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Saturday, June 25, 2011
Earlier I brought you the top five divisional games of 2011. Now here are the top games of 2011 week by week...
On the 10th Anniversary of one of the greatest tragedy's in American history, the Dallas Cowboys will travel to New York to face the Jets. This game will be the first Sunday Night one of the year and I know a lot of Packers fans are mad at me for not naming the season opener as the best game of week 1. Why I chose this one: storyline. Cowboys QB Tony Romo will play his first game back since suffering a elbow injury midway through last season against the New York Giants. It was also a really disappointing season for the Boys, who were favorites to host the Super Bow, but instead fell flat on their faces with a 6-10 record. For the Jets, they hope to finally reach the Super Bowl after losing in two straight AFC Championship Games and what a better way to kick off their 2011 campaign then beating America's team? One individual matchup to watch is the Cowboys WR Miles Austin against the best CB in the league, the Jets Darelle Revis. Also, it would be crazy if Romo gets injured again, this time against the other team from New York. Sorry Tony, I don't want to be a hex on you like Jessica Simpson was. Back to my point, this is the best game week 1 can deliver.
For the first time in his career, Michael Vick will start against his former team when the Philadelphia Eagles travel to play the Atlanta Falcons. It has been four years since Vick has won a Falcons uniform and now he will return to the Georgia Dome wearing rival colors. It seemed almost crazy to say that Vick would play again after being sent to prison for dog fighting charges, but I guess you can return home. Back to the game. It will be fun to watch the QB battle between Vick and Falcons QB Matt Ryan. Both Ryan and Vick had near perfect seasons last year and if either defense hopes to gain a edge their going to have to work harder then usual. Vick is one of the most dynamic players in the league and if the Falcons can some how wear him down with their pass rush, they will win. Ryan on the other hand, is a pocket passer and doesn't make dumb decisions often. If CB Asante Samuel can have a big game and force Ryan to make some dumb decisions, the Eagles will win. This is another great game to watch and I hope it lives up to its billing as the best game from week 2.
The Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers are two of the top teams of the past decade, they have represented the AFC in the Super Bowl five of the past six years. While these teams are similar in that sense, the Colts and Steelers are teams that have very different styles of play. Pittsburgh relies much on their defense (Troy Polomalu, James Harrison) to help keep the score down. Of course with Ben Roethlisberger at the helm, the Steelers can stay in the game with any team. On the other hand the Colts rely almost 99.9% on that man on the left, #18 Peyton Manning. We saw how much Manning struggled last year and with him struggling, Indy struggled. This will be an early test for both teams, whoever wins could be the ones who come out of AFC... again.
Last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprised a lot of people by going 10-6 and barely missing the playoffs. Now they will face the role models for the perfect franchise, the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. If the Bucs want to upset "The Establishment" they will have to get brilliant play out of their QB Josh Freeman. In 2010, we really saw Freeman mature as a leader and as a QB. You can count on it that Freeman will be watching the opponent's QB, Peyton Manning while on the sidelines. One successful player at chasing down many, there hasn't been, was DE Warren Sapp who used to play for Tampa. Maybe current DT Gerald McCoy can help the Bucs with stopping Manning, but as we have learned in the past, its easier said then done. What is not easier said then done, missing this ultimate football matchup of week 4.
The New England Patriots looked prime for a Super Bowl run last year behind MVP QB Tom Brady. Thanks to Rex Ryan and the New York Jets though, the Pats fell flat on their face. It all started last year in Foxborough during a week 13 MNF matchup between these two AFC East rivals. The Patriots stomped the Jets and everyone who was associated with NYC wanted revenge. They got it when the Jets beat the Patriots 28-21 during the divisional round. The Jets also snapped Brady's streak of pass attempts without an interception. On week 5 of 2011, the Patriots will be the ones looking for revenge and also an early lead in the AFC East. The most entertaining matchup to watch during this one is Bill Belichick's offensive scheme against Ryan's defensive scheme, which always seems to be the center of attention when these two teams meet.
