The Bum's Sept. NFL Pods-Stats-News !

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Preview: Cowboys (1-0) at Chiefs (1-0)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


With a season-opening victory, Andy Reid has solidified the optimism that surrounded his hire as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year.

Now they'll try to build on it against a team Reid knows well from his days in the NFC East.

Reid makes his home debut in Kansas City on Sunday as the Chiefs look to match their win total from last season against a Dallas Cowboys team that boasts an opportunistic defense and a pair of banged-up stars.

Kansas City's 28-2 road rout of lowly Jacksonville last Sunday was the franchise's most-lopsided season-opening victory since it beat Denver 59-7 in 1963, and quickly helped a hungry fan base forget about last season's 2-14 debacle.

"There's a lot of emphasis put on the first game within the league,' Reid said. "I keep in perspective that it's one out of 16 games and hopefully more that you have an opportunity to play, so I understand that.

"On the other hand, I'll tell you that you work your tail off to win every game, and that's what you do. So every victory you get, you're going to cherish and enjoy it.'

Alex Smith was 21 of 34 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in his Kansas City debut, and Jamaal Charles ran for 77 yards and a TD before leaving with a quad injury. Justin Houston recorded three of the team's six sacks and Tamba Hali returned an interception for a touchdown as the Chiefs scored more points than in any game last season.

"There are some things we need to work on as a team, but getting this win raises the morale for us,' receiver Junior Hemingway said. "It'll help tremendously going into next week.'

Reid believes looking forward is all that matters.

"It was neat to see the offense and the defense and the coaches, they were very excited," Reid said. "We also know that we enjoyed it and now we're moving on.'

One immediate concern is the uncertain status of Charles, who rushed for a career-high 1,509 yards while playing all 16 games in 2012.

"He does have range of motion,' Reid said. "We'll just see how he does over this week."

Including the playoffs, Reid went 17-12 against the Cowboys during his 14 seasons coaching the Eagles. Following Sunday's game, the Chiefs have a quick turnaround before Reid's homecoming in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

Kansas City certainly won't be looking ahead after Dallas forced six turnovers while holding on for a 36-31 win over the New York Giants in Week 1.

Guided by 73-year-old defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and line coach Rod Marinelli, Dallas intercepted Eli Manning three times - taking one back for a TD - and returned one of David Wilson's two fumbles for a score. The Cowboys also recovered a live ball that glanced off a Giant on a punt.

Dallas forced only 16 turnovers while going 8-8 last season.

"I think six was a lot, but we've been thinking about it,' linebacker Sean Lee said. "We've been working at it non-stop."

Dallas, though, yielded 478 total yards - all but 50 in the air - and allowed the Giants to hang around despite all their mistakes.

"We have a lot of room to improve defensively," Lee added. "We gave up a lot of yards. We have to improve that.'

Offensively, DeMarco Murray had 125 total yards and Jason Witten made eight catches for 70 with two TDs to become the third tight end in NFL history with 9,000 yards receiving.

Tony Romo was 36 of 49 for 263 yards with those two TDs and an interception. He also avoided a serious injury despite taking a shot to the ribs.

Receiver Dez Bryant was targeted eight times but caught just four passes for 22 yards while dealing with a mild foot sprain that is unlikely to keep him out of this contest.

Dallas has won two straight against the Chiefs, most recently 26-20 at Kansas City in 2009.

Romo was 20 of 34 for 351 yards with two TDs in that contest. He completed 10 and both scores to Miles Austin, who posted a career-high 250 receiving yards.

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Preview: Chargers (0-1) at Eagles (1-0)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


The new version of the Philadelphia Eagles offense was a rousing success in the season opener - at least for 2 1/2 quarters.

Same goes for the San Diego Chargers, though they came away much more disappointed.

Despite successfully debuting his up-tempo style as Eagles coach, Chip Kelly would like his offense to pick up the pace even more for Sunday's matchup with the visiting Chargers.

"There are certain games where you play the clock, but I don't know that there will be a time in this game where you won't be wanting to go score and keep scoring because of how fast they play offensively," San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers said. "No lead is ever safe."


Though Philadelphia's 53 first-half plays were the second-most by any team since 1991, Kelly felt his team could have moved more quickly and smoothly in Monday night's 33-27 win over Washington.

"I felt like it was slow, to be honest with you," Kelly said. "I'm not joking. We've got to do a better job. We left the ball on the ground too much. We didn't get the ball to the officials. We could have sped things up from a process between plays. That's something we need to continue to work on."

At least twice it appeared star runner LeSean McCoy had to leave the field just to catch his breath. Exemplifying how Kelly plans to run the ball about as much as he did at Oregon, McCoy had a career-high 31 carries for 184 yards - one shy of a personal best.

"The tempo really worked," McCoy said. "I don't think anyone has seen it that fast."

McCoy's 34-yard touchdown run gave the Eagles a 33-7 lead early in the third quarter. However, they didn't score after that as the offense slowed down, in part to take time off the clock, and they failed to gain more than 16 yards on four of their final five possessions.

"We've got to keep working. There are a lot of mistakes we made," said Michael Vick, who threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 54 and a score. "I think (in) the second half, we got a little bit sloppy."

While Kelly and the Eagles were pleased with Vick's play, new Chargers coach Mike McCoy had to be happy with how Rivers implemented his new offensive scheme through two-plus quarters. Rivers tied a career high with four TD passes as San Diego built a 28-7 lead midway through the third.

However, the Chargers totaled just 10 yards after that, Rivers' interception was returned for the tying touchdown in the fourth and Houston won 31-28 on a game-ending field goal.

"We had every opportunity in the world to finish that game and we didn't do it," McCoy said Wednesday. "And it's all about winning and losing. We get paid to win games here and we didn't finish the game. But we're moving on. We're learning from it."

Rivers threw for 195 yards and was 14 of 29 for a 48.3 completion percentage which was the second-worst of Week 1. He's not expecting things to get any easier against an Eagles defense that sacked Robert Griffin III three times and intercepted two of his passes.

"I know everyone's talking how fast their offense is and how fast they play, but their defense is the same way," Rivers said. "Their personnel is fast and they just fly around."

Philadelphia limited the Redskins to 74 rushing yards despite playing against Griffin and Alfred Morris, last year's top rusher among quarterbacks and the league's second-leading rusher overall.

Ryan Mathews was held to 33 yards on 13 carries in the opener as San Diego fell to 7-16 in games he plays and has less than 65 on the ground. The Chargers have failed to rush for 100 yards in eight consecutive games.

Their defense, meanwhile, surrendered 449 yards to the Texans - six yards more than Philadelphia had last week.

All but two of the 10 meetings between these teams have been decided by eight points or less. In the most recent one, Rivers was 20 of 25 for 231 yards and two TDs in a 31-23 home win in 2009.

The Chargers have lost their only two trips to Philadelphia since 1995. They're 0-6 on the road against NFC foes since 2009 but did win both of their trips to the Northeast last season - against Pittsburgh and the New York Jets in December.

