this week to sit down and write this week's preview. Since Week 1 ended the NFL has one of the most embarrassing weeks in its history. It disgusts me as a fan, to see the league go through something like this, but hopefully we can bounce back from this and put it all behind us.

Anyway back to the games...on Thursday we saw the Ravens crush the Steelers 26-6. Pittsburgh just didn't look like the team I'm used to seeing out there. Le'Veon Bell looked good, along with the occasional catch from Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton, other then that the Steelers offense looked terrible. The jury is still out on Baltimore, but if they can keep this up, they look like a team that could make a run later this season.

Now to Sunday's games, last week I went 10-5 in my picks. A pretty solid week, but I think I can do better.

Dolphins @ Bills
- The Dolphins stormed back from 10 down at halftime against New England and looked like an entirely different team in the 2nd half. If Moreno can keep running like he did last week, this team could have some fire power on offense.

- The Bills surprised a lot of people by beating Chicago in overtime last week. They ran the ball all over Chicago's defense and made quarterback EJ Manuel's day a lot easier as he only attempted 22 passes. Even with the injuries at linebacker, the Dolphins defense won't bend as much as Chicago's and could give the Bills offense trouble.

Prediction: Dolphins - 17 Bills - 14

Patriots @ Vikings
- Tom Brady didn't quite look like Tom Brady last week against the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see if he has built a better rapport with his other receiving options besides Edelman and Gronkowski. He'll have some more room to work against Minnesota's secondary and hopefully get back to the old Tom Brady.

- As mentioned in last week's preview, offensive coordinator Norv Turner wants to get Corderrelle Patterson in space and let him take if from there. This will be even more true, with Adrian Peterson being deactivated because of his recent arrest, the Vikings will lean heavily on Patterson in this one.

Prediction: Patriots - 24 Vikings - 17

Can Allen Hurns repeat last week's performance?
(Photo courtesy of greenwichtime.com)

Jaguars @ Redskins
- The Jaguars got off to a fast start against the Eagels and were able to rattle Nick Foles in the early going. They'll likely be able to do the same again this week as the Redskins offensive line struggled to protect RG3 last week. The Jaguars' D-line is no push over like last year and could give the Redskins problems in this one.

- As mentioned above, RG3 struggled to find a rhythm and looked bad last week. New coach Jay Gruden looks like he's trying to make RG3 more of a pocket passer which is not his game. If RG3 struggles again look for the Kirk Cousins chants to start from the FedEx Field stands.

Prediction: Jaguars - 17 Redskins - 10

Cowboys @ Titans
- The Cowboys looked bad on both sides of the ball last week. They'll need to get things going this week against Tennesee. Look for another heavy dose of DeMarco Murray as he was the lone bright spot in last week's loss to the 49ers.

- The Titans were another surprise win last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. They should have a much easier time moving the ball against Dallas's defense. This could turn into a shootout, and if it does I don't think the Titans have the weapons to keep pace.

Prediction: Cowboys - 27 Titans - 20

Lions @ Panthers
- To say Megatron was a beast would be an understatement. He shredded the Giants secondary and looked unstoppable. The Lions have a tougher matchup this week against Carolina. With that being said Matthew Stafford will still force feed Johnson, which should be enough to get the win.

- Rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin definitely stepped up to the plate when they needed him. He only took one week to establish himself as the clear-cut #1 in Carolina despite Derek Anderson throwing him the ball. With Newton expected to return for this game, look for Benjamin to be targeted heavily again against a pretty average secondary.

Prediction: Lions - 28 Panthers - 21

Falcons @ Bengals
- The Falcons were able to keep pace with the high powered Saints last week and win it with a field goal in overtime. With that being said there defense struggled to keep Drew Brees and company off the field. This week AJ Green and Giovani Bernard may pose similar issues.

- The Bengals defense continues to one of the better units in the league and will have to bring their A game to stop Matt Ryan and his weapons. They should be able to get to Matt Ryan and should bottle up 50 year old Steven Jackson in the run game. I think this game could get ugly for Atlanta.

