Waddle's World

Seahawks at Steelers

It's a rematch of Super Bowl 40 this weekend in Pittsburgh as the Seahawks visit the Steelers. Both teams are 3 and 1 and sit atop their respective divisions. The Steelers are looking to bounce back from last weeks loss to the Cardinals in the desert. Surprisingly Arizona shutdown the Steelers run game, holding Willie Parker to just 37 yards rushing. That also meant trouble for Big Ben who was sacked 4 times and threw 2 picks. No surprise there...the Steelers must run the ball to be effective. Asking Rothlesberger to do it all by himself is not an option. They should have better luck running the ball against this Seahawk front 7. They are lightening quick, but light and can be pushed around. The running game is the key to the Seahawk offense as well. Shaun Alexander is not the same back that was the league MVP 2 years ago, but he can still "getter done". Its not gonna happen at Heinz Field, though. I like the steelers to establish the run, give Big Ben some breathing room and smother Alexander. Matt Hasselbeck will be on the run all afternoon. I like Pittsburgh at home.



Cardinals at Rams

I told ya the Cardinals were gonna be an improved team this year. This week they travel to St Louis to play an 0 and 4 Rams squad that is banged up and in free fall. The Cards used a quarterback by committee approach and physical defense to beat a very good Steelers team, and move to 2 and 2. Here's a little advice for Cardinals coach Ken Wisenhunt...quit the Qb shuffle and stick with Kurt Warner. The team is competing for an NFC West title and everyone in that lockeroom knows that Warner gives them the best chance to win. Matt Leinart's day will come but not today. If the Cards fall down in the division standings, or if Warner struggles, then you turn to Leinart. But for the moment, Kurt Warner is playing outstanding football, completing 71% of his passes with 3 tds and 0 interceptions. Will it last, probably not, but you play the hot hand. You can always turn and give it to Edgerin James if the going gets tough. The going is more than tough for the Rams. They are a disaster right now. The oline is missing 2 starters, Steven Jackson is out, and so is Mark Bulger. And then theres the St Louis defense that cant stop the run and is giving up 26 points per Sunday. This is a classic let down spot for the Cardinals, but Im not sure Gus Ferrotte is up to the task. I like the Cardinals on the road.



Falcons at Titans

The falcons visit the Titans this weekend....and how bout them Falcons, for the first time this year the Falcons made a trip to the winners circle with a win over the Texans. For the 2nd straight game Joey Harrington looked like a big league quarterback. Over the last 2 weeks Joey has thrown for nearly 600 yards, 4 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions. In fact, he's completing 71% of his passes on the year. When protected, Harrington does a nice job of running Bobby Petrino's offense. But, Im not sure hes gonna have a lot of time in this one. The Titans don't have a lot of sacks, but Albert Haynesworth and Kyl Vanden Bosche are a handful up front. This game will be won on the line of scrimmage. The Falcons will not be able to run the ball on the Titans 2nd ranked run defense. That will lead to a rough ride for Harrington. On the other sideline, Vince young has been better than I expected early on. It helps that he has the 2nd rank rushing offense at his disposal. Granted, he has contributed to the rushing numbers, but Chris Brown and LenDale White have been a very good tandem. The Falcons 1 game losing streak was fun while it lasted. I like the Titans at home.



Panthers at Saints

Its anybody's guess what will happen in the Superdome this weekend. Bothe the Panthers and Saints have been a disappointment. The Pantehrs are 2 and 2, but its an unimpressive 2 and 2 with a win over the pitiful Rams and a "skin of the teeth" victory over the Falcons. Jake Delhomme got off to a great start but may be sidelined for the second straight week with an elbow injury. With Delhomme out, Steve Smith will be less effective. For David Carr to be successful, the Panthers have to continue to pound the rock. Surprisingly, D'Angelo Williams and Deshaun Foster have been a pretty dangerous duo. Truth, is, Carolina should have success running and throwing against this New Orleans defense. The Saints are allowing 355 yards and 34 points per contest. Now, nobody expected the Saints to be one of the leagues top defenses, but it was assumed that their high power offense would keep them in every game. Well, that just hasn't been the case! The Mcalister-Bushf 1-2 punch is now a one man show. Deuce is done for the season with an ACL tear, and now Reggie Bush is the lead back. And Im not sure Reggie is ready for the added responsibility. Bush has been most effective as a receiver. Having him " dot the I" will make game planning a whole lot easier for the Panther defense. So will the deer in the headlights look that Drew Brees has displayed in the first month of the season After leading the league in passing in "06, Brees has looked very uncomfortable in the pocket these days. The bye week came at the right time for the Saints. I have to believe they solved some of their problems during their time off. I like the Saints to get their first win of the season.



