A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Willypops

Last week I took my first stab at picking the full slate of NFL games against the point spread here on Fanspeak.  Didn’t do too bad – went 9 and 5.  Some of the guys on TV didn’t do as well.  So, buoyed by that success, I decided to take a crack at picking six of the bigger match-ups in Week #7:

Steelers @ Dolphins (+3) – The Steelers (4-1) ignored the distraction and hype in getting Ben Roethlisberger’s return from suspension game under their belts by convincingly beating the Browns last week.  Offensively, the Steelers have a sound running game and now have their more than reliable passing game going.  With the defense continuing to play at an extremely high level, the Steelers are poised to establish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC.  But they have some tough games coming up over the next four weeks, including three straight road games against the  Dolphins, Saints and Bengals.  They follow that up with a home game against the Patriots.  We’ll know an awful lot about the Steelers after they navigate that field of “land mines”!  The Dolphins (3-2) are a hard team to figure out.  They started the season with two  road wins against the Bills and the Vikings but then followed those up with two home losses to the Jets and Patriots.  After their bye week, they went up to Lambeau Field last week and beat the Packers.  So no telling what to expect against the Steelers.  Chad Henne and the offense for the most part have been sound and the defense is solid.  But both sides of the ball rank in the bottom third of the league in points scored and points allowed.  I don’t think that bodes well for the Dolphins in this game so I’ll take the Steelers and give the points.

Redskins (+3) @ Bears – The Bears (4-2) are on top of the NFC North but they lost to the Seahawks last week at home.  Their offensive line continues to struggle in pass protection and the Redskins’ Brian Orakpo, who is fast becoming one of the premier pass rushers in the league, could come up huge in this game.  Two weeks ago against Carolina, Bears running back Matt Forte ran wild but overall their running game is not very strong.  Defensively, the Bears are in the top 10 league-wide in nearly all of the important statistical categories.  The Redskins (3-3) are coming off a tough loss at home against the Colts last Sunday night which came on the heels of an exciting home win in overtime against the Packers.  Offensively, the Redskins are starting to show some signs of life in the running game.  That’s encouraging since the play of quarterback Donovan McNabb thus far can best be characterized as being mediocre.  They will need for him to play much better if they are to have any real success this season.  The Redskins defense continues to be the worst team in the league in total yardage given up and they are in the bottom third in most defensive statistics.  Yet, they managed to hold the Eagles and Packers to 12 and 13 points respectively in getting wins on successive weeks.  This game could go right down to the wire.  Quite often in close games it’s the team with the strongest defense that comes away with the win.  So the nod here goes to the Bears getting a win at home and covering the spread.

Eagles (+3) @ Titans – The Eagles (4-2) have won four of their last five games and are coming off an impressive win at home last week against a very good Falcons team.  Quarterback Kevin Kolb had an outstanding game, going 23 for 29 and throwing for 326 yards with three touchdown passes.  A few more games like that and he will quiet the excitement over Michael Vick’s start to the season and will justify the move sending McNabb to the Redskins in favor of Kolb as the starter.  Overall defensively, the Eagles are sound but they have shown some weakness in stopping the run.  Curiously, three of the Titans (4-2) four wins have come on the road  They followed up their win at Dallas two weeks ago by completely dominating the Jaguars in Jacksonville last Monday night.  As usual, the Titans are playing solid defense this year, allowing the 4th fewest points in the league.  Offensively, quarterback Vince Young is off to a pretty good start, throwing for 7 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions.  But this team’s bread and butter is their running game with Chris Johnson.  As he goes, so go the Titans.  I look for Johnson to exploit the Eagles run defense and the Titans defense to hold Kolb and his talented corps of receivers (minus the injured DeSean Jackson) in check enough so that the Titans win by more than 3 points.

Patriots (+3) @ Chargers –  The Chargers (2-4) have two dominating wins against the Jaguars and Cardinals but are coming off two devastating losses at St. Louis last week and at Oakland the week before.  Because they play in the AFC West however, all hope is not lost.  But they better right this ship quickly because after this game they play the Titans at home and the Texans on the road.  If they continue to play the way they have been, they easily could be 2-7 after that stretch.  Overall, the Chargers are very solid statistically on both offense and defense.  Quarterback Phillip Rivers is having another good season but their rushing offense is in about in the middle of the pack.  It would seem that the Chargers lack of success so far may be more attributed to the off the field distractions associated with the contract disputes involving two of their big name players.  The Patriots (4-1) are coming off big wins in Miami and at home last week against a very good Ravens team.  Quarterback Tom Brady is having another good season thus far and the productive return of Deion Branch last week suggests that Randy Moss’ departure may not negatively impact the Patriots as much as many thought it would.  The Patriots defense has struggle a good bit this year but they have recently shown signs of improvement.  I think this one could be a shootout but I like Brady and the Patriots chances so I’ll take them and the points.

