NFL 2022 Week 1 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The first week of the regular season brings promise to all 32 teams as everyone starts out at 0-0. Unfortunately everyone will either have a 1-0 or an 0-1 record at the end of the week. Week 1 brought us such moments like a puddled field in Chicago, a tie in Houston, a sour reunion for the Broncos and Panthers quarterbacks and most of all football being back. I'm excited to get into this week's action! Let's get to work!

Week 1 Recap

Buffalo 31, LA Rams 10: TW: Rams; CV: Bills
Welcome back football! The celebrations in Inglewood, California were grand as Dwayne Johnson was there. The celebration went off with a bang and then the game happened. Josh Allen was overall good in this game as the passer threw 26 of 31 completions for 297 yards with three touchdowns but also had two interceptions. One of them wasn't necessarily his fault. Allen would also rush for 56 yards with a rushing touchdown. Devin Singletary would rush for 48 yards in the game. The first touchdown on the year would come on a Josh Allen to Gabe Davis connection off of a fake handoff that the Rams would buy. For the Rams they had a rough game on offense. Matthew Stafford was ravaged by the Bills pass rush and would get 29 of 41 passes completed for 240 yards with a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp and threw three interceptions. Former Rams player, Von Miller, would rack up two sacks and had four tackles. At least the Rams won the Super Bowl last year. For the Bills, the 2022 campaign starts off with a win against the defending champions. For the Rams, the hangover might be real and they will have to bounce back quickly.

TW: 0-1; CV: 1-0

Next week:
Buffalo: vs Tennessee (Monday night)
LA Rams: vs Atlanta 

Baltimore 24, NY Jets 9: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
It would be Joe Flacco vs the guy who replaced him in Baltimore in East Rutherford. Lamar Jackson wouldn't get a new contract done but that didn't stop the versatile quarterback from putting up numbers. Jackson would finish the game with 17 of 30 passes completed for 213 yards with three touchdown passes but did have a pass intercepted. Kenyan Drake would get a fair amount of rushing yards as he would get 31 yards on 11 carries. The former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco would start for the Jets. Flacco would complete 37 of 59 passes for 307 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Michael Carter would get 10 carries while rushing for 60 yards. Baltimore starts off the 2022 campaign with a 1-0 mark while the Jets continue to have an opening day loss streak stretching out to four. 

TW: 1-1; CV: 2-0

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Miami
NY Jets: @ Cleveland

Cleveland 26, Carolina 24: TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
The Baker Mayfield Bowl would live up to the hype. The former Browns quarterback would play against his former team and told the media that he would f*ck them up. For Cleveland, they would start journeyman Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. Brissett would do fine under center as he completed 18 of 34 passes for 147 yards with a touchdown pass to Kareem Hunt to start the scoring for the Browns. Cleveland's running tandem Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt would rack up the yards against the Panthers defense. Chubb would get 141 yards and Hunt would get 46 yards with a rushing touchdown on his own. Baker Mayfield was on some plays and was off on some plays. The passer would hit 16 of 27 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown but also had an interception that would go to Grant Delpit. Mayfield would get a rushing touchdown early in the 4th quarter that would cut the Browns lead to seven. Mayfield's 2nd touchdown would go to Robbie Anderson for a 75-yard score. The game would compe down to a Cade York 58-yard field goal that would give the Browns the win. For the first time since 2004, the Browns are 1-0 to start a season. For the Panthers, the loss will leave a wound but it gives the team some promise to get better. 

TW: 1-2; CV: 2-1

Next week:
Cleveland: vs NY Jets
Carolina: @ NY Giants

Indianapolis 20, Houston 20 (F/OT): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
For the 5th straight season, there will be a game that ends in a tie. Indianapolis would bring in a new quarterback in Matt Ryan. The former Falcon would put up a showing as he completed 32 of 50 passes for 352 yards with a touchdown to Michael Pittman but also had an interception. Jonathan Taylor, arguably the best running back in football, had a stellar game on the ground as he carried the ball 31 times for 161 yards with a touchdown. Indy's offense would start off slow during the first three quarters as they would only have three points. They would put up 17 in the 4th quarter. Davis Mills would guide the ship in Houston as he threw 23 of 37 passes for 240 yards with two touchdowns, both to OJ Howard. Houston would get a helping hand in rushing with Rex Burkhead rushing for 40 yards on 14 carries. Colts kicker Rodrigo Blankenship would have a chance to win it in OT but would go wide left. For the Colts and Texans, they didn't win the game but they didn't lose it either. 

TW: 1-2-1; CV: 2-1-1

Next week:
Indianapolis: @ Jacksonville
Houston: @ Denver

Jacksonville 22, Washington 28: TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars
The Commies Commanders era began with a wild game. Trevor Lawrence would get 24 of 42 passes completed for 275 yards with a touchdown but also had a pass picked off by the Commanders. James Robinson rushed for 66 yards on 11 carries for a touchdown. Lawrence's touchdown would go to Robinson on a short pass to the right. Carson Wentz would have to go the distance for this game as he provided all the scoring for Washington. He would finish with 27 of 41 passes completed for 313 yards with four touchdown passes but had two interceptions. One of the interceptions would come from a Wentz sidearm delivery to Jaguars linebacker Travon Walker. For the Jaguars, the hard loss would put them at a 0-1 start. For the Commanders, the 2022 season starts with a good but crazy win. 

TW: 1-3-1; CV: 2-2-1

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Indianapolis
Washington: @ Detroit

New England 7, Miami 20: TW: Dolphins; CV: Patriots
In sweltering Miami, the Patriots offense would melt over the improved Dolphins pass rush. Mac Jones would have a decent game as the passer threw 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown pass to Ty Montgomery and would have an interception that really wasn't his fault and was off of a controversial defensive pass interference no-call. Damien Harris would rush for 48 yards. Tua Tagovailoa would play well in this game under new head coach Mike Daniel. Tua would complete  23 of 33 passes for 270 yards with a touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle to close the end of the 1st half. Chase Edmonds would rush for 25 yards. Tyreek Hill, the former Chief, would prosper in his first game as a Dolphin as he gained 94 receiving yards while catching eight passes. For the Pats, it was the end of a nightmare game and it could be worse as Mac Jones suffered a back injury. For the Dolphins, the Mike Daniel era begins with a dub. 

