Not a hot start after week one. If you read my "Take a Chance On" games last week, you probably shouldn't have taken a chance. Hopefully you took it to heart when I noted those games were not guarantees. And for the record, no, I am not a Bills fan. I'm probably the furthest thing from it. But it would be foolish to deny the strides they made this offseason and what appeared to be the steps taken backward by the Jets, but that's football I guess.
Disappointing game from Matt Stafford as well, throwing three picks and having one returned for a touchdown. The Lions won the game (27-23) but were not able to cover the seven points they gave to the Rams, which I assured they would. So I went 1-1 in my "Locks", after correctly picking the Pats to cover the spread against the Titans.
Matt Ryan headlined last week's performers. He scored four touchdowns. Peyton Manning returned and looked genius while directing the Broncos offense in the last few minutes of the game last week against a veteran Steelers defense. Coincidently, these two quarterbacks will go toe-to-toe this week under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, making it my matchup of the week.
Note: Lines as of 9/13/2012 via sportsbook.ag
Matchup of the Week (1-0): Denver Broncos (+3) at Atlanta Falcons (-3) I'm have to take Peyton and the Broncos here. Nothing impressed me more last week than the Falcons' high-octane offense. But for nearly three quarters, the Chiefs were able to keep up with them on the scoreboard. Denver's defense should have a little more success than Kansas City did; I'm not prepared to pick to lose by more than three points on Monday. Broncos 31, Falcons 27
Locks (1-1): Dallas Cowboys (-3) at Seattle Seahawks (+3) It's a no-brainer. The Seahawks fell short against the Cardinals. The Cowboys shocked the fans of MetLife Stadium and defeated the defending Super Bowl champs, and it may finallybe their year. The Seahawks have one of the best home field advantages in the NFL with their 12th man, but I'm not going to expect rookie quarterback Russell Wilson to keep this game within three points against the high-powered offense of Dallas. Cowboys 31, Seahawks 16
Houston Texans (-7.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (+7.5) This is a game the Texans should be able to handle. Theygot off to a slow start against Miami last week, but Arian Foster and Matt Schaub turned it on late and were able to blow out the Dolphins on the road. The Jags looked promising for 59 minutes; Maurice Jones-Drew appeared unfazed after missing training camp, and Blaine Gabbert had the best game of his career. But they still gave up 26 points to the Vikings, so how much can the Texans amass on this defense? Texans 34, Jaguars 17
Take a Chance On (0-2): Baltimore Ravens (+2) The Ravens just put on a show against a young, up-and-coming team on Monday Night, while Michael Vick threw four interceptions against a team that could compete in the CFL. The Eagles have obvious potential, but how are the Ravens the underdog after last week's performances? Ravens 27, Eagles 24
Kansas City Chiefs (+3) The Chiefs are supposed to be a team that will surprise people this year, and they certainly did that for a large portion of their game against Atlanta last week. On the other hand, the Bills looked like the team that finished 1-8 last season. I think the Bills have a chance to win this game at home. Their offense still holds some fire power, but not enough to give any team points on the spread. Chiefs 20, Bills 17
Email: jon.gagnon@ubspectrum.com