Prediction: Bengals 27 Falcons - 13

Saints @ Browns
- Drew Brees looked on target and great as usual despite missing most of the preseason. However, Rob Ryan's defense did not look like the unit it was last year. Last week, they gave up 37 points to Atlanta, a team that they had handled pretty well the year before. They should be able to get back on track this week with the Hoyer-led, Tate-less Browns.

- Hoyer surprised everyone in the second half the Pittsburgh game after nearly storming back and taking the upset win. That was Pittsburgh though who after Thursday night, has some questions on defense. This week they get the Saints. Playing in Cleveland helps, but I don't think the Browns can keep pace with the high powered Saints offense.

Prediction: Saints - 30 Browns - 13

Manning has every right to be pissed off, he's not good.
(Photo courtesy of vive-le-sport.fr)

Cardinals @ Giants
- The Cardinals kept it close in a win against the Chargers last week. Andre Ellington made a nice surprise return from injury and Carson Palmer slung it all around the field. They'll get another soft defense as they travel across the country to take on the reeling Giants.

- What can be said about the Giants that hasn't already been said? Eli Manning is back to his 2013 self and looks terrible, and their defense can't stop a cold. If you're looking for a bounce back game from Manning, this won't be it as Arizona has a better then average secondary. Look for a heavy dose of Rashad Jennings early, and then when they get down, look for Manning to try to resemble a decent quarterback.

Prediction: Cardinals - 27 Giants - 10

Rams @ Buccaneers
- Sam Bradford goes down for the year, enter Shaun Hill. Shaun Hill goes down Week 1, enter Austin Davis. The former Southern Miss walk-on is now listed as the Rams best quarterback option heading into Week 2 with Shaun Hill questionable for this game. Look for the Buccaneers' defense to feast on the young quarterback.

- Josh McCown definitely didn't look like the same quarterback we saw in Chicago. I'm not ready to write him off quite yet as the Panthers defense is one of the better units in the league. He'll face another stiff test against St. Louis, but should be able to finally show why he was brought over as the starting quarterback.

Prediction: Buccaneers - 17 Rams - 3

Seahawks @ Chargers
- The defending Super Bowl champions head a little south to take on the Chargers this week. The Seahawks looked dominant in last week's win over Green Bay and they should continue that trend against San Diego. Look for a heavy dose of Marshawn Lynch along with the occasional dump off to Percy Harvin. Seattle is definitely the team to beat this year.

- The Chargers lost a close one in Arizona. Running the ball might be the only option against Seattle as their secondary is one of the best in the league. The only passing option might be to get it to Antonio Gates underneath, but this is going to be a tough game all-around for San Diego.

Prediction: Seahawks - 27 Chargers - 10



Eddie Lacy will play this week
(Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

Jets @ Packers
- It looks like the Jets were able to put all of their pieces together this offseason as both both Chris Johnson and Eric Decker both had pretty good games. The Jets will likely lean heavily on the run as Green Bay's run defense was trampled by Lynch last week.

- Getting Bulaga back will be a big boost for the Packers as Derek Sherrod, his replacement, looked terrible in relief. If the Packers' offensive line can keep Rodgers upright, they should be able to win the game as Rodgers can torch the Jets sup-par secondary.

Prediction: Packers - 24 Jets - 13

Chiefs @ Broncos
- The Chiefs defense this year, is just not the same unit this year as they struggled to stop Tennessee. On the offensive side of the ball, things don't get much better as Jamaal Charles only got 11 touches in Week 1. Andy Reid admitted after the game that he needed to get Charles more involved so look for a heavy dose of running and screen plays to Charles.

- The Broncos looked unstoppable in the first half of last week's game with Julius Thomas and Peyton Manning hooking up for three first half touchdowns. However, in the second half, they looked like a totally different team as the Colts stormed back and were nearly able to tie it. I don't think they'll have to worry about that too much this week against the Chiefs.

