2013 NFL SEASON WEEK 2

In the first game of the season quarterback Peyton Manning led the Broncos to victory over the Ravens with 7 touchdown passes in 49-27 victory over the Super Bowl champions and everyone anointed Denver Super Bowl champions.

In a rematch of last year's NFC Divisional round game, the 49ers again got the best of the Packers this time with the arm of Colin Kaepernick throwing for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns. The only other 49ers quarterback with that stat line was Joe Montana. Newly acquired 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin made his presence known with 208 yards on 13 receptions and a touchdown pass.

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson picked up where he left off from last season taking his first carry 78 yards for a touchdown, but the Lions emerged victorious. This might be a common theme for the Vikings if they don't get better output from Christian Ponder.

The Falcons and Saints provided us with another classic in their rivalry as the Saints welcomed the return of head coach Sean Payton with a 23-17 victory in New Orleans. Last season's much aligned Saints defense came up big when it mattered forcing Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to throw an interception as his team was facing 4th and goal down by 6 with less than a minute remaining. This was the Saints first opening day win over the Falcons having gone 0-6 in such matchups.

And the good news is there was no power outage during this game.

Jets quarterback Geno Smith recorded his first NFL victory in his first start which was aided by Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David's late hit out of bounds that set up the Jets game winning field goal.

On Monday Night, the Eagles new up tempo offense led by former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly at one point led by 26 points but survived a late Washington surge to hold on for a 33-27 victory.

In the late game, San Diego built a 28-7 lead in the third quarter by starting with a Phillip Rivers touchdown pass after a Texans turnover. And led to tweets like these:

New name for the Houston Texans: Not Ready For Primetime Players #NFL#MNF#BackToFootball
— Michael Watts (@mjwatts1983) September 10, 2013

The Texans went on to score the game's next 24 points including this interception returned for a score by linebacker Brian Cushing that tied the score at 28 with 9:30 time left in the fourth quarter.

And there were these tweets:

Reports of the Texans demise MIGHT have been GREATLY exaggerated. #NFL#MNF#BackToFootball
— Michael Watts (@mjwatts1983) September 10, 2013

I think we have a game. #HOUvsSD#MNF#NFL#BackToFootball
— Michael Watts (@mjwatts1983) September 10, 2013

Houston had the ball last and drove for the game winning field goal to escape from San Diego 31-28. It was the second time that the Chargers held a 20+ point lead in a Monday Night Game and lost. The last time that happened was last season against the Broncos.

New name for San Diego's NFL team: The (Super) Chokers #MNF#NFL#BackToFootball
— Michael Watts (@mjwatts1983) September 10, 2013

So... here is where I talk about the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas won their first game of the season. They also beat the Giants for the first time at Cowboys Stadium AT&T Stadium Death Star Jerry World since its opening in 2009. It was the fourth time the Cowboys beat the Giants in a Week 1 home opener. The previous ones were 1965, 1986, and 2007. What were significant about the 1986 and 2007 openers....? Well, the Giants lost those games but at the end of those respective seasons the Giants were hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

But this is about the present. Despite quarterback Tony Romo getting sandwiched by two Giants defenders late in the first half and wincing from the pain, Dallas was able to build a 17-point lead in the third quarter. The Giants cut it to 30-24 in the fourth quarter. I had a feeling I've seen this film before. Quarterback Eli Manning would lead a game winning drive, Dallas would then try for a winning score, and something would happen along the way (botched snap, Tony Romo interception, blocked field goal, Dez Bryant not making sure he gets his hand down in bounds).

EXCEPT...

That was not the Giants night. New York had 6 turnovers in this game. The last one, an Eli Manning interception, placed the Giants' chances of victory in peril as Brandon Carr returned it for a touchdown to put Dallas up 12. It was the Cowboys second touchdown returned off of a turnover in this game. The Giants scored a touchdown to close it within 5, but Dallas recovered the onside kick to clinch the 36-31 victory. Dallas and Philadelphia are tied at the top of the NFC East while the Giants and Washington are tied for last.

As for the hit that Romo took in the first half. X-rays turned up negative which is a relief. Romo is expected to start next week in Kansas City.

Dallas is making their second consecutive trip to Kansas City. In part it is due to the NFL schedule makers trying to balance teams travels between the East and West Coasts. So HOPEFULLY we'll see the Chiefs down in Dallas in 2017. It was that 2009 matchup where wide receiver Miles Austin had his breakout game catching 10 passes for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns. Austin also caught the game winning 60 yard catch and run in overtime.

