Couch potato heaven
New England at Carolina
11 a.m., Patriots by 3
Last meeting: Patriots won 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII after 2003 season
Patriots the most boring team in the league. How’s that? All they do is win. They’ve won 33 of their past 35, including playoffs, and haven’t been slipping by opponents. They’re 25-5-3 against the point spread during the regular season since 2003. … N.E. won opener vs. Da Raiduhs despite 23 carries, 63 yards from Corey Dillon. Which reminds us. Has Tom Brady quit yelling at him yet? … Panthers on the cover of Sports Illustrated one week, lose the next. Stop us if you’ve heard this before. … Injury bug already hitting Cats, who’ve lost stud D lineman Kris Jenkins for the season. … Carolina offense should be solid with TB Stephen Davis (13 carries, 81 yards in opener) and WR Steve Smith (eight catches, 138 yards, one TD) healthy.
Prediction: Patriots 22, Panthers 16
Kansas City at Oakland
6:30 p.m., ESPN, Chiefs by 1 1/2
Last meeting: Chiefs won 31-30 at Kansas City on Dec. 25, 2004
Chiefs have won four straight vs. Da Raiduhs, all by a TD or less. Not that, you know, Al Davis is frustrated by it or anything. … Raiders allowed 30 points to Pats in their opener. Look for more of the same today. … Game marks Black Hole debut of Randy Moss, who had five catches for 130 yards and a TD in opener. … Do Chiefs have a tailback controversy? Priest Holmes is healthy, but Larry Johnson ran nine times for 110 yards and two TDs in opener. … How shaky is Raiders’ D? No sacks or INTs in their opener. … On plus side, Raiduhs have won seven straight home openers.
Prediction: Chiefs 38, Raiders 37
Worth the electricity
New Orleans at New York Giants
5:30 p.m. Monday, Giants by 3
Last meeting: Saints won 45-7 at New Orleans on Dec. 14, 2003
You know the drill here. Game was supposed to be in N’Awlins, but was moved to the Meadowlands. … Saints coming off emotional opening-day W at Carolina. Question is, how did they win it? Aaron Brooks didn’t throw a TD pass and Deuce McAllister carries 26 times for 64 yards. … Peyton’s Little Bro still learning the ropes for G-Men: 10-for-23, two picks in opener. … Giants’ Tiki Barber has 6,989 career rushing yards, leaving him 11 from becoming first in franchise history to reach 7,000 mark. … Don’t ask why or how, but Saints are remarkably competitive on the road under Jim Haslett. They’re 25-16 with pillow mints during Haslett regime.
Prediction: Giants 24, Saints 19
Baltimore at Tennessee
11 a.m., Ravens by 3 1/2
Last meeting: Titans won 20-17 at Baltimore in wild-card playoff game after 2003 season
Ravens will go with Anthony Wright at QB in place of injured – pride and otherwise – Kyle Boller. Wright completed 19-of-31 for 214 yards and a TD in relief appearance vs. Colts. … Stat du jour: Ravens are 5-1 in past six starts by Wright. … Both teams minus-4 in turnovers in opener. … Both teams want to rev up runnin’ games. Jamal Lewis went 16 for 48 for Ravens, Chris Brown 11 for 63 for Titans. Brown in last year’s home opener: 26 carries, 152 yards vs. Colts. … Will Titans’ Jeff Fisher survive if team falls into full-fledged rebuilding mode? Fisher’s 11 seasons in charge give him the second-most tenure with one team in the NFL, just behind Bill Cowher.
Prediction: Ravens 30, Titans 20
San Francisco at Philadelphia
11 a.m., Eagles by 13 1/2
Last meeting: Niners won 31-28 at Philadelphia on Dec. 21, 2003
A virtual two-TD spread? Don’t count on it, what with Niners’ D vastly improved. … Not that they’ll pull off an upset here. If they have to, looney Iggles fans will jump out of the upper deck to make tackles. … Coming off opening loss, Andy Reid will do what every coach does in times of trouble – try to rev up the runnin’ game. Look for Brian Westbrook to approach/ surpass 100 in this one. … Terrell Owens’ first game against his old teammates, not that many are left. … Will Eagles bounce back after loss at ‘lanta? History says yes. They’re 16-3 in past 19 following losses. … Niners had 29 sacks last season, seven in opener vs. Rams.