Prediction: Broncos - 31 Chiefs - 17

Texans @ Raiders
- The Texans looked better then advertised Week 1 against Washington. It looks like they are going to once again lean on Arian Foster to carry the load. Foster has a track record of injuries, so this might not be the best strategy, but for now he should find decent running room against the Raiders.

- Derek Carr looked decent in his debut. For the most part, it didn't look like they were having him do too much. However, with Maurice Jones-Drew out of this game after hand surgery, they may lean on him more since outside of one season Darren McFadden hasn't been anything special. Carr will have to get the ball out quickly though as he'll have JJ Watt breathing down his neck for most of this game.

Predicton: Texans - 17 Raiders - 9

Chicago could be without its top 2 targets this weekend
(Photo courtesy of David Banks/Getty Images via ESPN.com)

Bears @ 49ers
- The Bears lost to the Bills in overtime last week and this week's matchup isn't much better. The Bears may also be without their two starting wideouts, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. If that's the case, then the Bears might want to feed running back Matt Forte as San Fransisco was unable to stop DeMarco Murray last week in Dallas.

- The 49ers open the 2014 season in Candlestick Park as they host the Bears Sunday night. A week after facing Dallas' less then stellar defense, the 49ers will play a Chicago defense that made EJ Manuel look like an amazing quarterback. Look for a heavily workload for Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde in this game as the 49ers target the weak front 7 of Chicago.

Prediction: 49ers - 24 Bears - 13

Eagles @ Colts
- The Eagles had to pull out all of the stops to comeback against the Jaguars last week. Nick Foles struggled in that game, losing 2 fumbles while throwing an interception. Eagle fan's hope this isn't a sign of things to come. Philadelphia can's fall behind in this game, as the Colts have the talent to pull away.

- Can we officially say now that the Trent Richardson experiment was a failure? Ahamd Bradshaw looked like the much more talented back last week and frankly he is. Once they got the ground game going, the Colts were able to move the ball and looked like a more complete team. Against, the Eagles however, they should look to throw the ball as the Eagles secondary struggled last week to stop undrafted rookie reciever Allen Hurns.

Prediction: Colts - 20 Eagles - 14

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Week 1

We're only into Week 1 and already there are plenty of storylines from last week's games. One story in particular has dominated the headlines and cast a shadow over the entire NFL. I'll touch more on that later, but before I do, here is the Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the NFL's Week 1.

The Good
This was the week for wide receiver rookie breakouts. Some of these were expected while a couple came out of nowhere. I want to talk specifically about three players; Brandin Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin, and Allen Hurns.

I'll start with the rookie wideout in New Orleans Brandin Cooks. The writing was on the wall that Cooks was primed for a big year, and he delivered catching 7 of his 8 targets for 77 yards and a touchdown. He also had an 18 yard run in there as well. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Saints are going to use this guy all over the field and he is in for a big year in the Big Easy.

Get used to seeing this from Cam Newton's new weapon
(Photo courtesy of catcrave.com)

The next receiver on the list is former Florida State wideout Kelvin Benjamin. There was much talk before the season that Carolina had a depleted receiving core and how Cam Newton would have to carry this team. Enter rookie Benjamin, who not only went for 6 catches, 92 yards, and a touchdown, but did so with Derek Anderson as his quarterback. I didn't even know Anderson was still in the league. Anyway standing 6'5" and at 240 lbs, and with a healthy Cam Newton throwing him the ball, I have no problem saying that Benjamin could be a rookie of the year canidate.

Finally we come to the undrafted receiver out of Miami, Allen Hurns. With Cecil Shorts on the sideline, Hurns lined up across from 2nd round draft pick Marqise Lee. Hurns not only outperformed Lee (4 receptions, 110 yards, and 2 touchdowns), but he may have made a case to replace Lee opposite Shorts when he returns. Hurns also currently holds the Miami school record for most receiving yards in a season with 1,162. This is no small feat as Miami boasts a few notable receiving alumni including Michael Irvin, Andre Johnson, and Reggie Wayne. If Hurns keeps playing the way he did this week, you might be able to add his name to that list in a few years.