TW: 2-3-1; CV: 2-3-1

Next week:
New England: @ Pittsburgh
Miami: @ Baltimore

New Orleans 27, Atlanta 26: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and the Atlanta Falcons blowing a lead. Jameis WInston would start off slow in this game but would finish with 23 of 34 passes for 269 yards with two touchdown passes to Michael Thomas. Taysom Hill would be a running back for the Saints as the runner racked up 81 yards with a touchdown, his longest run would be for 57 yards. Marcus Mariota, the journeyman, would get the start for the Falcons as he completed 20 of 33 passes for 215 yards. Atlanta's scoring would go to their running game as Cordarelle Patterson would have a game as he rushed for 120 yards with a touchdown on 22 carries. Marcus Mariota would get a touchdown of his own while rushing for 72 yards. Atlanta would have a 26-10 lead going into the 4th quarter. The Saints would win the game on a Wil Lutz 51-yard field goal that would give the Saints their first lead since the first quarter. For the Saints, it was a roller coaster of a game and it provided memes for the NFL community. For Atlanta, its more of the same, blown lead formula. 

TW: 3-3-1; CV: 3-3-1

Next week:
New Orleans: vs Tampa Bay
Atlanta: @ LA Rams

Philadelphia 38, Detroit 35: TW: Eagles; CV: Lions
The Lions nearly win a game, wash, rinse repeat. Jalen Hurts would have a game that would be marvelous. Hurts would rack up 333 total yards (243 passing, 90 rushing) with a touchdown run. Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott would all score a rushing touchdown. Newly acquired wide out, AJ Brown, would have a stellar game as he would account for 155 receiving yards with 10 catches. Jared Goff would start for the Lions. Goff would play alright as he completed 21 of 37 passes for 215 yards with two touchdown passes to Amonra St. Brown and DJ Chark. Goff would also toss an interception. Dandre Swift would run over the Eagles rush defense as he get 144 yards with a touchdown. Jamaal Williams would get 28 yards with two touchdowns. For the Eagles, the late comeback would come undone as the campaign starts with a 1-0 start. For the Lions, the same old story of coming up short. 

TW: 4-3-1; CV: 3-4-1

Next week:
Philadelphia: vs Minnesota (Monday night)
Detroit: vs Washington

Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 20 (F/OT): TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
What an ugly game for the defending AFC Champions. Mitchell Trubisky would be the starter for the Steelers and did well in orchestrating Matt Canada's offense. He would complete 21 of 38 passes for 194 yards with a touchdown pass to Najee Harris on a 3-yard checkdown. It would be Chase Claypool, not Harris, that would be the leading rusher for the Steelers as Claypool would get 36 yards rushing on six carries. It would be a challenging afternoon for kicker Chris Boswell as he would hit 3 of 4 field goals but would hit the game-winning field goal from 53 yards. Joe Burrow would have a rough game as he would get battered, sacked, and beat up. Burrow would complete 33 of 53 passes for 338 yards with two touchdowns but had four interceptions in the game. Ja'Marr Chase would get 129 receiving yards with a touchdown that would be the touchdown that would help get the game tied and would go to overtime. The Steelers survive a scare in Cincinnati that might turn to worse if TJ Watt will miss time due to a pectoral injury. For the Bengals, the campaign back to the Super Bowl will go in the loss column. 

TW: 4-4-1; CV: 3-5-1

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs New England
Cincinnati: @ Dallas

San Francisco 10, Chicago 19: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
A puddled field in Chicago would cause havoc for the 49ers offense. Trey Lance would get a nod of faith as the 49ers would make him the starter over Jimmy Garoppolo. Lance would have a rough game as he completed 13 of 28 passes for 164 yards with an interception. He would have a fair game running the ball as he rushed for 54 yards on 13 carries. Deebo Samuel would get 52 yards rushing and scored the only touchdown for the 49ers. Elijah Mitchell would rush for 41 yards. Justin Fields would fare a bit better in passing as he would complete 8 of 17 passes for 121 yards with two touchdowns to Dante Pettis and the former Packer Equanimeous St. Brown. Chicago's running game would get some love as Khalil Herbert would score a touchdown while getting 45 yards rushing. Despite the field conditions the Bears would find enough scoring to win their first contest under new head coach Matt Eberflus. For San Francisco, the watered down field would slip up their hopes for a good start to 2022. 

TW: 4-5-1; CV: 3-6-1

Next week:
San Francisco: vs Seattle
Chicago: @ Green Bay (Sunday night)

Green Bay 7, Minnesota 23: TW: Vikings; CV: Packers
Justin Jefferson would carve up the Packers like cheese. Aaron Rodgers would be the opposite. The veteran quarterback would complete 22 of 34 passes for 195 yards with an interception. Jordan Love would see some action as he passed for 65 yards. Green Bay's running game would fare no better as Aaron Jones rushed for 49 yards. AJ Dillon would rush for 45 yards and scored the only touchdown the Packers would get. Green Bay would find trouble in the redzone as they would go 1 for 3 inside the 20 yard-line. Kirk Cousins would do better than his counterpart as he would torch the stacked Packers defense for 23 of 32 passes for 277 yards with two touchdowns. Dalvin Cook wouldn't have a 100-yard rushing day but he was close with 90. Alexander Mattison would get 36 yards. The star in the game would be Justin Jefferson who would catch nine balls for 184 yards with two touchdowns. For the Packers, the offensive mojo without Davante Adams will haunt them this week. Minnesota would rack up dub #1 for head coach Kevin O'Connell. 

TW: 5-5-1; CV: 3-7-1

Next week:
Green Bay: vs Chicago (Sunday night)
Minnesota: @ Philadelphia (Monday night)

Kansas City 44, Arizona 21: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Chiefs did Chiefs things in the desert. Patrick Mahomes was on fire as he threw 30 of 39 pass completions for 360 yards with five touchdowns. Mahomes would fire touchdown passes on the first three Chiefs drives, only the 2nd time since 1991 (Aaron Rodgers in 2011 would do it first). Isiah Pacheco would rush for 62 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. Kyler Murray would score a touchdown in the 1st quarter but wouldn't score another until late in the 3rd. By that time the comeback would be insurmountable. For the Chiefs, it was business as usual. For the Cardinals, the defense let them down. 

TW: 6-5-1; CV: 4-7-1

Next week:
Kansas City: vs LA Chargers (Thursday night)
Arizona: @ Las Vegas

Las Vegas 19, LA Chargers 24: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
It was a rematch of the Sunday night Week 18 matchup and Week 1 game lived up to the hype. Derek Car would play okayish as he completed 22 of 37 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns but had three interceptions. Josh Jacobs would get 57 yards rushing. Newly acquired player Davante Adams would do well in his Silver & Black debut as he received 141 yards. Justin Herbert would play well in comparison to Carr. Herbert would complete 26 of 34 passes for 279 yards with three touchdowns. Austin Ekeler would get a fair amount of rushing yards as he rushed for 36 yards on 14 carries. The game would also see the Chargers debut of former Raider Khalil Mack. Mack would get three sacks against his former team. For the Raiders, the Josh McDaniels era would start off with a rough start. For the Chargers, they will stay in a 1-0 column in the expected tough AFC West. 

