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Well, here we are, the week with the game that everyone circled as soon as the schedule was announced back in the spring…The Return! I think we are all looking forward to see the reception the scorned city will give. Cheers? Boos? Tears? We’ll all find out in prime time…on Monday when the Raiders return to Los Angeles after playing nearly 15 season there a few decades ago.

 

What? … … … is there a more relevant and timely return this week?

 

Week 4 – HERE WE GO!!!!

 

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

 

16 – BUFFALO over Houston – Deshaun Watson isn’t walking through that door anytime soon…and it probably wouldn’t help anyway.

 

15 – CINCINNATI over Jacksonville – After this week, Trevor Lawrence will have lost as many games in four weeks  in the NFL as he did in his entire time in college…AND high school! 

 

14 – Tennessee over NEW YORK JETS – No AJ Brown, possibly no Julio Jones…but if you still have Derrick Henry, the Jets won’t be a problem.

 

13 – GREEN BAY over Pittsburgh – Safe to say the Steelers front office is realizing that this era is coming to an end. My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE STEELERS WILL FINISH UNDER .500.

 

12 – Baltimore over DENVER – Can’t play the bottom of the league’s barrel every week, Denver.

 

11 – Tampa Bay over NEW ENGLAND – I wonder if Gronk is sad that no one outside of his family is talking about HIS return to Gillette Stadium.

 

10 – NEW ORLEANS over New York Giants –  I really want to think that this will be a good game…but then I remember…the Giants.

 

9 – DALLAS over Carolina – This will definitely be a game where the Panthers miss Christian McCaffrey.

 

8 – MIAMI over Indianapolis -  The Colts should be better than they are. If they turn it around this year, it won’t start this week.

 

7 – Seattle over SAN FRANCISCO –  It’s hard for me to think Seattle will lose three games in a row. After last week, it’s pretty easy for me to think that the 9ers can blow a game again.

 

6 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Arizona – These two teams are just going to be fun to watch! If you are a bettor, take the over! 

 

5 – Las Vegas over LOS ANGELES CHARGERS – Yes it’s a “road” game, but SoFi Stadium is expected to be 75% Raiders fans on Monday Night. 

 

4 – Kansas City over PHILADELPHIA – It might sound crazy, but then again maybe it doesn’t. If you wanted to pick the Eagles to win this game, I wouldn’t be mad at you! 

 

3 – MINNESOTA over Cleveland – If Dalvin Cook is ready to go, you can bump this up a few lines if you want.

 

2 – Washington over ATLANTA – I have nothing entertaining to say here…which is pretty fitting for this matchup I think. 

 

1 – CHICAGO over Detroit – It’s a no-lose situation for Bears fans. If you win, hey you won a football game! If not, then it’s hard to see Matt Nagy on the sidelines for Week 5 let alone a new Arlington Heights stadium!

 

The allure and grandeur of the start of a new season is starting to fade and we are now getting a better idea of how teams actually look. With it comes a week where we have some tough decisions on our hands. Most of the “sure thing” games have the favorite on the road, which never makes it a “sure thing”. 

 

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 – DALLAS over Philadelphia – You know it’s a week of good matchups when the Cowboys are sitting on the top line!

 

15 – CLEVELAND over Chicago – The Justin Fields era officially begins…and probably gets off to a rocky start. 

 

14 – PITTSBURGH over Cincinnati – Joe Burrow had one of the worst games of his young career last week – not a good run to be on when you head to Pittsburgh.

 

13 – DENVER over New York Jets – The Giants…the Jags…and now the Jets…how were the Broncos so lucky to get this start to a season?

 

12 – BUFFALO over Washington – The Bills dominated a mid-level team who was playing their backup QB on the road last week….look for a lot more of the same at home this week.

 

11 – Carolina over HOUSTON – The surprise of the young season has been the Carolina defense. They should have no problem against a rookie quarterback making his first start with a questionable offense.

 

10 – Arizona over JACKSONVILLE – I don’t think anyone has spent more time looking at college yearbooks than Trevor Lawrence must have this season. Well, maybe Urban Meyer has. 

 

9 – LAS VEGAS over Miami – Just like the first two weeks, I REALLY want to pick the Raiders…so this time I will :)  My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that DEREK CARR WILL LEAD THE LEAGUE IN PASSING YARDS THIS SEASON.

 

8 – TENNESSEE over Indianapolis – I said last week that that Titans needed to show me something before I pick them – a win in Seattle is a pretty good “something”.

 

7 – Baltimore over DETROIT – After two incredibly dramatic games to start the season, Ravens fans should be able to breath a little 

easier this week.

 

6 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Tampa Bay – The Rams are one of the few teams that will be able to keep up with the Tampa Bay offense.

 

5 – SAN FRANCISCO over Green Bay – Rodgers and Friends looked like their old selves last week. Can’t play the Lions every week though. 

 

4 – KANSAS CITY over Los Angeles Chargers – It’s weird having the Chiefs this low for a home game…but have they seemed like the same dominant Chiefs we’ve seen the last few seasons? 

 

3 – NEW ENGLAND over New Orleans – I told you the Saints week 1 success was a fluke! The real Saints will continue to come marching in to week 3.

 

2 – MINNESOTA over Seattle – The Vikings may be the best 0-2 team in recent history.

 

1 – NEW YORK GIANTS over Atlanta – Daniel Jones has quietly been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the first two games. That should result in a win this week.

 

Just one week into the season and we have already seen a lot!

