I suppose that doing something 3 years in a row can officially be called a tradition, but this one almost died in its tracks before it really got started. Of course I wanted to go, but for a multitude of reasons, it seemed as though my newly born streak of attending Buffalo Bills Home Openers was going to come to an early end. Things have a way of working out though don't they?

First I rescheduled my trip home to Western NY from late October to mid September in order to catch a few of my younger brother's soccer games during his senior year of High School. Then, no less than 4 people contacted me with extra tickets to the game. I had to turn them down as spending money to go to the game wasn't in my budgeted plans and I had intentions of sitting around my parent's house to watch the game with my dad. But, when something is supposed to be, there's just no fighting it. Thursday afternoon I get a text message, asking me yet again if I wanted to go to the Bills game on Sunday. This time, I read the magic words though... Free! Destiny said I was going to keep my streak alive and who was I to fight it?

I had met my buddy from college earlier in the week to grab lunch and catch up while I was in town, so he knew I was around, and thankfully, when his dad turned up with some spare tickets, he was quick to let me know about it. In addition, another of our good friends from college was planning on going to the game as well, so we could all ride up together. We piled into my friend's car Sunday morning and made the hour and a half trip north to Ralph Wilson Stadium, with my streak alive and kicking.

Now, as I've mentioned, I've been to the Bills' Home Opener each of the last two years, which might not sound like a big deal, but considering I've been living in North Carolina since 2006, I consider it something of an accomplishment. Oddly enough, I had only made it to a handful of games over the course of the years before I moved, but some combination of absence making the heart grow fonder as well as growing up and actually making some money for myself had made the trip something to look forward to each year. Each of the last two seasons has seen a typical Western New York day in terms of weather, temperatures in the 50s and a gray, rainy atmosphere. This year had a different feel to it though. First off, this was the first time I'd been to a non 1pm start, so instead of being up at the crack of dawn and filing into the parking lot at 7am, it was closer to noon when we arrived at the stadium. On top of that, there was plenty of sun and temperatures in the mid 70s, something that doesn't really resemble the start of autumn in that part of the world too often.

After parking in somebody's front yard down the road from the stadium (and for those unfamiliar, it's really quite the standard practice), we began our walk towards our destination. There was definitely something in the air as everybody we came across seemed in high spirits. Forget the fact that the economy has been down for a year plus now, particularly in this area of the country where it hasn't been particularly strong in a very long time to begin with... it was football season once again. Now don't get me wrong, it was no surprise to see people out tailgating and enjoying themselves at The Ralph. I've been to games in all sorts of weather, from the aforementioned rainy days, to near blizzard like conditions, and even blustery sub zero days, and the people always show up. This day felt different to me though. People in t-shirts and shorts, playing catch with a football or enjoying a nice game of cornhole (not nearly as disgusting as it might sound), enjoying some adult beverages. I really can't imagine many things more enjoyable.

One of the great things about Buffalo Bills football in Western New York is the role it plays as a great uniter. Nearly everybody in the area pays attention to the Bills at some level, and it's highly likely that you're going to run into people that you know while attending a game. I went with friends I had made in college, but we tailgated with one of my best friends from high school... who happened to be there with somebody else I went to college with. Additionally, there were plenty of people I had become acquainted with after my college days had passed, and even people I had befriended here in North Carolina at the game. Regrettably, I didn't get a chance to visit with everybody I would have liked to, but that always seems to be the case, and there will of course be other games in the future. The point being, people from all walks of life come together and unite over their common love of something they all grew up with.

As my luck would have it, our tickets for the game were in the Jim Kelly Club section of the stadium. Some place I surely had never been before, as the tickets aren't exactly cheap, but again, thanks to the generosity of others I had a chance to enjoy it on this Sunday. Now the Kelly Club has a full bar and concession areas, as well as numerous TVs and tables to enjoy before the game (or in some cases, which I can't comprehend in the least, during the game), and by its nature, draws a slightly more affluent crowd. The interesting part of this to me however was the fact that while these people have had more money than the common fan, they didn't act all that differently. Most of them were still fueled by alcohol and plenty boisterous and loud throughout the course of the game. At the end of the day, they were all still fans, just like everybody else in the stadium. Now, compare this to some of the other stadiums and sporting events I've attended up and down the East Coast and you could see what an interesting experience it became for me. I've seen places where the prime seats are filled up with people simply there for a social outing, not really caring at all about the game going on right in front of them. This is something that drives me nuts, knowing how many truly passionate fans are out there, unable to attend games due to high ticket prices. You don't really find much of that at The Ralph however.

Leaving the stadium is always another interesting chance for social observation. The outcome of the game completely effects the actions of the mass majority of people leaving, and it's something that is very noticeable. Leaving after a win like this is a fun time, people are laughing and goofing around in a care free manner. Your chances of a car stopping to let you out of your parking spot are increased infinitely as well. Should the Bills suffer yet another soul crushing loss, things are often not so pretty. It's both kind of sad and amazing simultaneously to see how much the results of a football game can have on an entire community.

At any rate, my career record while attending Bills game is now up to 7-3 (somebody should buy me season tickets!) and will next be put to the test in Charlotte in late October. I'm looking forward to the game because I know there will be plenty of Bills fans in attendance, but it's just not the same as going to Ralph Wilson Stadium, especially for the first home game of the year, when all our hopes and dreams aren't yet smashed. A beautiful, warm, sunny September day in Orchard Park, NY with another season of Bills football on the horizon... Where Else Would You Rather Be?

