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Just like last couple of weeks with the London games, we have yet another aspect of the NFL schedule starting up this week, this one having a bit more of an effect on a confidence pool– bye weeks!

This can play big in your season long pools. If you have had a solid start and are sitting comfortably towards the top of the standings, you are loving bye weeks as the top numbers aren’t in play! You can’t have 15 and 16 point games where there are only 14 games played in a week!

On the flip side, if you need to make up ground, you need to make sure you hit as many picks as you can in a week.

Lucky for you, you’re reading my picks, so you’re good to go ?

Week 6 – HERE WE GO!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

14 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Carolina – This is obviously less about how good the Rams are doing and more about how God-awful the Panthers are doing.

13 – GREEN BAY over New York Jets – The Jets have definitely made progress this season  - they’re just not at a “win at Lambeau” level yet.

12 – San Francisco over ATLANTA – Jimmy G has the 9ers on a roll that dwindling Falcons can’t keep up with.

11 – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS over Denver – Ah I remember a time not too long ago when everyone laughed at me and brushed me off when I said trading for Russell Wilson was a huge mistake for the Broncos

10 – Cincinnati over NEW ORLEANS – Look for this to be a game where the Bengals start to make their 2022 comeback

9 – SEATTLE over Arizona – The Cardinals have to be counting the seconds at this point for DeAndre Hopkins to come back.

8 – CLEVELAND over New England – Continuously handing the ball to Nick Chubb seems like it would be a solid offensive strategy.

7 – INDIANAPOLIS over Jacksonville – The Jags have the Colts number in Jacksonville…in Indy…not so much.

6 – Tampa Bay over PITTSBURGH – How lucky are the Bucs that they are in the NFC South? My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that even with the slow start, THE BUCS WILL CLINCH THE NFC SOUTH BY WEEK 12

5 – Minnesota over MIAMI – It would be a fun story for Skylar Thompson to come in and beat the Vikings…just won’t happen

4 – Dallas over PHILADELPHIA – …still not sold on the Eagles…

3 – Buffalo over KANSAS CITY – I’ve decided to bite my tongue regarding my thoughts on the city of Kansas City…

2 – NEW  YORK GIANTS over Baltimore – Are…are the Giants for real?

1 – CHICAGO over Washington – Was going to have a Commanders win here until hearing that Carson Wentz’s arm isn’t 100%

As we head into week 5, we head into our second week of the International Series. This week we are sending the Giants and Packers over to London.

This, like last week, means that our Sunday is getting an early start. So if you are like me and wait until Sunday morning to do your final fantasy/confidence tweaking, remember to set your alarm!

Week 5 – HERE WE GO!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

16 – TAMPA BAY over Atlanta – Brady has been losing…on and off the field…and I’m sure will be looking to take that aggression out on the Falcons.

15 – GREEN BAY over New York Giants (in London) –If the Packers lose this one, Rodgers might hide the passports of a few of his receivers.

14 – JACKSONVILLE over Houston – I really wanted to put the Jags on the 16 point line…just to say that I did it once in my life! My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is THE JAGUARS WILL WIN THE AFC SOUTH.

13 – BUFFALO over Pittsburgh – After 1 ½ games of questions its safe the say the Bills are back. Look for them to dominate this one.

12 – MINNESOTA over Chicago –  The Bears just won’t be able to keep up with the Vikings offensive weapons.

11 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Dallas – Simply put, the Rams need this one.

10 – San Francisco over CAROLINA – At this point the Panthers would be better just playing with 10 guys on offense with no QB.

9 – Tennessee over WASHINGTON – Wow there are a lot of boring matchups this week!

8 – NEW ORLEANS over Seattle – Wow there are a lot of boring matchups this week!

7 – Los Angeles Chargers over CLEVELAND – Wow there are a lot…ok, you get it.

6 – BALTIMORE over Cincinnati – At least our Sunday should end with an exciting matchup from two teams that will be battling for the division this year.

5 – DENVER over Indianapolis – The Colts would have had a chance if Taylor was playing.

4 – KANSAS CITY over Las Vegas – I’m sure most think the Chiefs should be higher (understandably so) but the Raiders have had some luck in KC.

3 – Detroit over NEW ENGLAND – Picking the Lions to win…on the road…feels weird.

2 – NEW YORK JETS over Miami – Yes it’s the Jets, but it’s kind of hard to have confidence in the Dolphins right now, isn’t it?

1 – ARIZONA over Philadelphia – I’m not sold on the Eagles yet.

OK…so…about last week…

Well, now seems like a good idea to remind everyone that most season-long pools will allow you to remove your lowest scoring week from the total amount.

I didn’t really think we would have to look into that feature less than a quarter of the way into the season…but here we are!

Ah well, time to get back on that horse!

