ESPN analyst Joe Theismann answers five key questions after NFL Week 2:

Can anyone stop the Patriots?
The New England Patriots have taken that moniker of "world champion" to heart. I've said it before, and I still believe it: Bill Belichick is the best defensive coach in the NFL. And that means his defensive coordinator, Romeo Crennel, also ranks up there.

	Safety Lawyer Milloy and the Patriots' D are picking up where they left off in the Super Bowl.

The Patriots' offense has been smart and balanced, but the defense has impressed me even more. The D is making plays and scoring points off turnovers. Believe it or not, the Pats' defense is upgraded from last year's Super Bowl edition.

QB Tom Brady has picked up where he left off last season -- which hasn't surprised me at all. When you've performed well in the pressure-cooker of a Super Bowl, not much will rattle you. He's talented and surrounded by good talent, and he's making great decisions. I don't believe he'll be a one-year wonder.

To answer the question more specifically, right now the team that matches up best with New England is not the Rams -- who have enough troubles without having to face the Pats -- but the Oakland Raiders.

A Raiders-Patriots game would be entertaining and hard-hitting ... there could be 150 passes thrown! Plus, it would be a rematch of the infamous snow game in last season's AFC semifinal in Foxboro. In fact, the two teams will face each other this season (Sunday, Nov. 17 in Oakland, 8:30 ET, ESPN).

Which Super Bowl contender is in the most trouble -- Pittsburgh or St. Louis?
The Pittsburgh Steelers. After Sunday night's loss, coach Bill Cowher must be plucking every hair out of his goatee, one by one. Four fumbles will do that to a coach.

I'm not convinced the Steelers can score enough to make up for their mistakes. Their four fumbles vs. the Raiders were all in Oakland territory. The Steelers aren't good enough to overcome that many turnovers. If just one player were having trouble, the coaches could get him out of the lineup and correct the problem. But four different players fumbled Sunday night, and Pittsburgh needs each to be a big-time player. QB Kordell Stewart fumbled on the Oakland 3-yard line in the second quarter, and WR Plaxico Burress fumbled in the red zone with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

On defense, Pittsburgh needs to figure out how to stop a spread offense and how to keep opponents from converting on third down.

The St. Louis Rams, meanwhile, are better-equipped to score points than the Steelers. While Rams QB Kurt Warner threw too many interceptions last season -- and has continued this year -- St. Louis hasn't been hurt as much by turnovers. That's because their offense has been potent enough to overcome them, for the most part, the past three seasons.

Still, the Steelers should win the AFC North -- every team in the division except Cleveland (1-1) is 0-2.

Can the Bears continue to pull out these types of games?
Heading into this season, with last season's miraculous finishes in the past, I thought, "probably not." But why not?

The Chicago Bears are winning close games -- like Sunday's 14-13 nail-biter over Atlanta -- because they believe they can. The worst thing a team (or an athlete) can do is to doubt itself (or himself). When you've won as many close games as the Bears have won, you expect to won the close ones.

Call it fate, call it destiny, call it luck -- it happens. But it doesn't just happen. The Bears are better than people give them credit for, and a good team creates opportunities to win (and then capitalizes on those opportunities). The Bears put themselves in a position so miracles can happen.

Who has impressed you more so far -- Ricky Williams or Deuce McAllister?
The trade that sent Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins has helped Miami and the New Orleans Saints equally.

Williams is the difference-maker the Dolphins needed at the featured-back spot. Miami is a more well-rounded team than the Saints, between the offense, defense and special teams. In New Orleans, too much might have been expected of Williams. In Miami, he just needs to be Ricky to be successful.

The Saints feel that Deuce McAllister gives them more of a breakaway threat. The Saints' first-round draft pick from 2001 has lived up to his billing. Statistically, the two are close after two games: McAllister has 52 carries for 232 yards (4.5 per carry) and two TDs, while Williams has 44 carries for 243 yards (5.5 per carry) and two TDs.

This was a win-win trade.

Are the Redskins capable of putting up 30-plus against the Eagles?
I don't think so, but I don't want to make the mistake of underestimating new Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier. This is the game the naysayers have been waiting for. So far Spurrier has proven his critics wrong.

First, they said he wouldn't be able to bring his Fun 'n' Gun from college to the NFL. Then they said his initial success didn't matter because it was just the preseason. Then, when the Redskins beat Arizona in Week 1, well, that was just the soft Cardinals, right? This showdown with the talented Philadelphia Eagles is the last test for Spurrier's system to be vindicated.

The Eagles' defense will bring pressure, and pass protection will be tough for the 'Skins. Washington's tackles are strong, but the inside of the offensive line has question marks. We'll find out if that question is answered Monday night (9 p.m. ET, ABC).

A game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football, former NFL QB Joe Theismann won a Super Bowl and a league MVP award. He reviews the NFL each week for ESPN.com in Cup o' Joe.