Read Sports Geek’s argument that USC-Washington is the best game of the week while Bleacher Fan argues that the NFL matchup between Pittsburgh and Chicago is the best game.
I hope everyone is ready for the weekend and week 2 of the NFL season. Many of week one’s matchups were very good, and there promises to be more of the same ahead. I will actually be in Atlanta this weekend to watch the Falcons and Panthers battle at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, after being up all night on Saturday watching Journey perform in metro Atlanta (are you jealous Bleacher Fan?). As for football, I have chosen the aforementioned Panthers-Falcons matchup as the best game of the weekend.
As I alluded to in Monday’s debate, the Panthers are struggling. Let’s face it, quarterback Jake Delhomme looked absolutely dreadful last week against the Eagles. He had five turnovers, but it could have been much more if he hadn’t been yanked in the third quarter for Josh McCown (who is now injured). The running game, which is a strong point of the team and features DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, was unable to get on track because of the scoring deficit.
The Falcons, on the other hand, are coming off a solid victory over the reigning AFC East champions, the Miami Dolphins. Quarterback Matt Ryan showed a little rust in the game, but he has a new best friend on the field in tight end Tony Gonzalez. As for the defense, which was considered to be the weakness of the team, they had a strong game by limiting the Dolphins offensively, who were unable to get their “Wildcat” formation on track.
This game figures to be a test for the Falcons secondary, though. Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington’s arm doesn’t necessarily pressure a defense downfield, but with Atlanta’s secondary lacking in height, look for Muhsin Muhammad to possibly have a big game this weekend. Steve Smith also seems to play well against Atlanta, going back to his battles with cornerback DeAngelo Hall, a former Falcon who currently plays for the Washington Redskins.
For the Panthers, Delhomme really needs to get back on track before it is too late. He is still the best option the Panthers have at the quarterback position, since the only other active quarterbacks on their roster are newly signed veteran A.J. Feeley and the inexperienced Matt Moore. Head coach John Fox (who really needs a chewing gum sponsorship) and the rest of Carolina’s management obviously have faith in Delhomme, having given him a contract extension in the offseason. The pressure will remain on Delhomme to perform, as he will be starting again on Sunday, despite being benched against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Let’s not forget, too, that this is a division clash. On one hand, Carolina needs to win to avoid falling two games behind Atlanta and possibly the New Orleans Saints, depending on their matchup with the Eagles. On the other hand, the Falcons need to take advantage of being at home, and to take advantage of the fact that the Panthers, the reigning NFC South champions, appear to be vulnerable. Both teams also have difficult road tests next week, with the Falcons going to New England to face the Patriots, and the Panthers heading to Dallas to take on the Cowboys.
As always, there are good games each and every week in the NFL, but this matchup is very important to both teams, and could be a hotly contested matchup.