I think football fans will feel a sense of nationalism when the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots meet for this week 6 matchup. The Cowboys have always been known as "America's Team" but took a a step back in 2010 after having expectations to go to the Super Bowl. What a better way to turn things around then to beat the most dominating team from the previous decade? The Cowboys defense, which finished 23 in the league, will have its hands full with the best QB in the game, Tom Brady. We already know that the QB battle between Tony Romo and Brady will be exciting, but it will also be interesting to watch if these defenses will be able to contain these superstart QB's. The last time these two teams met was in 2007 and the Pats won easily 48-27. In the Cowboys defense, the Patriots went undefeated that year.
For the first time since hoisting the Lombardi trophy during Super Bowl XLIV, the New Orleans Saints will play the Indianapolis Colts. As we all know, the Saints won their very first championship after defeating Indy 31-17. To me, it was the greatest Super Bowl of all time. There will be many story lines entering this game other then the Super Bowl rematch. For starters, Colts QB Peyton Manning was born and raised in New Orleans where his father Archie played QB for the less then spectacular franchise. Now with QB Drew Brees at the helm, the Saints offense is one of the most explosive in the game today. Even though this is a interconfernce showdown, this game could be both important to the Saints and the Colts and will definitely be entertaining.
The two teams that have represented the AFC in the Super Bowl in five of the past six seasons will play against each other in week 8 of the 2011 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been known for their punishing defense while the New England Patriots have been known for their skilled offense. Its not to say that the Steelers can't keep with the Pats thanks to their Pro Bowl QB Ben Rothlisberger. Last year the Patriots got the best of the Steelers when they beat them 39-26 on Sunday Night Football. Even though the game will not be in primetime, it will still be very important to both teams. In 2010 when the Patriots beat the Steelers, New England basically won control of the #1 seed in the AFC. Of course, the Steelers were the ones who got to Super Bowl XLV.
Probably the greatest catch in Super Bowl history happened at the worst possible time for the Patriots. Going into Super Bowl XLII, the Pats were 18-0 while the Giants were a wild card team. That Super Bowl proved that it doesn't matter about the record, but about the performance in the game. Now the Patriots are coming off a 14-2 record in 2010 and a loss to the other team from New York in the divisional playoffs. The Giants are coming off a late season collapse (most notably against the Eagles) and a 10-6 record. A lot has changed for both teams since that Super Bowl. David Tyree is no longer with the Giants, while the DB defending him (Rodney Harrison) is retired. When this lockout ends, it will be interesting if the Giants decide to trade Osi Umenyiora who helped them beat one of the best teams in NFL history. That storyline and more will make this a very intense matchup.
Despite the Bucs reemergence to relevance, the NFC South division race came down between the Saints and Falcons. This game also ranked at five of the five best division rivalries of 2011 for good reason. Since 2002, either the Saints or Falcons have won the division four times. Last year, Atlanta won the division with a NFC best record, 13-3. The Saints, meanwhile, were able to spark a wild card berth with a 11-5 record. Despite nice finishes, both the Saints and Falcons had early playoff exits. Both teams are obviously two of the best teams in the NFC and are in probably the toughest division in the NFL. When the Saints travel to the Georgia Dome you know ever wins this game will have a leg up in the division and is must watch game.
32 years after "Miracle at the Meadowlands" in which Herm Edwards scooped up a fumble by Joe Pisarcik and returned it for a game winning touchdown, Desean Jackson helped complete another miracle for the Eagles against the Giants. After trailing 24-3, comeback player of the year Mike Vick helped tie the score at 31-31. For Giants fans sake, I won't describe what happens next. All I will say is, hopefully they won't punt to Jackson again. To put the 2010 game into context, it really kept the Giants out of the playoffs and made legitimize Philly as one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Revenge games are always fun and you can guarantee that every NFL fan will be glued to their TV screens waiting for Jackson to return a game deciding punt to the house and wondering why the punter kicked it to him. Sorry Giants fans.