Prediction: Eagles 24, 49ers 16
Buffalo at Tampa Bay
11 a.m., Bucs by 2 1/2
Last meeting: Bucs won 31-17 at Tampa on Nov. 26, 2000
Broncos wilted in Fla. heat last weekend. Will Bills fare any better? … First meeting with Bucs for Bills coach Mike Mularkey, who, by the way, is the real deal. … Willis McGahee, coming off 117-yarder in opener, returns to Florida, where he played for U of Miami. … Bills’ D is second-best in da bid’ness on a bad day, holding David Carr to a 12.1 passer rating in opener. Twelve-point-freakin’-one? Another famous car, Herbie the Bug, could have done better than that. … Bucs’ Cadillac Williams already the front-runner for rookie of the year after 148-yard performance against Vikings. … Bucs haven’t been 2-0 since 2000. Bills, meanwhile, hoping for 2-0 after horrendous 0-4 start in 2004.
Prediction: Bucs 19, Bills 16
Atlanta at Seattle
2:05 p.m., Seahawks by 1
Last meeting: Seahawks won 28-26 at Seattle on Jan. 2, 2005
The good news is Falcons jumped to 14-0 lead in opener vs. Eagles. Now for the bad news: They finished with those same 14 points. … Michael Vick: 12-for-23, 156 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT. Don’t look now, but that’s about average for his career. … List of league’s most underrated has to include Dirty Birds TB Warrick Dunn, who went for 117 yards vs. Philly’s tough D. … Atl’s leading receiver in opener? TE Alge Crumpler, 4 catches, 54 yards. Big whoop, huh? … Seahawks’ Shaun Alexander has 6,010 career rushing yards, putting him on pace to become all-time team leader by late season. Hawks abandoned running game in opening loss, but Alexander still finished with 14 carries, 73 yards. Look for 100-plus today.
Prediction: Seahawks 31, Falcons 24
Beats cleaning the garage
Minnesota at Cincinnati
11 a.m., Bengals by 3
Last meeting: Vikings won 24-3 at Minnesota on Nov. 15, 1998
Daunte Culpepper wants to know if Vikes’ front office can have a do-over on Randy Moss trade. D.C. looked lost in opener without the Moss man – three INTs, two fumbles. Now for the troubling part: He led Minnie with 19 rushing yards on three carries. … Coach on the hottest seat in the Not For Long? What, you mean other than Mike Tice? New ownership, no more Moss, expected to win in a lousy division. … If he doesn’t get it done, he’s gonezo. … Bengals’ Carson Palmer 26-for-34, 280, two TDs in opener. … Hmmm. Cincy coach Marvin Lewis is 6-2 vs. NFC in two-plus years on the job. … Bengals motor mouth WR Chad Johnson can play a little, too: nine catches in opener. … Minnie Oh accounted for six points against Tampa Bay. S Darren Sharper scored on 88-yard INT return.
Prediction: Bengals 24, Vikings 20
Pittsburgh at Houston
11 a.m., Steelers by 6
Last meeting: Texans won 24-6 at Pittsburgh on Dec. 8, 2002
Texans’ Dom Capers could be another coach on the fuego furniture. Offense looked dreadful in opener – 12.1 passer rating for David Carr – and another lousy showing in front of home folks and the pressure will be on. … Game marks Steelers’ first appearance at Hugheston’s Reliant Stadium. … Steelers plus-4 in turnovers in opener, Texans minus-5. … Who is Willie Parker and what the heck fire is he doing running for 161 yards in an NFL game? If you know what school Parker attended, advance to Go and collect a life. … Look for these numbers to change Sunday: Andre Johnson, three catches for 18 yards in Texans’ opener.
