NFL Week 2 Rewind
By Brian Edwards
Minnesota and Dallas are winless, while Tampa Bay, Chicago, Kansas City, Houston and Pittsburgh are unbeaten. The Steelers’ unblemished resume is only a shocker in the sense that Ben Roethlisberger is suspended and both Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich have been injured.
Nevertheless, Mike Tomlin’s team found a way to beat Atlanta in overtime last week and then dominated Tennessee in Nashville. The Steelers won by a score of 19-11, but the game was never really that close. Vince Young, who had led the Titans to a 9-2 record in 11 starts since getting his job back, committed three turnovers and got yanked by Jeff Fisher in favor of Kerry Collins.
After the game, Fisher said Young was his quarterback and would start next week in the Meadowlands against the Giants.
Mark Sanchez and the Jets answered their critics by rolling to a 28-14 win over New England as three-point home underdogs. The 42 combined points slipped ‘over’ the 39-point total.
Sanchez bounced back from a dismal performance against the Ravens, completing 21-of-30 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns without being intercepted. LaDainian Tomlinson added 76 rushing yards on the Pats despite getting just 11 carries.
The Pats will take a 1-1 record into next week’s home game against Buffalo. As of early Monday morning, most books had Bill Belichick’s team as a 13-point favorite vs. the Bills. The Jets also stay within the division, venturing to Miami to face the unbeaten Dolphins. Rex Ryan’s team will catch a break with the prime-time kickoff (8:20 Eastern) that’ll allow New York to avoid the brutal afternoon heat in South Florida during September.
Houston played from ahead in last week’s home win over Indianapolis. But in Week 2 at Washington, the Texans were forced to play from behind all day. The results remained the same, however, as Matt Schaub rallied his team to force overtime and eventually beat the Redskins 30-27.
The Texans closed as three-point favorites at most spots, so side wagers were a push. The 57 combined points roared ‘over’ the 43-point tally. Gary Kubiak’s squad will take on the Cowboys next week at Reliant Stadium. Most books have tabbed Houston as a three-point home ‘chalk.’
Jay Cutler was the best QB on the field at Cowboys Stadium in Week 2. The much-maligned Vanderbilt product connected on 21-of-29 passes for 277 yards and three TDs without throwing an interception. That production led the 2-0 Bears to a 27-20 win at Dallas as seven-point road underdogs.
Bettors backing Chicago on the money line brought home a plus-280 payout (paid $280 on $100 wagers). The Bears are three-point home underdogs for next Monday’s NFC North showdown against Green Bay.
Aaron Rodgers and Co. dealt out woodshed treatment at Lambeu Field against Buffalo, cruising to a 34-7 win as a 13-point home favorite. Rodgers led the Packers with 255 passing yards, two TD passes and one TD run.
Minnesota fell to 0-2 when Miami won a second straight road game by a 14-10 count. The Dolphins won outright as 5 1/2-point underdogs, hooking up money-line backers with a plus-210 return (paid $210 on $100 wagers).
Brett Favre threw three interceptions and coughed up a fumble in the end zone that was recovered by the ‘Fins for a 14-0 lead in the third quarter. The Vikings’ defense kept them in it and they had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. However, Adrian Peterson was denied on a fourth-and-goal run from the one.
Brad Childress’s team is home again next week to take on Detroit. The Vikes were favored by 10 or 10 ½ early Monday morning.
Atlanta posted the most lopsided victory of the weekend, trashing Arizona 41-7 as a seven-point home favorite. Matt Ryan threw for 225 yards and three TDs with no picks, while Jason Snelling finished with 129 rushing yards and a pair of TD runs. Snelling also had five catches for 57 yards and another score.
Michael Turner left the game with a groin injury that isn’t thought to be serious. In fact, the Falcons are hoping Turner will be back for next week’s game at New Orleans.
Tampa Bay has beaten two teams with zero wins, but the Bucs are 2-0 nonetheless. They rallied to beat Cleveland in Week 1 and then captured a 20-7 win at Carolina. Josh Freeman threw a pair of TD passes and scrambled for 43 yards. Most importantly, the second-year signal caller didn’t commit a turnover in leading his team to victory as a 3 ½-point underdog.
San Diego put Monday’s loss at Kansas City aside in time to spank Jacksonville 38-13 as a seven-point favorite in its home opener. Philip Rivers threw for 334 yards and three TDs, while the Bolts’ defense intercepted David Garrard four times. The Chargers take their 1-1 record to Seattle next week.
Denver and Oakland pulled into a second-place tie with Seattle in the AFC West. Those three teams trail the unbeaten Chiefs, who won a 16-14 decision at Cleveland as three-point underdogs.
Kyle Orton was the catalyst in Denver’s 31-14 home victory over the Seahawks. Orton completed 25-of-35 throws for 307 passing yards and two TDs without an interception. The Broncos took the money as 3 ½-point home favorite. They’ll be home underdogs next week against the Colts.
Oakland slipped past St. Louis 16-14 thanks to the relief work at QB from veteran Bruce Gradkowski, who led an 83-yard drive and found Louis Murphy for a four-yard TD pass to put the Raiders ahead for good late in the third quarter.
Michael Vick’s first NFL start since late 2006 was a roaring success unless, of course, you laid the points with the Eagles. Philadelphia won 35-32 at Detroit, but the Lions posted a backdoor cover and took the cash as 6 ½-point home underdogs.
Bettors can’t blame Vick for the non-cover. He was terrific all day, throwing for 284 yards and two TDs without committing a turnover. Vick also scrambled for 37 yards even though he made a concerted effort to keep himself out of harm’s way. LeSean McCoy enjoyed a career day, rushing for 120 yards and three TDs on just 16 carries.
The Eagles, who play at Jacksonville next week, are expected to turn back to Kevin Kolb as the starting QB if he passes all of the medical tests. If Kolb doesn’t perform well, the QB controversy in Philadelphia is going to be a boiling-hot issue with Donovan McNabb and the ‘Skins coming to Lincoln Financial Field in Week 4.
Indianapolis was one of the best plays on the board in Week 3. I had the Colts as my guaranteed pick and was shocked when the number went from five to four late in the week. I was expecting the opposite, thinking the Colts would close at around six or 6 ½.
Peyton Manning connected on 20-of-26 passes for 255 yards and three TDs without a pick. Joseph Addai finished with 92 rushing yards on 20 totes.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
In the wake of Oakland’s first win, owner Al Davis was up to his old tricks. The Raiders’ PR staff issued a press release with invented quotes from Tom Cable about the team’s quarterbacks, Campbell and Gradkowski. Davis favors Campbell, who has played awful the first two weeks, while Cable is partial to Gradkowski, who led the comeback win over the Rams and also played outstanding in upset wins over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh last year.
New England rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez had a team-high six receptions for 101 yards in the loss to the Jets.
Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson had 28 carries for 145 yards and one TD run in the loss to the ‘Fins.
Houston QB Matt Schaub’s final stat line looked like this: 38-of-52 for 497 yards and three TDs with one interception.
Best Week 3 Games
1-Dallas at Houston
2-Atlanta at New Orleans
3-New York Jets at Miami
4-San Diego at Seattle
5-Indianapolis at Denver
My Top Ten
1-Packers
2-Saints
3-Ravens
4-Jets
5-Pats
6-Colts
7-Texans
8-Steelers
9-Falcons
10-Bengals
vegasinsider.com.