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Preview: Vikings (0-1) at Bears (1-0)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


If the Minnesota Vikings are to end their struggles in Chicago, they'll likely need to take care of the football against an opportunistic Bears defense that seems to have picked up where it left off last season.

Hoping to cut down on the mistakes made in their season-opening defeat, the Vikings look to avoid a sixth straight road loss to the Bears on Sunday.

Chicago has won 11 of 12 at home over Minnesota, averaged 35.6 points during this five-game winning streak and won the last three by an average margin of 20.3. The Bears have forced 31 turnovers in those 12 meetings, including 14 in the last five.

After leading the NFL with 44 takeaways in 2012, Chicago got a pair of Charles Tillman interceptions and recovered a fumble during last Sunday's 24-21 home win over Cincinnati.

That doesn't seem to bode well for the Vikings, who turned the ball over four times courtesy of quarterback Christian Ponder in their 34-24 loss at Detroit last Sunday.

"You have to be exceptional to win those games when you finish minus in the turnover ratio," Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said. "We haven't shown that we are exceptional to be able to do that.

"We will get better."

If so, it must start with Ponder.

The third-year quarterback helped guide Minnesota to the playoffs in 2012, but he threw three interceptions and fumbled a handoff to Adrian Peterson in the fourth quarter that led to a Lions touchdown.

"Turnovers on the road - at home as well, but on the road in particular - are tough sometimes to overcome," Frazier said.

Ponder, who passed for 236 yards and a TD, has thrown 28 interceptions in 28 regular-season games.

"It's always frustrating, but you've just got to forget about it and move on to next week, the Chicago game," said Jerome Simpson, who had seven receptions for 140 yards. "I believe in the guy, and he's going to come back even stronger and more confident this next week."

Ponder has thrown a touchdown and three picks in four games against the Bears but did help Minnesota snap a six-game slide in the series with a 21-14 win Dec. 9.

He could use a more sustainable effort from Peterson, who ran 78 yards for a touchdown on his first carry last Sunday, then was held to 15 on 17 attempts the rest of the game. Peterson did add another rushing score and a 4-yard TD reception.

The NFL's reigning MVP ran for 154 yards and two scores at home against the Bears last season and quietly gained 108 on 18 carries in a 28-10 loss at Soldier Field on Nov. 25.

Chicago held the Bengals to 63 rushing yards, but the play of its offense in first-year coach Marc Trestman's West Coast system has the team cautiously optimistic moving forward.

The Bears totaled 226 of their 323 yards during a second half in which they erased an 11-point deficit. Jay Cutler completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 242 yards with two TDs, an interception and connected with five receivers. Brandon Marshall had eight receptions for 104 yards and a score and Matt Forte recorded 91 total yards and a rushing TD.

After Cutler was sacked 38 times last season, Chicago's revamped offensive line held Cincinnati's vaunted defense without one.

"I thought no one got frustrated early on with us and the way we were playing," Cutler said. "We stuck to the game plan. The fourth quarter - that's when you've got to win ballgames in this league."

Trestman hopes to see improvement in the running game after Forte was held to 50 yards on 19 carries.

"We've got to do a better job for Matt of running the football and we think we can," he said.

Forte has averaged 4.1 yards per carry and never rushed for more than 96 in any of his nine games against the Vikings.

Marshall was targeted 37 times and caught 22 balls for 252 yards and a TD versus Minnesota in 2012.

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Preview: Redskins (0-1) at Packers (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


A quarterback known mostly for his mobility sat back and picked apart the Green Bay Packers' defense through the air last week, leaving half of the team's defensive game plan in ruins.

Not much went according to plan for Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins in their opener either, mainly due to their once-dynamic running game being held in check.

Green Bay faces a similar test Sunday, as Griffin looks to help Washington turn in a more complete effort on offense in his first visit to Lambeau Field.

While the Packers focused on keeping Colin Kaepernick in the pocket after he torched them for an NFL quarterback-record 181 rushing yards in January's NFC divisional playoff loss, Kaepernick was busy throwing for a career-high 412 yards and three touchdowns - while totaling just 22 yards on the ground - to help San Francisco beat Green Bay 34-28 last Sunday.

"When you're playing a quarterback that has those kinds of talents and can move around and has a strong arm, you've got to be able to (stop) both (aspects of his game)," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "We played one phase well, we didn't play the other phase well enough."

Griffin is considered one of those quarterbacks despite having offseason knee surgery after leading all NFL signal-callers with 815 rushing yards as a rookie in 2012.

But after taking zero preseason snaps, Griffin appeared rusty in Monday night's 33-27 loss to Philadelphia. A fumble, an interception and a botched pitch that led to a safety on the first three possessions forced Griffin to throw a career-most 49 passes while rushing for only 24 yards. He set career highs of 30 completions and 329 yards passing while tossing two touchdowns, but he also threw a pair of interceptions for the first time as a pro.

"I'm responsible for the way I play," Griffin said. "You move on from it. I'm not going to sit here and say I was rusty. I've got to be accountable."

Coach Mike Shanahan wouldn't bite on questions about Griffin's play.

"I don't critique players though the media," Shanahan said. "We didn't do the things offensively that we needed to do as a group."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy was more open about the challenges he faces attempting to stop Griffin.

"He's a mobile quarterback that has the ability to stretch the defense," McCarthy told the team's official website. "He has the ability to make plays in space and he can make all the throws. In any Mike Shanahan offense, it starts with running the football."

The Redskins, though, didn't do that very well Monday either, much to the disappointment of Shanahan. Their 74 rushing yards were far below last season's average of 169.3 that led the NFL.

Alfred Morris carried 12 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, fumbling on the first offensive play and combining with Griffin on the botched pitch in the end zone that led to a safety on the team's third possession.

When asked about the performance of the running game, Shanahan sarcastically asked, "What running game?"

Washington also had issues trying to slow Philadelphia's no-huddle, up-tempo offense, something it also should get a glimpse of from Green Bay.

McCarthy described his team's no-huddle offense as "up and down" in last week's loss. Four touchdown drives combined for 287 yards in 8 minutes, 21 seconds, but their remaining eight drives included going three-and-out five times.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns, while Jordy Nelson (130 yards) and Randall Cobb (108) each caught seven passes and a TD.

Eddie Lacy ran 14 times for only 41 yards, though, as the Packers totaled 63 on the ground.

"It's one game, we lost, now we go back home," Rodgers said. "You want to look at the big picture but also address the things you did wrong. We're going to do that and be back next week."

Green Bay has won 20 of its last 21 regular-season games at Lambeau Field, with the only loss coming to San Francisco in last season's home opener. Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon, who caught seven passes for 64 yards Monday, knows his team is in for a tough environment.

"You never want to start 0-2," Garcon said. "I know it's going to be loud, it's their home opener and we're looking forward to a good game."

Packers safety Morgan Burnett didn't play last week due to a hamstring injury, and his status for Sunday is uncertain.

Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan passed concussion tests and has been cleared to play after taking a shot to the head near the end of Monday's game.