TW: 7-5-1; CV: 5-7-1

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Arizona
LA Chargers: @ Kansas City (Thursday night)

NY Giants 21, Tennessee 20: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Giants won a game? Miracles can happen. Daniel Jones would complete 17 of 21 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns but had an interception in the game. The key to the Giants in 2022 is the health in their running game as Saquon Barkley would have a resurgent game as he rushed for 164 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. His longest run was for 68 yards. Brian Daboll would test his new team by going for the two-point conversion. The Giants would make it on a play that the Titans should've been more prepared for: a Jones to Barkley pass for the go ahead two points. Ryan Tannehill would get the start for Tennessee. The veteran would hit 20 of 33 passes for 266 yards with two touchdown passes to Dontrell Hilliard in the 1st and 3rd quarters. Derrick Henry would run well in his 2022 debut but his 82 yards on 21 carries wouldn't get it quite done for the Titans. For the Giants, the curse of the 0-2 stretch ends with a 1-0 start. For the Titans, the hangover of the #1 seed might be plaguing them a bit. Hard to say if this stretch is harming them. Helps that no one in the AFC South didn't win this week. 

TW: 7-6-1; CV: 5-8-1

Next week:
NY Giants: vs Carolina
Tennessee: @ Buffalo (Monday night)

Tampa Bay 19, Dallas 3: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Tom Brady's record against the Cowboys remains perfect. The GOAT began his 23rd NFL season with 18 completions out of 27 passes thrown with 212 yards passing with a touchdown to Mike Evans. Brady would throw an interception too. Leonard Fournette would carve up the Cowboys defense with 127 yards rushing on 21 carries. Dak Prescott would have a rough night as he completed 14 of his 29 passes with an interception. Cooper Rush would come into the game but would provide little to help as he threw for 64 yards. Ezekiel Elliot would not have a monster game as he would get 52 rushing yards on 10 carries. Just an ugly loss for the Cowboys that gave up four sacks and go 3 for 15 on 3rd down conversions. For the Buccaneers, it was a win but have to think that the Bucs could've done maybe a little bit better. 

TW: 8-6-1; CV: 6-8-1

Next week: 
Tampa Bay: @ New Orleans
Dallas: vs Cincinnati

Denver 16, Seattle 17: TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos
It would be Geno Smith, not Russell Wilson, that would get the last laugh in the Russell Wilson reunion. The former Seahawks quarterback would get 29 of 42 passes completed for 340 yards with a touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy. It would be the only touchdown for the Broncos. Melvin Gordon would get 58 yards rushing on 12 carries. Javonte Williams would get 43 yards rushing. Denver's kicker Brandon McManus would have a good day kicking the ball, hitting 3 of 4 field goals. The Broncos would suffer in the redzone as they would go 0 for 4 inside the 20. Geno Smith would get the start for the Seahawks. The journeyman quarterback would hit 23 of 28 passes for 195 yards with two touchdowns. Rashad Penny would find success in running the ball with 60 yards on 12 carries. For the Broncos, the Wilson era hits a rocky start. For the Seahawks, they got a good game out of a journeyman that made use of the opportunity given to him. 

TW: 8-7-1; CV: 6-9-1

Next week:
Denver: vs Houston
Seattle: @ San Francisco

2022 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 8-7-1

Total: 8-7-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-9-1

Total: 6-9-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1
2020: 167-88-1 
2021: 173-98-1

NFL 2022 Week 1 Picks

Hello readers! Another NFL season is set to begin as the games that count are about to begin. Week 1 is the toughest week to predict for pick 'ems as teams can either turn out to be good or bad. It almost seems like Week 1 is like the 4th week of preseason for most teams. In this post I'll do a breakdown of the rules, my history of pick 'ems, a preview of the week and my picks for the games. It's plenty to cover but I'm excited to get into it. Let's get to work!

Pick 'Em Rules:

The rules for my pick 'ems are relatively simple. My pick 'ems are straight up and not based on betting lines. No money will be used. Betting lines are too confusing for me to understand, I prefer straight up. 

Picks must be submitted before said game(s) begin. I used to be more stingy with this rule in the past then the COVID season of 2020 happened. Such players on teams would get tested positive before a game that would directly effect the outcome. One example was the Patriots-Chiefs matchup in 2020. Thursday picks must be submitted prior to the game but Sunday picks can be submitted before the early games. 

Pick 'Em History:

The 2022 NFL Season will be my 9th season doing pick 'ems. I first started doing Pick 'Ems in 2012 when I used a WordPress blog. I used Wordpress from 2012 to 2014. I took a step back from Pick 'Ems for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. After some convincing I came back to doing Pick 'Ems during the 2017 season on the Blogger platform. I've used Blogger ever since. 

Since 2017 I have done pick 'ems with my former roommate, Cardinal Viking, who won the Pick 'Ems in 2017. In 2018, we would finish the season with a tie. I would finally win the Pick 'Ems in 2019 and would win again in 2020 and 2021. Maybe 2022 will be the year that Cardinal Viking breaks out of the losing column. 

Week 1 Preview: 

The first week of the 2022 National Football League's regular season will start on September 8th and finish up on September 12th. All 32 teams will be playing in 16 games this week. There will be a Thursday night game, nine early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. Both FOX and CBS will have doubleheaders this week. Let's get to the picks!

Week 1 Picks:

Note: all game times are in US Eastern time. TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate. 

Buffalo (0-0) @ LA Rams (0-0) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Bills
The regular season kicks off with the Rams defending their title against a solid Bills team that might've been the AFC's representative in last year's Super Bowl. It's looking like Matthew Stafford will be able to play in the game. He will need to be on the field as the Bills defense is solid. Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson will also be ready to play. Usually the home team wins on the Opening Night game so I'll give the Rams the nod.

Baltimore (0-0) @ NY Jets (0-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Ravens will have to go on the road to take on the Jets. With everyone set to go for the Ravens I would go with the Ravens. It is Week 1 and the Jets could very well play spoiler and notch a win. I don't think the Jets have that capability so I'll go with the Ravens.

Cleveland (0-0) @ Carolina (0-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
The Baker Mayfield Revenge Game! Deshaun Watson will be serving that 11-game suspension in this one and the Browns will trot out Jacoby Brissett. Baker Mayfield will get the start against his former team. I will be giving the Panthers an edge as they do have the multiple capabilities of Christian McCaffrey and I tend to like the Panthers defense in this matchup. 

Indianapolis (0-0) @ Houston (0-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The Matt Ryan era starts in earnest against the hapless Texans. It feels like a trap game in the first week for the Colts as they could struggle to adjust to Ryan at quarterback. I don't think it'll be the case with this game but I could be wrong. I feel Jonathan Taylor will have a good day against the Texans rush defense. 

