| Here's a Ferringo's-eye view of Week 3 in the | | | | Atlanta, at Denver, bye, hosting Buffalo and |
| National Football League: | | | | hosting Indianapolis. But hey, according to every |
| | | | guffawing columnist across the country they're |
| New England at Pittsburgh (-3) | | | | the Best Team Ever so it shouldn't matter, right? |
| Once again, the Patriots are involved in the | | | | 4) Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) - The Bengals made |
| Game of the Week. They're dogs entering the | | | | one of the largest jumps from last week's Power |
| Steel City, and are going up against the best | | | | Rankings (up eight slots from 12). But memo to |
| team in football right now. Ben Roethlisberger has | | | | Chad Johnson: don't call out Mike Brown (just ask |
| a ridiculous 153.6 passer rating, which is nearly | | | | Marcus Pollard). I hope my Bears knocks these |
| perfect. He's also 16-1 as a starter, which is nearly | | | | guys back into the Dave Shula Days. |
| perfect and is looking to avenge the only loss of | | | | 5) Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) - Despite their |
| his pro career - a 41-27 blowout at the hands of | | | | off-field issues, they already have a division road |
| the Pats in the AFC Title Game last January. | | | | win and are averaging 161.5 yards per game on |
| | | | the ground. However, they are just 1-4 ATS in |
| Pittsburgh is once again the top running team in | | | | Denver, where they play on Monday. |
| the league, bruising its way to 170.5 yards per | | | | 6) Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) - McNabb and Owens |
| game (without their two best runners) and 4.7 | | | | share the cover on this week's Sports Illustrated. |
| yards per carry. The Steelers also rank fourth on | | | | I don't buy the love fest. It's easy to get along |
| defense, but are just 17th against the run. The | | | | when you're up 42-3 at home, but let's see what |
| Patriots, on the other hand, are only averaging 2.4 | | | | happens when they're in a tough spot. |
| yards per carry, and they are the 12th-ranked | | | | 7) Carolina Panthers (1-1) - Peter King said that |
| defense in the NFL. In two games, they've yielded | | | | Brees' interception against the Broncos last week |
| 23.5 points a game. | | | | was one of the worst he's ever seen. My vote |
| | | | goes to Jake Delhomme's toss to New England's |
| Per usual, Tom Brady will be the key to any | | | | Mike Vrabel, who returned it for a TD. |
| upset chance that New England has. Brady's | | | | 8) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) - Losing safety |
| shoulder is officially listed as probable, and he'll be | | | | Donovin Darius for the year is a huge blow. Also, |
| looking to avenge his poor performance (69.3 | | | | Byron Leftwich is on his way to becoming the |
| rating) against Carolina last week. That rating was | | | | next Steve McNair - doesn't practice due to injury |
| the 17th worst of his 73 starts (in which he is | | | | then steps up and plays/leads his team on |
| 58-15). However, he's 10-4 in games following his | | | | Sunday. |
| previous 14 losses and has posted a passer rating | | | | 9) Atlanta Falcons (1-1) - Backup QB Matt Schaub |
| close to 95 in those games. | | | | has been an All-World Preseason player the last |
| | | | two years, and there are actually some rednecks |
| Cincinnati (-3) at Chicago | | | | in Georgia that would love to see him get his own |
| The Pats and Steelers may be the Game of the | | | | shot. Those same folks have an IQ lower than |
| Week, but I really think that this is the most | | | | Vick's passer rating of 73.4. Atlanta is 2-11 in |
| intriguing matchup of Week 3. It pits two young, | | | | games that Vick hasn't started in the last three |
| up-and-coming teams - one with a high-powered | | | | years. |
| offense and one with a hard-hitting defense - | | | | 10) Washington Redskins (2-0) - I really didn't |
| each trying to make a name for itself among the | | | | think Mark Brunell could still throw it that far. I |
| top teams in their respective conferences. | | | | guess Roy Williams didn't think so either. |
| | | | 11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) - They've only |
| In this corner, Cincinnati has been the "Best | | | | faced 32 rushing attempts in two games, but the |
| Team That Nobody is Talking About" thus far by | | | | Bucs defense is giving up only 40 yards per game |
| demolishing Cleveland and Minnesota. The Bengals | | | | on the ground and 2.5 yards per carry. |
| and their Big Three - Carson Palmer, Chad | | | | 12) Dallas Cowboys (1-1) - Blame that loss on |
| Johnson and Rudi Johnson - have led Cincy to the | | | | whichever linebacker that was that got juked by |
| No. 1 offense in the league. They are averaging | | | | a 57-year-old Brunell on that 3rd-and-27 scramble. |
