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Game of the week
New York Jets at Miami, 1 p.m. ET | 
Preview | Endzone | Bleacher Report
The line: Jets by 2½
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| It's a new uniform, but the same old Brett Favre, who will extend his streak to 276 starts. (US Presswire) |
No, the Dolphins don't have a lot of weapons on offense, but they shouldn't make the silly mistakes that sabotaged last season's train wreck. Not with Pennington running the offense. The question: Is a defense without Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor better equipped to combat Favre? That's why they play the games.
Guaranteed, this one will be close. In fact, I'll take the Dolphins.
Something to consider: Miami has four consecutive home victories against the Jets in September, dating back to Sept. 18, 1994.
Three games I'd like to see
Dallas at Cleveland, 4:15 p.m. ET | Preview
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| Tony Romo is ready to go. (Getty Images) |
The story: This is supposed to be the year the Cowboys kick serious butt en route to the Super Bowl, but they might have trouble here. Cleveland not only is a potential playoff threat; the Browns won their final seven at home last season.
Look for Tony Romo to exploit a Cleveland secondary that sacrificed cornerback Leigh Bodden to Detroit. Look for Cleveland to loosen up the Cowboys' front seven with Jamal Lewis before striking with the league's 12th-ranked passing attack.
Something to consider: Dallas is an NFL-best 30-18 in road openers.
Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m. ET | Preview
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| Will Vince straighten out? (US Presswire) |
The story: One of these clubs will finish second to Indianapolis in the AFC South, and the smart money is on Jacksonville. But it's never wise to undersell the Titans, not while Jeff Fisher's in charge.
Plus, Vince Young has a new offensive coordinator who should make the most of the guy's considerable abilities. He will have to, what with Jacksonville unleashing rookie edge rushers Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. Run, Vince, run.
Something to consider: The Jags' Fred Taylor is seeking his sixth consecutive regular-season game with 100 yards rushing.
Tampa Bay at New Orleans, 1 p.m. ET | Preview | Bleacher Report
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| Jeremy Shockey seeks to make an immediate impact. (US Presswire) |
The story: New Orleans thinks it's ready to make another run at a division title, so here's a chance to prove it. The Bucs are the defending NFC South champs and have the defense to stay with New Orleans' playmakers. And there are plenty of them. Brees. Bush. McAllister. Shockey. Colston.
Anyway, a good barometer for both clubs, though it won't be New Orleans' porous pass defense that will be tested. It will be defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis and the middle of the Saints defensive line.
Something to consider: In five career starts vs. Tampa Bay, Brees has a 100.6 passer rating. So what? So his teams are 24-5 when he hits 100.
Crummy game of the week
Kansas City at New England, 1 p.m. ET | Preview
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| Tom Brady's presence should stop upset ideas. (Getty Images) |
The story: The Chiefs finished the 2007 season by losing their final nine; the Patriots have won their past 19 regular-season games.
If there's hope for the Chiefs, it's Tom Brady's injured right foot, with no one but Brady and the Pats sure of what's going on. Brady didn't play this preseason but insists he will suit up Sunday. I would, too, if the Chiefs were at my door.
Something to consider: Brady has a 45-10 regular-season record at home, and New England is 44-1 when he has a passer rating of 100 or more.
Upset of the week
Oakland over Denver, 10:15 p.m. ET Monday | Preview
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| McFadden's NFL debut could be memorable. (US Presswire) |
The story: I don't like much about the Raiders either, but they should've beaten Denver twice last season and did knock off the Broncos at home.
Denver doesn't have top receiver Brandon Marshall (serving a one-game suspension), which will handicap the Broncos, but it's their record in season openers on the road that I like less: They have lost two of their past three, winning only when a last-second field goal last season toppled Buffalo.
Something to consider: Denver's Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly rank first and second among active cornerbacks for most interceptions since 1999. The Broncos are 3-0 vs. Oakland when Bailey has an interception.
Games within the games
1. Favre vs. Pennington. Just connect the dots.
2. Kurt Warner vs. the road. The Cards historically struggle on the road, where they play three of their first four, but Warner is poised and experienced. Plus, he's 7-1 as a starter against San Francisco, shredding them for a league-best 484 yards in one game last year.
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| Time for your closeup, Aaron. (Getty Images) |
4. Langston Walker vs. Jason Peters. They're supposed to be teammates, only Peters never showed up at Bills camp. So Walker starts at left tackle, Kirk Chambers starts at right and Peters' market value is determined. Chambers gets the worst of that deal, drawing Seattle's Patrick Kerney as his first opponent.
5. Shawne Merriman vs. Grey's Anatomy. Five doctors told the San Diego linebacker he should have two torn knee ligaments repaired now, but Merriman declined. Instead, he will play on. But at what level and what expense to his knee ... and his future?
Five guys I want to be this weekend
1. New England coach Bill Belichick. He has won his past 19 regular-season games, and now he draws the Chiefs. Make that 20.
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| Peyton Manning must shake off some rust to start 1-0 again. (AP) |
3. Tampa Bay WR Joey Galloway. He has nine touchdown catches in his past seven games vs. New Orleans, with scores in six of those seven starts.
4. Cleveland QB Derek Anderson. He's 7-1 as a starter at home, where the Browns won their last seven in 2007.
5. Green Bay DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. He has five sacks in his past two games vs. Minnesota. Now he tries to make it three straight with at least two sacks per game.
Just a hunch
Figure Jacksonville-Tennessee to play it close. Reason: Of the 26 regular-season games between these two, 17 -- or 65.4 percent -- were decided by seven or fewer points and eight won by three or fewer.
Meaningful numbers
Carolina's Jake Delhomme isn't among the league's elite quarterbacks, but you would never know it by these numbers: He's shooting for his fifth consecutive start with a passer rating of 100 or more, with Delhomme in his past four games completing 69 percent of his passes and throwing for 10 touchdowns and one interception.
Where we will be
• Pete will be in Miami to serve as an usher on the Favre bandwagon.
• I'll be in Cleveland to push Todd for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall.
• Gregg Doyel will be in Indianapolis to tell us if there's a Shapiro's window at the new stadium.
• Mike Freeman will be in Foxborough to review Tom Brady's performance in My Right Foot.