WEEK 2 CAPSULES

CHICAGO AT ATLANTA

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Atlanta by 3

Quick slant: Georgia Dome makes 2002 debut. They’ve really spruced up the place since Chris Chandler left.

Plot: The Bears think they are the NFC’s answer to the Patriots--Chicago went 13-3 last year and is an underdog to a team it defeated a year ago, 31-3--which, of course, ignores one key difference between this season and last: Chris Chandler, who started for the Falcons in that 2001 rout, now backs up Jim Miller in Chicago. This, in turn, has turned the Atlanta offense over to Michael Vick, who turned the Green Bay defense inside out during a 37-34 overtime loss. Vick at home? Long may the Bears roam, trying to catch him.

Stats right: Bears have won six of the last seven games against Falcons.

Monday’s headline: “Bears Inhale Vick’s Vapor Trail”

*

MIAMI AT INDIANAPOLIS

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Indianapolis by 2 1/2

Quick slant: Is new and improved going to be enough?

Plot: Tony Dungy’s defensive overhaul of the Great Sieve of Indianapolis remains a work in progress. Dungy won his debut as Colt coach, 28-25 over Jacksonville, but his defense surrendered 343 yards. Next: Old AFC East rival Miami, which scored 49 points against Detroit last week and totaled 68 points in two victories over Indianapolis in 2001. Home-field advantage evidently is the reason the Colts are favored, but they are 0-4 against the Dolphins at home since 1997.

Stats right: Miami has not had a losing season since 1988, but is 5-9 in the playoffs in that span.

Monday’s headline: “At Least Colts Won’t Lose Twice to Dolphins This Season”

*

TENNESSEE AT DALLAS

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Tennessee by 3

Quick slant: After losing to Houston Present, Cowboys brace for Houston Past.

Plot: Unable to cope with season-opening defeat and national humiliation, fans in Dallas have begun the rallying cry: Out with Quincy! In with Chad! (For the record, these are fans of the Dallas Cowboy Football Team, not the Greater Metroplex Chess Club.) When your starting quarterback is named Quincy Carter (13 for 30 in the loss to the Texans), anyone, even a former minor league pitcher named Chad Hutchinson, starts to sound good.

Stats right: Cowboys have forced only eight turnovers in last eight games.

Monday’s headline: “Team Formerly Known as Oilers Routs Team Formerly Known as Cowboys

*

DETROIT AT CAROLINA

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Carolina by 3

Quick slant: They shoot horses, don’t they?

Plot: Bottom feeders of the world, unite! Detroit and Carolina, the worst teams in the NFL in 2001, meet in the second week of the 2002 season because American football does things differently than soccer and opted not to relegate Carolina to the Arena League. Detroit opened the 2001 season with 12 straight losses; Carolina closed it with 15 consecutive losses. The Panthers, now quarterbacked by Rodney Peete, finally won last week, 10-7 over Baltimore, while Detroit held the Dolphins under 50 points in a 49-21 loss.

Stats right: Panthers averaged 15.8 points last season while finishing 1-15. Last Sunday, they scored 10.

Monday’s headline: “Peete Repeats, 10-7”

* NEW ENGLAND AT NEW YORK JETS

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

TV: Channel 2.

The line: New York by 1 1/2

Quick slant: Patriots winning everywhere, except in Las Vegas.

Plot: New England’s last defeat came before Thanksgiving. Their 10-game winning streak includes victories over St. Louis, Oakland, Miami, Pittsburgh (twice) and the team favored to beat them today, the Jets. The bookmakers still refuse to believe, despite two significant pieces of evidence: 1) This time last year--Week 2, Jets versus Patriots--Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out of the game, introducing the country to Tom Brady; 2) Vinny Testaverde turns 39 in two months.

Stats right: Jets were outgained, 381-269, in win over Buffalo last Sunday.

Monday’s headline: “Pats Beat Jets, Beat Bookies, Who Are Beating a Dead Horse”

*

GREEN BAY AT NEW ORLEANS

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Green Bay by 2

Quick slant: Brett Favre runs into another guy he ran out of town.

