Update: Change to New England vs Arizona pick. Due to Rob Gronkowski injury, Dan Canova now selects Arizona to win on Sunday Night Football
The NFL is back.
Which means it’s time for my annual weekly NFL predictions.
There is a slate of awesome games scheduled for Week 1. And it was extremely hard to decide who was going to win what games because we haven’t seen anyone yet!
Below are my Week 1 picks.
(0-0) Carolina Panthers at (0-0) Denver Broncos:
A Super Bowl 50 rematch to kick off the 2016 campaign.
It doesn’t get any better than this.
I think the Broncos’ relentless defense led by Von Miller will continue to pursue and haunt Cam Newton, but the difference with this game and last year’s Super Bowl is: Peyton Manning was under center then and now a seventh-round pick in Trevor Siemian, whose only snap of his career came on a kneel down in a fourth quarter, will be under center now.
Yes, Manning was playing the role of a game manager. But having a future Hall of Famer under center vs. a seventh-round pick who won a training camp battle over Mark Sanchez and a rookie is a huge difference.
Newton will rally his troops and get off to a 1-0 start, but it won’t be easy.
I expect a defensive battle with the Panthers coming away with the win.
CAR: 20 DEN: 17
(0-0) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at (0-0) Atlanta Falcons:
As I said in my NFL Preview, Matt Ryan may be the quarterback who regressed the most in the entire NFL. His numbers and wins have decreased year-after-year and I don’t think it’s going to get any better.
I think Jameis Winston will have an encore season as a sophomore in the NFL. He has a healthy core of weapons at his disposal and an offensive line which can block for days.
An improved defense and Winston will be the two reasons why the Bucs head into Atlanta and take down the Falcons.
TB: 27 ATL: 21
(0-0) Minnesota Vikings at (0-0) Tennessee Titans:
For this particular game, it doesn’t matter who starts at quarterback for the Vikings.
Teddy Bridgewater is done for the season and Sam Bradford will be the man under center for Minnesota.
I think Bradford should start in this game, but the Vikings may play the safe route and start Shaun Hill.
Whoever is under center, the Vikings game plan will be: Run the ball with Adrian Peterson.
A stout defense and Peterson will carry the Vikings over Tennessee.
MIN: 17 TEN: 13
(0-0) Cleveland Browns at (0-0) Philadelphia Eagles:
Welcome to the era of Carson Wentz.
I don’t think the rookie quarterback will be expected to take on a significant role in his first NFL game, but he will need to put up some points.
The relentless front-seven of the Eagles will get to Robert Griffin III and cause havoc.
Wentz gets his first pro win.
PHI: 23 CLE: 16
(0-0) Cincinnati Bengals at (0-0) New York Jets:
One of the tougher games to pick in Week 1.
We haven’t seen Andy Dalton since he injured his thumb on his throwing hand last year.
Since then, Hue Jackson, the former offensive coordinator, is now the head coach of the Browns. Marvin Jones is gone and so is Mohamed Sanu. Tyler Eifert? He’s out 4-6 weeks.
AJ Green is still there and so are Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill out of the backfield.
And the Jets are a two-point underdog… at home.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is back and I think he has a better group of weapons in Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Matt Forte.
I love, love the New York Jets in this game. I think they ‘upset’ the Bengals at home.
NYJ: 28 CIN: 23
(0-0) Oakland Raiders at (0-0) New Orleans Saints:
This game is basically a pick ’em.
I’m really excited to see how the new-look Raiders look in their Week 1 game in a hostile environment.
Derek Carr and Amari Cooper are absolutely the future of the NFL. But my question is: Is the future for them now?
I think an improved Raiders offense and defense will get by a team which surrendered a league-high 45 touchdown passes last year.
OAK: 27 NO: 24
(0-0) San Diego Chargers at (0-0) Kansas City Chiefs:
These Week 1 divisional games are impossible to pick.
Kansas City started the season 1-5 last year before winning 10 straight and clinching a playoff berth.
San Diego still has Phillip Rivers, improved tremendously on offense and defense and has a legit shot to win this game.
