2019 NFL Mock Draft: Who Takes the QB of Their Future?

April 21, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL 2019 NFL Mock Draft, A.J. Brown, A.J. McCarron, AB, Adam Butler, Adrian Clayborn, Alejandro Villanueva, Alex Tanney, Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown, ASJ, Austin Bryant, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Braxton Berrios, Brian Burns, Byron Murphy, C.J. Mosley, Case Keenum, Chase Winovich, Chase Young, Chris Moore, Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Cody Ford, Corey Liuget, D.K. Metcalf, DaMarkus Lodge, Damien Harris, Daniel Jones, Daryl Worley, Davante Adams, DeAndre Baker, Deatrich Wise Jr., Dee Ford, Deionte Thompson, DeMaryius Thomas, Deone Bucannon, Derwin Gray, Devin Bush, Devin White, Dexter Lawrence, Dillon Mitchell, Dont'a Hightower, Doug Martin, Dre'Mont Jones, Drew Lock, Dwayne Haskins, Earl Thomas, Ed Oliver, Elandon Roberts, Eli Manning, Ereck Flowers, Fitzy, Gareon Conley, Garrett Bradbury, Greedy Williams, Gronk, Harrison Phillips, Hollywood Brown, Irv Smith Jr., Isaiah Wynn, Jalen Jelks, Jawaan Taylor, Jeffery Simmons, Jerry Tillery, Joe Flacco, Joe Thuney, Jonah Williams, Jordan Akins, Jordan Thomas, Josh Allen, Josh Jacobs, Josh Rosen, Julian Edelman, Kelvin Harmon, Kendell Beckwith, Khalen Saunders, Kliff Kingsbury, Kwon Alexander, Kyle Lauletta, Kyler Murray, Lawrence Guy, Mack Wilson, Malcom Brown, Marcus Cannon, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Mariota, Marquise Brown, Marquise Copeland, Matt Kalil, Matt Slater, Matthew Slater, Maurice Hurst, Mecole Hardman, Michael Bennett, Mike Pennel, Minitron, Mock Draft, Montez Sweat, N'Keal Harry, Ndamukong Suh, NFL, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Nick Nelson, Noah Fant, Phillip Dorsett, Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Scott Frantz, Seth Roberts, Shaq Mason, Shaquill Griffin, Sylvester Williams, T.J. Hockenson, Ted Karras, Trent Brown, Trevor Siemian, Trey Flowers, Tyrell Williams, Vic Beasley, Willie Snead IV, Zach Brown

Welcome to my 2019 NFL Mock Draft! Today, I’ll be sharing a one-round NFL mock draft with trades. I have also predicted what the rest of the New England Patriots’ draft will look like (Rounds 2-7). There’s always a handful a QB prospects who are lined up to be future starters. But while there’s a lot of teams that could use a young QB on the roster, most teams would do alright without one. Even the Giants, who have been rumored to replace Eli Manning since the start of 2018 could make do with just Manning, Kyle Lauletta (drafted later last year), and Alex Tanney. But I do see a few teams making their move this year, some in the first round, and some waiting till later rounds. Who will they be? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Let’s begin with the Arizona Cardinals. They own this year’s first overall pick and are likely close to making a decision. But I cannot see them trading down.

1. With the 1st overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals select…

Kyler Murray

Oklahoma

I don’t typically predict something in a mock draft solely based on rumors, but all signs have pointed to Arizona taking Kyler Murray #1 after Kliff Kingsbury’s statement a year ago about taking Murray #1 if he ever had the chance. If they do decide to stick with Josh Rosen at QB (who they drafted last year), they can take edge rusher Nick Bosa #1, who could definitely help this defense. I have them trading Rosen to the Giants for a second or third round pick. This will allow the Giants to use their first rounder to improve the team around Rosen while Arizona moves on to Kyler.

2. With the 2nd overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers select…

Nick Bosa

DE/OLB

Ohio State

The 49ers could use Bosa as an OLB or a DE. At whichever position they don’t put Bosa at, they can start the recently acquired Dee Ford. The Niners definitely improved their front seven this off-season, but they could still benefit from more depth on the outside. They can wait on a wide receiver, their biggest need, thanks to the deep WR class.

3. With the 3rd overall pick, the New York Jets select

Josh Allen

OLB

Kentucky

New York signed ILB C.J. Mosley this off-season, but after a failed attempt to add OLB Anthony Barr, the Jets are left with a gaping hole at outside linebacker. Their 3-4 scheme is a perfect fit for Allen, who will fill a need and significantly boost the pass rush. Allen totaled 17 sacks in his senior year at Kentucky, which nearly tops Nick Bosa’s college career total of 17.5. The Jets have been rumored to trade down, but the outside linebacker class isn’t very deep. They should take advantage of the 3rd overall pick here.

4. With the 4th overall pick, the Oakland Raiders select…

Quinnen Williams

Alabama

The Raiders have been linked to Ed Oliver frequently, and if Williams is taken Top 3, the Raiders should consider taking Oliver. But if Williams is available, this pick is a no-brainer. The Raiders still have a gaping hole at defensive tackle despite drafting Maurice Hurst in 2018. Williams is one of the best prospects in this draft and should definitely fill that hole playing next to Hurst. The Raiders could also snag ILB Devin White or CB Greedy Williams, but it would be smart to take Quinnen while he’s still available, and who knows, Greedy might still be available at #24.

5. With the 5th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…

Rashan Gary

Michigan

Though the Bucs drafted Noah Spence a couple years back at this position, they would still benefit from drafting another edge rusher. They have been linked frequently to Devin White since Kwon Alexander’s departure, but I don’t see it happening and trust Kendell Beckwith as the starting middle linebacker in his 3rd NFL season. The Bucs also added Deone Bucannon, who can play on the outside or inside. So rather than drafting a linebacker, they’ll draft Rashan Gary for additional d-line depth.

6. With the 6th overall pick, the New York Giants select…

Jonah Williams

Alabama

There has been a lot of Top 10 buzz surrounding T Jawaan Taylor, but I still think Williams, the Alabama product is the best o-lineman in this draft class. The Giants finally released T Ereck Flowers in 2018, so Williams can start on the right side in Flowers’ former spot.. The G-men will stick with Nate Solder at left tackle for now.

7. With the 7th overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars select…

Noah Fant

Iowa

A lot of people have projected TE T.J. Hockenson in the Top 10, but the Jags are the only team I could see drafting a tight end in this Top 10. My personal belief is that Fant is the better of the two Iowa TEs, and I have the Jags taking him over Jawaan Taylor or T.J. Hockenson. The Jags don’t really need Jawaan Taylor even though they’ve been linked to him. Though Hockenson outperformed Fant at the Combine, Fant has scored double the TDs Hockenson has scored in their final two years at Iowa. With Fant off the board, Hockenson may fall to the latter portion of Round 1.

8. With the 8th overall pick, the Detroit Lions select…

Montez Sweat

OLB

Mississippi State

If I were Detroit’s GM, I would be concerned about Sweat’s heart condition and consider Brian Burns instead. But the Lions seem to like Sweat, who could fit in as a defensive end next to Trey Flowers or fill a gaping hole at outside linebacker. Also, Sweat’s heart condition is not as concerning as DT Maurice Hurst’s. Sweat’s was just noticed at the Combine, while Hurst couldn’t participate in the Combine at all.

9. With the 9th overall pick, the Buffalo Bills select…

Brian Burns

OLB

Florida State

The Bills may like Ed Oliver as a prospect, but it’s too early to give up on 2018 2nd round pick Harrison Phillips at DT. Instead, I have the Bills drafting someone on the outside in this defense-heavy draft. This draft is flooded with elite edge rushers, and the Bills need help at both outside linebacker and defensive end. Burns can help fill both of those needs, but they’ll need some pass rushers in the later rounds or free agents to support Burns.

10. With the 10th overall pick, the Denver Broncos select…

Ed Oliver

Houston

The Broncos could still use a QB despite upgrading in consecutive off-seasons. Denver went from starting Trevor Siemian to starting Case Keenum to starting Joe Flacco in the span of two seasons. But the Broncos don’t need a rookie QB in Round 1 as they should be able to trust Flacco as this year’s starter. Plus, waiting will allow them to take advantage of the elite d-line class. The Broncos have needed d-line help ever since Sylvester Williams left in free agency. They could reunite with Williams, who is once again a free agent. But if DT Ed Oliver is available at #10, it would be a no-brainer for Denver to take him. In general, I feel that Denver should wait and see how the draft goes before making a move on any more free agents.

11. With the 11th overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select…

Dwayne Haskins

Ohio State

Andy Dalton has definitely declined in the last few years, and he has been inconsistent throughout his career. It’s a shame that the Bengals couldn’t hold onto A.J. McCarron as a backup. But it’s time to move on and draft another QB. They’ll have plenty of options here with Haskins, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones all available. But Haskins would be the best QB left on the board. It’s easy to forget that he threw 50 TDs in 2018 alone at Ohio State, and he could learn a few things backing up Dalton.
12. With the 12th overall pick, the Green Bay Packers select…

D.K. Metcalf

Ole Miss

After dominance at the Combine, Metcalf has proven himself as the best receiver in this draft class. People have overrated his Combine performance, but it’s not too crazy to mock him at #12. This would be a smart pick for Green Bay, who would add a solid WR2 with WR1 potential. Metcalf would not have as much pressure on him in Green Bay as he plays next to star WR Davante Adams.
13. With the 13th overall pick, the Miami Dolphins select…

Drew Lock

Missouri

The Dolphins weren’t smart to trade away Ryan Tannehill so soon, especially to the Titans, who didn’t need a starting QB. Tannehill will be forced to battle with Marcus Mariota for a starting job. Meanwhile, in Miami, Ryan Fitzpatrick is the best QB left on the roster. He’s a respectable bridge QB, but he is not meant for a full time starting job. The Dolphins should draft Lock behind Fitzy if Murray and Haskins are off the board.

14. With the 14th overall pick, the Atlanta Falcons select…

Devin Bush

OLB

Michigan

With Vic Beasley in the 4-3 defensive end slot, Atlanta has a big hole at outside linebacker. They don’t really need another edge rusher, but Bush is a quality outside linebacker who recorded 161 tackles and 10 sacks in his last two seasons combined at Michigan. He can add depth to Atlanta’s defense, allowing Beasley to play defensive end full time.
15. With the 15th overall pick, the Washington Redskins select…

Devin White

ILB

LSU

White falls to #15 since there are very few teams with a gaping hole at inside linebacker like Washington’s. It’s very rare that linebackers of White’s ability level enter the draft, but unfortunately, there aren’t many teams in the Top 10 that need to draft someone like White. He falls to the Redskins, who look to replace the released Zach Brown. It’s a steal for the Redskins, who fill their #1 need in the 1st round.
16. With the 16th overall pick, the Carolina Panthers select…

N’Keal Harry

Arizona State

The Panthers may miss out on Metcalf if Green Bay or Washington drafts him. But I think their need at WR is desperate enough for them to snag N’Keal Harry if Metcalf is drafted and Harry is still available. They could also draft a tackle to replace Matt Kalil, and Cody Ford would be available. But I think it’s more important for them to have a top line receiver than a top line tackle.

17. With the 17th overall pick, the New York Giants select…

Clelin Ferrell

Clemson

Ferrell doesn’t fit the Giants’ defensive scheme as well as some other prospects, but would fill a huge hole for New York and would be the best d-line prospect remaining by far. Ferrell recorded 11.5 sacks last season, leading a stacked Clemson defense. Hopefully, New York can adapt their defense to be favorable for prospects of different backgrounds, because they may need to start a lot of rookies on defense this season.

18. With the 18th overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings select…

Christian Wilkins

Clemson

Wilkins has been targeted by Tennessee aggressively. Though the Vikings do need a defensive tackle to replace Sheldon Richardson, the Titans haven’t even thought about trying to trade up and could be left shocked if the Vikings snagged Wilkins one pick before them. Defensive tackle is Minnesota’s top need in my eyes, so I’d have them taking Wilkins regardless of who was up next. But preventing Tennessee from snagging him is an added bonus.

