| My Power Rankings are based somewhat on | | | | a letdown against Seattle this week. Also, Jim Mora |
| performance thus far, but still factors in overall | | | | Jr. is one hell of a coach and will be around a long, |
| potential and how I think they'll do this season. I | | | | long time. |
| want to avoid wild swings in where I have teams | | | | 6) Philadelphia Eagles (0-1) - Don't think for a second |
| ranked, but it may be inevitable. Here is one man's | | | | that playing without Trotter didn't make a difference |
| view of Week 2:New England (-3) at Carolina, 1 p.m. | | | | on Monday. Regardless, I've said it before and I'll say |
| on Sunday | | | | it again, this team is wobbling. |
| This will be a tight fight - and is the marquee game | | | | 7) Dallas Cowboys (1-0) - Let's not get too excited |
| of the weekend. I wonder how Sports Illustrated | | | | about Drew Bledsoe just yet. He's still got plenty of |
| feels about its Super Bowl pick starting 0-2? But | | | | turnovers left in that arm. |
| after last season's 1-7 start by the Panthers I don't | | | | 8) Buffalo Bills (1-0) - Buffalo is now 10-3 in it's last |
| think they'll be too worried about an 0-fer in their | | | | 13 games. |
| first two contests.This is a rematch of Super Bowl | | | | 9) Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) - Just when you think |
| 38 (the Roman numerals are just too cumbersome) | | | | that Larry Johnson has turned the corner in his |
| and many of the principles are still in place for both | | | | career, he gets arrested for beating up his |
| organizations. You have to love the home dogs in the | | | | ex-girlfriend. Scumbag. |
| NFL, and I do think that the odds of a team with as | | | | 10) New Orleans Saints (1-0) - It's tragic that it may |
| much promise as the Panthers dropping two straight | | | | have taken something like a natural disaster to get |
| in front of their own fans, but the Pats are really | | | | this collection of talent to play focused, purposeful |
| tough to go against. I would feel a lot better about | | | | football. But so be it. |
| this game if I were a Carolina fan if A) Kris Jenkins | | | | 11) Carolina Panthers (0-1) - Loss of Kris Jenkins will |
| had waited until next week to have a season-ending | | | | hurt. Hopefully it won't be a harbinger of things to |
| injury, B) Bill Belichick didn't have those three extra | | | | come. Stephen Davis' line last Sunday (13 carries, 81 |
| days to game plan, C) Corey Dillon was still on the | | | | yards, TD) was very promising. |
| Bengals, and D) Hurricane Ophelia hit at about 1 p.m. | | | | 12) Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) - Took care of business |
| on Sunday.Buffalo at Tampa Bay (-3), 1 p.m. on | | | | against weak Browns team in Cleveland. If they're |
| Sunday | | | | going to make the playoffs they need to win games |
| If this game were in Buffalo in December, everyone | | | | like this week's against Minnesota. They are also 5-2 |
| would be talking about warm weather teams | | | | ATS in their last seven games. |
| traveling to cold climates. Why doesn't anyone make | | | | 13) Baltimore Ravens (0-1) - What ever happened to |
| a similar distinction between cold weather teams | | | | Brian Billick, offensive genius? |
| traveling down to muggy, sweltering Florida in | | | | 14) San Diego Chargers (0-1) - The Million Dollar |
| September (see: Denver vs. Miami last weekend)? I | | | | Question: do you trade Philip Rivers before the |
| want to see the stat on Green Bay or Buffalo's | | | | trading deadline, or do you wait until next April? |
| record when the temperature at the opening kickoff | | | | 15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) - How would you |
| is above 85 degrees. Quick, somebody get on that. | | | | feel about Cadillac Williams if he had only run for 77 |
| And for the record, it's supposed to be 94 on | | | | yards on 26 carries (3.0 avg.)? Because those were |
| Sunday with isolated thunderstorms.Hey, I'll admit | | | | his numbers before his game-clinching 71-yard run. |