The Bad
-Being a Packers fan, I like to take any shot at the Bears I can and this week seems like the time to do it. Coming into Chicago, the Bears should have taken an easy 1-0 record into Week 2, but they ran into the great Buffalo Bills. I mean really? The Bills? If you're a Bills fan reading this, I apologize but Chicago should have won this game easily. Instead they decide to keep Chris Conte back at safety for some reason, even though he has given up big plays in the last two meaningful games for the Bears, including the wideopen bomb to Randall Cobb in Week 17 of last year. Also, they spent money in the offseason to improve their defensive line to get to the quarterback. That's great, but that wasn't their problem last year. Their problem was stopping the run, which again looks like their Achilles heal. Buffalo was able to run all over them, and largely kept them in the game as EJ Manuel only threw the ball 22 times. Sorry, Chicago, but I think this is going to be another long year for you.

Cowboys fans are used to seeing this look from their QB
(Courtesy of dallassportsfan.com via reddirtchronicles.com)

-How about another team with a terrible defense? The Dallas Cowboys. They made Colin Kaepernick look like the second coming of Joe Montana. Not only that, apparently Tony Romo forgot what team he played for in the first half as he threw 3 interceptions. All of which where thrown into double coverage. Of course there will Tony Romo supporters out there...."He didn't play all preseason, so he was going to be rusty" I call bullshit! The guy has been an NFL starter for 9 years now, he doesn't need the preseason to know not to throw to the other team. We make jokes about Tony Romo's interceptions, but he honestly doesn't throw that many having only thrown 10 last year. The bigger concern here is his decision making, as most of these interceptions come at crucial times in the game where he ends up costing his team. He should have an easier time against Tennessee this week. If he struggles again, the Cowboys are destined to finish at the bottom of NFC East.

The Ugly
- I think I can classify Spencer Lanning's face as ugly this week after he took a flying kick to the face from Steelers wideout Antonio Brown. If you didn't see the play, Lanning went to tackle Brown on a punt return, however Brown had a different idea and decided to Mario stomp on the poor punter's head. The Cobra Kai would be proud Antonio Brown.



Courtesy of Deadspin.com



- Now to end on a more serious note. The Ray Rice story is probably the ugliest thing to happen to the NFL in a very long time. The Ravens released long time starting running back Ray Rice after TMZ released footage from the Atlantic City elevator of Rice's domestic assault on then fiance Janay Palmer. Well apparently that was just the start as now the NFL is currently under investigation as to whether or not they saw the footage prior to Rice's initial 2 game suspension. The NFL insists that the video was not available to them, however recent reports state that and NFL executive received the footage back in April. Its a giant game of "He said, She said" and unfortunately its far from over.

 

 

Make sure to follow us Journeymen Football @JournymenSports on Twitter!

 



NFL Week 1 Preview

Its here! Its finally here! The NFL season is officially underway as Thursday we watched the Seahawks defeat the Packers by a score of 36-16. If Thursday's game was any indication this year is going to be fun to watch. There are plenty of intriguing matchups to watch during this first week of NFL action. Here are a few things to keep an eye for this Sunday.

 

Bills @ Bears
- All eyes will be on rookie wideout Sammy Watkins. EJ Manuel has struggled all preseason. Given the investment in Watkins, Buffalo hopes Manuel rights the ship and develops chemistry with his new weapon.

- Year 2 of Trestman's offense hopes to bring back the high powered and big-play offense to the Windy City that we saw last year. Cutler will be the catalyst in this offense. If he stays healthy and limits the mistakes, Chicago should win this one.

