And so we enter pivotal Week Two. It's almost a guarantee that some team touted as a Super Bowl contender will start 0-2, while some team expected to stink will be 2-0. Remember, there are still 14 more games to play, so let's not get too excited about any given team, shall we?

As always, picks are against the spread, and while you could use them for gambling purposes, don't blame us if you end up living in a van, down by the river. As always, home teams are bolded.

An additional note: I decided to do a little experiment. Seeing as how there are so many large spreads, despite the fact that we've only played one week of football, I'm taking every underdog who's getting more than 10 points, with the logic being that the majority of NFL games are decided by a touchdown or less. We'll see how this works out.

Ravens -11 vs. Raiders
Ben: Ravens. The Raiders burned me a ton last year with their up and down nature. As bad as a 12 point spread is, that line can’t protect anyone and now Robert Gallery is hurt. Good night Oakland.
Bryan: Ravens. Boy, it's tough to give up eleven and a half points with only a
decent offense, but the Raiders just looked so terrible last week. Things are falling apart there in a hurry, and Baltimore has some swagger right now.
John: Ravens. If the Raiders can’t block the Chargers, how will they block Baltimore – a top three AFC team? They won’t. Double lock this sucker.
Zach: Raiders. Yikes, this is a bad place to start my experiment...stay strong.

Bengals -10.5 vs. Browns
Ben: Bengals. Sorry Wiggles. Not this week.
Bryan: Bengals. The Bengals won easily on the road last week, and the offense didn't even play well. The Browns don't stand a chance, and the final margin should be in the double digits.
John: Bengals. It’s a rivalry game, but the Bengals offense struggled in Week One and will rebound big time in Week Two.
Zach: Browns. The Bengals defense isn't very good. Ok, I'm officially grasping at straws, and we're just two picks in.

Dolphins -6.5 vs. Bills
Ben: Dolphins. I won’t be suckered into taking JP Losman.
Bryan: Bills. Bills. Games between these two are always tight, and Buffalo is 4-0 ATS against Miami over the last two seasons.
John: Bills. Though if Takeo Spikes doesn’t play I renounce this pick altogether. Daunte has to prove to me he isn’t an interception waiting to happen before I start giving up this many points.
Zach: Dolphins. The Bills probably played their best game of the year last week, and still lost.

Colts -13.5 vs. Texans
Ben: Colts. The Colts will score. The Texans still can’t protect David Carr. Houston we have a problem.
Bryan: Colts. Once the Texans are forced to abandon the run early, expect Freeney and company to have a field day on David Carr.
John: Colts. Trap game for the Colts, right? They just beat the Giants and play Jacksonville in week 3… but the fact it’s the home opener negates the trap game factor. Colts roll – pray the Texans don’t get the backdoor cover.
Zach: Texans. This pick I actually like. The Texans are actually a decent offense team, and the Colts D sucks. While Houston has little shot at winning, a late score should pull them within 13.

Bears -8.5 vs. Lions
Ben: Bears. Until Rex Grossman gets hurt and/or they play someone outside the NFC North, the Bears can get away with big lines.
Bryan: Lions. Detroit's defense shut down a Seahawk offense that usually moves the chains like clockwork. I don't see Chicago winning this by more than a field goal or two.
John: Lions. Look, I know the Bears looked good last week, and I like what I see from Grossman, but this many points for the Bears? Kitna is a respectable QB, too many points to lay.
Zach: Bears. My original plan was to take every team getting more than seven points, but I really like the Bears in this game: Detroit can't score, period.

Eagles -3 vs. Giants
Ben: Eagles. Everyone keeps saying the Eagles are for real. I don’t buy it yet. On the other hand I buy the Giants even less.
Bryan: Giants. Before the season, most of us believed that the Giants were a superior team to the Eagles. The Eagles beat the Texans, and the Giants barely fall to the Colts, and now Philly is the better team? I'm hardly convinced.
John: Eagles. Something tells me the Giants are overconfident going into this game – while Philly has a chip on their shoulder wanting to prove they can win the NFC East.
Zach: Eagles. Um, Bryan...not I...the Eagles have been my pick in the NFC East for a good while now, and they might be the second-best team in the conference. This one's gonna be easy.

Vikings +2 vs. Panthers
Ben: Vikings. The Panthers can’t start 0-2 right? Maybe not but I can’t take them without Steve Smith on the field. And once this off season I was high on the Vikings, even with Brad Johnson at QB.
Bryan: Panthers. It looks like Steve Smith could be out again, but John Fox is too good of a coach to let a contending team start 0-2. Chester Taylor will get shut down, and Carolina will force Brad Johnson into some mistakes.
John: Panthers. Without Steve Smith this is a huge question mark game, but I think it will come down to Brad Johnson getting plastered by the Panthers pass rush after Mewelde Moore gets stuffed again and again.
Zach: Vikings. Forget the lack of Steve Smith, Carolina has to show it can stop the run before we start the Super Bowl talk.

Falcons -5.5 vs. Buccaneers
Ben: Buccaneers. The NFC South was full of inconsistency last year. I’m guessing it continues here. This might be a last stand of sorts for the aging Bucs defense, who always seems to own Michael Vick. If he beats them here, it’s gonna be a long season in Tampa.
Bryan: Buccaneers. For the second consecutive week, the spread that has given me the most headaches has involved the Falcons, and for the second consecutive week, I'm going to pick against Atlanta. The Bucs usually have Mike Vick's number. I'll take the points in what should be an extremely tight contest.
John: Buccaneers. People are too high on Atlanta after Week One, too low on Tampa. I love the bounce back game here.
Zach: Falcons. I'm worried that the Chris Simms we all knew and ridiculed at Texas may be back for good after going into a brief hibernation last season.

