| Fav | Spread | Dog | Dre | Jay | ||
| Thu. Nite | ||||||
| CAR (1-1) | 2½ | NYG (1-1) | NY 36-7 | NY | ||
| Sunday | ||||||
| DAL (1-1) | 9 | TB (1-1) | Dal | TB | ||
| CHI (1-1) | 7 | StL (1-1) | Chi | Chi | ||
| SF (2-0) | 6½ | MIN (1-1) | SF | Min | ||
| Det (1-1) | 3½ | TENN (0-2) | Det | Tenn | ||
| WASH(1-1) | 3 | Cin (1-1) | Cin | Wash | ||
| NO (0-2) | 9 | KC (0-2) | NO | NO | ||
| NYJ (1-1) | 1 | MIA (1-1) | NY | NY | ||
| Buf (1-1) | 3 | CLE (0-2) | Buf | Buf | ||
| IND (1-1) | 3 | Jack (0-2) | Jack | Ind | ||
| Phi (2-0) | 3 | ARIZ (2-0) | Phi | Phi | ||
| SD (2-0) | 3 | Atl (2-0) | SD | Atl | ||
| Hou (2-0) | 1 | DEN (1-1) | Den | Hou | ||
| Pit (1-1) | 3½ | OAK (0-2) | Pit | Pit | ||
| Sun. Nite | ||||||
| BAL (1-1) | 1½ | NE (1-1) | NE | Bal | ||
| Mon. Nite | ||||||
| GB (1-1) | 3 | SEA (1-1) | GB | GB | ||
Some of our thoughts and observations included:
- Jason comes out with the underdog Bucs at Big D to cover the number in the Cowboys' home opener. I ain't buying it. I know Jay's the president of the Josh Freeman Fan Club, but Dallas should get the double-digit win here. If they don't, they're not going to be nearly as formidable as certain people were shouting they were after Week 1. If Dallas pass protects for Tony Romo, it's a squoosh.
- I haven't felt this squeamish about a Lock of the Week in a long time, but here it is: I got Chicago to rebound from the Green Bay debacle and rout the Rams in Soldier Field. Jason concurs. It's the Rams' first game off the turf this season, the Bears are pissed, and St. Louis RB and workhorse Steven Jackson may not even answer the call to take the field. The D-line must dominate for Chicago here. No excuses.
- It's really hard to go against San Francisco right now the way they're playing. Jason's doing just that, and it's another one of his hunches, so he's a lock to win this pick. He just feels that the Vikings can cover the number at home. I guess they could if Adrian Peterson can get it in gear, but I'm afraid that Minnesota may have no passing game at all against the frenzied 49ers secondary. Hard to cover if you can't throw for any scores.
- I may have to sign over my card as president of the Jake Locker Fan Club to Jason if he takes this game down. He's got Tennessee to beat Detroit straight up. Jay's right when he spots the Lions as a defense ripe for the picking, but I can't pick the Titans as the team to exploit them until they show a damn running game to balance things out. How much can one realistically predict Chris Johnson to rush for in this game? 30, 40, 50 yards? He's been beyond terrible so far this year. I'll side with Matt Stafford to get right against the lackluster Titans pass rush, rebounding from facing the suffocating SF defense, and Detroit to keep Tennessee buried.
- Jason's making it simple for the Bengals--if they're facing a good team, he's against them, if they face a bum, he's for them. He had to struggle with this one, though, because just what the fuck is Washington? They looked like world beaters vs. the Saints, not so much vs. the Rams. Jay's verdict: Washington's slightly above average, therefore not a bum, and Cincy can't beat a team that's not a bum. My verdict: The Redskins lost the only semblance of a pass rush to injury in Brian Orakpo, and the Bengals can beat them with no pressure up front to harass Andy Dalton. Plus, Cincinnati was 5-3 on the road last year, and Washington 2-6 at home, for what that's worth.
- One of Jason's playoff teams is going 0-3 to start the year. We both think it has to be Kansas City, because if it's New Orleans, oh shit, is it gonna get crazy on the Bayou. Jason goes so far as to say, if the Saints even let the Chiefs compete, they're done for the year. Ow. I hope New Orleans can take advantage of the first linear QB they're going to face this season. Matt Cassel won't be flying around making plays with his feet, so the Saints D should adjust to the easier assignment and make some fucking plays, already.