 

Prediction: Chicago - 27 Buffalo - 13

 

Gronk returns
(Photo courtesy of Patriots.com)

Patriots @ Dolphins
- Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski says he's playing and I tend to believe him. Gronk is a matchup nightmare for defenses. We'll likely see the Tom Brady of old as he looks Gronk's way early and often in this one. Would not be surprised if both Brady and Gronk have a big game.

- After Bullygate 2014, the Dolphins offensive line was a mess. It got a little better with the addition of Branden Albert earlier this off-season, but still remains a major question mark. Patriots will send pressure and make it tough for the Dolphins offense to get going.

 

Prediction: Patriots - 34 Dolphins - 10

Bengals @ Ravens

- Andy Dalton signed a big contract this offseason to keep him under contract in Cincinnati for the next six years. Now is the time to show that he is worth that contract. The Bengals have put plenty of weapons around him and now it is his job to take the next step.

 

- All eyes will be on the Ravens backfield as Ray Rice serves his first of a two game suspension after playing Mike Tyson's Punchout with his wife earlier this season. Bernard Pierce is a more than capable replacement and could push Rice for more carries if he plays well in Rice's absence.

 

Prediction: Bengals - 17 Ravens - 14

 

Browns @ Steelers

- During the course of this game, CBS will show more shots of Johnny Manziel holding a clipboard then actual game footage. With what little of the game I'll be able to watch, I'm going to keep an eye out to see if the Browns' offense will be able to move the ball against a suddenly much younger Steeler defense.

 

- The Steelers have been one of the more quiet teams this offseason, as the only real news they made was when running back Le'Veon Bell got high on LeGarrette's blunt. See what I did there? Anyway, as mentioned earlier, I'm more interested to see how the Steelers defense looks with the influx of young talent.

 

Prediction: Steelers - 27 Browns - 14

Jaguars @ Eagles

- Head coach Gus Bradley continues to state that Blake Bortles will sit the bench behind Chad Henne. I'm curious to see if he means for the whole game. After watching Bortles in the preseason, I can't imagine Henne will have a long leash. I was a fan of the pick back in April and think Bortles is ready to be an NFL starter.

 

- The Eagles are another fun team to watch as the second year of Chip Kelly's high octane offense kicks off at home. Was last year a fluke for Nick Foles? This game won't tell us much as the Jaguars have a shaky secondary, but if Foles struggles it could be a sign of things to come.

 

Prediction: Eagles - 28 Jaguars - 17

Titans @ Chiefs

- I think this year's version of the Titans offense will be sneaky good. I'm not saying their going to win the AFC or anything like that but if Locker can stay healthy and with Ken Whisenhunt brought in as head coach, I think they will surprise a lot of people this year.

 

- Even though I just said the Titans were going to surprise this year, I still think Jamaal Charles will be too much for their defense. Charles was a monster last year and despite losing talent on the offensive line, Charles is still a threat to challenge for the rushing title this year.

 

Prediction: Chiefs - 24 Titans - 21

Raiders @ Jets
- The Raiders were able to restructure Matt Schaub's deal and bring him in as the starter this year. That lasted all of 2 months, as rookie Derek Carr has been pegged as the starter for this game. I have a feeling that Derek might be a better quarterback then his older brother David Carr. Not that that's a hard thing to accomplish.

- Similar to the Raiders defense, the Jets offense is pieced together with castoffs from other teams. They brought in Eric Decker from Denver, Chris Johsnon from the Titans, and Michael Vick from the Eagles. Although Vick will likely ride the bench the first month of the season, the other two should help sophomore quarterback Geno Smith take a step forward this year.

Prediction: Jets - 20 Raiders - 14

Decker and Johnson hope to turn around the Jets offense this season
(Photo(s) courtesy of Alex Trautwig/Getty Images and Elsa/Getty Images)

Saints @ Falcons
- There wasn't a training camp practice that went by with out rookie wideout Bradin Cooks' name being brought up. This kid lived up to his hype and now that the regular season has started he hopes to continue the hype. Look for the Saints to find ways to get him the ball in open space.