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Preview: Rams (1-0) at Falcons (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


Sam Bradford was well-protected in the St. Louis Rams' opener by an offensive line that included the newly acquired Jake Long.

The Atlanta Falcons may wish they had made a bid for Long as well.

Long and the Rams will get a look at a cornerstone of their past in Steven Jackson when they visit the Falcons on Sunday.

The Rams hadn't started with a win since 2006, and the delight they took in Sunday's 27-24 comeback victory over Arizona was obvious.

"Watching the game clock tick to zero, that's my most favorite part," coach Jeff Fisher said. "You know, we're really excited."

They haven't been 2-0 since winning the NFC championship in 2001.

The Rams are in position to equal that mark because their pass protection continued to trend upward last week. St. Louis gave up a league-worst 55 sacks in 2011 and 35 last season, then didn't allow any Sunday.

"I can't say enough about those guys up front," Bradford said. "They played outstanding, and I think it shows that we've taken leaps and bounds from where we were last year."

Long, the No. 1 overall pick by Miami in the 2008 draft, went to the Pro Bowl in his first four seasons but allowed a career-high seven sacks last year.

On Sunday, he was part of a unit that helped the Rams not allow a sack for the third straight game - the first time they've achieved that feat since 1973.

"Not that there's much carry-over from last year, but at least we're off to the right start," said Fisher, who said Bradford was hit just six times Sunday.

The Falcons wish they could say the same, as they allowed three sacks amid pressure that played a key role in their 23-17 loss to New Orleans last week.

Matt Ryan was forced to throw the ball away on a third-and-goal in the first quarter. He absorbed a 10-yard sack and an intentional grounding penalty to send the Falcons' promising final drive of the half to a premature end.

Ryan was hit on six other occasions.

"We don't want Matt to be under any pressure," center Peter Konz said. "We don't want anyone touching Matt, much less sacking him."

Some of these struggles are likely the result of the state of flux on the Falcons' offensive line. Left tackle Sam Baker and left guard Justin Blalock are the only holdovers from last year's starting unit, while Konz has shifted from guard to center to replace the retired Todd McClure.

Lamar Holmes made his first career start at right tackle Sunday, and Garrett Reynolds, with 14 starts since 2009, started at right guard.

"I'm absolutely confident we've got right guys," coach Mike Smith said. "The biggest jump you have during the season is always from Week 1 to Week 2. We're playing a lot of younger guys who have not played much. This was a great learning experience for them."

They'll get more such experience from a St. Louis team that led the NFC with 52 sacks last year. The Rams looked dangerous again in their opener, with Robert Quinn accounting for three of their four sacks.

St. Louis didn't run the ball particularly well in the first game of the post-Steven Jackson era, though, compiling 67 yards on 24 carries.

Jackson, who set the franchise record with 10,138 rushing yards over nine seasons, got off to a promising start in Atlanta with 11 rushes for 77 yards and five receptions for 45 yards. He did have a key drop on third-and-goal, however, with the Falcons looking to score a last-second touchdown.

On fourth down, Ryan's pass was tipped and intercepted to seal the defeat.

For St. Louis, Greg Zuerlein helped ensure the opposite ending with a 38-yard tying field goal and a 48-yard winner in the fourth quarter.

"Basically, I stay calm, swing like I know how and the rest takes care of itself," Zuerlein said. "I don't even know the distances when I go out there, to be honest. I just go out there and try to do my job."

Jared Cook, in his first game for the Rams after four seasons with Tennessee, overcame an early fumble to record a franchise-record 141 yards at the tight end position.

"I told him when we came back to the sideline, I said, 'Hey bro, be ready. It's coming right back to you,'" Bradford said. "It would have been easy for him to get down out there. He showed a ton of maturity and confidence."

Atlanta seeks to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2007.

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Preview: Browns (0-1) at Ravens (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


Facing the Cleveland Browns in a much-anticipated home opener might be what the Baltimore Ravens need to move on from a horrible start to their season.

Following one more celebration of their second Super Bowl title, the Ravens hope to get back on track while trying for an 11th straight victory over the Browns on Sunday.

Though Baltimore will have some extra time to heal physically from its 49-27 loss at Denver on Sept. 5, whether any mental anguish lingers remains to be seen.

"The great thing about it is - and we all know this - it's week to week in this league, and it's going to be that way," coach John Harbaugh told the Ravens' official website. "What we need to do is take care of our business. If we take care of our business, we're going to be in the hunt and make it interesting, and if we don't, we're not."

Harbaugh's team allowed the most points in any game in the team's 18-year history. With longtime defensive mainstays Ray Lewis and Ed Reed gone, Baltimore could not stop Peyton Manning from tying an NFL record with seven touchdown passes and the Broncos from totaling 510 yards of offense.

"Our issue was the big plays," Harbaugh said. "You can't give up a screen for a touchdown. That's just not acceptable. You can't leave guys wide open. You can't miss tackles that turn into big plays. You can't turn guys loose in the red zone. You can't do it."

All the Ravens hope to do is learn and move on with confidence. Harbaugh believes they can do both.

"Obviously, we have to," Harbaugh said. "That kind of performance, in the end, is never going to be acceptable. We're capable of playing far better than that, and we have to."

There would appear to be no better team against which to bounce back then the Browns, who have been outscored 251-122 during the 10-game slide against the Ravens.

Throw in the raising of the Super Bowl banner in a home opener pushed back due to a scheduling conflict with the nearby home of the Baltimore Orioles, and it would seem the reigning champs have plenty in their favor.

"I'm pretty sure this game couldn't come fast enough," cornerback Corey Graham said.

Baltimore's Ray Rice hopes to get back on track after he was held to 36 yards and a TD on 12 carries last week. He's averaged 4.0 yards per carry, has one TD and has not rushed for more than 87 yards in five home games versus Cleveland.

With the Ravens playing catch-up, Joe Flacco went 34 of 62 for 362 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against the Broncos.

He's thrown 12 TDs and five picks while going 10-0 against the Browns, but won't have receiver Jacoby Jones as an option after the Super Bowl star suffered a knee injury in the opener that is expected to keep him out at least four weeks.

It's also uncertain if tackle Michael Oher will play because of an injured ankle.

Cleveland quarterback Brandon Weeden came out relatively healthy despite being sacked six times and officially hit another 10 in last Sunday's 23-10 loss to Miami. He was intercepted three times in the first half.

Running back Trent Richardson was held to 47 yards on 13 carries.

Tight end Jordan Cameron made nine catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, but Cleveland went 1 for 14 on third down and totaled 291 yards in Rob Chudzinski's head coaching debut.

The Browns have failed to amass 300 yards in three of the last four contests.

"I knew we were a long ways away from where we wanted to be,' Richardson said. "We're still putting stuff together. We're glad we had this game right here. We took a loss, but at the same time we know what we need to work on and get better.'

Richardson had 47 yards on 14 carries in a 23-16 loss at Baltimore last season before finishing with 105 yards at home against the Ravens in November. Weeden completed 50.6 percent of his passes with three interceptions and no TDs in the two games.

