NFL's Top 3 Breakout Performers In Week 2

Its week 2 in the NFL and teams are still trying figure out who they are at this point of the season. There are a lot of great match ups but let me give you my top 3 breakout performers for week 2.

#3 Steve Smith Vs Bills

In Mike Shula’s debut as offensive coordinator for the Panthers he displayed a more d attack which benefited Steve Smith as he was targetd more and collected 6 receptions, 51 yards and a touchdown. As the Panthers take on the Bills this week in Buffalo they meet a team who is thin in the secondary.Stephen Gilmore will be out and Pro bowler Jarius Byrd is uncertain at this point which means more targets for Smith. I expect Steve to have a big day with more explosive plays in week 1 as the Panthers will take more shots down field he will benefit from it.

Projected stats: 7 Receptions 120 Yards 1 Touchdown.

#2 Larry Fitzgerald Vs Lions

Larry Finally has someone who can get him the ball in Carson Palmer. Last Week he had 8 catches for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns. The matchup is simple this week if Carson gets time to throw then Chris Houston is going to have his hands full with Larry. Expect less catches but more explosive plays this week out of #11.

Projected Stats: 6 Catches 110 Yards 2 Touchdowns

#1 Terrelle Pryor Vs Jaguars

Although he threw 2 interceptions against the Colts last week Pryor had his brief flashes of brilliance. He did throw a touchdown and complete 65% of his passes going 19-29. Today I like him against a weak Jacksonville secondary who allowed Alex Smith to do basically whatever he wanted. Pryor in his Raiders debut against a weak opponent will bust out and have a great game.

Projected Stats: 20-28 250 Yards and 2 Touchdowns

Palmer Debuts for Arizona

Rewind back to the Kurt Warner days and this was a time when the Arizona Cardinals fans felt extremely confident about the product that was placed in between the sidelines. Following Warner's departure, the quarterback position became a never ending clown car. You could have thrown a grenade into a crowd and probably hit someone that has played as a quarterback for the Cardinals. Here is the list of players that have taken snaps for the Cardinals since the beginning of the 2010 season:

Derek Anderson - John Skelton - Max Hall - Rich Bartel - Kevin Kolb - Ryan Lindley - Bryan Hoyer

Certainly not an elite list of passers by any means, but you'd think one of the would have stuck by default.

Palmer is now "The Guy" in Arizona (Arizona Cardinals - Associated Press)

Enter Carson Palmer. Are the Cardinals looking for Warner V2? Need we mention the last USC Quarterback that the team employed? Given the dismal performances that we have seen over the past three seasons, it can get much worse, so why not.

Today's game in St. Louis ended up as a 27-24 loss for the Red Sea, but in a way to find a "moral" victory, we saw Palmer go 26/40 with 327 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. When was the last time an Arizona QB threw for more than 300 yards? Well, it was actually last season when Ryan Lindley threw for 312 against STL, but also threw 4 interceptions in that game as well.

Although today's performance seemed much different. Palmer seemed to have confidence. Something that the fans aren't used to see from their QB. Sure a couple miscues and a few missed routes would lead to their demise, but there was a sense of relief amongst the fan base. They finally have a quarterback.

The Good:

1.) Andre Roberts - Was all over the place today and showed why he will make this receiving corp a deadly threat.

2.) Dan Williams - A tipped pass and a stroke of "right place, right time" lead to his first career interception and first career touchdown.

3.) Tyrann Mathieu - Honey Badger made his presence felt in the defense, including an epic forced fumble.

The Bad:

1.) Levi Brown - I'm surprised Brown wasn't dizzy after being turned around by Robert Quinn numerous times.

2.) Cortland Finnegan -  Wouldn't be surprised to see him get a fine for a couple unnecessary roughness penalties.

MNF is back!

Its that time of year again Monday Night Football. A annual American Pastime for 16 weeks which will give us many thrills,chills and memorable moments. Weather your watching the game in the solitude of your home or in a crowd of football fans at a sports bar bombarded by Chicken wings and beer Monday night Football is always a good time. Its more then a game its become an American Tradition in many households like mine. Today its back with a great double header. We got Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens taking on A.J Green in the 1st game at 7pm. Then in the 2nd game we have Darren Mcfadden and the Oakland Raiders taking on Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers in a Division match up. That’s a pretty good way to kick off MNF if you ask me. Hopefully we will get some great moments this season like we have gotten in the past. MNF has given us some of the most sintulating football in league history. From The New York Jets and the “Monday Night Miracle” victory over the Miami Dolphins to dominating performances like the “Monday Night massacre” where the Seattle Seahwaks dominated the Philadelphia Eagles  42-0 Monday Night Football is never short on great moments good or bad. MNF has given us memorable quotations from the likes of  Dennis Green “They were who we thought they were AND WE LET EM OFF DA HOOK”!! Following a massive comeback by the Chicago Bears back in 2006. Monday Night Football is a memory lane even for the bone headed plays like Desean Jacksons TD that he prevented from happening in a Cowboys game vs. Eagels a few years ago. Weather good or bad MNF will leave football fans craving for more and will continue to thrill. So buckle up and brace yourself for Hank Williams too ask Americas favorite question “ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL”?!!. Its game time folks so enjoy it with your friends and family.