  

But do we really KNOW anything based off of one week? As you’ll see in this week’s picks, no, not really!

 

So let’s get back to the games!

 

 

 

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

 

 

16 – TAMPA BAY over Atlanta – Yep, the Bucs are still pretty good.

 

 

15 – GREEN BAY over Detroit – Yes, I saw that game last week, but this is still the Packers hosting the Lions. My BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that AARON RODGERS WILL THROW FOR OVER 400 YARDS.

 

 

14 – CLEVELAND over Houston –  Losing a close game in KC is nothing to be ashamed of. Look for the Browns to show the league who they are against the lowly Texans.

 

 

13 – ARIZONA over Minnesota – The Cardinals went in to Tennessee and just dominated! Should make their home opener a breeze.

 

 

12 – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS over Dallas –  Not a good week for the Cowboys to lose DeMarcus Lawrence.

 

 

11 – WASHINGTON over New York Giants – The NFC East take center stage on Thursday Night Football…a feel like an apology from the NFL Network is in order.

 

 

10 – SEATTLE over Tennessee – Last week’s demoralizing loss doesn’t really make me feel the Titans can go into Seattle and win right now.

 

 

9 – Los Angeles Rams over INDIANAPOLIS – An NFC West powerhouse came to Indy and dominate the Colts in week 1. So, for week 2…more of the same.

 

 

8 – Kansas City over BALTIMORE – Not too many games this year will be a more sure-thing bet for the over!

 

 

7 – Buffalo over MIAMI – I just can’t see the Bills starting 0-2.

 

 

6 – PITTSBURGH over Las Vegas – Just like last week, I REALLY want to take the Raiders in this one…damn responsibility! 

 

 

5 – PHILADELPHIA over San Francisco – Bringing back the “they’ll win because they’re the home team” mentality on this one.

 

 

4 – CAROLINA over New Orleans – Jameis and the Saints need to do more before they get me to think week 1 wasn’t just an anomaly. 

 

 

3 – Denver over JACKSONVILLE – Don’t worry Jacksonville, Urban Meyer said he has no interest in leaving your team for a top college job (pauses for laughter).

 

 

2 – New England over NEW YORK JETS – There’s something about the Jets that just can’t let me put this game higher than the 2 spot.

 

 

1 – Cincinnati over CHICAGO – One step closer to change, Bears fans. Just keep remembering that! 

  

More so than that, it’s football!

  

Even MORE so than that, it’s football stadium’s across the country filled with fans again!

  

2020 gave us one of the more memorable seasons to say the least, for all of the wrong reasons. But, let’s try and forget another Tom Brady Super Bowl (see what I did there?)

 

I don’t know about you, but seven months is LONG enough, let’s get back at it!

 

Week 1 – HERE WE GO!!!!

 

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

 

 

16 – LOS ANGELES RAMS over Chicago – Dalton or Fields…Fields or Dalton…yeah…wouldn’t matter either way this week.

 

15 – TENNESSEE over Arizona –  The Titans were sneaky dangerous last year…now with Julio in the mix they are just dangerous!

 

14 – TAMPA BAY over Dallas – The season starts where last season ended – in Tampa…with the Bucs winning.

 

13 – BUFFALO over Pittsburgh – A win over a solid Steelers team would further confirm the Bills’ spot towards the top of the league. 

 

12 – KANSAS CITY over Cleveland – I see the Browns continuing to take steps in the right direction this season. Unfortunately they drew a road game against the Chiefs to start the season. 

 

11 – San Francisco over DETROIT – My Week 1 Bold Prediction last year was that the Jaguars would only win one game…NAILED IT! In keep with the theme of predictable mediocrity, while it won’t be as bad, my BOLD PREDICTION for this week is that THE LIONS WILL END THE SEASON ‘ON THE CLOCK” WITH THE WORST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE.

 

10 – NEW ENGLAND over Miami – Foxboro hosts the first of what I’m sure will be many Saban Bowls with Mac vs Tua – Mac wins round 1 since he’s at home.

 

9 – Green Bay over NEW ORLEANS – The reigning MVP will have a lot to prove after a circus of an off-season. 

 

8 – CAROLINA over New York Jets – Sam Darnold’s mentality is simple – “yeah it makes sense that the Jets ditched me for Zach Wilson…but at least now I have CMC behind me!” 

 

7 – Seattle over INDIANAPOLIS – The pre-season was spent dealing with injuries for the Colts – no way they are ready for the Seahawks.

 

6 – Minnesota over CINCINNATI – Joe Burrow can be a top quarterback in this league…once the Bengals are actually able to protect him for more than 1.7 seconds in the pocket. Drafting a guy who can’t catch a ball because the NFL ball doesn’t have white lines like it does in college won’t help. 

 

5 – Baltimore over LAS VEGAS – REALLY wanted to say the Raiders would win the first game in Vegas with fans…but I have a responsibility to be unbiased…unfortunately.

 

4 – ATLANTA over Philadelphia – Remember when this would have been an elite matchup? Yeah, not so much now.

 

3 – Jacksonville over HOUSTON – It was very thoughtful of the league to ease Trevor Lawrence into the league by making his first game against a team similar to one he would have gone against in a Clemson practice last year.

 

2 – NEW YORK GIANTS  - Denver – This is a make or break year for Daniel Jones – I think he makes it.

 

1 – WASHINGTON over Los Angeles Chargers – Dear Lord I can’t wait to not have to say Washington Football Team!