Browns at the Patriots

Anyone versus the Patriots these days just isn't fair. This week it's the Browns turn to look foolish. Don't get me wrong, these Browns seem to be getting the hang of this game, but I'm not sure they have enuff to keep this one close. Derek Anderson doesn't look like he's interested in turning over the reigns to Brady Quinn any time soon. With Braylon Edwards on the edge, Kellen Winslow in the slow and a rejuvenated Jamaal Lewis in the backfield, Anderson has a whole lot to work with. If the Browns are to stay close, they have to run the ball, control the clock, and keep the Patriot offense off the field. Jamaal Lewis will have to run with purpose in this one. Sure, the Browns will take their shots downfield, but they don't want to get into a shootout with Tom Brady. The New England passing game has been a thing of beauty. Tom Brady is completing a miraculous 80 percent of his passes while Randy Moss already has 7 td catches. Don't slight the Patriot running game either, they average 157 yards per game on the ground. But, expect the Pats to light up the sky in this one. The Browns pass defense is nonexistent.....in fact, the entire Cleveland D is real Bad. They allow 428 yards and 30 points per game. Trust me, this will be a blowout. The number 1 offense versus the 31st ranked defense...in Foxboro. All Patriots in this one.



Lions at Redskins

In the 2007 version of Websters Dictionary, next to the phrase "soft 3 and 1", theres a picture of the Detroit Lions. They cant protect their quarterback, they cant run it and their defense is bad...but there are no pictures on the scorecard. This weekend they take their circus to Washington to face the Redskins. Expect the Lions to spread it out, go 4 wide and drop back and throw it 45 times. Also expect Jon Kitna to spend a lot of time on his back. The Lions have already allowed 21 sacks, 5 more than the next worst offensive line. The Skins will be blitzing from the opening kickoff and feel just fine about taking their chances. The Washington secondary is equipped to handle Roy Willams and friends. Don't get me wrong, the Lions will score some points, but they will also make some disasterous mistakes. The key matchup in this game is the chess match between mad scientist Mike Martz and defensive Guru Greg Williams. Martz quickly loses patience with the running game and will go exclusively to the air. That's when Williams will pounce. On the flip side, The Skins offense would be wise to keep it simple. Theyre at their best when they keep it on ground with the Clinton Portis- LaDell Betts combo. They've been good for more than 100 yards per game. Once they soften up that Detroit front 7, the Lions will drop their safeties in the tackle box, and Santana Moss and Antwon Randel El should find space roam. This one should be a shoot-out. I like the Redskins at home





Jags at Chiefs

Look for a ground war in Kansas City this weekend as the Jags and Chiefs square off. The Jags are coming off the bye, but they got back on track 2 weeks ago with a convincing win over the Broncos in Denver. They rushed for 186 yards in that game and reestablished their identity. Expect more of the same against the Chiefs. The running lanes wont be as wide, but Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones Drew will be asked to get the offense on track. Their success is crucial for the Jacksonville passing game as well. David Garrad has been very good managing the game, completing 64 % of his passes with 3 touchdowns and NO interceptions. The Jags will keep their low risk approach against a very solid Chiefs defense. The return of Jarred Allen has improved their pass rush, and overall Chiefs are now the leagues 3rd ranked D overall. The KC offense has also improved lately. The emergence of rookie receiver Dewayne Bowe in the passing game has loosened things up. The Chief play a similar low risk offense that is built around their running game. Larry Johnson was struggling against 9 man fronts, but the presence of Bowe has made his life easier. LJ broke out for his first 100 yard day of the season as Bowe was having the first 100 yard receiving game of his career. Tony Gonzales looks younger and Damon Huard appears more confident in the pocket, thanks to the presence of a deep threat. The Jags defense will keep this game close, but, in the end, I think the Chiefs have enough to squeak by at home.



