NFL: AFC Contender/Pretender

AFC: Contender/Pretender 

As we get to the last seven weeks of games, we’ve seen teams in the AFC look elite one week to horrible the next. Look at the Ravens, who after beating division rival Pittsburgh last Sunday lost to the Seahawks yesterday. Pittsburgh has gone from good to bad to great to good. The Jets lost three games in a row at the beginning of the season. Buffalo and Cincinnati came out of the gate looking like actual football teams. The Patriots look mortal. With such a logjam in the conference, it’s time to clear up the AFC playoff picture...its time to decide whose a contender, and whose a pretender. 

Baltimore Ravens (6-3; tied for 2nd place in AFC North): Baltimore is one of the most confusing teams I’ve ever watched. In some games, such as against the Jets and Steelers, they look like the best team in the league. Then, when they play teams like Arizona and Seattle, they barely win or lose. That’s a good sign for Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but the Ravens have too good of a defense to falter late in the year. I don’t know if it will be out of the division or wild card, but Baltimore should be a team that plays deep into the winter. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Buffalo Bills (5-4; tied for 2nd place in the AFC East): It may be too soon, but you have to wonder if the Bills are re-thinking that $50 million extension they handed Ryan Fitzpatrick earlier this year. In the past two weeks, Fitzpatrick and the Bills have been held to poor performances against the Jets and Cowboys. Fitzpatrick completes a high percentage of his passes, but his arm is weak and he’s starting to make poor decisions with his throws. The Bills still have two games against the Patriots and Jets, along wit match ups with scrappy teams like Denver, San Diego, and Miami. They could be right back in the thick of things with victories over New England and New York, but I get the feeling that the slipper is coming off of this cinderella team. 

Verdict: PRETENDER

Cincinnati Bengals (6-3; tied for 2nd place in AFC North): Yesterday, for the first time all season, Andy Dalton looked like a rookie quarterback. Dalton threw two interceptions and struggled against the Pittsburgh defense. The Bengals got off to a hot start with he benefit of playing poor teams like Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis. Over the next seven weeks, Dalton and the Bengals will have to play the Ravens (twice), the Steelers, and the Texans before meeting up with St. Louis and Arizona. I can see the Bengals getting to 9 wins, but it takes 10 to get into the playoffs from the AFC in this day and age. If they can steal a game from Pittsburgh or Baltimore, they might sneak in. I don’t see it. 

Verdict: PRETENDER

Denver Broncos (4-5; tied for 2nd in AFC West): I’m going to get this out of the way right now, the Broncos are not as good as Cincinnati or Buffalo, but they might have a better chance at making the playoffs. Currently, Denver has the tie-breaker over Oakland and Kansas City. To me, it looks like no one really wants to win the division. The Chargers are playing like they never win, Oakland is as bipolar as any team, and Kansas City stinks. Denver, however, is a team with a great defense and a “quarterback” who can run it like no other. As history tells us, a strong defense and a good running game leads to victories. Somehow, someway, the Broncos keep winning. I don’t think they’re good, but they play in a division that can help them out. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Houston Texans (7-3; 1st place in the AFC South): It looks as though the Texans have already locked up the South, currently standing 2.5 games ahead of the Tennessee Titans. However, the Texans still have to play games against Atlanta and the Titans, so a late season collapse is not out of the question. For all the talk focused on the Ravens, Patriots, and Steelers being the AFC elite, the texans have quietly put together a strong season. Should they stay the course and make the playoffs, they’ll be a scary team to face. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

New England Patriots (6-3; 1st place in the AFC East): For as vulnerable as the Patriots have looked this season, they seemed to have turned it around after defeating the Jets last night. Now in soul possession of first place in the East, don’t look for New England to lose any ground in the coming weeks. When all is said and done, the Patriots will more than likely enter the playoffs with a first round bye and a top seed out of the AFC.

