Since Roger Goodell and the NFL don’t appear close to a settlement with the regular officials, everyone better brace themselves for another weekend of nonsense from the replacement refs. With an intriguing set of matchups, it’s time to take a look at some of the key games for Week 3.
Eagles (2-0) @ Cardinals (2-0)
No team has defied conventional wisdom more than the Eagles this year. Despite leading the NFL with nine turnovers, the Eagles come into this game with a perfect 2-0 record. According to the Elias sports bureau, the Eagles are the first team ever to start the season by winning each of their first two games by a single point. As erratic as Michael Vick has been so far he still has thrown a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter in each of the Eagles’ victories.
The Cardinals come into the game with an identical 2-0 record after last week’s stunning win over the Patriots. Ray Horton’s defence has allowed the second-fewest points in the NFC and earned a great measure of respect around the league with their win over the Patriots. The big question in Arizona is how long can the Cardinals keep winning with Kevin Kolb at quarterback? A win this week against his former team would a major step in Kolb’s career arc.
Rams (1-1) @ Bears (1-1)
There’s no doubt that Jeff Fisher has already made a big impact on the St. Louis Rams. Any team that beats the Rams this year is going to have to pay a steep price. Sam Bradford is flourishing under the new coaching staff and Cortland Finnegan might be a jerk but he’s added some grit that makes them much tougher to play against.
After getting pounded by the Packers, the Bears must have spent a great deal of time working on the offensive line and protection schemes. No matter what you think of Jay Cutler he’s a talented quarterback. But like any quarterback the man does need some time to make his reads and find the open receiver. A bigger concern for Lovie Smith is the loss of running back Matt Forte. While Michael Bush is an adequate replacement, he isn’t the same all-around threat that Forte is. The Bears defence might be older but they’ve still forced three fumbles and have eight sacks.
Jets (1-1) @ Dolphins (1-1)
The fact that the Jets are 1-1 after two weeks is hardly a surprise. The fact the Dolphins are also 1-1 just may be. Pegged by many to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this year the Dolphins are coming off of an impressive win over the Raiders. It was a big day for Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and it was a huge game for his running back Reggie Bush after he ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2. With Ryan Tannehill facing a tough Jets defence it will be vital for Bush to have another productive game to take some pressure off of his rookie quarterback.
Three weeks into the regular season and Tim Tebow is turning into a predictable sideshow in New York. Rex Ryan is forced to deal with endless questions about how many snaps he will play and all that nonsense. Darrelle Revis missed last week’s game with a concussion but has already declared himself fit to return. The underlying subplot in this game is the return of Jets’ offensive co-ordinator Tony Sparano to Miami. If and when the Jets unleash the Wildcat, the Dolphins should be more than prepared to stop it since most of their defensive players faced it in practice the last number of years.
Bills (1-1) @ Browns (0-2)
Bills running back C.J. Spiller comes into the game as the leading runrusher in the NFL, averaging an incredible 10.1 yards per carry. After torching the Chiefs last week, expect Spiller to get plenty of work against a Browns defence that is ranked second-last in the AFC.
In theory the Bills should also have an advantage because they’re facing a rookie quarterback but after a disastrous NFL debut Brandon Weeden put up solid numbers last week against the Bengals. Besides even with the win over the Chiefs, the Bills are not a good enough team yet to take Weeden lightly. With games on the horizon against the likes of the Patriots, 49ers and the Texans the Bills cannot afford a loss to the Browns.
Browns rookie running back Trent Richardson had a big game in Week 2 and will be the focal point of the Bills defensive game plan. Even though Mario Williams has yet to break out, the tandem of Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams along the interior of are coming off of a dominant game versus the Chiefs.
Falcons (2-0) @ Chargers (2-0)
This is the third straight AFC West opponent for the Falcons as they complete a bizarre bit of scheduling. Last week, Atlanta’s defence did a number on Peyton Manning as they improved to 2-0. Matt Ryan has been sensational thus far as he boasts the league’s top quarterback rating and has thrown five touchdowns to zero interceptions. This week they have to contend with Philip Rivers, who just happens to be the highest-rated quarterback in the AFC.
The Chargers are annually one of the NFL’s biggest underachievers and because of that Norv Turner’s job is always supposed to be in jeopardy. Well Turner is still in San Diego and the Chargers are on the verge of their first 3-0 start since 2002. The big question mark for the Falcons is the status of running back Michael Turner after he was busted for DUI following their win over the Broncos.
Texans (2-0) @ Broncos (1-1)/h4>
The Texans are the last team Peyton Manning wants to see this weekend. Coming off a game where he threw three interceptions in the first quarter against the Falcons,the Broncos now have to tangle with the best defence in the AFC. Led by J.J. Watt, the Texans have allowed a league-low 17 points through two weeks.
This week the Texans have to find a way to shut down Manning while dealing with the high altitude in Denver. Establishing the run with Willis McGahee is imperative for the Broncos because the Texans have only allowed two third-down conversions this season. The last thing Manning wants to do is have to throw deep on third and long.
Offensively, the Texans can run the ball with either Arian Foster or Ben Tate. Matt Schaub’s numbers don’t look impressive because he hasn’t had to do much yet this year. For a variety of reasons the Broncos will be the stiffest test they may face in 2012.
Patriots (1-1) @ Ravens (1-1)
After great opening week victories, both the Patriots and the Ravens are looking to rebound from tough losses. The Ravens were defeated by a combination of the Eagles defence, Michael Vick and the incompetence of replacement refs.
New England was shut down by Arizona and the wonky right leg of kicker Stephen Gostkowski. For the Patriots, this is the first of at least four games without tight end Aaron Hernandez in the lineup after he suffered an ankle injury last week. Whether or not this means more work for the suddenly outcast Wes Welker remains to be seen.
As talented as the Patriots are, their one Achilles heel is along the offensive line. Tom Brady was sacked four times last week and we all know how much the Ravens like to put pressure on the quarterback. Through two games, Joe Flacco and Brady have almost identical stats with each quarterback throwing three touchdowns and one interception to date.
Other games to keep an eye on
–Lions (1-1) @ Titans (0-2): This should set up to be a nice bounce back game for Matthew Stafford and the Lions after dealing with the wrath of the 49ers. The Titans are dealing with the grim reality that running back Chris Johnson is a shadow of his former self. CJ2K is in danger of turning out to be a colossal bust after signing that huge contract extension. Through two games, Johnson is averaging a shocking 1.1 yards per carry on 19 rushing attempts.
–Chiefs (0-2) @ Saints (0-2): I would seriously consider taking the over in this game because neither team’s defence has shown an ability to stop anyone so far this season. Drew Brees is listed on the Saints official injury report but and is expected to start Sunday.
–Buccaneers (1-1) @ Cowboys (1-1): Should the Cowboys have a lead late in the game and go into victory formation, it will be fascinating to see if the Bucs go after Tony Romo with the same vigor they went after Eli Manning last week. While the Buccaneers are improving — they are ranked dead last in the NFL in pass defense having allowed 801 yards in only two games. Needless to say Romo will test the Bucs pass defence early and often.