Dolphins at Texans

The Dolphins and Texans meet in Houston for the weekends most UNINTERESTING game on the schedule. The Dolphins are winless and they don't look capable of breaking that trend anytime soon. At least Cam Cameron has finally realized that Ronnie Brown is the greatest offensive asset that he has and needs to be the focal point of their plan. Over the last 2 weeks Brown has accounted for 418 total yards. I hope he gets 25 carries in this one as nobody wants to see 37 year old Trent Green running for his life behind that Miami offensive line. The Dolphin defense has been a major disappointment thru the first month of the season. Last year they were the league's 4th ranked "D", this year they cant stop anyone. And Im not sure theyre gonna have much luck solving Matt Shaub. Despite missing his top 2 receivers and top running back, Schaub still finds a way to move the football. Keep an eye on Houston Tight End Owen Daniels in this one. With all the injuries outside, Schaub has turned to Daniels who should get the best of the Miami safeties. Ron Dayne should find some room to roam as well as the Dolphins rank dead last in run defense. It's a shame the Texans are so beat up. When completely healthy, they can compete with anyone. Even at half strength, they should have enough to get past the Dolphins at home. I like the Texans



Jets at Giants

The Battle for Big City bragging rights this weekend as the Jets square off with the Giants. These two teams are heading in opposite directions. After an 0 and 2 start, the Giants appeared to be a team looking for a warm place to lay down. But somehow they rallied with back to back division wins over the Redskin and Eagles. The Jets find themselves at 1 and 3 and reeling after an ugly loss to the Bills last weekend. Needless to say, they need to get themselves on track before they fall out of the AFC playoff picture all together. As for how these teams matchup, the offenses couldn't be more different. The Jets are a ball control attack that relies on a solid running game and a low risk passing attack. That sounds good in theory, but when you average 83 yards per game on the ground, youre asking Chad Pennington to do too much. Pennington has been solid, but he's not a guy that's gonna win games by himself. As for the Giants, they rely on the big play in the passing game. Plaxico Burres has been a handful once again averaging 15 yards per catch with 6 td grabs so far. Eli Manning still struggles with inconsistency, but the unexpected emergence of Derrick Ward has lightened the load on ELI. Ward is the NFC's 4th leading rusher and is averaging nearly 5 yards per carry. The improved Giants defense has been a pleasant surprise as well. After getting thumped by the Cowboys and Packers in the first 2 weeks of the season, the GMEN have answered the bell, including a 12 sack performance last week against the Eagles. That fierce pass rush should prove too much for the Jets oline and have Pennington on the run all afternoon. I like the character the Giants have shown the last 2 weeks and I like them to make it 3 in a row. The Giants win at home



Bucs at Colts

At 3 and 1, the Tampa Bay Bucaneers are the surprise of the NFC. This weekend they will be 5th straight victim of the Indianapolis Colts. So much for suspense. Listen, the Bucs are a good story. Jeff Garcia is a master of the West Coast offense and has been flawless over the first month of the season. Earnest Graham and Michael Pittman will fill in nicely for the injured Cadillac Williams. Joey Galloway is still a homerun hitter in his mid 30s. And the defense looks a lot like the group that dominated the 90's....But they aren't playing the Saints, Rams, or Panthers this week....No, they get the World Champion Colts, in the RCA Dome. And while many have already crowned the New England Patriots the king of the NFL, the Colts have quietly gone about their business and won their first 4 games of the season. That Tampa defense, that is currently the stingiest in the league, will be tested even if the Colts are less that 100% healty. Joseph Adai and Marvin Harrison are both banged up and questionable, but there are plenty of other option for Peyton Manning to call on. I'm looking for a heavy dose of Dallas Clark. No tight end threatens the middle of the field like Clark who has quickly become Mannings favorite 3rd down target. The Bucs are catching the Colts at the right time as the Champs are suffering through a number of injuries, but they aren't quite ready for prime time. Reality check for the Bucs, as the Colts move to 5 and 0 on the season.