| that I was really shocked by the Bucs win over | | | | 16) Detroit Lions (1-0) - Not too early in the year to |
| Minnesota last Sunday. I'm not ready to jump on the | | | | have a big game. If they can beat the Bears, and if |
| bandwagon just yet, but no one ever said that there | | | | the Vikings lose at Cincinnati, the Lions will have built |
| wasn't talent on that club. Also, this is J.P. Losman's | | | | an early two-game cushion over their only real |
| first road test. He looked great against Houston at | | | | competition. Kicker Jason Hanson's leg injury has him |
| home, but if Buffalo is down 4 with five minutes to | | | | questionable for this weekend, and could play a huge |
| play this weekend we'll see what the kid is made | | | | factor. |
| of.Jacksonville at Indianapolis (-9.5), 1 p.m. on Sunday | | | | 17) Oakland Raiders (0-1) - Love this home dog this |
| This is definitely the "Wow" line of the week. Yeah, | | | | weekend against banged-up Kansas City. However, I |
| I know that it will be Indy's home opener, that on | | | | will stick by my declaration that this team is |
| any given Sunday they can put up 70, and that they | | | | untrustworthy when it comes to me laying money on |
| handled a very talented Baltimore squad in Week 1. | | | | them. |
| But I still wasn't expecting nearly a double-digit line. In | | | | 18) Minnesota Vikings (0-1) - Minnesota is now 2-4 |
| their two games against the Colts last season, the | | | | without Randy Moss over the last 12 months. Dante |
| Jags lost 24-17 in Week 3 but then rolled into the | | | | Culpepper is averaging 232 yards passing in those |
| RCA Dome and beat Indy 27-24 in Week 6.Manning | | | | games with 9 TD's to 7 INT's (and that includes a |
| and Co. had little trouble with the Ravens defense | | | | 340-yard, 4 TD game vs. Green Bay). |
| last week, but I think Jacksonville will be able to | | | | 19) Washington Redskins (1-0) - Skins have lost 12 in |
| generate more pressure with its front four. The | | | | a row to the Cowboys. Jon Jansen will play this |
| trade-off is that the Jags secondary isn't nearly as | | | | week with two broken thumbs. Insert "Meet the |
| talented as the Ravens, which Manning will most likely | | | | Parents" joke here. |
| exploit. It's almost a shame that a game this big for | | | | 20) Seattle Seahawks (0-1) - I think it's fair to |
| these teams is happening this early when neither club | | | | speculate that Matt Hasselbeck's 2003 season may |
| is at its best.Kansas City at Oakland (-1), 8 p.m. on | | | | have just been a fluke. |
| Sunday | | | | 21) New York Giants (1-0) - Eli Manning's numbers |
| The Chiefs just absolutely dominated the Jets last | | | | last week (62.2 QB rating) are still unimpressive, and |
| weekend. But it was a win at a price. Willie Roaf | | | | his presence is uninspiring. Shockey's ankle is fine. |
| (hamstring), Ryan Sims (foot), Tony Richardson | | | | 22) St. Louis Rams (0-1) - They controlled the ball |
| (knee/ankle), and Patrick Surtain (mild concussion) are | | | | for 40 minutes, and put up over 400 yards of |
| each questionable this weekend for the Chiefs, who | | | | offense last week. And still lost to the friggin' 49ers. |
| have beaten the Raiders four consecutive times.The | | | | Unbelievable. |
| Raiders offense is so hit-or-miss (could be | | | | 23) New York Jets (0-1) - Lots of pressure this |
| three-and-out, could be a touchdown in 80 seconds) | | | | weekend against the Fins. In that division, and in that |
| that the defense won't have much time to rest this | | | | conference, if they lose this game they're in trouble. |
| season. Just about the time that Warren Sapp and | | | | 24) Miami Dolphins (1-0) - Defended the home turf |
| Ed Jasper have let their weight settle on the bench, | | | | with a win over Denver. Now they have a shot |
| Kerry Collins has fumbled again and it's back out on | | | | against a limping Jets team. Interesting. |
| the field. Oakland wore down in the fourth quarter | | | | 25) Denver Broncos (0-1) - Jake Plummer has |
