NFL Week 3

Injuries are running amok in the NFL. Stars such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Marion Barber, Randy Moss, Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis, DeSean Jackson, and Asante Samuel will all most likely be missing action this week (if you were paying attention, you would have realized that the last 5 players I listed all play for Philly... and I STILL picked them to beat KC).

But injuries are a part of the game, always have been. The great teams can adapt and fill those spots, while other teams fall to pieces without their star. That's how we sort out the men from the boys. This week is going to be very telling for teams like Philadelphia, Dallas, and New England. Step up or shut up.

Here are the week 3 match ups (Home team in CAPS):

Favorite Spread Underdog
NEW YORK JETS -2.5 Tennessee
HOUSTON -4 Jacksonville
PHILADELPHIA -9 Kansas City
BALTIMORE -13.5 Cleveland
New York Giants -7 TAMPA BAY
Washington -6 DETROIT
Green Bay -6.5 ST. LOUIS
MINNESOTA -7 San Francisco
NEW ENGLAND -4 Atlanta
Chicago -2 SEATTLE
New Orleans -6 BUFFALO
SAN DIEGO -6 Miami
Pittsburgh -4 CINCINNATI
Denver -1.5 OAKLAND
ARIZONA -2.5 Indianapolis
DALLAS -9 Carolina

Just like last week, the games in red are the ones in which I do not believe the favorite will cover the spread. I will get to those shortly, but first I'm going to quickly run through the other games.

HOUSTON (-4) over Jacksonville
The Texans offense showed up last week, and they pulled out a huge win against Tennessee. Jacksonville does not have nearly as much talent as Tennessee (especially on the defensive side) so I expect a similar performance from Schaub and Houston's offense. Score: 28-13

PHILADELPHIA (-9) over Kansas City
Despite the fact that every notable Eagles starter is injured this week, Kansas City has shown me absolutely nothing to make me think they can go into Philly and get the W. Nothing at all. Even Kevin Kolb and LeSean McCoy can move the ball against the Chiefs defense, and unless Matt Cassel goes...... Matt Cassel on the Eagles, I don't see much hope for floundering KC. Score: 24-13

New York Giants (-7) over TAMPA BAY
The Buccaneers just aren't a very good football team anymore. They were defeated pretty handily by the Buffalo Bills last week. And seriously, have you ever seen a less impressive roster? I'm really starting to think that Dirk Johnson is their best player. He's already got 463 yards in just 2 games! On the other hand, the Giants have loads of talent, including Mario Manningham, who is of right now the number 1 fantasy receiver in the league (and who is now on my fantasy team). Score: 30-17

Green Bay (-6.5) over ST. LOUIS
The Rams are awful. Green Bay is coming in angry after that loss to Cincy last week, and the Rams are powerless to stop them. They will not lose 2 in a row. Period. Only a 6.5 point spread? No contest. Score: 27-6

MINNESOTA (-4) over San Francisco
This is an interesting match up. Both teams are 2-0 and there should be a good battle between Adrian Peterson and a tough 49ers defense. But the Vikings are at home, they also have a very strong defense, and I trust their offense more than I do San Fran's. Good game, but Minnesota proves to be too much for the Niners. Score: 24-14

NEW ENGLAND (-4) over Atlanta
I think the Falcons are going to be a very tough team this year. Most likely a better team than New England when it's all said an done. But I have learned it's never a good idea to doubt Bill Belichick. He knows what he is doing and he will have this team ready to go (no matter who Brady will be throwing to). I just can't see the Patriots slipping to 1-2. Brady bounces back after a lackluster performance against the Jets and pulls out a win in the 4th quarter. Score: 31-24

New Orleans (-6) over BUFFALO
So I was thinking, what's the spread going to be for the Saints game in week 3? Maybe 40, 50 points? I decided that if it was -14 or higher I would really have to think about it. What with a Bills D that looked awfully good against Tampa Bay (and New England for 55 minutes) and the fact that it's going to be cold and wet in Buffalo. However, they made it real easy for me. Only -6?!?! I'll take that all day. Score: 35-21