Verdict: CONTENDER

New York Jets (5-4; tied for 2nd place in the AFC East): The Jets had a chance to take first place in the East last night and squandered it. Corner man Donald Strickland got exposed by Rob Gronkowski all night. Now the Jets will have to compete with Buffalo, Cincinnati, and either Pittsburgh or Baltimore for a wild card seed. They hold a tie breaker over Buffalo, but still have to play the Giants, Eagles, and Bills in the next seven weeks. Knowledge says they can afford to lose two more games this season if they want to make the playoffs, but with that schedule it will be no easy feat. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Oakland Raiders (5-4; 1st place in the AFC West): I thought for sure that the Raiders would have fallen out of contention by now, considering Darren McFadden being injury-riddled and Carson Palmer being...well...Carson Palmer. However, the Raiders looked excellent Thursday night against the Chargers, with Palmer looking like he’s developing quite the chemistry with his receivers. With the Raiders in the division drivers seat, all they will have to do is hold off the Fighting Tebows of Denver to make the playoffs. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3; 1st place in the AFC North): If you were going to tell me that after 10 weeks the Steelers would have lost to Houston and the Ravens (twice) and still be in first place in the division, I would have called you crazy. For as weird as the Ravens have been this year, the Steelers have been weirder. Just like the Ravens, Pittsburgh can look dominant one week and porous the next. I think they have the experience and ability to make it into the playoffs out of the crowded North, but there is no telling who will win the division. 

Verdict: CONTENDER

Tennessee Titans (5-4; 2nd place in the AFC South): Oh, what could have been for the Titans this year. With Peyton Manning out and the Colts playing awfully, the Titans had a legit shot to steal the division. Then, Kenny Britt was lost for the season due to a torn ACL. Chris Johnson only just got his first 100-yard rushing day (and first touchdown) of the season yesterday. The Titans are only 2.5 games back of Houston, but it may be a little too much too late for Tennessee. 

Verdict: PRETENDER

PREDICTIONS:

AFC East- New England Patriots (1 seed)

AFC North- Pittsburgh Steelers (3 seed)

AFC South- Houston Texans (2 seed)

AFC West- Oakland Raiders (4 seed)

Wild Card- Baltimore Ravens (5 seed)

Wild Card- New York Jets (6 seed)

Wild Card Round- Pittsburgh over New York; Baltimore over Oakland

Divisional Round- Baltimore over New England; Pittsburgh over Houston

Championship Round- Pittsburgh over Baltimore 

NFL: Evaluating the Carson Palmer Trade

It has been the story of week 7 in the NFL, and may very well be the story of the year. Early Tuesday morning the Oakland Raiders traded their first round pick in the 2012 draft and a second rounder in the 2013 draft to the Cincinnati Bengals for former starting quarterback Carson Palmer. 

Palmer fell out of favor with the Bengals after demanding a trade in the off-season. When owner Mike Brown refused, Palmer stated that he had more than enough money to live off of, and formally announced his retirement from the Bengals and football. 

The Bengals decided to go a different route at quarterback while still playing a round of staring contest with Palmer, drafting stud wide receiver AJ Green and Andy Dalton in their first two picks of the 2011 draft. Green has put on a phenomenal campaign for Rookie of the Year, hauling in 29 catches for 453 yards and four touchdowns. Dalton rebounded from a shaky preseason to lead the Bengals to a 3-2 record, with 1,311 yards passing and 7 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. 

The Raiders got off to a quick start, moving to 4-2 on the season before quarterback Jason Campbell was lost for the foreseeable future to a broken collarbone. Not showing any faith in backup Kyle Boller, Hue Jackson and the Raiders made the move for Palmer before the trade deadline. Palmer and Jackson are familiar with each other, as Jackson was the Bengals wide receiver coach from 2004 to 2006. Jackson was also the USC offensive coordinator in 1999 and 2000 when Palmer was the starter. 

In looking at the trade, the Bengals are the clear winner. Adding two potential first round picks to an already young and talented team is vital to continuing the development of Dalton and Green on offense. I’m not really sure that Palmer, even at the height of his career with the Bengals, was ever worth two first round picks. The trade leaves the Raiders without a draft pick until the fifth round this year, although they could garner third round compensatory picks for departed tight end Zack Miller. The Raiders already lose a second rounder to the Patriots in the Richard Seymour trade, and a third rounder used in the Supplemental Draft on Ohio State “quarterback” Terrelle Pryor. Pryor clearly isn’t ready to take over as an NFL quarterback, and with Kyle Boller not being a starter since the early 2000s with the Ravens, Palmer was their last option. 

Palmer is relatively young, only 31 years old, but he has had a rich history of injuries. From his knee to his elbow, Palmer is not at the elite level that other 31 year old quarterbacks Tony Romo or Michael Vick. Palmer shouldn’t have trouble adjusting to the Raiders offense, its the same one he had his career year with in 2005 when Jackson was apart of the Bengals coaching staff. 

The real trouble that Palmer is going to have is developing a chemistry with the Raiders receivers. Ever wonder why Tom Brady and Wes Welker seem to be on the same page during every offensive play that the Patriots run? Its because Welker and Brady throw with each other every single day for the past four seasons. Palmer has no history with Jacoby Ford or Darius Heyward-Bey, the Raiders two top wideouts. 