Plot: Kurt Warner, Mark Brunell, Aaron Brooks ... you could stock a Pro Bowl with ex-Packer quarterbacks who have come and gone during Favre’s Lambeau residency. Brooks, drafted by Green Bay in 1999 and dispatched to New Orleans in 2000, remembers telling Favre, “I can play in this league; I’m going to be a star.” Favre told Brooks to just be patient and it would happen. Brooks: “Brett was right. Here I am.” And there he goes, back to .500 after Sunday.

Stats right: Packers have allowed more than 140 yards rushing in five consecutive games.

Monday’s headline: “Favre to Brooks: Patience Is a Virtue”

*

CINCINNATI AT CLEVELAND

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Cleveland by 4 1/2

Quick slant: The name is Rudd. As in mud.

Plot: Five days have passed and still, the game plan remains the same for Brown linebacker Dwayne Rudd: It’s not smart being seen in Cleveland without your helmet. Given the scouting report on Brown fans--armed, will throw deep--Rudd had best keep the protective gear on after last Sunday’s Mistake by the Lake. “It was like one of those big, ‘Oops, my bad,’ ” Rudd said by way of apology. Sounds like the working title for the Browns’ 2002 just-missed-the-playoffs highlight film.

Stats right: Bengal quarterbacks have thrown for four touchdowns and 19 interceptions in their last 10 games.

Monday’s headline: “There’s Dumb and There’s Dumber; Browns 34, Bengals 9.”

*

JACKSONVILLE AT KANSAS CITY

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Kansas City by 4

Quick slant: How many extra downs do the Chiefs get this week?

Plot: The Chiefs are 1-0 with a disclaimer the size of Lake Erie. Kansas City was losing to Cleveland despite having scored 37 points against the Brown defense when Cleveland linebacker Dwayne Rudd threw his helmet to celebrate a victory that wasn’t quite. Browns were penalized 15 yards, Chiefs were given another play with 0:00 on the clock--and Chiefs won on a field goal, 40-39. And now Kansas City gets the Jaguars at home. The lucky breaks never end.

Stats right: Chiefs, who scored 40 points in Week 1, didn’t score 40 for the season until Week 3 last year.

Monday’s headline: “Better to Be Lucky Than Good? Jags Would Settle for Either”

*

TAMPA BAY AT BALTIMORE

Kickoff: Sunday, 10 a.m.

The line: Tampa Bay by 3 1/2

Quick slant: Redman versus Red Man.

Plot: Jon Gruden’s face turned 18 shades of scarlet during his second early wakeup call last Sunday, a 20-16 home loss to the Saints. Gruden should be able to relax Sunday. Raven quarterback Chris Redman played poorly in his first NFL start, a 10-7 loss to Carolina. Silver lining for Redman: The last quarterback to start against the Panthers and lose? Daunte Culpepper, Week 1, 2001.

Stats right: The Ravens have allowed 27 offensive touchdowns in their last 15 games (8-7) dating to ‘01, after having given up only 11 offensive touchdowns in their previous 15 contests (14-1).

Monday’s headline: “No One’s Raven About Redman”

*

ARIZONA AT SEATTLE

Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m.

The line: Seattle by 3 1/2

Quick slant: Paging St. Trent.

Plot: He who laughs last laughs best, even if he has to go to work on Sundays dressed in something called “Seahawk blue.” Trent Dilfer has come full circle and then some--from season-salvaging savior in Baltimore when Tony Banks hit the rocks, to the Worst Quarterback to Ever Win the Super Bowl, to Brian Billick’s ejector seat, to second string behind Matt Hasselbeck, to the most popular athlete in Seattle not born in Japan. Fans are hopeful for big things from Dilfer, who is back in the lineup after his early August knee injury. Failing that, a victory over Arizona will suffice.

Stats right: Dilfer is 15-0 in his last 15 starts.

Monday’s headline: “Dilfer Settles Seahawk Ship, Closes Gap on Ichiro”

*

NEW YORK GIANTS AT ST. LOUIS

Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV: Channel 11

The line: St. Louis by 12 1/2

Quick slant: Once were kings.

Plot: A matchup between the 2000 and 2001 NFC champions, and a most curious betting spread. The Rams, counting exhibitions, are 0-6 since January’s NFC championship game, including last Sunday’s 23-16 upset by Denver. Meanwhile, the Giants held San Francisco to one touchdown and 279 yards, lost on a late field goal and start this game on nine days’ rest. What that says about the Giant offense minus Tiki Barber, hobbled by toe and hamstring injuries, Ron (No Gain) Dayne probably doesn’t want to know.