Jacksonville (0-0) @ Washington (0-0) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars
The first game of the Carson Wentz era starts in Washington as he leads the Commanders against the Jaguars. Jacksonville will have a better time in passing offense with the weapons that were picked up in the offseason. Wentz certainly started off poorly around this time last year and I think he will find some struggles in this game against a Jaguars team hungry for wins. 

New England (0-0) @ Miami (0-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Patriots
Tyreek Hill's first game as a Dolphin. New England made changes to the offense as Matt Patricia takes over for Josh McDaniels who left for Las Vegas. Mac Jones will likely struggle against the Dolphins who made improvements to their defense. I think it'll be a defensive struggle for both teams but I think the Dolphins come out on top. 

New Orleans (0-0) @ Atlanta (0-0) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
The Saints take on the Matt Ryan-less Falcons in this game. Matt Ryan won't be playing and Marcus Mariota will likely go as quarterback for the Falcons. I think it'll be a stressful season to be a Falcons fan as the roster that the Falcons have is just not that great. New Orleans seems to be on the right foot in terms of this game based on wide receivers. I'll take the Saints.

Philadelphia (0-0) @ Detroit (0-0) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Lions
The revamped Eagles go to Detroit and look to steal a win from the Lions. Philly made strides to their team in the offseason. Now is the time to see if those moves paid off. Aidan Hutchinson will make his debut as a Lion in this game and could be a factor in the Lions stealing this game. I don't think the Lions quite have that ability to beat the best teams in the NFC but I think they'll make noise. 

Pittsburgh (0-0) @ Cincinnati (0-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
The AFC Champion Bengals take on the Steelers in a rivalry matchup. Last time the Steelers met the Bengals on the road it was a blowout. I think the game this go around will be different as they do have a younger quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky under center. I think the Bengals will be able to win it based on their offense vs the Steelers offense which might struggle with Trubisky under center. 

San Francisco (0-0) @ Chicago (0-0) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
The game will feature two young quarterbacks in Trey Lance for the 49ers and Justin Fields for the Bears. The deciding factor in this game will be that Trey Lance will have a better supporting cast than Fields. It will also come down to how well the pressure that Lance may face as he will be given the keys to a high performance vehicle. I don't trust the Bears to do a lot of winning this season and this game might be the reason. 

Green Bay (0-0) @ Minnesota (0-0) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Vikings; CV: Packers
Its a classic rivalry game as the Packers travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. I feel both teams will have some struggles on offense that the two teams defenses will be better, specifically the Packers defense. The matchup that I will be watching is how well the Packers offense will do with the loss of Davante Adams. I think the Packers will struggle to move the ball so I'll take the Vikes in this game. 

Kansas City (0-0) @ Arizona (0-0) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Star power abound as Patrick Mahomes goes to the desert to take on Kyler Murray's Cardinals. It seems like this game is a matchup of defenses. If the Cardinals defense can cause havoc to Mahomes then they do have a good shot to win this game. For the Chiefs, just let Mahomes do Mahomes things in having him do what it takes to win a game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be a factor in this game. 

Las Vegas (0-0) @ LA Chargers (0-0) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Week 18 rematch! Last time these two teams met it was the Sunday night game in Week 18 that would've determined the fate for not just the Raiders and Chargers but also the Steelers. Justin Herbert and the Chargers really should've won that game as the Raiders were really letting that game slip through their fingers. Las Vegas has a new coach in Josh McDaniels which means that the offense will improve but also like his stint in Denver, it could backfire. I feel the Chargers will take the game based off of their offense. I'll take the Chargers. 

NY Giants (0-0) @ Tennessee (0-0) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Daboll era in New York begins with a trip to the Music City to take on the Titans. Tennessee had a rollercoaster of a season last year. The factor for the 2022 Titans will be the health of Derrick Henry, without him the Titans are one dimensional. For the G-Men they have a running back who's looking to get back to form in Saquon Barkley. I think the Giants will be competitive in this game but I feel the Titans will come out on top. 

Tampa Bay (0-0) @ Dallas (0-0) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Tom Brady's quest for ring #8 begins with a date with the Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers had a bit of a scare when Brady retired for a couple of months in the offseason. Fortunately for the fans, Brady had a change of heart. Tampa's roster has largely remained the same. For the Cowboys, the roster has seen some change as they had to shed talent due to the salary cap. I can't count out on Tom Brady so I'd take him in this game. 

Denver (0-0) @ Seattle (0-0) (ABC; 8:15 pm): TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos
To say this game has delicious storylines would be an understatement. Russell Wilson has a chance to beat the team that drafted him back in 2012. This will also be the Monday Night Football debut of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Both of them who had spent a majority of their broadcasting careers with FOX. Back to football, the game looks like a mismatch in terms of the quarterback position as Russell Wilson would seem to be the better quarterback than Drew Lock. On offense and defense I would say the Broncos have the better sides of the ball. It could be a rough night to be a Seahawks fan. 

NFL Early & Late Game Broadcast Pairings (games subject to change, check local listings, games in bold are being shown in my area): 

CBS Early:

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

New England @ Miami
Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta

Baltimore @ NY Jets
Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

Cleveland @ Carolina
Spero Dedes, Jay Feely

Indianapolis @ Houston
Tom McCarthy, Tiki Barber

CBS Late:

Kansas City @ Arizona
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Las Vegas @ LA Chargers
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

FOX Early:

San Francisco @ Chicago
Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston

Philadelphia @ Detroit
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

New Orleans @ Atlanta
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Jacksonville @ Washington
Chris Myers, Robert Smith

FOX Late:

Green Bay @ Minnesota
Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

NY Giants @ Tennessee
Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2022: Week 1 Maps

2022 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 0-0

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 0-0

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1
2020: 167-88-1 
2021: 173-98-1

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 1 Recap post. Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 1 Picks

Hello readers! The National Football League's regular season is coming upon us in less than two days away. The excitement is just unbearable but suffice to say we shall have to be patient. In this post I'll be discussing the general rules of pick 'ems (or at least how I do them) and then I'll be posting my picks for the week's action. Let's get to work!

General Rules of My Pick 'Ems

The 2021 season will be my 8th season of doing pick 'ems. It will more than likely be Cardinal Viking's 5th season of doing them as well. Cardinal Viking is my former roommate who wanted to do pick 'ems alongside as a sort of bragging rights between the two of us. It will also be bragging rights as I'm in a fantasy football league with him this season. 

The rules are in general simple. The picks that the both of us submit are straight up and not on sportsbooks. Picks must be submitted prior to the first game of that week's action starts whether it'll be on Thursday or whatever. Although some exceptions will be considered such as starters needing to quarantine because of COVID (hopefully this year that won't happen). If the team you picked wins, you win, if they lose, they lose, if the game ends in a tie, then it'll be a tie. Really straightforward. 