19. With the 19th overall pick, the Tennessee Titans select…

Greedy Williams

LSU

With Wilkins off the board, I have the Titans signing free agent DT Ndamukong Suh rather than reaching for a defensive tackle. They will think about their other positional needs with this pick. They could use another WR, and Kelvin Harmon would be available. But if Greedy Williams is still available at #19, the Titans cannot pass up on him. The Titans are deep at corner, but don’t really have a true #1 CB. Greedy wouldn’t be their #1 right away. He may even start on the bench as the #4 CB. But he has the upside to eventually fill that #1 slot, which is what the Titans are looking for.

20. With the 20th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers select…

Cody Ford

Oklahoma

Nothing against Alejandro Villanueva, but it’s a problem if Villanueva’s the only viable starting tackle on a roster. If the Steelers add Ford to the mix, they should be able to trust Ford and Villanueva as starters. The Steelers will have to figure out which of the two pays left tackle, but with this pick, they at least fill the hole Marcus Gilbert left them with and draft their 2nd viable starting tackle.

21. With the 21st overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks select…

Byron Murphy

Washington

With S Earl Thomas out of Seattle, the Legion of Boom’s entire core has left Seattle’s active roster. It’s time to begin rebuilding this secondary. They already added Shaquill Griffin in the 2017 NFL Draft, but they still have a huge hole at safety and could use another CB. There’s no safety in this draft class I would take #21, but Murphy would be a steal at #21. Murphy caught 4 interceptions in his final year at Washington, which is more than any Seahawks current corner has caught in their entire career.

22. With the 22nd overall pick, the Baltimore Ravens select…

Kelvin Harmon

North Carolina State

The Ravens don’t really have a #1 receiver right now, so wide receiver is by far their biggest need. Harmon posted back-to-back 1000 yard seasons at NC State. He should quickly obtain the WR1 role playing alongside Willie Snead IV, Seth Roberts, Chris Moore, and others. The Ravens may need to add another receiver later in the draft for depth, but the NC State product will at least help make the WR corps look respectable.

23. With the 23rd overall pick, the Houston Texans select…

T.J. Hockenson

Iowa

Houston has plenty of tight ends on the roster after adding Jordan Thomas and Jordan Akins in 2018. But there is no clear #1 TE, so tight end is still one of Houston’s biggest needs. Hockenson should be better than any tight end on this Texans roster from Day 1, so it would be smart for Houston to draft him, especially at #23.

24. With the 24th overall pick, the Oakland Raiders select…

DeAndre Baker

Georgia

With Devin White off the board, Mack Wilson would be the top inside linebacker available here, and Wilson is not Round 1 material in my eyes. It would be smarter for Oakland to take a corner here. There are plenty of corners who are Round 1 material. I’m not ready to trust Nick Nelson or Daryl Worley (who has off the field issues) as Oakland’s #2 corner. Even Gareon Conley, Oakland’s #1 CB has off the field issues of his own. Baker will provide stability to this secondary, and should eventually become the reliable #1 corner they have needed for a while.

25. TRADE ALERT (see details after pick #32): With the 25th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…

Josh Jacobs

Alabama

Tampa reportedly has significant interest in making Jacobs their starting RB, but with the Raiders interested in drafting Jacobs at #27, there’s no guarantee the Bucs can draft Jacobs unless they trade up and leapfrog the Raiders. It might be smarter to trade with a team who picks before Oakland’s #24 pick, but I can’t see them taking a RB until #27, so I don’t know if that’s necessary. If the Bucs miss out on Jacobs, they could always sign Jay Ajayi to be their new RB1, but Jacobs wouldn’t just give them a 2019 RB1. Jacobs gives them long term stability at running back, where Tampa has had issues since Doug Martin (now a free agent) began to decline. Jacobs rushed for 640 yards and 11 TD in just 120 attempts during his junior year at Alabama, where he played as a part of a committee alongside fellow draft prospect Damien Harris. Imagine what Jacobs could do as a full time NFL starter.

26. With the 26th overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts select…

Dexter Lawrence

Clemson

The Colts will take another Clemson d-lineman here. Cornerback is probably their #1 need this year, but the CB class is pretty deep, and they should be able to wait until the #34 pick they acquired from the Jets to draft a corner. Their current d-line is made up of washed-up, borderline starters, so Lawrence will bring some livelihood to Indy’s front seven if they draft him.

27. With the 27th overall pick, the Oakland Raiders select…

A.J. Brown

Ole Miss

With Jacobs off the board, I have Oakland drafting A.J. Brown, a teammate of D.K. Metcalf who actually outperformed Metcalf at Ole Miss. Even with Metcalf healthy all season in 2017, Brown totaled 1252 yards while Metcalf, then a redshirt freshman totaled just 646. Metcalf will be drafted before Brown as his Combine performance and play style boost his draft stock. The stats aren’t everything when it comes to NFL scouting. But don’t discount Brown’s back to back 1000 yard seasons at Ole Miss. He should still be a top 5 receiver off this draft board, and the Raiders could still use another WR for depth despite adding Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams.

28. With the 28th overall pick, the Los Angeles Chargers select…

Jerry Tillery

Notre Dame

The Chargers finally released injury prone DT Corey Liuget this off-season, but it would be smart to draft a young, healthy DT in Round 1, filling the hole Liuget left behind. Tillery was a big contributor to Notre Dame’s dominant defense in 2018 as he led the team in sacks (7). He would make a strong Chargers defense even stronger as he competes for a starting d-line job.

29. With the 29th overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs select…

Garrett Bradbury

North Carolina State

Kansas City would have also benefitted from drafting Jacobs here, but there is no other RB I see as first round material, and they have a bigger hole at center anyway. Bradbury should be able to fill this hole if they draft him. Bradbury played parts of his college career at other positions (tight end, guard), but should fit in as a center in Kansas City. If he wanted to go back to playing guard, the Chiefs could use some depth there as well.

30. With the 30th overall pick, the Green Bay Packers select…

Deionte Thompson

Alabama

This year’s safety class wasn’t the greatest even before Thompson’s draft stock began to fall after an underwhelming Combine. But I still see Thompson as the best safety in a weak class; the best of the worst. I wouldn’t have a problem with safety-needy teams like Green Bay drafting Thompson later into Round 1. The Alabama product caught 2 interceptions in his senior year.

31. With the 31st overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams select…

Dre’Mont Jones

Ohio State

With Ndamukong Suh on the open market, the Rams will need a new defensive tackle to play next to Aaron Donald. They could draft an interior offensive lineman here, but Bradbury is the only interior lineman I’d feel comfortable drafting in the first round. Defensive tackle is LA’s next biggest need after Suh’s departure. Only sophomore DE Chase Young had more tackles for a loss and sacks for Ohio State than Jones in 2018. He could be a quality supplement to Donald in a strong Rams d-line.

32. With the 32nd overall pick, the New England Patriots select…

Irv Smith Jr.

Alabama

Fant and Hockenson may be off the board at #32, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins can fill in as New England’s starting tight end. But I still think the Pats should draft their TE of the future in Round 1 after Rob Gronkowski’s retirement. They could also go for WR Marquise Brown or DT Jeffery Simmons here, but the TE class is not as deep as the WR and d-line classes in this draft, so it’s important they draft one early. Smith caught 44 balls for 710 yards and 7 TD in his final season at Alabama and in my eyes, he’s the best tight end on the board that wasn’t an Iowa Hawkeye.

TRADES:

TB acquires: 2019 1st rounder (#25)

PHI acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#39), 2019 5th rounder (#145)

NYG acquires: QB Josh Rosen

ARZ acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#37), 2020 4th rounder

(FOR PATRIOTS MOCK DRAFT BELOW)

NE acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#60)

LAC acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#64), 2019 6th rounder (#205)

Patriots Mock Draft (Rounds 2-7)

I will not be a sharing a full seven round NFL Mock Draft, but as a Patriots fan, I figured I’d share my later round Pats’ predictions. I have them drafting TE Irv Smith Jr. at #32 (as seen above), but what will they do after that? Read below to find out what I think:

I have the Pats drafting the QB of their future on Day 2 so he’s ready to start by the time Brady retires. It will be easier to find viable starters at WR and in the d-line than at QB, and the WRs the Pats would be willing to draft here will probably already be off the board.

Winovich led the Wolverines in tackles for a loss (15.5) in 2018. He should boost the New England pass rush and fit in New England’s 4-3 scheme after the release of Adrian Clayborn.

Jelks’ draft stock has fallen of late, but he is still a good third round investment for the Pats, who could seek an upgrade over Elandon Roberts and another linebacker in the mix in case the injury prone Dont’a Hightower misses time in 2019. The Ducks installed a 4-3 defense in 2018, so Jelks should be used to New England’s 4-3 schemes.

Copeland will replace Malcom Brown, who left for the Saints via free agency. He should be able to compete for the starting job next to fellow DT Lawrence Guy.

Though he will be the last of the four Clemson 2018 starting d-lineman to be drafted, Bryant will add more depth to the Patriots d-line. He will join Michael Bennett, Winovich, and Deatrich Wise Jr. on the Pats defensive end depth chart.

So long as he is healthy, Demaryius Thomas should serve in the WR2 role for the Pats. But if Thomas is hurt and Josh Gordon remains suspended, the Pats are left with Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and who else? That’s why they should still draft a receiver at some point. However, they should be okay to wait till Day 3 due to the deep WR class. Guys like Mitchell and DaMarkus Lodge should still be available come Round 4.

New England owns one of the best interior o-line trios in the league, but it wouldn’t hurt to add another guard for additional depth. Ted Karras is their best backup at guard, but injuries are frequent in this league, and if Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason both get hurt, there could be a slot open for Gray.

A lot of times, Round 7 is solely about taking some of the better available options and adding depth to shallow positions. Saunders would be drafted to add more depth at DT in case Copeland or Guy struggles.

One of New England’s biggest questions headed into 2019 is whether Isaiah Wynn can be trusted as Trent Brown’s replacement, especially after missing all of 2018 with an injury. Frantz will provide New England with another option at tackle in case Wynn or Marcus Cannon isn’t doing his job.

This pick will add more depth to the WR corps if they keep Hardman on the roster. Hardman will likely compete with 2018 late round pick Braxton Berrios for the #6 or #7 WR slot. Matthew Slater will most likely remain on the roster for his special teams abilities though.

That’s all for my 2019 NFL Mock Draft. Stay tuned for Patriots draft grades and possibly other teams’ draft grades after the draft! On a side note, New England’s schedule has come out. I will be posting NFL Predictions and Pats Game-by-Game Predictions sometime before the season.

2018 NFL Week 16 Picks & Previews: No(t Many) Surprises Here

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Welcome to my Week 16 NFL picks and previews. Last week, I went 11-5, putting my overall record at 126-97-2 (127-98-2 including Week 16 Saturday games). For the most part, there are very few upsets in the final few weeks of the season. I don’t think there will be many upsets this week, either. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be any surprises. There’s bound to be a couple surprise victories. But who will be the team to surprise us this week? Keep reading to find out what I think, and feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Lock of the Week

Expect Detroit’s offensive struggles to continue against the strong Vikings defense. The Vikings won’t be at their best offensively either in this game, but they should still score multiple TDs. The combination of these two factors will help the Vikings win with ease in Detroit.

Upset of the Week (SNF)

I think QB Patrick Mahomes II could have a dominant game against the inexperienced Seahawks defense, tossing 3+ TDs. But I expect Seattle’s versatile, consistent offense to put together more quality drives and find a way to win at home, especially against one of the worst defenses in the league. The Chiefs will be without not only RB Kareem Hunt, but also WR Sammy Watkins. I see them just barely coming up short at CenturyLink Field.

