Currently watching the Alex Smith show as a nice warmup for a really good looking slate of games. Quite enjoying that Osi Umenyiora starts laughing every time someone says "Jim Bob Cooter".

Bengals v Steelers is the standout of the early games, with Burfict and Roethlisberger returning to make both teams roughly full strength. Giants v Saints looks tasty too, the Cardinals should rack up a cricket score against the Browns, the Rams will sack Kaepernick into oblivion as the 49ers quitmobile gathers pace, the Titans and Texans will gum each other to death for the privilege of going level with the Colts at the top of the AFC South.

Later the Jets and the Raiders will have a much more interesting than it looked at the start of the season game and the Seahawks and the Cowboys will do precisely the opposite. Then Denver's OK offence and great defence will play Green Bay's great offence and OK defence as one team loses their unbeaten record.

NFL thing of the week: Gary Barnidge's film blog. http://www.moviegameplan.com/