Vikings (+3) @ Packers –  The Vikings (2-3) have pretty much struggled this year, especially offensively.  Quarterback Brett Favre’s performance this year has done an about face compared to his performance last season.  He has already thrown as many interceptions (7) as he did all of last year.  Fortunately for the Vikings, running back Adrian Peterson is off to a great start and it appears that they are going to have to rely on him to pick up much of the slack on offense.  The addition of wide receiver Randy Moss should pay dividends as the season progresses.  Defensively, while the Vikings are not playing up to the level of last year’s performance they are still very sound.  The Packers (3-3) have just been decimated by injuries, most of which have been to key players.  They have had tough losses the past two weeks – the first at Washington in overtime and then at home last week to the Dolphins in overtime.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is having a good season but it is basically his show since the Packer rushing offense leaves a lot to be desired.   Defensively, the Packers are solid but far from spectacular.  When your team is banged up, it is usually your defense that is going to make the difference between wins and losses.  Linebacker Clay Matthews is the engine that powers the Packers defense but he has been hampered this year by a sore hamstring.  Assuming that he can play at somewhere near full throttle, then I think he will wreak havoc on Favre and the Vikings passing game.  As a result, I’ll take the Packers at Lambeau on Sunday night and give the points.

Giants (+3) @ Cowboys –   A classic NFC East showdown on Monday Night.  The Cowboys (1-4) are coming off two tough losses, one at home against the Titans and then last week at Minnesota.  Defensively, the Cowboys have been playing very well.  And offensively, their passing statistics are near the top in most categories.  Most everybody is impressed with the Cowboys running back contingent but for some reason, Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett seems to favor the passing game and he has been criticized for not striking the proper balance between the run and the pass.  On paper, the Cowboys look like a team that should be 4-1 instead of 1-4, but they just seem to find ways to shoot themselves in the foot with costly and stupid penalties.  The Giants (4-2) are coming off three straight impressive wins against the Bears, Texans and Lions.  But in the two games prior to that run, they looked horrendous in losses to the Colts and Titans.  The Giants defense has been playing very well of late and they seem to be able to dictate the tempo of the game.  The offense has been effective overall and the running tandem of  Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs has been particular productive, accounting for a combined total of nearly 800 yards rushing.  In this game, clearly the Cowboys backs are up against the wall.  If for no other reason than that, I see the Cowboys offense finding a way to overcome the Giants defense and coming away with a victory at home and covering the spread in doing so.

1. Steelers- Roethlisberger looked fine in his debut, and Pittsburgh continued to roll. Now with a passing attack to go along with their ground game and defense, I’m not sure how you stop them.

2. Jets- The Jets are 5-0 after their opening week loss to the Ravens, and are showing a tough (albeit not great) D and a strong running game. Sanchez has improved this year, but still has had some bad weeks.

3. Ravens- Baltimore might have two losses, but neither are a blow out and this team is balanced and ready to play.

4. Colts- Indy might have two losses, but they still look like one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. Manning is having another incredible year and could lead this team back to the Super Bowl.

5. Patriots- New England might only have 1 loss, but I’m still not believing in this team sans Moss. The Patriots look okay now, but can they sustain it?

6. Saints- This isn’t last year’s Saints team, but they still have plenty of offensive firepower, the question going forward is can that defense hold up?

7. Titans- Tennessee has the running game and defense down pat, but they still need consistent performances from their quarterback.

8. Texans- Houston has some holes in their pass defense, but have a fantastic running game and passing attack.

9. Falcons- Atlanta is a very good team, but to be a contender you have got to win some tough ones on the road, and they looked over matched last week.

10. Eagles- Philly has two quarterbacks that could start for most teams in the league, and an impressive offense. The loss of Jackson hurts them though if he is out for an extended period.

11. Giants- New York is hotter than Philly right now, but the Eagles have the more talented team. Either way these two teams should be fighting for the division.

12. Chiefs- The Chiefs came extremely close to beating both the Colts and the Texans, but in the end couldn’t pull it out. Overall they are a good team but still have a few big holes.

13. Packers- Green Bay roster is beginning to look like an infirmary, but they still have Aaron Rodgers at the helm and that will keep them competitive.

14. Dolphins- Miami is 3-2 and has looked pretty good thus far. Their two losses have come to divisional foes and they almost upset the Jets. They are still a developing team, but the future looks bright.

15. Redskins- Washington is 3-3 and have done a good job of playing up to their opponents. Their defense has some major holes in it, and their offense is incomplete, but they are still in games.

16. Bears- Not addressing their offensive line issues this offseason has come back to bite the Bears hard. They have a good defense and a number of playmakers, but their o-line will hold them back.

17. Vikings- It hasn’t been pretty this year in Minnesota, but their defense has held up. The question remains is how will Favre’s arm hold up for the rest of the year?

18. Seahawks- Seattle isn’t the most impressive team in the NFL, but they have put together some nice games. And should remain in the West race.