The Other Games

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST (Posted to Twitter on Saturday; Actual Score: 25-16 Titans)	Look for QB Marcus Mariota and the young Titans offense to get it done against an unmotivated Redskins defense. QB Josh Johnson and his offense will not help matters for the Redskins as they fail to score a TD. This will partially be due to Washington’s QB struggles without Alex Smith, but also partially due to a dominant defensive game by Tennessee that secures them a victory.
Saturday, 8:20 PM EST (Posted to Twitter on Saturday; Actual Score: 22-10 Ravens)	Despite an ugly game, expect QB Philip Rivers and the Chargers to prevail here. RB Melvin Gordon and WR Keenan Allen will boost the Chargers in their return, but the entire offense including Gordon and Allen will be limited by the overwhelming Baltimore defense. QB Lamar Jackson and his offense will make this close, but they even after the strong defensive performance, the Ravens will fail to keep up with Rivers, Gordon, and Co.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for the Pats to rebound from two straight losses in their return to Gillette. Even without WR Josh Gordon (who was suspended earlier this week), I think QB Tom Brady will turn it around for 3+ TDs. Even the Pats defense will improve here as they hold Buffalo to just 1 TD.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect the Dolphins to win here, but it will not be easy. First of all, I’m expecting a low scoring, ugly game. In addition, I see the Jags forcing overtime as their defense gets back on track here. However, Jacksonville will fall short as their offense struggles to produce without a quality starting QB.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Green Bay to get by due to a consistent offense led by QB Aaron Rodgers. Expect New York’s offense to look good at times as the Packers struggle at times to contain the Jets’ receivers. But the Packers defense will still prevent them from getting into a real rhythm.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Cleveland has struggled in overtime throughout the season. For all we know, they could be leading the division if it weren’t for their OT struggles. But in this game, I see the Browns winning in overtime thanks to a clutch performance by QB Baker Mayfield and his young offense. Cincy will make it close thanks to the emergence of WRs Tyler Boyd and John Ross agains the inexperienced Browns D. But I still expect them to fall just short.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Philly to pull the upset after a strong offensive game supported by QB Nick Foles. Their case will be helped by Houston’s offensive struggles without RB Lamar Miller. The Texans D will limit Foles and the Eagles, but it will not be enough.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Andrew Luck and his offense to find a way against a weakened Giants D. The Giants should be alright without WR Odell Beckham Jr. against an inexperienced Colts defense. But Luck and the Colts will be able to lead Indy to victory regardless.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect QB Dak Prescott to lead the Cowboys to victory in a relatively high scoring game. QB Jameis Winston will toss 2-3 TDs of his own against a young Dallas defense, but the Bucs D will struggle regressively as usual, allowing the Cowboys to outplay Tampa’s offense and win easily.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Taylor Heinicke will not be able to compete with QB Matt Ryan like QB Cam Newton would. Look for Ryan and the Falcons offense to dominate against a weak Carolina secondary as Atlanta wins in a blowout.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Look for the Bears to get by in a defense-first game. Chicago’s D will hold QB Nick Mullens and the Niners to just 10 points. Don’t expect a field day for the Chicago offense, but they should put up enough points for a road victory.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Look for the Rams strong D to shut down the Cardinals’ young offense. The Rams won’t be great offensively, but they’ll put up enough to get by despite an ugly overall game.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The Saints won’t be up to full speed offensively, as WR Michael Thomas is the only trustworthy receiver QB Drew Brees has right now. But the Steelers’ offense won’t be at full capacity either with RB James Conner out. QB Ben Roethlisberger will toss multiple TD, but it won’t be enough as the run game is practically non-existent. This will allow the Saints to get by at home.
Monday, 8:15 PM EST	Look for the Broncos’ to win in primetime thanks to a strong game by not only RB Phillip Lindsay but the entire Denver run game. The Raiders’ offense will struggle to produce against a strong Denver defense, even in Oakland.

That’s all for today’s picks. Stay tuned for more NFL coverage soon.

2018 NFL Week 15 Picks & Previews: Locking Up a Playoff Spot

December 16, 2018December 16, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews 49ers, Aaron Rodgers, Adam Thielen, Amari Cooper, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Broncos, Browns, Cam Newton, Carolina, Carolina Panthers, CBS Sports, Chargers, Chiefs, Chris Ivory, Christian Kirk, Cleveland, Cleveland Browns, Cody Kessler, D'Onta Foreman, Dak Prescott, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson, Drew Brees, Eagles, Eli Apple, Eli Manning, Ezekiel Elliott, Houston, Houston Texans, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, James Conner, Jared Cook, Jared Goff, Jason La Canfora, Jeff Driskel, Jets, Joe Mixon, Josh Allen, Josh Johnson, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, Kareem Hunt, KC, KC Chiefs, Khalil Mack, LA, LA Chargers, LA Rams, Lamar Jackson, Landon Collins, LeSean McCoy, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Marcus Mariota, Mark Sanchez, Matt Breida, Matt Ryan, Michael Thomas, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New Orleans, New Orleans Saints, New York, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Week 15 Picks, Nick Mullens, NY, NY Jets, Panthers, Patriots, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Picks, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rams, Ravens, Russell Wilson, Saints, Sam Darnold, Sammy Watkins, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Steelers, Stefon Diggs, Texans, Tom Brady, Tyler Lockett

Welcome to my Week 15 NFL Picks and Previews. Last week was a rough week, as I went 6-10, putting my overall record at 115-92-2 (117-93-2 including TNF and Saturday). I am still only ahead of 1 expert (Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports). This week, many teams have a chance to lock up playoff spots, but will all of the current contenders keep rolling this week, or will some fall behind as other teams rise? The Patriots take on the Steelers, and the Saints play the Panthers in Carolina, so there’s bound to be a couple teams knocked out of contention. Pittsburgh, who’s already just 7-5-1, faces not only New England but also the Saints on their remaining schedule. This could open the door for the Ravens and Browns in the AFC North. Keep reading to find out what I think, and feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Lock of the Week

The Redskins won’t be able to do much offensively with Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson as their QBs. The Jags may have struggled this season, but their defense is still easily top 10 in the NFL. This will open the door for young QB Cody Kessler and the Jaguars to put up a strong offensive game in a blowout win. The Redskins defense will lack motivation considering how badly the offense is doing, allowing Kessler to toss multiple TD and the Jacksonville run game to dominate.

Upset of the Week

Seattle has been strong at home this season with a 5-2 record. But on the road, they are a measly 3-3. We’ve seen what Niners QB Nick Mullens is capable of. Against an inexperienced Seahawks defense, I could see Mullens having a big game and leading San Francisco to pull off an upset. The Niners run game will struggle though, since RB Matt Breida is not 100%. Seattle should have a decent game offensively, but they won’t be able to compete with Mullens’ dominance, and QB Russell Wilson will struggle to connect with any WR who isn’t named Tyler Lockett. Mullens will prove that although he’s not the future of the Niners, he is a capable QB who can handle the weaker defenses in the league with ease.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 29-28 Chargers)	Look for QB Philip Rivers and his receivers to lead the Chargers past the weak Kansas City defense in a close, overtime game. The Chiefs should also look very strong on offense, but they won’t be up to full speed without RB Kareem Hunt and WR Sammy Watkins. This and the defensive struggles will cost the Chiefs late in the game.
Saturday, 4:30 PM EST (Posted to Twitter Saturday; Actual Score: 29-22 Texans)	Expect QB Sam Darnold and the Jets to put up a relatively strong game, even against the tough Houston defense. But QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans will get by as the Jets are still held under 20. The return of RB Dont’a Foreman will boost the Texans’ offensive performance in the road victory.
Saturday, 8:20 PM EST (Posted to Twitter Saturday; Actual Score: 17-16 Browns)	Look for the Broncos to win at home in a low scoring game. The Browns will struggle against a tough Broncos defense in Denver despite a stronger offensive season. The strong defense as well as a big game from the Broncos RBs will lead the Broncos in their victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Led by the WR duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, expect the Vikings to secure a victory at home after losing 2 in a row. The Vikes defense will help their case as well, but the Dolphins will make this closer than you think.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Josh Allen to lead the Bills to a home victory, taking advantage of his running abilities with RB LeSean McCoy out and RB Chris Ivory banged-up. The Lions will look better offensively than they have been lately, but the Bills defense will prevent Detroit from providing a serious challenge.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Lamar Jackson will prove himself as Baltimore’s starting QB here, leading the Ravens to victory at home. The Ravens D will also have a strong game, holding Tampa under 15. The Bucs offense will lack the energy it usually has in the loss, making the Ravens D’s job easier.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Jeff Driskel and his offense to outperform their expectations against the young Oakland defense. Cincy’s run game will help, as Joe Mixon has 100+ yards rushing. But Driskel will still throw multiple TDs in the victory. Meanwhile, Oakland will be held to just 1 TD, as QB Derek Carr has a hard time relying on his WRs, instead relying on TE Jared Cook.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Marcus Mariota should be able to find his receivers despite lacking WR depth, as the Giants defense struggles to contain Mariota’s receivers without S Landon Collins (injured) and CB Eli Apple (traded). The Giants will fall short as the defense struggles and QB Eli Manning throws throws more picks than he throws TDs.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Colts offense should be alright against the young Dallas D. However, QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys will continue to dominate against the weak Colts defense. Strong games by WR Amari Cooper and RB Ezekiel Elliott will lead them to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for DE Khalil Mack and the Bears defense to dominate against a Packers team that lacks talent outside of QB Aaron Rodgers. This will allow QB Mitch Trubisky and the Bears to thrive, winning easily with the help of a strong game by their RB duo.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Matt Ryan and his receivers to dominate against the struggling Arizona defense. The Cardinals will also put up an underwhelming performance on offense, as QB Josh Rosen struggles to find his receivers without WR Christian Kirk, even against the weak Falcons D. The Cardinals will fall short after Atlanta’s much better offensive game.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST Check back closer to kickoff for a video preview!	The Pats will get by in Pittsburgh, but QB Tom Brady will still struggle to connect with his receivers on the road. The Steelers offense will struggle as well and their run game won’t be able to do much of anything without RB James Conner.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	QB Jared Goff and the Rams will look good against the depleted Eagles defense, even if they aren’t at their best. But it’s LA’s defense that will lead the Rams to victory. The Rams defense will shut down a Philly offense that can be explosive at times.
Monday, 8:15 PM EST	The Saints should be able to get by on the road, even against Carolina. New Orleans will not be at full strength in their third straight road game, especially after losing their momentum in an all out embarrassing loss to Dallas. The Panthers defense will hold them back, but QB Drew Brees and WR Michael Thomas will lead the Saints to victory. QB Cam Newton and his offense will make it close in primetime, but it will not be enough.

That’s all for this week. Stay tuned for more posts soon.

2018 NFL Week 10 Picks & Previews: Contenders Arise in Unsurprising Outcomes

November 11, 2018 Andrew Roberts Uncategorized 49ers, A.J. Green, Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith, Ben Roethlisberger, Blake Bortles, Brandon Marshall, Brock Osweiler, Cam Newton, Cameron Meredith, Carlos Hyde, Carolina, Carolina Panthers, Carson Wentz, Charles Clay, Colts, Cowboys, Dak Prescott, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Dante Fowler, Dante Fowler Jr., David Johnson, Derek Anderson, Detroit, Detroit Lions, Dez Bryant, Dolphins, Drew Brees, Eagles, Eli Manning, Eric Ebron, Ezekiel Elliott, Giants, Golden Tate, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, Jack Doyle, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, Jared Goff, Josh Allen, Josh McCown, Josh Rosen, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, Lions, Marcus Mariota, Matt Barkley, Matt Ryan, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Mitch Trubisky, Nathan Peterman, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, NFL, NFL Week 10 Picks, Nick Mullens, Niners, NY, NY Giants, Pack, Packers, Panthers, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Paul Richardson, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Picks, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Redskins, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sacksonville, Sam Darnold, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Saquon Barkley, Steelers, T. J. Yeldon, Ted Ginn Jr., Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Titans, Washington, Washington Redskins

Welcome to my Week 10 NFL picks and previews. Last week I went 8-5, putting my overall record at 76-56-2 (76-57-2 including TNF Week 10). I’m still ahead of 2 ESPN experts and a CBS Sports expert. Don’t expect too many upsets this week. I see this as a week where contenders will begin to rise after underwhelming starts. This week will mark the beginning of the end of the surprise runs by teams like the Lions, Redskins, and Dolphins. Meanwhile, expected contenders that have been struggling so far like the Eagles, Jaguars, and Packers will begin to rise. There will be a couple upsets, but who will pull them? Comment with your thoughts below, and keep reading to see my upset picks.

