And as usual, it was unpredictable. We had ten road wins, six games decided by less than a field goal (four by one point, two by two) and one go to OT. And unlikely as it ever seemed I would write this, we had Jacks Or Better Jack Del Rio go for two down 34-33, and get the win to avoid OT against the Saints. To paraphrase Al Davis, just play to win baby.
San Francisco (1-0) at Carolina (0-1): How do I love this pick? Let me count the ways: Gabbert vs a tough pass rush; Cam vs a suspect secondary; Niners on the red-eye to Charlotte. Pick: Panthers
Baltimore (1-0) at Cleveland (0-1): The Ravens know how to win ugly, the Browns know how to lose ugly, and the Browns will be going with the Best Available McCown at QB. This might well help them: McCown is a better fit for Hue Jackson, and remember he played well when the Browns won in Baltimore last year. The Brownsest play last week was the ‘fake’ punt where the punter lined up as a wingback and the snap went direct to Duke Johnson. Maybe they thought their punt team could out block the Eagles return team, I dunno. Look for a return to the Notre Dame Box formation this week, with Johnson throwing to Johnny Manziel….what? he’s not? This is not the sure thing people think, but still, pick: Ravens
Kansas City (1-0) at Houston (1-0): Kubiak (and Wade) Bowl! The Chiefs staged a tremendous comeback despite the Chargers harassing Alex Smith to within an inch of his game-managing life. Losing Allen hurt SD, but Spencer Ware out of the backfield proved an option the Chargers’ D couldn’t stop. Houston did much the same thing to Jay Cutler, but held on for the win, as Brock Osweiler delivered McCown quarterbacking. Pick: Chiefs
New Orleans (0-1) at New Jersey Giants (1-0): The Giants were gifted a win when Terrence Williams forgot to run out of bounds to stop the clock for the winning field goal kick. The Saints somehow blew a 24-10 lead established with a 98 yard Brees to Cooks TD, and with Breaux out will have a tough time stopping OBJ. Pick: Giants
Dallas (0-1) at Washington (0-1): You can lead Terrance Williams to the sidelines but you can’t make him think. At Historic Fedex Field Kirk ‘Kissin’ Cousins ought to have a good game second try, and Dak might have more troubles. Pick: Skins
LIVE on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: Tampa (1-0) at Arizona (0-1): All of a sudden this is a harder game to pick than it was last Saturday. Infamous Jameis threw four TD passes against the Falcons, and the Cards couldn’t solve a patchwork New England team. But these are the Cards, and their D ought to have answers for Winston; their O ought to be able to put together scores, though Tampa are likely to give them the same zone looks the Pats did. Pick: Cardinals
Indy (0-1) at Denver (1-0): Two on the trot at home and extra time to prepare? Someone up there must really like the Broncos. I’d worry about Trevor Siemian more if the Colts’ had a really strong D, but Kubiak’s system can win at altitude with that D against the Colts, unless Luck lights them up as he’s prone to do. Pick: Broncos
Atlanta (0-1) at Oakland (1-0): It is a tribute to how strange a world the NFL actually is that I am really looking at Oakland as the second-safest pick of the week. Pick: Raiders
SUNDAY NIGHT: Green Bay (1-0) at Minnesota (1-0): Mike Zimmer’s playing cagey with his starting QB choice. Shaun Hill did what Shaun Hill does, but it wasn’t the offense that led to win over the Titans, and it seems inevitable that Oklahoma teammates Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson are reunited in the Vikings’ backfield. Dom Capers must be drawing up plans to make Bradford throw and get turnovers Hill didn’t provide the Titans. Pick: Pack
MONDAY NIGHT: Philadelphia (1-0) at Chicago (0-1): The knock on Carson Wentz was that at North Dakota State he played in FCS (1AA) where nothing prepared him to face teams as bad as the Browns. The Bears aren’t as bad as that, the Eagles and their rookie are on the road, and who knows how wide Jim Scwartz’s nine will stretch to pressure Jay Cutler. Pick: Bears
LAST WEEK: 11-5