Week 3 Preview & Predictions

Week three of the NFL season will be the last full schedule of games before the byes start next week.  There are plenty of games with interesting angles, including three playoff teams from last season trying to avoid an 0-3 start for 2009.  

Tennessee +3 at Jets

This just in, the Jets can play defense.  Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis has become a shutdown CB, but the Titans really don’t have a number one receiver for him to lock down.  The question for the Jets will be if they can stop dynamic Titans running back Chris Johnson?  Johnson is a touchdown machine in open space.  This figures to be a close game as both teams want to run the ball, minimize mistakes, and play tough defense.

Fantasy Impact: Tennessee has had trouble defending the pass, so this could be the week the Jets let QB Mark Sanchez toss the pigskin around a bit.

Prediction:  Tennessee

Washington -7 at Detroit

Well, if ever there was a week where you might want to start Quarterback Jason Campbell, this would seem to be it.  Not that I would, but he’s not going to face a better matchup than this.  Washington was lucky to beat the Rams last week so this game may not be as big a layup as it looks like.

Fantasy Impact:  Lions held Adrian Peterson to under 100 yards rushing last week; Clinton Portis may not be an automatic play.

Prediction:  Detroit

 Green Bay -7 at St. Louis

Both teams come off loses last week.  Green Bay was stunned at home by Cincinnati.  However, what may have even been more surprising was that wide receiver Greg Jennings was held without a catch.  That will not happen again.  Green Bay needs to protect Aaron Rodgers better, as he took a beating from the Bengals defensive line in week two.  As for the Rams Laurent Robinson may have taken over the number one wide receiver role due to a case of fumblitis by WR Donnie Avery.

Fantasy Impact: Ryan Grant may not have much yardage, but he has a score in each of the first two games and he is the only option for Green Bay at the goal line.

Prediction:  Green Bay

San Francisco +7 at Minnesota

This game could very well come down to which team can run the ball more effectively. Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson are two of the premier backs in the NFL and are a threat to go all the way whenever they are carrying the football.  So far this season Minnesota’s vaunted run defense has not been as good as predicted.

Fantasy Impact: This could be the week Minnesota is forced to open up the offense and let Brett Favre throw the ball downfield.

Prediction:  San Francisco

Atlanta +4 at New England

As I’m sure everyone knows by now, Tom Brady and the New England offense has been completely out of sync so far this season.  They have scored touchdowns on only two of 21 possessions.  Their pass to run ratio is over 2-1.  I understand they don’t have a true number one running back, but the offense has to be more balanced than this.

Fantasy Impact: New England WR Wes Welker is questionable to play, although most predict he will.  He better, because his backup from last week, Julian Edelman, is also questionable to play.

Prediction:  Atlanta

Kansas City +9 at Philadelphia

Everyone seems to overlook how badly the Eagles played on defense last week.  Sure Quarterback Donovan McNabb missed the game with a fractured rib, but that didn’t mean the defense was able to miss the game as well.  McNabb’s replacement Kevin Kolb did an admirable job throwing for almost 400 yards, but he can’t win a shootout all by himself.  Kansas City somehow managed to lose to the Raiders who have a quarterback that has no idea where the ball is going.  Just a woeful team.

Fantasy Impact: The Eagles are loaded with injuries at the skill positions.  McNabb is once again questionable but probably won’t play.  Brian Westbrook is also questionable with an ankle injury and will be a game time decision.  Wide receiver DeSean Jackson has a sore groin and he is also questionable.  The Eagles have bye next week and may opt to rest all of these players although Jackson probably will play.  The Eagles have also put in a package of plays for QB Michael Vick.

Prediction:  Philadelphia

Giants -7 at Tampa Bay

The Giants proved in Dallas Sunday night that they can throw the ball without Plaxico Burress.  Do you think they have seen how the Cowboys and Bills have lit up the Tampa secondary and aren’t licking their lips?  Buccaneers quarterback Byron Leftwich doesn’t look pretty but after two weeks has put up some pretty solid fantasy numbers.  The Bucs would rather run the ball with Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward, but have been behind early in games forcing them to throw.  This figures to be the same.

Fantasy Impact: The Giants are loaded with injuries on the defensive side of the ball.  Missing two defensive tackles and their starting safety.  Leftwich should have a good day, but Eli Manning and company will have a better one.

Prediction:  Giants

Cleveland +13 at Baltimore

I don’t know what it is, but there seems to be an awful lot of bad teams in the NFL this season and Cleveland is certainly one of those.  Quarterback Brady Quinn just doesn’t look like he is ready to play in the NFL yet and the Browns might be better off going with Derek Anderson.  Baltimore seems to have changed their starting running back from Ray Rice to Willis McGahee after the first week.