Lock of the Week (SNF)

Look for QB Carson Wentz to start off the 2nd half of the season strong with a 3+ TD game. The Eagles don’t have that difficult of a schedule remaining, which could provide an opportunity for Wentz to make a run for MVP with a big 2nd half. Dallas should look alright on offense here, but Philly’s front seven will limit RB Ezekiel Elliott and overwhelm QB Dak Prescott. Philly will come out on top thanks to Wentz’s big game, as he connects with 7+ different receivers.

Upset of the Week

Look for the TE duo of Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron to help the Colts offensively. Jacksonville’s D will improve from the last couple of weeks, but I don’t see them holding Indy TD-less. The Jaguars offensive rebound will make up for it. With RB Leonard Fournette healthy, this run game will thrive. They suddenly have a lot of depth between Fournette, Carlos Hyde, and T.J. Yeldon. Look for QB Blake Bortles to improve as well. He should have minimal issues against a rebuilding Colts defense that’s regarded as one of the NFL’s worst. Indy will give up 30+ points in a loss here.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 52-21 Steelers)	Carolina should struggle to contain QB Ben Roethlisberger and his receivers. But they will shut down a Le’Veon Bell-less Steelers run game. At this point, Bell will likely miss the whole season. The Panthers should also be strong on offense again, as QB Cam Newton and his receivers lead Carolina to victory up against a mediocre Steelers defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	With TE Rob Gronkowski out, the Pats offense will not be up to full speed. But expect a New England win anyway, as the Pats step it up on D against the young Titans offensive core. QB Marcus Mariota will struggle to find open men as the Patriots defense keeps him and his receivers pressured. The lack of WR depth will hurt the Titans in a loss.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Bills are down to their fourth string QB with Nathan Peterman struggling regressively and Derek Anderson and Josh Allen hurt. However, the Jets are also without their starter, Sam Darnold. Look for QB Josh McCown to succeed in filling in for Darnold, leading the Jets to a high scoring victory. The defense will slip a little against QB Matt Barkley and the Bills, but Buffalo will not be able to put up enough points with Allen and TE Charles Clay injured.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Saints find themselves with a lack of WR depth with Dez Bryant, Cameron Meredith, and Ted Ginn Jr. all on IR now. That being said, New Orleans will not be at their best offensively. But the Bengals shouldn’t look much better without WR A.J. Green. QB Drew Brees and his receivers should edge out a victory despite an underwhelming performance.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Matt Ryan and his receivers to put up another big game in Cleveland. The Browns will try to keep up, but their young core won’t quite do it. The Falcons D will continue to struggle and give up a good number of points to the Browns, but the offensive dominance will be enough for Atlanta.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	This will not be easy for Kansas City. QB Josh Rosen, RB David Johnson, and the Arizona offense should have a day against a banged-up Chiefs D. However, QB Patrick Mahomes II should keep up the good work and this offense should be enough for the Chiefs to keep rolling at home despite defensive struggles that may cost them when it matters. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t seek defensive help at the deadline.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Ryan Fitzpatrick should be able to take advantage of his deep core of receivers to lead Tampa to victory here. Also expect the Bucs D to surprise many with as they get in the way of QB Alex Smith and the Redskins offense. Smith will struggle to find his receivers with the Bucs pressuring him and WR Paul Richardson sidelined with an injury. The Buccaneers will play complimentary football and win triumphantly here.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Detroit’s offense will continue to miss WR Golden Tate as they struggle in Chicago. Look for another big game by the Bears defense here. QB Mitch Trubisky and the Chicago offense won’t be on their best either, but the shut down defense should be enough for the Bears to hold on for a victory.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	The Chargers D should look better than usual against a deep but struggling Oakland offense. Meanwhile, QB Philip Rivers and his receivers will put up another big game as Rivers throws multiple TD. The combination of these two things will cause the Raiders to fall short again at home.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST (OT)	Look for another overtime thriller out of QB Aaron Rodgers and his receivers. Expect the Packers D to nearly cost them the game as they struggle more than they should against a Brock Osweiler-led Miami offense, but look for Rodgers to come up clutch and save the Packers once again.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The dominance of the LA defense should continue with DE Dante Fowler Jr. on board. Expect them to hold Seattle TD-less here. The Rams offense won’t be at their best here, but QB Jared Goff and his WR trio will help lead the Rams to victory, supplemented by the shut-down D. The Seahawks will continue to miss WR Brandon Marshall as the Rams keep Seattle’s other receivers well-covered for majority of the game.
Monday, 8:15 PM EST	Expect the struggles of QB Eli Manning to continue as he throws just 1 TD and multiple picks. RB Saquon Barkley will keep this close with a big game despite Manning’s struggles. But the Giants will fall short as the defense limits, but cannot stop QB Nick Mullens and the young 49ers offensive core.

That’s all for this week. Stay tuned for my NFL midseason report later today, and stay tuned for my MLB off-season coverage throughout the rest of November.

2018 NFL Week 5 Pick’Em & Previews: Upsets Await in Week Full of Intriguing Match-Ups

October 7, 2018October 7, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Austin Ekeler, Baker Mayfield, Bengals, Carolina, Carolina Panthers, Carson Wentz, Chiefs, Christian McCaffrey, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Bengals, Cincy, Colts, Corey Davis, Cowboys, Dak Prescott, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Dalvin Cook, David Johnson, Derek Carr, Devonta Freeman, Dolphins, Eagles, Ezekiel Elliott, Geronimo Allison, Giants, Greg Olsen, Houston, Houston Texans, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, J.J Watt, Jack Doyle, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jadeveon Clowney, Jags, Jaguars, Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Flacco, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, Kenny Stills, Le'Veon Bell, Lock of the Week, Marcus Mariota, Mark Ingram, Marlon Mack, Matt Ryan, Melvin Gordon, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Mike Gesicki, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, NFC Championship, NFL, NFL Week 5 Picks, NY, NY Giants, Panthers, Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Pick'Em, Picks, Randall Cobb, Russell Wilson, Sacksonville, Sam Darnold, T.Y. Hilton, Texans, Thursday Night Football, TNF, Tom Brady, Tyler Eifert, Upset of the Week, Vikes, Vikings, Vontaze Burfict

Welcome to my Week 5 NFL picks and previews. Last week I went 10-5, placing my overall record at 37-24-2 (38-24-2 including Week 5 TNF). I’m ahead of 9 of ESPN’s 10 experts and 3 of CBS Sports’ 8 experts.

There are a lot of intriguing match-ups this week. The Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, two of the league’s biggest surprises thus far take each other on. The Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles meet in an NFC Championship rematch. The Kansas City Chiefs’ powerful offense may have met their match in the Jags defense. Who will win in these close match-ups? Whoever wins, I would expect a lot of surprises. Keep reading to find out who I have winning this week.

Lock of the Week (TNF: Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 38-24 Patriots)

The Colts will be without RB Marlon Mack, TE Jack Doyle, and most importantly, star WR T.Y. Hilton. With the offense banged-up, expect QB Andrew Luck to struggle in finding open receivers. Don’t expect a big game from the Colts running backs either. Meanwhile, I think the Colts defense (which is also banged-up) will fail to contain QB Tom Brady and his receivers. I could see the Pats blowing out and possibly even shutting out the injury-riddled Colts.

Upset of the Week

Coming out of the bye, the Panthers will still be without their top receiving target in TE Greg Olsen. I think they will start to miss him this week as the Giants secondary keeps Carolina’s remaining receivers well covered. Meanwhile, I don’t expect a huge game out of RB Christian McCaffrey against an above average Giants defensive front. The Giants will pull the upset thanks to a strong passing game and improved defense.

The Other Games

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	These teams might be the two biggest pleasant surprises of the season so far. This week, we’ll likely see which is here to contend, and which is pretending. I think the Bengals will look like legitimate contenders in this game. The defense will see improvement with LB Vontaze Burfict back from his suspension. Meanwhile, QB Andy Dalton will find plenty of open men, even without TE Tyler Eifert. However, Miami will make it close as WR Kenny Stills and rookie TE Mike Gesicki step it up.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Josh Allen to lead Buffalo’s offense to a close game against an inconsistent Titans D. Allen has done well in these last couple games. However, I think the Titans will run away with the victory as the offense finds a way, led by the duo of QB Marcus Mariota and WR Corey Davis.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Broncos defense has been among the NFL’s best for a long time, and the Jets young defense is emerging as well. Look for both defenses to thrive in a low scoring game. The Denver secondary will do an especially good job at containing QB Sam Darnold and his receivers. I don’t expect the Broncos to look amazing on offense, but they should edge out a victory in New York.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think Pittsburgh will look alright on offense despite missing RB Le’Veon Bell. But the Falcons WR trio will be too much for the Steelers secondary. The Steelers have never been more than mediocre on defense, and it will cost them here. Expect Atlanta’s RB duo to thrive with RB Devonta Freeman back and QB Matt Ryan to find open receivers for TDs.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Cleveland’s defense to step it up, leading Cleveland to a home victory. QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense shouldn’t do especially well against a strong Ravens secondary. But, look for the Browns’ underrated, young defense to cause QB Joe Flacco and the Ravens receivers to struggle. That will be enough for the Browns to pull out a win.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I understand the Chiefs are undefeated and their offense looks unstoppable. But they haven’t seen a defense like Jacksonville’s. I also think the Jaguars will take advantage of the all offense, no defense Chiefs and put together a strong offensive game of their own. The Chiefs have a very tough schedule ahead, and this could be the start of a stretch that bring the Chiefs from unbeatable to a borderline playoff contender. The Jags seem like the team to finally put an end to Kansas City’s offensive dominance and undefeated season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	A lot of people see this as a lock in Green Bay’s favor, but this will not be easy. We’ve seen what Detroit’s offense is capable of at its best, and Green Bay will be without WRs Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison. QB Aaron Rodgers is not at full health either. Look for the Lions offense to get out to an early lead. But I think QB Aaron Rodgers will have another clutch game, and Rodgers alonMelg with the rising young talent surrounding him will lead the team to a comeback victory.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Look for RBs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler to make an impact against the Mack-less Raiders run defense. I also expect QB Philip Rivers and his receivers to have a successful game. I think this Chargers offense can be all-around dominant against Oakland’s subpar defense. QB Derek Carr will make this close when he tosses 3 TD of his own, but it won’t be enough in this offensive shootout.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	These teams have two of the best defenses in the NFC, so don’t expect too much scoring. The Vikings passing game will be somewhat successful in Philly, but you can’t count on the run game with RB Dalvin Cook battling a hamstring injury. I think QB Carson Wentz will manage to find a way at home, even going up against the lights out Vikes defense.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	QB Josh Rosen led the Cardinals to their closest game thus far last week, and I truly think they can win this one over the Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers. But I’m not calling a blowout for an 0-4 team. I think the 49ers versatile offense will find a way to keep this close. However, led by RB David Johnson, look for Arizona to edge out a victory.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Expect QB Jared Goff and his offense to dominate in Seattle. I think they can easily handle this rebuilding Seahawks defense. Meanwhile, Seattle’s offense will struggle against a Rams D that has emerged as one of the NFC’s best. I think QB Russell WIlson and the Seahawks run game will be especially overwhelmed by the Rams powerful front seven, and the shut down defense will secure an LA victory.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	I think QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense will continue to struggle here, especially since they are facing one of the league’s top defenses. Even star RB Ezekiel Elliott could struggle going up against J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and the dominant Texans defensive front. Houston will secure the victory after a decent offensive performance.
Monday, 8:15 PM EST	I think the Saints will get it done in primetime, boosted by the return of RB Mark Ingram from his four game suspension. Look for the Redskins to make it close against a mediocre Saints D, but I don’t think Washington will be able to finish the job in New Orleans.

