Week 1 NFL Picks

New Orleans @ Green Bay

The defending Super Bowl Champion has opened the season at home on Thursday Night every year since 2004. The home team’s record in those games? 7-0. Going back even further, the last time a defending Super Bowl Champion has lost their opening game was in 1999 when the Denver Broncos (playing their first game without recently-retired QB John Elway) lost to the Miami Dolphins.

The New Orleans Saints are one of the top three teams in the NFC and will have as good a shot at ending the streak mentioned above. But this is a Packers team who is better than the squad that walked out of Cowboys Stadium with the Super Bowl in February. If this team stays healthy, it’s going to be hard for anybody to beat them

Green Bay 31 New Orleans 26

Atlanta @ Chicago

After Bears QB Jay Cutler wimped out of last year’s NFC Championship game, it’s really tough to believe that he can help win the Bears a second consecutive NFC North title. I’m almost thinking we’re going to see the 2009 Jay Cutler this year. That was the Cutler who threw 26 interceptions. It’s not an easy start as they play an Atlanta Falcons team who is still stinging from that meltdown against Green Bay in last year’s postseason. Look for Matt Ryan to tear apart the Bears secondary in this one.

Atlanta 33 Chicago 18

Indianapolis @ Houston

Colts QB Peyton Manning has been ruled out of this one, and it’s impossible for the Colts to win.

Or is it….

Kerry Collins is not a bad quarterback at all. He started a few games for the Titans last year and actually beat the Texans in one of those games. And the Colts have so many great receivers that it should be no trouble for Collins to find them on Sunday.

This is a Texans team that has collapsed the last few years under high expectations. Now, EVERYBODY is picking them to win the AFC South. As long as Gary Kubiak is head coach in Houston, this team is going to fail to live up to the hype.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Texans are a good football team and I believe they’ll make the playoffs as a wildcard. But they’re not ready to win a division title.

Now they did beat the Colts with Peyton Manning in Week 1 of the 2010 season. But unlike last year’s game, they are expected to win this year’s matchup and quite handily.

This might be the biggest game in Houston Texans history.

Feel confident picking this Texans team? I sure don’t.

Indianapolis 24 Houston 23

Buffalo @ Kansas City

The Chiefs begin the season by sticking to the same formula that won them an AFC West title last year. Beating up on horrible teams.

Kansas City 29 Buffalo 13

Tennessee @ Jacksonville

Before Jacksonville released their QB David Garrard on Tuesday, I thought this team was going to win 5 or 6 games anyways. Now they cut Garrard and Luke McCown will start at QB on Sunday.

Let me repeat that.

Luke McCown will start at QB on Sunday.

Tennessee 24 Jacksonville 17

Cincinnati @ Cleveland

This might be the worst game of Week 1. Don’t see these teams doing anything this year. But Browns QB Colt McCoy gets the edge over Bengals rookie QB Andy Dalton.

Cleveland 17 Cincinnati 16

Philadelphia @ St. Louis

This decade’s version of the Greatest Show on Turf heads to the place where the former Greatest Show on Turf used to play. It’s actually seemed like the hype for this Eagles team has died down in the last few weeks. Which is weird because I STILL BELIEVE THE HYPE!!! This team is scary good. So why are all the experts picking the Rams to be a popular upset pick in Week 1?? This is a 7-9 team from last year.

Eagles roll.

Philadelphia 36 St. Louis 14

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore

It’s the biggest game of the year in the NFC North. I believe the winner of this game will win the division. This game is enormous for both teams, but especially for the Ravens, who cannot afford to lose to their rivals at home in the first week.

Baltimore 20 Pittsburgh 19

Detroit @ Tampa Bay

The Bucs were in great shape to make the playoffs last year heading into a Week 15 matchup where they hosted the Detroit Lions.

A Detroit Lions team who had lost on the road 26 consecutive times!

All the Bucs had to do was win and they would basically be stamping their ticket to the postseason. So the Bucs went out and lost to the Lions. Somebody tell me why everyone thinks the Bucs are gonna be good this year?

Detroit 27 Tampa Bay 19

Minnesota @ San Diego

The Philip Rivers quest for 5000 yards begins Sunday.

San Diego 31 Minnesota 16

NY Giants @ Washington

Another popular upset pick by the experts. They’re saying that the Skins, led by QB Rex Grossman, are going to knock off the Giants. The Giants went 2-0 against the Skins last year, outscoring them 48-21.

NY Giants 28 Washington 13

Carolina @ Arizona

Now here’s a real upset pick. Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton returns to the stadium where he won a National Championship with Auburn last year.

Carolina 24 Arizona 22

Seattle @ San Francisco

I love everything about NFL Sundays except for the 3:15 NFC West games. I see alot of huge gains by Frank Gore in this one

San Francisco 20 Seattle 14

Dallas @ NY Jets

Jets coach Rex Ryan got the best of his brother Rob last year, when Rob was the defensive co-ordinator in Cleveland. Now Rob has moved on to the same position in Dallas. Time for Rob’s Revenge.

Dallas 24 NY Jets 16

New England @ Miami

Tom Brady vs. Chad Henne.

New England 40 Miami 17

Oakland @ Denver

This is the latest game of the season as it will kick-off at 9:15 pm CT and end somewhere around 12:30 am. Expect 75% of viewers to doze off by 11:00 pm.

Oakland 27 Denver 21