NFL Week 3 picks and predictions

Since realignment in 2002, 55 of the 96 playoff teams (57.3 percent) began the year at either 1-1 or 0-2. Four of the past nine Super Bowl champions began their seasons with a 1-1 or 0-2 record. The ’93 Cowboys dropped their first two games, only to rebound and win a Super Bowl five months later (signing Emmett Smith sort helped, too). The ’06 Giants gave up 80 points in their first two games of the season and started the year in a 0-2 hole. They pulled themselves together in time for a playoff run, beat three division winners in the football jersey
postseason and took down an undefeated Patriots squad in the Super Bowl.
The bottom line is the season is still very young and there’s still plenty of reason for hope.
Except, of course, if you’re a fan of the Bills. In that case, well, you might as well start scouting Andrew Luck and Ryan Mallet on Saturdays from here on out. One will most likely be your quarterback come April.
As for the games at hand? Let’s dig into the Week 3 Cheat Sheet and get to the picks.
Tennessee at New York Giants: Stat of the weekend? Disgruntled Giants running back Brandon Jacobs had just 7 more rushing yards than he did helmets tossed into the crowd on Sunday night. And he allegedly wants to be traded? Though I haven’t polled all NFL general managers, I severely doubt there are many lining up for the chance to acquire an overpaid, malcontent running back that runs like an offensive guard and can’t go anywhere other than straight ahead. The Colts — the NFL’s 32nd-ranked rush offense in 2009 — ran all over the Giants last weekend in Indy. It’s scary to think what Chris Johnson and the Titans might do on Sunday.
Cincinnati at Carolina: Well, so much for the Matt Moore era in Carolina, huh? That sure lasted long. All we heard after Jimmy Clausen was drafted in the second round last April was Moore was still “the guy” and Clausen was merely the best player left on the board. Sure enough, it’s not even October and Clausen has been given the gig. He’s in for a long day on Sunday. After being embarrassed opening week in New England, the Cinchy D intercepted Joe Flacon four times en route to a 15-10 victory. Defensive team captain and world-class globetrotter Dhabi Jones may have very well been the best defensive player on a field not named Clay Matthews last Sunday. Look for Mike Zimmer’s defense to swallow the rookie whole in his first NFL start this weekend.
Atlanta at New Orleans: Before Week 1’s Texans-Colts bout, I said it was Houston’s biggest game of the season. I feel exactly the same about the Falcons' Week 3 trip to New Orleans. Dreadful against the Steelers in Week 1, the Atlanta offense found its wings and flew all over the Georgia Dome in a 41-7 blowout of Arizona in Week 2. The defense has been solid, but is about to face a Saints offense ready to explode. Losing Reggie Bush hurts, but Sean Payton and Drew Braes find a way. They always do. Give me the defending champs in a shootout on Minnesota Vikings jersey
Sunday.
Buffalo at New England: Back in August, I wrote, “Edwards, Fitzpatrick and Broom sounds more like a law firm that advertises on city benches and subway cars than an NFL quarterback depth chart. The fact that not one of Buffalo’s three quarterbacks has done a thing in their pro careers scares me. The fact that not one has done a thing to distinguish himself from the other two in training camp is downright horrifying.” Well, one down, two to go — as Chan Gaily announced Monday that Trent Edwards is out as the starter and Ryan Fitzpatrick is in. He said the Bills are looking for a “spark.” I’d hardly call Fitzpatrick the “fire starter.” If ever there was a time to ride the Patriots in your survivor pools, now is the week. And then whomever the Bills are playing next week. And the week after that. And so on. And so on.
Detroit at Minnesota: Maybe Brett Fare wanted it this way all along. What a story it would be — after going 9-0 in games played in the Metronome in ’09, Fare starts the season 0-2 in 2010, with a grueling 14-game slate up ahead. He wakes up one September morning, puts on his Wrangler jeans and saves his coach’s job and a city’s faith with a masterful four-month Super Bowl run. Or he just fades quietly into the sunset with a ho-hum final season, similar to the ones Troy Airman, Steve Young and Rich Gannon have all had before him. At this point, it looks like the latter is far more likely than the former. Either way,

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: A few days before the start of the regular season, I told Warren Sapp I had Tampa Bay as one of three NFL teams I could see finishing with the worst record of the 2010 season. His response? Verbatim: “Really? Wow. (Disgusted glance at me.) Hey, say what you want, but as long as they have that defense, they’ll always have a chance to win at least eight games.” I listened to Sapp, nodded my head politely, then proceeded to write the young Bucks off as not one, not two, but still three years away from being competitive. Sure enough, three weeks into the regular season, Tampa Bay is 2-0 and looking as feisty as ever on defense. The lesson? You should probably listen to a future Hall of Farmer when he gives you his opinion on a franchise he happens to know quite well. The offense will struggle at times vs. the Steelers D on Sunday, but it will limit the turnovers and keep it close. I smell an upset special here. Josh Freeman finds a way. Break up the Bucks!
Cleveland at Baltimore: What’s up with Joe Flacon and Ray Rice? Everybody’s preseason fantasy football darlings have struggled in two games against elite defenses; leading the Ravens offense to just 20 combined points in two outings. Look for the dynamic duo from Baltimore’s ’08 draft class to break out of their respective funks on Sunday in the Ravens’ home opener. Expect a lot of Josh Cribs out of the wildcat, too. Don’t expect Ray Lewis and Co. to be fooled one bit by it. Angina starts the season 0-3? Ah, and the hot seat gets even warmer. Does that new HBO show Boardwalk Empire need a cameo? The Man genius might be available soon.
San Francisco at Kansas City: How about the job Romeo Crenel has done in K.C. this year? Through two weeks, the Chiefs defense — ranked 30th in the league in 2009 — have given up an average of just 14 points and have already scored one game-winning touchdown. Oh Romeo, my Romeo! San Indianapolis Colts jersey
Francisco is coming off a short week, traveling to Kansas City just six days after getting its heart broken in a Monday night thriller with the Saints. All the team meetings, terse radio interviews and evil glares from Mike Singletary have netted zero wins for the Inners so far. Game Todd Haley — a guy who was criticized for his coaching styles last year — and the upstart Chiefs in this one. A former Mr. Irrelevant, kicker Ryan Succor, hits a game-winner in the closing seconds.