Cleveland receiver Josh Gordon will serve the second of his two-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

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Preview: Titans (1-0) at Texans (1-0)

Date: September 15, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


Arian Foster's frustration was visible after being told to stay off the field during a drive in the fourth quarter Monday, and Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak understands completely why his star running back would feel slighted.

He also believes fewer carries for Foster at this point may be in the team's best interests.

After surviving plenty of drama in its season-opening victory, Houston on Sunday hosts a Tennessee Titans team looking to prove last week's surprisingly solid defensive effort was no fluke.

The Texans fought back from a 21-point second-half deficit to tie San Diego at 28 in the fourth quarter, getting help from both Foster and backup Ben Tate in the running game.

Foster, though, appeared to be waved back off the field at one point by Tate, who elected to stay in. Foster, who ran 18 times for 57 yards compared to 55 on nine rushes for Tate, didn't seem to appreciate the gesture.

"They both want to be on the field. I understand that. I think that's a good thing for the team," Kubiak said.

He plans to have Foster and Tate split carries until he feels Foster, who didn't take a single rep in the preseason, is ready for a larger workload.

"I want to keep it somewhat close right now and watch them working to what's going on," Kubiak said. "I think Arian's been a player who's at his best when he carries the ball 25 times, so we'll head back in that direction (eventually). I think if we're running the football well and we're in the type of football game that we want to be in, I think there's plenty of carries to go around."

The Texans ended up completing their comeback Monday, as Randy Bullock kicked a 41-yard field goal as time expired for a 31-28 victory. Matt Schaub finished 34 of 45 for 346 yards and three touchdowns, two to tight end Owen Daniels.

Andre Johnson caught 12 passes for 146 yards.

"There's a lot of times people say, 'We'll get 'em next week.' Well that's not part of this team's make up," Kubiak said. "There's a belief there that regardless of what happens on any given Sunday, we can find a way to win a football game."

The Titans did just that last week despite spotting Pittsburgh a safety on the opening kickoff, winning 16-9 after holding the Steelers' offense to 195 total yards and keeping them scoreless until 1:23 remained.

Jurrell Casey and Zach Brown each had two sacks for Tennessee.

The Titans allowed a league-worst 29.4 points per game last season while ranking 27th by giving up 374.9 yards per game. They hadn't allowed a team to gain fewer total yards since holding Pittsburgh to 127 in a 19-11 loss Sept. 19, 2010.

"That's what we're going to try to do all season long and keep fighting and not let the past keep up with us and turn this thing around for ourselves,' Casey said. "We got a little swagger to us."

Tennessee took a cautious approach offensively, rushing 42 times for 112 yards while Jake Locker completed 11 of his 20 attempts for 125 yards. Chris Johnson rushed for 70 yards on 25 carries, and backup Jackie Battle scored the team's lone touchdown.

Coach Mike Munchak, though, doesn't believe his offense is one-dimensional.

"Next week it may be having to pass 40 times rather than run it 40 times, so we feel we have the people to do it either way,' Munchak said.

The Titans will be tested by a Houston defense that will return end Antonio Smith and hopes to have safety Ed Reed in the lineup.

Smith served a one-game suspension for ripping off the helmet of Miami's Richie Incognito in the preseason, while Reed is still recovering from offseason hip surgery.

Kubiak said it's a wait-and-see approach with Reed in practice this week.

"I think we're very close," Kubiak said. "Does he take more of a load than he did last week? We'll see, but I know we're very, very close. I think it's still a day-to-day thing right now."

Houston won both meetings last season, forcing nine turnovers while not committing any. Foster ran for 86 yards and a touchdown in a 38-14 win Sept. 30 before the Texans overcame 141 yards rushing from Johnson in a 24-10 victory Dec. 2.

Locker committed five turnovers in that loss.

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Preview: Lions (1-0) at Cardinals (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


The Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals' offenses have seemingly discovered new dimensions with their respective offseason additions.

How Reggie Bush and Carson Palmer follow their strong Week 1 performances will likely play a crucial role in deciding the victor in Sunday's meeting at Arizona.

Bush, who signed a four-year deal with Detroit (1-0) in the offseason, had a historic performance in the club's 34-24 victory over Minnesota. He became the third Lion to tally at least 90 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards and the first since Barry Sanders on Oct. 14, 1990. His day included an electrifying 77-yard catch and run for a touchdown, his longest career play from scrimmage.

The 90 yards on the ground by Bush were especially welcome after Detroit finished 23rd in total rushing in 2012. Only four Lions backs ran for more than 84 yards in a single game over the last three seasons, with Mikel Leshoure's 100-yard effort the only such performance last year.

Bush - also courted by Arizona in the offseason - helped Detroit total 469 yards, its highest Week 1 output in 33 years.

The eighth-year back said the six and even five-man fronts he saw at times - largely due to Calvin Johnson's presence - were a welcome change from his two seasons with Miami. Even with Johnson limited to four catches for 37 yards on nine targets, Matthew Stafford's 357 passing yards tied for fifth-most in the league.

While Bush missed only one game with the Dolphins, he still carries an injury-prone stigma. He suffered a dislocated thumb and a pulled groin in the win, but was a full participant in practice Wednesday.

"Reggie's a tough guy," coach Jim Schwartz said. "You're a running back in the NFL, there's going to be some Mondays where you're not going to be feeling great. Feel a little bit better when you get the win and when you make the plays that he made. That's what we're looking for from him."

Palmer came up short of a victory in the Cardinals' 27-24 loss at St. Louis, but was nearly as impressive as his USC compatriot while breathing life into an Arizona club that averaged 15.6 points last season, second-fewest in the NFL.

He finished 26 of 40 with two TDs and one interception, and his 327 yards were the most by a Cardinals quarterback since Kurt Warner's 340 on Nov. 15, 2009.

Acquired in a trade from Oakland, Palmer appears to have finally brought the stability the Cardinals have sought since Warner retired after the 2009 season. They started four different quarterbacks last season, combining for an NFL-worst 63.1 passer rating and 21 interceptions compared to 11 TDs.

Larry Fitzgerald - who caught a career-low four TDs last season - certainly benefited, catching eight balls for 80 yards and two scores. Andre Roberts also turned in one of his best games with eight receptions for 97 yards and Michael Floyd added 82 on four catches.

Arizona will be focused on protecting Palmer better, however, after he was sacked four times. Left tackle Levi Brown was responsible for three of them, one of which led to a lost fumble by Palmer.

"Obviously, they (the Rams) have a great pass rush and no, I'm not concerned about the offensive line," first-year coach Bruce Arians said.

Lining up against the Cardinals' offensive line will be Ndamukong Suh, who is appealing a $100,000 fine he received for an illegal block against Vikings center John Sullivan. Suh, who lost nearly $350,000 in his first three seasons due to fines and a suspension stemming from on-field misconduct, doesn't plan on altering his approach.

"I'm going to continue to play hard, blue-collar football," he said.

