Hawks Dealing

G Joe Johnson was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

F Marvin Williams (pictured right) was traded to the Utah Jazz.

The Atlanta Hawks have gotten the busy NBA free agency period started by making two significant trades. The Hawks started by trading their $100 million man, G Joe Johnson, to the Brooklyn Nets for the expiring contracts of G Jordan Farmar, F Johan Petro, F Anthony Morrow, C Jordan Williams, and G Deshawn Stevenson. Stevenson is currently a free agent so his inclusion in the deal is via sign-and-trade.

Only recently have the Nets and the Hawks talked about a deal including Johnson. Johnson was able to capitalize on being in a strong free agency class in 2010. The Hawks were reluctant to lose him so they paid him $119 million for six years. Johnson hasn't been able to lift the Hawks since he signed the deal. In the 2011 postseason, they were ousted again in the second round by the Chicago Bulls, and were ousted by the Boston Celtics in the first round this postseason.

For good measure, the Hawks also decided to deal their former first-round pick F Marvin Williams to the Utah Jazz for G Devin Harris. Williams, who was drafted second overall by the Hawks in the 2005 NBA Draft ahead of G Deron Williams and G Chris Paul, has been a disappointment in the NBA. He was projected to be a franchise player, but has become nothing more than a less-than-average role player. After seven insignificant seasons in Atlanta, the Hawks finally let him go.

By unloading Johnson's $119 million contract, the Hawks have surprisingly put themselves in position to be in the running for C Dwight Howard. Even though it is considered a longshot by NBA analysts, Howard's best friend is F Josh Smith and both Smith and Howard were born and raised in Atlanta. The Hawks will definitely try to sell Howard and those two points once they decide to step into trade conversations. They can also wait for next offseason to attempt to sign him.

Howard has publicly stated that there is only one team that he interested in joining. Many NBA analysts and sources have stated that team is the Nets. Howard won't publicly state what team he's looking to join, so the Hawks are holding out hope that he would like to join his hometown team. As soon as Danny Ferry jumped on board to become the Hawks' general manager, his goal was to rid the Hawks of the two most expensive contracts, which he has just achieved. Ferry now looks to rebuild with cap flexibility.

As for the Nets, signing G Deron Williams will put them at the limit of the salary cap, which would essentially take them out of the bidding for Howard's service in free agency next season. This means the only way the Nets can obtain Howard is through a sign-and-trade. So now the question is do the Nets hold on to Joe Johnson for long? With an opportunity to get Dwight Howard, I don't see the Nets holding on to him for long.

With the acquisition of Harris, it will be interesting to see what the team does with him and rising G Jeff Teague. Do they pair both of them in a small backcourt, or do they come with Harris off the bench? That is a question coach Larry Drew will have to answer come September or October. As for now, hopefully a new location and potential fresh start for Marvin Williams can bring more out of him. So far, his career has been a bust.

Pressure For Melo?

Miami Heat F Lebron James and New York Knicks F Carmelo Anthony

With the Miami Heat being up three games to one on the Oklahoma City Thunder, F Lebron James seems destined to capture the long-awaited championship that has eluded him the first eight seasons of his career. James has been the most scrutinized player in the NBA for coming up short every season while having championship expectations.

In the 2006-2007 season, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers didn't really have any championship expectations. However, with a 50-32 record and a #2 seed in the East, they shocked the #1 seed Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach the NBA Finals for the first time. As expected, they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. It was supposed to be a humbling lesson for James and the Cavaliers, as his time was coming soon.

In the 2007-2008 season, James missed several games due to injury, in which the Cavaliers lost each one of the games James missed. The Cavaliers dipped to 45-37 and a #4 seed in the East, but with a healthy James, they took the eventual champions Boston Celtics to seven games in which James scored 45 points in the Game 7 loss.

The following offseason, the Cavaliers were able to acquire G Mo Williams in a three-team trade. The Cavaliers immediately took off with Williams providing scoring help for James. The Cavaliers ran through the league en route to a 66-16 record, one game better than the Los Angeles Lakers for the best record in the NBA. However, they were stunned by the #3 seed Orlando Magic. The next season, the Cavaliers won 61 games but lost to the #4 seed Celtics in the second round.