The game also featured a unique uniform matchup: the Chiefs were wearing their Texans throwbacks celebrating the 50th anniversary of the American Football League while the Cowboys wore their throwbacks.

This upcoming game features Chiefs head coach Andy Reid who was coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2012. During his time with the Eagles, Reid was 17-12 vs. Dallas. Last week Kansas City defeated the Jaguars in their home opener down in Jacksonville 28-2.

Other Week 2 games include the Redskins visiting Lambeau Field, that OTHER Texas NFL franchise hosting the Titans, and on Sunday Night is a clash between NFC West powers in Seattle between the 49ers and Seahawks. The Bengals and Steelers are playing on Monday Night as both teams look to put disappointing Week 1 performances behind them with a victory.

The one game everyone has circled on their calendar takes place on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium: Manning Bowl III. While Peyton Manning has a 2-0 record over his younger brother Eli in these games (2006, 2010), the younger Manning has 2 Super Bowl Rings and was named MVP of both games. The Broncos are looking to start 2-0 while the Giants are looking to avoid a 0-2 start.

In the weekly picks, I came in second. Mr. Blake clinched the week with the Eagles victory over the Redskins. All three prognosticators are separated by four games. Right now it is Eli Blake with the early lead, but as Ms. Roberts would correctly point out it is early in the season. The TransGriot's picks are provided at this link while Mr. Blake has his picks posted to Facebook.

	Me	Monica	Eli
Week 1	11-5	9-7	12-4
OVERALL	11-5	9-7	12-4

NFL TV Maps

Picks are in BOLD

Games airing in DFW are noted by (DFW)

THURSDAY NIGHT, 7:20 PM (CT) NFL NETWORK

Jets at Patriots

CBS NOON

Titans at Texans (DFW)

Chargers at Eagles

Dolphins at Colts

Browns at Ravens

FOX NOON

Cowboys at Chiefs (DFW)

Redskins at Packers

Vikings at Bears

Rams at Falcons

Panthers at Bills

CBS 3PM

Broncos at Giants (DFW)

Jaguars at Raiders

FOX 3PM

Saints at Buccaneers

Lions at Cardinals

SUNDAY NIGHT, 7:30 PM (CT) NBC

49ers at Seahawks

MONDAY NIGHT, ESPN 7:30 PM (CT)

Steelers at Bengals

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RELAX! IT'S ONLY THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON

Look, I know that Peyton Manning has a laser rocket arm and by the time he retires Manning will hold several major passing records and is guaranteed enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility which will happen sometime in the 2020s.

Manning's 462 passing yards and 7 passing touchdowns is worth talking about. In the fantasy league I am participating in, Manning got 66 fantasy points and that team is likely to win their matchup. He also had Denver's Defense/Special Teams which got him 11 points. Another guy had receiver Demaryius Thomas who caught 5 passes for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns resulting in 34 fantasy points.

The good news is that I did not draw either of them for Week 1. I had Denver's kicker which gives me an early 7-0 advantage heading into Sunday's games.

Keith Olbermann (yes, he's back on television... this time in his second stint on ESPN television) made it clear about why it is WAY too soon to crown the Broncos Super Bowl XLVIII Champions in the opening of his show on Friday night.

It's not even Week 1. It's only the FIRST GAME OF THE ENTIRE NFL SEASON!!!

One game is 0.3745% of the entire 256-game season plus 11-game playoffs. We have a long ways to go to determine who will be on hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in early February.

I just hope that my prediction holds.

Again.... relax. The Super Bowl wasn't won with the first game of the year.

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2013 NFL SEASON WEEK 1

For the first time since 2003, the Super Bowl champion will start the season on the road. This was in part due to the Ravens and Baltimore's baseball team, the Orioles, had a scheduling conflict. Instead of rescheduling the baseball game to allow the Ravens have their moment in the sun, the Orioles held fast. The simple solution would have been to swap the series between the Orioles and White Sox, but I am certain there was certain logistical issues with that. Oh well, it is what it is.

Meanwhile the Cowboys, who I currently have a love/hate relationship with, have their first home opener in Week 1 since the 2007 season when they defeated the New York Giants 45-35 at the now demolished Texas Stadium. Their opponent for this game: the New York Giants. Since Cowboys Stadium's AT&T Stadium'sDeath Star's Jerry World's opening in 2009, the Giants have never lost there. Last season the Cowboys spoiled the Giants Super Bowl celebration in the season opener.

And to be honest, I wasn't really watching that game. Instead I was watching this.