Bush might be able to do more damage as a receiver than as a runner Sunday, as Arizona held St. Louis to 2.8 yards per carry but surrendered 299 yards through the air and was one of three teams failing to record a sack.

The Cardinals' only victory in their last 13 regular-season games was a 38-10 final over Detroit in Week 15 last year, their fourth straight win in the series.

Johnson had been held to six catches for 72 yards in his first two games versus Arizona before totaling 121 yards on 10 receptions. Stafford, though, matched a season high by being picked off three times.

Bush ran 17 times for 67 yards and didn't catch a pass last year in his only matchup with the Cardinals.

Palmer has completed 71.3 percent of his passes for 861 yards and five TDs in three contests versus Detroit.

Arizona has won six in a row over Detroit at home and nine of the last 12 overall.

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Preview: Saints (1-0) at Buccaneers (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


Perhaps it's a coincidence that Drew Brees began his record-setting streak of games with a touchdown pass after his lone matchup against Darelle Revis.

Now these superstars will meet twice a season on a yearly basis.

Revis should face a stiff challenge in his home debut for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Brees threw for eight touchdowns and 684 yards with a 69.7 completion percentage while getting sacked once as New Orleans (1-0) swept Tampa Bay a year ago.

"He's an elite quarterback, not only in this time but in the history of the league," Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano said. "This guy is special. You're not going to stop him, no one does. Can you contain him? That's more of the challenge, that's what we need to do."

It's clear that Tampa Bay (0-1) upgraded its secondary in the offseason with Brees and fellow NFC South foe Matt Ryan of Atlanta in mind by adding Revis from the Jets and safety Dashon Goldson from San Francisco.

Revis said he felt no complications in last Sunday's 18-17 loss to the Jets in his first action since suffering a torn knee ligament Sept. 23 in his final game for New York.

"It felt good, getting back out there and doing what I love to do," Revis said. "I was just excited to be out there with my teammates, they've been anxious, I've been anxious. So it was a great feeling."

The only time Revis and Brees were on the field together was the Saints' 24-10 victory over the Jets on Oct. 4, 2009. Brees completed 20 of 32 passes with no touchdowns or interceptions before starting his record streak of 54 straight regular-season games with a TD pass in his next contest.

The New Orleans signal-caller realizes it won't be easy to put up gaudy numbers against Tampa Bay this week.

"Obviously, Revis and his reputation - he's one of the best corners in the league, and you've got two young corners on the other side too that play very well," Brees said. "So, all in all, it's an extremely solid secondary and one that you've got to be able to prepare for."

Brees started 2013 in strong fashion last Sunday by completing 26 of 35 passes for 357 yards with touchdowns to Marques Colston and tight end Jimmy Graham in a 23-17 home win over Atlanta. It marked coach Sean Payton's return to the sideline after sitting out 2012 due to the bounty scandal.

The Saints went to work in practice this week on improving a running game that produced 78 yards on 29 carries.

"It needs to be better," Payton said. "We were close in some areas and yet we still have to work on and clean up a number of things to improve it."

The Bucs were looking for improvement in the same area after Doug Martin carried 24 times for 65 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Martin was limited to a career-low 16 yards the last time he faced the Saints in a 41-0 loss Dec. 16.

Tampa Bay knows that teams will continue to stack the line of scrimmage to stop Martin if Josh Freeman turns in efforts like last week, when he was 15 of 31 for 210 yards with one score and one interception.

"You have to make people pay when they're going to try to take away Doug Martin," Schiano said. "You can't always pound your head into a wall. You've got to make them pay."

New Orleans allowed a league-worst 6.3 yards per carry in Week 1 after ranking last in that category last season at 5.2.

The Bucs' running game also could benefit from having a healthy Carl Nicks on the offensive line, but the former Saints guard's status is unclear although he practiced Wednesday for the first time in a month. Nicks' return from toe surgery was delayed when he was diagnosed as having an MRSA infection during the preseason.

Nicks was cautious about returning, but added: "I'm going to do everything in my power to play."

The Saints are wary of Freeman, who totaled nine TDs and no interceptions in a five-start stretch against New Orleans before being picked off four times in the shutout loss last December.

"One of the things with Josh has always been his ability to extend plays," Payton said. "It's been tough for us."

Schiano and the Bucs are doing their best to move on from last week's loss in which Lavonte David's personal foul for a hit out of bounds on Geno Smith led to the Jets' game-winning field goal.

Tampa Bay was flagged a total of 13 times for 102 yards - both league highs in Week 1. Goldson and Mark Barron also drew penalties for big hits.

"We've got to be smart about it. The strike zone is decreasing in the National Football League, and we've got to make sure we stay within the rules," Schiano said.

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Preview: Jaguars (0-1) at Raiders (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 4:25 PM EDT


While the Oakland Raiders hope they have found their quarterback of the future in Terrelle Pryor, the jury is still out on whether oft-injured Blaine Gabbert will be running the Jacksonville Jaguars' offense for years to come.

Pryor looks to build on an impressive season-opening performance when the Raiders play their home opener Sunday against a Jaguars team that again will have Gabbert watching from the sidelines due to an injury.

Oakland visited Indianapolis last Sunday and coach Dennis Allen refused to say whether Pryor or Matt Flynn would start for "competitive" reasons. Flynn worked with the first-team offense for most of training camp but Allen went with Pryor against the Colts, a decision that nearly led to an upset victory.

In his fifth NFL game, Pryor completed 19 of 29 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown and set a franchise record for rushing by a quarterback with 112 yards on 13 carries. He became the eighth QB since the 1970 merger to throw for at least 200 yards and run for at least 100 in a game.

Pryor had a chance to put Oakland ahead in the final two minutes when he led the team to the Colts' 8-yard line, but he took a bad sack and threw an interception on third-and-goal from the 24 with 31 seconds remaining that sealed the Raiders' 21-17 loss.

"This one's on me," he said. "Everybody else did a great job. The receivers did a great job catching the ball when they had a chance. There's no one really to point fingers at but me, literally, this time. I'll take the blame and get better. We'll be better."

Pryor also threw an interception at the Colts' 32-yard line on the Raiders' first drive and completed just 1 of 7 throws over 20 yards.

"It's a process when you're trying to get better at something," Pryor said. "I feel like I got better at throwing the ball and that I can take a team downfield with my arm."

Allen liked what he saw from his inexperienced signal-caller, especially in the running game.

"That's the element that he brings," Allen said. "So, that's always going to be there, his ability to create, his ability to make things happen with his feet. The thing that we judge on the practice field is his ability to make good decisions, his ability to throw the ball on time, with accuracy.

"Those are things that we want to see that he continues to improve because that's what's going to make him a really good quarterback, is if he continues to improve in those areas."

Jacksonville was looking for improvement from Gabbert when he won the starting job over Chad Henne in camp, but he struggled in last Sunday's 28-2 home loss to Kansas City and was hurt late in the game.

Gabbert sliced open the back of his throwing hand while scrambling in the closing minutes and needed 15 stitches to close the wound. This injury comes after he missed two preseason games last month with a hairline fracture in his right thumb and sat out the last six games in 2012 due to a forearm injury.

