The effect of Tuesday's terrorist attacks on U.S. soil still weighs heavily on the mind of every American. In light of the tragedies in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, the NFL must decide whether or not it should go on with its schedule of Week 2 games.

We asked ESPN's experts about what the NFL should do.

Do you think the NFL should cancel this weekend's games?

Mark Malone

Of course, there are a lot of things to consider. Assuming transportation is up and running, and security measures can be put in place to ensure the safety of the players and the fans, I think they should play, for several reasons. First, it's not the day, or even two days, after the event. I realize that it is a burden on the individual teams as they deal with this emotionally and logistically, but hopefully a few days time will ease that burden a bit. Ultimately, the NFL should take its cue from the President, who is calling for all Americans to try to resume their normal activities. Senator Charles Schummer of New York said it most succinctly when he said that to constrict our freedoms to any great extent would, in a sense, be giving the terrorists a victory. Also, entertainment activities -- like football -- can be a diversion, which is a good thing. And it can show the world that we are resolute and resilient. There is no question this is a horrible event the entire country will be dealing with for sometime -- it would be good to show that it has not crippled our foundation, in terms of the freedoms we stand for. You certainly don't want the event of teams playing this weekend to be in any way insensitive. And the idea that teams will be playing -- some within miles of where the attacks occurred -- while they are pulling bodies from the wreckage, is a very, very sobering thought. But there has been precedent for it -- in the 1972 Olympics, 11 people were assassinated, but the Games went on. When the Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed, sporting events continued. Of course, all cases are different, but if it's logistically possible and safe, I think Week 2 of the 2001 NFL season should go on as planned.

Andrea Kremer

The NFL should cancel the games. The late Pete Rozelle's comments still resonate in my mind. He said his biggest regret as commissioner was allowing the games to go on after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It's better for commissioner Paul Tagliabue to err on the side of caution in that respect and do what he thinks is best as opposed to being second-guessed. How can you not respect the sanctity of human life and not play the games? What about a team like the Jets that has to play on Sunday on the road? Are they supposed to prepare as if it's business as usual in New York? And they have to deal with the anxiety of being in basically the terrorist capital of the world at the moment? And are all the players even in camps Wednesday to practice? A lot of players try to go home Monday when they are done and have Tuesday off. They are not able to get back in time for practice on Wednesday. There are potential security concerns at the stadiums. There are logistical nightmares. From every angle, it's the wisest decision to cancel the games. Sure, there's no two-week break before the Super Bowl, but maybe the NFL could reconfigure its schedule so every team gets a bye this week, and take it from there.

Sean Salisbury

It would be an absolute disgrace to play. I know they have to consult with a lot of people. But if you are a fan, why would you want to go? I understand people like their football on the weekend. And in the wake of a tragedy, football may be a good diversion. But there is no such thing as a diversion for what just happened. Life must continue, but it doesn't have to continue this quickly. There is not a college or NFL game that should be played. I don't care about the money. Reschedule the games for later. If they do have these games, there is still a terrorist risk. Around 70,000 fans in a stadium are an easy target. I don't know if I'd want to go to a game. I'd rather be at home. We always say it's game, so let's show it by not playing this week.

Mike Golic

We had a lot of e-mail on our radio show from people who said they want the games to be played to show unity and that the terrorists can't keep us down. But four or five days after one of the worst catastrophes ever, there's nothing wrong with not playing the games in honor of the people who have died or have given their life trying to save others. I don't look at it as a weakness if we don't play the games this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, we will still be pulling people out of the wreckage. And games are supposed to happen? I don't see the value in it. I understand the idea of getting up, dusting yourself off and getting back to work. But this tragedy isn't even over because there are still thousands of people trapped.

Merril Hoge

Nobody in a rational state can play this weekend, based on past history and mistakes made by the NFL. But more than anything, it's the magnitude of what has transpired. This is no disrespect to Pearl Harbor, but that would be liking dropping a firecracker in New York compared to what happened Tuesday. As the days and the hours go on, the trauma and devastation are escalating, as well as the way they change our lives and our world. I don't think the league wants to act in haste and to be reactionary. That's why they have postponed a decision. But I expect the games to cancel, and I would extremely embarrassed and disappointed if they weren't. This is about a country uniting to seek back the freedom that was attacked. Football doesn't matter. I can care less about it right now. How do you game-plan when you are worried about friends, family and other players impacted by these tragedies? It's stupid to even contemplate playing. One day, we will return to normalcy. There will be a time and a place for it, but it's not this week.

Mark Schlereth

I don't think they should play this weekend. There are so many concerns -- safety, of course, but also the concerns of respect for those who have been directly and indirectly affected by these tragedies and honoring the efforts of government and rescue workers. We shouldn't play sports this weekend. I was a member of the Washington Redskins in 1993, and we had a playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers during the Gulf War. I remember a moment of silence before the game, when I was thinking, "What if this crisis wasn't just over on the other side of the ocean? What if they came after us over here?" RFK Stadium wasn't exactly an ideal place to be. It's a scary reality, and at this point, I think we need to lay low and have a time of reflection and healing. Playing football this weekend would be a trivial thing to do.