Many NFL fans wanted Jim Harbaugh to get hired just so he would coach against his brother's team the Ravens. Well it happened. Now the Harbaugh brothers will become the first pair of head coaches to coach against each other in NFL history. We have had the Manning Bowl, now it is time for the Harbaugh Bowl. To make things better, the Ravens and 49ers will battle on Thanksgiving night. That is going to be an awkward moment at the dinner table earlier that morning to say the least. I can see it now. "Jim can you pass me the potatoes? Oh and what kind of defensive scheme are you running this season?" Seriously though, this should be a great game. For one, we have two of the best linebackers (Patrick Willis and Ray Lewis) in the NFL going against each other for the first time in their careers. The 49ers better keep it a defensive game because if Joe Flacco gets going, the Ravens are going to be really hard to stop.
If you have ever seen the movie by the same title, Peyton Manning is like Kristen Bell's character (life started out harsh, but eventually it became a success). Tom Brady, on the other hand, is like Odette Yustman's character (cocky and pushes Manning around while overshadowing his life). While you are probably sitting there asking yourself, "How does a guy know this much about Chick-flicks and football?" Lets just say I have a lot of time on my hands. Back to football, over the past decade, the Colts and Patriots have been one of the best matchups to watch. Until Manning and Brady retire, it will stay that way.
After former Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels flirted with trading for Matt Cassel in 2008, franchise QB Jay Cutler demanded to be traded. The Broncos gave in and traded him to the Bears, starting a down ward spiral for the Denver franchise. While Denver's series of unfortunate events can be attributed to McDaniels, don't expect Culter to get cheers of joy from the fans at Mile High. The match-up between the Bears and Broncos should be entertaining considering Chicago has one of the worst offensive lines in football (gave up the most sacks in 2010) and Denver has one of the worst defenses in football. While both teams addressed that in the draft (Bears drafted Gabe Carimi while the Broncos drafted Marcel Dareus), this game will be fun to watch and it would make it the game of the year to some fans if Cutler gets booed by every fan in the stadium. Another thing, I hope both don't wear their home jerseys because that would just be nonsense.
Michael Vick's 2010 season with the Eagles was one of the best in NFL history and his performance helped put him with the leagues most elite QB's. Now in this week 15 matchup Vick will have to face the most intimidating defenses in the NFL, the Jets. Probably the most interesting matchup to watch will be Vick vs. the best CB in the league, Darelle Revis. Revis will most likely be covering Desean Jackson and we all know that he is Vick's favorite target. Even though he is not taking as many chances when he was with the Falcons, Vick could try to go to Jackson often even though it would be a mistake. In 2010, QB's only completed the pass 19 times when going in Revis' direction. Vick vs. Revis will be an interesting matchup to watch and so will this week 15 game.
For the first time since the New Meadowlands stadium opened, the Giants and Jets will play in a regular season game. The Jets have always been in the Giants shadow ever since the team became a franchise in 1960. Now it is time for the Jets to get out of that shadow and possibly claim a playoff berth over their long heated rivals considering this game is just two weeks before the playoffs start. We all know that Eli Manning made some poor mistakes last season and giving the Jets turnovers will make the game a lot easier on young Mark Sanchez. This game will definitely grab New York's attention and the whole leagues attention.
One of my most favorite rules of the Roger Goodell era is having each team play a divisional opponent. This makes the games on week 17 more important and prevents QB's like Jim Sorgi stepping out on the playing field. The best of these divisional matchups will probably be the Bucs and the Falcons. In 2010, Tampa Bay surprised us all by gaining a 10-6 record. Of course, the Bucs couldn't beat the top two teams in their division even once last year. For that matter, they couldn't beat a team with a winning record. Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman are two of the best young QB's in the league and will have to lead their teams to a victory for possibly the division or a playoff berth. We can't forget the Saints though, who play the Panthers the same week.
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