"It's got to heal and we need to keep it clean," coach Gus Bradley said. "The big concern would be with all the stitches that it could reopen and then the chance of infection occurs. So we're going to handle that right."

Gabbert completed 16 of 35 passes for 121 yards and two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown, while getting sacked six times.

Henne came on in relief and completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards, and he should feel comfortable stepping in after starting the final six games last season and the last two preseason contests.

"Obviously it's been a roller coaster, but at the same time, I just try to keep a level head," Henne said. "I go out there each and every day, try to get better and compete and just show the coaching staff that I'm ready whenever my number's called. ... You never know what's going to go on throughout the season. There are injuries that happen, and I just have to stay ready at all times."

Henne finished with 2,084 yards passing, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 10 games last season.

"If there's one good out of that now we have a guy that's seasoned, that's played a lot of football for us," Bradley said. "We have a lot of faith in Chad. I know that he's a guy we felt strongly about going through the whole process."

Oakland ended a four-game skid to Jacksonville with a 26-23 overtime win at home Oct. 12. Gabbert left that game after injuring his non-throwing shoulder and was replaced by Henne.

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Preview: Broncos (1-0) at Giants (0-1)

Date: September 15, 2013 4:25 PM EDT


A record-setting performance has Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos flying high as they roll into MetLife Stadium. Eli Manning can't say the same as he and the New York Giants look to get back on track after a disheartening season-opening effort.

The third installment of the "Manning Bowl" will involve a new team as Peyton looks to improve to 3-0 against his brother Sunday.

The Broncos opened the NFL season in spectacular fashion with a 49-27 victory over Super Bowl champion Baltimore last Thursday. Manning delivered an NFL record-tying seven touchdown passes and no interceptions along with 462 yards through the air.

"This was a good start to a new season for us," Manning said. "... So, it's just a start, get a couple days' extra preparation for Week 2."

Five of the TDs came in the second half as Denver avenged last season's stunning playoff loss to the Ravens.

"It's something ridiculous," said tight end Julius Thomas, on the receiving end of Manning's first two TD throws. "I think a couple guys were joking, we were saying it's like Madden - the only time you get to throw seven touchdowns."

Julius Thomas had 110 yards on five catches while Demaryius Thomas had 161 on five along with two scores.

Denver did fumble three times, losing two, but its turnover problem paled in comparison to that of New York. Eli Manning threw three interceptions - one on a late potential go-ahead drive - and starting running back David Wilson lost two fumbles, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in the Giants' 36-31 defeat at Dallas last Sunday night. New York turned it over six times in total.

"David Wilson is a very talented young man, who we need to be productive," coach Tom Coughlin said. "We have been down this road before. We can help him be a better ball carrier, a better secure ball carrier."

The team wasn't taking any chances, bringing back longtime Giant Brandon Jacobs on Tuesday after he spent a season with San Francisco to provide depth and stability behind Wilson. Coughlin refused to discuss his starting lineup for this game Tuesday.

While the Giants still had a chance to win despite the turnover barrage, it seems highly unlikely they'll have that opportunity if they give Peyton Manning that many extra chances. He bested Eli in two matchups while with Indianapolis in 2006 and '10 before joining the Broncos before last season.

Peyton threw for 276 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 26-21 win at Giants Stadium on Sept. 10, 2006, with Eli passing for 247 yards and two scores with one INT. On Sept. 19, 2010, in Indianapolis, Peyton was 20 for 26 for 255 yards and three TDs with no picks as the Colts rolled 38-14.

Eli struggled in that game, going 13 for 24 for 161 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. However, he's coming off a 450-yard, four-touchdown performance last week.

"You do take a moment there to realize that it is your brother over there that's the quarterback for the New York Giants in the NFL, the same person that you grew up with, so it is unique and I think you take a moment to realize that it is special," Peyton Manning said.

Three of Eli's TDs against the Cowboys went to Victor Cruz, but his pass that bounced off running back Da'Rel Scott's arm and was returned 49 yards for a touchdown with 1:50 left was too much to overcome.

The Broncos seemed to realize this week that the giveaways masked a dynamic performance through the air - and suggests that a shootout between the Manning brothers could be on tap.

"That tells you about what kind of team they are, to have that many turnovers and still be around and still be competing for the win," Broncos safety Duke Ihenacho told the team's official website. "They're a dangerous team and they're a good team and we know that. That's how we're going to approach it."

Denver cornerback Champ Bailey has been ruled out again after missing the opener with a sprained left foot. He'll again be replaced by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Starting middle linebacker Wesley Woodyard (ankle) remains uncertain for the Broncos.

Also without suspended All-Pro linebacker Von Miller, Denver still delivered four sacks - 2 1/2 from linebacker Shaun Phillips - and limited Baltimore to 58 yards rushing.

Although the Giants got a big effort from the passing game - receivers Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Rueben Randle each finished with more than 100 yards - they'll have to be even better defensively this week in addition to taking care of the ball.

New York held Dallas to 331 yards but got only sporadic pressure on Tony Romo, sacking him twice. It will almost certainly need the pass rush to generate more heat on Peyton Manning to have a chance to slow down the Broncos.

The Giants have won three straight home games in this series, the last such meeting coming in 2005. The Broncos won 26-6 in Denver on Nov. 26, 2009, in the most recent matchup.

That one included only one Manning.

"It's still neat. It doesn't happen very often. It is neat to see your big brother there on the sideline or seeing him before the game," Eli Manning said. "Those moments are the things you remember and will remember for a long time.

"Hopefully when I think back on these games that we've played against opposing teams with my brother, I can think and remember at least one win."

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Preview: 49ers (1-0) at Seahawks (1-0)

Date: September 15, 2013 8:30 PM EDT


Aldon Smith may think it's just another game, but the verbal sniping between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks proves otherwise.

A primetime matchup between two of the NFL's top young quarterbacks only adds to the attention.

Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are both looking to build on the best statistical performances of their respective careers Sunday night, when the 49ers visit the Seahawks in a meeting of bitter NFC West rivals.

San Francisco has won two straight division titles since Seattle claimed one of its own despite a 7-9 record in 2010. The 49ers edged the Seahawks to last year's crown by one-half game en route to their first Super Bowl in 18 years.

Still, Smith isn't prepared to put any importance on a September meeting between rivals expected to spend much of the season battling for NFC West supremacy.

"Uh, what about it? Just another game," said the Pro Bowl linebacker, who set a 49ers record with 19 1/2 sacks last season.

The Seahawks would seem to disagree after 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh took shots at them during the summer for having five players suspended for performance-enhancing drugs dating back to 2011.

"You always want to be above reproach, especially when you're good, because you don't want people to come back and say, 'They're winning because they're cheating,'" Harbaugh said then.

Harbaugh allegedly further stoked the flames last year, honking his horn at the Seahawks' bus after his team won 13-6 at home in Week 7.

Despite Harbaugh's denials, Seattle is still insulted.