| 462 yards per game, with 157 coming on the | | | | 13) Buffalo Bills (1-1) - Bills fans, this is what you |
| ground and 305 through the air. Palmer has been | | | | get with a first-year QB. Trust me, I know. I'd be |
| lights out (five TD's and a 107.8 rating), and is | | | | more worried about Willis McGahee dancing in the |
| being backed by a defense that has already | | | | holes. |
| forced a ridiculous 10 takeaways. | | | | 14) Seattle Seahawks (1-1) - Seattle is that quiet, |
| | | | shifty guy in the corner booth of the bar. He |
| And in this corner, Chicago has been the "Best | | | | seems unassuming, but you keep looking over |
| Team that Everyone Forgot Existed" until they | | | | your shoulder because you don't know if he's |
| posted a 32-point win last week over the Lions. | | | | going to snap and kill everyone or just get blasted |
| The Bears have gone back to their roots - run | | | | and stumble home. |
| the ball (114 ypg, 4.1 ypc) and playing good | | | | 15) Chicago Bears (1-1) - Brian Urlacher has 15 |
| defense (7th overall). This is a big spot for a | | | | solo tackles and three sacks in two games. Now |
| team that's on the verge of having some | | | | where are all those ass-clowns that said he was |
| confidence. If they can defend their turf they | | | | overrated? Also, linebacker Lance Briggs has just |
| enter their bye week on a 2-1 roll with putrid | | | | been wrecking people. |
| Cleveland waiting on the other side. | | | | 16) Denver Broncos (1-1) - Remember how |
| | | | everyone ripped on them for picking up the |
| But a win is far from given. Kyle Orton played | | | | Browns front four (worst in the league against |
| well for Chicago last weekend (translation: no | | | | the run in '04)? Well, Denver is currently 22nd |
| turnovers) and will again have to protect the ball | | | | against the rush (115 ypg) with K.C. rolling into |
| against the Bengals. | | | | town. |
| | | | 17) New York Giants (2-0) - If they go on the |
| Atlanta at Buffalo (2.5) | | | | road and beat San Diego I still won't jump on the |
| There are certainly quarterback issues for both | | | | bandwagon - but I'll be very, very impressed. |
| of these teams. Mike Vick is listed as questionable | | | | 18) New Orleans Saints (1-1) - After what |
| this weekend with a sore hamstring, and J.P. | | | | they've been through and where they've been |
| Losman is unofficially questionable after getting | | | | through over the last month (Oakland to Texas |
| benched last week for one drive against Tampa | | | | to Carolina to New York and now to Minnesota) |
| Bay. I would put Vick at about 85 percent to play. | | | | Jim Haslett has a right to vent. That team just |
| Also, Losman will again seize the reigns for | | | | looked worn out in the fourth quarter of that MNF |
| Buffalo, and don't be surprised to see Mike | | | | game. |
| Mularkey dig into his bag-of-tricks and pull out | | | | 19) New York Jets (1-1) - The good news is that |
| some gimmicks this weekend. | | | | Curtis Martin didn't tear any knee ligaments (MRI |
| | | | was negative). The bad news is that safety Erik |
| This game will be a slugfest. Atlanta is fifth in the | | | | Coleman just had thumb surgery and may not be |
| league in rushing (157 ypg, 4.6 ypc) and Buffalo is | | | | available. |
| 15th (100 ypg, 3.8 ypc). The Bills are second in the | | | | 20) Detroit Lions (1-1) - Monday, Steve Mariucci |
| league in total defense, but are just 30th in | | | | says that the team has no interest in ex-Buc |
| rushing after getting rolled by Tampa Bay (191 | | | | Shaun King. Tuesday, King and Jeff George |
| rush yards) last Sunday. Atlanta, on the other | | | | worked out for the Lions. Tick-tock, Joey |
| hand, will most likely be without cornerback/kick | | | | Harrington. Tick-tock. |
| returner Allen Rossum and defensive end Brady | | | | 21) San Diego Chargers (0-2) - This isn't a bad |
| Smith, who are two key cogs. Rossum is | | | | team at all. However they've absolutely given |
| particularly important because the Falcons are | | | | away two games already. Ah, Marty Ball. |
| already without corner Kevin Mathis - leaving the | | | | 22) St. Louis Rams (1-1) - I still don't think they're |
| secondary very vulnerable. | | | | running the ball enough. However, they are third in |
| | | | the league in offensive time of possession (34:07 |
| New York Giants at San Diego (-5.5) | | | | per game). |
| I hope Eli brings his ear plugs. This will be | | | | 23) Oakland Raiders (0-2) - Despite playing two |
| Manning's first appearance in San Diego, the city | | | | of the best rushing teams in the NFL, the Raiders |
| that drafted him first overall in 2004 even though | | | | D is giving up a paltry 3.0 yards per carry. |
