NFL Week 2 picks and predictions

The biggest takeaway from Week 1? Any given Sunday.
O Thursday. Or Monday night. Or Tuesday morning, if you happen to live on the East Coast.
Seven of 12 playoff teams from 2009 were losers on opening weekend, while two of the league’s five worst teams from a year ago — the Chiefs and Redskins — beat defending division champions. The Seahawks, a squad everyone said would struggle immensely in Year 1 of nfl throwback jerseys
the Pete Carroll era, flat-out embarrassed a 49ers team that the media already crowned as the 2010 NFC West champions back in July. Eleven of the 16 games played in Week 1 were decided by seven points or less, an NFL opening weekend record. What can we expect in Week 2?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Let’s dig right into the picks.
Last Week’s Record: 8-8
Overall Record: 8-8
1 p.m. EST games
Kansas City at Cleveland: How about those Chiefs rookies? In Week 1’s dramatic, rain-soaked 21-14 victory over San Diego, bite-size former SEC stars Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas each had big punt returns, fifth overall selection Eric Berry laid the wood at safety, and tight end Tony Moeaki caught a touchdown pass. As for the Browns? Well, they squandered a late fourth-quarter lead and lost to an absolutely mediocre Bucs team. I guess some things never change. Romeo Crennel returns to the Dawg Pound on Sunday and leaves as a victor. Eric Mangini's seat suddenly gets a little warmer.
The Pick: Chiefs 27, Browns 16
Tampa Bay at Carolina: Though the Bucs’ roster features just three players over the age of 30, the Panthers are actually the league’s youngest team. The Buccaneers' roster averages 26 years. Carolina's average age is 25 years, 233 days, according to STATS LLC. And that’s with ancient kicker John Kasay’s 41 years of age factored in. I can hear Dick Stockton’s voice now, “It’s Team Blue’s Clues vs. Team Backyardigans, coming up next on FOX!” Give me the home team in this one, led on defense by the player who may end up being the steal of the 2010 NFL Draft, sixth-round pick Greg Hardy. In his first career game last Sunday against the Giants, the former Ole Miss star had four tackles, blocked a punt and recovered a fumble. Expect plenty more of that this season if — and with his history, it’s a big if — he stays healthy.
The Pick: Panthers 17, Buccaneers 13
Chicago at Dallas: Seemingly every talking head on TV, radio and Twitter took their shots at Alex Barron on Sunday night following the Cowboys’ 13-7 loss in Washington. Sure, Barron committed three holding penalties in the final 31 minutes, and yes, he's the most penalized player since 2005. But if Barron doesn’t commit that last penalty, Romo gets sacked, possibly injured and there’s no game-winning pass attempt at all. Without that hold, Jon Kitna’s quite possibly your Week 2 Cowboys quarterback!
It pains me to hear that Barron felt the need to apologize to Roy Williams on the team plane after the game. Where was $3 million man Jason Garrett apologizing to Cowboys Nation for an offensive game plan that netted just 7 points? Where was kicker David Buehler apologizing to the state of Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
Texas for missing a chippy 34-yarder? Where was Tony Romo apologizing for dumping a 2-yard pass off to Tashard Choice with four seconds left on the clock in the second quarter when taking a knee would have been sufficient? And while we're at it, where was Jerry Jones apologizing to Cowboys Nation for drafting Dez Bryant, a receiver on a team already loaded with receivers, over Rams opening day starting offensive tackle Rodger Saffold in April’s draft?
Alex Barron didn’t play well Sunday night, but he didn’t deserve the slaying he received from the media hounds and Cowboys fans after the game. I think Dallas regroups and finds a way at home on Sunday, and Garrett has Romo take a knee the next time there’s four seconds on the clock and more than 50 yards to go before the half.
The Pick: Cowboys 27, Bears 17
Philadelphia at Detroit: Though they tend to get a bad rap (Booing Santa? What’s so wrong with that? C'mon, he had a bad year!), you’ve gotta love Eagles fans. We’re less than seven days into The Kevin Kolb era in Philly, and they already want it to be over. Can you blame them? In relief of an injured Kolb on Sunday, Michael Vick rushed 11 times for 103 yards, completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and finished with a 101.9 passer rating in just two and half quarters of action. Let the controversy begin. As for Lions fans? Well, it's hard not to feel at least a little bad for them. Detroit’s now 3-30 in their last 33 games and haven’t won a road game since the G Dubbya Bush regime was in office. Losing on a peculiar (even if it was right) call like the one that decided Sunday’s game has to be devastating. And anytime you see the name of your franchise quarterback and the name Dr. James Andrews scrolling next to each other on a sports ticker, you know you’re in for another looooooong season.
The Pick: Eagles 27, Lions 16
Arizona at Atlanta: How about everyone’s sexy Super Bowl pick of the summer, the 2010 Atlanta Falcons? In Week 1’s 15-9 overtime loss in Pittsburgh, Matt Ryan — after a summer of watching thousands of hours of game film — struggled to throw the ball more than 10 yards. Michael Turner, finally healthy and several pounds lighter than the bloated version we saw last season, averaged just 2.2 yards per carry. And Tony Gonzalez — he of 1,001 career catches and zero career playoff wins — only caught two balls. Look for the Minnesota Vikings jersey
Falcons offense to get cured this weekend with a much-needed win over Arizona on Sunday. If they don’t, it could mean panic mode down in Flowery Branch.