NFL: Week 2 Storylines

5.) Detroit v Kansas City- This is the battle of the perceived underrated and the overrated. Kansas City lost handily to the Bills last weekend, 41-7. The two headed monster of Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles was nowhere to be found, while Matt Cassel only averaged 3.31 yards per attempt passing. Critics have been quick to write the Chiefs off after making the playoffs last season, but a win against the rejuvinated Lions could quickly get them back on track. While the score of last weeks Tampa Bay-Detroit game looked close, 27-20, the Lions won that game easily, even while not playing well. A 4th-and-2 late in the game touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson showed the rest of the league that the Lions are not messing around this season. The winner of this game should be discussed among potential playoff teams for the rest of the season. 

4.) Buffalo v Oakland- Wait, did I just read that right? A week two Bills-Raiders game is actually interesting? What year is this? The Raiders have a chance to start 2-0 for the first time since 2002, the last time they reached the Super Bowl, also known as the last year Al Davis was actually alive. Buffalo might have been the most impressive team from last week, and a 2-0 start against a solid Oakland defense could be a convincing message to the rest of the league that the Bills are making a return to relevance. 

3.) San Diego v New England- These two teams have been among the elite in the AFC for the past decade, and this early season game already has huge playoff implications. San Diego has always been a strong team, but they have never been able to take it to that next level, usually because the Patriots have always been standing in the way. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense looked unstoppable again last week against Miami, a game where Brady threw for 500+ yards, including a 99-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker. If the Chargers can get pressure on Brady and rattle him early, they have a chance to start off 2-0 and beat New England for only the second time in the last 11 meetings. 

2.) Chicago v New Orleans- For all the success Drew Brees has had since joining the Saints in 2006, he has always had trouble against the Chicago Bears. People still remember when Brees and the Saints lost at Soldier Field in the snow during the NFC Championship Game of 2006, and since then the Saints have lost to the Bears three times. Critics everywhere believed that the Bears would be among this years underachievers, after an improbable 13-3 season that ended with a NFC Championship lost to the hated Packers. However, Brian Urlacher and the Bears looked phenomenal against the Falcons last week. Urlacher is dealing with the loss of his mother this week, but expects to play on Sunday. Emotions will be running high in Chicago, and a loss for the Saints would put them at 0-2 right out of the game. 

1.) Eagles v Falcons- Michael Vick makes his triumphant(?) return to Atlanta, his first time returning to the ATL as a starter for an NFL team. The Falcons lost horribly to the Bears last week, and this game is a must win for Matt Ryan and Atlanta. This game has primetime written all over it, and look for Vick to have a highlight reel performance against the team that drafted him in 2001.