Ladies and gentlemen, we made it! Week 1 is here and before we even begin, let's prepare to expect the unexpected this season, let alone this week, because that's what makes the NFL great. With the season set to kick off, and every fan eager to see how their team will fare, here are my picks for Week 1.
All year long, I will provide weekly my straight-up picks for each game, as well as provide a score, therefore, I do plan on listing my straight-up record, as well as my record against the spread. I am looking forward to another great football season, so without further ado, let's get this thing going!
Note: All Lines Are From Bet365
Season Opener: Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs (Line: Chiefs -3)
In the NFL's season opener, we have a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game. Aside from last year, both of these offenses typically do start the season off strong, and I see that happening. With Mike MacDonald no longer with the Ravens, I'm curious to see how their defense performs under new DC Zach Orr. Despite Derrick Henry now paired with Lamar Jackson, I believe Kansas City's defense will manage to make one additional stop, as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs secure a home victory by a touchdown to start the season 1-0.
Prediction: Chiefs 33, Ravens 26
Friday Night Brazil Game: Packers Vs Eagles (Line: Eagles -2.5)
I'm as optimistic about the Packers as anyone heading into this season, but this team may need to eat some humble pie early on in the season if they have heard all the hype about their squad this offseason. To shake off the bitter feeling of last year's disastrous finish, the Eagles come out ready to perform and secure a victory in Brazil over the Pack.
Prediction: Eagles 30, Packers 22
Early Sunday Slate:
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons (Line: Falcons -3)
In a game with two teams starting new quarterbacks, I'll go with Kirk Cousins and the Falcons to beat Russell Wilson and the Steelers. Atlanta's solid offensive line should be able to hold its own against the Steelers' formidable pass rush featuring star T.J. Watt. On the other hand, the Steelers' offense has struggled for years, and I don't expect much improvement with Wilson under center given his last couple of seasons. In a low-scoring game, I'll take the offense that I believe is more capable. The Falcons win a close one at home.
Prediction: Falcons 21, Steelers 16
Arizona Cardinals @ Buffalo Bills (Line: Bills -6)
I have a sneaky feeling this could be one of the more entertaining games on the Week 1 schedule. Some of the league's most dynamic playmakers take each other on at Orchard Park when Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr., and the Cardinals face off against Josh Allen and the Bills. I'm higher on both teams than most this season, as I have Buffalo reaching the AFC title game, while Arizona's over 6.5 wins is one of my favorite future bets, and call me crazy, but I would not be totally surprised if they end up in the postseason. I expect Buffalo to pull out the win at home, I anticipate it could be a closer game than Bills fans hope given the significant turnover on both sides of the ball. On Arizona's end, I believe Murray will target Harrison Jr. a ton in his NFL debut. Ultimately, the Bills win, and start the season 1-0.
Prediction: Bills 28, Cardinals 24
Tennessee Titans @ Chicago Bears (Line: Bears -4.5)
The dawn of a new day in Chicago kicks off when Caleb Williams makes his highly anticipated NFL debut. Unfortunately, history isn’t on his side as a number 1 overall pick at quarterback has not won their Week 1 debut since David Carr with the Texans in 2002. That said, I believe the Bears will come out on top, however, given the historical trend, I'll take the Titans to cover on the road.
Prediction: Bears 20, Titans 16
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals (Line: Bengals -8.5)
Joe Burrow returns after his 2023 season was cut short by wrist surgery, with so much time off, I expect it may take him a bit to shake off the rust, especially considering the Bengals' history of slow starts. Despite trading Matthew Judon, the Patriots should still have a solid defense this season, particularly in the secondary with the return of Christian Gonzalez. Not to mention, given Ja'Marr Chase's lack of activity in camp, I have no idea what to expect from the Cincy offense. While I do think Cincinnati get the win at home, it will likely be closer than they'd like.
Prediction: Bengals 22, Patriots 15
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts (Line: Texans -2.5)
I like Houston to win on the road at Indy in this division matchup. The Texans high high-powered passing attack should be able to attack the Colts' suspect secondary. Also, Anthony Richardson's limited preseason play highlighted how much time he still needs, especially coming off shoulder surgery.
Prediction: Texans 30, Colts 20
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins (Line: Dolphins -3)
In the battle of Florida, I'll take the Dolphins over the Jags, as Miami does tend to start seasons off strong, and I expect them to come out firing yet again. Miami's explosive offense with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should have no problem up against Jacksonville's below-average pass defense. The Dolphins speedy and dynamic playmakers will be too much for Jacksonville to handle as the Fins start 1-0.