"Of course we'd take it that way," safety Earl Thomas said. "When you carry yourself like a champion on and off the field, good stuff is going to happen for you. ... I don't think our coach (Pete Carroll) would do that."

For Kaepernick, there's a simple solution come Sunday.

"You go out and make plays, the chirping stops," he said.

Kaepernick did plenty of that last week, completing 27 of 39 passes for a career-high 412 yards with three touchdowns to lead San Francisco to a 34-28 season-opening win over Green Bay in a rematch of last season's divisional playoff.

He wasn't nearly that effective in a 42-13 loss at CenturyLink Field in Week 16 last year, going 19 of 36 for 244 yards with one TD and one interception.

Wilson, meanwhile, had a career-high four TD passes in that meeting.

His start to 2013 was a bit shaky before eventually leading the Seahawks to a 12-7 win at Carolina last Sunday. Wilson was 1-for-5 passing before hitting 24 of his next 28 to finish with a career-best 320 yards, 43 coming on a go-ahead scoring toss to Jermaine Kearse midway through the fourth quarter.

"We just didn't get it done the way we like. I contributed to that so I've got to make sure I help out and do the right things to make sure we get on track with what is really important to us," Carroll said.

One area in need of improvement is the running game, which produced just 70 yards on 26 carries against the Panthers. Marshawn Lynch was held to 43 on 17 rushes.

Lynch, though, has 321 yards on 66 attempts and three touchdowns - one receiving - over the past three meetings with San Francisco.

Disrupting Kaepernick and the 49ers' offense could be made easier with Cliff Avril expected back from a hamstring injury. The Seahawks, who signed the former Detroit defensive end to a two-year, $15 million contract, gave up 134 rushing yards and registered only one sack last week.

Seattle finished last season tied for 18th with 36 sacks, but eight came against the Packers in Week 3.

Avril's 39 1/2 over his first five seasons led the Lions, and he got 20 1/2 over the past two.

Brandon Browner, suspended four games in December due to PEDs, is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury. One of his three INTs last year came at San Francisco, but Walter Thurmond is likely to make a second straight start if Browner can't go.

Fellow cornerback Richard Sherman picked off Kaepernick in Week 16 and now will have to account for Anquan Boldin, Kaepernick's favorite target last weekend. The veteran wide receiver grabbed 13 passes for 208 yards and a score in his Niners debut, and credits the performance to his rapport with the signal caller.

"The more we play together the better we'll be," Boldin said. "The great thing me and Kap have is communication. We've been able to communicate throughout the entire camp on every play."

Smith could play a major role if he can pressure Wilson. He sacked him once in two meetings last year, but had 1 1/2 versus Green Bay.

Despite Smith's feelings on the game's importance, a victory Sunday will provide an early edge in the division before the Week 14 rematch in San Francisco.

"They think they're the best, we think we're the best," 49ers running back Frank Gore said.

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Gridiron Angles - Week 2

September 14, 2013


NCAA PLAY ON ATS TREND:

-- Auburn is 15-0-1 ATS (9.1 ppg) since 1997 when they aren’t more than 21 point favorites or 10 point dogs and won by between 17 and 30 last game as between a 5 and 31 point favorite.

NFL USER TREND:

-- The Jaguars are 6-0 ATS as a dog against a non-divisional AFC team, following a game where Maurice Jones-Drew ran for less than 57 yards.

NFL PLAY ON ATS TREND:

-- The Redskins are 11-0-2 ATS since October 13, 1996 as a road dog on grass after playing as a favorite.

-- The Buccaneers are 0-9-1 ATS since December 2006 as a home dog between away games.

TOP NFL PLAYER TREND:

-- Demaryius Thomas is 0-7 ATS (-10.0 ppg) coming off a game where the total was under 51 and he had at least 103 receiving yards.

NFL O/U TREND:

-- The Chiefs are 0-15-1 OU since December 05, 2010 when their opponent’s season-to-date average pass attempts per game is greater than 35.

PICK SIXTY SPORTS WEEKLY TIP:

Last week we looked at Seattle’s tendency to start the season with low scoring games away from home. This week we can scroll to the other end of the September scoring chart to see a Detroit Lions team who ranks in the top 5 for both Over/Under percentage and scoring margin “Over” the total the past 10 years.

Detroit’s (11-6-1 O/U) vast majority of overs were losses but since Jim Schwartz took over in 2009, the Lions have learned how to score. When it’s a non-divisional opponent in the first three months of the season Detroit’s record soars to 22-5-1 O/U (82-percent) and this code shows their record away from home in September through November:

That’s 10 overs, 1 under and a push with games going over the mark by an average of more than eight points per game. The line for Detroit at Arizona is 47.5 and we like this game to go over the number.

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Week 2 Tip Sheet

September 12, 2013

Chargers at Eagles (-7 ½, 55) - 1:00 PM EST

Week 1 Results:
-- Chargers lost to Texans, 31-28 as five-point home underdogs. San Diego blew a 28-7 lead in the second half, as the Bolts fell on a last-second field goal.
-- Eagles beat Redskins, 33-27 as four-point road underdogs. Philadelphia jumped out to a 26-7 halftime edge, while LeSean McCoy rushed for a game-high 184 yards and a touchdown.

Previous meeting:
San Diego knocked off Philadelphia, 31-23 to cash as one-point home favorites in 2009, even though Donovan McNabb threw for 450 yards for the Eagles. The Chargers last won in Philadelphia back in 1995, as San Diego is making just its fourth trip to the City of Brotherly Love in this span.

ATS notes:
The Eagles have won six of their last eight home games against AFC opponents since 2009, but Philadelphia owns a 3-5 ATS record in this stretch. In the last seven opportunities as a favorite of at least seven points, the Eagles have compiled a 1-6 ATS mark.

The Chargers cashed in four of six games as a road underdog last season, while posting a 2-2 SU/ATS record in contests played in the Eastern Time Zone. San Diego hasn't had much luck against NFC foes on the road with an 0-6 SU/ATS record since 2010, including three losses by double-digits.

Rams at Falcons (-6 ½, 47 ½) - 1:00 PM EST

Week 1 Results:
-- Rams rallied past the Cardinals, 27-24, but failed to cover as 3 ½-point home favorites. St. Louis overcame a 24-13 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Arizona for the third straight time.
-- Falcons fell to the Saints, 23-17 as 3 ½-point road underdogs. Atlanta jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but scored only seven points in the final three quarters as the Falcons suffered their first road underdog loss since the 2011 playoffs against the Giants.

Previous meeting:
Atlanta drilled St. Louis at the Edward Jones Dome, 34-17 back in 2010 as 3 ½-point 'chalk.' The Falcons scored the final 18 points of the game after trailing, 17-16 in the third quarter, as Atlanta racked up 391 yards of offense. Atlanta has won each of the last three meetings at the Georgia Dome since 2004, but only one of those victories came with Matt Ryan at quarterback.

ATS notes:
Under Jeff Fisher, the Rams have put together a solid 11-3 ATS record in the underdog role, including a 7-2 ATS mark on the highway. Since the start of last season, St. Louis is 5-2 ATS off a win, while winning three of its past four contests straight-up (at Arizona, Buffalo, and Tampa Bay).