The Raiders are a team of speed, their receivers are at their best when they run down the field and catch bombs. Palmer was never the type of quarterback to toss the ball downfield. Last season his average yards per pass was 6.78, the fourth lowest in his career. Palmer is not going to come into the season and instantly be a force for the Raiders. Last year he threw for 26 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, the latter being the most in his career. Its ignorant to think that Palmer sat on the couch all season and wasn’t working out, but there is a huge difference in tossing around on a local high school field and practicing with an NFL team. 

The Raiders are in a win now mode. They’re in prime position to make the playoffs this year, with the AFC West not being a powerhouse. Palmer and the Raiders first test is against the Chiefs, a team thats giving up 30 points per game. The Chargers are 4-1 this season, but have down so against very bad teams, with victories over the Chiefs, Broncos, Dolphins, and Vikings. If Palmer can come into the Raiders and successfully hand the ball off to Darren McFadden and occasionally be able to pick up the third and longs, the Raiders will be in a good spot. 

The trade is indefensible if your the Raiders. Your not getting a healthy quarterback with a strong arm in the prime of his career. Palmer has never been the same since tearing his ACL in the playoffs against the Steelers. I, for one, am rooting for Palmer and the Raiders. He wasn’t worth a first round pick, let alone two, but he could be just the quarterback that the Raiders need right now. 

NFL: Week Six Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (6-0): Aaron Rodgers and the Packers had the most deceiving 24-3 victory last week against the Rams. Rodgers threw for 300+ yards for the fourth time this season, but the defense gave up 424 total yards from St. Louis. Green Bay goes into week 7 as the best team in the league right now, gearing up for the 1-5 Minnesota Vikings, where rookie Christian Ponder makes his first pro start. 

Last Week: #1

2. Baltimore Ravens (4-1): Baltimore came out of their bye week and defeated the Houston Texans 29-14. Joe Flacco threw for 304 yards and Ray Rice rushed for another 101 yards, but the offense only put up one touchdown along with five field goals courtesy of Billy Cundiff. The Baltimore defense held Houston, who was without Andre Johnson again this week, to only 293 yards of total offense. The Baltimore defense remains the strong point of the team, and with the Patriots and Saints looking decent at best this week, the Ravens have leapfrogged back into the top-2. 

Last Week: #4

3. New England Patriots (5-1): If it weren’t for the most vanilla play calling on the Cowboys second to last offensive drive of the game, the Patriots may have suffered their second loss of the season. The New England defense looked spotty again this week, giving up 300 yards passing to Tony Romo. However, just as in years past, the Patriots won the battle in the two-minute drill, with Tom Brady driving the team down field before connecting with Aaron Hernandez on the game winning 8 yard touchdown pass. Dallas proved again that if you can knock down Brady and apply pressure, the Patriots are not as dominant as they seem. Unfortunately, that needs to happen for 60 minutes of play not 58, because if you put the Pats in position to win the game in the last two minutes, they’ll beat you every time. 

Last Week: #3

4. New Orleans Saints (4-2): How devastating could it be to lose your head coach in the first quarter to an MCL injury? In the case of the Saints, pretty devastating. Coach Sean Payton is the head signal caller for the Saints offense, and when he left the game the offense faltered. He was not responsible for the fourth down end zone interception Drew Brees threw into the arms of safety Quincy Black, but losing your head coach and play caller really does affect the performance of a team. The Saints loss to Tampa Bay was brutal, as now the two teams stand atop the NFC South at 4-2.

Last Week: #2

5. San Francisco 49ers (5-1): I’m not even going to get into the post-game shouting match between Jim Harbuagh and Jim Schwartz, just know that I would not want to go toe-to-toe with Harbaugh. The 49ers defense was spectacular on Sunday, holding Calvin Johnson to zero touchdown catches, and the Lions never even looked his way on their last two drives when it mattered most. When losing 10-0 early, the 49ers stuck to their guns and ran Frank Gore up and down the field. If the defense and running game can remain dominant and Alex Smith continue to play smart football, the 49ers could be on their way to a first round bye in the playoffs. 

Last Week: #9

6. Detroit Lions (5-1): How badly does America want to see the Lions and 49ers meet up again in the playoffs? The game was not pretty, sloppy play on offense by Matt Stafford and the rest of the Lions, but these two teams are good. The 49ers proved that if you can take Calvin Johnson out of the game, the Lions aren’t going to dominate you. If Johnson and Stafford can get back in a groove for the rest of the year, the Lions will be able to walk into the playoffs. 