1. New York Giants (2) – The Giants are looking scary. Mario Manningham and Steve Smith both had big games again as both finished with 10 receptions, over 100 yards, and one touchdown each. The running game wasn't especially impressive which makes the Giants that much better. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will eventually get going and when they do…look out.

2. Baltimore Ravens (9) – I feel like I've said this a million times already this season, but for a team that always relied on defense and a low scoring offense, the Ravens are going to make a lot of noise this year if their offense continues at this pace. Their pass defense left a lot to be desired as Phillip Rivers threw for 436 yards on Sunday, but the end result is all that matters. For those who were saying Ray Lewis is getting too old and lost a step, feel free to tell Darren Sproles that. I'd also like to note as a fantasy owner of Ray Rice, KNOCK IT OFF WILLIS MCGAHEE.

3. New Orleans Saints (8) – I completely expected New Orleans to win since Kevin Kolb was starting his first career game, but I still didn't think New Orleans would put 48 points on the board. Drew Brees is officially not human. I'd say that New Orleans can't keep putting 40+ points on the board, but they are most likely going to do it again this Sunday.

4. Indianapolis Colts (4) – Was there ever any doubt when Manning came on the field with 3+ minutes that the Colts weren't going to score and win the game? Sometimes that guy just amazes me with how good he really is. The only bad thing I can say about the Colts is that they allowed the stupid Wildcat to run all over them. They aren't going to win a ton of those games if they continue to allow opposing offenses to be on the field for 45+ minutes a game.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (1) – As much as I enjoyed it, I was shocked to find out that Jeff Reed missed two field goals in Chicago that most likely cost Pittsburgh the game. Reed has been one of the better kickers in recent years, especially considering that he kicks in the sandbox known as Heinz Field for at least eight games a year. I'm sure it was more coincidence than trend on Reed's part. However, after not looking very good against Tennessee and losing in Chicago, Pittsburgh needs to fix things in a hurry. They don't play Baltimore until Week 12, but they can't afford to fall too far behind them in the AFC North.

6. Atlanta Falcons (10) – Atlanta continues to quietly win as Matt Ryan contributed with another solid performance. Michael Turner didn't have the best day, but it was much better than Week One as this week Turner ran for over 100 yards and one touchdown. The addition of Tony Gonzalez is looking like a fantastic move for Atlanta as he hauled in another seven passes for 71 yards and one touchdown. I know it's early and only Week Two, but the NFC South appears to be a two horse race at the moment.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (5) – There is a reason I'm not bumping Philly too far down just yet and that reason is Donovan McNabb. I realize that Philly's defense got lit up by the Saints but I also realize it would've been a different game with McNabb starting. They will start dropping more and more if Kolb is forced into action, but they should be fine if McNabb comes back relatively soon. They'll also have some help this week as some guy named Michael Vick is eligible to play.

8. NY Jets (16) – The Jets have had the most impressive climb in my rankings as they've gone from 27 to 16 to 8 within three weeks. Granted, I probably had them way too low to start. However, if I'm going to gloat and take credit for good predictions, I'll also admit that I was wrong so far on the Jets. I knew their defense was going to be good but I wasn't sure about the offense. Sanchez has looked poised for the most part and appears to be the guy the Jets had hoped for. If he can continue to play like he has while relying on the defense, we could be seeing a repeat of the 2008 Falcons or Ravens.

9. New England Patriots (3) – Yuck. New England stands at 1-1 but should be 0-2. They did not look good Monday night against Buffalo and they looked worse on Sunday against the Jets. Tom Brady definitely doesn't look like himself this year. I'll give credit where it's due to the Jets defense, but some of this falls on Brady as well. From what I've seen, he just doesn't look comfortable in the pocket. I'm sure he is healthy so now I wonder if it's mental. Then again, he could still be rusty after missing an entire season and just needs to get into the flow of things. One thing is for sure, New England's schedule isn't getting any easier with the next two games against Atlanta and Baltimore.

10. Minnesota Vikings (14) – The Vikings almost gave a ton of people in eliminator pools a scare as they were down 10-0 at one point to Detroit. They proceeded to outscore Detroit 27-3 the rest of the way so all is well in Minnesota. Percy Harvin got into the act again catching five passes for 41 yards and one touchdown. He also ran twice for 14 yards. If Minnesota continues to get him the ball, their offense is going to be that much better. And can you believe that Mr. Wranglers himself has yet to throw an interception in two games? I'm shocked.

11. San Diego Chargers (7) – The Chargers almost lost to Oakland and then dropped a tough one to Baltimore. I have New England higher but the Chargers would probably beat them if they played today. With that in mind, I see the Chargers getting things straightened up as the San Diego will cruise to the AFC West title. The Dolphins, Steelers, and Broncos loom in the upcoming weeks for San Diego with the game against Denver looking like a big one.

12. Tennessee Titans (5) – Normally when I see highlights throughout the afternoon of Chris Johnson sprinting 91 yards and scoring three touchdowns overall, I assume they are going to beat the Houston Texans. Looks like I was wrong again. The Titans pass defense continued their crappy play from late in Week One against Pittsburgh as they allowed Matt Schaub to throw for 357 yards and four touchdowns. As someone who owns Andre Johnson in multiple fantasy leagues, THANK YOU TENNESSEE!!!