Week 1

Week 1 of the National Football League's regular season will start in Tampa, Florida and finish up in Paradise, Nevada. The week will feature a full 16-game slate. It will include a Thursday night game, nine early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. Both CBS and FOX will have the double-headers this week. No teams are on a bye this week. Let's get to the picks!

NOTE: TW is me, CV is Cardinal Viking. Game times are in U.S. Eastern Time

Dallas (0-0) @ Tampa Bay (0-0) (NBC) (8:20 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The regular season kicks off with the defending champs hosting the Dallas Cowboys. It will be a good test for the Cowboys defense at how well they have improved from last year and when you're facing off against Tom Brady, there's no better test. I think the game will be closer than most will think but I'll take the defending champs.

Arizona (0-0): @ Tennessee (0-0) (CBS) (1:00 pm): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The game is an intriguing one as both teams possess great offenses. I lean towards the Titans in that they have the better offense and a defense that is better than the Cardinals. Should be an entertaining one but I'll take the Titans in a close one.

Jacksonville (0-0) @ Houston (0-0) (CBS) (1:00 pm): TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars
Oh boy, this one will be a Toilet Bowl written all over it as both teams will more than likely spend a fair amount of time in the AFC South's basement. Houston is a mess and full of distractions while Jacksonville isn't as much. I think Jacksonville will take it and give both Trevor Lawrence and Urban Meyer their first win in the pros. 

LA Chargers (0-0) @ Washington (0-0) (CBS) (1:00 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
Justin Herbert had a solid rookie season and going into year two will put some pressure on him to continue that success. Washington is the current NFC east champion but I think they could slip up a bit this year with Ryan Fitzpatrick and a weak offense. Fortunately for the Football team, they have a good defense that can keep them in it. I'll take the Chargers.

Minnesota (0-0) @ Cincinnati (0-0) (FOX) (1:00 pm): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Depending on who starts for the Vikings, I think Minnesota has a solid shot to win this game as they do have a running game and a defense that can put pressure on Joe Burrow to throw the ball. If Cincy wants to win this game they'll need to keep Joe Burrow upright and take advantage of turnovers if the Vikes graciously give them. 

NY Jets (0-0) @ Carolina (0-0) (CBS) (1:00 pm): TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
Sam Darnold's new team vs Sam Darnold's old team. In Darnold's place for the Jets is quarterback Zach Wilson. I personally think the Panthers will have the advantage based on their running attack and some decent weapons at wide receiver like Robby Anderson and DJ Moore. The Jets are likely going to have a rough season and I won't be placing a lot of faith in them to win this one. 

Philadelphia (0-0) @ Atlanta (0-0) (FOX) (1:00 pm): TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons
For some reason, I like the Falcons in this matchup. Both teams will have rookie head coaches going into their first game at the head coaching position. Philly's defense is a bit banged up and the Falcons could take advantage of that with getting the ball to Calvin Ridley or to their other weapons. Could be a toss up game or the Falcons could choke a lead. 

Pittsburgh (0-0) @ Buffalo (0-0) (CBS) (1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Both teams are solid on both sides of the ball. I think the factor that will play into it is if TJ Watt won't play for the Steelers due to holdout. Buffalo's very good at the trenches and it will ultimately come down to the battles in them. It should be an exciting game and hopefully it turns out to be that. 

Seattle (0-0) @ Indianapolis (0-0) (FOX) (1:00 pm): TW: Seahawks; CV: Colts 
Carson Wentz won't likely play in the game so it will come down to 3rd year man Jacob Eason to get the Colts off to the right foot. What he gets to face is the Seahawks with an improved defense that will give him some headaches. Jonathan Taylor will likely need to take the majority of the load on offense if the Colts have a shot to win. I just think the Seahawks have so much at stake to win and I think they'll come through. 

San Francisco (0-0) @ Detroit (0-0) (FOX) (1:00 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
Macho Man Dan Campbell will have his coaching debut as Lions head coach. Unfortunately, the Lions will face a 49ers team that will like nothing more to get back to the playoffs. It doesn't seem like a favorable matchup on either side of the ball for Detroit to take advantage of. Sorry Lions fans.

Cleveland (0-0) @ Kansas City (0-0) (CBS) (4:25 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Week 1 is usually a tough week to do pick 'ems as you're not sure how well a team will do. This game is a true example of that as both Browns and Chiefs will have a lot to prove this season. I personally like the Chiefs in the game as Patrick Mahomes is quarterback and perhaps the Chiefs defense will do well. Should be close but I'll take KC. 

Denver (0-0) @ NY Giants (0-0) (FOX) (4:25 pm): TW: Giants; CV: Giants
Denver will be showcasing a new quarterback yet again this year as Teddy Bridgewater will get the keys to the Ferrari. The Giants intrigue me as being underdog as they could get Saquon Barkley back and hopefully the defense can take advantage of mistakes. 

Green Bay (0-0) @ New Orleans (0-0) (FOX) (4:25 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The game won't be in the SuperDome due to Hurricane Ida. It will be in Jacksonville. At least Jaguars fans will get to see how two other teams play football. I like the Packers in the matchup as the Saints start the post-Drew Brees era in earnest. Jameis Winston will start and his past performances will suggest otherwise that he will do well as a Saint. 

Miami (0-0) @ New England (0-0) (CBS) (4:25 pm): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Mac Jones era begins with in New England. Miami's defense is no slouch compared to past seasons as the Dolphins are looking to make it back to the playoffs. I like both teams in the matchup but I think it'll come down to how well both quarterbacks handle the defensive schemes of their opponents. I'll take the Pats but I think the Dolphins-Patriot series will ultimately become a split. 

Chicago (0-0) @ LA Rams (0-0) (NBC) (8:20 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
Both teams will be handing the reins to new quarterbacks as the Bears will go with Andy Dalton and the Rams with Matthew Stafford. The game itself looks like a mismatch when it comes to the Bears offense vs the Rams defense. LA's blitzing will play a factor in the game. I like the Rams.

Baltimore (0-0) @ Las Vegas (0-0) (ABC/ESPN) (8:15 pm): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens 
The week finishes up with a solid game on Monday night as primetime football returns to ABC for the first time since Super Bowl XL. Lamar Jackson and Derek Carr are both quarterbacks that are looking to get to that next level. The game will be a huge test as to how well Jon Gruden's Raiders defense will play up to against the Ravens running attack. If the Raiders can pick up the running situations well, they have a decent shot to win the game. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com): 

CBS Early
Pittsburgh @ Buffalo
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

CBS Late
Cleveland @ Kansas City
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early
Minnesota @ Cincinnati
Chris Meyers, Daryl Johnston

FOX Late
Green Bay @ New Orleans
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

For more information on which game is being shown in your area, check out: 

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

I will see you all sometime either after the Monday night game or on Tuesday for the Week 1 recap post. Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 1 Recap

 Hello readers! The first week of the National Football League's regular season is in the books. The first week brought some surprises and surprises were a plenty in Week 1. The feeling of normalcy has to outweigh the surprise that the feeling of the first week brings. Especially in a pandemic. In this post I will do a recap of the games. Let's get to work!