Fantasy Impact: Wouldn’t start anyone on Cleveland in this game

Prediction:  Baltimore

Jacksonville + 4 at Houston

Not much has gone right for the Jags so far this season.  Free agent addition WR Torry Holt looks old and slow, and teams are crowding the line of scrimmage to stop Maurice Jones-Drew.  The Texans lit up the Tennessee secondary in week two and will look to do the same against a week Jacksonville secondary this week.  Running back Steve Slaton has gotten off to an extremely slow start and needs to show he has a pulse in this game.

Fantasy Impact: Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson have another pitch and catch game.

Prediction:  Houston

Miami +6 at San Diego

The Dolphins somehow lost a game to the Colts on Monday night where they controlled the ball for over 45 minutes.  How is this possible?  Well when three would-be touchdowns are dropped and turned into field goals and the other team scores touchdowns when they do have the ball, you tend to lose.  WR Ted Ginn may have caught 10 passes, but he dropped two would be touchdowns killing his fantasy owners last week.  The good news was that the Wildcat ran all over Indianapolis and the Dolphins are sure to employ it here as well.  San Diego TE Antonio Gates is sure to have seen the damage Dallas Clark did to the Dolphins secondary and will be looking to do the same.

Fantasy Impact: Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson looks like he will miss this game again making RB Darren Sproles a good start.

Prediction:  San Diego

Indianapolis +3 at Arizona

Watching future Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning dissect the Dolphins secondary to win the game Monday shows you what Manning can do with or without all of his weapons.  TE Dallas Clark was the recipient of a bulk of those passes and will continue to have success as long as defenses try and take WR Reggie Wayne out of the game.  Arizona QB Kurt Warner set an NFL record for completion percentage in a single game by going 24-26 last week versus Jacksonville.  With all of his receivers finally healthy, Warner will look to keep the Cardinals offense on a roll.

Fantasy Impact: Hard not to expect a shootout here as both teams love to throw the ball.  Arizona RB Tim Hightower could be a sneaky play as the Colts had a terrible time stopping the Dolphins running game last week.

Prediction:  Arizona

New Orleans -6 at Buffalo

The best defense for the Bills in this one could very well be the weather. Although the temperature is supposed to be in the mid 60s, there is a 50% chance of rain, and wind.  Wind and rain can cause havoc to a passing game.  Perhaps QB Drew Brees only throws for two touchdowns this week.  This could be the last week that Bills Running Back Fred Jackson is the undisputed starter with suspended RB Marshawn Lynch eligible to return in week four.

Fantasy Impact:  New Orleans RB Mike Bell is hurting and may not play in this game.  With a chance for bad weather Pierre Thomas would be a good start here.

Prediction:  New Orleans

Pittsburgh -4 at Cincinnati

WR Santonio Holmes had a terrible game last week versus Chicago dropping quite a few passes including a touchdown.  He will need to pick up his game here in order to regain the confidence of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.  Willie Parker may not be the starting RB for the Steelers much longer if he doesn’t produce.  Rashard Mendenhall hasn’t done much better, but he did have a 39 yard run last week which is close to as many yards as Parker has all season.

Fantasy Impact:  Pittsburgh has shut down running backs Chris Johnson and Matt Forte in back to back weeks; I think I’d sit Cedric Benson here.

Prediction:  Pittsburgh

Denver -2 at Oakland

The Broncos need to win this game as their schedule is brutal after this with games against Dallas, New England, San Diego, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington, San Diego, and the Giants upcoming.  Ouch!  This just in - Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell is terrible, with or without any receivers to throw to.

Fantasy Impact:   I’d sit  Brandon Marshall.  He’s off to a slow start and Raiders Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is certainly capable of a making him invisible in this one.

Prediction:  Denver

Carolina +9 at Dallas

Jake Delhomme kept the vultures at bay with a decent performance last week.  The Panthers didn’t win the game, but Delhomme only turned the ball over once and that was on the final drive when the Panthers were desperate.  The Cowboys lost their first game in their new stadium.  Tony Romo was terrible, throwing three interceptions which were all turned into points by the Giants.  Romo has taken a ton of abuse from fans and the media this week and will look to rebound in this one.

Fantasy Impact: Dallas RB Marion Barber strained a quad and is questionable for this game.  With Carolina giving up over 162 yards a game on the ground so far this season, and having lost another defensive tackle, Felix Jones would be a good play here.

Prediction:  Carolina

LAST WEEK: 11-5

OVERALL: 19-13

This post was written by George Kurtz