NFL Week 1 Picks!
There are only two contests this week where none of us have a play for you.
Those are Packers at Eagles in Brazil, and, funnily enough, Jaguars at Dolphins.
So I think I’ll walk through this week’s plays game by game. I hope you like it.
BAL at KC
Andy’s laying 3 with the Chiefs while Chris is taking the points with the Ravens +3. So I guess follow your heart on this one!
PIT at ATL
Andy’s again laying 3 with the home side here, taking the Falcons, while Matt likes the under at 42. Not usually a great strategy to lay points and take the under, but the spread isn’t huge and Pittsburgh’s offense doesn’t look very promising.
ARI at BUF
Again, we’ve got competing picks here, with Andy AGAIN laying points with the home team. This time it’s 6 points with the Bills. Al is taking the 6.5 points with the Cardinals. I think the idea here is that the Bills aren’t as good as they’ve been recently and Kyler Murray is healthy, so there’s some value here. This is another follow your heart situation.
TEN at CHI
Finally some agreement! Al and Chris are both taking the Bears -4 at home against a rebuilding Titans squad. The Caleb show ought to begin in style.
NE at CIN
And just like that, we’re back to fighting. Andy’s laying 8.5 this time with the home side, while Danny likes the Patriots getting more than a touchdown. There’s a theme this week and it’s follow your heart.
HOU at IND
This is probably our most confident pick of the week, all things considered. Three of us are taking the points with the Colts at home. Andy and Al each got it at +3, Danny got it at +2.5. I think there’s plenty of reason to think Indy can win this game outright. Now, does Anthony Richardson strike me as someone who might singlehandedly lose the Colts this game? Absolutely. But I think the public is all over the Texans on this one and the Colts at home with a ground game and good defense means the home dog is a smart play.
CAR at NO
Danny and Matt are both taking the Saints at home -4. It’s a division game and the Saints don’t look particularly threatening this year, but this seems very much like a “fade the Panthers until they can prove they can hang” strategy. You’ll find no argument from me!
MIN at NYG
Here’s another fight. Al’s taking the Vikings -1.5 on the road. Andy and Matt are taking the home team Giants +1.5. These teams’ QBs aren’t very intimidating, but the offensive arms race may have leveled out with the Giants adding talented LSU WR Malik Nabers in the draft.
LV at LAC
You’ll never guess what Andy’s doing here. Laying 3 with the home team baby!
DEN at SEA
Danny’s taking the Broncos and the 6 points they come with here. He’s a Bo Nix believer, even if this one is in the hostile confines of Lumen Field.
DAL at CLE
In what is Indianapolis’ only competition for our strongest play of the week, three of the boys are taking the Cowboys and their 2.5 points in the Dawg Pound. Andy, Danny, and Matt are all putting their faith in Dak to get the job done against Deshaun Watson and a talented Browns roster.
WAS at TB
While some of us were bold enough to go with the Bears’ rookie QB in his first start, it’s historically not a good idea. That’s why Al and Danny are laying the 3 points with the Bucs at home here. Jayden Daniels will probably be a great QB in the NFL, but we’re banking on his career getting off to a rocky start on the road against a stingy Tampa defense.
LAR at DET
If you were to ask any Tom, Dick or Harry on the street to name five players in this game, you’d probably hear names from these high powered offenses like Stafford, Goff, Puka, Kupp, St. Brown, Gibbs, or Williams.
Names you might not hear: Hutchinson, Turner, McNeill, Verse, Fiske, Davis, White, Johnson, Branch.
These two defenses are revamped and may turn some heads in week 1. I’m taking the under in the week’s highest total at 51.
NYJ at SF
Is there anything more fitting than ending this with one last fight?
Al’s on the Jets +4.5 while Danny’s laying the 4.5 with the 49ers at home.
Remember, the 40 year old California goldenboy is returning home here, finally healthy after a disappointing 2023 campaign that amounted to a total of about 3 snaps. Jets look to put the defending NFC Champs on notice. Then again, the 49ers are the defending NFC Champs for a reason. They’ve got star power all over the field.
The smart move here might be to not place a bet and just enjoy what will hopefully be a fantastic nightcap to week 1.
Al
Season record: (0-0)
ARI +6.5, CHI -4, IND +3, MIN -1.5, TB -3, LAR/DET u51, NYJ +4.5
Andy
Season record: (0-0)
KC -3, ATL -3, BUF -6, CIN -8.5, IND +3, NYG +1.5, LAC -3, DAL +2.5
Chris
Season record: (0-0)
BAL +3, CHI -4
Danny
Season record: (0-0)
NE +8.5, IND +2.5, NO -4, DEN +6, DAL +2.5, TB -3, SF -4.5
Matt
Season record: (0-0)
PIT/ATL u42, NO -4, NYG +1.5, DAL +2.5