- The Falcons went from being one of the NFC powerhouses to picking in the Top 10 of the draft in the span of a year. They will need to find a way to get back on the right track and unfortunately, a game against Brees and the Saints won't help that.

Prediction: Saints - 30 Falcons - 20

Vikings @ Rams
- It will be interesting to see how new offensive coordinator Norv Turner is able to get both Adrian Peterson and Cordarrelle Patterson in space. Both players are extremely dynamic and can break open a game at any point. The only question is, who is going to throw them the ball?

- Now that Michael Sam has been cut from the Rams, the biggest story for them heading into the season is the loss of Sam Bradford for the year....again. Bradford has to be seen as a bust at this point since he can't seem to stay healthy. Enter 34 year old, journeymen, quarterback Shaun Hill as his replacement. Look for the Rams to lean heavily on the run this game and beyond.

Prediction: Vikings - 24 Rams - 10

Redskins @ Texans




Which RG3 will show up this year?
(Photo courtesy of Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

- RGIII has looked shaky all preseason as he adjusts to Jay Gruden's new offense. The Redskins have a more then capable backup in Kirk Cousins who out performed Griffin so far this year. Its unlikely they look to play Cousins at all this game, but there will be cause for concern if the 2013 version of RGIII is out there rather then the 2012 version.

- Matt Schaub leaves town and in comes Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Fitzpatrick is not the long term solution in Houston, but is capable of holding his own while Houston finds the answer at the position. You'll likely see a ton of Arian Foster this game as the Redskins struggled to stop the run all of last year.

Prediction: Texans - 24 Redskins - 20

Panthers @ Buccaneers
- Cam Newton is hoping to bounce back after offseason ankle surgery. He'll have to do so without much in the way of talent around him on offense. Both his offensive line and wide receiving corps were decimated this offseason and even more of the burden will be on his shoulders. Rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin may get a ton of looks if the rest of the offense can't step up.

- Josh McCown made a name for himself in Chicago after coming in relief when Jay Cutler was hurt. We'll see if McCown has turned a corner at age 35, or if he was just a product of Marc Trestmann's offense. I'm thinking the latter, but with weapons like Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans, and Doug Martin, I would not be surprised if I was proved wrong.

Prediction: Buccaneers - 27 Panthers - 17

49ers @ Cowboys

- The 49ers defense at one time was one of the most feared in the league. However, after numerous offseason losses as well as suspensions to some of their key players, this unit is primed to take a step back. They can still get to the quarterback, but may struggle on the back end trying to keep pace with Terrance Williams, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten.

- Dallas' defense may have been hit the hardest this offseason. Losing DeMarcus Ware, Sean Lee, and Jason Hatcher is too much of a loss for a team like Dallas to overcome. Even if Romo plays at a very high level, this defense will keep the 49ers in the entire game and could end up costing Dallas the win.

Prediction: 49ers - 33 Cowboys - 24

Colts @ Broncos
- Trent Richardson was a surprise pickup for the Colts early last season and a year later, they probably wish to have a do-over. Richardson did nothing in a Colts uniform last season and didn't show much in the preseason either. He will need to step up his game, or the Colts could be looking for running back help this offseason.

- The arms race in the AFC heated up this offseason as Denver was big players, grabbing guys like DeMarcus Ware, Aquib Talin, and TJ Ward. Not to mention, much of their high powered offense returns from last season including their quarterback. A guy by the name of Peyton Manning who only threw for a NFL record 55 touchdowns.

Prediction: Broncos - 40 Colts - 23
 

Giants @ Lions
- Eli Manning hopes to forget his terrible 2013 campaign. Unfortunately, that might not be as easy as he hopes. Manning has struggled once again this preseason as he tries to adjust to offensive coordinator, Ben McAdoo's system. The Lions don't have the best secondary, so hopefully Eli will be able to build up some confidence in this one.