13. Green Bay Packers (11) – I really expected more out of Green Bay this week. If it wasn't for a Charles Woodson INT return for a touchdown, this game wouldn't have even been close. For a defense that looked rock solid against Chicago in Week One, yesterday they looked like a steaming pile as Carson Palmer threw three touchdowns and Cedric Benson ran all over them for 141 yards. It's early though, with games against St Louis and Detroit in the next three weeks, things should be ironed out for Green Bay sooner rather than later.

14. San Francisco 49ers (19) – Who needs a competent QB when Frank Gore is going off for 207 yards? San Francisco just took a giant leap in the NFC West with not only a 2-0 start overall, but a 2-0 start within the division. Look for them to start 3-0 in the division as they face St Louis in two weeks. And you know I can't write about the Niners without mentioning Michael Crabtree, so here it is. YOU IDIOT. I look forward to seeing you in the UFL. I heard that team in Las Vegas has a great QB.

15. Dallas Cowboys (12) – Although Dallas lost, they played a relatively good game on defense and on the ground. Tony Romo on the other hand? Eh, not really. One week after clamoring about how much Dallas didn't need T.O. and how they were better off, Romo followed it up going 13/29, 127 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. So maybe it was because he played Tampa Bay in Week One? Roy E. Williams also proved how much he is than T.O. grabbing one pass for 18 yards.

16. Arizona Cardinals (13) – Arizona bounced back with an uncharacteristic performance on the East Coast against Jacksonville. Kurt Warner was literally two passes away from being perfect as he got the offense going after last week's poor performance. I didn't move Arizona down intentionally after a win; it was just a matter of the teams above making a leap this week and still looking better than Arizona (if they were to play each other today). I'm not convinced Jacksonville is a very good team so I'm going to need to see more from the Cards. They have Indianapolis, Houston, and Seattle coming up so my questions should be answered shortly.

17. Denver Broncos (20) – Tough to figure out Denver. Either they are better than we thought or the state of Ohio is in need of professional football. Judging by the Bengals/Packers game, maybe just the city of Cleveland is in need of professional football. But to that point, Denver was luckier than ever to beat Cincy. I'm probably more confused with Denver than I am with any other team right now. In the next few weeks they have Dallas and New England on the schedule so like Arizona, we'll learn more about Denver in the next few weeks.

18. Miami Dolphins (15) – I don't know how the Dolphins didn't win Monday night. The dominated the time of possession and ran all over the Colts defense. They did allow Peyton Manning to slice them apart but the Dolphins got the ball back with just about three minutes left and had plenty of time for a touchdown. However, that's when things got ugly for Miami. They had probably the worst two minute drill I have ever seen. They had zero urgency and let the clock go all the way down to two minutes while also wasting a timeout in the process. They deserved to lose just for that but still had a shot to win before Ted Ginn Jr. dropped his second touchdown pass of the night. Listen, if you're going to be drafted ninth overall, you need to catch those touchdowns when the game is on the line.

19. Chicago Bears (22) – Nice bounce back game for Jay Cutler and the Bears. I'd still be more than slightly concerned about the lack of rushing production from Matt Forte. Of course, with Cutler throwing the ball 38 times to 13 carries for Forte, I guess his numbers would be a little low. Regardless of all that, it's a nice win against a good team at home and the Bears should be very happy right now.

20. Houston Texans (24) – Yikes. First I have Houston up, then drop them super low, then have to move them back up. I never would've expected them to beat Tennessee, let alone predicting that Matt Schaub would go off on the Tennessee defense. Houston still has a few things to fix in the upcoming weeks like the disappearing act of Steve Slaton and the apparent lack of run defense. However, with Jacksonville looking like a pretender this year, Houston might make some noise if Indianapolis struggles a bit.

21. Buffalo Bills (23) – Ok, I know it's only Week Two and I know they only beat the Bucs, but let me enjoy this moment. As a fan of the Bills, there aren't many things that bring joy during the football season, especially when the gut wrenching loss happens in Week One. So again, let me enjoy this moment because it will surely disappear when Drew Brees visits Orchard Park next week.

22. Carolina Panthers (17) – Let's look at the positives for the Carolina Panthers. Jake Delhomme only turned the ball over once AND the losing margin was in the single digits. Plus to be honest, they lost to a very good team on the road and made it interesting late into the fourth quarter.

23. Seattle Seahawks (18) – If Matt Hasselbeck is out for an extended period of time (again), the Seahawks are in a boat load of trouble. Seneca Wallace is not a good option at backup QB and Seattle has to be crazy to think otherwise. Seattle once owned the NFC West but I'm starting to think that it's now between San Francisco and Arizona.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (28) – Very nice win for the Bengals. I'm very surprised that they bounced back favorably after the Stokely game and beat a quality opponent on the road. Their defense is looking real good and Cedric Benson had himself a very fine Sunday.

25. Washington Redskins (25) – I was almost finished in my eliminator pool as Washington did their best to look below mediocre against the Rams. Unless something dramatic happens in Washington, the Redskins will no doubt finish at the bottom of the NFC East.

