The 2011 NFL season got off to a tremendous start.

Who could have asked for a better opener than the current Super Bowl Champions Green Bay Packers facing the previous season’s champs, New Orleans Saints? It was almost like a Super Bowl matchup in September – two great quarterbacks, lots of offense, and a close finish, with the Packers winning 42-34. The Packers looked good and sent a strong message that they won’t be giving up the crown easily. The Saints showed that they are still a class act and will be no pushover this season.

Week 1 also saw the implementation of the new kick-off rule moving the kick-off line from the kicking team’s 20 yard line, to the 35 yard mark. This still didn’t prevent quite a few teams from returning kicks for touchdowns, and in fact, it was a record-setting week in this respect.

All told, it was a week of records:

– 7,842 net passing yards were the most for a single week in NFL history

– 517 passing yards by the Patriots’ Tom Brady and 416 by the Dolphins’ Chad Henne marked the first game in NFL history to feature both a 500 and 400-yard passer

– 422 yards by Carolina rookie QB Cam Newton, the most ever by a player in his NFL debut

– 8 combined kick-return touchdowns (five punt, three kick-off) were the most in a single week in NFL history

– 63 -yard field goal by Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski at Denver tied for the longest field goal in NFL history

– 752 points, the second-most on opening weekend and tied for the ninth-most in a single week in NFL history

– 3 kickoff-return touchdowns of at least 100 yards

– Green Bay’s Randall Cobb (108), Minnesota’s Percy Harvin (103) and San Francisco’s Ted Ginn Jr. (102) – marked just the second week in NFL history with three Kick-off return touchdowns of 100-plus, and first since 1958.

– Cobb’s 108-yard return tied the longest kickoff return in NFL history

The $100million man, Michael Vick, was up to his old tricks, escaping out of the pocket, and making plays both running and passing – especially running. This makes for exciting football but I’m pretty convinced that the Eagles organization did not pay Vick all that money to take so many chances. Someone needs to teach Vick to slide and not dive head first. The guy is reckless but highly entertaining.

Donovan McNabb looked terrible at the helm of the Vikings while Tom Brady burned the Miami Dolphins with a 500 yard plus performance. The Baltimore Ravens humiliated the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-7 and gave notice of their intentions to be around come playoff time. The Peyton Manning-less Colts looked terrible as they were man-handled by the Houston Texans, which should be a team to watch this season. Another team that looks on the rise is the Detroit Lions who won their opener against the Tampa Bay Bucs. And lest I forget, the Raiders won on Monday night, in a game which featured that all mighty 63 yard field goal by Jankowski on Monday Night Football. In other action, the Cowboys allowed the Jets to sneak past them, as quarterback Tony Romo, made a couple critical mistakes in crunch time.

My record for week 1 was quite impressive – 13-3…IF we were just picking straight up winners, but 10-6 because we’re picking against the spread. As for my colleagues, you can check their records below.

My pick for Game of the Week is the San Diego Chargers travelling to face the New England Patriots. It has the potential to be a shootout, with two of the best QBs in the game, Phillip Rivers and Tom Brady, going head to head. Also, keep your eyes on the Eagles vs. Falcons, and Mike Vick in his return to Atlanta, where he began his career.

Enjoy games this weekend, and remember — go out and place your bets, with JustBet!

To find out more about JustBet, and how to bet on the NFL and other sports, visit www.supremeventures.com/justbet, www.facebook.com/justbet, www.twitter.com/justbet_ja, or call 1-888-429-5785 (toll-free).

NFL WEEK 2 SCHEDULE

(Handicaps in bracket, Under/Over included)

Sun Sept 18

Buffalo Bills v Oakland Raiders (+2.5), U/O 42.5

Carolina Panthers (+9.5) v Green Bay Packers, U/O 46.5

Detroit Lions v Kansas City Chiefs (+8.5), U/O 45.5

Indianapolis Colts (+2.5) v Cleveland Browns, U/O 38.5

Minnesota Vikings v Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5), U/O 40.5

New Orleans Saints v Chicago Bears (+6.5), U/O 47.5

New York Jets v Jacksonville Jaguars (+8.5), U/O 39.5

Pittsburgh Steelers v Seattle Seahawks (+14.5), U/O 40.5

Tennessee Titans (+5.5) v Baltimore Ravens, U/O 38.5

Washington Redskins v Arizona Cardinals (+3.5), U/O 45.5

San Francisco 49ers (+3.5) v Dallas Cowboys, U/O 43.5

Denver Broncos v Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5), U/O 39.5

Miami Dolphins (+2.5) v Houston Texans, U/O 46.5

New England Patriots v San Diego Chargers (+7.5), U/O 53.5

Atlanta Falcons (+2.5) v Philadelphia Eagles, U/O 48.5

Monday September 19

NY Giants v St Louis Rams (+5.5), U/O 43.5

*Handicaps and Under/Over subject to change without notice

EXPERTS’ PICKS

Tony Scott’s – Week 2 Picks (in bold)

Bills v Raiders

Panthers v Packers

Lions v Chiefs

Colts v Browns

Vikings v Buccaneers

Saints v Bears

Jets v Jaguars

Steelers v Seahawks

Titans v Ravens

Redskins v Cardinals

49ers v Cowboys

Broncos v Bengals

Dolphins v Texans

Patriots v Chargers

Falcons v Eagles

Giants v Rams

Last week: 10-6

Peter Lindo’s – Week 2 Picks (in bold)

Bills v Raiders

Panthers v Packers

Lions v Chiefs

Colts v Browns

Vikings v Buccaneers

Saints v Bears

Jets v Jaguars

Steelers v Seahawks

Titans v Ravens

Redskins v Cardinals

49ers v Cowboys

Broncos v Bengals

Dolphins v Texans

Patriots v Chargers

Falcons v Eagles

Giants v RamsLast week: 10-6

Week 2 Picks (in bold)

Andre Hutchinson’s – 

Bills v Raiders

Panthers v Packers

Lions v Chiefs

Colts v Browns

Vikings v Buccaneers

Saints v Bears

Jets v Jaguars

Steelers v Seahawks

Titans v Ravens

Redskins v Cardinals

49ers v Cowboys

Broncos v Bengals

Dolphins v Texans

Patriots v Chargers

Falcons v Eagles

Giants v RamsLast week: 9-7

Andrei Roper’s – Week 2 Picks (in bold)

Bills v Raiders

Panthers v Packers

Lions v Chiefs

Colts v Browns

Vikings v Buccaneers

Saints v Bears

Jets v Jaguars

Steelers v Seahawks

Titans v Ravens

Redskins v Cardinals

49ers v Cowboys

Broncos v Bengals

Dolphins v Texans

Patriots v Chargers

Falcons v Eagles

Giants v Rams

Last week: 7-9