The Falcons have bounced back nicely off a loss since 2009, winning 13 straight games in this role, while posting a 10-3 ATS record. However, Atlanta failed to cover all three times last season at the Georgia Dome when laying at least six points.

Redskins at Packers (-7, 49 ½) - 1:00 PM EST

Week 1 Results:
-- Redskins lost to Eagles, 33-27 as four-point home favorites. The defeat was the second in the last seven divisional contests for Washington, while the team cashed their second 'over' at home since last November.
-- Packers fell to the 49ers, 34-28 as five-point road underdogs. Green Bay went back and forth with San Francisco by exchanging touchdowns for the first three quarters, but San Francisco pulled away by scoring the final 10 points of the contest.

Previous meeting:
Washington squeezed by Green Bay in overtime, 16-13 as 2 ½-point home underdogs at FedEx Field in 2010. The Redskins overcame an early 10-0 deficit to stun a Packers' squad that would eventually win the Super Bowl that season. Washington makes its first visit to Lambeau Field since a 17-14 defeat in 2007.

ATS notes:
The Redskins made money as a road underdog last season with a 5-1 ATS and 4-2 SU mark when receiving points away from the Nation's Capital. In Robert Griffin III's rookie season, Washington won all three games off a home loss, including outright underdog victories over Tampa Bay and Minnesota.

Green Bay has profited nicely at Lambeau Field since 2010 by compiling a 17-8 ATS record at home, including a 6-3 ATS mark last season. The Packers haven't suffered consecutive losses since 2010, while going 13-0 SU and 11-2 ATS at home off a defeat since December 2008.

Cowboys at Chiefs (-3, 46 ½) - 1:00 PM EST

Week 1 Results:
-- Cowboys held off the Giants, 36-31 to cash as 3 ½-point home favorites. Dallas scored two touchdowns on the defensive side and created six turnovers, but allowed New York to register 478 yards of offense.
-- Chiefs destroyed the Jaguars, 28-2 as 3 ½-point away favorites. Kansas City allowed an early safety on a blocked punt out of the end zone, but the Chiefs scored four unanswered touchdowns for their second opening week win since 2006.

Previous meeting:
Dallas got by Kansas City in overtime at Arrowhead Stadium, 26-20, but the Chiefs cashed as seven-point underdogs. The Cowboys rallied from a 10-point deficit to take a 20-13 lead with two minutes remaining, but the Chiefs forced overtime with a late touchdown. Miles Austin finished off a 250-yard performance with a 60-yard touchdown catch from Tony Romo to win it for the Cowboys.

ATS notes:
The Cowboys won outright as road underdogs last season against the Giants and Bengals, while cashing in a two-point defeat at Baltimore. Dallas has put together a 6-0 ATS record in the last six road games against AFC competition since 2010 with five of those contests decided by four points or less.

The Chiefs have failed to cover as a home favorite in their last six tries since 2010, while not even picking up a straight-up victory in this span (four losses by double-digits). However, Kansas City is 5-1 SU/ATS at Arrowhead against NFC opponents the past three seasons.

Broncos (-4 ½, 54 ½) at Giants - 4:25 PM EST

Week 1 Results:
-- Broncos took care of the Ravens, 49-27 as 7 ½-point home favorites to kick off the season. Peyton Manning tossed a career-high seven touchdown passes, which included five TD tosses in the second half.
-- Giants were tripped up by the Cowboys, 36-31 as 3 ½-point road underdogs. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak by New York at Dallas, while the last five meetings in Texas have sailed 'over' the total.

Previous meeting:
The Broncos shocked the Giants on Thanksgiving in 2009 with a 26-6 drubbing of New York as five-point home underdogs. The loss was the nail in the coffin for a New York club that began that season at 5-0, while the win for the Broncos snapped a four-game skid.

ATS notes:
Denver covered four of five games in Peyton Manning's first season as a road favorite, while scoring at least 26 points four times. The Broncos have won just two of their last eight away games against NFC competition, but that also included losses with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow at quarterback.

The Giants are listed as a home underdog for just the second time since 2009, as New York cashed as a seven-point 'dog in a 38-35 defeat to Green Bay in 2011. New York has won six of nine home openers under Tom Coughlin, but one of those defeats came to Manning and the Colts to kick off the 2006 season.

[StarDust Bum]

Week 2 Sharp Moves

September 13, 2013

We're getting ready to head into another weekend of NFL betting action, and as always, there are a bunch of plays that are a lot sharper than others. Check out some of the best and brightest plays that are on the board in Week 2!

All public betting percentages courtesy of VegasInsider.com's databases as of Thursday afternoon.

(Rotation #207/208) Washington/Green Bay Under 49.5 - The Redskins and Packers both had lousy defensive weeks in Week 1, but that has really just pushed the number in the game between these two far too high.

Opening Line: 49
Current Line: 49.5
Public Betting Percentage: 97% on the over

(Rotation #205) St. Louis +6.5 - The Rams are the 1-0 team in this bunch against the Falcons, but these two teams might be a lot more similar than the oddsmakers are letting on to. Someone clearly knows something in this game. Don't believe me? Check out the trends and the public betting percentages.

Opening Line: St. Louis +7.5
Current Line: St. Louis +6.5
Public Betting Percentage: 76% on Atlanta

(Rotation #201) Miami +2.5 - The Colts looked horrid last week against the Raiders but still found a way to win the game. Miami wasn't exactly as awesome as could be against a bad Cleveland team, but wins on the road are hard to come by in this league, and it was a good result for the Fins. They could pull off the upset again this week, too.

Opening Line: Miami +3
Current Line: Miami +2.5
Public Betting Percentage: 75% on Indianapolis

(Rotation #214) Tampa Bay +3.5 - Home underdogs, particularly within this range tend to do really well in NFL betting action, and this could be no exception. It's a divisional game, and the Bucs and Saints know all about each other and what they are going to try to do in this one. There's no doubt that New Orleans is more talented, but is it by enough to win by more than a field goal on the road?

Opening Line: Tampa Bay +3.5

Current Line: Tampa Bay +3.5
Public Betting Percentage: 89% on New Orleans

(Rotation #214/215) New Orleans/Tampa Bay Under 47 - Same game. Over bettors are clearly looking at the fact that QB Drew Brees and company historically put up 30+ points in games like this one and perhaps not the fact that QB Josh Freeman still stinks. Oh yes, and New Orleans only put up 23 points last week against a suspect Atlanta defense at home.

Opening Line: 47
Current Line: 47
Public Betting Percentages: 93% on the over

(Rotation #216) Arizona +1.5 - The line move here is at least apparent, but anyone in Vegas will tell you that the move from pk to 1.5 isn't all that large. Arizona was a six-point dog last year when these two teams played, but the Lions got destroyed.

Opening Line: Pick 'Em
Current Line: Arizona +1.5
Public Betting Percentages: 80% on Detroit