26. Oakland Raiders (27) – The Raiders got the win, but wow, did anybody see the stats? Kansas City outgained Oakland 409-166 in total yards. The Raiders ran for 67 total yards and JaMarcus Russell threw for 109. The best part? 69 of those total yards for Oakland came on their final game winning drive.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (21) – Jacksonville is on such a steep decline that I would be completely shocked if Jack Del Rio was still the coach. Obviously they can turn it around since it's only Week Two, but they need to turn it around in a big hurry with two division games coming up on the schedule.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (27) – I thought Tampa Bay looked pretty bad against Dallas but without seeing the whole game, I wasn't able to make that judgment for sure. After seeing them against Buffalo yesterday, they are that bad. Byron Leftwich really shouldn't be a starting QB in this league. He failed in Jacksonville and Atlanta so far before appearing to be decent in Pittsburgh, but did anybody think to consider that it might have been the team around him that helped him look good? Ugh. Tampa Bay should throw Josh Freeman into the starting role and let him take his lumps now because they are going nowhere with Leftwich.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (28) – Like said above, how do you outgain a team like the Chiefs did to the Raiders and still lose? I mean, they didn't even find the end zone until the fourth quarter. Not good Kansas City, not good at all.

30. St Louis Rams (29) – The Rams almost pulled off the upset in Washington yesterday. Holding Washington to three field goals is a step in the right direction for the defense. Unfortunately for St Louis, they face Green Bay, San Francisco, and Minnesota in the next three weeks.

31. Detroit Lions (32) – I'm moving up Detroit up from the bottom spot this week. They held their own against Minnesota. They were up 10-0 well into the second quarter and held Adrian Peterson to 92 yards rushing and one touchdown. Really, it wasn't a terrible performance overall for Detroit. I wouldn't be shocked if Detroit finally got into the win column next Sunday.

32. Cleveland Browns (31) – Wow…what am I supposed to say about Cleveland? They have one offensive touchdown for the entire season. That particular touchdown came with 28 seconds remaining in a game that was well out of hand. Brady Quinn has thrown for 366 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions so far this season. Jamal Lewis has 95 yards rushing and zero touchdowns. They are terrible. Eric Mangini is looking worse than Art Shell right now. It's shocking. Who could've seen this coming?

It usually takes me a few weeks to get into the flow of picking games so you can only imagine how pleased I was with a solid 13-3 record in Week One. Either the NFL is becoming more predictable or I might actually know what I'm talking about. Then again, I could've just gotten lucky so I probably shouldn't get so cocky after one decent week.

Before I get to my picks for Week Two, there is something I want to cover very quickly: uniform changes. Why do teams change their uniforms? Mostly to make more money on merchandise. However, I think there is another reason for changing uniforms. Sometimes a franchise is so snake bitten and changing the uniform is kind of like a fresh start. Don't believe me? Let's take a look.

New England Patriots: When I was growing up on football, the Patriots were terrible. In fact, they only made the postseason three times from 1980-1992. They did make the Super Bowl back in 1985, but the game wasn't even close as the 1985 Chicago Bears destroyed the Patriots 46-10. What happened in 1993? They changed the logo and uniform and then proceeded to make the playoffs in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Oh yeah, they also won the Super Bowl three times this decade.

Denver Broncos: While the Broncos weren't nearly as embarrassing as the Patriots, they didn't have a ton of success with their old "Orange Crush" uniform/logo design. Yes, they did have several historic moments in these uniforms, but they also lost three Super Bowls, including defeats of 55-10 and 42-10. The Broncos then radically changed their overall look in 1997 and subsequently won back to back Super Bowls. Coincidence? Maybe. They haven't won a championship since that time, but it's still a pretty interesting scenario.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Now the Buccaneers, they are a different story altogether. They were by far the worst franchise in the NFL for the longest time. The Buccaneers represented with Bucco Bruce from their inception into the league until 1996. In those 20 years, four playoff appearances. In 1997, the Buccaneers decided they needed a change and switched over to the uniform they currently wear. The result? Playoffs in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2007. They also won their division in 1999, 2002, 2005, and 2007. Division championships in the first 20 years with Bucco Bruce? Two. And to top it off, Tampa Bay won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002.

These three teams are obviously extreme examples because there are currently 32 teams in the NFL and many go through uniform changes. These three stand out to me because they are probably the most extreme case of changing a logo/uniform and all had success immediately afterwards.

Why do I bring this up? Back in 2002 the Buffalo Bills switched their uniform over to their current design, one that very few fans actually appreciate. Since that uniform change the Bills have had exactly one winning season (2004) which still resulted in them missing the playoffs. Something has to change at One Bills Drive and since it's not going to the owner, general manager, or head coach anytime soon, I think a uniform change is the next logical step. Granted what I'm going to say isn't a wholesale change because they used to wear the uniform, but the Bills need to make their current throwback uniforms the permanent uniforms. I've heard nothing but good things from the fans in terms of their blue throwbacks and the new white ones that debuted for the 50^th anniversary season of the Bills and AFL have gotten rave reviews. Dear Buffalo, please please please get this done.

