Opening NFL week

I'm really pumped.  Tonight it all begins.  The crazy hysteria.  Snack food beyond compare.  The euphoric highs, the depressing lows...the roller coaster season of the NFL.  During the off season I had an imaginary calendar of "The Opening Day of the NFL = Christmas Day".  Since the Pack isn't playing tonight, I should change it to "The Opening Day of the Packers = Christmas Day".  Tonight would equal the work Christmas party you go to a week before Christmas day and get a decent gift.  It's a pretty good time, but it's still not Christmas (unless you're a Saints or Vikings fan).  Let's talk some football!

NFL
Packers v. Eagles
Oh the subplots in this one.  The Packers visit a Philadelphia team that looks eerily the same as the 2008 Packers.  Pretty good WR's, pretty good defense, pretty good RB and a QB making his first highly anticipated start after a team legend has left.  The difference?  Philadelphia actually booted out McNabb without McNabb retiring.  This game should be interesting and could be a high scoring affair as Rodgers seems to understand defenses really well, and the Packers secondary looks like a sieve based on what we saw of them last time.  Kolb (Philadelphia QB) could have a big game (though I have no idea how good this kid is), but I expect d-coordinator Dom Capers to pull out the pressure packages and blitz this kid to the moon.  I don't think he'll be able to handle it all and Philadelphia will end up losing.  

Vikings v. Saints
The last time I saw the Vikings play a meaningful game I was jumping around my living room pumping my fists in the air yelling, "He finally did it!  He finally made the back breaking error to end the Vikings season!"  He, of course, is Brett Favre.  What a miracle season that guy had last year.  Can he continue it?  Well, every time I talked about Favre last season he did the exact opposite of what I would say he'd do.  So since it's the beginning of the season, and I'm not sure how this will pan out, I've covering both sides:

• Point- Of course Brett Favre can do this.  He's a stud.  An ageless wonder with none to compare.  He will throw up 5 TD passes against this Saints defense and come to the rescue.
• Counterpoint-  Are you kidding me?  Favre is already getting "lubricating" injections into his bum ankle.  He doesn't have his top receiver for at least half of the season and that means Favre will take matters into his own hands.  The last time we saw Favre take matters into his own hands, I was jumping around my living room like a child (see above).

For this game, I think the Saints are way more prepared for this game.  Brees will probably carve up the Vikings secondary.  Favre may have a good game too as I feel the Saints defense is more opportunistic than it is great, but I could see Favre making a mistake that will turn the outcome of this game in favor of the Saints. 

Lions v. Bears
What an awesome display of ugliness for opening weekend.  I am totally not sold on Mike Martz ability to duplicate what he did with the Rams a decade ago.  If he could, he'd still be with the 49ers making Alex Smith actually look like the #1 overall pick he was back in '06.  If Martz couldn't make it work with a kid who came out of a college program that used the spread offense, how in the world would he be able to make it work with interception prone QB Jay Cutler.  Cutler may have a canon of an arm, but a canon is useless without any aim.  This Bears team is sinking fast and I think it will show against a Lions team that seems to be heading  in the right direction after 15 years of futility.  Lions rookie DT Suh could have a monster day against a rather ugly Bears' offensive line.  I'm going a tad against the grain and picking the Lions to win this one (and yes, I know this is in Chicago).  At approximately 3:15p CDT on Sunday, the fans push to fire Lovie Smith will be shouted into the air of the Windy City.

My other NFL picks: Dolphins, Titans, Patriots, Giants, Steelers, Browns, Jaguars, Colts, Cardinals, 49ers, Cowboys, Ravens, Chargers

Before Sunday, I'll post my "NFL preview".  So what if it's after the first game of the season?  I don't get paid to make deadlines.

College
We've got some tasty treats this weekend! 

Michigan v. Notre Dame
Didn't Michigan look studly last week with Denard Robinson carving it up against what is a supposedly good UConn team?  Yeah, they're going to need to do that every week if Rich Rodriguez wants to keep his job.  Michigan has him on a short leash and I think the higher-ups at the school are slightly salivating at the possibility of luring away "Michigan guy" Jim Harbaugh from Stanford next season.  Plus, RichRod's checkered past isn't looking to appealing to Michigan folks.  He's gotten Michigan into some trouble with practice issues, and I heard the NCAA is looking into some stuff at West Virginia while he was coaching over there.  Michigan has always had a clean program, and I can see them giving the boot to anyone who would mess that up no matter how modern that coach is.  Anyways, for this game, I think Michigan has a little more talent than the Fighting Irish and pull this one out.

The other tasty match ups include No. 17 Florida St. at No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 12 Miami at No. 2 Ohio St. and No. 18 Penn St. at No. 1 Alabama.  I'm picking all the home teams in those match ups simply for that reason, they're the home team.  Florida St. is probably the only one that has a chance of upsetting the team it's playing...though I always love a good upset (unless it's against Michigan), and would love to see Miami win their game.

Those with a vested interest in Kenosha
Bradford looks awesome.  They're 2-0 after thumping perennial playoff team Stevens Point 48-17 in Stevens Point (a good 3 hour drive from K-town).  Now ranked #1 in the state by the AP and the Wisssports.net coaches' poll.  Stud RB Melvin Gordon who will be attending Iowa, had 12 carries for 291 yards and 4 TD's (no that's not a misprint).  Way to go Red Devils!  Home against Racine Park is next on the docket.

Tremper is also 2-0 after defeating Hortonville 27-13.  With that, they moved up to #13 in the coaches' poll.

Final thought
Savor the NFL season this year, because there may not be one next year.

Happy Football!