Bucs, Panthers will do anything to avoid 0-2 start

Not a lot to like about the Browns' offense right now, even with Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow back. It would be nice if the offensive line decided to show up in Cincinnati.

You know how Jon Gruden is. The sky is falling, the world is ending, the entire planet will grind to a halt if we don't win this week. That's what he's telling his team this week. And I'm naive enough -- particularly with John Abraham's ouchy groin either limiting him or sidelining him -- to buy it.

I like the Bills a lot more than I thought I would. But if you think they're going to win at Nick Saban's house, after Saban limp-wristed the replay flag in the fourth quarter during the Pittsburgh loss and after the Dolphins have had three extra days to prepare, you're crazy.

After watching the Bears dismantle the Packers, I'm convinced that if the Bears stay healthy (always a big if in Monsters of the Midway-land), the season will come down to whether Rex Grossman can be an above-average quarterback. If so, they've got a great chance to be in the Super Bowl.

I don't know why, really. I guess because this game, quite literally, is the Packers' season. They're at Detroit, at Philly and at Miami for three of their next four, and starting 0-2 at home would end any hopes they have of salvaging Mike McCarthy's rookie year.

Mario Williams' first-game stats vs. Philadelphia: two tackles, one assist, no sacks, little impact. The Texans drafted Williams so they could one day beat Peyton Manning. That one day is not Sunday at the RCA Dome.

The Raiders might be the worst team in the history of the world. Fitting that Aaron Brooks is the quarterback.

I loved hearing Tom Coughlin the other day. Everyone's anointing the Giants as a very good team (me among them). He came out and said: Hey, you gotta win to be a very good team. Winning. Pretty important factor.

I have a bad feeling about the Panthers right now. Really bad. Dan Morgan's fifth concussion, Maake Kemoeatu looking like a turnstile against the Falcons' run game, Travelle Wharton out for the year, necessitating Jordan Gross' move from right to left tackle. But John Fox will be Grudenesque this week. It's must-win time.

Deion Branch, in street clothes on the sideline, looks at Mike Holmgren after the Seahawks go up 28-zip on Matt Hasselbeck's third touchdown pass of the day. "Why'd you need me?" Branch says.

Talked to Scott Linehan the other day. What a cool cucumber. Raved about two of the best leaders he's seen in the league: La'Roi Glover and Corey Chavous. They might be pretty good.

In the Tampering Bowl, Chad Pennington gets put on the Meadowlands rug five times and Tom Brady rebounds from a bad Week 1 against Buffalo.

Suddenly, everyone in Kansas City knows who Todd Collins is and wishes the former backup was here and not in Washington.

Kerry Collins, I guarantee you, is thinking very, very hard after his third blistering hit from Shawne Merriman about why he came back to this game. He's also thinking: Hurry up and develop, Vince Young. I won't mind carrying the clipboard.

Drew Bledsoe fends off Tony Romo for at least another 10 minutes. Three touchdown passes to Terrell Owens does that to a guy.

This will be the most physical Monday-nighter of the year. These two teams are brutish. I question rushing Ben Roethlisberger back, if, indeed, he's still a little under the weather.