Week 4 – HERE WE GO!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

16 – GREEN BAY over New England – I won’t say that the Packers are back to normal after winning in Tampa last week…but there definitely at a point where they can easily handle Mac Jones’ backup.

15 – Minnesota over NEW ORLEANS – Remember to wake up early to catch the first London game of the year! Or don’t, its just Kirk Cousins vs Jameis Winston.

14 – PITTSBURGH over New York Jets – Zach Wilson is back!!! Yeah…it won’t matter.

13 – PHILADELPHIA over Jacksonville – So the Eagles look like the best team in the league…the Jaguars just went to LA and beat the Chargers by four touchdowns … … … where are we??

12 – LAS VEGAS over Denver – Yes, this is an ignorant hopeful homer pick. If  you choose to make adjustments with this one, I will more than understand.

11 – DETROIT over Seattle – The Lions are on a double-digit line…as the winner? This has been a weird start to the season.

10 – NEW YORK GIANTS over Chicago –  This will basically be Saquon Barkley and a bunch of middle schoolers.

9 – DALLAS over Washington – The Cowboys in another divisional matchup that, unlike last week, wont be nationally televised…thank God!

8 – INDIANAPOLIS over Tennessee – The Colts and Titans both battling to try and keep pace with the Jaguars …(checks notes confusingly)

7 – ATLANTA over Cleveland – Yes this will the Falcons back-to-back wins…but change is coming. My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is DESMOND RIDDER WILL BE STARTING FOR THE FALCONS BY WEEK 12.

6 – Buffalo over BALTIMORE – One loss won’t change my Bills’ opinion. Safe to say Ken Dorsey will be making sure no mistakes are made this week!

5 – CINCINNATI over Miami – I don’t think there would be a bigger way to close the book on the 2021 season than the Dolphins going 4-0 by sending the defending AFC Champions to a 1-2 start…but it won’t happen.

4 – SAN FRANCISCO over Los Angeles Rams – Just like the Bengals, the Rams don’t exactly seem to have the dominant aura that a defending Super Bowl champion should have.

3 – Los Angeles Chargers over HOUSTON – I wanted to say the Chargers would lose to the Texans since they knocked me out of my survivor pool last week…but I have responsibilities.

2 – TAMPA BAY over Kansas City – This one is obviously a toss-up with the craziness surrounding it. Thoughts & prayers out to everyone in Florida – stay safe!

1 – CAROLINA over Arizona – Can you think of anything entertaining or helpful to say about this one? Go ahead, I’ll wait…

Oh this is going to be a fun week!

To clarify, this will be a “fun” week.

This is the kind of week where season-long confidence pool participants are separated. Once we get past the first few lines, nearly every other game is a crap shoot!

My best to those who have to make picks for a survival pool this week.

We’re not worried about that here though so let’s get some confidence!

Week 3 – HERE WE GO!!!!

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

16 – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS over Jacksonville – Sorry, Jags – can’t host the Colts every week.

15 – MINNESOTA over Detroit – The Lions have looked better than they have in years…but its still hard to have confidence in them on the road.

14 – Buffalo over MIAMI – Yes Tua had a bit of a coming out party last week. But give me one good reason why you think the Bills will lose any game this season? Not saying they will go undefeated, crazy things happen during the season but my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE BILLS WILL WIN AT LEAST 16 GAMES THIS SEASON.

13 – Kansas City over INDIANAPOLIS – With how good Buffalo has looked, the Chiefs haven’t been too far behind.

12 – San Francisco over DENVER – Aren’t too many situations where a team loses their starting quarterback…and MIGHT be better for it.

11 – TAMPA BAY over Green Bay – I haven’t officially done the math but Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers may have more career TD passes than the combined career yards totals for both of their receiving corps.

10 – Baltimore over NEW ENGLNAD – I fully expect Baltimore to take a lot of AFC East aggression out on the Pats this week.

9 – Los Angeles Rams over ARIZONA – I look for the Rams to make a much needed statement in this game.

8 – CLEVELAND over Pittsburgh – Amazon gives us a matchup this week that most wont be upset about missing due to streaming issues.

7 – SEATTLE over Atlanta – Remember when this would have been a Game of the Week candidate?

6 – CAROLINA over New Orleans – This is a matchup for #1 overall pick quarterback…just keep that in mind as you are trying to stay awake watching.

5 – TENNESSEE over Las Vegas – Both teams desperately need a win – luckily for the Titans the game will take place in Nashville.

4 – NEW YORK GIANTS over Dallas – The Giants could very well be 3-0 at the end of this week…just let that sink in for a bit.

3 – WASHINGTON over Philadelphia – We’ll give this the pick ‘em because they’re the home team tag.

2 – NEW YORK JETS over Cincinnati – Welp, the Jets beat the Bengals last year when Cincy wasn’t seemingly falling apart…sooo…

1 – Houston over CHICAGO – You could very well take the Bears in this one but, unlike the Bears, I’ll pass.