NFL This Week
Mannings play down ‘Brothers Bowl’ The verdict is in on Eli Manning: after two seasons, the football cognoscenti have determined he will never be as good as brother Peyton, his opposite number in the Brother Bowl between the Colts and Giants tonight.
Probably true, but does it really matter?
What counts is titles, and Peyton has never gotten to a Super Bowl in eight seasons. Eli could get there before him, something he’d cherish more than being “better” than his older sibling.
The party line already has been established for to night’s game in the Meadowlands..
“I’m not playing against Eli and Eli’s not playing against me,” Peyton says. “I’m more worried about Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora and their pass rush, and he’s more worried about Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.”
Or, as Mathis said this week: “We can’t hit one, so now we’ll get to hit the other.”
The hype is in full swing for the battle of the brothers in NBC’s first Sunday night game.
For one thing, the folks who set the agenda for news in the NFL were more obsessed during the preseason with Terrell Owens, now in Dallas. And the fans and media in the nation’s largest market have other interests this week: soon-to-be division champion baseball teams and tennis’ U.S. Open.
The Mannings seem to want this over.
“I guess it might be tough on my parents,” Eli says. “I think they’re very proud of us that we’re in this situation, but it’s going to be tough on them, and I know they’ll probably be a little nervous during the game.”
This is the first meeting ever of quarterbacking brothers (the sons of a former NFL QB at that.) But it counts less than many other games – an interconference contest, meaning the result won’t count in tiebreakers for either team at the end of the season.
The Giants won the NFC East at 11-5 last season and are thinking Super Bowl despite a killer schedule. Indy finished 14-2 before getting upset by Pittsburgh in its first playoff game and is trying to prove that Peyton and coach Tony Dungy can do more than put up big regular-season numbers and flop in the postseason.
Peyton thinks one factor in the Colts’ disappointment has been their high profile during the season. Two years ago, he was breaking a slew of passing records. Last season, Indy’s 13-0 start once again put the spotlight on him – next to T.O. of course.
“I wouldn’t mind flying under the radar this season,” he says.
A loss to his brother and that might happen.
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The opening week began Thursday night when defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh beat Miami 28-17.
In other games Sunday, Atlanta is at Carolina; New Orleans at Cleveland; Seattle at Detroit; Philadelphia at Houston; Cincinnati at Kansas City; Buffalo at New England; Denver at St. Louis; Baltimore at Tampa Bay; the New York Jets at Tennessee; San Francisco at Arizona; Chicago at Green Bay; and Dallas at Jacksonville.
There are two Monday night games: Minnesota at Washington, followed by San Diego at Oakland.
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Minnesota (9-7) at Washington (10-6) (Monday night, early)
Expectations in Washington are high after a strong finish and a playoff win in Tampa last season. But the Skins were 0-4 in exhibitions, Mark Brunell will turn 36 in on Sept. 17 and Clinton Portis separated a shoulder.
After off-field problems, the Vikings cleaned house, bringing in Brad Childress to replace Mike Tice as coach. But bad stuff continued: After behaving well last year, Koren Robinson signed a long-term contract, then got arrested for drunken driving. So he was cut, leaving Minnesota short at wide receiver.
San Diego (9-7) at Oakland (4-12) (Monday night)
Philip Rivers at quarterback for San Diego is the big question, although a number of QBs have done well after sitting for the first two years of their career. Another question is depth at linebacker now that Steve Foley is lost for the season after being shot near his home by a police officer.
The Raiders have a new quarterback, Aaron Brooks, and a new/old coach in Art Shell, whose mission is to restore the Raiders mystique to a team that went 13-35 over the past three seasons. Oakland was 4-1 in exhibitions, but that is rarely a harbinger of anything
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Dallas (9-7) at Jacksonville (12-4)
T.O. will play after spending most of camp on an exercise bike. He’s one of the reasons people like the Cowboys to beat the Giants, Eagles and Redskins in the NFC East, probably the league’s best division and certainly the most competitive.
Dallas’ strength will be defense, a young, aggressive unit typical of Bill Parcells teams. The Jaguars have defense too, led by John Henderson and Marcus Stroud in the middle of the line, but still need offensive help with oft-injured Fred Taylor the only dependable running back and no proven No. 1 receiver.
Atlanta (8-8) at Carolina (11-5)
Like the East, the NFC South is strong and competitive. In this case, the Panthers are the favorite after getting to the conference title game last season before running out of running backs. They have two this year: DeShaun Foster is back, and rookie DeAngelo Williams is ready to spell him.
Michael Vick has yet to prove his scrambling style fits the West Coast offense. But the Falcons are better than the Saints were last year when they won in Carolina in the opener.
Baltimore (6-10) at Tampa Bay (11-5)
Two traditionally strong defensive teams with new hope at quarterback, the Bucs in the emerging Chris Simms and the Ravens in newly obtained Steve McNair.
