Music to listen to: Breathe by Delilah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFbQfKIh0mI
Two weeks into the NFL season and logic has already been thrown out the door. We’ve seen Pittsburgh look like a 4-12 team. Tampa looks like its going to release the head coach and quarterback by the end of the season. Matt Cassel may the answer in Minnesota. There’s talk of Denver going undefeated. The enigma known as the Philadelphia Eagles has the potential to be the biggest chemistry experiment in the NFL in decades for reasons we’ll get into and so much more.
Similar to college football, I’ll wait before doing Power Rankings because its make minimal sense to rank teams with only one or two games on their docket. We’ll save the rankings for next week.
On to the picks (home team in CAPS):
PHILADELPHIA (-3) Kansas City: Much will be made of Andy Reid’s return to Philly which is fair considering he’s the best coach ever for the franchise (sorry Dick Vermeil or the original Ryan boy Buddy) and returning to a franchise whose key players were brought in by him. Vick was the reclamation project, Desean Jackson the player considered too small to play wide receiver in the NFL, you get the idea.
Chip Kelly owes Reid the fortune of stocking the Eagles’ offense with the tools to run the up-tempo offense that gave Jon Gruden a football orgasm during the season opener against Washington.
However, the reason that the Eagles won’t prevail in a winnable NFC East was Reid’s lack of developing a respectable defense. Philadelphia is third in the NFL in points scored per game but giving up a whopping 30 ppg on defense. That number will surely go down over the course of the season but its impossible to continue to win games 35-30 unless you’re the 1999 Rams or the 2009 Saints and those defenses was statistically in the middle of the pack.
For the Chiefs game, the Eagles will score just enough points against a Chiefs’ offense that’s improved but not enough to win on the road. If Jamaal Charles goes for 200 total yards, that may change things.
TENNESSEE (-3) San Diego: Do the Chargers have another road win in them? It took a shotty Philly defense explained above and Eddie Royal channeling his inner Jerry Rice for San Diego to win at the Eagles last week. I don’t see that happening again even though the lack of progression from Sam Bradford and Blaine Gabbert has taken the national negative spotlight off of Jake Locker. Chris Johnson will be enough for the Titans to grind out a win.
MINNESOTA (-6) Cleveland: The Vikings have issues on both sides of the ball and I’ve never trusted Ponder at quarterback. However, the Browns just traded away their top-five first-round draft pick from TWO years ago. Who does that and wants to be looked upon as a respectable franchise?
NEW ENGLAND (-7) Tampa: The Patriots have their own issues on offense but the Bucs are in major trouble. When faith is lost in the quarterback and a severance between him and an organization takes place, that’s not going to be repaired.
BALTIMORE (+2.5) Houston: Odd seeing the Ravens as a home dog. I know Ray Rice has an injury issue and the Texans look poised to make the next step towards a championship but I’ll take the home team.
DALLAS (-3.5) St. Louis: Despite the loss to Kansas City, I think Dallas may be the best team in the NFC East and should beat an inferior team at home.
Arizona (+7.5) NEW ORLEANS: This one can come down to the end or you’re looking at the scoreboard and the Cardinals are down by 17 in the second quarter. I still think the Saints win the game but the Cardinals find a way to cover.
WASHINGTON (-2) Detroit: There’s much wrong in the Washington camp from the defense going from respectable in 2012 to mediocre so far in 2013 and that’s with the return of Brian Orakpo. I’m not a doctor but I was skeptical of Robert Griffin III just returning back from a major knee injury, not playing in preseason contests and then entering the regular season at full strength. Washington can still win its division and starts with a home victory over Detroit.
Green Bay (-2) CINCINNATI: Tricky game because cases can be made for both sides but I’ll take the road team in a close victory.
New York Giants (+1) CAROLINA: The Giants can’t keep turning the ball over at this pace.
Atlanta (+2.5) Miami: I know the Dolphins had a nice in at Indy last week but a favorite over the Falcons? I know Steven Jackson isn’t playing for Atlanta but the Falcons will have enough to get a late score to secure the victory.
SAN FRANCISCO (-10) Indianapolis: The 49ers get healthy at home against the Colts. If Trent Richardson stays healthy and keeps his act together, his career was saved going to to the Colts. He’s going to rush for more than 1,000 yards the rest of the season but not have a major impact on this contest.
Jacksonville (+19.5) SEATTLE: The Jaguars are the worst team in the NFL. Seattle has the best home-field advantage in the NFL. That’s still too many points and the line is going UP, which means the majority of people are taking the Seahawks, which is lunacy. Furthermore, there has to be some letdown from Seattle’s win over San Fran last Sunday.
Buffalo (+2.5) New York Jets: The Bills have more talent.
Chicago (-2.5) PITTSBURGH: If you removed the Steelers’ colors, track history and looked at them purely from the prism of this 2013 season, that’s a six-win team and that may be generous. The Bears have shown life so far this season. Yes, its’ Chicago’s first road game of the year and Jay Cutler on national television can go many directions. However, similar to the last game above, the Bears have more talent than the Steelers.
Oakland (+15) DENVER: What’s with the high lines in these games? I don’t think Denver or Seattle cover their games but win easily.
Those are my thoughts, what are yours?
Last Week: 0-0
Season: 0-0
The Sports Inquirer 
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