Tom Brady, gone. Shawne Merriman, gone. The AFC’s dominance over the NFC, gone.
As typical opening weekends in the NFL go, this one wasn’t. That rumbling sensation? It wasn’t the bean dip in your stomach, bubba. It was a seismic power shift in the Sunday football league.
The season-ending injuries to Brady and Merriman, arguably the best players in the league on their sides of the ball, have knocked down the door of opportunity for any number of teams. And no, it isn’t just the Patriots and Chargers who are hurting.
Jacksonville’s offensive line is a mess, with both starting guards gone for the year. Meanwhile, in Tennessee, Vince Young is talking to himself more than to the media. And, well, you know what they say about people who talk to themselves.
Add it all up and the No Figuring League is tougher to call than ever. The Patriots, who ran the table in 2007, could be a mid-pack team in the AFC, and the Eagles, who finished .500 in 2007, could be on the shortlist of NFC powerhouses. If not them, then Carolina, which has Jake Delhomme back.
The Eagles, if they’re going to make a statement, won’t have long to wait. They play the Cowboys, Las Vegas’ pick du jour to win the Super Bowl, Monday night in Dallas. The Pats? They play the Jets in the Meadowlands, where they’ve won seven straight. Of course, that was before Brett Favre decided playing catch with his Labradors was boring.
Ladies and gentlemen, we give you Week 2.
NFL Week 2
Chicago at Carolina
11 a.m., Panthers by 3
Last meeting: Panthers won 29-21 in 2005 NFC divisional playoff.
Matt Forte (123 yards vs. Colts) was first Bears rookie to start at TB in opener since Sweetness Payton in ’75. . . . Panthers’ two-headed running attack (DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart) combined for 28 carries, 139 yards in opener.
Prediction: Panthers 24, Bears 16
Tennessee at Cincinnati
11 a.m., Bengals by 1
Last meeting: Bengals won 35-6 at Cincinnati on Nov. 25, 2007.
Titans’ Jeff Fisher 7-2 career at Cincy. . . . Kerry Collins will start this one for Titans, what with Vince Young freaking out over knee injury. . . . Just wondering: Who was that wearing Carson Palmer’s uni last week? Dude was 10-for-25 for 99 yards.
Prediction: Titans 20, Bengals 19
Green Bay at Detroit
11 a.m., Packers by 3
Last meeting: Packers won 34-13 at Green Bay on Dec. 30, 2007.
You can exhale now, Aaron Rodgers. Pack won his debut at Lambeau. . . . Motown D scarier than Janet Reno in a bikini. Lions, last in points allowed in ’07, yielded 34 to Falcons last week.
Prediction: Packers 30, Lions 22
Buffalo at Jacksonville
11 a.m., Jaguars by 5 1/2
Last meeting: Jaguars won 36-14 at Jacksonville on Nov. 25, 2007.
Fred Taylor, nine carries, 18 yards vs. Titans, looking for some runnin’ room vs. Bills. . . . We’ll take Who Knew? for 200, Alex. Aaron Schobel. Which Bill’s 53 sacks rank second in the NFL (Jason Taylor, 59) since ’03.
Prediction: Jaguars 17, Bills 16
Indianapolis at Minnesota
11 a.m., Colts by 2
Last meeting: Colts won 31-28 at Indianapolis on Nov. 8, 2004.
Colts had won 12 straight in September before opening loss to Teddy Bears. . . . Vikes coach Brad Childress, on Tarvaris Jackson’s 16 first-half passing yards vs. Pack: “Is that, like, a record?”
Prediction: Colts 31, Vikings 24
N.Y. Giants at St. Louis
11 a.m., Giants by 8 1/2
Last meeting: Giants won 44-24 at the Meadowlands on Oct. 2, 2005.
What, you think the stock market is a mess? Check out the Rams. They were 0-fer-11 on third downs vs. Eagles. . . . Preseason? Plaxico Burress had 10 catches, 133 yards in Giants’ opener after barely breaking a sweat in August.
