LKelley67

I have normally been a fan of having as many of the division games as late in the season as possible. This year there seems to be as many early divisional games as I can ever remember. I think I like it. Some just cuz we have so many secret weapons to unleash on opponents at the start here. Also though, the NFL season has evolved into such a lengthy bout of 17 weeks that many times a team may have a completely different play at the start and end of the season. The early divisional games are a challenge to a new regime or teams with early injuries. But the later ones have there own obstacles- teams completely out of it or season changing injuries. Whaddya say, likey?

WEEK 1
Falcons at Panthers

WEEK 2
Bucs at Falcons

WEEK 3
Panthers at Bucs
Falcons at Saints

WEEK 4
Saints at Panthers

WEEK 5
Bucs at Saints

hagan714

WEEK 1
Falcons at Panthers

WEEK 2
Bucs at Falcons

hope they beat the heck out of on another before they come to town. i perfer limping

LKelley67

Some general division related commentary that I didn't want to start a new thread over...

It makes me wonder if the football gods when considering the Saints have said, "Okay, after last year that is enough for this woeful franchise. Let's start swinging things their way."

The offensive line virus that has successfully hospitalized teams like the Browns, Raiders, Chiefs and Packers, chose yet another victim this week by attacking C Justin Hartwig (groin), who missed his second straight practice with a groin injury Thursday. His chances of playing on Sunday are questionable. Hartwig was struck by the injury bug just two days after the team learned LT Travelle Wharton (knee) would miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. After yanking RG Evan Mathis from the lineup in the second half of Sunday's loss to Atlanta, coach John Fox said the position is up for grabs. So now, who are the names that man the offensive trenches in Carolina? Replacing OLT Wharton will be ORT Jordan Gross -- he will shift to the left side. OLG Mike Wahle went to his first Pro Bowl last year and the Panthers really don't want to move him. Keeping him in place could help settle the move of Gross to the left side. Hartwig, better find his way back from injury in time to start on Sunday or the Panthers have a mess on their hands. Not having Hartwig, who makes the offensive line calls, would severely damage their chances of a road win in Minnesota. Backup C Geoff Hangartner does however have some experience calling the O-Line scheme and would be the replacement for Hartwig if needed. No one knows who is going to play RG in place of the demoted Mathis. Veteran Todd Fordham will start at right tackle -- a plus is he does know the system but is he capable of taking full-term snaps? Is he conditioned to do so? PFS Carolina doesn’t believe so. OL Jeremy Bridges, who spent the past two seasons with Arizona, was signed Tuesday. He doesn't know the offense and probably won't be ready to play right away, but could eventually take over the right tackle starting role. If this information isn’t enough to make you worry about the chances of the preseason favorite to win the Super Bowl, nothing will.

LKelley67

Clayton-

Normally, the NFL likes to ease itself into divisional matchups. Last season, for example, only 13 divisional games were played in the first three weeks. Since the NFL went to eight four-team divisions, divisional games were usually saved for later in the season. But throwing caution and conservativism to the wind, the NFL decided to came out with a bold, aggressive divisional schedule in the first three weeks of this season. There were five divisional games in Week 1 and 11 in Week 2, with nine on tap in Week 3. That's 25 in the first three weeks, almost double the total of last season.

The Falcons are already the big winner in the competitive NFC South. By the end of Week 3, the Falcons will have exhausted half of their six-game divisional schedule. If they beat the Saints on Monday Night Football, they will already be 3-0 in the NFC South with two road victories. They would have a three-game lead over the loser of next week's Panthers-Buccaneers game. As good as Tampa Bay and Carolina could be, that might be too big of deficit to make up.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/lastca...lastcall/week2

LKelley67

anyone notice that either the Bucs or trendy SB pick Panthers will be 0-3 after this week?

The statistics are bad enough of what the odds are making the playoffs being 0-2 muchless 0-3.