That’s all for today’s picks and previews. Feel free to comment with your thoughts on any of the games.

2018 NFL Week 1 Picks and Previews: Every Win Counts

September 9, 2018September 9, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, NHL, Patriots, Uncategorized A.J. Green, Aaron Rodgers, Adam Thielen, Adrian Peterson, Alex Smith, Alshon Jeffery, Ameer Abdullah, Antonio Brown, Blake Bortles, Calvin Ridley, Cam Newton, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, Corey Davis, Courtland Sutton, D'Onta Foreman, Dak Prescott, Dalvin Cook, David Johnson, David Njoku, DeAndre Hopkins, Delanie Walker, DeMaryius Thomas, Deshaun Watson, DeVante Parker, Drew Brees, Emmanuel Sanders, Ezekiel Elliott, George Iloka, Golden Tate, Isaiah Crowell, Jalen Ramsey, Jameis Winston, James Conner, James Washington, Jamison Crowder, Jared Goff, Jarvis Landry, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy Graham, Joe Flacco, John Brown, Julian Edelman, Julio Jones, Kareem Hunt, Kenny Golladay, Khalil Mack, Lamar Miller, Laquon Treadwell, Latavius Murray, Le'Veon Bell, Marcus Mariota, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Melvin Gordon, Michael Crabtree, Michael Thomas, Mike Wallace, Mike Williams, Nathan Peterman, Nelson Agholor, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, Nick Foles, Odell Beckham Jr., Patrick Mahomes II, Patrick Peterson, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Picks, Quincy Enunwa, Reshad Jones, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, Saquon Barkley, Stevan Ridley, T.Y. Hilton, Terrelle Pryor Jr., Tom Brady, Travis Ke;ce, Tyreek Hill, Tyrod Taylor, Will Fuller V, Zach Ertz

It’s that time of year again. Football is finally back! Today, I will share my predictions for each of the Week 1 games, and I have included a video preview for the Patriots game. In the future, I may include 2-3 other game previews in addition to a Patriots preview. I think the NFL is going to be especially competitive this year, so every win counts, even if it’s against a below average team. Comment with your thoughts and I hope you’re all as excited as I am to watch some regular season football.

Lock of the Week

The Broncos are coming off a really strong draft that helped revamp their offense alongside the signing of QB Case Keenum. I think the Broncos young pair of running backs will flourish against a declining Seahawks defense. I don’t think Case Keenum will ever repeat his spectacular 2017, but I do see him having a strong game and taking advantage of the newfound WR depth in Denver. In the 2017 draft, Denver finally found a third receiver to play alongside Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton, and I see him playing a significant role right off the bat.

This Broncos defense is also nearly as strong as it was last year. Considering Seattle’s 2017 offensive struggles, I think Denver could easily hold the Seahawks under 20 points. This will allow Denver to blow Seattle out and get revenge on Seattle for routing the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Upset of the Week (MNF)

I think this will be a close call, but I can’t see this stacked Raiders offense losing to the Rams in Oakland. They have a trio of talented receivers, a good mix of long-time veterans and younger guys in the backfield, and a decent QB and tight end group. They also have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Rams are one of my two overrated teams of the year. Sure, they made some exciting moves this off-season, but they lost a lot to free agency in the process.

The Raiders defense may not be looking so good after losing DE Khalil Mack, but their secondary isn’t as bad as it seems. I see the secondary keeping QB Jared Goff’s receivers well covered, leaving Goff struggling to find open men. Meanwhile, I don’t see the Raiders offense putting up 30+ points against a relatively strong Rams defense. But I do see them getting by with just enough to pull off the upset in this one.

TNF (Posted on Twitter on Thursday – Actual Score: 18-12 Eagles)

QB Carson Wentz may be out, but backup QB Nick Foles can still lead teams to victory when it matters. I don’t see Foles playing quite at Super Bowl level in this one, but competition motivates him. I think Foles will throw for 2 touchdowns despite being slowed down by the Falcons front seven. Look out for a big game out of WR Mike Wallace as well. With WR Alshon Jeffery injured, coverage will be drawn towards TE Zach Ertz and WR Nelson Agholor, Philly’s next two best pass-catchers. For the Falcons, I think veteran WR Julio Jones and rookie WR Calvin Ridley will have a strong week. But it won’t be enough for a victory with QB Matt Ryan and Atlanta’s RB duo struggling against the Eagles defensive front.

Sunday’s Games

It’s sure to be an intense game with two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks facing off. I think both QBs, Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson, will have strong games. But they will be held back by their lack of wide receiver depth, especially Houston, who will be without WR Will Fuller (hamstring). However, this opens up an opportunity for a strong game by WR DeAndre Hopkins. I also see RB Lamar Miller having a strong game with sophomore RB D’Onta Foreman injured. Meanwhile, as the Patriots typically do, expect Tom Brady to find creative ways to score despite the lack of WR depth with Julian Edelman suspended, and that will lead them to a Week 1 victory.

The Ravens have one of the stronger defensive fronts in the league, and I can’t see QB Nathan Peterman having a strong game against Baltimore after his regular season struggles in 2017. I don’t see Joe Flacco doing much better, but I think veteran WR Michael Crabtree will find a way to produce against the strong Buffalo secondary, and I think WR John Brown will begin to look like his old self, leading the Ravens in receiving while Crabtree is facing heavier coverage. I don’t think the Bills stellar run game will be enough to outdo the Ravens, but I do think they will force overtime. From there Baltimore will secure the victory with strong defense and a well-crafted winning drive.

This will be an interesting game. We have a match-up between two younger quarterbacks looking to take it to the next level. I think both Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill and Titans QB Marcus Mariota will have promising showings in a close one. Even without WR DeVante Parker, I think the Dolphins wide receivers will step it up in this game to make it close. But I think the Titans receivers are ready to tear apart Miami’s secondary. Expect a big game from veteran TE Delanie Walker, even against S Reshad Jones. You also could see a very strong game out of WR Corey Davis. This is only the beginning of what I think will be Corey Davis’ breakout year. Walker and Davis will lead the Titans past Miami in a close one.

I think the Steelers will manage a victory here. But the Browns will make it closer than we’ve seen in a game between these two teams in a long time, with a strong offensive showing. I don’t think QB Tyrod Taylor will look that good against the Steelers D. But I think he’ll manage to find open receivers such as WR Jarvis Landry and TE David Njoku for portions of the game. With RB Le’Veon Bell likely out, expect RB James Conner and RB Stevan Ridley to step it up against the Browns D in Bell’s place. I think the Steelers offense will just be too much for Cleveland’s rebuilding D, especially with a strong game from WR Antonio Brown and a strong debut from rookie WR James Washington.

Andrew Luck is finally back. I think he’ll look like his old self, but I see him struggling to find reliable receivers. Besides T.Y. Hilton, Luck doesn’t have many of them. Meanwhile, I think the Bengals offense, led by WR A.J. Green will dominate a Colts defense that isn’t looking great. I think Cincy’s defensive front will look good and shut down the Colts’ young run game. But I don’t think the Bengals secondary will look much better than Indy’s without S George Iloka. That will at least allow T.Y. Hilton to have a strong game and make this a little closer.

I don’t think Jaguars QB Blake Bortles will be especially strong against the Giants D, but he’ll find enough open receivers to edge out a victory. Meanwhile, the Jaguars stellar defense will help secure Jacksonville’s lead by holding the Giants under 20 points and 2 touchdowns. However, I see WR Odell Beckham Jr. outplaying Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey and scoring New York’s only TD in an epic WR-CB match-up. But I think rookie RB Saquon Barkley and the Giants run game will be shut down by the strong Jacksonville front seven.

I think QB Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers receivers will have a decent game here. But the Vikings defense will limit them significantly, allowing the Vikes to blowout the Niners with Minnesota’s offense outplaying a mediocre 49ers D. I think QB Kirk Cousins will find plenty of open men to throw to in the end zone, and I expect a strong game out of the Vikings RB duo (Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray) with Cook healthy. I think the one Vikings receiver that will struggle is Adam Thielen, who will likely be matched up against star corner Richard Sherman. But Vikings WR Laquon Treadwell will show promise after a slow start to his NFL career and play a role in Minnesota’s victory.

This Buccaneers front seven is extremely underrated, and I don’t see the Saints run game thriving against them with RB Mark Ingram suspended. But with Bucs QB Jameis Winston also suspended, I don’t think Tampa Bay will put up enough points to outdo the Saints in New Orleans. The Saints are the other team I see as overrated, but I still cannot see them losing to a Winston-less Bucs offense at home. I think the Saints defense will play well enough. Offensively, Drew Brees and Michael Thomas will work together to secure the Saints a victory.

With QB Patrick Mahomes II starting for the Chiefs, I don’t think the offense will look as good as it did last year. But I do think RB Kareem Hunt, WR Tyreek Hill, and TE Travis Kelce will help Mahomes and the Chiefs keep this game close. However, I see the Chargers offense looking pretty good in this game. WR Mike Williams will look strong at full health, and QB Philip Rivers and RB Melvin Gordon will also put up strong performances, leading the Chargers to victory despite sloppy defense by both teams.

The Panthers had a very strong pre-season, and I think they can carry the momentum into the regular season against the Cowboys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Panthers QB Cam Newton throw 3-4 touchdowns in this one. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will keep this interesting as I expect him to throw at least 2 touchdowns. However, I think RB Ezekiel Elliott will have a tough time against a really strong Panthers front seven.

I don’t think Cardinals QB Sam Bradford will quite look like his old self. But I see him staying healthy and tossing a couple touchdowns in his first start since early last season. I expect QB Alex Smith and RB Adrian Peterson to have strong days as well, making this close. But I think the Cardinals win in the end, led by a dominant day for RB David Johnson in his return, and a strong performance by CB Patrick Peterson in man-to-man coverage against Redskins WR Jamison Crowder.

SNF

With QB Aaron Rodgers back at full speed, expect a strong game by the Packers offense. I see Rodgers tossing at least 2 touchdowns, and TE Jimmy Graham having an especially strong day. Graham was a great signing, and Rodgers and Graham will make for an amazing QB-TE combo. Rodgers hasn’t had that for a long time. The Bears offense will look strong in this game as well. But I cannot see them putting up as many points as Green Bay does with Rodgers at full health, making the Pack victorious in Rodgers’ return.

MNF

I expect QB Matthew Stafford to look sharp in prime time against a mediocre Jets D. His receivers should have a strong showing as well, with WR Kenny Golladay showing flashes of dominance, and veteran WR Golden Tate looking better than he was last year. I also think RB Ameer Abdullah will step up his game this season, starting with this prime time match-up. Meanwhile, the Jets offense will look revamped with WR Quincy Enunwa healthy and RB Isaiah Crowell and WR Terrelle Pryor Jr. on board. But I still don’t think it is going to be enough.

That’s all for my NFL Week 1 picks and previews. Be sure to comment with your thoughts, and enjoy the first Football Sunday of 2018.