Ravens at 49ers

Somebody's gonna get back on track this weekend in San Francisco as the Ravens visit the Niners. Both teams are coming off of disappointing losses last week. The Niners not only fell 23 -3 to the Seahawks, they also lost their starting quarterback. Alex Smith went down with a shoulder injury and isn't expected back any time soon. 34 year old Trent Dilfer took over last week and promptly completed 36 % of his passes and threw 2 picks. That revelation has the Raven defense salivating. While they have been less than dominant so far, they are always a threat to ruin your afternoon. Especially if youre old, immobile, and have very little to work with. Frank Gore will be called on more than usually and could be in for a long day as he's likely to see a lot of Ravens crowding the line of scrimmage. I don't give the Niners much of a chance in this one, despite playing in front of the home crowd. Their defense has been okay, but they are not capable of carrying this team by themselves. I expect the Ravens to get back to basics. Last week Steve Mcnair threw it 53 times as the Ravens trailed the Browns early. That is not the formula for success for this Baltimore team. They are at their best when Willis Mcgehee is the focal point and McNair is asked to throw occasionally. If the Niners were at full strength, this would probably be a competitive game. With Trent Dilfer under center, it could get out of hand early. I like the Ravens on the road.



Chargers at Broncos

Lots of issues in the AFC West so far this year, as both the Chargers and Broncos have disappointed. The Chargers dropped to 1 and 3 after last weeks emabarrasing loss at home to the Chiefs. Trust me, the calls for Marty Shottenheimer will grow louder if the Chargers don't get their act together. Marty led this team to a 14 and 2 regular season record last year, now they look like a high school bunch. LT has made a habit of airing out his quarterback on the sidelines, while a once dominant defense plays with the passion of a pacifist. The struggles are a mystery. I find it hard believe that the San Diego offensive line forgot how to block, Tomlinson forgot how to run, and Rivers forgot how to manage the offense. You cant blame it all on Norv Turner. Maybe he's not suited to be a head coach, but these Chargers are underachieving, and that falls on the players. The Broncos have their own issues, mainly, they cant stop anybody. Theyre stacking the line of scrimmage with 9 guys and still getting run outta the stadium. Bly and Bailey are the best tandem in the league, but you cant coverage forever and they cant be responsible to slow down the run. The Bronco offense has moved the ball at will, but they're struggling to reach the endzone. Jay Cutler is developing into one of the games best young quarterbacks, but he may be short handed in this one. Travis Henry is banged up and so is Javon Walker. Im not a fan of how the chargers and how they've handled themselves, but I think they've found a soft spot here. I like San Diego to get back on track.



Cowboys at Bills

On paper, it looks like a big mismatch in Buffalo this weekend as the Bills play host to the Dallas Cowboys. I give the Bills and their coach Dick Jauron a lot of credit. Despite a lack of talent and a ton of injuries, they come out and play hard each and every week. Last Sunday they earned their first win of the season with a 17-14 victory over the Jets. Sorry Bills fans, but these aren't the Jets coming to town this weekend. These are the Cowboys, the best the NFC has to offer, and a team that is averaging 38 points per contest. Tony Romo and the boys have way too much for a Buffalo defense that has been decimated by injuries. Its not IF the Cowboys will score, its how much. They will run it, they will throw it, and when the clock strikes 0, they will be at least 17 points better. And while the Cowboys defense is nothing to get excited about, the Buffalo offense could put an insomniac asleep. If there was a slaughter rule in the NFL, it would be enacted at some point in this game. Okay, I've run out of hyperbole. The Cowboys will get to 5 and 0 as they pound the Bills in front of the Buffalo faithful.... I like the Cowboys in this one.