James failed to win a championship with the less-than-subpar supporting cast in Cleveland, and bolted for Miami in the oft-criticized "The Decision" program which aired on ESPN. James would join his good friend G Dwyane Wade in an effort to win a championship, and they were instantly written down as the team to win the next several championships. James even added to his own pressure with his speech during their introduction to Miami in American Airlines Arena, in which he famously said, "Not three, not four, not five..."

While the Heat struggled initially, they caught fire in the month of December. In a midseason funk in late February to early March, in which the Heat would lose five straight games, including a memorable home loss against the Chicago Bulls in which it was stated by head coach Erik Spoelstra that several players were crying in the locker room. The Heat bounced back and made it to the NBA Finals in which they were favorites to win. However, the Dallas Mavericks got their long-awaited championship by beating the Heat in six games.

Lebron James has traveled a long road to get this close to winning his first title. However, a friend of his drafted two spots after him to the Denver Nuggets has enjoyed a decorated career himself. F Carmelo Anthony actually has been to the playoffs every season of his NBA career. James missed the playoffs his first two seasons. However, Anthony has only made it out of the first round once, when they lost to the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference Finals.

The careers of James and Anthony have always been compared to each other. However, as James has enjoyed being in championship contention every year, Anthony has suffered early exits from the postseason. In the 2010 season, the Nuggets had another opportunity to get past the first round. However, they were upset by the Utah Jazz, and that was the last of Anthony's playoff tenure with the Nuggets.

Anthony was traded mid-season to the New York Knicks during the 2010-2011 season. The Knicks struggled after acquiring Anthony, and were promptly swept by the Celtics in the first round. This season didn't prove to be any different, as Anthony and the Knicks struggled and were promptly handled in the first round by James' Heat.

If James has been on the hot seat for so long, why isn't Anthony? Will the media turn their attention to Anthony after James captures his first championship? This will be very interesting observe. Many people generally agree that Anthony isn't a championsip-caliber player. However, with the career he has enjoyed so far, he will need a championship.

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LT Walks Away

After 11 Hall-of-Fame seasons, RB Ladainian Tomlinson has called it quits.

At 32 years old and 13,000 yards plus to his 11-year career, former San Diego Chargers RB Ladainian Tomlinson has decided to hang up the cleats and get ready to attack the next phase of his life; retirement. With Tomlinson being such a solid receiver in addition to being a Hall of Fame running back, many might question if he is leaving the game too soon. There are several teams in the league that can use his abilities, especially on third downs. Tomlinson, however, was not going to wait long to get the right offer.

When thinking about the career of Tomlinson, who was drafted fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft out of TCU, you immediately think of his prime years with the Chargers, especially his 2006 season. The Chargers went 14-2 that season, and Tomlinson reached the end zone a record 30 times that season en route to an NFL MVP award. Tomlinson also helped the Chargers get to the playoffs several times, including an appearance in the AFC Championship Game in 2007.

Tomlinson played his final two seasons with the New York Jets, the team that eliminated the Chargers in the 2009 playoffs in his final season there. Tomlinson's carries reduced with the Jets, especially this past season where he only got 75 carries. However, he still caught 42 passes for over 400 yards. The Jets actually could've benefited from giving Tomlinson more carries. RB Shonn Greene received the majority of the carries, but he did not give the rushing attack a boost at all.

Tomlinson first indicated his plans to retire during the memorial service at Qualcomm Stadium for former Chargers LB Junior Seau. Tomlinson said he has been reading books and learning way to adjust to life being retired, something that Seau couldn't quite adjust to. Adjusting to retirement isn't as easy as many thought, as some players struggle without the fame and money. Now, the issue of injuries and concussions suffered from years of hard-hitting and collisions has dominated as a number of retired players have filed numerous lawsuits against the NFL for leaving them in the dark about the dangers of concussions.

You never know how someone's retirement could turn out. It could be a nice and quiet retirement for Tomlinson if he stays out of the public eye like former Detroit Lions RB Barry Sanders. He could stay in the spotlight in some form of an analyst position with a major TV network like former New York Giants DE Michael Strahan. Or it could be a tumultuous and hectic time if he doesn't adjust to retirement like he would want to. Let's hope it's a successful retirement. He deserves it.

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Is Suh Out Of Control?

Ndamukong Suh placed a phone call to commissioner Roger Goodell to apologize for his latest actions, but Goodell didn't think it was enough. Goodell handed a two-game suspension to Suh for stomping on Evan Dietrich-Smith. Many have debated what kind of punishment Suh should have received for his latest unsportsmanlike act. Only in his second season, Suh already finds himself fighting a "dirty" label.

