BSB NFL Two-a-Days: Week One

Well, here we go.  It’s time to kick off another phenomenal NFL season.  Every year, I get immensely excited for the start of the NFL season, and every year it brings the goods.  This year should be no different, as we have a ton of interesting storylines, mostly surrounding the quarterback position (as usual):  Big Ben’s suspension, Donovan McNabb in Washington, Kevin Kolb in Philly, Matt Leinart taking over in Arizona, Brett Favre’s return to Minnesota, who’s the best–Manning, Brady, Brees…Rodgers?  Over the next 8 days leading up to the opening Sunday of the regular season, we’re going to try and answer the ultimate question here:  “who is going to win?”  To follow all the posts on the week-by-week schedule, you can click on the tag “2010 two-a-days.”

So, without further ado, let’s kick this thing off…

In CAPS is my pick to win the game.

Thursday, September 9:
8:30 – Minnesota (0-0) at NEW ORLEANS (0-0)
I do like this new NFL trend of giving the defending champs their own spotlight, at home, to start the next season on the opening Thursday night.  And, I also like that the schedule-makers do the fans a favor by usually making it a fantastic matchup.  This year is no different, as the first game of the year is a rematch of the NFC Championship Game.  I do think that the Saints, with the emotion of raising a banner and whatnot, should take care of business and open the season with a big win.

Sunday, September 12:
1:00 – CLEVELAND (0-0) at Tampa Bay (0-0)
The Browns won their last four games last year and may have a real good running back in Jerome Harrison.  I think that they can go into Tampa and beat a really bad Bucs team on the road.

1:00 – MIAMI (0-0) at Buffalo (0-0)
The Dolphins caught a break this year, getting to play at Buffalo in early September, when the weather will probably not be a factor for the guys from South Florida.  The Bills stink this year, and the Dolphins are solid.  Should be an easy opening day win for the Fish.

1:00 – Cincinnati (0-0) at NEW ENGLAND (0-0)
This is definitely one of the better games in a fantastic slate of games on opening day.  I think the Bengals are going to be really good this year, but I don’t know if I’d pick anyone in the league to go into Foxborough and beat Belichick on opening day.  Tough scheduling here for Cincy.

1:00 – INDIANAPOLIS (0-0) at Houston (0-0)
The Colts own the Texans and, though this game is in Houston, I still like Peyton and company to get it done.  Remember, this team only lost one game all year with its starters and that was the Super Bowl.

1:00 – Denver (0-0) at JACKSONVILLE (0-0)
These are two teams that I am not that high on, but I think that the Jags should get a pretty easy win here in Week One.  The Broncos are traveling a long way for a 1:00 game, and the Jags still do have Maurice Jones-Drew.

1:00 – ATLANTA (0-0) at Pittsburgh (0-0)
Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich?  I don’t think it really matters, I think the Steelers are going to struggle without Big Ben.  I also think that the Falcons are poised for a pretty big year this year.  This is a huge break for them, getting a road game against an elite team out of the way when that team is missing their quarterback.  Then again, it’s probably just a return for the brutal “circumstantial” schedule that the Falcons had last year–facing like 6 teams coming off a bye or something like that.

1:00 – Oakland (0-0) at TENNESSEE (0-0)
I actually think the Raiders are going to be a lot better this year, but this is a tough spot.  The Titans are always good and incredibly well-coached.  Plus, this is an early game for a West Coast team.  I like Jeff Fisher and company to get it done on opening day.

1:00 – Carolina (0-0) at N.Y. GIANTS (0-0)
The opening of the brand-new stadium–it’s going to be rocking.  I’m not a huge fan of this Giants team, but I think that bolstered by the new stadium and facing a relatively weak Carolina team, the G-Men should open the stadium with a W.

1:00 – Detroit (0-0) at CHICAGO (0-0)
The Lions, on paper, are getting better and better.  But, I’m not sure the schedule does them any favors, but we’ll see.  I think that people are completely forgetting about the Bears–and probably rightfully so, considering the division in which they play and the performance of their QB last season–but this team still does have a lot of talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where they added Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers to the unit they had last year.  I think the Bears win game one easily.

4:15 – ARIZONA (0-0) at St. Louis (0-0)
Sam Bradford’s debut (maybe) is definitely a winnable game, but I do not think that Whisenhunt and company will let that happen.  Yes, Matt Leinart stinks, but let’s not forget that one of these teams was nine game better than the other last year.  Give me the Cards in a game that’s closer than it should be.

