NFL Week 2 picks

So I missed starting it last week, but with the opening of the TP Sports Desk Pool, I figured I'd make my picks public for the (my little) world to see.

(16 points) NEW ENGLAND plus-2.5 over NY JETS
--> This might be the easiest pick I have seen in two years. This is the 16-0 Patriots against the 4-12 Jets, right? So what if Brady's gone and Favre is in the Big Apple? The Patriots still have Randy Moss and a defense that will make No. 4 wonder why he wanted to face them twice a season.

(15) INDIANAPOLIS minus-2.5 over MINNESOTA
--> Why doesn everyone think the Vikings are so improved, and the Colts are that much worse? Five words: Peyton Manning versus Tarvaris Jackson.

(14) NEW ORLEANS minus-.5 over WASHINGTON
--> This one would have been right up there with the Patsies, if not for all the Saints' injuries. It won't matter this week, but it might down against Denver next week.

(13) GREEN BAY minus-3.5 over DETROIT
--> If the Lions' home opener is anything like their road opener, 30.5 points might not be enough. Detroit's defense is awful, and Greg Jennings is licking his chops.

(12) DENVER plus-2.5 over SAN DIEGO
--> A gambler's rule to live by when betting on the NFL: You better be damned sure you're right if you take a road favorite in a division game. That's why the Broncos look so Mile High good here.

(11) CHICAGO plus-3.5 over CAROLINA
--> Carolina got lucky in San Diego last week, while the old Bears defense looks like it is back. Look for the old Panthers to come back this week -- no offense and an average defense.

(10) NY GIANTS minus-8.5 over ST. LOUIS
--> Are the Rams really that bad? More specifically, is the Rams defense that bad? Have you checked the fact sheet to see who their defensive coordinator is? That would make the answer to the first two questions a definitive yes.

(9) BUFFALO plus-6.5 over JACKSONVILLE
--> I didn't have the guts to move this one a little higher, but this is one of my favorite picks of the week. I think the Bills are for real, especially if their defense is as good as it was last week. Buffalo is my surprise pick this season.

(8) ATLANTA plus-8.5 over TAMPA BAY
--> I know, you know and Mike Smith knows the Falcons aren't as good as they played last week. But one thing for sure is that the Bucs aren't as good as the "experts" think they are, either.

(7) OAKLAND plus-3.5 over KANSAS CITY
--> When two bad teams face off, usually the home team is the safest pick. I just can't see, though, either team will win by more than three points. I know, I know, not the most ringing of endorsements for the Raiders.

(6) MIAMI plus-6.5 over ARIZONA
--> I was impressed with what I saw of the Dolphins last weekend, although the Cardinals' receivers are better than the Jets' WRs. But Kurt Warner/Matt Leinart are no Brett Favre.

(5) TENNESSEE plus-1.5 over CINCINNATI
--> This is one of the tougher picks of the week, because it's so hard to predict which Bengals team will show up. The thing is, for the past season the bad Bengals are much more likely to show than the good Bengals.

(4) CLEVELAND plus-6.5 over PITTSBURGH
--> Big Ben is roughed up a bit, and the Browns are ready to bounce back. I don't know what the over is in this one, but jump on it ... real quick ... before it goes up again.

(3) PHILADELPHIA plus-6.5 over DALLAS
--> I sort of feel sorry for the Eagles, who have to play in the toughest division in football. I still think, though, if anyone is going to give the Cowboys a run for their money in the NFC East, it's going to be Philly and not the Giants.

(2) SEATTLE minus-8.5 over SAN FRANCISCO
--> It's easy why this one is last. Although I think San Francisco is pretty bad, I am not all that sure the Seahawks aren't a 6-10 team. Of course, 6-10 might be good enough to win the NFC West.

(1) HOUSTON minus-4.5 over BALTIMORE (editor's note: moved this to 1 Sat.)
--> I think the better bet is that this game isn't played this week (see my rant on Drayton McClane and Bud Selig in yesterday's blog). But if it is, the Ravens will have a tough time finding the end zone with their pathetic offense.

FANTASY MUST STARTS OF THE WEEK
QBs: Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning. ... The shocker: J.T. O'Sullivan
RBs: Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, Earnest Graham ... The shocker: Julius Jones
WRs: Greg Jennings, Brandon Marshall, Larry Fitzgerald ... The shocker: Devery Henderson
TE: Heath Miller ... The shocker: Kevin Boss
K: Martin Gramatica ... The shocker: Robbie Gould