Ok, I'm done with my own personal little rant. Let's get to the picks.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

Just for the record, this is what I said in my power rankings heading into Week One:

The one thing that scares the living crap out of me when it comes to the Panthers is Jake Delhomme. When you think of the playoffs last year and Delhomme's performance, two words come to mind: epic meltdown. Don't remember? Let me refresh your memory. After finishing the regular season 12-4 and hosting Arizona at home for the playoffs (keep in mind that Arizona hadn't won on the East Coast for the entire season), Delhomme proceeded to go 17 for 34, 1 touchdown, and 5 interceptions in a 33-13 loss. I just wonder how he'll mentally bounce back from such a horrible performance in a big game.

I suppose to answer my own question, you don't. The Panthers had faith in Delhomme despite his meltdown and gave him $20 million in guaranteed money to continue as the Panthers QB. Right now that is looking like a huuuuuge mistake. As a Bills fan, I pray Delhomme is still the starter when the Bills come to town.

The Falcons looked sharp in Week One and I'm thinking it will be a two team fight between them and the Saints for the division title this year. They handled the Dolphins pretty nicely and didn't even get a solid rushing performance out of Michael Turner. Assuming it was a one week glitch and Turner picks his game up, the Falcons are going to be a tough team to beat.

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

The Vikings get another cupcake game to start the Brett Favre era as they travel to Detroit to play Matthew Stafford and the Lions. This game could go a few different ways. Brett Favre could throw the ball up and down the field like Drew Brees did (not likely), or Adrian Peterson could go off on the Detroit defense like he tends to do. In the two games against Detroit last season, Peterson ran for over 100 yards each time. One way it isn't going, in the win column for the Lions. Seriously, what should the Detroit defense do? They could stack up against the run but then you run the risk of Favre exploiting the defense (again, not likely). Obviously that might not be the case since Brett Favre is far from being Drew Brees, but with Percy Harvin running around in the backfield things could get a little iffy for Detroit. Yes, in several leagues I've bumped Percy Harvin into the starting lineup. He can catch and run and the Vikings will surely use him more as the season progresses (I hope).

Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers

I know I covered this in the rankings, but I really feel bad for the Bengals fans. As a Bills fan/someone very familiar with gut wrenching defeats, I felt for the fans as Brandon Stokely ran down the field for the game winning score. I've personally witnessed two opening day defeats in the last seconds from the stands of Ralph Wilson Stadium. There is almost no feeling quite as bad. You've spent all summer planning for the day, all morning tailgating, all afternoon screaming your head off and celebrating, only to see the other team snatch the victory away and celebrate on your team's field. It's a terrible feeling. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, you should be glad.

It doesn't get any easier for the Bengals. Now they travel to Green Bay and face a much better team than the Kyle Orton led Broncos. Orton didn't do a whole lot to impress me, but Aaron Rodgers did. He didn't have the gaudy numbers, but all things considered, really showed his worth in the win Sunday night. I fully expect him to bounce back fantasy wise and put up some very good numbers against the Bengals. If he doesn't, I might be screwed.

Ummm...Ok....Let's just move on.

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

You know, I don't know what to say about the Texans. It seems like every single year everybody (including myself) thinks this is the year Houston takes the leap and finishes with an above .500 record. This is the year they challenge for a playoff spot. Then they open at home against a somewhat depleted Jets team with a new head coach and a rookie QB, and they just suck it up to the max. On top of that, Tennessee has had extra time to rest up and prepare for their home opener. I don't even see this game being close. I'd be shocked if the Titans didn't win by at least seven points.

Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs

This might be the hardest game to pick. The Chiefs shocked me by hanging with the Ravens for the majority of the game despite missing their new franchise QB Matt Cassel. The Raiders shocked me by hanging with the Chargers at all and seeing that they were within a few minutes of actually winning, I'm very impressed with Oakland right now. So how do I pick this game? I have no idea.

Kansas City is at home and will have home field advantage. But they also might be starting Brodie Croyle again at QB and he currently owns a 0-9 record as a starter.

I'm going with the Chiefs but only because they are the home team. I'm literally 50/50 on this pick.

New England Patriots @ NY Jets

I gotta go with the Patriots but I'm almost expecting an upset by the Jets. Maybe it's because I just watched the Patriots struggle against the Bills or maybe it's because the Jets defense looked stronger than advertised down in Houston. If the Bills defense was able to pressure Tom Brady as much as they did, Rex Ryan and his crew must be licking their chops.

Then again, the Patriots were actually the team that lost to Buffalo 31-0 in a season opener and then won the Super Bowl that year. They still won the game and that's all that really counts, so maybe I shouldn't be looking too much into their Monday night performance. Last time I checked, Bill Belicheck is a pretty good defensive coach and Mark Sanchez is still a rookie QB. Sanchez looked absolutely flustered when he faced Baltimore in the preseason and I'm sure that tape is being played quite a bit this week.

New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles

My initial gut reaction in this game was to pick Philadelphia on the basis of them being at home and having their rabid fans at their side. While the game is still at home and their fans will still be as rabid as ever, they are facing the possibility of not suiting up Donovan McNabb. Until he proves me otherwise, I have no faith in Kevin Kolb as a starting QB in this league. The Eagles could very well play Jeff Garcia, but I don't know how likely that is seeing he was signed less than a week before the game. One thing is for sure; don't expect another six touchdowns from Drew Brees this Sunday.

St. Louis Rams @ Washington Redskins

Even the Redskins can't screw this up. Washington looked pretty terrible last week against the Giants in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the score would indicate. However, the Rams looked even worse against Seattle. St Louis was the only team to get shutout in the opening weekend and therefore remains the only team to have no scored this season. The problem with Washington wasn't their defense, but it was the offense and specifically the play of Jason Campbell. This week he returns home and faces a fairly week opponent.

