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BwareDWare94
Where were you when the world stopped turning?
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Sunday: San Diego Chargers @ Buffalo Bills
What to Expect:
The Chargers come off what will perhaps be the most impressive upset of the season (that is, of course, unless someone beats Seattle in Seattle). Offensively, the Chargers are a well-oiled machine run by Philip Rivers. Here's a non-football related statistic about Philip Rivers that Adrian Peterson should take note of: Rivers has 7 kids...all with the same woman! Anyway, Rivers has a plethora of weapons to toss it to, from Danny Woodhead out of the backfield to the classic Rivers/Gates combination. Of course there's Keenan Allen and the thankfully recovered Malcom Floyd, who suffered one of the scariest injuries of the 2013 season. Unfortunately for the Chargers, they'll likely be without lead back Ryan Mathews, but I'm curious to see what Donald Brown's straight-ahead running style can do for this San Diego offense. Defensively, the Chargers have put in nice performances against a couple of potentially (but not consistently) explosive NFC West offenses, but holding NFL teams to 18 and 20 points, respectively, is still impressive. I'm wondering how they'll fare against Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, as well as Buffalo's two headed running attack. It'll be interesting to see how the Chargers match up to a very dangerous Bills offense that will be fine if EJ Manuel isn't terrible.
The Bills are probably the most surprising 2-0 team in the league. That honor would belong to Houston if the Texans had played potential playoff teams in weeks 1 and 2, like Buffalo. EJ Manuel isn't great, but he doesn't look nearly as terrible as he did in the preseason, and it's been great to see Fred Jackson continue to make big plays for this team. We can only hope that Jackson gets to play some meaningful football in December and January before it gets too late in his career. Sammy Watkins looks to be on his way to being as good as advertised, and the scary thing is that he's coming off of a rib injury. If he isn't healthy yet, imagine how dangerous he could be as the season progresses. Needless to say, the Bills should be a Sunday Ticket team for fans around the country, especially considering the big play potential of Watkins, Spiller, Jackson, and Woods. On the other side of the ball, the Bills have proven me wrong by being more than capable without the services of Byrd and after the loss of Alonso. Their front 4 is very impressive, and their secondary continues to grow before our eyes. What remains to be seen is if they can stop an elite quarterback. We'll see that answer on Sunday, first hand.
Prediction: Chargers 30 Bills 23
I think Buffalo's on the rise. Matter of fact, I think they have a legitimate shot at fighting for a Wild Card spot. As long as EJ Manuel is efficient and refrains from long spurts of god awful play, the Bills are going to be in a lot of games. I just don't think they have what it takes to beat a potentially elite team like the Chargers, at least not yet. If your market picks up this game, do yourself a favor and tune in.
Sunday: Oakland Raiders @ New England Patriots
What to Expect:
What can I say about these Patriots? Year after year they continue to dominate in the regular season, no matter how fishy some of their aerial weapons are. What kind of offense would you expect to see if Julian Edelman was its scariest receiver? Certainly not this New England offense, but with Tom Brady at the helm, marginally good players will continue to look significantly better than they really are. Gronkowski clearly isn't healthy yet, or he'd have feasted on Minnesota last week. Steven Ridley is performing fairly well, and hopefully he's past his fumble issues, as he's a very fun player to watch. New England is New England, if we're talking offense. We know what they are, and most importantly, what they're capable of on any given Sunday. Defensively, the Patriots treated their fantasy owners to nearly 30 points last week after such an underwhelming week 1 against Miami's brand new OL and plethora of mediocrity + Mike Wallace on the outside. Bill Belichick just has to make sure they don't fall completely asleep for this week's matchup.
The Raiders are the Raiders. There's no other way to put it. It looks like they may have found a quarterback, at the very least, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. They have a pair of nice running backs, but that can only do so much when the receivers consist of guys like Moore and Jones. Quite frankly, there's a reason this offense is bad, and it doesn't have much to do with a rookie quarterback. Defensively the Raiders haven't allowed a ton of points, but it's hard to gauge just how good they are when their first two opponents had Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback.
Prediction: Patriots 41 Raiders 0
Derek Carr is going to get on the wrong side of Darrelle Revis. Oakland's going to remind us all that they're barely an NFL team. This game is over, and it was over as soon as it was scheduled.
