Welcome to pick ems! This will be a weekly occurrence and we’ll see how well we can do over the course of this entire year. In 2020, I went 170-85, so the goal for this year? Better. That’s about all you can hope for over the course of a full season that is bound to be filled with unexpected flops and rises to stardom by different teams. Let’s get into it.
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Score: 34-24
Summary: The Cowboys will go to town and take on the reigning champs on Thursday night. This Dallas offense is high powered, but so is this Tampa Bay defense. Dak Prescott will manage to lead the Cowboys to 24 points, but it won’t be enough to take down this Tom Brady-led Bucs team as they fend the Cowboys off on Thursday night to move to 1-0.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
Score: 24-13
Summary: This is a matchup of the team who had the first overall pick last year and a team that could be in contention for the first overall pick this year. The Jaguars aren’t a strong team, but the Texans are much weaker. Trevor Lawrence will get a gift of an opponent for his first career start, and take advantage of it. The Jaguars go into Houston and beat a putrid Texans team to move to 1-0 in the Trevor Lawrence era.
Los Angeles Chargers at Washington Football Team
Winner: Los Angeles Chargers
Score: 24-21
Summary: This was the hardest game to pick for this opening week. A high powered offense versus a stout defense. I have high hopes for this Chargers team this year though, and I think they’ll pull this game off in overtime to open the season. This will be a very good game and could swing either way, but I’m on the Justin Herbert hype train and he should be able to take down this talented Washington team to open his sophomore season the right way.
Seattle Seahawks at Indianapolis Colts
Winner: Seattle Seahawks
Score: 31-27
Summary: This will be a great game as well, but the Indianapolis Colts have been battling the injury bug and that could hurt their chances of making a splash in Week 1. I actually think this Colts team is better than the Seahawks, but it’ll be time for the annual Russell Wilson hype train to start and he will lead the Seahawks to a Week 1 victory over the new look Colts with Carson Wentz under center.
New York Jets at Carolina Panthers
Winner: Carolina Panthers
Score: 28-21
Summary: This should be a really fun game. Sam Darnold against his former team, Zach Wilson and the new look Jets opening game. It will be a blast. I think Darnold will take advantage of his new weapons in Carolina and take down his former team. Zach Wilson will have a solid game, but won’t be able to pull off the win. It’ll be a promising start to the season for Carolina, and New York will be 0-1 but won’t be in nearly as bad of a spot as last season.
Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals
Winner: Minnesota Vikings
Score: 27-16
Summary: This Vikings team has a very good offense, and that should propel them over the Bengals. Joe Burrow will give it his best effort, but poor coaching and a huge game from Dalvin Cook will insure that the Bengals fall to 0-1. There is plenty of talent on this Bengals team, but this will be the first time of many this season where they are so poorly coached that they can’t translate the talent to a win.
Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans
Winner: Tennessee Titans
Score: 35-31
Summary: In a week full of close and exciting games, this will be the best. Two high powered offenses led by superstars going to battle. Derrick Henry will run all over the Cardinals, and Kyler Murray will throw all over the Titans. In the end, the Titans will deliver the last blow and take down the Cardinals in a thriller. A promising start for both teams, and it’s a shame that one of them has to start the season at 0-1.
San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions
Winner: San Francisco 49ers
Score: 28-17
Summary: The 49ers get a favorable matchup in Week 1 against a weak Lions team with not many weapons on offense. They won’t play super well, but do enough to take down this Lions team. Jared Goff will establish a nice connection with T.J. Hockensen in this one, tossing him two touchdowns. The Niners will do enough to leave Detroit at 1-0 though, and it could be the first of many losses for this Lions team.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
Winner: Buffalo Bills
Score: 27-17
Summary: The Bills are going to have their work cut out for them in Week 1 against this stout defense, but Josh Allen will start off on the right foot and throw for 3 touchdowns in the opener. The Steelers offense won’t be able to keep up, though Najee Harris will run for over 100 yards and a score of his own. Bills get it done at home to move to 1-0 in the end though.
Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles
Score: 27-24
Summary: The second overtime game of the week is in Atlanta, as two unpredictable and mediocre teams battle it out. Jalen Hurts will use his legs to get a score, and the other two will be thanks to the legs of Miles Sanders in this one to move the Eagles to 1-0. Matt Ryan connects with both Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts for scores in this one, but they walk away 0-1.
Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
Score: 35-28
Summary: The Browns will look to avenge their postseason loss from last year in Week 1, but they won’t be able to pull it off. Mahomes will go to Tyreek Hill early and often for over 100 receiving yards and 2 scores. Mayfield will throw for 2 touchdowns, and Chubb will go for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. They won’t have enough firepower to knock off the Chiefs in Week 1 though.
Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints
Winner: Green Bay Packers
Score: 28-24
Summary: The Packers get off to a hot start and hold on to beat the new look Saints in Jacksonville. Aaron Rodgers picks on the corner to the opposite side of Marshon Lattimore, and go for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Jameis Winston will try and lead a late game surge and connect with Marquez Callaway for over 100 yards and a score in this one, but it won’t be enough. The Packers will walk away 1-0.
Denver Broncos at New York Giants
Winner: Denver Broncos
Score: 24-17
Summary: The Broncos ride a great defensive showing in this one to a win. A strip sack turns into a defensive touchdown for Bradley Chubb, and Teddy Bridgewater finds Jerry Jeudy and Noah Fant for scores in this one. Saquon scores twice in his return from injury, but the Broncos take down the Giants in Week 1.
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Winner: Miami Dolphins
Score: 27-23
Summary: The Dolphins look to beat a division rival in Week 1 here and pull it off. Tua finds Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle in this one, and Gaskin carves up the Patriots in crunch time with a touchdown to lock in a Week 1 win. Mac Jones looks solid in his first start, but it’s not quite enough to secure the victory for New England.
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams
Winner: Los Angeles Rams
Score: 35-17
Summary: This one will be bad from the beginning, as Andy Dalton struggles against a stout Rams defense. A pick six opens the game, and Matt Stafford throws for 3 touchdowns in his Rams debut. The Bears will walk away with even more fans calling for Justin Fields as they fall to 0-1 at the hands of the Rams.
Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders
Winner: Baltimore Ravens
Score: 34-21
Summary: The Ravens look great in Week 1, even without J.K. Dobbins. Gus Edwards scores twice and Lamar Jackson builds a nice connection with Sammy Watkins en route to over 70 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens defense has an answer for everyone except for Darren Waller, who rumbles for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns in this one. The Ravens and Darren Waller fantasy owners will probably leave this game at 1-0 apiece.