Prediction: Dolphins 31, Jaguars 24
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints (Line: Saints -4)
There may not be a game on the Week 1 slate that I'm less interested in watching. Both of these teams just stink, and because of that, I’ll go with the team I trust a bit more. New Orleans wins in a snooze fest that I’m sure almost nobody will be tuning into.
Prediction: Saints 18, Panthers 13
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants (Line: Vikings -1)
Ah yes, Sam Darnold facing off against Daniel Jones... Well, I can guarantee you there will be a defensive touchdown in this matchup. Both teams are set for a tough season in my opinion, but I expect Minnesota to come out on top in this one. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are one of the best receiving duos in the league and will make Darnold's job significantly easier to at least start the season. The Vikings get the win at MetLife.
Prediction: Vikings 21, Giants 17
Late Sunday Window
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers (Line: Chargers -3)
After years of speculation of if or when he will do it, Jim Harbaugh his official return to the NFL sidelines in this AFC West battle. Given the Raiders ties to Los Angeles, we should expect it to feel like a Raiders home game, however, I will be interested to see if Harbaugh's arrival has helped bring in more people to the Chargers fanbase. Even though these tend to play close games, I'm betting on the better coach and quarterback, the Chargers win at home to kick off the Harbaugh era.
Prediction: Chargers 26, Raiders 23
Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks (Line: Seahawks -6)
In Seattle, Bo Nix makes his NFL debut for the Broncos, as Mike MacDonald takes the sidelines for his first game as Seahawks head coach. With so much change on both teams this offseason, I expect a sloppy game with a good amount of offensive mistakes which will lead to a low-scoring game as opposed to great defensive play. At the end of the day, Seattle has the superior playmakers on both sides of the ball, and I think MacDonald cooks something up to surprise the Broncos quarterback which gets the Seahawks the win in a tight contest. Also, the Seahawks rocking the 90s throwbacks doesn't hurt their case.
Prediction: Seahawks 19, Broncos 14
Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns (Browns -2.5)
Tom Brady is back! The GOAT makes his broadcasting debut in Cleveland for this matchup. As for the game itself, the noise surrounding Dallas has been constant all summer, and while they locked in CeeDee Lamb's deal, Dak Prescott remains unsigned at the time of writing, with no agreement in sight. With that, I have a hard time believing everyone's attention in Dallas has been on Week 1 and considering that, I see the Browns humbling the Cowboys right from the start. Cleveland's elite defense gets after Prescott throughout the afternoon and the Browns start 1-0.
Prediction: Browns 26, Cowboys 16
Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Line: Buccaneers -3.5)
Second overall pick Jayden Daniels faces off against former Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield in Tampa. In his NFL debut, I expect Daniels to make plays with both his arms and legs as he will face a ton of pressure from Todd Bowles' blitz-heavy defense. In his first game, Daniels leads the Commanders to a win on the road over the Buccaneers.
Prediction: Commanders 24, Buccaneers 22
Sunday Night Football: Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions (Line: Lions -3.5)
The NFL cooked with the first Sunday Night Game of the season. In a playoff rematch, Matt Stafford returns to Detroit yet again to face Jared Goff and the Lions in a battle of two Super Bowl hopefuls in the NFC. I expect this game to be a high-scoring contest, as the Lions had one of the best offenses in the league last season, while the Rams should have Cooper Kupp back healthy alongside Puka Nacua, in what could end up being the best-receiving duo in football this year very quickly. These teams are so even, but, I'll give the edge to the Lions due to their elite offensive line. With Aaron Donald gone, the Rams' pass rush will remain a question mark until their young players prove their worth, and Detroit's elite O-line will be tough to beat. The Lions beat the Rams for the second time in 2024, and I would not be shocked if we got another matchup in January.
Prediction: Lions 28, Rams 26
Monday Night Football: New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers (Line: 49ers -3.5)
I know it is technically not, but I am considering the final game of Week 1 the true New York Jets debut of Aaron Rodgers (assuming he lasts more than four snaps). This matchup will also mark a homecoming for Jets coach Robert Saleh as his team faces his former boss, Kyle Shanahan, and the 49ers. For San Francisco, Trent Williams status is unclear given how much time he missed due to a contract holdout, Brandon Aiyuk has not practiced throughout training camp after waiting for his new deal, and Christian McCaffrey finally returned to practice after being sidelined with a hamstring injury. These factors combined have all the making for an upset win by the Jets. However, this will be Aaron Rodgers' first real game since January 2023, and I expect him to be somewhat rusty. In a low-scoring affair, the 49ers will take a late lead and get the win.
Prediction: 49ers 20, Jets 13
Comments