This has not been an easy week.

The financial markets have more problems than the Oakland Raiders.

Gas, like shutdown cornerbacks, has been either too expensive or too hard to find.

O.J. is on trial. Again.

So where do we find some good news?

Well, you can still be the first on your block to own a Matt Cassel jersey.

The Panthers are unbeaten.

And, Metallica has a new CD coming out.

Make you feel any better?

Maybe Week 3 will:

CAROLINA at MINNESOTA: Welcome back, Steve Smith. Panthers 23, Vikings 17.

KANSAS CITY at ATLANTA: With 11 straight regular-season losses and Larry Johnson griping he's the only guy who should be running the ball, the Chiefs have more problems than seventh-grade algebra. Falcons 33, Chiefs 23.

OAKLAND at BUFFALO: Plenty of good seats available on the Bills' bandwagon. Bills 29, Raiders 16.

HOUSTON at TENNESSEE: After Hurricane Ike's impact, the Texans need to give Houston something to smile about. Maybe this is it. Texans 20, Titans 14.

CINCINNATI at NEW YORK GIANTS: For all the talk about whether Oakland's Lane Kiffin or Rams coach Scott Linehan will be the first to lose his job this season, what about Bengals coach Marvin Lewis? Giants 34, Bengals 20.

ARIZONA at WASHINGTON: Who says nobody's perfect? Not the NFL's ridiculously complicated quarterback rating formula, which gave Kurt Warner a perfect score last week. This week, Warner is just really good. Cardinals 34, Redskins 24.

MIAMI at NEW ENGLAND: Is Bill Belichick still a genius without Tom Brady? Based on one week, he might be. Patriots 28, Dolphins 7.

TAMPA BAY at CHICAGO: In a city with two very good baseball teams, the football team ain't bad, either. Bears 17, Bucs 13.

DETROIT at SAN FRANCISCO: The who cares game of the week. 49ers 41, Lions 21.

NEW ORLEANS at DENVER: Just wondering – if you can't review the plays that change the outcome of a game, what's the point of having instant replay? If there's a good answer, send it to San Diego's Norv Tuner. Broncos 34, Saints 20.

ST. LOUIS at SEATTLE: Surely there's a good reason for this. I'm just not sure what it is. Seahawks 24, Rams 10.

PITTSBURGH at PHILADELPHIA: If this is half as entertaining as the Eagles-Cowboys game Monday night, I'll buy the DVD. Eagles 30, Steelers 24.

JACKSONVILLE at INDIANAPOLIS: After seeing David Garrard throw a critical end-zone interception last weekend, Jags coach Jack Del Rio said his quarterback must be smarter. If a receiver isn't open, Del Rio said, then the pass has “got to hit a guy with a beer cup out there in the north end zone, knock the beer out of his hand and we'll kick the field goal.”

Does Del Rio know how much a beer costs at a game? Colts 27, Jags 21.

CLEVELAND at BALTIMORE: Question – what's the difference in Big Ten football and ACC football?

Answer: Nothing.

Ravens 24, Browns 17.

DALLAS at GREEN BAY: Talk about a storybook start, if Aaron Rodgers replaces you know who and beats the Cowboys this weekend, he'll be slated for sainthood among cheeseheads. I know all about Monday night teams going on the road and struggling the next week, but these are the Cowboys and they might not be like other teams. Cowboys 27, Packers 21.

NEW YORK JETS at SAN DIEGO: There's angst in San Diego and for good reason. There's hope among Jets fans and for good reason. It's time for a little role reversal. Chargers 32, Jets 18.

LAST WEEK: 9-6

SEASON: 15-15