On Thanksgiving Day, on the national stage, Suh committed arguably his dirtiest action when he stomped on Smith in the third quarter in what was a tight game. Following Suh's ejection, the Lions simply weren't the same and Aaron Rodgers took advantage offensively. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported on the FOX NFL Sunday Pregame Show that Suh's Lion teammates ripped him after the game for the act and getting himself tossed from the game.

During Suh's rookie season, during preseason, Suh violently brought down Jake Delhomme after he already got rid of the football, which drew a penalty. That was the start of what would be a brief career start filled with incidents labeled "dirty" by many around the league. This is Suh's first suspension for any of his actions, but as Kordell Stewart said on ESPN's First Take, the league should've sent a message to him long before.

Suh has started the process in filing an appeal, so we'll wait and see how that turns out. His call to Goodell could be in his favor in the appeals process, but that's not a given. If Suh misses the next two games, he'll miss an important road game in the Superdome against the New Orleans Saints, who just rolled the New York Giants. The following week is a home game against the division-worst Minnesota Vikings.

One thing that is glaring in the entire picture is the fact that Suh hasn't apologized to Smith himself. After Stevie Johnson mocked Plaxico Burress on one of his touchdown dances, Johnson thought it over and sent apology messages to Burress. Suh's action was much worse than Johnson's silly actions, yet Suh didn't find the need to get the guy's phone number or find him after the game to apologize.

That is what's wrong with Suh. He is not showing any responsibility for his actions and he isn't showing any genuine remorse. Matt Slauson of the New York Jets was teammates with Suh at Nebraska, and Slauson had some angry comments about Suh in general from their time there. Slauson believes Suh should get medical help because he isn't thinking clearly at all times. That is a possibility, especially since Suh tried to rationalize his actions after the game.

Hopefully this is a lesson for Suh. Many people are saying Suh won't have a long career because of his actions. His "dirty" actions have nothing to do with his potential longevity in the league. If Suh is productive and dominant at times like we know he can be, he'll have a long career. However, if he wants to avoid the fines, suspensions and negative labels, he ought to start correcting himself right now.
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Week 2 Recap

QB Matthew Stafford threw 4 TD's in Sunday's rout.

Kansas City 3, Detroit 48

Coming into Week 2, this was looking like one of the easiest predictions of the week. The Lions did not disappoint in many people's predictions, as they rolled the Chiefs into humiliation. For the second consecutive week, the Chiefs offense did nearly nothing while the defense allowed at least 40 points. RB Jamaal Charles tore his ACL in this game also, so the Chiefs have lost their two best players in consecutive weeks. The Chiefs can be contenders for 0-16.

Next Week: Chiefs at Chargers, Lions at Vikings

Seattle 0, Pittsburgh 24

The Steelers got back on track, just as everyone expected, with a home-opening victory over the Seahawks. QB Ben Roethlisberger completed over 70% of his passes for nearly 300 yards and a touchdown in the easy victory. His favorite target happened to be WR Mike Wallace, who caught eight passes for 126 yards and was the recipient of Roethlisberger's lone touchdown pass. QB Tavaris Jackson wasn't bad, but their running game gave them absolutely nothing. The Seahawks only had 31 yards rushing, and Jackson led the team in rushing with 12 yards.

Next Week: Cardinals at Seahawks, Steelers at Colts

Green Bay 30, Carolina 23

QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' offense started off slowly, as the Panthers jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first half, and held a 13-7 lead at halftime. The Packers made adjustments that worked, as they outscored the Panthers 23-10 in the second half, while the defense picked off QB Cam Newton three times. Newton was fascinating again, throwing for 432 yards. However, his three interceptions were costly, as it afforded the Packers the opportunity to go ahead for good.

Next Week: Packers at Bears, Jaguars at Panthers

Tampa Bay 24, Minnesota 20

The Vikings appeared to be rolling in the second half, behind the strength of two touchdowns from RB Adrian Peterson. That all changed in the second half as the Buccaneers got their act together and made plays, reversing a 17-point halftime deficit and stunning the Vikings in the Metrodome. RB LeGarrette Blount scored two touchdowns in the second half, and QB Josh Freeman threw a touchdown pass in the comeback win. QB Donovan McNabb was much better than last week, throwing for 228 yards, completing 18 of 30 attempts. The second straight close loss leaves the Vikings searching for second half consistency.