But the fact that we have nothing to base anything off of, makes picking this game even harder.
I’m going to go with the home team in this one. The Chiefs have a formidable offense and a stout defense and it will carry them to a Week 1 win.
KC: 24 SD: 17
(0-0) Buffalo Bills at (0-0) Baltimore Ravens:
This is set up to be a very good game.
Wouldn’t be shocked one bit if this game goes either way.
But I’m rolling with the Ravens because I expect all of their injured players from a year ago to be back and healthy. And the Ravens Nest in Baltimore is a very tough place to play.
BAL: 23 BUF: 20
(0-0) Chicago Bears at (0-0) Houston Texans:
Brock Osweiler looked like a legit franchise quarterback during the preseason and he gives the Texans a legit chance at a second-consecutive AFC South crown.
DeAndre Hopkins is the best wide receiver in the division, Lamar Miller might be the best running back in the division and the Texans might have the best defense in the division.
All keys to success.
Houston wins at home.
HOU: 28 CHI: 17
(0-0) Green Bay Packers at (0-0) Jacksonville Jaguars:
The Green Bay Packers are favorites in every single one of their games this season.
Crazy, right?
Super Bowl contenders, indeed. And I think the Packers get off on the right foot in Jacksonville.
GB: 31 JAC: 24
(0-0) Miami Dolphins at (0-0) Seattle Seahawks:
This might be the one guarantee pick of the week.
Seattle looked scary good in the preseason and I think they will carry it right into the regular season against the Dolphins.
SEA: 28 MIA: 14
(0-0) New York Giants at (0-0) Dallas Cowboys:
Like San Diego/Kansas City, here is another divisional game impossible to pick.
Literally flip a coin.
With Tony Romo out and Dak Prescott set to take his first set of snaps under center, Eli Manning and company should come away with a win. Especially if they are expected to win the division.
Odell Beckham Jr. goes for 100 yards and two scores.
NYG: 27 DAL: 24
(0-0) Detroit Lions at (0-0) Indianapolis Colts:
Last year’s Indianapolis at Buffalo game scared me… The Colts ended up losing.
And this one scares me, too.
An opponent of unfamiliarity can always lead to a disaster and that’s exactly who the Lions are.
I hope Andrew Luck comes out throws for 400 yards and four touchdowns, but with that offensive line incapable of keeping him upright, who knows.
I’m going to go with the Colts because they are at home, but Matt Stafford could easily match Luck touchdown-for-touchdown and the Lions may have a better defense to come away with the win.
Indianapolis needs to set the tone for the season and come away with a Week 1 win.
IND: 31 DET: 28
(0-0) New England Patriots at (0-0) Arizona Cardinals:
Everyone and their mother thinks the Patriots are going to go into Arizona and lose this game.
I’m here to tell you differently.
Remember the last game the Cardinals played? They got crushed in the NFC Championship Game against Carolina.
Everyone is on the Cardinals bandwagon and they have a 36-year old quarterback in Carson Palmer under center!
Cardinals believers… do you really believe in Carson Palmer?
Arizona has an early season set back.
Jimmy Garappolo leads New England over Arizona.
Bill Belichick grins. Tom Brady chuckles as he watches from his television set.
Three weeks until Brady returns.
NE: 24 ARI: 21
(0-0) Pittsburgh Steelers at (0-0) Washington Redskins:
Ben Roethlisberger is healthy.
Antonio Brown is healthy.
The Steelers defense is vastly improved.
The likely Super Bowl representatives of the AFC is likely to get back to the big game and its road starts Monday night in Washington.
I love the Redskins and they did win the NFC East last year, but they didn’t even beat a team with a winning record!
Unbelievable, right?
PIT: 28 WAS: 21
(0-0) Los Angeles Rams at (0-0) San Francisco 49ers:
For the final game of Week 1, I like the ‘new’ Los Angeles Rams to win in San Francisco.
Chip Kelly will try to run his hurry-up offense against an awesome Rams’ defense, but it won’t work… it will never work.
LA: 20 SF: 13