NFL Week 3 Picks

September 24, 2016September 24, 2016 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized 49ers, Aaron Rodgers, Amari Cooper, Ameer Abdullah, Andrew Luck, Antonio Brown, Arian Foster, Brandin Cooks, Brandon Marshall, Brock Osweiler, Carson Wentz, Clay Matthews, Clay Matthews III, Coby Fleener, Dak Prescott, DeAndre Hopkins, Derek Carr, DeVante Parker, Dez Bryant, Drew Brees, Eagles, Eddie Lacy, Eric Decker, Ezekiel Elliott, Glover Quin, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Haloti Ngata, Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston, Jarvis Landry, Jason Witten, Jay Ajayi, Jordan Cameron, Jordy Nelson, Josh Norman, Julius Peppers, Kenny Stills, Kirk Cousins, Lamar Miller, Marcus Mariota, Mark Ingram, Matt Forte, Matt Ryan, Mike Wallace, NFL, Odell Beckham Jr., Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Randall Cobb, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks, Steelers, Sterling Shepard, Trevor Siemian, Victor Cruz, Vontaze Burfict

The last two weeks have been big disappointments for me, in picks at least. I have been limited to just an 18-14 record in the last two weeks. I’m hoping this week is at least a 12-4 week, and so far I’m 1-0. Will this week be different? Read my picks to see how I’ll do in your mind. You can share your opinions in the comments.

Me vs. The Pros

Lock Of The Week

The 49ers did show promise the last couple of weeks, but they were up against defenses that were good in one area, and weak in another. Both the Panthers and Rams have a great pass rush, but their secondaries struggle. The Seahawks overpowered defense has no known weakness for the Niners to go at. The Seahawks will continue a low scoring trend and only score 20 against the Niners decent D, but this will be an all out shutdown game, as the Seahawks overwhelm the 49ers offense. The Seahawks will also continue their trend of being nearly impossible to beat at home. Quick win for the Seahawks.

Upset Of The Week

At the start of the season, I had been saying that the Eagles will be terrible, but Carson Wentz has really impressed me these first two weeks and I have grown to like this 2016 Eagles offense. Sure, the defense still isn’t great, but they have something going on the offensive side of the ball. Personally, if everyone gives it their all, I think thy have enough willpower to shock the Steelers. I started the season thinking the Steelers were overrated, but right now the Steelers are just in a big pickle without many good receiving weapons besides Antonio Brown. The Steelers were already lacking depth on offense, now the problem has gotten out of hand. I say the Eagles pick up the win in an offensive shootout. Down with the Steelers!

The Other Games

I originally thought the Bills revamped defense was going to win them this game, but no way in a million years will that happen! These Cardinals aren’t going anywhere. They are arguably the best all-around team in the league, and I thought the Bills were going to beat them. This week, I see the Cardinals scoring a good amount of points and the Bills offense not scoring quite enough to challenge the Cards. Yes, the Bills may look impressive early in the game like they sometimes do. But if they do, don’t expect them to hold the lead very long. The Bills haven’t made the playoffs since the 1990s. I don’t know what made me think they’d go back this year.

You may be wondering why I predicted such a low scoring game when the Vikings could just throw the ball and take advantage of Carolina’s weak secondary if the Panthers offense doesn’t score as much as expected. But, you can’t throw the ball when your QB is being overwhelmed by a league-best pass rush. Sam Bradford will not have the chance to throw. He will be stuffed, over and over again. Without Sam Bradford at his best, the Vikings won’t have a chance in this game. Unless Bradford really is back to normal health and Philly was just a bad fit for him, I don’t see that happening. The Panthers pass rush saves their butts in this game.

The Broncos defense will be good in this game against a weakened Cincinnati offense, but I think the most underrated unit in this match-up is the Bengals defense. They don’t have Vontaze Burfict back yet, but they have some great pass rush guys who are going to take care of Trevor Siemian. The Broncos offense will flop in this game after being pressured by the Bengals defense. Without Siemian playing well, this whole offense goes down the drain. That’s why a good QB was so important for this team. But Siemian has proved us wrong. In the last two weeks, he has proved to be a good QB. But this week, his lack of experience will just lash out against a tough D, and the Broncos will drop this game, especially since they’re on the road for the first time this season. As you know, the Broncos are a very different team at home, and it is hard to win at their stadium if your team is not named the Denver Broncos.

The Lions offense will be a lot better in this game, but in Green Bay, the Packers will just be too tough to beat. The Packers offense is even better than the Lions offense. This game should be fun to watch. I see a very high scoring game where good defense is nowhere to be found. Especially without Ameer Abdullah though, the Lions offense won’t have nearly enough in them to compete with this Packers team. Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb, what a great offense. They won’t let Packers fans down at Lambeau. In addition, the Packers defense is at least mildly better than the Lions D. Clay Matthews and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are a lot better than Haloti Ngata and Glover Quin in today’s NFL.

The Ravens have really bounced back this season. Mike Wallace has been straight-up awesome, and this offense looks like it belongs to a playoff contender again. But what, you think they’ll go so far that they go undefeated? No way! The Jaguars were robbed in the first two weeks of the season, and I expected a lot better. I also expect that the young offense will bounce back this week, and earn themselves a big win. Look, the Jaguars beat the Ravens a year ago, when both of these teams were bad. This year, they’re both revamped, and in Jacksonville, the Jags should win again. They have revamped defense, young offense, and at least at the start of the season were spectated as as much of playoff contenders as the Ravens are. Expect the Jags to pull off a lot of upsets in the coming weeks, even with a tough schedule.

Okay, the Dolphins aren’t typically this good, in any game. But this is the Browns, down to their third string QB, with a defense terrible as always. The Dolphins will rout the Browns, the defense will look better than usual, and the Dolphins offense that’s full of potential will take advantage of the Browns weak defense. I think this week we will see a very different Dolphins team than usual. Ryan Tannehill will look better, DeVante Parker will have a breakout-leading game, and Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and Jordan Cameron will also be on their best. I know Arian Foster is out, and they’re down to Jay Ajayi at running back. But the Dolphins offense, especially Tannehill and his receivers and tight ends will do strongly against the weak Browns D.

This is going to be a very interesting game. For the first of two times this season, Josh Norman and Odell Beckham Jr. are going to be going at it again. I think the Giants will try and use the rest of their offense to power past the Redskins. OBJ will have a very tough match-up, but Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz will get some receptions and possibly a TD as well. The running game will also be strong, and the defense should still be good. Kirk Cousins and the Redskins offense will have success, but not enough to top the Giants. Towards the end of the game, the Giants offense will lash out and the defense will shut down the ‘Skins for the remainder of the game.

Yes, the Titans offense has shown improvement. But the Raiders are shaping into a decent all around team. The Titans defense is still an absolute joke. Derek Carr and his offense will dominate the Titans D, and while the Titans offense tries to do the same to the Raiders and make this a shootout, the Raiders defense will take charge, overpower the Titans, and hold them to one TD. The Raiders are highly underrated, and will take a win here, earning them a winning record once again. Marcus Mariota and the Titans will try, but the all-around revamped Raiders will be too much for them. Amari Cooper should have a huge game against a weak Titans D, and Derek Carr and the Raiders will get a big win.

The Buccaneers had a rough week last week, but they enter a much easier match-up. I see Jameis Winston and the offense bouncing back, making fans remember what Winston did in Week 1. The only reason the Rams did win last week is that the Seahawks offense is not great on the road. The Rams are not that great a team, especially if they’re not even going to start the 1st overall pick. Look at what Carson Wentz has done in Philly! For now, the underrated Buccaneers defense should beat the Rams down, and Jameis Winston will bounce back completely against a much easier NFC West opponent this week. That should lead to a big win for the Bucs.

The Chargers offense has been brilliant the last two weeks. But even with Andrew Luck struggling last week, Andrew Luck will be on his best this week, and lead the Colts to a big win over the Chargers. The Colts defense should be able to hold up the Chargers, and prove their big push faulty. I actually think the Colts defense has improved in the last 2 years. Andrew Luck and the offense will also be a lot better against the weak Chargers D, and the Colts should get an easy win here. I don’t know why so many people think otherwise, or even think about picking the Chargers.

This is a very intriguing match-up. The Jets offense is pretty good, and Matt Forte has looked awesome. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker have a good connection with Ryan Fitzpatrick too. The Chiefs defense is also really good, and the Chiefs are really a great all around team this year. I think the Chiefs pass rush and the rest of their strong defense will overpower the Jets decent offense, and the Chiefs powerful offense will be too much for the Jets defense. Basically, this game is good against decent, and the Jets will compete, but the Chiefs should grab the win in the end.

Dak Prescott was really impressive in the preseason. But in regular season, he hasn’t been quite as good. This week will be an easy match-up for him, but the Bears offense is good, and upset hungry. This will be a pretty high scoring game, but in the end the Cowboys will win. Dak Prescott will show signs of bringing back preseason glory. Dez Bryant, Ezekiel Elliott and Jason Witten could be dominant with a good QB. The Bears offense will take advantage of the easy Cowboys D, but they don’t have the Cowboys’ dominance, and that will be the difference in the game.

The Saints defense will give up some points, but the offense is still really good, and I still trust them after a disappointment last week. The Falcons defense honestly isn’t great either, and this Saints offense still looks great at its best. Mark Ingram, Brandin Cooks, Coby Fleener and Drew Brees all have it in them. This one should be a high scoring game, and the Saints offense will make up for a terrible defensive performance against Matt Ryan and the Falcons. This will be a good game for all fantasy players, even Matt Ryan owners this week.

TNF

I was right that Jacoby Brissett actually would lead the Pats to a victory, but I was wrong about Brock Osweiler’s offense. The Texans defense is really good, despite weak spots. I didn’t expect Brock Osweiler, Lamar Miller and DeAndre Hopkins to do so badly against the Pats defense. One thing I did know is this would be a watchable game that is a preview of the playoffs. The Texans were doing well with Osweiler, and I think they still will, but the Patriots were too tough for them. Nobody messes with the Pats. They’re 3-0 already, and I’m sure they’ll continue to do well.

This week is full of good games, surprises and upsets in my opinion, but what do you think of this week’s games? Comment your picks below!

NFL 2016 Preview: Crazy Season Is Ahead

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Amari Cooper, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, Bene' Benikwere, Bill Belichick, Blaine Gabbert, Blake Bortles, Brock Osweiler, Cam Newton, Chip Kelly, Colin Kaepernick, Damon Harrison, DeMarco Murray, Derek Carr, Devonta Freeman, Doug Baldwin, Drew Brees, Eddie Lacy, Eric Weddle, Ezekiel Elliott, Frank Gore, Howie Roseman, J.J Watt, Jamaal Charles, Jameis Winston, Jared Goff, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy Graham, Jordy Nelson, Josh Norman, JPP, Justin Houston, Kelvin Benjamin, Kirk Cousins, Lamar Miller, Laquon Treadwell, Le'Veon Bell, Marcus Mariota, Marcus Peters, Mark Sanchez, Martavis Bryant, Martellus Bennett, Marvin Jones, Melvin Gordon, Mike Wallace, Mohamed Sanu, NFL, Olivier Vernon, Paxton Lynch, Reggie Nelson, Rob Gronkowski, Ronnie Stanley, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stefon Diggs, Tevin Coleman, Thomas Rawls, Todd Gurley, Tom Brady, Tyler Eifert, Vernon Hargreaves III

It’s that time of year again. Training camp’s here, and the draft is in the books. It’s time for this year’s NFL predictions. Get ready for some big shockers, this year will be very different from recent ones. Some of the NFL’s once horrible teams will rise from the bottom, and some of its top teams will finally slide. A crazy NFL season is about to begin.

AFC East

New England Patriots 12-4 (1)
Buffalo Bills 10-6 (6)
New York Jets 6-10
Miami Dolphins 4-12

Patriots

After a 2015 disappointment when they lost in Denver twice, 2016 is looking good for the Pats. The first few games could be tough if Brady is out, but I’m sure he’ll find a way out of this nonsense for good. Even if he does remain suspended, they’ll sign a veteran QB, and when Brady returns, him and his new weapons in Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan and Nate Washington plus his old targets like Gronk, Edelman and Amendola will bounce back and finish off well. This team has an improved offensive line and front seven and if they can keep healthy, and Jimmy Garoppolo can lead a loaded receiving group to victory in the first four games, they will be dominant.

