Week 2 Judgements: New York teams rise to challenge

1. Relax, Giants fans. Your team might have found the next Plaxico Burress in Mario Manningham. I realize it's early, but Manningham does what no other wideout could the previous seven games -- namely, catch an Eli Manning touchdown pass inside the red zone. Manningham's emergence is just in time, too. With Hakeem Nicks out and Domenik Hixon sidelined against Dallas, the Giants needed someone, anyone, to take the heat off Steve Smith. Fantasy football geeks, get in line Monday for Manningham.

Looks like Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham is going to make life a lot easier for Eli Manning. (US Presswire)

2. Tell me again why banishing Richard Seymour to Oakland was such a good idea. The Patriots should be 0-2 and would be were it not for Leodis McKelvin.

3. I'm sorry, but New England is demanding way too much of a quarterback coming off a serious knee injury. In two games, Tom Brady has had to throw 100 times -- or 50 times per start. That's not how you treat a recovering patient.

4. If you didn't know it last year, you do now: The Baltimore Ravens have themselves a franchise quarterback. Joe Flacco has five touchdowns through two weeks. A year ago it took him nine games to reach five TDs.

5. You heard it here first: Detroit ends its 19-game losing streak next weekend against Washington.

6. Please, Steelers fans, tell me you learned a lesson from Buffalo and will do the right thing. You will leave Jeff Reed and his home alone.

7. The toughest decision in Buffalo isn't where to go for chicken wings. It's whom to start at running back in two weeks -- Fred Jackson or Marshawn Lynch. There are those around the team who believe that Jackson just might be the better back.

8. Just a hunch, but Cincinnati's Antwan Odom is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. All he did was produce a career-high five sacks, including three in the fourth quarter. He had three all of last season.

9. Seattle better hope Matt Hasselbeck's rib injury is no worse than Donovan McNabb's. The Seahawks have no chance if he misses significant time again.

10. OK, here's another prediction: First team to hold Drew Brees under 300 yards passing? The Jets. They'll face off in two weeks.

11. It's official: The Browns stink. Again. For those of you keeping score, that's one offensive touchdown in the past 32 quarters. Pathetic.

12. Now I know why Pete Carroll wanted Mark Sanchez another year.

13. As it turns out, Jacksonville, blackouts might be a good thing.

14. San Diego makes Philip Rivers one of the highest-paid players anywhere, and Rivers responds by shredding Baltimore for a career-high 436 yards. But when the Bolts must make a play in the last minute -- one play they absolutely, positively had to convert -- they put the ball in the hands of -- Darren Sproles? Somebody please explain.

15. Poor Kansas City. It has lost 25 of its past 27 games and must wait a month for another chance at victory. Its next three opponents are, in order, Philadelphia, the New York Giants and Dallas. Then along comes Washington on Oct. 18, and you're on your own, Todd Haley.

Sez them ... or Rapid Reporters' Rewind

Steve Reed says ... All is not well with Carolina's defensive line. Why? Defensive tackle. They need one after Louis Leonard, who started in place of the injured Nick Hayden, left the locker room on crutches with an ankle injury.

Jim Nasella says ... Wide receiver Troy Williamson probably lost his starting job in Jacksonville. Williamson was hurt on a play where he fumbled, and his replacement, Mike Sims-Walker, had 106 yards in catches and a TD.

Lisa Zimmerman says ... The Jets must clean up their penalties. And she's right. They've been flagged 18 times in two games.

Jimmy Trombley says ... The longest completion for Brett Favre this season has been 21 yards. Coach Brad Childress said the short-to-intermediate throws are by design, but you think Favre's arm and age might have something to do with it? Just wondering.

Michael Erler says ... the 49ers' defeat of Seattle was a template for how Mike Singletary wants to win -- with scoring drives of 14 and 17 plays each and no turnovers.

Aaron Lopez says ... Eric Mangini might want to reconsider starting Brady Quinn. He holds the ball too long, taking four more sacks.

Mark Ludwiczak says ... The injuries to Buffalo tackle Brad Butler and tight end Derek Schouman look serious and could be season-threatening.

Five things I like

1. The 49ers honoring Eddie DeBartolo Jr. at halftime. "War is Over!" screams the headlines of the Chronicle. "Peace at Last!" cries the Oakland Tribune. Congratulations to the York family for doing what is right and what is overdue: Honoring San Francisco's most popular and most successful owner.

2. The job offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is doing in Buffalo. If this is what a "Pop Warner offense" looks like I know some teams that would like to order the blueprint.

3. Darrelle Revis. The Jets cornerback neutralized Randy Moss, which is another way of saying he shut him down. Moss had one catch in the second half.

4. Looks like punting will be an adventure in Carolina again. The Panthers had three blocked last year and another blocked Sunday.

5. San Francisco winning without Michael Crabtree. When you have Frank Gore running for a gazillion yards, who needs Crabtree? This is what is known as leverage, Michael, and you don’t have it.

Five things I don't

1. The rapport between Joey Galloway and Tom Brady? Did I say rapport? What rapport? These guys go together like Belichick and Mangini.

2. The Eagles' special teams. They took four penalties and lost one fumble. John Harbaugh, where are you?

3. Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell. No wonder Jeff Garcia asked out. Sitting behind this guy is torture.

4. Jim Zorn's future. If you win, Jim, make it more interesting than a two-point defeat of St. Louis ... without a touchdown, no less.

5. Green Bay's offensive line. I'm not sure which has more holes -- the Packers or the ozone layer.

Just asking but ...

• Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson?

• Is the MLS in the future for the Cowboys' Flozell Adams?

• Is it too soon to worry about New England?

• Want to reconsider about Josh McDaniels?

• How much does Michael Vick play next Sunday?

Meaningful numbers

4 -- Delay of game penalties vs. New England
12.9 -- Yards per carry for Frank Gore
24 -- Penalties in Cincinnati-Green Bay game
92.3 -- Percentage of completions for Kurt Warner
93 -- New Orleans points in two weeks
502 -- DeAngelo Williams touches without a fumble; that streak ended Sunday
6-0 -- Shaun Hill's record at home
1962 -- Last time Philadelphia was gouged for 48 points at home

My top five

1. N.Y. Giants
2. Baltimore
3. New Orleans
4. N.Y. Jets
5. Atlanta

My bottom five

32. St. Louis
31. Cleveland
30. Kansas City
29. Detroit
28. Tampa Bay

Next Sunday's best three games

1. San Francisco at Minnesota ... This is not a misprint, 49ers' fans.
2. Atlanta at New England ... Pats better get their act together.
3. Indianapolis at Arizona ... I guess Kurt Warner is OK, after all.