Bottoms Up for NFL Week 2: New Bills paying off

6. NFC West: St. Louis Rams (1-1)

One touchdown in two games isn’t going to get it done on any level of football.

Still, the St. Louis Rams managed a 19-17 road win last Sunday at Tampa thanks to just enough offense from quarterback Austin Davis and company.

Running back Zac Stacy rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, while Davis connected on 22-of-29 passes for 235 yards and played turnover-free football.

This week should be very interesting. The Rams, minus defensive end Chris Long and with just one sack in two games, faces the NFL’s leading rusher in Dallas’ DeMarco Murray. St. Louis’ defenders have allowed 150-plus yards on the ground in each of their first two games this season.

Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys

5. NFC North: Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

It was an unimaginable week in the Twin Cities in more ways than one.
Here we will stick to on the field. Seven days after handling the St. Louis Rams, 34-6, the Vikings opened up a 7-0 lead over the visiting New England Patriots and watched Bill Belichick’s team score the final 30 points of the game.

Former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel had a forgettable afternoon against his first employer. He threw for 202 yards and a touchdown but also threw four interceptions, fumbled once and was sacked six times.

Down 17-7 in the second quarter, the Vikings looked like they were in position to put some points on the board but Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones blocked a field goal attempt and returned in 58 yards with nine seconds left before halftime.

And minus Adrian Peterson, Mike Zimmer’s club ran for only 54 yards.

Week 3: at New Orleans Saints