4:15 – GREEN BAY (0-0) at Philadelphia (0-0)
Normally, I find it hard to pick against an Andy Reid team with extra time to prepare, but his track record on Week One is surprisingly mediocre, and this Packers team is for real.  I like the Pack to come into the Linc and beat the Birds to get the Kevin Kolb Era off to a rough start.

4:15 – SAN FRANCISCO (0-0) at Seattle (0-0)
I think the 49ers are the best team in this division, but that doesn’t mean that I think they’re all that good.  I have no confidence in anyone from the NFC West, including Seattle.  I think the Niners are hungrier and much better on defense.  They should be able to go into Seattle and eke out a low-scoring, ugly game.

8:20 – DALLAS (0-0) at Washington (0-0)
Sunday night.  Romo and the Cowboys versus McNabb and the…Redskins?  That is, of course, if McNabb is healthy enough to take the field.  With McNabb out there and the motivation of playing his first game for a new team against a hated rival, the Redskins really have a shot here, but all in all, I just think that the Cowboys are a much more talented, and just a flat-out better team than the Redskins.  In a very unconfident pick, I’ll take the ‘Boys here to beat McNabb and company.

Monday, September 14:
7:00 – Baltimore (0-0) at N.Y. JETS (0-0)
The new trend that I do not like about the opening week is the Monday night double-header because the second game is usually a snooze-fest that starts at 10:30.  Fortunately, though this year, is that the first game is probably the best game of the week.  The Jets, coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance and, more importantly, a Hard Knocks appearance, get their chance to open their new stadium against everyone’s darling pick in the AFC, the Ravens.  This game is so tough to predict, and I’m about 51% sure of this pick.  But, I am going to go with the Jets, on prime time, opening their new stadium, to come out and just play with a little bit more emotion than the Ravens.  It should be interesting, however, to see who has the edge between Rex Ryan’s defense and a Baltimore offense that spent so many years practicing against a Rex Ryan scheme.  Give me the Jets about as unconfidently as I can be.

10:15 – SAN DIEGO (0-0) at Kansas City (0-0)
I’m not as big on KC being a “sleeper” as some people.  And, I’m also not as big on the Chargers being “not good anymore” as most people.  And, I’m not really that sold on the Chiefs’ homefield advantage any more, since the town is struggling to sell out every game.  Give me the Bolts in an easy Monday night win.

STANDINGS AFTER WEEK ONE
After each week, we will update the standings for each division, maybe do a little synopsis of the division races, and then, starting about 6 games in, we’ll give the tenative playoff positioning.  But, for now, it’s just about the standings.

NFC EAST
1-0 Dallas
1-0 N.Y. Giants
0-1 Philadelphia
0-1 Washington

The Cowboys and Giants get an early game on the other two in a division that should be a slugfest all the way through.

NFC NORTH
1-0 Chicago
1-0 Green Bay
0-1 Detroit
0-1 Minnesota

Green Bay got a nice road win, while Chicago picked up a divisional win.  The Vikings lost a game that was probably an L on their schedule anyway–nothing to worry about…yet.

NFC SOUTH
1-0 Atlanta
1-0 New Orleans
0-1 Carolina
0-1 Tampa Bay

No surprise here, as the Saints and Falcons are clearly the best two teams in this division, and they both start 1-0.

NFC WEST
1-0 Arizona
1-0 San Francisco
0-1 Seattle
0-1 St. Louis

Any win is a good win for an NFC West team, as this division might be won at 8-8.

AFC EAST
1-0 Miami
1-0 New England
1-0 N.Y. Jets
0-1 Buffalo

This division is going to be brutal all year.  The three teams at the top should battle all year.  The Bills may never leave that bottom spot.

AFC NORTH
1-0 Cleveland
0-1 Baltimore
0-1 Cincinnati
0-1 Pittsburgh

Who would have guessed that, at any point this year, the Browns would be in first place all by themselves in one of the best divisions in football?  All three contenders suffered tough losses, while the Browns took care of business against a bad Tampa team.  As the ole cliche goes, “if the season ended today,” the Cleveland Browns would win the AFC North.

AFC SOUTH
1-0 Indianapolis
1-0 Jacksonville
1-0 Tennessee
0-1 Houston

A tough loss for Houston, as the rest of the division wins.

AFC WEST
1-0 San Diego
0-1 Denver
0-1 Kansas City
0-1 Oakland

San Diego takes its rightful spot atop a really bad division.  There is little doubt, to me, that they will win this division–maybe by Thanksgiving.

Click here for Week Two (available 9/3 at 7:00 pm).