Last Week: #5

7. San Diego Chargers (4-1): Week 7 will prove whether or not the Chargers are overrated. On the season, the San Diego four victories came against teams with a combined win total of four (Denver, Miami, Minnesota, and Kansas City). The Chargers were only able to beat those teams by an average margin of 6 points. This Sunday against the Jets could expose San Diego, especially if Vincent Jackson is on Revis Island and tight end Antonio Gates still nurses his toe injury. 

Last Week: #6

8. Oakland Raiders (4-2): The Raiders were so devastated by the collarbone injury to starting quarterback Jason Campbell that they traded away two first round picks to Cincinnati for Carson Palmer this morning. What this shows is that Hue Jackson and the silver and black are fighting to make the playoffs this season. If Palmer can come in and be accurate enough to make some plays when the Raiders aren’t running it with Darren McFadden, then they’ll be able to do just that. 

Last Week: #10

9. New York Giants (4-2): The Giants were able to bounce back nicely this week with a 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills after losing to Seattle last week. The emergence of Jason Pierre-Paul on the defensive line as allowed Giants fans to forget about all the injuries the unit has had this year. They now find themselves atop the mediocre NFC East at 4-2, with key games against New England and San Francisco on the horizon. 

Last Week: Not Ranked

10. Buffalo Bills (4-2): The slipper may be falling off the foot of the Bills this year. The defense got exposed Sunday against the Giants. All year we’ve seen them make big plays on interception returns for touchdowns in key moments, but the Buffalo defense just is not that good. They enter an extremely tough stretch in the coming weeks that could determine their playoff fates, with games against Washington, the Jets, Dallas, Miami and then the Jets again. 

Last Week: #8

Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2, beat Jacksonville 17-10), Washington Redskins (3-2, lost to Philadelphia 20-13), New York Jets (3-3, beat Miami 24-6) Cincinnati Bengals (4-2, beat Indianapolis 27-17)

NFL: Week Five Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (5-0): Is Aaron Rodgers the best quarterback in the NFL right now? His stats seem to say so. Rodgers enters week 5 with a 122.9 QB rating, 1,721 passing yards and 16 total touchdowns (14 in the air, 2 on the ground). Looking at the Packers schedule, they have three distinct tough games against the Chargers, Giants, and Lions. Rodgers has Green Bay steamrolling to at least a 14-2 record. This is a team, even with injuries on the offensive line, that just wins. 

Last Week: #1

2. New Orleans Saints (4-1): I guess that classic week 1 matchup between the Packers and Saints wasn’t just a game between two good teams, it looks like it was a matchup of the two best teams in football. Drew Brees is one of the best pure passers in the game right now, and if it weren’t for the Saints defense they would be blowing a lot of teams out. Great comeback over the Carolina Newton’s last week. 

Last Week: #4

3. New England Patriots (4-1): The Patriots drop a spot in this weeks rankings despite running the ball down the throats of the New York Jets in last weeks 30-21 victory. Tom Brady and Wes Welker have gotten all the press for the Patriots relatively uniform start to the season, but if Benjarvus Green-Ellis can continue to rack up 100-yard games, the offense will become all the more dynamic. The only red flag is the Patriots’ 32nd rank defense. 

Last Week: #2

4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1): Baltimore had an early season bye week last week. The defense is playing this season like Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are both in their twenties. This team will only go as far as Joe Flacco can take them, and that should worry Ravens fans. 

Last Week: #3

5. Detroit Lions (5-0): The Lions are 5-0! The Lions are 5-0! For the first time in some 30 years, the Detroit Lions are 5-0. Monday night’s game against Chicago showed that the Lions are not perfect because of an easy schedule. The Detroit defense is the modern day version of the steel curtain. Oh, and Calvin Johnson’s pretty good too. 

Last Week: #5

6. San Diego Chargers (4-1): San Diego has been able to put together a solid start to the season despite losing Antonio Gates for the last few couple of games to injury. Gates is expected to be back for week 8 against the Jets, but until then Phillip Rivers will have to continue to make due with Vincent Jackson. 

Last Week: #6

7. Washington Redskins (3-1): The Redskins make their first appearance in the top 10, and they didn’t even play a game last week. With losses by the Giants, Jets and Bears, the Redskins are given credit for being first in the NFC East. Rex Grossman has caught some heat because of his weight (does anybody remember Donovon McNabb?), but he has put together a bit of a comeback tour. The Redskins picked the perfect year to play like this, with Philadelphia, New York, and Dallas all underperforming. 

