Week Two Picks

You'll notice that I've begun incorporating the numbers from my Power Rankings in the weekly picks once again (Just in case you forgot: The one week I finished in first last year was coincidentally the week I followed exactly what those numbers said), but it's clearly going to be a few more weeks before I allow them to really have much influence on where I assign the points in the confidence pool. If When you look at how misleading some of those numbers are after just one week, I'm confident you'll easily understand why.

All of that said, this week is not filled with the across-the-board vote for favorites we had last week. And so naturally I had a tough time trying to back up the few upsets I do have while feeling confident in the favorites and finding the proper place for them all.

Nonetheless, here's what I ended up with:

16 points
Washington Redskins (0-1) over St. Louis Rams (0-1)
0/+10 : +12/2/+10 : 0/+12

Maybe dropping Jason Campbell from my fantasy roster will come back to haunt me this one week, but I tried to make up for it by picking up the Redskins defense to start this week.

15 points
Minnesota Vikings (1-0) over Detroit Lions (0-1)

+4/0 : +18/18/0 : 0/+14

Believe me, nothing would bring me more joy than the Lions getting back on the winning side of things by shocking my least favorite football team, but I'm certainly not going to bet on it.

14 points
Green Bay Packers (1-0) over Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
0/-1 : 0/7/-7 : -6/0

Bengals are 0-4 all-time at Lambeau, helped none by the hugely disappointing loss they're coming off of while Green Bay's still being hyped as a team to keep an eye on.

13 points
Tennessee Titans (0-1) over Houston Texans (0-1)
0/+8 : 0/3/+3 : -5/0

Titans owner Bud Adams worked this into Jeff Fisher's contract, knowing that beating Houston was always of importance. The fact that Tennessee is still a very good team in their home opener doesn't hurt either.

12 points
Atlanta Falcons (1-0) over Carolina Panthers (0-1)
+2/0 : +5/5/0 : 0/+3

The Falcons got off to a good start and should continue rolling at home in the dome when they welcome a Panthers club that's in a bit of disarray.

11 points
New England Patriots (1-0) over New York Jets (1-0)
+16/0 : +11/11/0 : 0/-5

I really don't think Mark Sanchez can say he's been tested until he finishes this game. Truthfully, the last real confident pick on this list.

10 points
Buffalo Bills (0-1) over Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)
0/+16 : +9/7/+16 : 0/+9

Initially had Bills at 11 points this week, but thinking back to how quickly they found a way to improbably blow a huge upset made be bump them down. I still think the Bucs are in danger of being the team with the worst record at the end of the year, so T.O. is whom I'm expecting to see a huge game from.

9 points
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) over Chicago Bears (0-1)
+8/0 : +8/9/-1 : 0/-1

I want to believe otherwise and will certainly root for otherwise, but I think the Bears are going to need a couple of games before that passing game clicks. A good question at this point would be, "When do you think the boos for the offense will start?"

I thought I'd be picking the Bears for one, but that designation was already placed upon three other games. So fandom's taking a back seat this week. Sorry.

8 points
Indianapolis Colts (1-0) over Miami Dolphins (0-1)
+11/0 : +11/13/+2 : 0/+2

I'm still tempted to believe the Dolphins are eager to show last year was no fluke and that the Colts are still vulnerable so early into their new regime, but again, all my upsets are elsewhere this week. And I think Peyton Manning wants a bye for the playoffs this year if he can get one. (Good luck in that division.)

7 points
Denver Broncos (1-0) over Cleveland Browns (0-1)
0/-6 : +4/10/-6 : 0/+4

Seven's a number I'm paranoid about, since that's where last week's picks started going astray. Having Denver, last season's Power Rankings bottom-feeder, in this slot doesn't help.

6 points
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) over Arizona Cardinals (0-1)
0/+11 : 0/4/+4 : -7/0

I'll buy into the idea of a Jack Del Rio needing an early win to help the season that's either going to save or cost him his job—or certainly buy into it more than the S.B.-hungover Cards that aren't going to know what hit them.

5 points
New Orleans Saints (1-0) over Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)
+14/0 : +14/11/+3 : +3/0

Really tough calls begin here and these last five are equally anxiety-inducing. I'm benching Philly's defense this week in fantasy (mostly because I picked up a Redskins squad that plays a clueless St. Louis offense this week), mostly because of my faith in the numbers Drew Brees is going to still put up. The fact that I just now noticed this is in Philly doesn't make me feel any better, but McNabb is still on the bench for this one, so that does.

4 points
Oakland Raiders (0-1) over Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
0/+15 : +13/2/+15 : 0/+13

Going with another road team, but Oakland moved the ball pretty well against San Diego. And Richard Seymour apparently will be making his presence felt despite having to do it in the black and silver. That doesn't hurt their defense any.

3 points
Baltimore Ravens (1-0) over San Diego Chargers (1-0)
+13/0 : +13/2/+15 : +15/0

You've probably heard it a million times now—and not just here—about San Diego always starting slow. Their narrow comeback victory to open the season should've been an eye-opener, but I think it gave the Ravens all they needed to know about how vulnerable the Chargers really are in Week Two.

2 points
New York Giants (1-0) over Dallas Cowboys (1-0)
+10/0 : +10/1/+9 : +9/0

I know Romo's golden in September and he's at home, but I said the Giants would have a better year and games early in the schedule where New York can pick up an important win are exactly why. Clampdown.

1 point
Seattle Seahawks (1-0) over San Francisco 49ers (1-0)
+12/0 : +5/5/0 : 0/-7

Like I said earlier, I fear that I may not be giving the Niners their fair due largely because so many admirers of his from his glory years in Chicago would say what a great coach he is regardless of the job he's doing. I think he certainly made San Francisco better last season, but the Seahawks are going to be the better team this year—if they stay healthy.