Prediction: Texans 19, Steelers 17
Miami at New York Jets
2:15 p.m., Jets by 6
Last meeting: Jets won 41-14 at the Meadowlands on Nov. 1, 2004
Whodathunkit? Dolphins won by 24 in opener, Jets lost by 20. … You’re not starting to think Chad Pennington is another in a long line of overhyped New Yawk QBs, do you? Nah, didn’t think so. Not that he stunk up the barn last week, but Young Chad’s next TD pass will be his first of the season. … Jets have Dawfins’ numbah, having won 11 of past 14 in series, including a 6-1 run in Joisey. … Jets’ TE Chris Baker posted career highs in catches (seven) and yardage (124) in opener. … Ex-Patriot Ty Law had an INT in his first game in Jets uni.
Prediction: Jets 34, Dolphins 17
Washington at Dallas
7 p.m. Monday, KMGH-7, Cowboys by 6
Last meeting: Cowboys won 13-10 at Dallas on Dec. 26, 2004
Cowboys might be better than you think. Assuming, of course, they can keep Drew Bledsoe healthy. Dude can barely outrun Bill Parcells. … ‘Boys 38-27 on “MNF,” one win from tying Dolphins for most on Mondays. … Say good night to the Patrick Ramsey error, er, era. ‘Skins switching to Mark Brunell at QB until rookie Jason Campbell is ready. … Dallas TB Julius Jones could break out in this one. He ran for 198 yards, three TDs on first “MNF” appearance in 2004. … Then again, Wash D is pretty solid unit. ‘Skins have allowed 18 points or fewer in seven straight. … Ex-Bronco Clinton Portis averaging 101 yards per in 45 career games.
Prediction: Cowboys 20, Redskins 10
Get a life, bubba
Detroit at Chicago
11 a.m., Lions by 1 1/2
Last meeting: Lions won 19-13 at Detroit on Dec. 26, 2004
Bears’ talent is uglier than the federal deficit. How do we know? Because Lions are favored on the road. Nothing out of the ordinary there except that it’s happened only six times since 1997. Lions’ record vs. the point spread in those games? That would be 0-6. … Rookie QB Kyle Orton bad, but not other-worldly bad in NFL debut: 15-for-28, 141 and a pick. … TE Marcus Pollard, the ex-Colt, made a big impact on Detroit Oh in opener, catching five passes for 58 yards and a TD. … Chi’s Muhsin Muhammad has 584 career catches, 16 from becoming the 10th active WR with 600. At the rate Bears are going, he won’t get it until November.
Prediction: Bears 20, Lions 15
St. Louis at Arizona
2:05 p.m., Cardinals by 1
Last meeting: Cardinals won 31-7 at Phoenix on Dec. 19, 2004
Remember all that preseason talk about how the Cardinals were going to turn over a new leaf this season and finally be competitive? Uh-huh. Your final score from the Meadowlands: Giants 42, Deadbirds 19. Cards’ offense was so bad, Jimmy Hoffa got up from his perch under the stadium and walked outta da joint. … Memo to Mike Martz: That seat you’re sitting on isn’t getting any cooler. A loss today and Martz may not see December. … Rams plus-1 in turnovers in opening loss at San Fran. Doesn’t sound like much, but they were a minus-19 in 2004. … Cards’ No. 1 threat in backfield is rookie J.J. Arrington, who rambled for 5 yards on eight carries vs. G-Men.
Prediction: Rams 38, Cardinals 34
Cleveland at Green Bay
2:15 p.m., Packers by 6 1/2
Last meeting: Packers won 30-7 at Green Bay on Dec. 23, 2001
Talk about two teams headed in the wrong direction. Loser gains automatic admission to the CFL. … How shaky are once-proud Packers? The Las Vegas over-under was 7.5 for their season win total. Make ours under, even in the down-and-out NFC North. … Nice guy, Trent Dilfer, but what’s he doing starting at QB for an NFL team? Answer: Brownies couldn’t find anyone any better. … Ex-Bronco Reuben Droughns carried 12 times for 78 yards in Browns’ opener. … Packers, one of few teams with negative turnover number to make the 2004 playoffs, up to old tricks again – minus-3 vs. Lions. … Brett Favre 65 yards from joining Dan Marino and John Elway in 50,000 Club.
Prediction: Packers 31, Browns 13