| against New England. If the same thing happens | | | | thrown 133 touchdowns in his career. He has also |
| against KC, the Raiders are in trouble.FREE PICK: I like | | | | thrown 143 interceptions. Oh, and don't think |
| Baltimore (-3.5) on the road against Tennessee. This | | | | someone in the front office doesn't have Maurice |
| line is low because of the Kyle Boller injury, but it | | | | Clarett's cell phone number. |
| doesn't accurately reflect the talent deficit here. | | | | 26) Chicago Bears (0-1) - Except for those two |
| People are assuming Boller actually meant something | | | | pesky second-half turnovers (not like those matter in |
| to the team. The Titans aren't a terrible team, but | | | | a two-point game or anything) Kyle Orton looked |
| they did get manhandled by Pittsburgh (161 rushing | | | | good. It was the rest of the offense that sucked. |
| yards) last weekend. Baltimore is nearly as physical as | | | | 27) Houston Texans (0-1) - "I'm embarrassed," |
| the Steelers and should be able to pound the Titans | | | | Andre Johnson said after their 22-7 beating in Buffalo. |
| on the ground with Jamal Lewis and Chester Taylor. | | | | "I don't know what to say. We didn't do anything. |
| I'm going to ignore the fact that the Ravens are 1-6 | | | | We got our butts kicked." |
| ATS in their last seven games, or that Anthony | | | | 28) Green Bay Packers (0-1) - Javon Walker blew |
| Wright is just 6-7 as a starter (with his last loss | | | | out his knee and is done for the year. I wonder what |
| coming against Tennessee in the 2003 playoffs), or | | | | Brett Favre has to say about Walker's contract |
| that there's a possibility of a Kordell Stewart sighting. | | | | situation now? This team is a wreck. |
| The numbers may be hazy on this pick, but just ask | | | | 29) San Francisco 49ers (1-0) - Moron of the Week: |
| yourself one simple question - which one of these | | | | Derek Smith. Linebacker is feeling so superior after |
| teams is more likely to start off 0-2?NFL Week 2 | | | | their "big win" over the Rams, that he decides to |
| Power Rankings1) New England Patriots (1-0) - The | | | | start talking smack about Terrell Owens before they |
| Patriots are quickly becoming the Duke Blue Devils of | | | | role into Philly. Yeah, smart. Poke the wounded animal |
| the NFL. They're constantly praised for their | | | | with a stick. |
| selflessness and always described as underrated. Yet, | | | | 30) Tennessee Titans (0-1) - Might not be a bad |
| I can't think of any other team whose slot receiver | | | | idea to pick up Billy Volek on your fantasy team. |
| and right guard I've seen in commercials in the last 12 | | | | 31) Arizona Cardinals (0-1) - I understand that people |
| months. | | | | are entitled to their opinions, but anyone who actually |
| 2) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) - They remain ahead of | | | | picked Arizona to win the NFC West is an idiot. |
| the Colts because they are more physical. They don't | | | | 32) Cleveland Browns (0-1) - "Matt Leinhart, this is |
| miss Plexico on offense. Yet. | | | | Big Dawg, ruler of the Dawg Pound. Big Dawg, this is |
| 3) Indianapolis Colts (1-0) - If the usually reliable Matt | | | | Matt Leinhart, former Heisman winner and our |
| Stover hadn't shanked three field goals, and the final | | | | future."Questions or comments for Robert? Email him |
| score was 24-16, would everyone still be enamored | | | | at Doc's Sports Recent Articles:Instant replay in |
| with Indy's defense? | | | | sportsOffshore betting information2006 Super Bowl |
| 4) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) - It will be tough to go | | | | PredictionsDoc's Sports Handicapping Service |
| into the RCA Dome and keep up with the Colts. | | | | 1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports has been |
| However, that's exactly what they did last year | | | | recognized as one of the leaders and most trusted |
| when they beat them 27-24. | | | | names in sports handicapping information. |
| 5) Atlanta Falcons (1-0) - They need to be careful of | | | | |