19. Bengals- Cincinnati needs to figure out what is going wrong, because the talent is there with this team.

20. Broncos- Denver’s offense is looking good, unfortunately their defense can’t really stop anyone.

21. Cardinals- Arizona is relying on an undrafted rookie, but they have the talent around him to pile up a few wins.

22. Buccaneers- Tampa has a bright, bright future ahead of them, but that defense has not been able to stop top notch offenses.

23. Rams- St. Louis lives and dies with Bradford, as he has put together some good games, and some ugly games. They (Bradford esp.) seem to play much better at home, so it will be interesting to see how they end up with their road record for the year.

24. Cowboys- They might only have 1 win, but I wouldn’t count the Cowboys out just yet. They have so much talent, but no discipline or gameplan.

25. Chargers- San Diego’s defense is letting them down big time, and could keep them from a return trip to the playoffs.

26. Lions- Detroit lost another quarterback, but Stafford should be back now. Their defense has some issues, but that offense can score with anyone.

27. 49ers- San Francisco finally got a win, but they still aren’t playing up to their talent.

28. Browns- Cleveland is starting to show some semblance of an offense going forward, now they just need a defense to step up.

29. Jaguars- Jacksonville is 3-3, but with Garrard possibly injured for a couple of weeks (maybe less) their situation is pretty ugly.

30. Raiders- Oakland has some talent they just need to put it all together.

31. Panthers- It looks as though they rushed Clausen, hopefully it doesn’t do long term damage to the kid.

32. Bills- Why this team didn’t improve at quarterback or the offensive line this offseason is beyond me.

A Guest Blog by Fanspeak Contributing Writer Jason Mullen:

To me, a lifelong Pittsburgh sports fan, October just can’t arrive fast enough. This is, perhaps, the pinnacle of the sports year. Especially after disappointing seasons or early playoff exits, the summer months are agonizing. But even when the Steelers win the Super Bowl or the Penguins claim Lord Stanley’s Cup, the summer feels a little empty. Until the Pirates can step up and make the summer somewhat interesting, the earliest relief arrives when the Steelers are back on the field. Once the Penguins hit the ice, everything is right again in the sports world. Expectations are high. Optimism abounds. This is “our” year. Pontification and predictions, playing the game on paper, creating mental depth charts, being the GM on the couch – these are the makings of a true sports fanatic. But, in the end, the games have to be played, players will get hurt, mistakes will be made, and sometimes the difference between winning and losing is a half inch or so.

Coming off a forgettable season, the Steelers were going to be challenged early this year. Could they survive the early part of the season without Big Ben for up to six games? Of course, Ben’s replacements, Leftwich and Dixon fell to injury, leaving the consummate professional, Charlie Batch, at the helm. You couldn’t ask much more from your longtime backup quarterback. If not for a few untimely penalties and breakdowns at the end of the Raven’s game, the Steelers were one first down away from a perfect 4 – 0 start. The defense is looking very strong, with Polamalu, Harrison, and Farrior, wreaking havoc as usual. If Ben can focus on football and play like he is capable, the Steelers should be among the strongest contenders this year.

As great as football is, my favorite sport has always been hockey. I suspect this is mostly due to watching Mario Lemieux in the prime of his career, leading the Penguins to back to back Stanley Cups. The Penguins were a dominant team for much of the 90’s, with names like Francis, Stevens, Jagr, Barrasso, Samuelsson, Murphy, Straka, Kovalev, Nedved, and more. In the early 2000’s, the Penguins fell into a funk, on and off the ice. The team was bankrupt and the lack of a salary cap meant the Penguins could not compete with big market teams. They had some dismal years, with relocation becoming a serious consideration. However, through the draft and with a salary cap in place, they were able to rebuild around players like Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, and Staal and for the first time in 17 years, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup for the third time in their history. Now, after closing out the oldest NHL arena with a disappointing loss to Montreal in the second round, the Penguins have their long awaited new home, Consol Energy Center.

Before getting in to my take on their chances for this season, it’s important to look at what went wrong last season. They, like any team, had to battle injuries. At one point early in the season, they had 5 of their 6 regular defensemen out of the lineup. In addition, injuries to some key forwards like Malkin, Talbot, and Kunitz took away from their scoring punch. The powerplay struggled without Sergei Gonchar, who missed considerable time with a shoulder injury. But, once the playoffs arrive, the regular season standings and point totals simply don’t matter. You just have to get in, and then, anything can happen. In the East, this notion proved true as three of the top seeded teams fell in the first round. In the end, the Penguins seemed to be doomed by their lack of shutdown defensemen (the loss of Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi hurt), some inconsistent play from Fleury, and the lack of secondary scoring. The Canadiens keyed on Crosby and Malkin effectively, and none of the other forwards were able to produce much in the way of offense.