Last week, the Rams defense allowed the Seahawks to run for 167 yards on 34 combined carries for an average of 4.9 yards per carry. This week they face an even tougher test as they try and stop Clinton Portis. I honestly don't see it happening. Sure there have been upsets before, but Washington would really have to try to lose this game.

Arizona Cardinals @ Jacksonville Jaguars

For me, this game comes down to one factor. Last year before winning at Carolina in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Cardinals were winless when playing on the East Coast. While the win in Carolina did debunk the myth that they couldn't win at all on the East Cost, I still don't like their odds.

That one factor would help me decide this game even if the Cardinals were in Super Bowl form. Luckily for Jacksonville, they are far from it. The hungover Cardinals struggled in their home opener and eventually lost to San Francisco as Old Man Warner looked like the complete opposite of the player I drafted on my keeper league team. So in a battle that will involve the Cardinals, Jaguars, and the black tarp that covers half the stadium, Jacksonville should move to 1-1 this Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills

Last week Tampa Bay fell in their home/season opener to Dallas, 34-21. Despite the score being somewhat close, it really wasn't. Tampa Bay scored a touchdown with 1:28 remaining in the game to make it look respectable. Their defense as an overall unit allowed Dallas to rack up 462 total yards, including over 300 in the air as Tony Romo shredded the Tampa Bay secondary all day long. The one bright spot for the Buccaneers has to be their offense. Byron Leftwich finished the day 25 for 41, 276 yards, and one touchdown. Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward combined for 159 yards rushing and one touchdown each on 25 combined carries.

Buffalo began their Monday night opener with extremely low expectations. Nobody gave them a fighting chance to stay within 20 points of New England. They led for most of the game until they unleashed their late game collapse on the Monday night

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (1) – Defending Super Bowl Champions + Undefeated Record = Top spot in the power rankings. The formula is actually fairly simple. But make no mistake about it; the Steelers didn't impress me at all on Thursday night. Their running game was horrible and depending on how much time Troy Polamalu misses (3-6 weeks), their defense will be much weaker without him. I think Santonio Holmes set the record for the amount of fantasy leagues that he screwed me over in. I swear I went up against the guy in every single league.

2. New York Giants (6) – The Giants looked just as I thought they would, only better. Concerns heading into the game were how Eli Manning was going to adapt without Plaxico Burress and he seemed just fine. Mario Manningham had a nice game with three receptions, 58 yards, and one touchdown. Steve Smith also contributed with six receptions for 80 yards. The Redskins weren't able to do anything worthwhile against the Giants defense which looked much better with Osi Umenyiora back in the fold. Like I'll explain later, I originally had Philadelphia in the two spot and still think they will take the NFC East, but as long as Kolb is the starter (which me might not even be), the Giants are the better team.

3. New England Patriots (2) – I have to be honest. The Patriots won and Tom Brady got it done when it counted. But would that have been possible if it weren't for a patented Buffalo collapse late in the game? Brady looked pretty shaky during most of the game. Before those final two drives, he was pressured and made some uncharacteristic mistakes which just goes to show that even Tom Brady struggles at times after taking a full season off. The Patriots running game was non-existent and if that doesn't improve in a hurry, teams will blitz the hell out of Brady and put him flat on his back. The Patriots might be 1-0 but they aren't quite as good as people thought (including me).

4. Indianapolis Colts (4) – The Colts looked shaky at times but got the job done when they had to. Reggie Wayne had a huge game and if it weren't for a few mistakes by the offense, this game wouldn't have been nearly as close as it was. The Jaguars didn't even see the end zone until late in the fourth quarter which says a lot for a Colts defense that was without Bob Sanders.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (5) – Impressive showing by Philly on the road, even if they were aided by Jake Delhomme and his abundance of turnovers. In fact, it was so impressive that I originally had them bumped up to number two. That changed when I learned the news that Donovan McNabb will most likely not play this Sunday against New Orleans. I don't have much faith in Kevin Kolb and neither should the Eagles or their fans. In fact, just a few hours after writing the previous sentence the Eagles signed their former backup QB, Jeff Garcia. With Vick and Kolb already on the roster, that tells you all you need to know about Philadelphia's confidence if McNabb were to miss an extensive amount of time. I was hoping to see McNabb suit up this week because of his matchup against Brees, but it is only Week Two and if taking a week off will let his ribs fully heal, might as well do it now instead of have it linger on for the rest of the season.

6. Tennessee Titans (3) – I firmly believe that the Titans lost on Thursday night, the Steelers didn't win. For one of the best kickers in the league, Rob Bironas really sucked it up in the opener. His first miss could be attributed to a shaky snap/hold and the block may or may not be his fault, but regardless, it was the difference in the game and the special teams unit needs to be better. On another note, this reputation that the Titans have a great defense…ummm….what? Their pass defense was disgustingly bad. I could've sworn I was watching the Bills defense at times. How were the Steelers receivers getting so wide open? HOW WAS THIS HAPPENING?? I'm baffled by it all.

7. San Diego Chargers (7) – I'm leaving the Chargers at the seven spot despite struggling at Oakland in the opener. They didn't look like the Super Bowl contender everybody had them pegged to be and much like the Patriots, they will need to improve things in a hurry if they plan on playing in late January. Luckily for them, there are still 15 games to fix those problems.