Next Week: Falcons at Buccaneers, Lions at Vikings

Jacksonville 3, New York Jets 32

QB Mark Sanchez threw two first half interceptions, giving the Jaguars a chance to stay in the game. It wasn't meant to be, as QB Luke McCown threw four interceptions before being benched in favor of rookie QB Blaine Gabbert. Sanchez only threw for 182 yards, but threw two touchdown passes to WR Santonio Holmes and TE Dustin Keller. The bright spot for the Jaguars was RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who rushed for 88 yards. The benching of McCown will raise questions all week for coach Jack Del Rio as to who will be the starter next week.

Next Week: Jaguars at Panthers, Jets at Raiders

Baltimore 13, Tennessee 26

The Titans rode the arm of veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck in beating the Ravens, one week removed from the Ravens handling of the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers. QB Joe Flacco was off all day, completing less than 50% of his passes and throwing two interceptions. Meanwhile, Hasselbeck had 358 yards passing on that Ravens' defense when they decided to focus on stopping RB Chris Johnson. WR Kenny Britt had a career-high nine catches for 135 yards and a touchdown. WR Nate Washington also chipped in with 99 yards receiving.

Next Week: Ravens at Rams, Broncos at Titans

Chicago 13, New Orleans 30

The Bears took the early lead with a touchdown pass from QB Jay Cutler to WR Dane Sanzenbacher, but they fell hard after that. Playing on an emotional day after the death of LB Brian Urlacher's mother, the made mistakes offensively and defensively that cost them the game. QB Drew Brees completed 26 of 37 attempts for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Cutler, on the other hand, completed less than 50% of his passes but did not throw an interception. However, he was sacked six times and fumbled once.

Next Week: Packers at Bears, Texans at Saints

Bills' QB Ryan Fitzpatrick fired 3 TD passes in the comeback.

Oakland 35, Buffalo 38

In what clearly was the best game of Week 2, the Bills improved to 2-0 in a thriller which came down to the last minute. The Raiders jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead behind three touchdown runs from RB Michael Bush, RB Darren McFadden and QB Jason Campbell. However, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick turned the page on the first half performance, and was excellent in the second half with three touchdown passes. The Bills scored five touchdowns in the second half to make the comeback. Fitzpatrick threw for 264 yards while Campbell threw for 323 yards and two touchdowns, both in the second half as well.

Next Week: Jets at Raiders, Patriots at Bills

Arizona 21, Washington 22

The Redskins continue to dominate the Cardinals historically, winning their eighth straight matchup against them with a close one-point victory. This game was close throughout, with the Redskins up 3 at the half. The Cardinals had an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter, but they couldn't hold it. QB Rex Grossman threw two interceptions, but he also threw two touchdown passes and completed a key pass to WR Santana Moss on fourth down in the fourth quarter. QB Kevin Kolb threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn't enough. K Graham Gano kicked the game-winning field goal for the Redskins.

Next Week: Cardinals at Seahawks, Redskins at Cowboys

Cleveland 27, Indianapolis 19

The Colts continue to look awful without QB Peyton Manning, as the Browns weathered an early deficit to defeat the Colts for the first time since 1994. RB Peyton Hillis ran for nearly 100 yards and two touchdowns, putting the finishing touches on the game with his last touchdown. The Colts are 0-2 for the first time since Manning's rookie season. While it appeared QB Kerry Collins was more comfortable early on, he reverted back to last week's form in the loss.

Next Week: Dolphins at Browns, Steelers at Colts

Dallas 27, San Francisco 24 OT

QB Tony Romo was criticized all week for his fourth quarter performance against the Jets last week, but it was completely different this week. Romo suffered a fractured rib in the first half, but came back in the game to lead the Cowboys back down 10 in the fourth quarter. WR Jesse Holley, who won a spot on the team via Michael Irvin's reality show, caught the first OT pass from Romo and took it all the way down to the one-yard line, setting up the game-winning field goal. It was a much needed win for the Cowboys, as plenty of doubt would've crept in if they would've started the season 0-2.