Prediction: Giants 30, Rams 19
Oakland at Kansas City
11 a.m., Chiefs by 3 1/2
Last meeting: Raiders won 20-17 at Kansas City on Nov. 25, 2007.
State of the Raiduhs: Chiefs have lost 10 straight, but are FG-plus favorites here. . . . How meaningless are some stats in NFL? JaMarcus Russell has a 100.3 passer rating in two career starts.
Prediction: Chiefs 19, Raiders 15
New Orleans at Washington
11 a.m., pick ’em
Last meeting: Redskins won 16-10 at New Orleans on Dec. 17, 2006.
How much will Saints miss Marques Colston? He had a streak of six road games with seven-plus catches, 85-plus yards. . . . Home debut for ‘Skins coach Jim Zorn, handpicked by owner Daniel Snyder because, well, he’s rich and you’re not.
Prediction: Redskins 24, Saints 20
San Francisco at Seattle
2 p.m., Seahawks by 7
Last meeting: Seahawks won 24-0 at Seattle on Nov. 12, 2007.
J.T. O’Sullivan. Tavern owner in Boston or QB for the Niners? . . . Alex Smith gone for the season with a bum shoulder. What’s that? You’re right. How could he be gone if he never arrived in the first place?
Prediction: Seahawks 26, 49ers 3
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
2 p.m., Buccaneers by 7
Last meeting: Buccaneers won 37-3 at Tampa on Dec. 16, 2007.
Brian Griese gets the start for Bucs for injured Jeff Garcia. . . . Tampa D not its solid self, allowing 438 yards at N’Awlins. . . . Welcome to life on the road, Matt Ryan. Three must-do’s today: Hope, pray and bark out those signals, like, really loud.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Falcons 13
Miami at Arizona
2:15 p.m., Cardinals by 6 1/2
Last meeting: Cardinals won 24-23 at Miami on Nov. 7, 2004.
Cardinals looking to play well in only homer in September. . . . Zona D coming along. Cards held Niners to three drives, 15 plays, in second half last week. . . . Dawfins improved. Yeah, well, they were 1-15 last season. Duh.
Prediction: Cardinals 27, Dolphins 20
New England at N.Y. Jets
2:15 p.m., Jets by 1 1/2
Last meeting: Patriots won 20-10 at the Meadowlands on Dec. 16, 2007.
The Brady factor: Pats were 5-point favorites before the knee injury heard ’round the league. . . . Pats have won 20 straight regular-season games, seven in a row in the Jersey swamp. . . . Home debut for Brett Favre. But you knew that.
Prediction: Jets 15, Patriots 13
Pittsburgh at Cleveland
6:15 p.m., Steelers by 6
Last meeting: Steelers won 31-28 at Pittsburgh on Nov. 11, 2007.
Stillers own the Brownies, having won 14 of 15, nine straight in series. . . . Just when you thought Pitt LB James Harrison couldn’t be any better than he was in ’07, dude had three sacks vs. Texans.
Prediction: Steelers 20, Browns 17
Philadelphia at Dallas
6:30 p.m. Monday, Cowboys by 7
Last meeting: Eagles won 10-6 at Dallas on Dec. 16, 2007.
T.O. blames Jessica Babes for loss to Eagles last season, not to mention global warming and the state of the economy. . . . Cowboys have NFL-best 40 W’s on “MNF.”
Prediction: Cowboys 23, Eagles 20
Jimmy tracker
Season record: 8-8
Record vs. the point spread: 8-8
Highlight of the week: Picking the Saints to beat the Bucs 24-20. Your final score from the Superdome: Saints 24, Bucs 20. To paraphrase the Cowardly Lion, shucks, folks, we’re speechless.
Ike derails game
The Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game has been rescheduled for Nov. 9 after Reliant Stadium was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike. The Texans’ home opener was scheduled for Sunday, then postponed to Monday night as Ike approached. High wind ripped off pieces of the stadium’s retractable roof and debris littered the inside. The Texans said alternate sites were considered, but logistics made them impossible.
