What I learned...

So after my abysmal picks for week 2 I learned a few things in the NFL. For one, whenever I put down my picks on paper I tend to do horribly. My record last week was 6-10, the upsets that I picked didn't pan out. Hopefully I can make a recovery this week and get back on track.

Another thing that I learned, and I've known this before but it was reinforced, is that we can't take week 1 so serious. It is only one game, and as much as we want to decide how the rest of the season will play out, we have to be patient. Case in point is the Indianapolis Colts. Week 1 the Colts were stunned by the Texans, the Colts defense looked older and slower, and the offense didn't seem to by in rhythm. The Colts looked to be in their usual form against the Giants. Peyton Manning shredded the Giants defense, taking them out of the game early. The Colts defense looked a lot better as well. Holding the Giants back and making the game pretty boring to watch. Now granted the Giants are a very overrated team, they haven't mattered since they lost Plexico Burress, and the Texans look to be a legit threat this season. However, for all the people that were ready to start saying the Colts were in decline are wrong. The Colts may not be as good as they were last year, but they are still an elite team. I will not count out Peyton Manning; he is too good and too smart.

Could there be trouble in big D and Minnesota? Even though they are only 0-2, and can easily turn around the season, it may be time to be a little concerned. The Cowboys have tons of talent on both sides of the ball, but can't seem to get it all together. Cowboys cornerback said (something to the effect of) the level of intensity needs to go up in practice. When I heard that my first thought goes to coaching. I think that Wade Phillips is not getting the job done as head coach in Dallas. He doesn't seem to fit the mold for a head coach. And with the talent that he has at his disposal, there is no reason why the Cowboys have won only 1 playoff game since 1998. The Cowboys will have to turn things around if they want to compete and try and be the first team to host a Superbowl.

Panic mode in Minnesota? Not just yet, even though things look pretty bad. The Vikings returned a lot of talent from last years team, so it is only natural to think that they would make a serious run at the Superbowl this season. However, the team is just out of sync if a very bad way. Favre is playing like his age and doesn't have any timing with any of his receivers. That’s a big draw back for missing training camp, you don't get time to play with and practice with your teammates. Favre doesn’t know his receivers all that well, and it shows. He is really missing Sidney Rice right now, who is out with a hip injury, and it shows. Favre hasn't found his go to receiver yet, and he is just throwing rocks. Favre needs to get his act together, and the offensive line is showing signs of age as well. I'm not saying that its time to jump off the Vikings ship, but if they don't correct their course it could be a long year, considering that the Packers and Bears are both undefeated.

Want to know what else stood out to me? The Pittsburgh Steelers. I picked the Titans to beat the Steelers, and the Titans failed me, badly. The Titans committed 7 turnovers if I remember correctly, I don't care who you are, you will not win a game committing that many turnovers. The Steelers defense looks to be the best in the league right now, destroying that Falcons offense and frustrating Jeff Fisher and the Titans. The Steelers offense looks pretty bad. The running game has looked ok only because Mendenhall had that 50 yard run in OT to beat the Falcons. The passing game is just embarrassing to watch. They haven't thrown a passing TD yet this year and have about 230 yards or so of passing through two games. Big Ben's return as QB should help the offense, but it still looks to have some issues. Note this however; the Steelers look to be in great position to make a playoff run with their D.

The Texans proved a lot in their win over the Redskins on Sunday. One of the hardest things to do is to come from behind and win on the road. Especially in a hostile environment like FedEx Field. The Texans did just that. Trailing by 17 points in the 3rd quarter, the Texans passing game finally showed up, and they beat the Skins in an exciting game. Washington's offense looked pretty good, and their defense looked even better, until Matt Schaubb ripped them apart. The Texans are a legit team, they have physical and mental toughness, look for them to make the post season for the first time in franchise history.

Is there a possibility that the Saints are on a lengthy Superbowl hangover? I don't think so, but they definitely don't look like the team that beat the Colts in February. The Saints defense has actually looked a lot better, especially in the 2nd half of games. The running defense is still a question mark, but they have made a lot of improvement from last year’s squad. The problem is the offense. Defenses are playing with their safeties deep against the Saints, trying to avoid the long ball from going down, and so far it has worked. The Saints need to adjust and work in the short and intermediate passing game. I haven't seen WR's Colston, Moore or Henderson do a whole lot, not like they did last year. The Saints have a great coaching staff and I expect Sean Payton to make the necessary changes to improve the offense. The Saints still find ways to win, but it makes me uneasy watching them, and you can tell that Payton is not happy with the team’s performance. Just look at him on the sideline, he looks pissed and he should be. Who would've thought that the biggest problem for the Saints so far would be the offense getting started and not the defense?