Not a bad first weekend of the NFL season for the Baltimore Ravens and for my prognostication skills, eh? 12-4 straight up, including the Ravens big victory over the Chiefs makes for a successful weekend. This week has a couple on great division matchups as well as some tough games between teams that both won last week and fel they have to back up those wins to prove they need to be taken for real this season.
So let's get right to it:
Falcons over Panthers: While I didn't have Atlanta as one of my picks to make the playoffs in 2009, they sure are looking to make me wrong as they face a Carolina team that totally bombed at home last week and look to rebound in a big way.
(More NFL Picks & Pans after the "Jump")
Saints over Eagles: Along with the rest of the pack, I would have picked Philly to win this game if Donovan McNabb was playing, but he's not and Drew Brees could probably throw TD passes to me!
Redskins over Rams: Last year, St. Louis beat Washington and knocked me out of the 'Suicide Pool' I was in, so I sure hope the 'skins are mad enough to beat the Rams for themselves and for me, who picked them again in this year's pool!
Titans over Texans: Tennessee returns home after the NFL opener to take out their frustrations of losing to the hated Steelers on the disappointing Houston team that tanked at home against the Jets last week.
Jets over Patriots: Even with the rookie QB, and no matter that I even hate the Jets more than the Pats, I think Tom Brady looked shaky and won't be able to bring them back this week against Rex, Bart and company.
Packers over Bengals: The Bengals certainly blew last week's game on that last second tipped ball and now won't have to crush their fans with another last second loss, as Green Bay should have this one in the bag a lot earlier.
Cardinals over Jaguars: I fully expect Arizona to rebound and go into Jacksonville and pass all over the Jags.
Chiefs over Raiders: One of the all time great rivalries reduced to also-rans and now the Chiefs have a chance to show they played hard last week in Baltimore and now a team like Oakland won't be able to do what the Ravens did.
Vikings over Lions: Minnesota wins another NFC North matchup and Detroit start off another season 0-2 but probably win win at least one somewhere along the way.
Bills over Buccaneers: Buffalo came close last week and now have their home fans to root them and TO onto their first victory of the 2009 season while Tampa falls further behind in the NFC South at 0-2.
49ers over Seahawks: San Francisco is a tough team as evidenced by their road victory over the defending NFC Champs last week, while Seattle won't find it so easy after playing the hapless Rams last week.
Steelers over Bears: I'd love to be able to pick Chicago in this one but Pittsburgh's defense will confuse and overwhelm Jay Cutler and Matt Forte is actually sitting this one out on my fantasy team!
Broncos over Browns: Two teams that will continue to frustrate their fans as Denver just barely pulled one out Cleveland will be lucky to even win a few this year.
Cowboys over Giants: Can Dallas lose both the last game in Texas Stadium as well as the first game in their new billion dollar one, as New York tries to do what our Ravens did late last season and quiet the home crowd.
Colts over Dolphins (Monday Night Football): Couldn't ESPN have come up with a better game on Monday night, as the boring, methodical yet always winning Indy team goes to south Florida to play a boring, methodical and rarely winning Miami team that will find out the hard way what it is like to play a tough schedule after last year's surprising AFC East title.
(Note: I'll Pick & Pan the Ravens-Chargers game in tomorrow's post)
Last week/Season Record: 12-4