Last Week: Not Ranked 

8. Buffalo Bills (4-1): Is it just me, or has every week had a highlight of a Buffalo player returning an interception for a touchdown then jumping into the stands? The Bills are still riding high this week after embarrassing the Eagles in Buffalo. For the life of me I can’t decide whether the Bills defense is lucky or just down right good. My guess is a little bit of both. Much like the Redskins, the Bills couldn’t have picked a better season for their resurgence, as the Jets are woefully unimpressing. 

Last Week: Not Ranked

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-1): As impressing as the play of the Redskins, Bills, and Lions have been this year, the 49ers and rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh have been the most impressive turnaround. The Lions have an amazing group of talent around them, as do the Bills with Fred Jackson. Beyond Patrick Willis and Frank Gore, the 49ers have nothing. Widely expected to win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes at the start of the year, Harbaugh and the Niners have put together an amazing season. The defense can play against anybody, and Alex Smith is showing (some) signs of the skill the Niners drafted him for seven years ago. 

Last Week: Not Ranked 

10. Oakland Raiders (3-2): I thought the Bills, Lions, Redskins, and 49ers being in the top-10 was weird. Throw in the Raiders? Woah. Oakland is the only 3-2 team on this list, and it isn’t just because of the passing of Al Davis. The Raiders are good. The defense fast and athletic. Darren McFadden is one of the most underrated players in the game. Jason Campbell is playing well enough to win, and Sebastien Janikowski can kick a ball from Connecticut to Massachusetts. When it comes down to it, Hue Jackson just has the Raiders winning...baby. 

Last Week: Not Ranked 

Honorable Mentions: New York Giants (3-2, lost to Seattle 36-25); Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2, beat Tennessee 38-17); Houston Texans (3-2, lost to Oakland 25-20)

NFL: Week Four Storylines

5.) Buffalo Bills v Cincinnati Bengals- The Buffalo Bills are in sole possession of first place in the AFC East. Don’t believe it? Yeah, me neither. The Bills are 3-0, and Ryan Fitzpatrick is making himself look like the best quarterback to come through Buffalo since Jim Kelly (Sorry, Doug Flutie). If the Bills play as well in this week as they have all season, it will be a blowout. However, the Bengals defense is no pushover, and Andy Dalton is starting to look like a solid NFL quarterback. If the Bills win in Cincy, they will go 4-0 for the first time since 2008. 

4.) Pittsburgh Steelers v Houston Texans- At the start of the season, many people were predicting that this be the year that the Houston Texans make the leap from good team to playoff team. So far the Texans are 2-1 after losing a shootout to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. This week, the Texans face another test in the Steelers. It is said if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best, and last year the Steelers were the best in the AFC. If the Texans can knock a potential playoff team down a peg and beat Pittsburgh, it will send a message throughout the league that this year is the year for the Texans. 

3.) New England Patriots v Oakland Raiders- Last week gave us a four interception performance from Tom Brady and a 200+ rushing day for Darren McFadden. This week, the Patriots look to bounce back from a devastating loss to the Bills as the Raiders are riding high after beating the New York Jets and their “unstoppable” defense. Its never a good sign when a team flies across the country after a bad loss, so the Raiders are in prime position to capitalize and send a statement throughout the league that the silver and black is back. 

2.) Detroit Lions v Dallas Cowboys- The Lions are 3-0 for the first time in my lifetime. The Cowboys are coming off a tight win against Washington on Monday Night Football. Detroit has been the comeback kids of this young season, but their wins have come against Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City. The Cowboys represent the best team that Detroit has seen in the first four weeks, and a win in Dallas would be huge for the young Detroit team. 

1.) New York Jets v Baltimore Ravens- Rex Ryan makes his triumphant return to Baltimore, the place he was passed over for head coach three years ago. The Ravens went with John Harbaugh, and since then they’ve been in the playoffs every year. This season the Ravens and Jets have both had games where they look like Super Bowl contenders, and also games where they look like they won’t even sniff the playoffs. The Ravens demolished the Steelers in week one, only to lose a game to the below-average Tennessee Titans in week two. The Jets started off 2-0 before being run into the ground by the Raiders last week. Forecasts for Sunday night show 40 degrees and rain, and you know what that means; alot of defense, and alot of running the ball. Winner of this game will take a huge step forward towards the playoffs, while the loser will be left at .500 entering week five. 

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.