Stats right: The Giants have lost 10 of their last 14 games.

Monday’s headline: “Which Ex-Champ Is in Big Trouble? They Might Be Giants”

*

HOUSTON AT SAN DIEGO

Kickoff: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.

The line: San Diego by 12 1/2

Quick slant: Texans fly from Houston to San Diego via Cloud 9.

Plot: Now that the expansion Texans have won their debut--having stunned the Cowboys, the league and, let’s face it, themselves--what do they do with their next 15 games? San Diego also won somewhat unexpectedly, 34-6 at Cincinnati, and starts a young quarterback not much older than Houston’s David Carr. But here’s the difference: The Chargers have been around awhile and they have a coach, Marty Schottenheimer, who has them grounded. At least until they pick up stakes and try to outrace the Colts to Los Angeles.

Stats right: The Texans totaled only 201 yards in their upset of the Cowboys in Week 1.

Monday’s headline: “Californians Welcome Texans Back to Earth”

*

BUFFALO AT MINNESOTA

Kickoff: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.

The line: Minnesota by 5

Quick slant: Sooner or later, someone’s luck is bound to change.

Plot: Buffalo and Minnesota deserved better in their openers but lost because the Bills couldn’t cover kickoffs and Viking quarterback Daunte Culpepper couldn’t keep the ball out of Chicago safety Mike Brown’s hands. After the Jets’ Chad Morton returned two kicks for scores, Buffalo special teams coach Danny Smith said, “I apologize to our football team, I apologize to the Buffalo Bills organization, I apologize to our fans.” Culpepper said: “I owe the team one.” In the NFL, winning is never having to say you’re sorry.

Stats right: Buffalo running back Larry Centers has caught a pass in 137 consecutive games.

Monday’s headline: “Vikings Edge Bills in Sorry Affair”

*

DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO

Kickoff: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.

TV: Channel 2.

The line: San Francisco by 3 1/2

Quick slant: Touchdowns speak louder than words.

Plot: Denver’s secondary held the Rams’ Kurt Warner to less than 10 yards a completion last week. San Francisco wide receiver Terrell Owens is less than impressed. “Unless they’re like Shaq, I don’t really think I’ll have a problem,” Owens said. Owens needs to talk less and reflect more upon his stat sheet. In the 49er opener, Owens caught four passes for 41 yards. Take away the 33-yard catch that set up the winning field goal and it would appear he had a few problems.

Stats right: The Broncos have alternated losses and wins for 12 consecutive games.

Monday’s headline: “Broncos Over TO By TKO”

*

OAKLAND AT PITTSBURGH

Kickoff: Sunday, 5:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

The line: Pittsburgh by 4

Quick slant: Meet the new coach, not the same as the old coach.

Plot: Yes, life in Oakland has proceeded without Jon Gruden. In fact, Al Davis has enjoyed few weeks better than the last one, with Gruden losing his Tampa Bay opener and Gruden’s replacement, Bill Callahan, debuting with a 31-17 trouncing of Seattle. Callahan’s quite the slacker--he rises every morning at 5:30, more than two hours after Gruden--but then, he’s in charge of a bunch of old men who need their rest.

Stats right: Game features Notre Dame’s all-time NFL rusher (Steelers’ Jerome Bettis; 10,911 yards) and all-time NFL receiving yards leader (Raiders’ Tim Brown; 13,283 yards).

Monday’s headline: “Steelers Keep Raiders Up Way Past Their Bedtime”

*

PHILADELPHIA AT WASHINGTON

Kickoff: Monday, 6 p.m.

TV: Channel 7

The line: Philadelphia by 3

Quick slant: Steve Spurrier in prime time. How many times do we have to remind: Don’t encourage him.

Plot: Last week Spurrier cut his right middle finger while angrily ripping the headset from his ears after backup quarterback Danny Wuerffel was forced to pinch-kick for the injured Brett Conway. Spurrier vowed that would never happen again, so he got a foam bandage for his finger and another kicker, James Tuthill. Because if the Redskins do kick off to the Eagles more than once, Spurrier can’t deal with any more of those dang squibs.

Stats right: Redskins, who scored 31 points last week, scored more than 30 points only twice last season.

Tuesday’s headline: “Eagles Put the Hurt on Spurrier”