September 13, 2012
1) Cowboys @ Seahawks - Sunday @ 1:05 PM (Avg Price: $390/Low: $159 | Weekly Trend: -1%)
For the second straight week, a Cowboys road game takes the top spot in our weekly list. This time when they head to Seattle to take on the 0-1 Seahawks.
Dallas is coming off of a very nice week 1 victory over the Giants that saw Tony Romo go 22 of 29 for 309 yards and 3 TDs. For a Cowboys teams that lost twice to the Giants last season, including that embarrassing 31-14 loss on New Year's Day to end their season, beating the Giants at MetLife was a great way to start their year.
In a strange and eventful affair in Arizona last Sunday, the Seahawks fell just short of the Cardinals losing 20-16. Even with an extra timeout on their final drive the Seahawks failed to reach the endzone, with a potential game winning TD slipping through WR Braylon Edwards' hands with only seconds left to play.
In their only meeting last season the Cowboys won 23-13 in Dallas, and in their last three regular season games the Cowboys have outscored the Seahawks 95-39. However, the Cowboys have lost two straight in Seattle, including the 2007 NFC Wild Card game marked by Romo's infamous botched hold on a potential game-winning field goal attempt.
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2) Jets @ Steelers - Sunday @ 4:15 PM (Avg Price: $285/Low: $97 | Weekly Trend -13%)
Number 2 on our list is a rematch of the 2011 AFC Championship game, with the 1-0 Jets traveling to Pittsburgh to face the 0-1 Steelers at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh, coming off an opening week 31-19 loss to Peyton Manning and the Broncos, has not lost a home opener since the 2002 season and will look to continue that streak as they try to even up their record on Sunday. Sunday's prime time match up with Peyton Manning was tight until Ben Roethlisberger threw a crucial pick-6 with 1:58 left in the 4th to put the game away for Denver. Pittsburgh is looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since '02, and should get a boost with the expected return of both linebacker James Harrison and safety Ryan Clark.
For the Jets, week one was a pleasant surprise, especially on the offensive end as they put up 48 points in their home opening win against the Bills. Mark Sanchez had a very good game, completing 19 of 27 for 266 yards and three TDs. Tim Tebow, the guy who knocked Pittsburgh out of the playoffs last season, had a quiet opener. He ran the ball just five times for 11 yards. However, he's expected to see more time this week as the Jets will need to mix things up more against a much tougher Pittsburgh defense.
The Steelers have dominated the Jets in head-to-head play, going 17-4 overall, and 8-1 vs the in Pittsburgh.
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3) Buccaneers @ Giants - Sunday @ 1:oo PM (Avg Price: $261/Low: $85 | Weekly Trend: -16%)
The Giants will look to rebound off their ugly opening night loss to Dallas when they host the 1-0 Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium. Eli Manning had a solid opening game, completing 21 of 32 for 213 yards and 1 TD, but he and the Giants were no match for Tony Romo who absolutely destroyed their depleted secondary. With the loss, the Giants became the first defending Super Bowl Champions to lose a season opener since the 1999 Denver Broncos.
Tampa had a much better opening week, defeating Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers 16-10 in their home opener. Newton did throw for 303 yards, but did yield 2 interceptions to the Bucs D and could not get the ground game going. Tampa's overwhelming rush held Carolina to just 10 yards on the ground, tying an all-time Panthers franchise low. Offensively for the Bucs, they were led by rooking running back, Doug Martin, who ran the ball 24 times for 95 yards.
The Giants have won last their last three games against the Bucs and are 11-6 all-time against Tampa Bay, and 6-1 in games played in Jersey.
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4) Lions @ 49ers - Sunday @ 8:20 PM (Avg Price: $257/Low: $104 | Weekly Trend: +18%)
Both teams insist last year's postgame handshake incident is behind them, but either way Sunday's 49ers-Lions game in San Francisco is expected to be a highly contested game featuring two of the rising franchises in the NFL.
San Francisco picked up where they left off last regular season with their impressive week 1 victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at Lambeau. The 49ers controlled the game with a balanced offensive attack. Alex Smith, utilizing all of his new targets was very efficient, completing 20 of 26 passes for 211 yard and 2 TDs. Frank Gore did his job, racking up 112 yards and a TD on the ground.
In Detroit, Matthew Stafford led the way throwing the ball 48 times for 355 yards and TD as the Lions beat the Rams 27-23. It was Stafford's fourth straight 350+ yard game, tying Drew Brees' NFL record. Stafford also led Detroit on an 9-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a 5-yard TD throw with just ten seconds left in the game.
The 49ers won last year's meeting 25-19 and have won 11 in a row against the Lions in San Francisco.
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5) Cardinals @ Patriots - Sunday @ 1:00 PM (Avg Price: $249/Low: $113 | Weekly Trend: -25%)
It'll be another matchup of two 1-0 teams as the Cardinals travel east to face Tom Brady and the Patriots in their home opener.
New England and their revamped defense had a easy week 1, destroying the Titans 34-13. Brady was Brady, completing 23 of 31 passes for 236 yards and 2 TDs. Second year running back, Stevan Ridley also had a solid game, running for 125 yards and a TD. The Patriots have dominated the competition at home, winning 24 of their last 25 regular season games at Gillette Stadium.
The Cardinals are coming off a 20-16 win over Seattle in week 1. A game that saw Arizona loose starting quarterback, John Skelton to a 4th quarter knee injury. Kevin Kolb, who replaced Skelton, then led Arizona on an 80-yard, game-winning drive, going 6 of 8 for 66 yards and a TD. Kolb is expecting to start on Sunday.
The last time these two teams met was in 2008, a 47-7 blowout by New England.
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And for all other NFL games this week, click here.