The Giants hope 2014 isn't like 2013
(Photo courtesy of Michael Shamburger/Twitter via Gamedayr.com)

- The Lions are going all out to give Matthew Stafford all the weapons they can in order for him to succeed. They were able to go out and get a somewhat viable option across from Calvin Johnson, in the form of Golden Tate and they also drafted TE Eric Ebron to provide a big target in the middle. Thrown in Reggie Bush and the league's best receiver in Calvin Johnson, this could be a scary offense this season.

Prediction: Lions - 20 Giants - 13

Chargers @ Cardinals
- Keenan Allen was a surprise to many last year. Seemingly coming out of nowhere he was able to go for 1,046 yards and 8 touchdowns. Will he be able to continue dominating in his sophomore season or was last year a fluke? He'll have a tough test against a good secondary that got better this offseason with the addition of Antonio Cromartie.

- Andre Ellington was supposed to touch the ball close to 300 times this season, however that may be on hold as he is now a game-time descion. Johnathan Dwyer is first in line for carries in the Arizona backfield, but could also give way to Stephan Taylor in what looks like a committee approach to replace Ellington.

Prediction: Cardinals - 24 Chargers - 10

Top 10 Fantasy Sleepers of 2014

 

Who will be this year's Alshon Jeffery
(Photo courtesy of Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images via ESPN)

The 2014 football season is already here as numerous teams have begun reporting for training camp. Before we know it, the preseason will kickoff followed a month later by the regular season.

This is also the time of year where people get together and start drafting their team for the upcoming fantasy football league. Most people know who they want to target with their first few picks. Maybe grab a star running back in the first, like Adrian Peterson, followed by a well established quarterback in Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers in the 2nd round.

It's not until the back end of the draft that players typically begin to throw darts at the dart board hoping to grab the next big breakout player. However, for every Alshon Jeffery and Alfred Morris, there is always a Denarius Moore or Shonn Greene.

The players listed below, in no particular order, could be either or, but are definitely worth a look at the back-end of your draft.

#1 Toby Gerhart - RB Jacksonville Jaguars

Photo courtesy of lesterslegends.com

Few people remember, that prior to disappearing in Minnesota, Gerhart was a Heisman finalist out of Stanford. Few people will also remember that whenever Gerhart was not an easy back to bring down in Minnesota. In fact looking at just the rushing yards of Adrian Peterson and Gerhart over the last 2 years, you'll find a pretty impressive stat. Over the last 2 seasons, AP ran for an average of 5.3 yards/carry. Great numbers for a great back. Gerhart on the other hand, 5.2 yards/carry. Expand that out to 4 years, when Gerhart came into the league, AP = 5 yrds/carry and Gerhart 4.7 yrds/carry. Sheer volume alone will make Gerhart a decent mid-level RB2.

#2 Jarrett Boykin - WR Green Bay Packers
Boykin is another player who showed flashes when filling in on spot duty. Filling in for the injured Randall Cobb, Boykin went for 681 yards and 3 touchdowns. Now with James Jones catching passes in Oakland, the opportunity is now for Boykin. With second round pick Davante Adams struggling with drops in OTAs, the spot appears to be Boykin's to lose. Boykin will likely slide into the #3 receiver role and we've seen before that a healthy Packers' offense can more than support 3 quality fantasy wide receivers. Boykin can give you WR3 type number at a WR4 or even 5 type price.

#3 Terrance Williams - WR Dallas Cowboys
Miles Austin and his paper thin hamstrings have left town and in his place enter 2nd year wideout Terrance Williams. As with any #3 receiver on Dallas, Williams found some extended playing time when Miles Austin was on the sideline. Averaging over 16 yards a catch Williams was impressive in that stretch. With most of the defense's attention on Dez Bryant, Williams was able to consistently beat single coverage.  Williams will get plenty of playing time now that he is the clear cut #2. Williams is another player who will well outplay his price tag on draft day.

