With another NFL season upon us, it seems like a good idea to get a weekly picks column going, no?
Apologies for missing last week: the excitement of watching the Patriots lose and the Bills win in the same week was almost too much for me I suppose.
After touching on some of the topics that have caught my eye in the last week, we’ll jump right into my picks for the games on Sunday and Monday (Thursday games won’t be included; more on that shortly).
So sit back, relax, and prepare to be blown away by how hilariously wrong I’m about to be.
WIN-WIN?
Week 1 is always full of surprises, and fans got a big one in the very first game of the 2017 season when the Kansas City Chiefs downed the seemingly-invulnerable Patriots 42-27 last Thursday. There had been some preseason chatter that the mighty Pats might go 19-0 this year. I guess that didn’t last long.
Speaking as a lifelong Buffalo fan, the only thing more satisfying than a Bills win is a New England loss. The only downside in this case was that the Bills hold Kansas City’s 2018 first-round pick.
But from what I’ve seen and heard, most Bills fans would gladly trade a slightly worse draft pick for the rare chance to see Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and company eat some crow.
It’ll be a nice memory when they inevitably dominate the rest of the season.
QB ISSUES
No matter your allegiance, it’s fair to say that Week 1 didn’t offer the greatest slate of entertainment you’ll ever see. Ugly games were an all-too-common sight last weekend, and a big reason why was quarterback play.
Tom Brady wasn’t the only veteran signal-caller who had an off week: Carson Palmer, Andy Dalton, and Eli Manning were among the numerous QBs who got off to rough starts.
Houston’s Tom Savage didn’t last a full game until he was replaced by rookie Deshaun Watson. And Scott Tolzien (Indianapolis) and Josh McCown (New York Jets) were, how should I put this: ‘not great Bob.’
Which leads me to this point: say whatever you will about Colin Kaepernick’s politics. After last week’s slate of ugly quarterback play, you can’t tell me with a straight face that he isn’t a better player than some of the clowns who took the field.
PLEASE, NO MORE
Did you catch any of Thursday night’s action between the Texans and the Bengals? No? That’s probably a good thing.
Houston’s 13-9 victory was another in a long line of absolutely unwatchable Thursday night games. It seems to me that the only possible benefit of having these Thursday nighters is whatever revenue boost that the NFL gets.
But it’s become clear that not even NFL-level athletes are able to perform at their best on just three days rest.
The players don’t like it. The coaches don’t like it. And most importantly, the fans don’t like it.
So please NFL, do us all a favor: no more Thursday night games.
On to the picks:
Buffalo at Carolina
While a win is a win, the Bills didn’t look that impressive against the lowly Jets. Cam Newton and the Panthers will provide a much sterner test, one that I don’t see Sean McDermott being able to overcome in his Carolina homecoming.
Nick’s pick: PANTHERS
Minnesota at Pittsburgh
Who would’ve thought Sam Bradford would be lighting things up in Week 1? The Vikings look like they could have a very good offense. Unfortunately, it still won’t be as good as Pittsburgh’s. Expect a bounceback game from Le’Veon Bell in what should be one of the better contests this week.
Nick’s pick: STEELERS
Cleveland at Baltimore
While the Browns don’t look like they’ll be as bad as in years past, they’ve still got a long way to go. DeShone Kizer is going to have his hands full against one of the best defenses in the league.
Nick’s pick: RAVENS
Arizona at Indianapolis
No Andrew Luck. No David Johnson. Yikes. This could be one of the worst games of the season. But I have to pick somebody to win, so I’ll go with Carson Palmer over Scott Tolzien.
Nick’s pick: CARDINALS
Tennessee at Jacksonville
A game that looks a lot more interesting than it did a week ago. The Jags are coming off a big win, but the Titans, despite losing to Oakland, look like a team that could make a run in a relatively weak AFC.
Nick’s pick: TITANS
Philadelphia at Kansas City
I think Carson Wentz is due for a big year in his second season, but it’s hard to go against a team that looked as good as the Chiefs did last week, especially at home.
Nick’s pick: CHIEFS
New England at New Orleans
Ok, so maybe New England wasn’t the unstoppable force many expected. But you know what’s a good remedy for any team coming off a loss? Facing the Saints’ porous defense.
Nick’s pick: PATRIOTS
Chicago at Tampa Bay
The Bucs finally get to take the field after having their first game postponed due to Hurricane Irma. Tampa seems to have been knocking on the door for a while now. I see a close game against a better-than-you-might-think Bears team.
Nick’s pick: BUCCANEERS
Miami at L.A. Chargers
Like the Bucs, Miami will be playing its first game of the season. The Chargers seem to have a knack for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Nick’s pick: DOLPHINS
N.Y. Jets at Oakland
I don’t know who I pity more: Jets QB Josh McCown getting chased down by Khalil Mack play after play; or New York’s secondary when it has to face Derek Carr. This one could get ugly.
Nick’s pick: RAIDERS
Dallas at Denver
The Broncos should feel fortunate to be 1-0 after barely squeaking out a win against the Chargers in Week 1. The Cowboys, meanwhile, look like the real deal. Dallas’ offense vs. Denver’s defense will be one of the matchups of the week.
Nick’s pick: COWBOYS
Washington at L.A. Rams
Here’s a matchup of two QBs (Kirk Cousins and Jared Goff) with a lot to prove this season. Goff looked great last week, but I don’t know how much you can tell about a team after they beat the Andrew Luck-less Colts.
Nick’s pick: REDSKINS
San Francisco at Seattle
This one looks rough on paper, but the 49ers have traditionally given Seattle fits even when they haven’t been very good. The Seahawks’ o-line might be the worst in football, so anything can happen. This one will be closer than you think.
Nick’s pick: SEAHAWKS
Green Bay at Atlanta
Quite a QB matchup in this rematch of last year’s playoff showdown. If this were in Green Bay, I’d be inclined to give Aaron Rodgers the edge. But Matt Ryan and Julio Jones indoors is a scary proposition for any team.
Nick’s pick: FALCONS
Detroit at N.Y. Giants
This one all depends on the status of Odell Beckham Jr. With him, the Giants offense can score some points. Without him, and well, that task becomes slightly more difficult. It sounds like he should be good to go, so I’ll stick with the G-Men.
Nick’s pick: GIANTS
Last week: 0-0
Overall: 0-0