This offseason, the Penguins lost a few players to free agency, most notably Gonchar. Gonchar, an excellent powerplay quarterback, was a confident leader and well respected by the team. His absence will be felt, especially on the powerplay. However, Gonchar was also slowing down and given his age, the Penguins decided not to commit to the three year deal that he was after. General manager Ray Shero wasted no time in acquiring some defensemen to fill the gap. Zbynek Michalek and Paul Martin were signed to 5 year deals and will help shore up the Penguins defense. Their top four of Orpik, Michalek, Letang, and Martin is solid. If Alex Goligoski can stabilize his game, along with the development of Ben Lovejoy or Deryk Engelland as the number 6, the Penguins defense is much improved over last year’s squad.

With most of their available cap space used on Martin and Michalek, the Penguins didn’t have a lot to work with to land a scoring winger. Ponikarovsky and Fedetenko were ineffective here and have signed elsewhere. Veteran winger Bill Guerin was not resigned. With only a small amount of money at his disposal, Shero was still able to sign some quality players at bargain prices in Mike Comrie and Arron Asham. These signings, along with some of the AHL players getting a shot to crack the NHL roster, provide some much needed depth, especially with Jordan Staal out indefinitely. Eric Tangradi is a good prospect who is poised to become the power forward the Pens haven’t had since Ryan Malone. When Staal returns, they will have the option of making him the number two center, moving Malkin to wing. The Pens have plenty of quality third and fourth line players in Talbot, Adams, Rupp, Asham, Cooke, and Kennedy. If Kunitz and Dupuis can keep up with Crosby, the Pens shouldn’t have any trouble finding the back of the net.

Ultimately, for the Penguins to succeed, they need Fleury to be at the top of his game, like he was during their run to the Cup in 2009. Last season, he seemed to lack the confidence he had during those playoffs. If he can regain his focus and mental toughness, he can be one of the best in the game.

On paper, it all looks good. The Penguins should once again, be considered among the strongest contenders for the Cup. But, now it’s time to drop the puck and play for real and to that, I can only say… FINALLY!!!

LET’S GO PENS!!!

Wow this week was full of a number of shocking games and brutal losses against the spread (and hopefully no one bet on too many of my predictions this week as no one saw this coming!)

Ravens over the Steelers: While Pittsburgh played well enough to win, they ended up beating themselves in the end. Between missed field goals and stupid penalties, Pittsburgh continued to shoot themselves in the foot. How you have three penalties on your last offensive series, while you are trying to put the game away is beyond me. The Steelers have the return of Ben Roethlisberger this week (they have a bye, so he won’t play until the following week) so I think they will be quite alright, but it was still a rough loss to Steelers fans.

Atlanta Beating the 49ers on a last second FG: The Falcons were coming off a win against the Saints and were once again at home, but they were a completely different team yesterday. Atlanta was sloppy all game (and the 49ers weren’t that much better) and needed a last second 43 yard field goal to beat San Francisco. Although the shock of the season might be the 49ers 0-4 start, the Falcons barely squeaking by shows some weaknesses on that team. The Falcons should still be a solid playoff contender, but that offense was not clicking on all cylinders yesterday against a team that can’t seem to get out of their own way. Atlanta will need to tighten up if they are to contend with the best teams in the NFC.

Saints squeaking by the Panthers: New Orleans was favored by two touchdowns, but needed a FG late in the 4th quarter to get past the hapless Panthers. Carolina played well enough to win this game against the Super Bowl Champs (in New Orleans no less). Rookie Jimmy Clausen showed some promise and their running game did well against the Saints defense. New Orleans is still 3-1, but they haven’t dominated anyone the way they did last year, and have some major questions going forward. I will say it is probably a good thing they changed placekickers as John Carney’s leg was needed three times.

Redskins Upset Philly, In McNabb’s Return (and Vick’s exit): Washington scored 17 points on their first three drives, and it is a good thing they did since those were the only points they had. While Washington’s offense struck early, this ended up being a defensive game as the Redskins held the Eagles to just 12 points. Philly lost starting quarterback Michael Vick to a rib injury at the end of the 1st quarter, but Kolb came in and played a solid game. Some bad coaching calls help lead to Philly’s demise (the whole 4th and 1 thing at the end of the first half was ridiculous). The Redskins won the game based on their rushing attack and defense, but the win still propelled them to 2-2 and atop the NFC East.

Colts Lose Their Second Divisional Game on a last second FG: Indianapolis has at times appeared dominate this season (weeks 2 and 3 and the last 5 minutes of week 1) but at other times has looked pretty ordinary. While Peyton put up another 350 yards and two touchdowns, their rushing attack failed to average any better than 3.1 yards per carry. While the Colts defense didn’t give up major yards like they did in Week one, they still gave up some big plays that put them in a hole. Overall I wouldn’t be too worried about the Colts as they are still a playoff team, but this loss could really hurt their chances for the division.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers- Great defense and a strong running game will get you to 3-0, the fact they did that with their 3rd and 4th string quarterbacks is unheard of. One more week without Roethlisberger, but after he returns they could be scary good.