#4 David Wilson - HB New York Giants
After dealing with a variety of injuries last year, the big question for Wilson is "Can he stay healthy?" Wilson has shown flashes of big play ability, but has dealt with injuries and fumbling concerns for most of his career. So why put him on a list of potential sleepers? As I mentioned before he will likely share time as part of a committee with Rashad Jennings. Jennings will take most of the early work, with Wilson coming in as a change of pace. Will he win you your league? No probably not, but he can be a decent BYE week fill in at the Flex position, provided he can stay on the field.

#5 Hakeem Nicks - WR Indianapolis Colts

Photo courtesy of RantSports

After not recording a single touchdown all of last year, Nicks decided to leave the Big Apple and will attempt to bounce back in Indy. Nicks is another player who has had trouble staying healthy in recent years. However, as with all of these players, fantasy football is all about opportunity. Nicks will slide into a better supporting cast, along with a quarterback who is on the rise. With questions about whether or not Reggie Wayne can return to form, Nicks could quietly have a pretty good year. The Colts are another one of those teams who can support three decent fantasy options at WR this year.

#6 Kelvin Benjamin - WR Carolina Panthers
You've seen me say it 100 times already, but I'm going to say it again. Fantasy sleepers thrive if given the opportunity. Take Carolina's rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin for example. After losing their top three receivers in the offseason, Carolina replaced them with castoffs and backups. Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant are not #1 receivers in this league. Enter Benjamin, who although may be a little raw, has all the skills to be a #1 receiver in this league. Standing at 6' 5", 240 lbs, and with a ridiculous wing span, Newton is going to like throwing to this kid this year.

#7 Zach Ertz - TE Philadelphia Eagles
With the departure of DeSean Jackson to rival Washington, the Eagles still have more then enough weapons to carry the load. One of those weapons is second year tight end, Zach Ertz. Ertz didn't light up the scoreboard in his rookie year, but has all the skills to breakout in his sophomore season. Ertz has the size and speed you look for at the tight end position. The only thing holding him back is his teammate Brent Celek. Celek will likely start out the season as the starter on offense, but as the season progress, look for Ertz to take over and provide Top 10 tight end numbers for the rest of the season.

Photo courtesy of Ann Heisenfelt via Associated Press

#8 Teddy Bridgewater - QB Minnesota Vikings
There aren't many quarterback sleepers out there, but I think Bridgewater is one that fits the bill. Walking into a situation that has Cordarrell Patterson, Greg Jennings, and Jerome Simpson at wideout, Adrian Peterson in the backfield, and a tight end in Kyle Rudolph who has shown flashes in the past, life can't get much better for a rookie quarterback. With offenses stacking the box against the run, his receivers shouldn't have any issue with the man coverage on the back end. Although Bridgewater won't light the world on fire with his arm, with these weapons, he has the skills to put up decent QB2 numbers.

#9 Levine Toilolo - TE Atlanta Falcons
Toilolo has the difficult task of filling former tight end, and future Hall of Famer, Tony Gonzalez's shoes following his retirement earlier this year. Standing at 6'8" and weighing in at 265 lbs, Toilolo definitely has the size to be a redzone nightmare. Toilolo will likely be used more to block and won't quite put up the numbers that Gonzalez did and will be fairly touchdown dependant. However, once you get down near the goal line, who is going to want to cover this guy? If you're in a deeper league, that allows a tight end at the flex position, you can do worse then Toilolo.

#10 Richard Rodgers - TE Green Bay Packers
This one might be a bit of a stretch, but I like the skill set that Rodgers brings to a tight end position that is currently wide open. With Finley unlikely to return to Green Bay, Rodgers has emerged as the favorite to earn first team reps heading into training camp. He has good hands and the athleticism that Finley once brought to the position. With Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball, if Rodgers can beat out Andrew Quarless and undrafted rookie Colt Lyeria, Richard Rodgers could put up a quality rookie campaign even with all the other mouths to feed in Green Bay.