Sunday: Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins
What to Expect:
We all thought the Chiefs were dead in the water against Denver last week, especially after Jamaal Charles went down early. What proceeded to happen in the game only baffled us further. Knile Davis stepped in and played a hell of a game. Alex Smith wasn't nearly as terrible as he usually is. The Chiefs defense stepped up against Denver's prolific offense, despite missing pieces like Derrick Johnson. Offensively, it appears that Jamaal Charles could play in this game, which will only help Kansas City's quest to get back in decent shape and recover from their two early losses. I like Anthony Fasano at tight end, and Bowe is capable of a big game every time he steps on the field. What it comes down to is Alex Smith. They need him to be better than average to fairly good, at best. I'm not sure he's capable of that. Defensively, holding the Denver Broncos under 30 points has to bode well for Kansas City, moving forward, but I just don't know if they'll be able to recover if injuries continue to pile up.
Miami looked ready to take the league by storm in the second half of week one, only to travel to Buffalo in week 2 and completely underwhelm. Don't get me wrong--I think Buffalo's pretty good, but there's no denying that Miami played very shitty on the road, last week. Ryan Tannehill is in his third season, but still looks like a rookie at the worst of times. He's got OK pieces around him outside of Mike Wallace, but young quarterbacks usually need a little more than that (see: Matthew Stafford). Now that Moreno is out for up to 8 games, the Dolphins need LaMar Miller to step up to the plate and live up to the hype, something he's failed to do in his short career. Defensively, the Dolphins are a nightmare for immobile quarterbacks, but I have to believe that EJ Manuel's mobility had a lot to do with Miami's struggle's, last week. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, one of Alex Smith's greatest strength's is excellent elusiveness, and if the Dolphins want to win this game, they're going to have to get home when they get anywhere near Alex Smith. Letting him escape pressure is almost always a sign of disaster for the defense.
Prediction: Chiefs 26 Dolphins 17
I am not impressed with the way Miami struggled last week, and there's something to be said about Kansas City's tough performance against the Broncos. Yes, it's a brand new week, but the prior week is always telling, in some way. I expect the Chiefs to play with desperation, and to pull off a victory on the road.
Sunday: Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks
What to expect:
The Broncos have quietly jumped out to a 2-0 start, with nice wins against the Colts and a surprisingly pesky Chiefs squad. On offense, the Broncos desperately miss the tough running of Knowshon Moreno, and his absence from the roster has been more than noticeable through the first two weeks of the season. On the outside, Emmanuel Sanders is finding his role in this offense, and Julius Thomas is off to a very fast start. Peyton Manning is as good as ever, but correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm seeing even less velocity on his passes, this season. Overall, the Broncos will not be as explosive if they can't establish a consistent running game. It's hard to fathom how important the running game was for such an explosive passing offense, last season, but the lack of Moreno has been more than obvious on that side of the ball. Defensively, the addition of DeMarcus Ware has proven to be huge, so far, and I'm very interested to see the combination of Miller/Ware as the season progresses, as Miller should get healthier and return to form. Even more important are the additions of Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward, who have shored up Denver's secondary and given them a wider array of tactics that they can use. Overall, what the Broncos have lost in the running game, they've gained on defense. If this defense stays healthy, it's going to be a real asset going into the postseason. Overall, this team very much reminds me of Peyton Manning's lone Super Bowl run and victory with the Colts.
The Seahawks picked up a very impressive win against the Packers in week 1, followed up by a loss against the perfect game plan put in place by the San Diego Chargers. Offensively, the Seahawks have benefited from a healthy Percy Harvin and the running back combination of Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin. I'm still excited to see Christine Michael get his first game action of the 2014 season, and very much look forward to watching this matchup, tomorrow. Russell Wilson is playing fairly well, though every analyst would have you believe he's pulling stars out of the sky with his bare hands. For some reason, Marshawn Lynch only had 6 rush attempts last week. Look for the Seahawks coaching staff to fix that, tomorrow. Defensively, the Seahawks look to be on their way to being as good as ever, if they stay healthy. Bobby Wagner flies from sideline to sideline, and is perhaps becoming the most exciting defensive player in the league. Richard Sherman was not even close to "exposed" last week, and Byron Maxwell is more than good enough to be the fourth piece to the best secondary in the NFL.
Prediction: Seahawks 34 Broncos 24
This will not be a blowout, as some expect, but the Seahawks will have control for most of the game. Peyton Manning is going to throw some ducks that the Seahawks secondary will feast on, and Russell Wilson won't turn the ball over, because he just doesn't do that. Marshawn Lynch is going to run rampant, and Percy Harvin will have a couple of backbreaking plays in each half. The Seahawks won't fall under .500.