2. Indianapolis Colts- They might have started the season with a loss, but this team is exceptionally good. Peyton Manning plays in his own world and as long as he remains upright this team is a Super Bowl contender.

3. Chicago Bears- The Bears are off to a great start, and their defense is playing pretty good football. They still need a better ground game, but they look to be a tough team this year.

4. Green Bay Packers- Packers need to find a way to run the football and protect Aaron Rodgers. That being said they were a handful of stupid penalties away from being 3-0.

5.New Orleans Saints- New Orleans is still a great team, but back-to-back nail-biters (including one loss) are a bit troubling. The running game is lagging behind this year and will need to pick up.

6. Houston Texans- The Texans have a very good balanced offense, but problems in their secondary could keep them back this season.

7. New York Jets- Its been a bizarre year in New York as now they apparently have a passing offense, but their defense is letting them down. I think the defense will right itself  and the passing attack will stay above average.

8. Atlanta Falcons- Atlanta had a big win last week, but they were one 29 yard FG away from falling 1-2. While it was a solid comeback against the Saints, they need to be a bit more balanced on offense.

9. Philadelphia Eagles- Their offense is running on all cylinders now with Vick at the helm, and they can score from anywhere on the field. The Eagles defense hasn’t been the greatest so far, but they are showing signs of getting better.

10. New England Patriots- The Patriots still have some holes on defense, though their is a ton of potential there. Their running game is non-existent, but their passing attack could still carry them to the playoffs.

11. Baltimore Ravens- Injuries along the O-line have kept this offense from running at full steam, but they have shown some flashes. Their defense though has shown some weaknesses that could be exploited by better teams. Flacco also needs to be more consistent.

12. Cincinnati Bengals- As crazy as it sounds the Bengals might need to think about changing QB’s (not that they have a good one on their roster). Palmer looks awful, and now with the weapons they put around him there is no excuse.

13. Tennessee Titans- Titans need more out of Young and their receivers, but Johnson and the defense have looked good.

14. Miami Dolphins- Miami is a better team this year, but they still might not have enough for a playoff run. At the same time they won’t go quietly into the night, look for them to be competitive in every game.

15. Dallas Cowboys- Cowboys need to start utilizing all their weapons and stop trying to get cute. This team is a bit lost, but should get dangerous fast.

16. Minnesota Vikings- Not a great start for a Super Bowl run, but I wouldn’t count out Minnesota yet. Their receivers and O-line need to get straightened out, but this is a good team.

17. Kansas City Chiefs- Not much respect for a 3-0 team, but both the Chargers and 49ers have been huge disappointments and the Browns are still pretty bad. What they have done so far is impressive but they could crash down to earth. I do think they have a shot at the division though as no one else seems to want it.

18. Seattle Seahawks- Seattle is playing well so far this season, while they still have a few holes the West is poachable.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Tampa came back to earth some last week, and won’t finish higher than 3rd in their division. That being said they have a very bright future and have the pieces in place.

20. New York Giants-Problems are afoot in New York as no team is playing worse with a higher level of talent on their roster.

21. San Diego Chargers- The Chargers look like a shell of themselves from previous years, and now the division has gotten a bit tougher (still not great but no longer a cake walk).

22. Denver Broncos- The injury bug has killed the Broncos so far and will likely keep them down on this list for some time, but next year this could be a team to watch.

23. Arizona Cardinals- MUST FIND A QUARTERBACK….Cardinals have a lot of promise but their lack of a signal caller will hold them back.

24. Washington Redskins- Given their talent the Redskins should rank higher, but that defense is just awful. On offense the running back by committee approach could backfire, and this is still a 1 receiver team.

25. San Francisco 49ers- There is no reason the 49ers should be 0-3, hopefully their new offensive coordinator will fix things.

26. Oakland Raiders- The Raiders are a better team on paper, but they just can’t get out of their own way it seems like.

27. St. Louis Rams- Bradford isn’t completely overmatched which is very promising, but the team around him needs to improve to keep climbing this list.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars- This is a team on the brink of collapse, their talent should rank them higher but their play could bring them to the bottom of this list.

29. Detroit Lions- Shaun Hill has filled in admirably, but it will be interesting to see how this team does with Stafford at the helm. Best has been a big surprise, but the defense and O-line need to play better.

30. Cleveland Browns- The Browns look like they are building something for the future, but right now they are struggling. Their defense has completely let them down, and they have no passing attack.

31. Carolina Panthers- They have already switched to rookie Jimmy Clausen so they could start to rise. Though they will need to find a way to run the ball.