Next Week: Redskins at Cowboys, 49ers at Bengals

Houston 23, Miami 13

The Dolphins lost their sixth consecutive home game dating back to last season, while the Texans looked sharp again. QB Chad Henne looked brilliant last week against the Patriots, but was awful this week. He completed less than 50% of his passes for only 170 yards. QB Matt Schaub, on the other hand, completed 21 of 29 attempts for 230 yards and two touchdowns. RB Ben Tate rushed for over 100 yards, just as his counterpart RB Daniel Thomas did on the other side. Thomas' game was the one bright spot for the Dolphins.

Next Week: Texans at Saints, Dolphins at Browns

San Diego 21, New England 35

QB Tom Brady was his usual self, constantly going to no-huddle and lighting up the Chargers' secondary just as he did to the Dolphins last week. Brady threw for 423 yards, his second straight 400+ yard game. QB Cam Newton, as a rookie, has done the same thing this season. However, while Newton's performances has resulted in two losses, Brady's performance has led to two victories. QB Philip Rivers was on point as well, completing 29 of 40 attempts for 378 yards and two touchdowns. However, Rivers' two interceptions were costly, in addition to RB Mike Tolbert's fumble in the second half. WR Vincent Jackson was a bright spot, with 10 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

Next Week: Chiefs at Chargers, Patriots at Bills

Cincinnati 22, Denver 24

Rookie QB Andy Dalton was impressive in his second NFL start, throwing for 332 yards and two touchdowns. However, it wasn't enough as the Broncos were able to scrape by. QB Kyle Orton's numbers weren't pretty, but his two touchdown passes, both to WR Eric Decker, were huge. The Broncos were in a strange position once WR Eddie Royal got hurt. Since WR Brandon Lloyd was out, they were extremely thin at the receiver position. They put in beloved QB Tim Tebow to play the position shortly to fill in.

Next Week: 49ers at Bengals, Broncos at Titans

QB Michael Vick had the Eagles ahead before he left with a concussion.

Philadelphia 31, Atlanta 35

Once QB Michael Vick left with a concussion, the Eagles were doomed. Even though backup QB Mike Kafka showed flashes of greatness, the Eagles were unable to maintain their lead after Vick left and lost a close one. Vick, playing in front of his old home fans, was throwing with efficiency and picking his spots when he ran the ball. The Falcons, not a good blitzing team, found it extremely difficult to keep up with him and the offense. QB Matt Ryan was praised by analysts for his performance, but it was shaky at best. Although he threw four touchdowns, he threw two boneheaded interceptions and only threw for 195 yards. The Eagles still had a chance to win it. WR Jeremy Maclin, spectacular all day, dropped an easy pass from Kafka to seal it.

Next Week: Giants at Eagles, Falcons at Buccaneers


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Week 2 Predictions

Kansas City @ Detroit

QB Matthew Stafford is looking for a 2-0 start.

After watching Week 1, this might be the easiest pick of the week. The Chiefs, coming off of a division title last season, looked horrible in their home opener against the Buffalo Bills. Losing 41-7 at home was bad, but things got worse when S Eric Berry was injured when Bills' WR Steve Johnson blocked him very low, giving him a season-ending injury. For the Lions, they lived up to expectations with an impressive road victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their home opener should be easy.

Edge: Detroit

Oakland @ Buffalo

Both teams started the season on the road, and both teams took care of business on the road to start off 1-0. There weren't any expectations for either team coming into the season, so their road victories were impressive. After this game, someone will be looking good at 2-0. Who will that be? QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had arguably the best quarterback performance in Week 1 of all. Their defense was impressive too, limiting the Chiefs' offense that looked good last year. The Raiders got a good win against the Broncos, but they committed a lot of penalties in a sloppy game.

Edge: Buffalo

Baltimore @ Tennessee

The Baltimore Ravens had their best performance in years when they stomped the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. QB Joe Flacco was very efficient, and RB Ray Rice was making plays out of the backfield, whether it was running the ball or receiving. The defense was stout, forcing seven turnovers and making QB Ben Roethlisberger look dreadful. The Tennessee Titans, on the other hand, were a disappointment on all levels last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Expect the same this week.

Edge: Baltimore

Jacksonville @ New York Jets

The Jets have a knack for making things look close when they really shouldn't be. Most people thought they would blow out the Dallas Cowboys, yet the Cowboys had the game won if it wasn't for several boneheaded mistakes. The last time the Jaguars played in New Jersey, they came out the victor, during Rex Ryan's first season. So it isn't set in stone that the Jets will win this easily. This is a trap game for them, and hopefully Ryan has put that in his players' heads. Look for the Jets to take advantage of QB Luke McCown behind center, coming with an array of blitz packages.

