Making My Case as a Madden '10 Cover Man Candidate
by: ruggedest
Rugged Picks: Week Two follows in Dramatic Fashion with Grand Monday Night Finale
Sep 09, 2008 | 7:50PM | report this
After a crazy week in the NFL and a dismal week in regards to my picks, I'm looking for a much more sound week. While I did throw down one too many upset specials (by that, I'm referring to my picking of Cleveland over Dallas), the two other teams I picked to upset brought the game down to the final drive, threatening not only in their respective opponent's territory, but threatening with do or die circumstances. Those two teams would be the Dolphins and the Bucs. There were definitely a few games this week that were beyond predictable. The Colts lose at home to the Chicago Bears? The Chargers fall short to the Panthers? And while Buffalo was a reasonable pick to win, I don't think anybody could foresee them putting the lights out on the Seahawks.

One pick I did have going for me was the Green Bay Packers winning at home. Rodgers played just as well as he did at Dallas last year. That was not an upset, but merely just bringing the Minnesota Vikings back down to earth. I will reiterate. The Vikings are reminiscent to the Saints of '07: overhyped and overrated.

This is how the NFL is shaping up for week two:

TEN 20 @ CIN 10: Tennessee is minus Young, but that matters not. Kerry Collins is still a solid QB who can step in and win games. And well, Cincy was looking bad heading into week one, and now they just look awful.

BUF 24 @ JAC 27: One of the tougher games to call, but I'm going with Jacksonville at home over the upstart Bills. The Bills are exciting, but they played a soft-looking Seahawks team. Jacksonville bounces back in a close one.

NO 28 @ WAS 17:
The Redskins will take a few weeks before anybody gets a read on what will become of them this year. With the way Jim Zorn ran his two minute offense without that critical hurry-up aspect, don't expect a whole lot.

NYG 27 @ STL 7: In reference to a post I made a few weeks ago, the Giants looked very much like the NFL's Joe Frazier in the opener. They didn't continue to batter the Redskins offensively in the second half, but the defense held on eight of eleven in third down situations and looked strong throughout. Expect much of the same this week in a thoroughly one-sided Giants' victory.

GB 35 @ DET 14: The Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay Packers continue to roll.

CHI 14 @ CAR 24: I'm not hopping on the Bears' bandwagon, but Carolina looks to be tough this year, and they will win by two scores.

IND 31 @ MIN 17:
Indy, despite a poor week one performance, lays it to the Vikings, who unexpectedly start the season two games behind Green Bay after just two weeks.

OAK 14 @ KC 20: A battle between two pretty bad teams, and Oakland is the worse of the two.

ATL 17 @ TB 20: Michael Turner was signed to be the spark plug in this Atlanta offense, and he will make the game interesting. However, the Bucs are the better team all around, and they will bounce back this week.

SF 21 @ SEA 27: Wow. A week ago I wouldn't have imagined this one as a tough pick. Seattle at home, but not by much.

BAL 10 @ HOU 20: Rookie quarterbacks have their ups and downs, and the Texans will be looking to bounce back from the spanking they took last week. Texans even out against the Ravens, and Joe Flacco will get a taste a Mario Williams.

MIA 21 @ ARI 14: Call me crazy but I like what I saw from the Dolphins a week ago (minus the lack of a running game). They had a shot to win the game on the final drive, and that in itself is a good sign. Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown will show up big this week, and Pennington will manage a Dolphins victory.

SD 28 @ DEN24: The Chargers lost on the final play to what looks to be a very competent Panthers squad. Denver went out and beat the Raiders senseless, but they are the Oakland Raiders and still a miserable team at that. Still, a good, close game in a Chargers win.

NE 10 @ NYJ 17: The experts are saying not to write the Patriots off, and that makes guys like me look more like an expert every day. As in the preseason, New England just looks like they do not want to be their without Brady on the field. Cassel will soon follow suit once he begins to play decent NFL teams.

PIT 28 @ CLE 27:
I'm not sure that will be the actual score, but I'm lending emphasis to how close this game will be. Pittsburgh looked great last week and Cleveland looked awful. But in this rivalry, the games will be exciting and down to the wire, and they will still usually end with a Pittsburgh victory.

PHI 24 @ DAL 21: Hands down, the game of the week. I referred to the Giants/Dallas rivalry in another post as similar to that of Ali and Frazier. Philadelphia looks to be emerging as this year's George Foreman in that context, but there will be no rope-a-dope coming from Dallas. Philly wins in Philly fashion, with Donovan McNabb and Westbrook leading the offense and Jim Johnson masterminding this defense. Johnson's disciple Steve Spagnuolo ended the Cowboys' Super Bowl hopes this year, and the guru will pick up where his protege left off.
6 Comments | Add a comment   categories: NFL, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Ruggedest, Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars
 
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Verbal_Intercourse
Sep 9, 2008
8:12 PM
Good picks, but I don't agree with Philly. They beat up on the worst team in the NFL that is the St. Louis Rams.

cjs1946
Sep 9, 2008
9:27 PM
I think Philadelphia is overated in recent picks but they did win impressively. Dallas is better, but I'll root for the gulls........Go Sea Gulls!

cjs1946
Sep 9, 2008
9:30 PM
Verbal, I hope that was good for you.

Bolt Backer 21
Sep 9, 2008
10:08 PM
I agree almost exactly. My only switch was New England over New York Jets. I'm not sold on the Jets and I think the Pats will want to prove they can win without Brady. That emotion should last two or three games.

ruggedest
Sep 10, 2008
7:32 AM
In regards to the Eagles, yes, they beat up the Rams and that is no miraculous accomplishment, but this is an improved Eagles team from the one that beat Dallas down the stretch last year. Dallas has made slight improvements at best.

Boltbacker- I see your line of thinking, but from what I'm seeing out of this Patriots team, I think they'll end up taking a turn for the worse. The only player who looks like he wants to be out there is Matt Cassel, and who knows how long that'll last.While I'm not sold on the Jets either, I think they have more going for them heading into this one.

Tom Brady is one of the few guys in the league that sends a message to his team every time he is on the field that lets them know they always have a chance. On a veteran roster, I expect that to deflate them, but of course, it's only speculation.

AtlantaEagle
Sep 10, 2008
12:07 PM
Excellent picks sir, Although an eagles fan, I try and keep it as real as possible, and giving the eagles 9 points is just absurd, it will definitely fire up the boys in philly to bring their "A" game to dallas.

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ruggedest
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