What to Expect:
The Chargers come off what will perhaps be the most impressive upset of the season (that is, of course, unless someone beats Seattle in Seattle). Offensively, the Chargers are a well-oiled machine run by Philip Rivers. Here's a non-football related statistic about Philip Rivers that Adrian Peterson should take note of: Rivers has 7 kids...all with the same woman! Anyway, Rivers has a plethora of weapons to toss it to, from Danny Woodhead out of the backfield to the classic Rivers/Gates combination. Of course there's Keenan Allen and the thankfully recovered Malcom Floyd, who suffered one of the scariest injuries of the 2013 season. Unfortunately for the Chargers, they'll likely be without lead back Ryan Mathews, but I'm curious to see what Donald Brown's straight-ahead running style can do for this San Diego offense. Defensively, the Chargers have put in nice performances against a couple of potentially (but not consistently) explosive NFC West offenses, but holding NFL teams to 18 and 20 points, respectively, is still impressive. I'm wondering how they'll fare against Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, as well as Buffalo's two headed running attack. It'll be interesting to see how the Chargers match up to a very dangerous Bills offense that will be fine if EJ Manuel isn't terrible.
The Bills are probably the most surprising 2-0 team in the league. That honor would belong to Houston if the Texans had played potential playoff teams in weeks 1 and 2, like Buffalo. EJ Manuel isn't great, but he doesn't look nearly as terrible as he did in the preseason, and it's been great to see Fred Jackson continue to make big plays for this team. We can only hope that Jackson gets to play some meaningful football in December and January before it gets too late in his career. Sammy Watkins looks to be on his way to being as good as advertised, and the scary thing is that he's coming off of a rib injury. If he isn't healthy yet, imagine how dangerous he could be as the season progresses. Needless to say, the Bills should be a Sunday Ticket team for fans around the country, especially considering the big play potential of Watkins, Spiller, Jackson, and Woods. On the other side of the ball, the Bills have proven me wrong by being more than capable without the services of Byrd and after the loss of Alonso. Their front 4 is very impressive, and their secondary continues to grow before our eyes. What remains to be seen is if they can stop an elite quarterback. We'll see that answer on Sunday, first hand.
Prediction: Chargers 30 Bills 23
I think Buffalo's on the rise. Matter of fact, I think they have a legitimate shot at fighting for a Wild Card spot. As long as EJ Manuel is efficient and refrains from long spurts of god awful play, the Bills are going to be in a lot of games. I just don't think they have what it takes to beat a potentially elite team like the Chargers, at least not yet. If your market picks up this game, do yourself a favor and tune in.
Sunday: Oakland Raiders @ New England Patriots
What to Expect:
What can I say about these Patriots? Year after year they continue to dominate in the regular season, no matter how fishy some of their aerial weapons are. What kind of offense would you expect to see if Julian Edelman was its scariest receiver? Certainly not this New England offense, but with Tom Brady at the helm, marginally good players will continue to look significantly better than they really are. Gronkowski clearly isn't healthy yet, or he'd have feasted on Minnesota last week. Steven Ridley is performing fairly well, and hopefully he's past his fumble issues, as he's a very fun player to watch. New England is New England, if we're talking offense. We know what they are, and most importantly, what they're capable of on any given Sunday. Defensively, the Patriots treated their fantasy owners to nearly 30 points last week after such an underwhelming week 1 against Miami's brand new OL and plethora of mediocrity + Mike Wallace on the outside. Bill Belichick just has to make sure they don't fall completely asleep for this week's matchup.
The Raiders are the Raiders. There's no other way to put it. It looks like they may have found a quarterback, at the very least, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. They have a pair of nice running backs, but that can only do so much when the receivers consist of guys like Moore and Jones. Quite frankly, there's a reason this offense is bad, and it doesn't have much to do with a rookie quarterback. Defensively the Raiders haven't allowed a ton of points, but it's hard to gauge just how good they are when their first two opponents had Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback.
Prediction: Patriots 41 Raiders 0
Derek Carr is going to get on the wrong side of Darrelle Revis. Oakland's going to remind us all that they're barely an NFL team. This game is over, and it was over as soon as it was scheduled.