Edge: New York Jets

Cleveland @ Indianapolis

Both teams were extremely disappointing in Week 1, so it is very hard to determine who will come out as the winner. Most people, including myself, thought the Cleveland Browns would easily handle the Cincinnati Bengals, who were starting a rookie quarterback and rookie receiver. Instead, the Bengals won by 10, and left the Browns searching for answers. The Indianapolis Colts were dreadful, and it makes me wonder whether WR Reggie Wayne was right when he said the Colts were better off going to QB Curtis Painter than QB Kerry Collins. The Colts' defense is still fairly healty, so they should play well at home against the Browns.

Edge: Indianapolis

Arizona @ Washington

Both teams won their season openers at home, but they are completely different. While QB Kevin Kolb passed for 309 yards and two touchdowns, he was helped out by possibly the worst defense in the NFL, which the Redskins are far from this year. The Redskins were very impressive, albeit against a defense with a ton of injuries. QB Rex Grossman looked like a man on a mission to prove that these Redskins will come out as the division winner. Kolb didn't fare well against the Redskins last year when QB Michael Vick got hurt, so he'll look for redemption.

Edge: Washington

Tampa Bay @ Minnesota

Most experts probably didn't see the fact that the Buccaneers are overrated because they played a team in the Detroit Lions who are on the rise. The Buccaneers haven't lost to the Vikings since they both split from the NFC Central division in 2002. However, history is history and the Vikings have QB Donovan McNabb now. That's not saying much, especially after his horrible performance at San Diego. Still, the Vikings defense looked somewhat solid in making the Chargers work for their victory. This may not be as close as you think.

Edge: Minnesota

Green Bay @ Carolina

QB Cam Newton was the story of the week, passing for 422 yards in his NFL debut, an NFL record. He was playing the Cardinals' defense, who are not the Packers' defense. Granted, the Packers defense did give up 34 points to the New Orleans Saints and looked outright bad at times as well. However, an experienced quarterback will be lucky to have half the production he had last week.

Edge: Green Bay

Chicago @ New Orleans

Many people say the Bears looked good last week in their rout of the Atlanta Falcons. They only reinforced what I expected out of the Falcons, which wasn't much. However, that doesn't mean the Bears are an excellent football team. Going into the Louisiana Superdome will cause problems for QB Jay Cutler, and QB Drew Brees will pick up where he left off from last week.

Edge: New Orleans

Seattle @ Pittsburgh

After starting the season at Baltimore, the Steelers get a relatively easy season opener. The Steelers looked awful against the Ravens in a 35-7 loss, leaving Mike Tomlin speechless as expected. When the Steelers are winning, Tomlin has the answers. When they're losing, he doesn't know. Let's just say he's just a motivational speaker for his ball club. The Seahawks didn't look good against the San Francisco 49ers, and more importantly, QB Tavaris Jackson didn't look good. That's trouble for this franchise.

Edge: Pittsburgh

Dallas @ San Francisco

Even though QB Tony Romo received a lot of criticism for his failures in the fourth quarter, Romo was excellent for the first three quarters. Echoing the sentiments of Skip Bayless, if TE Jason Witten would just become a man and handle small S Jim Leonhard, the Cowboys would be 1-0. Instead, a lot of unfortunate circumstances have them in need of a victory now. The 49ers are 1-0 after an easy victory against the Seahawks, but the Cowboys are much different. This used to be a rich rivalry, but now it's a matchup of pedestrian football teams.

Edge: Dallas

San Diego @ New England

QB Tom Brady is coming off a 517-yard performance.

These two teams are regularly labeled Super Bowl contenders year after year, so this is clearly the best game this weekend. The Chargers didn't look too good in beating the Vikings, but a win is a win. The Patriots, on the other hand, beat the Miami Dolphins into embarrassment. QB Tom Brady was setting records all day, but 500+ yards won't happen against the Chargers. However, Brady and the offense displayed the kind of offense they were thriving in during their record 2007 season. This might be trouble for the NFL.