Packers +2 vs. Saints
Ben: Saints. Get ready for a million “feel good” stories and fluff pieces in week three when the Saints beat the hapless Packers to go 2-0.
Bryan: Saints. I've also been going back on forth on this spread. Neither team has much of a defense, and the bottom line is that New Orleans has something of an edge on the offensive side. Home field be damned, I'll take the Saints for a surprising 2-0 start.
John: Saints. This is how bad the Packers are – they are home dogs to the SAINTS. Yes, the SAINTS. This is so crazy how can you not go with New Orleans?
Zach: Saints. While the NFL screwed New Orleans last year, this year they get to start the season with two of the most winnable road games you ever saw, at Cleveland and at Brett Favre.

Seahawks -7 vs. Cardinals
Ben: Seahawks. Despite winning by a TD in week one, the Cardinals went from touchdown plus favorites to touchdown underdogs. Is the NFC West that polarized? The Cardinals can’t protect anyone and don’t defend the pass well. Advantage: Seahawks.
Bryan: Seahawks. Again, Seattle's a complete team. Arizona simply isn't. The
'Hawks do enough on defense to cover.
John: Seahawks. Big rebound for the defending NFC champions as they destroy defenseless Arizona, who still can’t win on the road.
Zach: Seahawks. Arizona still can't run the ball, even with Edgerrin James, and they still can't defend, well, anyone.

Jets +6 vs. Patriots
Ben: Jets. What have we learned about the Pats and big lines? Plus this Jets team is feisty and has a quarterback now. They keep it closer than a TD.
Bryan: Patriots. I must admit that, as a Jets fan, it's exciting to consider that the Jets have a marginal chance at winning this game. It's more than I would have expected a couple of weeks ago. Expect New York to ride the home crowd early and keep things close in the first half, but they're not ready to stay with the big boys yet.
John: Jets. If the Pats need a safety to beat the Bills at home – they’re winning by a touchdown or more on the road? Mike Nugent has a rebound game as Jets play Pats close in low scoring contest.
Zach: Jets. Just so that Ben and Bryan can get their hopes up, only to have them cruelly dashed when Chad Pennington's arm detaches from his shoulder in Week Five.

Broncos -11 vs. Chiefs
Ben: Chiefs. I know they don’t have a quarterback and are on the road, but they still have Larry Johnson right? I don’t think they’ll win, but I can’t give up 11 points to any team I think will be near .500. I mean are these guys the Texans, Raiders or Titans, even without Trent Green?
Bryan: Chiefs. I'll go against the tide on this one and gamble on Larry Johnson doing enough to keep things close. I really think that Denver is an overrated squad, so it would be hard for me to give up that many points, even to Damon Huard. If Herm Edwards can do anything, he can teach a team to play defense. I'm hoping for a single-digit win for the Broncos.
John: Chiefs. Two disappointing first weeks, but these rivalry games are usually close contests even with Trent Green out. Denver is not a high octane team, at least not enough of one to lay this many points.
Zach: Broncos. I remember the Damon Huard era at the University of Washington well.

Chargers -12 vs. Titans
Ben: Chargers. I can’t remember so many big lines in week 2. The Titans offense was inept Sunday and this week they’ll face a pass rush… on the road.
Bryan: Chargers. If not for Mike Nugent, the Jets would have easily covered this spread last week, and that was in Tennessee. A no-brainer pick.
John: Titans. I know the Titans stink, but how can I pick a team giving 11 points that doesn’t even want to throw any passes. Marty ball means no big wins.
Zach: Titans. Come on, Kerry Collins has to have one game left in him...right?

49ers +3 vs. Rams
Ben: Rams. Most people had the Cardinals as their NFC West sleeper. Not me. Those Rams have a lot of talent on offense and an actual coach now.
Bryan: Rams. Easiest pick of the week, possibly. The Niners sort of kept things close against the Cardinals, a team without any defense. The Rams have an equal offense and a superior defensive unit. I expect this to be a rout.
John: 49ers. San Fran played well last week on offense, and remember they beat the Rams twice last year.
Zach: 49ers. Frank Gore, welcome to the big time.

Cowboys -6 vs. Redskins
Ben: Redskins. Dallas’ line has problems protecting Drew Bledsoe and well… it’s Drew Bledsoe. Washington plays close, ugly football. That’s what this game figures to be.
Bryan: Cowboys. Washington's collapse is accelerating. No Clinton Portis this week? Say your prayers, Mark Brunell. Jason Campbell in Week 5 seems about right.
John: Redskins. Wow, this is a lot of points for a team like the Redskins to get, even if they’re on the road. These two teams always play close games, Cowboys win it on a Vanderjagt FG late.
Zach: Redskins. I guess everyone expects the Cowboys to bounce back. I don't see it.

Jaguars +2.5 vs. Steelers
Ben: Jaguars. I really like the Jags. This one will be close, and they’re at home, so I’ll take the points.
Bryan: Steelers. I know that the Jags pulled off the upset last year in
Pittsburgh, but they're missing a number of key players on defense. I
think Willie Parker finds some holes, and the Steelers force Leftwich
into some mistakes.
John: Jaguars. Steelers got away with Batch in Week One, not against the most underrated team in football.
Zach: Jaguars. Home field advantage AND points...that's a must-pick in my book.

Last Week

Ben 8-8
Bryan: 11-5
John 10-6
Zach: 8-8

Season Standings

Bryan: 11-5
John: 10-6
Ben: 8-8
Zach: 8-8