Week 1 NFL primer: What a wonderful world (NFC East games only)
by NFL Expert Vinnie Iyer
The NFL has gotten pretty big, hasn't it? From Draft Day to Madden Day to Fantasy Draft Day, sometimes we forget that for six months of the year, the league doesn't play games that count. The mock drafts we do, the video games we play and the teams we put together are all done with one thing in mind -- to be an active part of wildly growing and entertaining world.
Fewer than 2,000 people in the real world can call themselves current NFL players, but the rest of us can dream, can't we? With our fancy high-def televisions, satellite radios and Sunday Ticket subscriptions, we can dream bigger and brighter than ever before.
My dream, as it is every season, is to get more game picks right than I did the previous season. Yes, it's a lofty goal, and that's why this column comes with a four-word warning label every year: "For entertainment purposes only."
Miami at Washington. Cam Cameron and Al Saunders also operate similar run-based yet open-faced offenses. I just have a little more faith that the Redskins will be able to control the game better with Ladell Betts and Clinton Portis over four quarters than the Dolphins with Ronnie Brown. Just a little more. Redskins 17, Dolphins 13.
Upset of the Week
Green Bay over Philadelphia. I created a lot of anger in Chicago by picking the Packers to win the NFC North, so I better back it up. I'm torn in this matchup, however, because I also like the Eagles to make the playoffs. Why do I like the Pack so much? Defense. The Packers' front seven is coming together nicely with Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins and A.J. Hawk, and they have good experience at cornerback and finally might have cleaned up their safety mess. As a complement to that defense, the running game should come through, even if it takes multiple backs. Strangely, for a team with Brett Favre, the passing game is the weakest link because of limited receiving options. As for Philly and Donovan McNabb, this will be just one of those games -- they'll be there as a wild card at the end. Packers 24, Eagles 21.
New York Giants at Dallas. The Giants will use more of aggressive defensive scheme to fly to ballcarriers, and new coach Wade Phillips' influence will help inch the Cowboys' 3-4 toward the level of his former team, the Chargers. During the jelling period, both defenses will give up big plays and considerable yardage. This should make for unpredictability in prime time, where the NBC lights will shine ultra bright on the Giants' Eli Manning and on the Cowboys' Tony Romo. In reality, the cameras should focus on the running backs, Dallas' Marion Barber III and Julius Jones and the Giants' Brandon Jacobs, who takes over for the retired Tiki Barber. Cowboys 24, Giants 20.
The NFL has gotten pretty big, hasn't it? From Draft Day to Madden Day to Fantasy Draft Day, sometimes we forget that for six months of the year, the league doesn't play games that count. The mock drafts we do, the video games we play and the teams we put together are all done with one thing in mind -- to be an active part of wildly growing and entertaining world.
Fewer than 2,000 people in the real world can call themselves current NFL players, but the rest of us can dream, can't we? With our fancy high-def televisions, satellite radios and Sunday Ticket subscriptions, we can dream bigger and brighter than ever before.
My dream, as it is every season, is to get more game picks right than I did the previous season. Yes, it's a lofty goal, and that's why this column comes with a four-word warning label every year: "For entertainment purposes only."
Miami at Washington. Cam Cameron and Al Saunders also operate similar run-based yet open-faced offenses. I just have a little more faith that the Redskins will be able to control the game better with Ladell Betts and Clinton Portis over four quarters than the Dolphins with Ronnie Brown. Just a little more. Redskins 17, Dolphins 13.
Upset of the Week
Green Bay over Philadelphia. I created a lot of anger in Chicago by picking the Packers to win the NFC North, so I better back it up. I'm torn in this matchup, however, because I also like the Eagles to make the playoffs. Why do I like the Pack so much? Defense. The Packers' front seven is coming together nicely with Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins and A.J. Hawk, and they have good experience at cornerback and finally might have cleaned up their safety mess. As a complement to that defense, the running game should come through, even if it takes multiple backs. Strangely, for a team with Brett Favre, the passing game is the weakest link because of limited receiving options. As for Philly and Donovan McNabb, this will be just one of those games -- they'll be there as a wild card at the end. Packers 24, Eagles 21.
New York Giants at Dallas. The Giants will use more of aggressive defensive scheme to fly to ballcarriers, and new coach Wade Phillips' influence will help inch the Cowboys' 3-4 toward the level of his former team, the Chargers. During the jelling period, both defenses will give up big plays and considerable yardage. This should make for unpredictability in prime time, where the NBC lights will shine ultra bright on the Giants' Eli Manning and on the Cowboys' Tony Romo. In reality, the cameras should focus on the running backs, Dallas' Marion Barber III and Julius Jones and the Giants' Brandon Jacobs, who takes over for the retired Tiki Barber. Cowboys 24, Giants 20.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:56 AM
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