Other Week 1 games include Buccaneers cornerback Daryl Revis returning to New York to face his former team. There is a battle of mobile quarterbacks in Carolina between the Panthers Cam Newton and the Seahawks Russell Wilson. The Andy Reid era starts with the Chiefs taking on the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The late Sunday afternoon games features a playoff rematch between the Packers and 49ers in San Francisco. On Monday Night, Robert Griffin III makes his return from a knee injury that he suffered in the playoffs against NFC East rival Philadelphia.

Oh... and in the other Monday Night game, the Texans travel to San Diego. But I'll probably be in bed by then.

Here is to another season of picking games and taking on Ms. Roberts in her weekly picks. She may have defeated me in the regular season, but I defeated her in the playoffs. We've also added one Mr. Eli Blake from Arizona. I wish him the best of luck.

The important thing is that we are both starting 0-0 and I look forward to a successful season.

NFL TV Maps

Kickoff times Central Time

Games in DFW shown with (DFW)

  

NFL KICKOFF GAME, 7:30 PM (CT) NBC 

Ravens at Broncos

FOX NOON

Falcons at Saints (DFW)

Buccaneers at Jets

Seahawks at Panthers

Vikings at Lions

CBS NOON

Bengals at Bears (DFW)

Chiefs at Jaguars

Dolphins at Browns

Patriots at Bills

Raiders at Colts

Titans at Steelers

FOX 3PM

Packers at 49ers (DFW)

Cardinals at Rams

SUNDAY NIGHT, 7:30 PM (CT) NBC

Giants at Cowboys

MONDAY NIGHT

Eagles at Redskins, 6 PM (CT) ESPN

Texans at Chargers, 9:15 PM (CT) ESPN

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2013 NFL SEASON: SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

So after careful deliberations and much research... here are my picks for the upcoming NFL Season.

Division	NFC	AFC
EAST	Giants	Patriots
NORTH	Packers	Ravens
SOUTH	Falcons	Texans
WEST	49ers	Broncos
Wild Card 1	Seahawks	Steelers
Wild Card 2	Saints	Bengals

AFC TITLE

Broncos over Texans

NFC TITLE

Falcons over 49ers

SUPER BOWL XLVIII

Broncos over Falcons

Why this pick?

Last season the Falcons were inside 15 yards from playing in the franchise's second Super Bowl. Other NFC contenders are the 49ers, Packers, Seahawks, and to a lesser extent the Saints with the return of Sean Payton to the sidelines. Whoever emerges from the NFC will have earned the right to play in the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile the Broncos were bounced from the playoffs in the divisional round by the eventual Super Bowl champions. There might be a changing of the guard in the AFC with Houston recognizing that their chances for a title might be running out and the defending champion Ravens, but this is still a conference led by the Patriots, Steelers, and whoever Peyton Manning is quarterbacking. The last 10 AFC Title Games have involved at least one of these three quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Peyton Manning.

Am I siding with the status quo? Perhaps. You go with what you know.

There is another factor... weather. This will be the first Super Bowl in an open stadium in traditional cold weather city. The Farmers' Almanac is predicting that a nor'easter will strike the east coast sometime in early February.

Or maybe when the late afternoon kickoff on 2 February 2014 happens at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, the game time temperature will be 50 degrees and partly cloudy with a calm wind. Remember the week leading up to Super Bowl XLV the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was hit with a snow storm. So who knows.

In the end I see Denver as the team that will get it done in the end. Baltimore could get it done again, but we haven't had a repeat champion since the Patriots 2003-04 run and then before that it was the Broncos in 1997-98 and then Dallas 1992-93. We might be due for a repeat champion, but I can't see Baltimore doing it again. Ray Lewis was the catalyst for that team.

Denver feels that that trophy should've been theirs and will be hoisting it in New York this coming February.

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2013 NFL SEASON: DALLAS COWBOYS

Last season I have developed a love-hate relationship with the Dallas Cowboys. I have been a fan of this thing since I was in elementary school. I was a fan during the 5-11 years. I was a fan when Parcells came in. I was a fan when the franchise discovered Tony Romo.

The Cowboys have discovered new ways to crush their fan's hopes for a sixth Super Bowl championship over the last 6 years. In the 2006 Wild Card Playoffs there was this:

Looking back, it wasn't as bad as what would happen over the next few seasons.

In January 2008 I was in Virginia Beach, VA with my cousin and we watched Tony Romo's desperation heave against the Giants get intercepted. It was the first time that an NFC 1-seed lost since the playoffs expanded to its current 12-team format established in 1990.