- Which task is repeatable, Jason wonders: Miami getting their doors blown off against Houston in Week 1, or Reggie Bush blowing away a team on the ground against Oakland in Week 2? He thinks it's the former, so he'll hold his nose and pick the Jets for a road division win. I'm with him. As overrated as Gang Green is, I don't think they can lose to a team that can't throw. But Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez are capable of coming up short in any situation, so be careful.
- We'll go with Buffalo to bounce back and make it two wins in a row because we still don't believe that Cleveland is a real NFL franchise. But I'm willing to consider the Browns as new and improved if they show up in this one. The Bills have the type of defense that can be exploited by the Browns, so if Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson have game and last week wasn't a fluke, they should have a good showing here. But we trust C.J. Spiller over Weeden and Richardson, so we got Buffalo to make it to 2-1.
- This game is one of my hunches, but it's based in statistics. I like Jacksonville to prevail at Indy because I have flashbacks of Maurice Jones-Drew walking up and down Lucas Oil Stadium, racking up rush yards everywhere in the building like Super Mario finding coins in every nook and cranny of the castle. No reason to think he's going to pull out one of those big-time games, but I just got a feeling that he's ready to do so in this, his 3rd game of the season after holding out all of training camp. 160 yards and a couple of TDs sounds about right to me. Jason is taking the Colts for the same reason he usually goes against the Jaguars: Blaine Gabbert is still breathing.
- On to an interesting Sunday late slate, starting with the Eagles flying to Arizona in a battle of 2-0 squads. We both think Andy Reid and the Philly defense will have something for ex-Eagle Kevin Kolb, starting QB for the Cardinals only because the great John Skelton can't go. The trade looks awesome so far, but it would turn to shit if Philly lets Kolb beat them. The Eagles were supposed to have an improved defense this season, so they have to stomp their former teammate in this matchup if they are legit. And Michael Vick can't turn the ball over 4 times every fucking week, can he??
- I was waffling on the Falcons-Chargers tilt until Jason cited a stat, meaning his pick was doomed, meaning I had to take the other side. Jay's stat is that Atlanta has won their last eight West Coast visits, and he's going with the Dirty Birds. It's tough picking against them right now, but it's still early in the season, so the Chargers aren't ready to throw up on their shirts just yet. That comes later. Basically, the QB that doesn't show up loses this one, and Philip Rivers at home barely gets the nod over Matty Ice for me.
- Even harder to go against Houston, but I believe Peyton Manning had to learn something in that performance Monday night at Atlanta. Those throws that floated and fluttered in the air to various Falcon defensive backs had to teach him that certain throws that used to get there don't get there, at least not yet, and he'll adjust and make other open reads and throws going forward, starting with the Texans, a team he used to rip on the regular back in the day as a Colt. Maybe there's some muscle memory there. Jason just cites Houston as "the most talented team in the league." No more needs to be said.
- The hook makes me nervous, but I'll take Pittsburgh anyway to go into Oakland and beat a team and coach that seem to be directionless, or as Jason says, "They don't know what they're doing." Not much needs to be said there, either.
- Game of the Week Sunday evening, as the AFC title game rematch goes down in Baltimore, and as much as I'm loving Joe Flacco, you'd think I'd be in lockstep with Jason in taking our predicted Super Bowl champ to avenge the last meeting. No Lee Evans to drop the game winner this time, Jay says. I say, not so fast because the Ravens don't have their best pass rusher, Terrell Suggs, and Arizona showed last week how to beat the Patriots, and that's fuck with Tom Brady. I think Suggs is that important that his absence makes the difference in this regular season battle. I still got Baltimore in the playoffs because losses and experiences like this will help the Ravens grow, and because Suggs will be back by then.
- On Monday night, it's Green Bay's turn to go into "The Meat Grinder," Jason's Morning Zoo-like nickname for Seattle's home arena. But we like the Packers to survive the grinder because GB D-coordinator Dom Capers could eat rookie QB Russell Wilson for supper with various blitzes and schemes after ten days of prep. Seattle can use that great home atmosphere for three division meetings with substandard offenses, but in Aaron Rodgers and the Pack's weapons, the Seahawks ain't seen nothing like this. If they can compete, it will be a hell of a feat.
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