Bills

The Bills had a rough free agency season, but they didn’t need that much. They knew they had many players on the rise that could work towards a rebuild. It’s a lot more likely after the Bills just came out of their best draft in years in my opinion. They have a dramatically improved pass rush, added to a blooming offense, and overall, improved. The Bills filled almost all their major holes. After all that, this roster is outstanding on paper. As long as this young team meets its expectations, it will be good for real too, and the Bills could be headed for playoff town.

Jets

What a disappointment. The one year they had a chance to return to playoff form, they blew it in Week 17. Ryan Fitzpatrick did resign after a lot of melodrama, but the defense lost Antonio Cromartie and is a little out of shape. They have the right pieces, they just need to put them together, make up for the losses on defense, piece together a better offensive line, and they can thrive in the league.

Dolphins

What the heck is this team doing?!! They had an ugly draft, completely ignored their backfield woes, and have done nothing to bring themselves in an upward direction. The offense is declining, the defense is declining, and keeping the team like this is not going to make it easy for a bounce back season. Personally, I think the Dolphins will finish even lower this year. This is getting pathetic. Make some moves that actually will help your team next time.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6 (4)
Baltimore Ravens 9-7
Cincinnati Bengals 9-7
Cleveland Browns 3-13

Steelers

The Steelers have been called Super Bowl LI Winner by many. I still think the Steelers have what it takes to win the division (just barely), but the Steelers are not winning the Super Bowl, especially without Martavis Bryant, and Le’ Veon Bell for the first four games! The defense just isn’t there yet and they a don’t have enough receiver depth to help out Big Ben. Did I mention injuries? How do you know that won’t interfere? They do have a lot of amazing, league-best stars, but the holes they have are too big to call them a Super Bowl threat or contender. Looking for a contender in the AFC besides the Patriots? Call up the Texans, they have a better idea of what they’re doing than the Steelers.

Ravens
The Ravens had an ugly 2015 campaign, caused by some injuries and some roster holes. But the Ravens really stocked up this off season, and they probably won’t have that many health issues two years in a row. Between the draft and free agency, they filled most of their major roster holes, and they look like a division competitor. However, after all that last season, some of it had to be roster holes, and the holes they didn’t fill could cause this team to lose some games, and will keep them out of the playoffs this year. Sure, Eric Weddle, Ronnie Stanley and Mike Wallace are game changers, but they can’t address all the Ravens’ issues. That’s management’s job, and right now is a little too late.
Bengals

The Bengals are still relevant now, but little by little, they are on the decline and nobody has noticed. Andy Dalton is on the decline and Tyler Eifert was already at his best last season. The loss of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu has also caused lack of wide receiver depth. They lost Reggie Nelson and have a hole at safety, and Vontaze Burfict´s 3 game suspension creates a hole at linebacker, despite signing Karlos Dansby. The Bengals are losing more and more pieces, and if they do not take action in the next few off-seasons, they could fall apart, they could eventually fall below the young Cleveland Browns even. They seem to have more and more holes every season, and it´s not leading them in the right direction.

Browns

The Bengals may be in a bad direction, but this team has already lost hope. If they make the playoffs, I will have no idea how. Unless they become the 2016 Orioles of football, you can rule out the Browns. They may have had a league best draft, but that will take a while to kick in. For now, they are an old washed up team that needs to keep going younger. The draft definitely helped, and Corey Coleman should definitely make a big impact, but is it enough to change a franchise completely, even with such an overpowered draft class? Two words. No. way. What they have done the past few off-seasons is not enough. They need to go full rebuild, or they are not going anywhere.

AFC South

Houston Texans 10-6 (3)
Jacksonville Jaguars 9-7
Tennessee Titans 6-10
Indianapolis Colts 5-11

Texans

In recent years, the Texans have had one of the best defenses in the league. Last year and likely this year, the ferocious front seven combined with a quality secondary has led to league best defense. But good offense helps good defense, and that’s the one thing the Texans had lacked, until this off-season. After star receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ breakout a season ago, the Texans added elite RB Lamar Miller and rising QB Brock Osweiler, who is finally out of Peyton Manning’s shadow. They drafted a WR2 and WR3 to add to it, and now their offense looks much better, despite lacking tight end depth. Good offense plus good defense equals good team, and that’s what the Texans appear to be.

Jaguars

The Jaguars were showing signs of a breakout last year, but they just didn’t have the defense. This off-season, they have boosted a young team with veterans to support the defense and offense, and push towards a full breakthrough. I especially like the moves they made on defense. They upgraded a once weak defense with quality starters in the front seven and secondary. In addition to the big defensive upgrade, the offense has a ton of rising talent. Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns all just keep getting better. Julius Thomas should be better too. He wants to win after all those years on such a good Broncos team and a better Jaguars team will help him. The Jags are a changed team, and they will be able to contend in 2016.

Titans

The Titans have a lot of developing talent that could lead to a better 2016. Marcus Mariota is feeling more comfortable at the NFL level, especially with better protection in front of him. The Titans added RBs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry to additionally support him. He now has some good offensive depth and plenty of weapons to throw to after this off-season. Although they may see some improvement, I don’t expect them to contend for one reason. Their defense still has many issues of its own. Despite a defense centered draft, the Titans still have big problems at linebacker and the front seven in general. They boosted their secondary big time with Rashad Johnson, but the draft just won’t do enough to fix all of the front seven’s problems. Expect a jump in 2016 but I don’t think the Titans will be anything near playoff material.

Colts

What did the Colts do to lead to improvement? Not very much. They did ink Dwayne Allen to a new contract. But they are leaning too much on luck. Speaking of which, one of the main things they’re leaning on is the comeback of quarterback Andrew Luck. They also are relying on Frank Gore to stay in shape, Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett taking the next step and the defense to carry on without Jerrell Freeman and Greg Toler. I just don’t see how the Colts are going to do all that, especially after an 8-8 season. If they don’t act fast, they won’t do better, but they’ll slide even further in 2016. They need to either try and trade for game changers, dig through the bottom of the barrel of free agency, or find another way to make all these questionable aspects of the team work out. The Colts need a miracle to make that happen. The next time you want to say the Colts are going to be back to business next year, think before you speak.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs 11-5 (2)
Oakland Raiders 10-6 (5)
Denver Broncos 8-8
San Diego Chargers 6-10

Chiefs

Please don’t criticize me for this prediction. This is just my opinion. I know how much grief the Chiefs have gotten in many people’s predictions, but I think this team will rise in 2016. Alex Smith looked great last year and I think he could put up a strong performance again this year. The now healthy Jamaal Charles rejoins a young backfield in good condition, and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin plus star tight end Travis Kelce could bring in a lot of receptions. The offensive line has two new tackles, and the Chiefs pass rush should be unstoppable, especially when Justin Houston comes back. Despite a quiet off-season, the Chiefs even have rising young talent in corner Marcus Peters, linebacker Dee Ford, wide receiver Albert Wilson and running backs Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West. I’m liking this new era of the Chiefs between unstoppable defense and better offensive depth.

Raiders

I love what the Raiders have done in their rebuild. This off-season they added to young talent with some veterans to upgrade a defense that lost Justin Tuck and Charles Woodson to retirement. Going for dirty players might be an issue, last off-season they signed Aldon Smith, who’s suspended yet again. This off-season, they signed Bruce Irvin. Yes, it’s Mr. I Started A Fight After The Game Was Practically Over In Super Bowl XLIX And Got Ejected himself. They also signed deals with safer options to rebuild the secondary, Reggie Nelson and Sean Smith. The offensive line is revamped as well. The Raiders already had young stars in Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Latavius Murray. Now, with a revamped defense and o-line to ad to it, they’re ready to break through this season.

Broncos

Four words. What did Denver do? They let Brock Osweiler, their five year development float in free agency after Peyton Manning retired. Then they were down to their third string QB, and have since only put Paxton Lynch and Mark Sanchez ahead of him in the pecking order. Due to free agency and other problems, they also had holes at third receiver, tight end and inside linebacker. Their offensive line is highly questionable as well. They did resign C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman and draft DeVontae Booker to fix the RB problem, but they only have Garrett Graham, Virgil Green and Jeff Heuerman at tight end and desperately need a third receiver. All they have is two elite ones, not three! Shane Ray can move to inside linebacker, and the defense is still strong, but major holes across the offense will bring this team down to .500, especially the issue at quarterback.

Chargers

Alright, I have to give the Chargers credit for some things. They filled some of their holes on defense. Brandon Mebane and Casey Hayward help make up for the lack of veterans Eric Weddle left behind. They still won’t be playoff material, but they will make some improvements. Melvin Gordon definitely has room to do better and carry the team. Hunter Henry can make up for Antonio Gates’ decline, and a full season from Keenan Allen will help the receiving corps, along with depth behind him in Travis Benjamin, recently signed James Jones and Stevie Johnson (depending on Johnson’s health). However, the offensive line still has holes, and across the team there are still risks of injuries and bust seasons. Guys like Brandon Flowers and Melvin Gordon have make or break seasons ahead of them. I don’t feel comfortable saying that the Chargers will definitely go back to their form from a few years ago. I do see small improvement happening, but nothing major.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys 11-5 (4)
New York Giants 10-6
Washington Redskins 7-9
Philadelphia Eagles 4-12

Cowboys

Last season was just unlucky. That won’t happen again. Especially with big name rookie RB Ezekiel Elliott entering the backfield, a 4-12 season won’t happen again if the Cowboys can stay healthy. When healthy, this offense is just plain out ferocious. Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Ezekiel Elliott stand behind a league best offensive line. The offense has depth, plenty of stars, and is very well protected. The defense may be some of an issue, but after the first four games, what’s the big issue? All they’ll be missing is Rolando McClain, and Dwight Freeney is still available. I think the secondary is extremely underrated and the front seven isn’t that bad when you throw in McClain, Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence. In such a weak, crazed division, an 11-5 or 10-6 season will make the cut for the playoffs, and I think that they are highly capable of that.

Giants

The Giants had a really strong off season, and it should pay off. They made some major upgrades to the front seven, by hauling in Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison and resigning JPP, who will play a full season this year. They also signed big name corner Janoris Jenkins, and drafted Eli Apple. The Giants also added to an already powerful offense, especially in the draft. They selected running back Paul Perkins and wide receiver Sterling Shepard. They also have Larry Donnell coming back healthy this season in addition to Will Tye at tight end, and they signed Bobby Rainey at RB. The only thing preventing the Giants from playoff contention is a weak offensive line. There’s no point in having a growing offense if they have no protection. If they don’t have protection, their weak spot at starting running back could also factor in. If they do, that issue might not show up.

Redskins

I feel like Kirk Cousins’ breakthrough season will end up being a fluke. The kind of sudden rise Cousins went through is not a permanent breakthrough. Kirk Cousins will be known as a one year wonder. It doesn’t help when you have an empty backfield to add to it. The Redskins won’t be able to lean on Matt Jones, Chris Thompson and Keith Marshall. The defense may have made improvements, and the receiving corps may have grown stronger, but without a quarterback, running back and even a consistent offensive line to protect them, a season above .500 will not happen. They did sign Josh Norman in the off season and upgraded the defense, but will it be enough? I’m expecting the Redskins to fall a few wins this year. They won’t be as bad as the 2013-14 version of themselves, but the Redskins won’t even come close to matching last year.

