NFL Preseason Week 2 2013 Picks and Analysis
Week 2 of the NFL preseason is where the fringe players get one last opportunity to prove their worth and the starters get an extra quarter of reps. Here is a list of the games and what I’m looking for in each game…
Carolina vs Philadelphia
Second round pick Kawann Short is going to be a key to Carolina’s success this year so I’ll be watching to see how well he fits into the mix at defensive tackle and how improved Cam Newton is. Eagles win this by a field goal.
Detroit vs Cleveland
We’ll know by week 2 of the preseason how well Reggie Bush is going to fit into the Lions offense. We know what we’re going to get out of Cleveland this year – bad football. Lions by a touchdown.
Atlanta vs Baltimore
This would be a huge game…if it were the regular season. It’s still a preseason game you should catch. Matty “Ice” Ryan versus Joe Flacco. Sure, it will only be two quarters but it will be an entertaining two quarters for sure. Falcons by 3.
San Diego vs Chicago
The thing to look for most in this one is how well Jay Cutler performs in a brand new offense. San Diego is a team on a downward spiral. Phillip Rivers is still productive but he’s not the QB he was a few years ago. Bears by a touchdown.
Minnesota vs Buffalo
The Vikings are one of the teams I’m intrigued by this year because I’m not quite sure if last season was a fluke or if they really are a 5-11 football team. I’ll tune into this one to see if Christian Ponder has made some strides and if the Vikings offense can survive without Percy Harvin. Vikings by 2.
San Francisco vs Kansas City
Alex Smith gets a shot to make a statement against his old team. Unfortunately, he probably will struggle because the Niners defense is loaded…and the Chiefs offense is not. This should be a low scoring game but watching Smith face the Niners should make it worth watching. San Francisco by 4.
Tampa Bay vs New England
I really believe the Patriots dynasty is over. But I still think they’ll be a .500 or better team. I’m not sold on Josh Freeman at quarterback for Tampa Bay. As much as I dislike the attention Tim Tebow receives, I do want to see what Bill Belichick has in mind for him in this offense. Patriots by a touchdown.
Oakland vs New Orleans
I expect a comeback year out of Drew Brees and the Saints. I don’t think they’ll have a good defense but their offense is fun to watch. Oakland, on the other hand, just plain sucks. Saints by 13.
Dallas vs Arizona
This would be a great game to watch if it were 2001 and Emmitt Smith was still on the Cardinals. Those days are long gone and so are the days of the Cardinals having a potent offense. They bore me. So does Tony Romo. With that said, I’ll take the Cowboys by 3 here.
Tennessee vs Cincinnati
Is it me or is Cincinnati 9-7 every year? Marvin Lewis does just enough every year to NOT get fired. I don’t see this year being any different. As for the Titans, the only player on that team worth watching is Chris Johnson. When healthy, he’s a big play waiting to happen. Bengals by 7.
Jacksonville vs New York Jets
This game probably won’t be a “game of the year” candidate but at least now that the Jets no longer have Tim Tebow holding a clipboard, we won’t have to listen to the announcers ramble on about him the entire game. Jets by 6.
Green Bay vs St. Louis
Jeff Fisher is one of the best coaches in the NFL and he’s going to rebuild the Rams. But Green Bay is still way ahead of them in terms of organizational development. Aaron Rodgers could shred the Rams defense in his sleep. Packers by 10.
Miami vs Houston
This is actually Miami’s third game. It’s an intriguing match-up of offense (Houston) versus defense (Miami). I think both of these teams will win their respective divisions. Give me the Texans at home by a touchdown.
Denver vs Seattle
This is another game that would make for a great regular season match-up. Peyton Manning versus Russell Wilson should be fun to see. Seattle is always tough at home with their raucous crowd. But I’m still taking the Broncos by a field goal.
Indianapolis vs New York Giants
Yet another quality match-up. Andrew Luck’s off-season improvement is what I’ll be looking at most here. I’m still not a believer in the Colts quite yet despite their 11-win season last year. I think it was all smoke and mirrors. Giants by 6.
Pittsburgh vs Washington
RGIII is unlikely to be ready to go by this game. So we’ll have to settle for watching Kirk Cousins and Rex Grossman battle it out for the Redskins backup QB job. Assuming Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t sexually assault anyone prior to this game, he’s still the focal point of the Steelers offense. Pittsburgh by 5.