Week 1 Recap

Houston 20, Kansas City 34: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
If there was any doubt that the Chiefs would miss a step would be brushed aside at least in this game. The loss of DeAndre Hopkins for the Texans has to sting a little bit. DeShaun Watson threw for 253 yards with a touchdown pass and throwing an interception. Watson would get a rushing touchdown as well while racking up 77 yards from the ground. Running back David Johnson would get 77 yards with a rushing touchdown of his own. Patrick Mahomes threw the ball for 211 yards with three touchdowns. The star of the game was rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire who would rush for 138 yards with a touchdown. 

Next week:
Houston: vs Baltimore; Kansas City: @ LA Chargers

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Las Vegas 34, Carolina 30: TW: Raiders; CV: Panthers
Teddy Bridgewater was impressive in this one but not quite enough to get a win. Derek Carr had a decent day with a 239 yards passing, one touchdown statline. Raiders running back Josh Jacobs continued his great start to his career with a 93 rushing yards with three touchdowns from the ground. Teddy Bridgewater did well in his Panther debut with 270 yards while throwing a touchdown as well. Christian McCaffrey almost had a 100-yard day but would finish the game with 96 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs would even get some comparison to the great Walter Payton from Jon Gruden. Not bad. 

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs New Orleans; Carolina: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1

Indianapolis 20, Jacksonville 27: TW: Colts; CV: Jaguars
The Return of the Minshewmania. Philip Rivers seemed like back to his Charger days, being a gunslinger and hope whatever he throws goes to the right guy. Rivers threw for 363 yards with a touchdown but had two interceptions. The Colts running game wouldn't get much as Nyheim Hines would only get 27 yards rushing and Marlon Mack would get 26 yards before leaving the game with an injury. Gardner Minshew threw the ball for 170 yards with three touchdowns. Jaguars running back James Robinson had a decent day with 62 yards from the ground. Turnovers kill. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs Minnesota; Jacksonville: @ Tennessee

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Miami 11, New England 21: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
New England didn't seem to miss a beat in the Post-Brady era. Miami did some things well but still have a long way to get to where they want to be. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw the ball for 191 yards while tossing three interceptions in the game. Myles Gaskin was the leading rusher for the Dolphins with 40 yards, while Jordan Howard would score the only Miami touchdown in the game. The last time there wasn't a guy named Tom Brady on the Patriots roster was in Week 17 in the 1999 season. Cam Newton would take the reins. Newton would get 155 yards passing but would get two rushing touchdowns while getting 75 yards rushing. Sony Michel would get a rushing touchdown as well with 37 yards from the ground. Rare to see zero passing touchdowns for the Patriots, let alone an entire game. 

Next week:
Miami: vs Buffalo; New England: @ Seattle

TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1

Philadelphia 17, Washington 27: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
The feel when you lose to a "Football Team." Carson Wentz was okay in the game with 270 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Boston Scott and the Eagles rushing attack didn't get much as Scott would get 35 yards rushing. Dwayne Haskins threw the ball for 178 yards with a touchdown. Antonio Gibson ran the ball for 36 yards but would get a scoring boost from Peyton Barber with 29 yards rushing with two rushing touchdowns. Keep forgetting to mention this but I hope Ron Rivera kicks cancer's ass! #RiveraStrong. 

Next week: 
Philadelphia: vs LA Rams; Washington: @ Arizona

TW: 3-2; CV: 3-2

Seattle 38, Atlanta 25: TW: Seahawks; CV: Falcons
Russell Wilson didn't miss a beat in this one. Didn't even need a running game to be great either. Wilson threw the ball for 322 yards with four touchdown passes. He would have leading rushing honors with 29 yards while Carlos Hyde would score a touchdown with 23 yards rushing. Matt Ryan would have a better game in this one with 450 yards passing with two touchdowns while throwing a pick. Todd Gurley ran the ball for 56 yards with a touchdown. Three Falcons wide outs had 100+ receiving yards in this one. Atlanta's defense could cause problems. 

Next week:
Seattle: vs New England; Atlanta: @ Dallas

TW: 4-2; CV: 3-3

Green Bay 43, Minnesota: 34: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
I guess I was wrong with the whole "Packer offense struggling" narrative. Aaron Rodgers threw for 364 yards with four touchdowns. Aaron Jones ran the ball well with 66 yards rushing with a touchdown. Kirk Cousins did okay in the game with 259 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He would also get hit from a corner blitz to cause a safety. Dalvin Cook couldn't get too much from the ground with 50 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Packers defense could be an achilles heel for this team again this season.  Who would've thought this game would be a scorefest? 

Next week: 
Green Bay: vs Detroit; Minnesota: @ Indianapolis

TW: 4-3; CV: 3-4

NY Jets 17, Buffalo 27: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Buffalo made strides to a possible division winning season in this game. Sam Darnold's performance was alright but could've been more. Darnold threw the ball for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception. New York's running game once again couldn't get much as Frank Gore and Le'Veon Bell would both get 24 and 14 yards rushing respectively. Josh Allen would be the better quarterback as he would get 312 yards with two touchdown passes. Allen would also get 57 yards rushing with a touchdown as well. 

Next week:
NY Jets: vs San Francisco; Buffalo: @ Miami

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

Cleveland 6, Baltimore 38: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Browns do Browns things as usual. Baker Mayfield threw the ball for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb ran the ball for 72 and 60 yard rushing respectively. Lamar Jackson didn't miss a beat in this game as he threw for 275 yards with three touchdowns while rushing for 45 yards. JK Dobbins would score two touchdowns from the ground with 22 yards rushing. Mark Ingram would get 29 yards. Cleveland hasn't opened the season with a victory since 2004. At one point the Browns had a 3rd down and 41 in the game. 

Next week:
Cleveland: vs Cincinnati; Baltimore: @ Houston

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Chicago 27, Detroit 23: TW: Lions; CV: Lions
At one point the Lions were ahead 23-6 at the start of the 4th quarter. Mitchell Trubisky showed some sort of life late in the game as he would finish with 242 yards passing with three touchdowns. David Montgomery ran the ball for 64 yards. Matthew Stafford threw for 297 yards with a touchdown and an interception while throwing the ball for 42 times. Former Washington running back Adrian Peterson made the most of his opportunity with 93 yards rushing. Dandre Swift would get a rushing touchdown for Detroit as well. If you're Jamie Collins, don't try to prove a point by headbutting into an officials chest., it won't end well for you.

