THE KICKING TEE

-The Grazianimal

The 52X has been AWOL but the season has delivered already. Two weeks in and we have seen a HOF Coach shamed before his protégé’, Oh and 2 Eagles, 2 and Oh Baby! Redskins and super teammate Randy Moss showing what Tom Brady looks like with a Weapon of Pass Destruction at his disposal. NFL Sundays always deliver.

Can you believe Coach Belichick chafes at authority, could give a damn about league bylaws and will do anything to win? How do you think he got his job? It did not take long for the tables to turn as the Ravens claimed this week the Jets were playing fast and fancy free with the rules during their week 2 match up. Nobody in the NFL is playing with stain free uniforms. I think it was more about the Patriots having an unauthorized videotape of the game. We all know the networks call the shots.

So Donovan thinks he is scrutinized “differently” because he is black. Whatever. Do you think the Lions care? Jon Kitna looks like Nostradamus so far as the formally hapless Lions are undefeated and ready to pounce on a wounded and whining Eagle team. The kid, Calvin Johnson, looks like the real deal with a TD is his first two games as a pro. And their running game will get a boost as the talented, but oft injured Kevin Jones returns to the field. Philly is a 6 1/2 point favorite at Caesars so somebody must still believe in Mr. McNabb. I have said before the Eagles rid themselves of their best QB over the last two years when they let Garcia go and I expect this game to illustrate that as well as what a young team coming into it’s own looks like against an old and distracted squad. Take the points and rid yourself of Philly exposure in your fantasy leagues.

I have just got to take my shots at the Giants. Has there ever been a bigger pile of meatheads in football uniforms? First Defensive Captain Strahan blows off all of camp and backs it up with a one tackle performance against Green Bay. Who’s Ballin’ now? Maybe that was payback for the sack record. And in a Meathead Highlight of the year, Mega Meathead Jeremy Shockey spikes a football after a first down. That gets you flagged this year, kids. Then, and only Shockey has this innate ability, he drops the pass that would have got the next first down and made up for his meatheaded play. Amani Toomer even got in on the act with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Tiki Barber quits on a Hall of Fame shot to do cooking segments on the Today show and can’t stop yapping about how the Giants screwed up left and right. Leave it to Big Blue to make the guy look like Professor Emeritus.

The Texans are 2 and 0 behind a one dimensional passing attack and a totally banged up running game. I think David Carr just sucked. They had a bye against the Chiefs week 1, but really showed something beating the Panthers in Carolina and surviving a huge day from Steve Smith. This team is not incapable, but this week they will come back to earth. The Colts stride in to Texas with the home team minus their dynamic WR Andre Johnson, and at RB Ahman Green and Ron Dayne are questionable with nagging bumps and bruises. Look for Samkon Gado to get some garbage time action at the least. The Colts are all world and making many a savvy owner glad that they passed on LJ for Joe Addai. They actually need this game to take command of the division. The line is only 6 so take the Colts and expect the improved Texans to be looking to rebound in week 4 against “The Nightmare is Just Beginning” Falcons.

Kudos to Jamal Lewis for returning to form and rolling over the Bengals. Remember he is one of only 3 players ever with a 2000 yard season. If he feels good we could see a monster season out of him and a Brown team that wins a few games.

Miami, Earth to Miami! What did Ronnie Brown do to lose his job? Only be the best player on their offensive squad the last 2 years. Has there ever been a worse fit to a team then Cam Cameron and these Fish? Wes Welker(14 balls already), he is nobody you want on your team. I am not even going to discuss Ginn Jr.

As I said the Giants stink worse then the swamp they play in so take the Skins laying 4 and let me know what you think at grazianimal@columnist.com.