Later that calendar year and after my return to civilian life I was at a bar in Bedford, TX watching the Eagles curb stomp the Cowboys into oblivion in a "win and you're in" type game.

Dallas won the NFC East in 2009, but ended by getting trounced by the Vikings in Minnesota.

I wrote this after the Giants loss in 2010 where Tony Romo had to be carted off the field due to a season-ending injury. I was acknowledging that the Cowboys 2010 season was over.

In 2011, the Cowboys were again victimized by the Giants. The first one was squandering a 12-point fourth quarter lead and Tony Romo overthrowing Miles Austin... well, you know how that ended, it's on YouTube. Then in the season finale against the Giants, they delivered the curb stomp as the Giants made the playoffs.... and you know the rest of the story with Eli Manning hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Indianapolis.

In 2012, Dallas needed to win the season finale to continue their season. After Dallas pulled within three in the fourth quarter, I posted this to Facebook:

After punt return plus penalty, Cowboys score TD and get the two-pointer to pull within three.

But I get this feeling I've seen this movie before...

Oh... how right I was.

So how will this season turn out if you are a fan of the Cowboys?

Despite the contract extension of quarterback Tony Romo and linebacker Sean Lee and all the talk about the retooled offensive line and how wide receiver Dez Bryant will have a MONSTER year at wide receiver and how that the play calling responsibilities are no long being handled by head coach Jason Garrett but instead by Bill Callahan and how Monte Kiffen is bringing the Tampa 2 defensive scheme to the Cowboys and (channeling Yul Brener from The King and I) et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.....

I'm not buying it.

Yes, Romo got a contract extension  For those saying that Jerry Jones should have let Romo go, let's go through the list of quarterbacks from when Troy Aikman last played in 2000 to when Tony Romo showed up in 2006:

Randall Cunningham

Yes, THAT Randall Cunningham.

Anthony Wright

Yes, THAT Anthony Wright who tossed for 4 TDs in a 44-41 win over the Matt Hasselbeck led Seahawks in 2003.

Quincy Carter

Ryan Leaf

Yes, NFL Network's #1 All Time Draft Bust Ryan Leaf. The 2001 Thanksgiving Day starter for Dallas was RYAN LEAF.

Chad Hutchinson

Vinny Testaverde

Drew Henson

Drew Beldsoe

If you wish to relive that list of draft busts, backups, and over-the-hillers, then go root for the Browns.

Yes, Romo throws interceptions at THE WORST POSSIBLE TIMES IN GAMES. Here is thing though: He doesn't play offensive line, they have to block. He doesn't play wide receiver; they need to fight for the ball when he throws it. He doesn't tackle because he doesn't play on defense. And he no longer plays on special teams after than gaffe in Seattle back in 2006 Playoffs.

BUT... in the NFL it is about "What Have You Done For Me Lately." Someone is going to get the pink slip if the Cowboys have another 8-8 season. I don't think it will be Romo because Jerry Jones has invested a lot of money into this thing. To those that say "Owner Jones should blow this whole thing up", need I remind you of the 5-11 years and how God AWFUL those teams were. THEY LOST TO THE FREAKIN' HOUSTON TEXANS IN THEIR FIRST EVER GAME IN 2002!! I was in boot camp and I didn't believe that until I got a letter in the mail from my dad's sister with the NFL scores.

In the back of his mind, head coach Jason Garrett has to know that if he doesn't get this team to the playoffs it is very likely that he will be in the NFL unemployment line in January 2014.

But you know what... MAYBE the Cowboys will get off to decent start and then come Thanksgiving after they beat the Raiders into oblivion, they will be at 7-5... maybe 8-4... hell let's say 9-3 with 4 games left to play and they are in the month of December. Their final four games: at Bears, Packers, at Redskins, and season finale at home against the Eagles. 11 wins would not only win the NFC East, but might get them a much needed bye week. The defense is playing well under Kiffen's scheme. Tony Romo isn't throwing those game killer interceptions. There is some appearance of a running game as the offensive line is playing well together. They look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

The Cowboys are capable of winning 11 games.

HOWEVER..... comma....

But I get this feeling I've seen this movie before...

We've bought into the hype, but we've seen how this ends.

Will 2013 be any different than what happened over the previous 7 seasons?

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2013 NFL SEASON: NFC EAST PREVIEW

  

1. Giants

2. Redskins

3. Cowboys

4. Eagles

One thing I have noticed about the NFC East the last couple of seasons is that one team gets hot at the end of the season and it is at the expense of the Cowboys.