Next week: 
Chicago: vs NY Giants; Detroit: @ Green Bay

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5

LA Chargers 16, Cincinnati 13: TW: Bengals; CV: Chargers
Joe Burrow's debut for the Bungles was... meh. Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw the ball for 208 yards but wouldn't throw a touchdown in the game. Austin Ekeler ran the ball for 84 yards while Joshua Kelley would ran for 60 yards and score the only touchdown for the Chargers. Joe Burrow threw the ball for 193 yards but would throw a costly interception in the game. He showcased his running while scoring a touchdown while compiling 46 yards. Joe Mixon would be the leading rusher for the Bungles with 69 yards. Can't blame Burrow too much on this game, he didn't have much of an offseason to learn. 

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs Kansas City; Cincinnati: @ Cleveland

TW: 6-5; CV: 6-5

Arizona 24, San Francisco 20: TW: 49ers; CV: Cardinals
This game was probably the biggest shock of the week. Kyler Murray threw the ball for 230 yards with a touchdown but threw an interception in the game. Murray was also the leading rusher for the Cards with 91 yards with a touchdown. Kenyan Drake ran the ball for 60 yards with a rushing touchdown. Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball for 259 yards with two touchdowns. Raheem Mostert was the leading rusher for the 49ers with 56 yards. San Francisco's defense just couldn't hold off a late Cardinal drive. 

Next week:
Arizona: vs Washington; San Francisco: @ NY Jets

TW: 6-6; CV: 7-5

Tampa Bay 23, New Orleans 34: TW: Saints; CV: Bucanneers
The game didn't exactly live up to the hype. Tom Brady would don a uniform that wasn't red, white and blue for the first time in his career. His debut was mixed as he threw for 239 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. One of those interceptions was a pick-six by Janoris Jenkins. Brady would go in for a rushing touchdown as well. Ronald Jones was the leading rusher for the Bucs as he ran 66 yards. Drew Brees threw for 160 yards with two touchdowns. Latavius Murray ran for 48 yards while Alvin Kamara ran for 16 yards with a touchdown. Brady vs Brees doesn't have the same ring to it as Brady vs Manning. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: vs Carolina; New Orleans: @ Las Vegas

TW: 7-6; CV: 7-6

Dallas 17, LA Rams 20: TW: Cowboys; CV: Rams
You have all that offensive talent and you can't put up more than 17 points. Oh wait that's right Mike McCarthy is your coach. Dak Prescott would finish the game with 266 passing yards with a touchdown while racking up 30 yards rushing. Ezekiel Elliot ran the ball well with 96 yards including a touchdown. Jared Goff of the Rams finished the game with 275 yards passing while throwing an interception. Malcolm Brown finished the game with 79 yards rushing with two touchdowns, good day for those who had him in fantasy. 

Next week:
Dallas: vs Atlanta; LA Rams: @ Philadelphia

TW: 7-7; CV: 8-6

Pittsburgh 26, NY Giants 16: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Safe to say that Big Ben is back to form. Ben Roethlisberger finished the game with 229 yards passing with three touchdowns. Benny Snell would pick up the rushing yardage in the game with 113 yards rushing while James Conner would go down to injury. Daniel Jones had a mixed game with 279 yards passing with two touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. Jones also ran for 22 yards, the Giants leading rusher in the game. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Denver; NY Giants: @ Chicago

TW: 8-7; CV: 9-6

Tennessee 16, Denver 14: TW: Broncos; CV: Titans
A former Patriot saves the day. Ryan Tannehill threw for 249 yards with two touchdowns. Derrick Henry continues his successful career with a 116 yard rushing day. Drew Lock got the start for Denver and looked fine but perhaps more was needed. Lock finished the game with 216 yards with a touchdown pass to Noah Fant. Recently acquired running back Melvin Gordon ran the ball for 78 yards with a touchdown. Ultimately the game came down to Stephen Gostkowski, former Patriots kicker, to kick a 25-yard field goal to give the Titans a 1-0 start to 2020. 

Next week:
Tennessee: vs Jacksonville; Denver: @ Pittsburgh

TW: 8-8; CV: 10-6

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

See you guys tomorrow for the Week 2 Picks post!

-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 1 Picks + Predictions

Hello readers, it is that time again. The time when the days get shorter, the baseball season is in the final stretches of the regular season, pumpkin spice coffee is out, and of course American Football is in the air. Of course I'm talking about the National Football League. Indeed, the league is entering its 99th season of operation since its foundation in 1920. In this column I will be discussing my picks of the week 1 action as well as my predictions on who gets in the playoffs, wins the super bowl, awards, etc.

The start of a new season has many promises to many teams in the NFL, many hopes and wishes to see their teams win the Super Bowl come February. While only 12 of the 32 teams make it out of the regular season and into the playoffs come January, every team starts out at 0-0. Of course if you're the Browns then... there's always next year. Just kidding. Here are my predictions on who gets in:

AFC:
East: Patriots
North: Steelers
South: Texans
West: Raiders
Wild Card: Chiefs, Ravens

NFC:
East: Giants
North: Vikings
South: Saints
West: Rams
Wild Card: Packers, Cowboys

Super Bowl:
Unbiased: Raiders over Saints
Biased: Packers over Raiders

MVP:
Derek Carr, Raiders

Coach of the Year:
Mike Zimmer, Vikings

Rookie of the Year:
Saquon Barkley, Giants

Well with these predictions, I'm just going off what seems well in my head. Probably the biggest gamble is going with the Raiders to win the AFC West. A lot is riding on how well Derek Carr can do with Jon Gruden's system, which isn't a walk in the park. Maybe the Raiders could have better luck next season in the second year of the coach's system. Other than that I feel that this is a solid prediction.

For this week's cool video of the week, I'm going with a selection that most Philadelphians know all too well. Once the Eagles take the field against the Falcons Thursday night on NBC, the memories of last season will pass away and the new season will begin. Enjoy Eagles fans, you've earned it. 

The new season will kick off with a Thursday night game then will proceed to Sunday where there will be eight early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, and two Monday night games. CBS will have the single game, and FOX will have the doubleheader. The week will begin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and it will end in Oakland, California. Truly from sea to shining sea. 

