Week 2 Predictions

    As expected, Week 1 brought us plenty of upsets, last second heroics, and extraordinary performances from players around the league. One of the biggest story lines to take place on Sunday was the show put on by rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. While playing a very talented Saints team, RGIII posted some impressive statistics, passing for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns. Meanwhile, quarterback Peyton Manning proved his reign in the NFL was not yet over. When taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers, Manning did not  look like the one we saw in 2004 per say, but he remains a top 10 quarterback. Last but not least, the New York Jets somehow managed to score 48 points against a highly regarded defense in Buffalo. New York was mocked throughout the preseason due to their three game touchdown drought. Their embarrassing play was a cause for concern among Jets fans, but Sanchez managed to get in a groove at home. Week 2 will separate the men from the boys, and, like always, will make for an exciting Sunday afternoon.

Charles Woodson

Game to Watch: HEEEE'S BAAACK! The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first team to be defeated by Peyton Manning since his neck injury. Manning looked close to his old self, passing for 253 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 129.2. However, the road ahead is not any easier, for he will go up against the Atlanta Falcons away from Denver. Atlanta is coming off of a monstrous win over the Kansas City Chiefs, a team projected to do very well in 2012. After adjusting their game plan, Matt Ryan has been given more freedom when it comes to throwing it deep to his lethal weapons at wide receiver. Monday's game will not be a defensive battle, so it will be interesting to see who wins in this shootout.

Denver Broncos: Last Sunday's game may not have been Manning's best performance, but he is on track to throw for 30-plus touchdowns and 4,000 passing yards. The Broncos somehow managed to make the playoffs in 2011, and though it is only Week 1, they might just win the AFC West for the second year in a row. A loss to Atlanta however would hurt their confidence, and the momentum would no not be as strong. Unfortunately, with Tim Tebow gone, the running game suffered quite a bit, no longer the same unit as in 2011. This entire team will rely on Manning's leadership, who is 3-1 against Atlanta in his 14 year career. If he can stay accurate and consistent, the entire team will feed off of his success.

Atlanta Falcons: What if the Matt Ryan who showed up in last Sunday's game was the Matt Ryan we saw week in and week out. His extraordinary receiving corp, consisting of Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, and Julio Jones, will always create problems for opposing defenses. Michael Turner's 11 attempts in Week 1 racked up just 32 yards, a mere 2.9 yards per attempt. It appears as if Turner's statistics will not improve much from here, for head coach Mike Smith wants to incorporate more passing into his offensive game plan. Smith won't be relying on this defense to stop Manning on each drive, so that will put even more pressure on Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense. Based on how they played against Kansas City, Atlanta has the edge entering Week 2's biggest stage.

Falcons over Broncos 34-20

Stand Out Performance: RB Adrian Peterson: Entering the 2012 season, it was speculated by many that  running back Adrian Peterson would not be the same rusher who has electrified the league for the past six years. His knee injury suffered on Christmas Eve forced him to miss the rest of 2011, and made him unstable for much of 2012. In Week 1, however, Peterson started off the regular season with a bang. The Minnesota Viking running back rushed for 84 yards, and his two touchdowns helped substantially in defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars. His Week 2 game is against yet another soft defense, this time the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis allowed three rushing touchdowns in Week 1, and had one of the worst overall defenses in the league last year. Peterson looked great in Week 1, and should be able to make his fantasy owners proud.
Adrian Peterson: 75 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 1 receiving TD


Players to Watch: QB Mark Sanchez: It is hard to believe that New York was able to be so dominant offensively after their historically atrocious pre season. They did not use Tim Tebow as much as expected in Week 1, and that is due to Sanchez's spectacular performance. His 266 passing yards and three touchdowns made for an easy win over the Buffalo Bills. Sanchez was able to utilize his extremely talented wide receiver in Stephen Hill, a rookie out of Georgia Tech. Sanchez's skills will be put to the test when playing Pittsburgh on the road. The Steelers do not wish to start off their 2012 season at 0-2, so don't be surprised if Sanchez is battered around a bit.
Mark Sanchez: 210 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 2 INTs


Week 2 Predictions:

Packers over Bears

Chiefs over Bills

Saints over Panthers (OT)

Bengals over Browns

Colts over Vikings

Texans over Jaguars

Raiders over Dolphins

Patriots over Cardinals

Giants over Buccaneers

Ravens over Eagles

Cowboys over Seahawks

Redskins over Rams

Steelers over Jets

Chargers over Titans

49ers over Lions

Falcons over Broncos

The NFL Report Predictions:

Week 1: 11-5

2012 Season: 11-5