| he said he wanted nothing to do with that | | | | However, they need to start pressuring |
| organization. Also, Manning and the 2-0 G-Men will | | | | quarterbacks. Their two sacks are tied for worst |
| be rolling into the den of a team that, at 0-2, is | | | | in the league. |
| desperate for a win. | | | | 24) Tennessee Titans (1-1) - Their win over |
| | | | Baltimore last week wasn't a fluke from the |
| Yes, the Giants are 2-0. But they are the | | | | standpoint that while they don't have the depth to |
| fraudulent kind of undefeated. They tooled on the | | | | compete this season, they certainly have the |
| Cardinals (who doesn't?) and then topped an | | | | talent to jump up and bite an unsuspecting team. |
| emotionally spent Saints club in a "road" game in | | | | 23) Baltimore Ravens (0-2) - Right now their |
| Jersey. They have scored 69 points so far. Pretty | | | | run-pass ratio is almost 3-to-1, but not the way |
| impressive, right? But they're 26th in total offense | | | | you'd expect. So far they've thrown 95 passes to |
| and have run the second fewest plays (104) in | | | | go with only 34 rushes. Unreal. |
| the league. They've mostly been the beneficiary | | | | 26) Miami (1-1) - People are already calling Ronnie |
| of special teams flukes and turnovers. | | | | Brown (34 attempts, 94 yards, 0 TD's) a bust |
| Defensively, they're allowed 370 yards per | | | | because he's not putting up the numbers that |
| contest. | | | | Cadillac Williams (54-276-2) is. I think it's way too |
| | | | early to be making those claims. |
| San Diego, on the other hand, is playing well until | | | | 27) Minnesota Vikings (0-2) - Just a thought, but |
| it matters. Drew Brees and Co. were on their | | | | maybe it's not Randy Moss that they miss the |
| way to a crucial road win over Denver last | | | | most. Maybe it's former offensive coordinator |
| weekend until Drew Brees threw a horrible INT | | | | Scott Linehan (now in Miami). |
| that Champ Bailey returned for a touchdown. The | | | | 28) Cleveland Browns (1-1) - As bad as the |
| week before, they had benched Antonio Gates | | | | Packers were, any time you go into Green Bay |
| and decided to give LaDainian Tomlinson only two | | | | and get a win it's an accomplishment. |
| touches in the fourth quarter of a four-point loss | | | | 29) San Francisco 49ers (1-1) - They lost by 39 |
| to Dallas. It's tough to have must-win games in | | | | points, but I had to move them up one slot this |
| September, but this is pretty close for the Bolts. | | | | week because the teams behind them looked |
| | | | that awful. |
| FREE PICK (YTD 0-1): This week I like | | | | 30) Arizona Cardinals (0-2) - Kurt Warner got |
| Indianapolis to cover the 13.5 against the Browns. | | | | sacked five times last week and was hit six |
| In 2004 the Colts had one of the Greatest | | | | others. If they can't get the running game going - |
| Offenses Football Has Ever Seen. But over their | | | | Marcel Shipp will start this weekend - then they're |
| last three games - dating back to the playoff loss | | | | going to get Warner killed. Their run-pass ratio is |
| in Foxboro - they've managed just 12 points per | | | | 37 rushes to 98 passes. Not good. |
| contest. I'm looking for them to break out in a big | | | | 31) Green Bay Packers (0-2) - Wow. This team |
| way at home against a Cleveland team that's | | | | is a total mess, on all fronts, and shows no signs |
| 30th in the NFL against the pass. Also, I think the | | | | of improving. They just don't have the talent on |
| Brownies are due for a letdown after a tough | | | | either side of the ball. |
| road win in Lambeau last Sunday. | | | | 32) Houston Texans (0-2) - Jason Babin and Philip |
| | | | Buchanon - a tandem whom the Texans traded a |
| 1) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) - It's really tough to | | | | combined five first-day draft picks for the rights |
| be picky about a team that's looked so good, but | | | | to - have both been benched. |
| they are allowing the opposition to convert 48 | | | | |
| percent of their third downs. | | | | Questions or comments for Robert? e-mail |
| 2) Indianapolis Colts (2-0) - This team has the | | | | |
| purposeful look of a group on a Mission. It hasn't | | | | Doc's Sports Handy Links:2005 NFL |
| been smoke and mirrors, but good ol' fashioned | | | | SchedulesSuper Bowl 2006NFL power |
| toughness. Let's see if they can sustain it. | | | | rankingsDoc's Sports Handicapping Service |
| 3) New England Patriots (1-1) - This game at | | | | 1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports has been |
| Pittsburgh is part of their Murderer's Row | | | | recognized as one of the leaders and most |
| schedule that has them hosting San Diego, at | | | | trusted names in sports handicapping information. |