Folk, give yourselves a round of applause! We all did it!!

We have all gotten through the pain and torment that is the annual six to seven month period of our lives that does NOT include football!

Yes, we got a small taste of football with a full college schedule this past weekend. But, I mean, come on! There’s nothing like a full Sunday of the NFL.

I don’t know about you, but I’d say that it’s been LONG enough, let’s get back at it!

Week 1 – HERE WE GO!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

16 – BALTIMORE over Houston – This will be the first of many Sunday’s Texans’ fans will be repeatedly telling themselves, “we’re rebuilding…we’re rebuilding…we’re rebuilding…”

15 – MINNESOTA over Tampa Bay – It seems like all of the NFC North hype has gone to Detroit and Chicago. I think the Vikings sends a bit of a reminder to the league this week.

14 – WASHINGTON over Arizona – Here something that won’t be a surprise to anyone in Glendale, apparently. My first BOLD PREDICTION of the season is that when the season ends, THE CARDINALS WILL BE ON THE CLOCK AFTER WINNING NO MORE THAN

TWO GAMES.

13 – SEATTLE over Los Angeles Rams – Cooper Kupp or no Cooper Kupp, what has happened to the Rams over the last couple of years?

12 – NEW ORLEANS over Tennessee – On behalf of the Raider Nation … we miss you, Derek :’(

11 – KANSAS CITY over Detroit – There’s something about this that makes me want to pick the Lions, but even with the Kelce uncertainty, its still the Chiefs.

10 – Cincinnati over CLEVELAND – If Burrow ends up not playing, feel free to drop this one a few lines, but still pick the Bengals.

9 – Jacksonville over INDIANAPOLIS – The Jags have gone from a laughing stock to being one of the more exciting teams in the league in just a couple years…gives me hope as a Raiders fan!

8 – Philadelphia over NEW ENGLAND – The dominant Eagles defense from a year ago got better…that’s scary!

7 – CHICAGO over Green Bay – Soak it in Bears fans, this is the season that you have been waiting for when dealing with your northern counterparts.

6 – NEW YORK GIANTS over Dallas – People overlooked the Giants last season – don’t make the same mistake again this season.

5 – Buffalo over NEW YORK JETS – I refuse to get caught up in the Hard Knocks hype and pick the Jets against a far superior opponent.

4 – ATLANTA over Carolina – The NFC South should be fun to watch this year … not good … but fun.

3 – San Francisco over PITTSBURGH – Kenny Pickett still has to show me something before I pick him to beat the 49ers in the potential Game of the Week.

2 – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS over Miami – Potential playoff matchup in week 1 that the Chargers win simply because they are the home team.

1 – Las Vegas over DENVER – The Russell Wilson trade last season proved to be overrated for the Broncos last season…expect the same from the Sean Payton hire this season.