32. Buffalo Bills- Another bad year in Buffalo, still major questions at QB, OL (all of them), WR, TE, DL

Revis Island Will Be Uninhabited On Sunday: The Jets won a crucial divisional matchup last week against the Patriots, but lost All-Pro corner Darrelle Revis to a hamstring injury. While the injury isn’t likely a long term problem, it will keep Revis out of action this week against the Miami Dolphins and star receiver Brandon Marshall. New York is smart for not playing Revis this week, even if it does potentially hurt their chances of winning another tough divisional game. If Revis plays he has a big chance of doing further damage to the injury, keeping him out for much longer than one game. The Jets defense can survive without Revis for one game (even against Marshall) but I don’t think they could last a month or more.

Steelers Go With Batch Sunday Against Buccaneers: Boy Leftwich must still be pretty injured if they are going with Charlie Batch to start this week. While technically he was just ‘resigned’ this week, he was only not a Steeler for about 30 Hrs. I’m guessing he didn’t forget the playbook in that time period. Not only is Leftwich the more talented quarterback with better physical tools and starting experience, but up until three and a half weeks ago, when he got injured, he was getting all the starters work in practice. Batch barely played this preseason or got many reps in practice until Leftwich went down. And it is not as though Batch set the world a blaze with his performance last Sunday against the Titans. In addition to all of that Leftwich was traded by the Buccaneers this offseason to the Steelers, so I’m sure he would have loved a little payback and the chance to show them they were wrong to give up on him. Since Batch will be the man under center for the Steelers this Sunday, I’d expect a healthy dose of Rashard Mendenhall and the rest of the ground attack. Also, I’d expect a lot of short passes as the Steelers attempt to grind out their third win of the season.

Raiders Had Campbell On A Short Leash, Go With Gradkowski: It is a bit surprising the Raiders didn’t give Jason Campbell more time to figure it out, or at least one more chance to redeem himself, but it is hard to argue with Gradkowski’s numbers and result. Gradkowski came in for Campbell in relief on Sunday and led the Raiders to victory over the Rams. Now he is tabbed as the starting quarterback. While Campbell’s numbers were less than impressive, much of that comes from his week 1 beating against the Tennessee Titans. A defense that sacked him four times, and constantly had him under pressure. The move is surprising, not because the Raiders gave up alot for Campbell, but that Campbell had been building on a pretty solid career up until this season. Now the Raiders have a new man under center and Campbell is left on the bench. My guess is it won’t be a short stay on the bench for Campbell though. While there is always a chance that Gradkowski is ineffective or injured, I’m thinking a trade could be on the way. Looking around the league, there are a number of weak quarterback situations that Campbell could step in as a starter right away. In addition there are a few other situations where he would be either a solid back up or a stop gap situation while a young QB develops. The Seahawks, Bills, Browns and Cardinals could all use an immediate upgrade at quarterback, while the Chiefs, 49ers, Jaguars, Panthers and Vikings could all use a little insurance. Remember Campbell is signed for just $3.14 million this season (with the Raiders obviously already paying some of that) and just $4.5 million next year. That is pretty affordable (though on the pricier side) for a backup on a team with an established quarterback. And is a great price if he actually starts on these teams. Campbell is a very good buy low option, and shouldn’t cost more than the 4th round pick in 2012 that the Raiders gave up (though honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if Oakland could do better).

Torre Leaves Open the Possibility of a New York Return: While this might peak Yankees fans interest if they don’t win the World Series this year, Torre was talking about their cross town rivals the New York Mets. While it might sound shocking to some, Torre finished up his playing career and began his managerial career as a member of the Mets, so it is hard not to see how those ties run deep for him. All-in-all its a lot of speculation based on one radio interview while the season is still in progress, but I wouldn’t rule it out entirely. The Mets will obviously make a managerial change,  and have the desire and money to make a big splash. Torre would get the most out of that lineup and give the team instant credibility. While i’m not buying it yet, it will be an interesting story to watch this offseason.

Yankees Add a Game to Their Lead Over the Rays: In an emotional night in which the Yankees unveiled a statue honoring the late George Steinbrenner, the Yankees held off their division rivals 8-6. It was a big win for the Yankees who now have a 1.5 game lead over the Rays for the division. Not only did they win the game, but they did so behind rookie pitcher Ivan Nova. Nova didn’t have a great game by any means, but the fact that he was able to pitch well enough to set up the team to win, means that the Yankees still have Hughes and Sabathia throwing in this series (as well as Burnett but that could be a long shot for a win). While the bullpen allowed the Rays to get a little closer they hung on when it counted and got New York their 91st win. This series is a crucial one for New York and will go a long way to determining who takes the East and who ends up with the Wild Card.