8. New Orleans Saints (8) – With millions of fantasy owners depending on him, Drew Brees didn't disappoint as he shredded the Lions defense for 358 yards and six touchdowns. Among those touchdowns were two to Jeremy Shockey, who went the entire 2008 without a touchdown. I realize it was against the Lions, but if the Saints offense performs like that every week, look out NFC. A much better test awaits this Sunday as the Saints travel to Philadelphia to take on Donovan McNabb and his busted ribs.

9. Baltimore Ravens (10) – The Ravens had their moments in the opener as they actually trailed Kansas City 14-10 in the second quarter and were tied 24-24 late in the fourth. Joe Flacco aired it out as he threw for 307 yards and three touchdowns, something we never really saw from him last season. Ray Rice also contributed 108 yards on the ground while the best running back in the league chipped in 44 yards rushing, 31 yard receiving, and two total touchdowns. Assuming the Ravens defense tightens up going forward, the Ravens will be much more dangerous this season with an aerial attack. I'm still not sure it will be enough to take down Pittsburgh, but I sure hope so.

10. Atlanta Falcons (11) – The Falcons were efficient in disposing of the Miami Dolphins. In fact, they were roughly five minutes away from pitching a shutout. Tony Gonzalez led the way for Atlanta hauling in five catches for 73 yards and one touchdown. Michael Turner didn't exactly perform like a top fantasy back but I'll have to assume it was a one week glitch and he'll be back at it next week.

11. Green Bay Packers (12) – I tweeted about this during the game but it's worth mentioning again, Green Bay's defense is the real deal. They made Jay Cutler look like an inexperienced rookie Sunday night by intercepting him four times in route to a 21-15 win against the hated Chicago Bears. Aaron Rodgers didn't have the best game, but he made fewer mistakes which is sometimes all that matters. They were my pick for the NFC North before yesterday and they still are. I can't wait to see this defense unleashed on Brett Favre.

12. Dallas Cowboys (14) – I finally found something more annoying than the media coverage of the Cowboys with Terrell Owens. It's the media coverage of the Cowboys without Terrell Owens. For Pete's sake people, they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were supposed to beat the Bucs. So Tony Romo had a good game. Congratulations Tony. Now do it next week against the Giants.

13. Arizona Cardinals (9) – Can you say Super Bowl Hangover? I'm ready to Photoshop my own "The Hangover" movie poster with Kurt Warner's face front and center. He needs to get it together quickly for the Cardinals sake and for all those people who drafted him in their fantasy leagues. Not...that…I'm one of those people or anything. Please excuse me while I search from some really strong rope.

14. Minnesota Vikings (16) – Not impressed with the Vikings. Not one bit. Throughout the game I couldn't help but think that Brett Favre did nothing that Tarvaris Jackson couldn't do. In fact, Jackson might have done better. My biggest beef with Jackson so far in his career is his horrible play and inopportune turnovers, but it's not like Favre isn't prone to the same things. I suppose if I need to pick a positive from the game its Adrian Peterson. Even when the entire defense and everybody in the stadium knows he is getting the ball, he still goes off for 180 and three touchdowns. Unreal.

15. Miami Dolphins (13) – I'm still not sure what to make of the Dolphins. I picked Atlanta so I'm not shocked they lost. Would I be shocked if they rebound from this game and still finish above .500? Nope. Would I be shocked if they tanked this year and only won six games? Nope. This team in aqua and coral really have me confused this year.

16. NY Jets (27) – Before people go anointing Mark Sanchez as an "all-time great" (Yes, someone actually said that), I'd like you all to examine these two stat lines.

Both are pretty good and both were by first time starters. One of those stat lines belongs to Mark Sanchez. The other belongs to J.P. Losman. I'm not saying Sanchez is Losman, but can we please relax with "Sanchez Mania"? It's going to take more than one game before he is enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Don't get me wrong, he looked good and so do the Jets (surprisingly), but it is only Week One.

17. Carolina Panthers (15) – If this charade goes on for one more week, I'm forever referring to Jake Delhomme as Captain Turnover. Wow. If I paid actual money to see that display of football in Carolina as a Carolina fan, I'd demand a refund. But hey, good thing the Panthers gave Delhomme his big extension during the offseason.

18. Seattle Seahawks (23) – Yes I know it was against the Rams and yes I know the Rams aren't very good. Nevertheless, the Seahawks appear to be back and ready to contend in the NFC West after a year off. Their running game was strong and as long as Matt Hasselbeck is healthy, the Seahawks have a legit shot at taking that division over again.

19. San Francisco 49ers (25) – Not so fast Seattle, but San Francisco might have something to say about taking over the NFC West. The 49ers went into Arizona and made the hungover Cardinals look like…well…the Cardinals. Any success the 49ers have this season will depend on Shaun Hill and whether or not he can provide competent QB play. It was nothing spectacular but 18 for 31, 209 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions was good enough to win a division game on the road. If the mistakes are kept to a minimum, 49ers will definitely be a player in the West. That grinding noise you hear is Michael Crabtree and his teeth after he just realized that San Francisco doesn't need him to win. On the list of all time bad decisions, if Crabtree sits out the entire season and re-enters the draft, his decision might be number one.