The Starting point:2012 NFL Season

Tonight marks the starting point of a Long and gruesome journey known as the NFL regular season. In Canton,Ohio Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints take on Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals at 8:00 on NFL Network in the annual hall of fame game. The result obviously doesn’t matter but for football junkies across the nation seeing the pigskin being thrown, the sound of pads hitting each other is a welcome sight. Over the next 20+ weeks the unexpected will happen. Careers will end,careers will come out of nowhere. Upsets will happen and critics will be proven wrong. Guys who we didn’t know months ago will become household names. Fantasy Football leagues will start up soon. People will come out victorious and some will be humiliated. The boss at the office will be the main target in the company fantasy football league. With Football returning tonight we are closer too the holidays. Thanksgiving Football creeps closer and you and the family will gather around with the welcoming odors of mash potatoes, Pumpkin pie and hopefully if your team is on the gridiron that day a win. The beginning of the week tradition known as “Monday Night Football” is inching closer and im sure many in our country are anxiously awaiting too see some of the leagues most electrifying players slug it out in primtime. The start of preseason marks the Sunday tradition of regular season tailgating inching ever so close. Hot Dogs, burgers, Bratwurst  and passing the football in stadium parking lots is rapidly approaching. Waking up in the mourning and immediately putting on your favorite players jersey as a ritual is weeks away. Inner family rivalrys arguing who’s team is better you say the 1985 Chicago Bears are the greatest team ever. Looking in disgust your brother from Wisconsin says they shouldn’t even breath the same air as the Vince Lombardi Green bay Packer teams. Its rival fans arguing who they think is better like Tom Brady or Dan Marino. Its 70,000+ fans yelling “Who dat who dat who dat say dey gon beat dem saints”. It’s guys like Maurice Jones-Drew and Cam Newton making the impossible look routine. The upcoming season will bring us moments we never thought were even imaginable like “music city miracle” or David tyree’s catch. It’s the trash talking between rivals like Steelers-Ravens and Jets-Patriots. As fans we will experience many emotions this year Pain, Suffering , Nostalgia, Euphoria but as diehard fans we will wear our colors proudly. Whether you are sporting the Black and Electric blue of the Carolina Panthers or the Black and silver of the Oakland Raiders we will be there for our teams. The next 20+ weeks will take teams fans from every fan base through a seemingly never ending rollercoaster of emotions. So sit back try to relax, grab a coke and a smile and enjoy the 2012 NFL season

Ryan Kalil "The guarantee "

@RyanKalil

This past Wednesday Carolina Panthers Pro-bowl center Ryan Kalil said the boldest words I’ve ever heard anybody ever say in a Panther uniform. He took out an ad in the Charlotte Observer too proclaim that the Carolina Panthers would claim the franchises 1st ever super bowl. In the letter he wrote he thanked the fans for the unwavering support they continue to receive year in and year out. I love his prediction for so many different reasons. For so many years as a diehard fan of this team I have seen us fall short of the ultimate goal plenty of times. In 2003 we fell too Tom Brady and the New England Patriots by a goal. Then in 2005 we fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game. Then in 2008 after dominating the NFL to a 12-4 record going in as the 2 seed we get steamrolled by the Arizona Cardinals in Jake Delhommes worst game ever. Where I’m trying to get at is I love this guarantee because Kalil has now set a standard and a good kind of pressure for everybody who puts the black and blue on to do the little things right day in and day out. Personally just as a fan I think this team has more talent then the one that made the super bowl in 03. The guarantee gave something I have never seen any Panther team exude and that is supreme confidence. I don’t care who you are you don’t say what Kalil said without having confidence and the backing of a whole locker room. He isn’t as crazy as people think he is this team has potential to produce 4-6 pro bowlers there is plenty of talent on the Panthers to compete with just about anybody in the NFL. When you have a guy like Cam Newton running your offense you know you are gonna put points up on the board, The only problem with the Carolina was the Defense didn’t do its part. Hopefully with the upgrades of Reggie Smith, Nakumarua, Luck Kuechely and a healthy Jon Beason the defense should be solid they don’t need to be spectacular but they need to stay middle of the pack like 15th-20th and they will be fine. Most of the Panthers toughest out of division opponents are all playing them at home. Giants, Broncos and the Dallas Cowboys all make a trip to the Queen city where historically the Panthers play better. Kalil and his promise have endeared him to the fans and that is why he made the promise in the first place the fans. He said “It was for them we haven’t given them a whole lot to cheer about the last few years”. He is right fans continue to support the team regardless of the record, Carolina is on a 90+ consecutive sellout streak at Bank of America stadium. People look at the 6-10 record from the previous year but don’t realize that the Panthers lost 6 games by a touchdown or less, so it wasn’t like teams were steamrolling us. With upgrades at the teams weakest positions this team is primed and ready to take on the NFL’S elite and I believe as a fan that this could be a special year. We have the talent to do so and now we have new found swagger that I’ve never seen before so im looking forward to a great season and too what I hope is the coronation of the Queen City with a Super Bowl Trophy.