McNair is the best QB the Ravens have had in 12 seasons in Baltimore, although his durability is a question. The Bucs are raving about Simms’ maturity – the kind of leader his father was with the Giants two decades ago.
Streak: Baltimore has lost 11 straight road games.
Cincinnati (11-5) at Kansas City (10-6)
Carson Palmer may have surprised himself with his impressive preseason after a devastating knee injury last January in the Bengals’ first playoff game since 1990. It was a huge lift for a team that also had to bounce back from an offseason that included seven arrests and one suspension.
Herman Edwards replaced Dick Vermeil as Chiefs head coach and immediately set out to fix a defense that for the past half-dozen years has canceled out offensive excellence. But the offense could slide now that Willie Roaf has retired and the rest of an excellent line is aging.
Seattle (13-3) at Detroit (5-11)
The NFC champions had a major offseason loss on offense (left guard Steve Hutchinson) and a major gain on defense (linebacker Julian Peterson). The Seahawks remain the favorites in the NFC because their schedule is much easier than the rest of the conference’s stronger teams.
Detroit isn’t a favorite for much, although who knows what will happen in the weak NFC North. New coach Rod Marinelli has installed some toughness in a team that’s a league worst 21-59 since 2001, and demonstrated it by cutting Charles Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft.
Chicago (11-5) at Green Bay (4-12)
The Bears romped through the NFC North before being exposed by Carolina in their first playoff game on defense and offense. That was probably an aberration by Chicago’s defense, which could be the NFL’s best, but the offense remains a big question. Rex Grossman will start at quarterback, but look for Brian Griese early in the season if things are malfunctioning.
Everything on the Packers is in malfunction mode, including Brett Favre, who returned this season to find a still-leaky offensive line and few receiving options beyond Donald Driver.
San Francisco (4-12) at Arizona (5-11)
You could argue this is the first home game ever for the Cardinals – the first time they will have a full house (63,400) cheering for them. That’s because it’s the opening of their new stadium nearly 20 years after they moved to the desert from St. Louis in 1988.
Those fans will get to cheer some new players, notably Edgerrin James and (perhaps soon) Matt Leinart, who will back up Kurt Warner. The 49ers are still likely to be one of the NFL’s worst. Alex Smith has improved in his second season, but still has a way to go, especially with little help around him.
Philadelphia (6-10) at Houston (2-14)
Donovan McNabb is back from injury and Terrell Owens is gone, two reasons the Eagles will be better, although the NFC East is so competitive that their record may not reflect how good they can be.
Houston will be better, too. Gary Kubiak is the new coach, but a lot of focus will be on Mario Williams, the defensive end the Texans took over Reggie Bush with the first pick in last April’s draft. An injury to Domanick Davis, who was supposed to start (and star) at running back, will make the spotlight more intense.
Buffalo (5-11) at New England (10-6)
A good way for the Patriots to start after a bumpy preseason with Tedy Bruschi’s injury and Deion Branch’s holdout. But they still have Tom Brady, who will throw very accurately, and tight end Benjamin Watson, who may become his favorite target. Brady and Bill Belichick make them at least co-favorites with Miami in the AFC East.
The Bills brought in Marv Levy, who just turned 81, to run the team, and Dick Jauron is the new coach. Any success Buffalo has will depend on the running of Willis McGahee and a defense that can be pretty good at times.
Denver (13-3) at St. Louis (6-10)
The Broncos are solid favorites in the AFC West, and Jake Plummer, pressed by first-round pick Jay Cutler, could have another good year at quarterback. Undrafted rookie Mike Bell looks like Denver’s latest running back from nowhere.
Scott Linehan replaced Mike Martz as Rams coach and Marc Bulger and Torry Holt are a solid passing combination. But the defense is a problem.
New Orleans (3-13) at Cleveland (6-10)
Reggie Bush debuts with the Saints, no longer vagabonds after Katrina forced them out of New Orleans last year. Sean Payton is the new coach and Drew Brees the quarterback with a question mark, the shoulder he injured in his final game in San Diego last season.
The Browns finally have a center after trading with the Eagles for Hank Fraley last week. This after losing free-agent pickup LeCharles Bentley (from the Saints) in the first training camp scrimmage. They have Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards back from injury, giving Charlie Frye two potentially dangerous targets.
New York Jets (4-12) at Tennessee (4-12)
Chad Pennington, back after undergoing shoulder surgery for two straight seasons, will be the Jets’ QB under new coach Eric Mangini. Running back? Without the injured Curtis Martin, a committee that will include Derrick Blaylock, the newly obtained Kevan Barlow and perhaps Cedric Houston.
The Titans signed the immobile QB Kerry Collins to break in the extremely mobile Vince Young and Collins is likely to start over Billy Volek this week despite just one week to learn the offense.