Sunday: Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins
What to Expect:
We all thought the Chiefs were dead in the water against Denver last week, especially after Jamaal Charles went down early. What proceeded to happen in the game only baffled us further. Knile Davis stepped in and played a hell of a game. Alex Smith wasn't nearly as terrible as he usually is. The Chiefs defense stepped up against Denver's prolific offense, despite missing pieces like Derrick Johnson. Offensively, it appears that Jamaal Charles could play in this game, which will only help Kansas City's quest to get back in decent shape and recover from their two early losses. I like Anthony Fasano at tight end, and Bowe is capable of a big game every time he steps on the field. What it comes down to is Alex Smith. They need him to be better than average to fairly good, at best. I'm not sure he's capable of that. Defensively, holding the Denver Broncos under 30 points has to bode well for Kansas City, moving forward, but I just don't know if they'll be able to recover if injuries continue to pile up.
Miami looked ready to take the league by storm in the second half of week one, only to travel to Buffalo in week 2 and completely underwhelm. Don't get me wrong--I think Buffalo's pretty good, but there's no denying that Miami played very shitty on the road, last week. Ryan Tannehill is in his third season, but still looks like a rookie at the worst of times. He's got OK pieces around him outside of Mike Wallace, but young quarterbacks usually need a little more than that (see: Matthew Stafford). Now that Moreno is out for up to 8 games, the Dolphins need LaMar Miller to step up to the plate and live up to the hype, something he's failed to do in his short career. Defensively, the Dolphins are a nightmare for immobile quarterbacks, but I have to believe that EJ Manuel's mobility had a lot to do with Miami's struggle's, last week. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, one of Alex Smith's greatest strength's is excellent elusiveness, and if the Dolphins want to win this game, they're going to have to get home when they get anywhere near Alex Smith. Letting him escape pressure is almost always a sign of disaster for the defense.
Prediction: Chiefs 26 Dolphins 17
I am not impressed with the way Miami struggled last week, and there's something to be said about Kansas City's tough performance against the Broncos. Yes, it's a brand new week, but the prior week is always telling, in some way. I expect the Chiefs to play with desperation, and to pull off a victory on the road.
Sunday: Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks
What to expect:
The Broncos have quietly jumped out to a 2-0 start, with nice wins against the Colts and a surprisingly pesky Chiefs squad. On offense, the Broncos desperately miss the tough running of Knowshon Moreno, and his absence from the roster has been more than noticeable through the first two weeks of the season. On the outside, Emmanuel Sanders is finding his role in this offense, and Julius Thomas is off to a very fast start. Peyton Manning is as good as ever, but correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm seeing even less velocity on his passes, this season. Overall, the Broncos will not be as explosive if they can't establish a consistent running game. It's hard to fathom how important the running game was for such an explosive passing offense, last season, but the lack of Moreno has been more than obvious on that side of the ball. Defensively, the addition of DeMarcus Ware has proven to be huge, so far, and I'm very interested to see the combination of Miller/Ware as the season progresses, as Miller should get healthier and return to form. Even more important are the additions of Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward, who have shored up Denver's secondary and given them a wider array of tactics that they can use. Overall, what the Broncos have lost in the running game, they've gained on defense. If this defense stays healthy, it's going to be a real asset going into the postseason. Overall, this team very much reminds me of Peyton Manning's lone Super Bowl run and victory with the Colts.
The Seahawks picked up a very impressive win against the Packers in week 1, followed up by a loss against the perfect game plan put in place by the San Diego Chargers. Offensively, the Seahawks have benefited from a healthy Percy Harvin and the running back combination of Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin. I'm still excited to see Christine Michael get his first game action of the 2014 season, and very much look forward to watching this matchup, tomorrow. Russell Wilson is playing fairly well, though every analyst would have you believe he's pulling stars out of the sky with his bare hands. For some reason, Marshawn Lynch only had 6 rush attempts last week. Look for the Seahawks coaching staff to fix that, tomorrow. Defensively, the Seahawks look to be on their way to being as good as ever, if they stay healthy. Bobby Wagner flies from sideline to sideline, and is perhaps becoming the most exciting defensive player in the league. Richard Sherman was not even close to "exposed" last week, and Byron Maxwell is more than good enough to be the fourth piece to the best secondary in the NFL.
Prediction: Seahawks 34 Broncos 24
This will not be a blowout, as some expect, but the Seahawks will have control for most of the game. Peyton Manning is going to throw some ducks that the Seahawks secondary will feast on, and Russell Wilson won't turn the ball over, because he just doesn't do that. Marshawn Lynch is going to run rampant, and Percy Harvin will have a couple of backbreaking plays in each half. The Seahawks won't fall under .500.