Even though week 1 was hard to top, week 2 in the NFL did not disappoint. Well, maybe it did disappoint if you were a Chargers fan. In the fourth quarter of an “AFL-style” shootout, the Chargers were leading the Broncos 38-31. Broncos quarterback was leading a potential scoring drive in the red zone when the football slipped out of his hands and was recovered by the Chargers. However, veteran referee and weightlifting enthusiast Ed Hochuli blew the whistle before the recovery, and Denver kept possession. Two plays later, Cutler threw a touchdown pass to Eddie Royal. Then, to add insult to injury, Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan decided to go for the two-point conversion and the lead. It worked. Ouch! So, the Chargers are 0-2 and will host the next Monday night.

Speaking of the Jets, what happened to all that hype? Brett Favre was outplayed by new Patriots starter Matt Cassel. Cassel did a good job managing the game, almost playing like Tom Brady did when he took over for Drew Bledsoe. However, the Jets did not capitalize on Brady’s absence and only managed to score 10 points. Not to mention, the play calling seemed to be a bit conservative.

There was one game this week that really lived up to its hype in week 2. On Monday night, the headed to Arlington to play the . If you loved defense, this game was not for you. Both teams were firing on all cylinders on offense. For instance, when Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo threw a 72 yard touchdown bomb to Terrell Owens, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb responded firing a 60 yard strike to rookie DeSean Jackson. However, Jackson made a boneheaded play by throwing the ball away in celebration, one yard shy of the endzone. Luckily, Brian Westbrook was able to punch in a touchdown. Final score: Cowboys 41, Eagles 37. Can’t wait for their next match-up in week 17. Hopefully, something will be on the line.

The Best of Week 2

Best QB: - Can you argue against 350 yards and 4 touchdowns? Cutler has definitely emerged as the leading star of the 2006 NFL Draft class. His 650 passing yards and 6 touchdowns (tie with Philip Rivers) lead all NFL quarterbacks, and he’s helped make his Broncos a surprising 2-0.

Best RB: - I have a feeling you’ll be seeing him a lot this season. With the Vikings coaching staff basically hiding Tarvaris Jackson, you can bet “All Day” was going to run all day on the Colts defense. I’d say 160 yards on 29 attempts would classify as a dominant performance.

Best WR: - Cutler’s go-to-guy was unstoppable against the Chargers last week. Marshall had 18 receptions (tied for second most in a game), 166 yards, and touchdown. Seriously, he and Cutler could be the next “Manning-Harrison” like QB-WR duo.

Best Defensive Player: - This kid is a beast. Plain and simple! He showed us how much of one he is after piling up 8 tackle and returning an 86 yard interception for a touchdown. The big man never seemed to slow down on that return.

Best Special Teamer: - A Rookie playing not just on prime time, but on Monday Night Football. Jones probably had butterflies flapping like crazy in his stomach, but he managed to return a 98 yard kickoff for a touchdown.

Best Rookie: / - Stewart only had 77 yards on 14 attempts, but he was able to pound in 2 touchdowns on a tough Chicago Bears defense. In fact, Stewart’s second score gave the Carolina Panthers the lead and eventually the win. Johnson meanwhile had 109 yards on 19 carries for the Tennessee Titans. He was the perfect complement to LenDale White. I see a new “thunder and lighting” backfield in Tennessee.

Best Game of the Week: @ - I recapped this game earlier, and it was without a doubt the best game of the week. The Cowboys beat the Eagles 41-37, but both teams’ offenses had nothing to be ashamed of. However, both teams’ defenses are probably dreading going to practice this week. Can’t wait for their next match-up in week 17. Hopefully, something will be on the line.

The Worst of Week 1

Worst QB: - Most people ranked Palmer as one of the top ten, maybe even top five, quarterbacks in the league. In two weeks, he has thrown for only 228 yards, 0 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, a sub-50% completion rating, and a 37.1 passer-rating. In week 2, Palmer threw for 134 yards and 2 interceptions. Maybe the offense isn’t gelling, but he’s been brutal.

Worst RB: - Paging . Please come out of your funk. After earning this honor in week 1, Jackson earned it yet again this week. He had only 53 yards on 13 attempts. A true stinker for a running back with immense talent.

Worst WR: - The Vikings paid him to be their star receiver this offseason, and he’s struggled to get open and make some key plays. Sure, Tarvaris Jackson isn’t the greatest quarterback, but if you are a so-called “stud wide receiver,” you should be able to make SOME catches. Berrian had no catches and managed to drop a pass in week 2 against the Colts.

Worst Defense: I decided to change this category from “Worst Defensive Player” to “Worst Defense” because last week I gave the award to the Rams defense, and I liked that better. So, in week 2, the dubious honor goes to the . No Shawn Merriman = lots of problems. But, don’t worry Chargers fans. A close second is the . Maybe, it was due to the offenses’ dominating performances.

Worst Special Teamer: Special Teams - The entire unit gets the nod here. Jay Feeler missed an important field goal in the first quarter, and the rest of the guys gave the Patriots great field position to start every drive. The Patriots started 5 of 9 drives in their own territory.

Worst Rookie: - Take this one with a grain of salt. He’s young and will take his bumps and bruises. Week 2 was truly a big bump and bruise for Ryan, who only completed 13 of 33 passes for 158 yards and 2 interceptions in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Worst Game of the Week: @ - Boooooring! Weren’t the Browns and Steelers supposed to be highly ranked offenses? Maybe this game made Browns fans feel a bit better about their defense, but their team still lost 10-6 to their hated rival. Also, no one likes games that remind them of pre-Super Bowl era football.

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