Prognostication Bukakke, NFL Week 2

Prognostication Bukakke Standings:

After one week, I am back where I belong. Standing atop Iggins! in the prognostication bukakke standings. Sure, it's just one game, but it is the sign of things to come. The standings:

NCAA

Code Red: 5-5

Iggins!: 5-5

Mrs. Code Red: 4-6

NFL

Code Red: 9-7

Iggins!: 8-8

Mrs. Code Red: 8-8

Overall

Code Red: 14-12

Iggins!: 13-13

Mrs. Code Red: 12-14

The Picks:

Bears @ Packers

Code Red: There's no reason to believe the Bears can't win this game. Their defense is clearly better at this point. Their offense is no longer outgunned, and they in fact have a considerable advantage if you factor in the superiority of their run game. Rodgers and desperation are not to be underestimated, but this game should belong to Cutler & Company. Bears 38-24.

Iggins!: The Bears certainly demonstrated that they are the superior team here. They have a similarly-powered passing attack, a far superior run game, and a better defense. Bears 45-28

Mrs. Code Red: Bears 27-24.

Buccaneers @ Giants

Iggins!: The Bucs won last week by being fundamentally sound. It was one of the most boring and structured things I have ever seen on a Sunday. The good part, for me, is that I have Doug Martin, and they run their entire offense through him. The bad part, for them, is that the Giants have a great defense and are pissed off. Giants win.

Code Red: Indeed. I feel the Bucs win last week bodes more ill for Carolina than it does good for Tampa. Giants win.

Mrs. Code Red: Giants.

Browns @ Bengals

Code Red: Brandon Weeden had the worst debut for a rookie quarterback since 1960. That's serious suck, since most rookies fail epically at the start. The Bengals played better than the final score against the Ravens, since that game turned late on Dalton's pick six. Bengals win.

Iggins!: Eh, the Bengals fell apart worse than that, even worse than the Chiefs, but it won’t matter against the worst team in the league. Bengals win.

Mrs. Code Red: Bengals.

Raiders @ Dolphins

Iggins!: Ugh. This is going to be a game filled with suck. The Raiders seemed to move the ball well last week, and their defense looked solid, but miscue after miscue doomed them. I can’t imagine Tannehill winning this game. Raiders win.

Code Red: The Raiders will not make the playoffs, but if Palmer and McFadden stay healthy there will be 2-3 games where they wake the fuck up and upset people big time. This game won’t be an upset, though. Raiders win.

Mrs. Code Red: Raiders.

Chiefs @ Bills

Code Red: Both of these teams got the shit kicked out of them, but at least Kansas City was competitive for one half. I've now lost all faith in the Bills. Or would have, if I'd ever had any? Chiefs win.

Iggins!: The Chiefs looked competent for a while against Atlanta. Their defense should tighten up and perform better than they did last week. And the Bills are terrible. Chiefs win.

Mrs. Code Red: Bills.

Ravens @ Eagles

Code Red: The Ravens looked incredibly impressive. The Eagles looked like shit against the Browns. I'll take the Ravens, but I expect Cam Cameron to throw too damn often against a stout Eagles secondary and ignore Ray Rice until Michael Vick gives the Ravens enough opportunities to win that Cameron finally takes one. Ravens win.

Iggins!: Based on simple observation I have to go with the Ravens here. Ravens win.

Mrs. Code Red: Ravens.

Vikings @ Colts

Iggins!: Both of these teams looked fairly competent last week, but not spectacular. I’ll give the nod to the Vikings because they’ll run Purple Jesus all over the Colts. Vikings win.

Code Red: I’ll take Andrew Luck. Just a feeling. Colts win.

Mrs. Code Red: Colts.

Cardinals @ Patriots

Code Red: Kevin Kolb saved the day! Won't matter at all against the Patriots, though. Pats win.

Iggins!: Won’t be close. Patriots win.

Mrs. Code Red: Patriots.

Texans @ Jaguars

Iggins!: So the Texans get two FCS schools to start their schedule? Texans win.

Code Red: Their schedule’s pretty soft until they have to face the Bears and Packers. That is good, because they deserve a smooth road to a second chance after the playoffs after Matt Schaub’s injury crippled a Superbowl contender last year. Texans win.

Mrs. Code Red: Texans.

Saints @ Panthers

Code Red: This could go either way. I feel like the Panthers didn't really upgrade their defense at all (they drafted a LB, the one position on defense they Didn't need), so Brees could have a field day. On the other hand, the Saints couldn't even dream of stopping RGIII when the Skins used the zone read, which Cam Newton has absolutely NO experience running. Nope. Definitely unlikely that Panthers will have any success running the ball with their QB. Coin flip. Saints win in a high scorer.

Iggins!: People mistakenly believed that the Panthers would be a dark horse this season. But they didn’t change anything. Cam Newton STILL can’t do everything, guys. Saints win.

Mrs. Code Red: Saints.

Redskins @ Rams

Iggins!: Watching the zone-read in the NFL is strange but also pleasant. RG3 ran it like a master last week, and the Rams almost beating Detroit was more an indictment of Detroit than a proclamation for St. Louis. RG3 wins.

Code Red: What he said. RG3 wins and Redskin fans lose all sense of perspective. RETURN TO GLOREEEE COOCH!

Mrs. Code Red: Redskins.

Cowboys @ Seahawks

Code Red: I expect Tony Romo to make a few horrible passes against that fairly stout secondary, but there's no way the Seahawks can hang in this one for four quarters. Cowboys win.

Iggins!: It would be a very Romo thing to do to lose to the Seahawks after beating the Giants, but I have to take Dallas to win.

Mrs. Code Red: Cowboys.

Titans @ Chargers

Iggins!: The Chargers looked pretty bad while beating the Raiders. Were it not for three botched punts, 1200 penalties on Tommy Kelly, and the golden foot of Nate Kaeding, the Bolts would have lost. On the other hand, the Titans have a second year QB and a terrible running back. Chargers win, go 2-0, people get excited, then they start losing A LOT.

Code Red: I don’t think the Chargers looked that bad. Their defense looked considerably better than last year, at least. They’ll have enough to beat a severely injured Jake Locker. Chargers win.

Mrs. Code Red: Chargers.

Jets @ Steelers

Code Red: The whole “Tebow inspired Mark Sanchez to not suck!” bit will end abruptly when he regresses back to Rico Mirerez against the Steelers. Steelers win.

Iggins!: What did I tell you about the whole “whoever wins, someone is overreacting” thing? The Jets should get brought right back to earth here. Steelers win.

Mrs. Code Red: Steelers.

Lions @ 49ers

Iggins!: The Lions and especially Matt Stafford showed their true colors Sunday. The 49ers should tear these guys to pieces. 49ers win.

Code Red: Courtland Finnegan was pretty damning when he said “we know what Matthew Stafford likes to do, so we just took it away.” He’s a pretty one dimensional quarterback. Imagine what a defense as good as the 49ers can do if the Rams provided the blueprint.

Mrs. Code Red: 49ers.

Broncos @ Falcons

Code Red: Peyton Manning was Peyton Manning, and that's good enough for me. The Falcons were impressive on offense, but I'll not ignore that they allowed Matt Cassell to put them on their heels for most of the first half, and they just lost their best cornerback in Brent Grimes. Broncos win.

Iggins!: I really feel a Peyton Manning come-back-to-earth moment here, but all your points have convinced me. Broncos win.

Mrs. Code Red: Broncos.