SAN DIEGO (-6) over Miami
Rivers threw the ball ALL OVER the Ravens defense last week, but the banged up offensive line couldn't come through, and the Chargers dropped a game in which they had many chances to win (oh, and the worst play call in the history of forever didn't help either). The Dolphins really dominated the Colts defense, and proved that they can move the ball with the run game. However, their defense apparently forgot how to do anything remotely related to defensive football, and they lost the game. They will meet a similar fate this week, playing against a much better defense. Score: 38-23

Pittsburgh (-4) over CINCINNATI
I really wanted to pick the Bengals. It would have been a slap across the face of the Steelers Superbowl victory to pick them to lose to Cincy the next year. But I just couldn't do it. The Steelers are not going to start 1-2. Especially when it's pretty certain the Ravens will be 3-0. They have too much talent to lose to Chicago and Cincinnati in back to back weeks. They will be ready to play and the Bengals offense will find themselves under a lot of pressure. Score: 27-21

Denver (-1.5) over OAKLAND
This is just embarrassing. Look at how weak the AFC West is. Denver, who is technically the best team in the AFC West at the moment, is only a 1.5 point favorite over Oakland? As in the Oakland RAIDERS??? Am I missing something??? Anyways, Denver has a decent offense and no defense to speak of, and the opposite is true for Oakland. The game will come down to turnovers and special teams. Yuck, how boring. Score: 20-16

DALLAS (-9) over Carolina
Oh, Tony Romo is so TERRIBLE!! How did we ever let this guy start for an NFL team?? He has no skill whatsoever and we should cut him from the squad. Everyone just shut up ok? Tony Romo is a fine quarterback, top 10 in my opinion. He had one bad game and now everyone wants to castrate him. Everyone just chill for a second. It was one game, against a good defense, and they only lost by 2. Give the guy a break. He has a struggling Panthers team coming in to HIS stadium, and he is going to bounce back and have a good game, just give him the opportunity. Sheesh. Score: 34-21

So those are the games in which I think the favorites will win and cover the spread.

Here are the 5 games in which I am calling upsets.

Tennessee (+2.5) over NEW YORK JETS
Yes I watched the Jets game last week, they looked very good, I'll admit it. But this game isn't about them. This game is about the Tennessee Titans. A team that started 10-0 and ultimately finished with the best record in the NFL at 13-3. And now they have an 0-2 record staring them in the face (and in Jeff Fisher's case, staring him in the mustache). The Jets will have difficulty in moving the ball against a talented D, and they are going to have to figure out how to stop Chris Johnson, who absolutely exploded last week. The Titans won't start 0-3. Score: 23-16

BALTIMORE (-13.5) over Cleveland
Let me make myself quite clear, I am NOT choosing Cleveland to win this game. I mean, a Ravens home game? Against the Browns?? I would have to be out of my mind. However, I think this game will be closer than you might expect. I guess I'm giving the Browns more credit than... well probably more than they deserve. But I don't think the Ravens cover the 2 TD spread. Score: 24-13

DETROIT (+6) over Washington
... Oh wait... Did I write that wrong?... NO I DIDN'T!!! I am choosing the Detroit Lions to win a football game! That's right! Obviously, this is my Ballsy Pick of the Week. The Lions, who haven't won a game since 145 BC, will in fact win tomorrow, at home, against Washington. The Lions offense has scored 40 points in the first 2 games. That's actually not too bad. The problem is that their defense has given up 70 million. But this week they play a Redskins offense that could only muster 9 points against St. Louis. I think this is week, Lions fans! Score: 24-19

SEATTLE (+2) over Chicago
Seattle was humiliated last week. Their offense did very little against the 49ers defense and Hasselbeck went down with Donovan McNabb-itis. Even if Seneca Wallace is the starter, I think the Seahawks win this home game. They have a much better defense than what we saw last week and if the running game and T.J Houshamazilly can get going, this team could be a force in the NFC West...... which isn't saying much... but still... Score: 28-24

Indianapolis (+2.5) over Arizona
It sounds silly, but I just can't seem to pick the Colts to lose. Maybe if they were playing Baltimore or Minnesota or New Orleans. But it's the Cardinals. I just can't go against Peyton Manning. He had the ball for less than 15 minutes, and he had over 300 yards passing and 2 TDs. That just doesn't happen to normal people. How is Arizona's defense going to stop him if he can do stuff like that? It's almost unfair. Score: 31-20