Edge: New England

Cincinnati @ Denver

Broncos' fans are calling for QB Tim Tebow to take over, but coach John Fox isn't budging. That's a good idea, because you don't want to make a change this early in the season to a quarterback you're unsure of. Simply put, Tebow cannot throw like an NFL quarterback yet, so he's not ready. The Broncos were sloppy in their home loss to the Raiders, and QB Kyle Orton was a part of that. Still, he kept the Broncos close and made them competitive. The Bengals surprisingly won against the Browns, but I'm still very unsure of what I'll see from this team. Makes for an interesting game or season.

Edge: Denver

Houston @ Miami

While the Texans rang up 34 points in the first half against the Colts, they didn't quite look good. QB Matt Schaub still threw a poor interception and his touchdown pass to WR Andre Johnson was tipped before it reached his hands. If the Colts' offense weren't disastrous, they probably have a chance to win the game. The Texans were given good field position all day as a result of QB Kerry Collins' poor play. That's a different outcome if he moves the ball more effectively. The Dolphins defense looked bad, but QB Chad Henne was surpringly good. If he can keep that up, they'll be better than I thought.

Edge: Miami

Philadelphia @ Atlanta

QB Michael Vick starts in Atlanta for the first time.

Most people are pitting this game as the most interesting matchup, only because QB Michael Vick is returning to Atlanta. However, the Falcons aren't all they're made out to be. Until they get consistent quarterback play from QB Matt Ryan, they'll forever be just a decent team. Their schedule is much harder this year, since they have to play the NFC North. The Eagles are a great team, when Vick is on top of his game. As shown in their game against the St. Louis Rams, they're only as good as Vick allows them to be.

Edge: Philadelphia

St. Louis @ New York Giants

Both teams are suffering from a rash of injuries heading into this game, so both teams should be thankful for an extra day to prepare. Rams' coach Steve Spagnuolo will be in the Meadowlands for the first time since the 2007 season, when he led the Giants' defense to a Super Bowl victory. He has done a good job leading the Rams, but they have injuries at real important positions heading into this game. The Giants hope to have DE Justin Tuck and WR Hakeem Nicks playing. Tuck is the most important defensive player and Nicks is the most important offensive player behind QB Eli Manning.

Edge: New York Giants

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Nuggets Don't Want Season

F J.R. Smith is taking his talents to China.

F Wilson Chandler decided to take a chance and play in China.

Two weeks ago, F Wilson Chandler, who was scheduled to be a free agent once the lockout ended, announced he was signing with an organization in the Chinese Basketball Association. Chandler started the 2010-2011 season with the New York Knicks, but was sent to the Denver Nuggets in the big deal that sent F Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks. Nuggets' coach George Karl was impressed with Chandler's work, which helped the Nuggets stay in contention in the Western Conference.

 J.R. Smith was also scheduled to be a free agent once the lockout ended, but he has followed Chandler's path and signed on to play in the Chinese Basketball Association as well. The league decided to not pursue any NBA players under contract, and stated whatever players signed there had to play the entire season. That eliminates Smith and Chandler for the 2011-2012 NBA season, should there be one.

There was no telling if the Nuggets management actually wanted to bring both of them back. If they did, this is a big blow to the organization. It's likely they wanted Chandler back, since he's still very young at 24, and can play multiple positions offensively and defensively. Smith always seemed to be a thorn in Karl's side, putting up ridiculous shots and not playing sound defense. At times, Smith was an electric scorer as the sixth man, putting up at least 35 points on several occasions.

Losing both of them would be detrimental to the Nuggets, who lost their superstar. No one knows if Chandler or Smith would've wanted to re-sign with them anyway, but the Nuggets cannot afford to lose two talented individuals. After the trade, they had about eight players who were capable starters in this league. Chandler, a starter with the Knicks, actually came off the bench behind F Danilo Gallinari, who was also traded to the Nuggets from the Knicks.

If there is a season, the Nuggets have some decisions to make. It seemed as if they were determined to trade G Raymond Felton, another member of the trade, this offseason. Now with the guaranteed loss of Chandler and Smith, do they proceed and trade another scoring option? That remains to be seen, but the season actually starting remains to be seen as well.

IF there is a season, the Nuggets contending for a championship won't be happening. Most people would make the argument that they are not capable of contending even with Smith and Chandler. The top four teams in the Western Conference this past season were the Spurs, Lakers, Mavericks and Thunder. The Nuggets, as crazy as it may seem, are capable of beating any of those four fielding the team they had after the Anthony trade.

Finally, let's see if the Nuggets are interested in bringing them back when they return to the states.

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