In 2008, the Eagles won 4 of their final 5 games to make the playoffs as the 6 seed that season. Philadelphia qualified for the last playoff spot with a 44-6 thumping of the Cowboys at home. The Eagles followed it up with a deep playoff run that ended in against the Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game that season.

In 2011, the Giants were in the middle of a four-game losing streak and were looking at their fifth consecutive loss when they were trailing the Cowboys by 12 with 5:41 to play in their Week 14 contest at Dallas. Quarterback Eli Manning led the Giants to 2 touchdowns to put the Giants up 3 and the game ended with Jason Pierre-Paul blocking a game-tying field goal to give the Giants a 37-34 win. In that season's finale, the Giants ended the Cowboys playoff chances with a 31-14 win. Then followed with their own deep playoff run with wins over the Falcons, the number one-seeded Packers, and an overtime win at San Francisco in the NFC Title Game that set up their second Super Bowl against New England. After Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's Hail Mary attempt failed, ABC'sNBC's Al Michaels proclaimed, "And the New York Giants, given the last rites by many in December, are the Super Bowl Champs in February."

Last season the Redskins were looking like the Deadskins after their November loss to the Panthers. In his postgame news conference, head coach Mike Shanahan appeared to have said that this was another lost season with the team at 3-6. Coach Shanahan said this:

"When you lose a game like that, now you're playing to see who obviously is going to be on your football team for years to come... Now, we have a chance to evaluate players and see where we're at. Obviously, we're not out of it statistically. Now we find out what kind of character we have and how guys keep on fighting throughout the rest of the season."

Washington followed it up with a 7-game winning streak. They defeated Dallas for the first time ever on Thanksgiving Day in Robert Griffin III's return to Texas since his days at Baylor. On a Monday Night in December, they beat the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants 17-16. The win streak continued with a come from behind victory over the eventual Super Bowl Champion Ravens where quarterback Robert Griffin III had to leave the game in the middle of a late drive and backup Curt Cousins stepped in to throw a touchdown and ran in the two-point conversion to send the game to overtime.

Then came the season finale where they took care of Dallas behind the 200 yard rushing and 3 touchdown performance of running back Alfred Morris and won the NFC East for the first time since 1999.

Washington's playoff run was short lived. Even though they jumped out to a 14-0 lead, Seattle behind their own rookie quarterback Russell Wilson scored the game's final 24 points to win 24-14.

Griffin had to leave the game in the 4th quarter due to a knee injury when his right foot was caught in the FedEx Field turf as he was recovering a fumbled snap.

During the off-season, Griffin had knee surgery and despite not making one appearance during the pre-season he is expected to start in Week 1 against NFC East rival Philadelphia on Monday Night Football.

While the Redskins have the strongest strength of schedule among the NFC East teams at .498, it is dependent if they have a healthy Griffin under center. If he is back to where he was during his rookie season, the Redskins should repeat as NFC East Champions.

The Eagles are starting a new era with head coach Chip Kelly as he becomes the latest college coach to move up from the NCAA to the NFL. Kelly was the head coach of the Oregon Ducks from 2009-12. Oregon won 10 or more games, were participants in BCS Bowl Games, and ended up ranked in the Top 12 during this time period. Philadelphia is hoping that Kelly's up tempo offensive scheme will translate to the NFL. They have the playmakers in running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver DeSean Jackson, but they cannot seem to settle on a quarterback. At the start of training camp, the Eagles brought 5 quarterbacks on the roster including the incumbent Michael Vick.

Then there is my team which I currently have a love-hate relationship with them: the Dallas Cowboys. After another season where Dallas needed to win the final game of the season to make the playoffs and failed to do so, the talk in Dallas is about what will it take for the Cowboys to make a deep playoff run. The big story in the off-season was quarterback Tony Romo being awarded a six-year contract extension worth $108 million with $55 million guaranteed. Romo needs to prove he is worth that much and can do so by getting Dallas to a record 9th Super Bowl appearance.

The New York Giants could make history as the first team to play in the Super Bowl at their home stadium... though TECHNICALLY they won't be the home team. It's an even numbered Super Bowl, the designated home team for that game would be the AFC Champion. Despite roster changes, the team is still led by quarterback Eli Manning and coach Tom Coughlin. The stability at those key positions are why I think the Giants will be the NFC East champions in 2013.

Every team in the NFC East will make at least two appearances in primetime games proving that this division will be one to watch in the 2013 NFL Season.

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