Steelers Without Dixon, Resign Leftwich to Battle Batch: The news on Dennis Dixon isn’t promising as it looks like a torn lateral meniscus, which will keep him sidelined 2-5 weeks. The Steelers quickly resigned Byron Leftwich who was released over the weekend, who has missed the last two weeks after spraining his knee in preseason. Leftwich was originally supposed to be the seat warmer for Ben Roethlisberger as he sits out this 4 game suspension, but now his healthy return to the field is a priority with Dixon’s injury. If Leftwich can’t go Charlie Batch will start this Sunday against the Buccaneers. Batch came in for Dixon this past Sunday and the numbers were less than impressive, as the Steelers really had to play a vastly more conservative game than they would have liked. With a limited passing attack the Titans were able to stack the line against the run slowing down Mendenhall. While a full week of practice could allow Batch to be more active in the passing attack, the best thing for the Steelers will be a healthy Leftwich, who has the arm to allow the Steelers to go vertical. While the Buccaneers have been a surprise team this year, the real test will be week 4 at home against the Ravens. For the Steelers to have any chance of winning they will need some sort of passing attack to try to balance out the run game.

Manning Bowl Ended Up Being a Blowout: There is little doubt the Manning Boys are two of the best quarterbacks in the league, but in yesterday’s matchup that was only evident on one side. To no one’s real surprise, older brother Peyton ended up the victor, but what was shocking was how bad the Giants looked as a team. The Colts jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead, and never let up as they cruised to their 38-14 victory. They had major success running the football as well, which isn’t always their strong suite. And of course Peyton was dominate in his own right. The Giants on the other hand had success running, but when you are down by 24 points it is almost counter-productive. And while overall Eli had a solid game, he had a pretty bad first half which led to his team’s demise.

Steelers Stop Chris Johnson and the Titans: The Steelers were outgained 238-127, didn’t score a single offensive touchdown, lost their starting quarterback, and managed just 21 passing yards, yet they left Tennessee with the win. The Steelers defense took both of the Titans two main weapons out of the game (literally in the case of Vince Young). Chris Johnson managed just 34 yards on 13 carries, and another 19 on 5 receptions. Johnson had a streak of 12 100 yard games going entering yesterday, but the Steelers found a way to contain him. Without Johnson, or Young who was benched because of ineffectiveness the Titans were without their two playmakers. While Kerry Collins led a bit of a comeback it was too little too late, as the defense held. While starting out 2-0 is great for the Steelers they did lose Dixon to a knee injury, and they will need to figure out what to do for the next 2 weeks. The passing attack was nonexistent after Dixon left, as was the loss of the scrambling threat. While the loss of Dixon was tough, it was a big win for the Steelers against a 2nd straight playoff contending team. And just how good is that Steelers defense? Last week the Titans rolled for 38 points against the Raiders, this week they had 11. And the Steelers in week 1 held the Falcons to just 9 points, and yesterday they put up 41 against the Cardinals.

Sanchez Comes Through For The J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS: One week after looking completely lost Mark Sanchez, had the game of his career (I’m still not drinking the “Franchise” Kool-Aid, but impressive game nonetheless). What was most impressive for me was the fact that he remained cool under pressure and led a comeback. Also, while the Patriots defense might not be as good as the Ravens it is pretty good in its own right, and he had no problem navigating them. The Patriots meanwhile, couldn’t stop Sanchez or the Jets running game, and they could’t do anything offensively in the 2nd half. While the Jets defense didn’t get the sacks, they harassed Brady all day and forced two interceptions. If Sanchez is on the Jets can go far with that defense, that has now held two of the best offenses in the AFC to a combined 23 points.

Bears Go to 2-0 By Upsetting the Cowboys Who Fall to 0-2: Dallas was supposed to come out with a vengeance yesterday and redeem their opening game loss in a big way over the Bears. I guess no one told Chicago that, because they were by far the best team on the football field yesterday. The Bears attacked Tony Romo early and jumped out to an early lead which forced Dallas to abandon the run. While Romo rebounded, and ended up with good number it was too little too late as the Cowboys lost their home opener 27-20. The Cowboys defense had no answer for Jay Cutler and was picked apart, by Chicago’s spread offense. The Bears now might need to be taken seriously in the NFC (especially since Minnesota is 0-2), and the Cowboys really need to take a look at themselves. Because after two games this team doesn’t look like the Super Bowl contender they were billed to be.

Kansas City (+3.0) @ Cleveland: The Chiefs and Browns are both pretty weak overall teams, but I really liked what I saw with Kansas City last week. Adding Dexter McCluster gave them a major special teams weapon, one that should start to see a bigger role on offense. While I’m no Matt Cassel fan, K.C. has solid receivers and a great one-two running back combo. Cleveland is an improved team, but they still have a ways to go. Their quarterback situation is completely unsettled and until that is figured out, their offense can’t get going. I like the Chiefs here to win a close one 20-17.

Pittsburgh (+5.0) @ Tennessee: Pittsburgh on the road in Tennessee is a tough match up, especially without their top quarterback. The deciding factor in the game though will be how the Steelers control Chris Johnson. Johnson has run all over ever defense that has opposed him in the last year, but if any defense can stop him it’s Pittsburgh’s. If the Steelers stop Johnson and force the Titans to throw the ball they should win, but If Johnson gets a 100 yards, you have got to like Tennessee in this one. I think Pittsburgh keeps it close, but Johnson and Tennessee breakout at the end, 23-17 Tennessee.