20. Denver Broncos (22) – Luckiest…team…ever…or at least in Week One. I'd be in first place in my picks league if Cincinnati could've hung on but I should've known the Bengals would screw something up. There is just something that really grinds at me when I see replays of Kyle Orton running down the field and celebrating. Exciting moment? Yes. Because of Orton? No. On the bright side, I think I heard one of the greatest Gus Johnson calls ever. If only every announcer could be like Gus Johnson, the sporting world would be a greater place.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars (18) – The Jags hung with the Colts up until the last two minutes of the game, but their offense is going to have to dramatically improve for them to do anything worthwhile. On a side note, there was mention on NBC's telecast that the Jaguars face the real possibility of having all eight home games blacked out. I realize the economy sucks but this is just a clever excuse in the case of Jacksonville. The Jags have been covering this attendance problem up for some time, mostly with black tarps in the upper deck, so excuse me if I don't feel sorry for them. Fans literally don't care about professional football in Jacksonville. You could even refer to them as the Tampa Bay Rays of the NFL. Everyone bags on Buffalo about moving to Toronto but maybe the teams that can't fill their own stadium should be the first on the chopping block.

22. Chicago Bears (19) – The Bears didn't look good Sunday night. Correction: Jay Cutler didn't look good Sunday night. In fact, he looked absolutely terrible. It's called a tight end Jay. USE HIM. The defense looked solid as usual but as we've seen in the past, the Bears can't sit back and depend on them to win every game. Cutler is going to have to dramatically improve and do it in a hurry. On the bright side for Chicago, they still have Brian Urlacher for the season.
They face the Steelers this Sunday.
Lovie Smith is still their head coach. Matt Forte is still really good.

23. Buffalo Bills (24) – Moving Buffalo up after a loss? Yes sir. New England owns the Buffalo Bills and more times than not they completely blow them out and make them look worse than a High School team. This Monday night was different. The Bills were actually winning with 2:06 left in the game before completely falling apart at the seams. I can't say I'm surprised. The Dick Jauron era has been marred with late game collapses, most of them happening on Monday Night Football. Regardless, in a game where nobody (including me) gave Buffalo a fighting chance to even give the Pats a game, the Bills might have proved they can surprise a few teams this year. I still don't see them getting anywhere close to the playoffs but maybe they might exceed my five win prediction.

24. Houston Texans (17) – I'm borrowing a line from Scott, but I think I severely overestimated the Texans. For those that play fantasy football, you might've noticed that you lost if you had a Texans heavy lineup this week. Players like Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton were invisible on opening day. Matt Schaub is starting to really look like he just can't cut it in the NFL as a starting QB. With four games still remaining against the Colts and Titans, the Texans need to be winning home games against teams like the Jets.

25. Washington Redskins (20) – Speaking of bad QB play, I have the Redskins and their man Jason Campbell at 24. Campbell look rattled for most of the day against the Giants. When your only first half touchdown is a fake field goal, there is a problem. Unless Campbell wants to star in the UFL next season, he may want to get his game together sooner rather than later.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21) – The Buccaneers looked about as good as expected. I have no idea if they will beat Buffalo in a very rare trip to Western New York, but I'm sure it's going to be a difficult game to watch. By the way, I have Tampa Bay one spot lower than Buffalo because I do actually expect the Bills to win. Either I'm overly optimistic or the Bucs are screwed this season.

27. Oakland Raiders (30) – The Raiders looked impressive on Monday night. Instead of rolling over like they usually do against San Diego, they were actually in the lead late in the game. For a team that appeared to be in disarray coming out of the pre-season, this is something they can really build on. I wouldn't be shocked to see them pull off a few upsets this season.

28. Cincinnati Bengals (26) – Ohhhhhh Cincinnati….it might be ok. Seriously, relax. Turn off the oven and take your heads out. It could be worse, Dick Jauron could be your coach.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (28) – I don't know about any readers, but I was more than mildly surprised that Kansas City hung with Baltimore as much as they did. Consider the fact that Brodie Croyle was the starting QB and I'm even more surprised. Their running game needs to get moving but I have a feeling that has more to do with facing Baltimore than the fact that the running game just sucks as a whole. Who knows, maybe Kansas City will make a little more noise in the AFC West than I thought.

30. St Louis Rams (29) – And the lone shutout of the week goes to The 2009 St Louis Rams!!! Things may change for the Rams over the course of time, but it's going to be a long tough fight. Steve Spagnulo has his hands full with this one.

31. Cleveland Browns (31) – Imagine my dismay after watching the Notre Dame/Michigan and Ohio State/USC games Saturday night and then seeing the Minnesota/Cleveland game on Sunday. You would think the professionals would look better, but noooooo, that's not the case when the all mighty Brady Quinn is under center. I watched four quarterbacks on Saturday play far better than the over hyped mess that was Quinn/Favre. The Browns defense was improved though. I mean, despite allowing Adrian Peterson to run for 180 yards and three touchdowns.

32. Detroit Lions (32) – I would like to personally thank the Lions for allowing me to advance to Week two in my eliminator pool. I was actually so worried about that pick that I almost changed it ½ hour before game time. I stuck with it because I had faith in the Lions and they didn't disappoint me. The only people disappointed from this game were the ones that went against Drew Brees in fantasy leagues across the globe.