The first few weeks of the season are the toughest to predict since each team has new players, new schemes and everyone is a bit older than where they were last season. Along with me picking I will happily bring back, Cardinal Viking, my roommate, to be my competition again for this season. Rules are pretty simple, if you get a pick right, you get a win, you get it wrong then its a loss, and if its a tie, then its a tie. The time of World Cup, spicy politics, eating tide pods, and weird memes is over. HERE ARE THE PICKS:

Atlanta @ Philadelphia: Eagles. The scene in Philadelphia on Thursday will be very loud. You have to remember that the Eagles had not won a championship since 1960, way back when there was no Super Bowl, when there was a such thing as an NFL championship. The Falcons could play spoiler as the visitor like the Chiefs did last season to the Patriots but essentially the Eagles still have their key pieces back and should win the first game of the season. I mean you have to defend your home turf, right?

Buffalo @ Baltimore: Ravens. Kind of a revenge match for the Ravens. In week 17 of last season the Ravens had to win their game against the Bengals while the Bills had to win against the Dolphins to get in. The Bills got in, and the Ravens didn't. The Bills lost a few players during the offseason such as Tyrod Taylor, the guy who practically lead them to a 9-7 record to their first playoff berth since 1999. I feel the Ravens are out there to look for blood and they will get it in the Buffalo Bills. 

Cincinnati @ Indianapolis: Bengals. Andrew Luck will get the start for the Colts who should be fine with his foot injury that he sustained in the preseason. Luck hasn't played a game since 2016 and didn't even take a snap in 2017 and will likely have to throw 40+ times in this game. Bengals seem to be a bit more balanced on offense and defense. I'll take my chances. 

Houston @ New England: Patriots. The two teams played last season and it was a very good game. The game was a coming out party for Deshaun Watson and the Texans but the Patriots would be final say in the game in which they would win. Watson should be ready to go and lead the Texans to have a good season but to go against the Pats at home is a tough task. I'll take Brady & Company. 

Jacksonville @ NY Giants: Giants. Probably one of the better matchups that should've been on the late slate of games but I'd be drooling over this one. Both teams have good quarterbacks, legit defenses, and running backs that can run. I like the Giants in this one with Saquon Barkley running the ball and controlling the clock. Could be a close game, I'll take the G-Men. 

Pittsburgh @ Cleveland: Steelers. One of the more bigger surprises last season was the Cleveland Browns going 0-16, 1-31 in two years. I feel the Browns will get a few wins this season but I don't like their chances against a Steelers team that is loaded on offense. It'll be a tough task for Tyrod Taylor to keep up with the Steelers. Sorry Cleveland. 

San Francisco @ Minnesota: Vikings. Jimmy Garoppolo has not lost a start in his career (with the Patriots and the 49ers) as his 49ers head to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. This season will have a new quarterback at the helm for the Vikes in Kirk Cousins. Could be a huge gamble in bringing in Kirk Cousins but I don't see the Vikings coming out of this game with a loss with their beast of a defense. Then again... I wouldn't mind if they lose. Whatever. 

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans: Saints. The Saints were a surprise team with Drew Brees having a great year with the running back tandem in Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. Along with a better defense. Tampa comes into this season having failed to reach expectations for the past few seasons and I would be surprised to see them win 7 games this season. Geaux Saints!

Tennessee @ Miami: Titans. The last time we saw the Titans was in the AFC Divisional playoff against the Patriots. Despite the loss they did shock a Kansas City crowd the week before that in getting a playoff win. The Dolphins will have Ryan Tannehill back starting for them for the first time since 2016, or was it 2015? Either way it has been a while since the Dolphins have had stability in the QB position. I'll take the Titans offense squeaking out a win in Miami. 

Kansas City @ LA Chargers: Chiefs. The first season in Los Angeles felt like a lost ship to the San Die... I mean Los Angeles Chargers (I CAUGHT MYSELF, SHUT UP). A lost ship that had lost course when at times it looked like they found land, but found a maelstrom instead. The Chiefs will have a new quarterback starting for them in Patrick Mahomes II. Mahomes, a 2nd year man out Texas Tech, will get handed the keys to Andy Reid's offense in this game. This game is a head scratcher, a toss-up. Either team could win it. Mahomes could be good as the Chiefs have their key position players back with Kareem Hunt. Chargers could win it on Philip Rivers arm. I'll play it safe with the Chiefs.

Dallas @ Carolina: Panthers. The Cowboys season looked good for a bit then Ezekiel Elliot's suspension derailed any chance of the Cowboys chances to get into the postseason. The Panthers, on the other hand, reached the playoffs despite losing to the Saints in the wild card game. The Cowboys could run up the score on the Panthers but I'll go with the Panthers on Cam Newton's arm and solid defense. 

Seattle @ Denver: Broncos. The Seahawks would see one of the bigger team demolishes in the offseason with a lot of key defensive players going to free agency. The Broncos picked up Case Keenum, who helped the Vikings to the NFC championship game last season, in the offseason. The Broncos seem to have a solid defense that can keep them in games and if the Broncos offense can put up enough points they should win this one. 

Washington @ Arizona: Cardinals. The Redskins got a new quarterback in Alex Smith from Kansas City, who can still put up numbers in the NFL. The Cards picked up Josh Rosen from the draft and Sam Bradford from free agency. Bradford will get the start for this one and should win this one with a balanced offense attack of air and ground. Ground from David Johnson. Washington still looks like a wreck. 

Chicago @ Green Bay: Packers. The Sunday night game features an old rivalry renewed as the Bears head to the "Not So Frozen Tundra... Yet" Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The Packers extended Aaron Rodgers contract and look to be a contender in the NFC. The Bears will have Mitch Trubisky who will be in his first full season of the NFL. Chicago's offensive weapons could pose a threat to the Packers but you can't count out #12 for the Packers. 

NY Jets @ Detroit: Lions. The Jets surprised a lot of people with a 5-11 record, when most people picked them to win lower than 5 games. The Lions ended in another disappointed season for them as they didn't get to the playoffs but in true Lions fashion, they have a lot of question marks but they still have Matthew Stafford so at least that counts. The Jets could be even a bigger trainwreck than the Lions, which is saying a lot. What up Fireman Ed?

LA Rams @ Oakland: Rams. The week finishes off in Oakland where the Raiders play host to the Rams. The Raiders got a new head coach in Jon Gruden who is returning to the sidelines for the first time in a decade. Despite the loss of Khalil Mack, the Raiders still look good to make a contention in the AFC. Los Angeles Rams got a lot of people in the offseason and have thus won the "OFF SEASON SUPER BOWL." Will the Rams be the favorite to win it all? I don't personally think they will, but they should get a win in this game. As long as they stick to their formula that got them the attention last season. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, subject to change): 

CBS Single:

Kansas City @ LA Chargers

Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

FOX Early:

San Francisco @ Minnesota

Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

FOX Late:

Dallas @ Carolina

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

To check what game is playing in your area, go to www.506sports.com. 

Record: 

Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89

2018: 0-0

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 0-0

See you guys next week!

-Tom