New England (-3.0) @ New York (Jets): Normally with the best defense and being at home the Jets should be the favorite, but their woeful offensive performance last week has them at 3.0 underdogs against their division foe. While the Patriots have a high powered offense they can’t hope to score much against the Jets top defense, but luckily their solid defense should be more than enough to hinder the Jets offense led by Mark Sanchez. Sanchez needs to come through in the clutch today if the Jets are to be taken as serious contenders, but I don’t see it happening. New England wins a low scoring affair 17-10 to take a two game lead in the division.

New York (Giants) (+5.0) @ Indianapolis: The Colts got upset last week and their soft underbelly was exposed when the Texans ran all over them for the win. Peyton Manning still threw for over 400 yards and 3 TD’s so the offense isn’t really a concern. The Colts do still need to add balance to their rushing attack, but as long as Peyton is at the helm I like the Colts in the Manning Bowl. The Giants could keep it close, but I can’t see Indianapolis losing at home to go to 0-2. While New York has a good overall defense their pass defense is a bit porous, which doesn’t bode well against Older Brother. Colts win 31-21 to even themselves up this season.

AFC:

AFC EAST:

1. New York Jets

2. New England Patriots

3. Miami Dolphins

4. Buffalo Bills

The Jets are the team to beat in the AFC East and their chances got progressively better with the return of Darrelle Revis from his holdout. Once again the Jets will have a championship caliber defense that can beat any team in the NFL. The real question mark is the development of Mark Sanchez. While a lot of hype surrounds him, he hasn’t really shown himself to be a capable starter, much less a “Franchise Quarterback”. It could have just been rookie jitters but those excuses won’t fly this year, with an improved offense and a whole offseason of working with two top flight wide receivers, (Edwards and Holmes). The Patriots offense could be championship caliber, but I think this could be a let down season in New England. Their passing attack is superb, but their running game seems to get weaker each season. The holdout of Logan Mankins weakens that offensive line and really hurts their depth. While the Pats offense is high powered their defense has been slacking off in recent years. The Dolphins could be an up-and-coming team, but really are a stretch as a contender. This is a big year for Chad Henne, but I am not sure if he is the right answer. The Bills unfortunately aren’t going to be much of a threat in the East as their quarterback and offensive line play leave a lot to be desired.

AFC NORTH:

1. Baltimore Ravens

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Cincinnati Bengals

4. Cleveland Browns

The North will be a battle to the end, but I think the Ravens will come out on top. With Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Derrick Mason already in place the Ravens went out and added a pair of rookie tight ends and a pair of veteran receivers. Combined with a quality offensive line (albeit one who is dealing with injuries), the Ravens now might have the best all-around offense in the AFC. The Ravens defense is still one of the best in the league and is good enough to carry this team far into the postseason. The Steelers are a bit of a surprise pick here considering they will be without their quarterback for the first 4 games, but they have the talent to go far this season. Even after trading Holmes, they have one of the better offensive units. The Steelers defense still has the makings of a great unit and I’d expect a big rebound year for them. The Bengals are a quality team and will in the playoff hunt all year. But I’m not sure if Palmer is as good as everyone believes. That defense has some game though and should keep them in the race until the end. The Browns should be improved some and could have the pieces for a nice future, but it will be another year or so before they are competitive.

AFC SOUTH:

1. Indianapolis Colts

2. Houston Texans

3. Tennesse Titans

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts should be the best team in the AFC this season. As long as they have Peyton Manning they are a Super Bowl contender. Their defense and O-line need some work, but Manning is too good to ignore. The Texans could make a serious run this season and I’d expect them to make their first postseason. The Titans are an intriguing team with Vince Young and Chris Johnson on offense, but they lack the receivers to be a serious offensive force. The Jags are a team that I think could be a huge disappointment this season and think they could end up with a top 5 pick in next April’s draft.

AFC WEST:

1. San Diego Chargers

2. Oakland Raiders

3. Denver Broncos

4. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chargers should be the only playoff team out of the West this year, and that is despite not having Vincent Jackson. They still have a top offensive unit and an impressive defense. They are far superior to any other West team, and should runaway with this division. The Raiders I think will be a very improved team this year and could even end up with a .500 record. Their offensive line will hold them back, but the Raiders could be returning as a relevant team in the West. The Broncos have some talent, but injuries have already depleted this team and could haunt them this entire season. I really see the Chiefs as another disappointing team as I’m not a big believer in Matt Cassel.

Playoffs:

1. Colts

2. Jets

3. Ravens

4. Chargers

5. Steelers

6. Texans

Colts over the Steelers in the AFC Championship game.