Week 1 of the NFL season is here! Football being back in full force is the kick off of fall, even if it is still super hot in parts of the United States. We have a full, packed week 1, with fun storylines, division match ups, and rivalries galore.
Here are 5 picks that I have for this wonderful opening slate of Sunday football.
Atlanta Falcons (0-0) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0)
The Falcons named Tua their starting QB, which shows the struggles they are dealing with in that QB room. Tua has shown he can be a great NFL quarterback at times, but has also had some real ugly performances. Having weapons like Bijan Robinson and Drake London will help, but it is worth mentioning that he has weapons during his tenure in Miami too. (Cooper Rush may be starting, I don’t know if that makes me believe more or less in the Falcons honestly).
While the Tomlin era has ended, I still feel the 8-win floor that the Steelers have created for themselves will remain. Rodgers is the oldest QB in the league but still knows where to go with the ball. They have a solid defense and shouldn’t take too many poorly-advised risks on offense, which would be enough to beat this Atlanta team.
Pittsburgh Steelers, -5
Green Bay Packers (0-0) vs Minnesota Vikings (0-0)
Josh Jacobs is obviously a big loss to the Packers offense. There is no getting around that. But does his absence mean the Packers lose week 1 to a Kyler Murray led Vikings? I think the Packers get a bit more pass happy and maybe we see some regular season action from Matthew Golden.
Maybe Kyler is the key to unlocking an offense that has Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and now Jauan Jennings? Maybe. Kyler needs to be hit these guys early and often to showcase that there is a change in Minnesota, and not letting your QB walk to win a Super Bowl type change.
Green Bay Packers, +1.5
Chicago Bears (0-0) vs Carolina Panthers (0-0)
The Bears have a lot to prove this year. After Caleb Williams breaking out and showcasing his talents late in the season and in the playoffs, it’s safe to say they now have a target on their back.
Everyone wrote off Bryce Young last year, besides the Panthers. He played well enough to silence some of the critics, and brought the Panthers to a playoff game (which they almost won!). This is the home opener, and fans have expectations now. Big NFC game in Carolina, that can play a factor in the Wild Card fixture late in the year.
Chicago Bears, -3
Denver Broncos (0-0) vs Kansas City Chiefs (0-0)
Bo Nix returns, and should be ready to lead the Broncos to what should be another solid season. The defense will be great again, and now, adding Jaylen Waddle, the offense may take a step forward too. Definitely need to see how they gel, but things are looking good in the AFC for Denver.
Mahomes also returns, but things may not be as promising. I am not a Mahomes skeptic, but I do know that he can’t do it all on his own anymore. Kelce is aging, and Rice and Worthy need to stay on the field and play to the elite level that they have shown. The defense should be solid, and it definitely needs to be in this huge AFC West matchup at home.
Denver Broncos, +2.5
New York Jets (0-0) vs Tennessee Titans (0-0)
Disclaimer: I am a delusional Jet fan.
Now, with that being said, this is the first time I have felt like we have something in terms of an offense. The O-Line has some real pieces, the wide receivers are talented, and maybe Geno is competent enough to make it interesting? Delusion and all, we will see soon enough if this team is actually different.
Salah taking over the Titans makes this match up even more enticing. If we are going off of the history of the Jets, this should be an embarrassing blowout, probably something like Titans 31 – Jets 12. I like Cam Ward, and I think he can continue to grow into a top-15 NFL QB. But not this week.
New York Jets, +1.5
Similar to my college football picks, I will be picking winners of every game. Follow here for my embarrassment.
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