Week 1 NFL Picks

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This week's NFL picks:

KC vs NE: Patriots, by 7, max. Close game for them, by comparison. This one could go bad. Go Pats!

Bills vs. Jets. Bills, by at least 5. If I could get 10 other guys together, we might be able to beat the Jets, who may go 1-15 this year. I'd pick most teams by more vs. Jets, but the Bills offense isn't great, either.

Falcons vs. Bears. Falcons by 4, max. Bears may surprise.

Ravens vs. Bengals. Ravens by 3; could go either way.

Steelers vs. Browns. Steelers by 7, maybe more.

Cardinals vs. Lions. This one's a toss-up. Cardinals finished 50 points more vs. their opponents last year, despite losing record (7-8-1). Stafford never impressed me, and he's not totally healthy. And the Lions find ways to lose. So...Cardinals by 3, but this could go either way.

Texans vs. Jaguars. Texans by at least 10, because the Jags are unbelievably terrible and J.J. Watts raised millions of dollars (expecting to raise just $200,000) for Houston, which has nothing to do with anything related to this post.

Raiders vs. Texans. Carr is impressive, but Mariota is almost as good, and underappreciated. Raiders by 3 in a close one.

Redskins vs. Eagles. Eagles by 3 in another close one. Lots of those this week. Redskins could pull this one out. Both teams may be borderline postseason contenders, up until Week 16.

Rams vs. Colts. Go to the front of the class if you're very familiar with the Colts' QB, career back-up Scott Tolzien, who has started 3 NFL games. Rams by 6, maybe more.

Green Bay vs. Seattle. Probably the best game of the week, and maybe the closest, probably by 4 max, and maybe less. Green Bay wins because I'd pick Rodgers over almost anyone not named Brady. But this could come down to the final play.

Panthers vs. 49ers. Low-scoring game, won by Panthers by 5, max. Neither team excites, but it'll be interesting to see how SF begins its new era.

Cowboys vs. Giants. Prescott betters Eli Manning, but not by much. Cowboys by 4.

Saints vs. Vikings. Saints win, but it won't be a Brees. (sorry) NO by 4.

Chargers vs. Broncos. Denver's QB could impress, but I'm picking the Chargers by 5. But Rivers could find a way to lose, because he does that like it's actually his #1 priority.

[My apologies to those who may have wondered why a non-sports novel review was on my sports blog. Posted to the wrong blog, so my bad.] 

Seahawks vs. Saints

The problem, as I see it, is the Saints' defense, not the fact that the defending Super Bowl champs had to play a road game against a sub-.500 team.  Strictly speaking, you don't give up more than 40 points to a 7-9 team.  If you do, you'll lose, and you'll deserve it.  That last running TD of the Seahawks was the closer, and a travesty to allow.  Really poor tackling (though nice stiff-arm at the end).  But enough already of how the Saints were defeated by a faulty playoff system.  They were defeated by their defense.  Truth be told, they won it all last year with a dynamic offense, as Brees had one of the best years ever for a quarterback.  Their defense was lousy last year, too.  They just had a better offense and, let's be honest, a lot of luck last year.

And how about giving some love to Hasselbeck?  He's been a quality gunslinger for a long time; he always has the potential to beat you.  The 'Hawks go as he goes.  When he's on, he can pile up yards and just beat you with his arm.  I didn't call the game for them, but I knew that it was very possible that the Saints could not cover the spread.  Both teams had good offenses and bad defenses, and if the real Hasselbeck showed up--and he did--I knew this could be a close one, especially with the Seahawks at home.  I should've bet.

Finally, how about a round of applause for Pete Carroll?  He's lost the deer-in-the-headlights look he used to have with the Patriots, hasn't he?  I guess that time at USC really turned him around.  Good to see him picking himself up and dusting himself off in the NFL.  He never was a bad guy in New England; people genuinely liked him around.  He just seemed completely out of his element, over his head, or whatever your favorite cliche is.  Maybe he just needs a smaller, less rabid media center to work in.  I don't know what the media situation is in Seattle, but it can't be the blistering furnace that the sports media and fanbase is in New England.