Eagles

The Eagles are looking so bad right now that they’ll miss Chip Kelly. This team is rebuilding from a rebuild, there’s no way they’ll compete this year! It’s bad enough what Kelly did. What’s worse is how Howie Roseman attempted to fix it. They were in a decent spot with Kelly; I could’ve seen them easily return to contention, but they’ve made the team look foolish. Ryan Mathews is not an RB1 at this point in his career, and the Eagles are in desperate need of a wide receiver and are in such a bad situation with Sam Bradford that they traded up a total of 11 spots (between two trades) to draft Carson Wentz! In the process, they gave up DeMarco Murray, Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell. I don’t know what the heck the Eagles are doing, but whatever their plan is, it isn’t helping, especially for the current team.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers 12-4 (2)
Detroit Lions 10-6 (6)
Minnesota Vikings 10-6
Chicago Bears 4-12

Packers

This dominant team won’t lose the division two years straight. Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best QB in the league, and he along with wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who missed all of last season, are ready to strike back. This offense just looks a lot better. Eddie Lacy slimmed up a bit, Jordy Nelson has returned to health, even Aaron Rodgers took part in some serious off-season workouts. Jared Cook joins Richard Rodgers at tight end, and this offense is suddenly looking dominant again. The defense may have lost B.J. Raji and Casey Hayward, but still have plenty of key players to run the team, including Julius Peppers, Damarious Randall, Morgan Burnett, Sam Shields, Sam Barrington, Mike Daniels, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Clay Matthews, who’s back to his natural position, outside linebacker. He was actually a lot better as an OLB than he was in a couple years at middle linebacker.

Lions

You may think that the Lions are in some rough times without Calvin Johnson, but really, if they buff up on depth with guys like Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts, who both worked out and signed with the Lions, they’ll be fine. Golden Tate should breakthrough without Megatron limiting his targets. Marvin Jones is a big sleeper ready to breakout. Ameer Abdullah and Eric Ebron have plenty of room for improvement, and Matthew Stafford can still play at an average QB level. You can’t discredit all that. You may say the defense isn’t doing enough, but really, they’re not in too bad of shape. The addition of A’Shawn Robinson should help. They still have Haloti Ngata and Ezekiel Ansah too. I don’t think DeAndre Levy is too bad, and I don’t know why Stephen Tulloch was released. The secondary has some breakout candidates too. Darius Slay has been underrated all his career, and Glover Quin is still playing well. I don’t see the problem with a few holes considering the stars they already have, especially if it’s just for a 6th seed.

Vikings

The Vikings 2015 season was no fluke, but it was a high point for them. They’ll still be in contention, but they’re going down the mountain now. They were going up until last year. Why is that? Well, for one, the Vikings don’t have depth behind Adrian Peterson! Peterson is not at his peak anymore, and this may be his final elite season. Laquon Treadwell may help, but the receiving game is still thin, with just him and Stefon Diggs worth throwing to frequently for wide receivers. The Vikings may have fierce defense and some stars on offense, but they don’t have the depth at running back, wide receiver and offensive lineman to match last year’s performance.

Bears

I know a lot of people are predicting the Bears at higher records, I’m rating them a lot lower than I have in recent years. The Bears may have some serious talent developing but they’re rebuilding, let them rebuild. They aren’t ready to return to contention quite yet. They don’t even have many other options besides the young guns. In the past two off-seasons, they’ve let Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett go. Kevin White, Zach Miller, Jordan Howard and Jeremy Langford should build up the skill to replace them eventually, but for now, they can’t run the team by themselves! Besides Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal at receiver and Ka’ Deem Carey at running back, the Bears have no impactful backups for these players. Don’t even get me started on the defense. The defensive line has practically no significant players. They do have some decent veterans at LB and on the secondary, but they don’t have any stars, and despite an underrated secondary and linebacker corps, the defense is in pretty bad overall shape.

NFC South

Carolina Panthers 13-3 (1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6
New Orleans Saints 4-12
Atlanta Falcons 3-13

Panthers

Especially with Kelvin Benjamin back, I think the Panthers can have another strong year, but it won’t be flawless. The Panthers either just got lucky to be able to carry on with slim receiving depth in 2015, or Cam Newton was just an absolute monster. Probably the Cam Newton thing. There will be rough weeks for Cam Newton and the Panthers offense. But still, the defense is monstrous, even though it lacks corner depth beyond Bene’ Benikwere. The o-line has some weak spots, but is dominant in other ways, and the offensive players at the top of the depth chart are beastly, including Cam Newton, Jonathan Stewart, Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen. The Panthers will never match last year’s numbers, but they will be dominant, and they could come close.

Buccaneers

The Bucs have a lot of talent developing, and a defensive boost this off season helps. One thing the Bucs never had before was a legitimate secondary. They now have a pair of powerful corners in Brent Grimes and Vernon Hargreaves III. They also added to an already fierce pass rush. The signings of Daryl Smith and Robert Ayers along with the draft selection of Noah Spence put some of the pressure off just Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David. They also have some serious stars developing, especially on offense. Jameis Winston has the potential to be great, especially with rising receivers Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, possibly even Cameron Brate in his receiving scheme. Although ASJ has looked lousy this off-season, he could be a TE2 for the Bucs, considering the fact that the Bucs only have two receivers worth noting (Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson). They even have a developing star on defense, Kwon Alexander. He was in the race for the DPOY award Marcus Peters won. It looks like the Bucs’ rebuild could finally pay off this season.

Saints

The Saints’ offense may be in shape, but the defense is just too broken down for this team to function. They have serious problems in their pass rush, and lack depth at corner. Drew Brees isn’t even in full condition anymore. He’s only going to get older and weaker, and that could additionally hurt the Saints. He may have a good receiving staff to throw to, but if he can’t complete passes as often, he’ll have to rely on a weak and overrated running game. It doesn’t help that the offensive line has holes and is inconsistent and overrated. So, the offense is in declining in condition and the pass rush is just pathetic. The only pass rusher that the Saints really have contributing is Cameron Jordan. Really, what backup do the Saints have to support a good season? Until they find that out, they’ll have no chance of bouncing back.

Falcons

Everyone thinks this team will be the closest to dethroning Carolina, but really, this team has some serious problems. First of all, Julio Jones is a great player, but do they have any quality pass catchers besides him? The next best option is MOHAMED SANU. He’s more of a WR3 than a WR2, which the Falcons desperately need. The Falcons are also counting too much on Devonta Freeman. He had one good season, and just like that he’s considered a star? Not in my book. He needs to earn back his job, especially with Tevin Coleman developing. Speaking of which, they need to give that guy a chance. I also think the secondary is very slim besides Desmond Trufaunt. They need more quality corners and safeties. Really, even with some all stars leading the offense, this team has no offensive depth. Depth is a problem all over this team, and they won’t do anything without some insurance for their best players. Even a mediocre defense has depth problems. The pass rush is revamped, but the secondary has nothing. How does lack of depth affect a team? The Falcons will find out this season from a rough ride.

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks 12-4
Arizona Cardinals 12-4
Los Angeles Rams 3-13
San Francisco 49ers 3-13

Seahawks

The Seahawks are back and better than ever. The offense has gotten younger, as Thomas Rawls steps into Marshawn Lynch’s shoes. Jimmy Graham should be back fresh, and Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin also look to be in great shape for this season. The offense may have lacked depth, but the last two drafts have helped. They now have Trevone Boykin at QB, Luke Willson at tight end, C.J. Prosise, Christine Michael and Alex Collins at running back, and Tyler Lockett and Jermaine Kearse at receiver. The defense is still powerful as well. The secondary got boosted even further with the resigning of Brandon Browner, and the front seven may have some holes, but is still ferocious. This team is ready to climb back to the top of the division and dominate, and a quiet but active off season has helped.

Cardinals

Alright, last year the Cardinals were at their absolute peak. If they stay healthy, they can do well again, but they won’t match last year. Last year, the Cardinals had a magical season. Everything worked out. The defense made a big jump, and the offense’s best players stayed healthy, and did well. You can’t guarantee that things will work out again. the defense is still very fierce, but it has some missing pieces, and if Carson Palmer, David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald or Michael Floyd gets hurt, the Cards could be in big trouble. Still, I don’t expect them to slide too significantly, they have one of the best coaches in the league, they have a Top 10 defense in the league, and the offense has reformed in to a dominant force. There are problems that could hold them back, but they’re looking good overall.

Rams

Recent news about Jared Goff being nowhere near ready to start in Week 1 makes things even worse for this team. If he can’t step in and produce, how will this team be any better, let alone as good as they were last year? Todd Gurley could step up big time, but that’s not good enough. The Rams need a dependable QB to thrive. They may have some ferocious pass rushing, but without a QB, and even an elite pass catcher, this team is going nowhere. The Rams have a tough schedule. They can’t count on running the ball every game, especially against other teams with a powerful pass rush, who they will face plenty of this year, including the Dolphins, Giants, Bucs, Panthers, Cardinals and Seahawks. Unless Jared Goff and his receivers can make the leap, the Rams won’t be going anywhere.

49ers

Don’t even get me started here. Look, I’ll tell you broad and clear. The 49ers are terrible! Their QB job is a battle between Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick (remember him?), they have no backup if Carlos Hyde goes down again, and Torrey Smith and Quinton Patton (who’s he?) are their starting wide receivers. The defense is in even worse shape!! Their secondary depends on Kenneth Acker, Tramaine Brock and Antoine Bethea to perform, and the pass rush has some serious holes next to NaVorro Bowman, Arik Armstead, Glenn Dorsey and DeForest Buckner. Look, this team won’t be a contender in a million years without some sort of unimaginable miracle! They have nothing!!!!!!!!!

2016 NFL Playoffs

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My playoff bracket may look crazy, and it’s full of upsets, surprises, blowouts and underdogs, but here I will breakdown every match up.

Wild Card Weekend

Bills @ Texans

Young, but powerful defense and a strong backfield despite a lack of weapons for Tyrod Taylor got the Bills into the playoffs, but against the Texans, it won’t pass for a even a chance at winning. This team’s defense has been some of the best over the last few years, led by sack king and legendary edge rusher J.J. Watt. With a healthy weapon in the backfield (Lamar Miller), and a better QB in Brock Osweiler, a much improved offense will be the deciding factor in the Texans winning this game. I say the Texans offense may have some troubles with the Bills D, but they’ll edge them slightly, and the Texans pass rush will annihilate the Bills backfield full of depth.

Prediction: Texans win, 34-17

Raiders @ Steelers

The Steelers offensive force may be dominant and full of stars on the outside, but especially without Martavis Bryant, the Steelers don’t have too much depth. The defense doesn’t seem to belong to a contender either, although it is mediocre. The newly upgraded Raiders defense may be trampled, but young Derek Carr and his superior target Amari Cooper will be all over the defense, and the Raiders will shock the Steelers. In a huge upset, Big Ben, Le’ Veon Bell and Antonio Brown get topped by a revamped Raiders team, simple as that.

Prediction: Raiders win, 24-16

Lions @ Seahawks

I said the Lions would make the playoffs, with some clear defensive holes and lack of a true star on offense. They do have a lot of potential breakout players, especially on offense, but against the Seahawks and their mighty defense, do you expect this riddled team to win? In the playoffs?!! Not happening. The Seahawks defense will win them this game, with a thin but powerful offense with plenty of star power edging out the Lions D. I doubt the dark horse of the NFL will beat out the #1 defense in the league. Barely anyone else expects the Lions to even be playoff contenders! This one’s an easy pick.

Prediction: Seahawks win, 27-13

Cardinals @ Cowboys

Yes, at this point in the season (as long as Ezekiel Elliott isn’t suspended through the playoffs), the Cowboys should be at full strength. But the Cardinals will be relentless and win hungry in this game. This team’s offense is dominant with a strong QB/RB/WR combo, even with the lack of an offensive line and an true starter at tight end. The defense also has plenty of talent scattered across the different positions. There may be a slight lack of star power in the front seven especially, but this team has few defensive holes, and the ones they do have are small. Even with a revamped pass rush and underrated secondary, I think the Cardinals offense will be all over the Cowboys, and Dallas’ superior offense won’t get a chance. It will be a tough competition, but the Cards should win in the end.

Prediction: Cardinals win, 33-27

Divisional Round

Raiders @ Patriots

With Brady most likely back at full speed by this point, the Patriots will crush the Raiders. Oakland does have revamped defense and rising offense, but this 10-6 wild card surprise will be no match for Bill Belichick’s Patriots. Hey, the Pats had defensive upgrades too, and the offense is better than ever, with tight end Martellus Bennett playing across from Gronk. The Patriots will rout the Raiders, I can guarantee you that. Even against the Steelers they’d win. At full power, the Patriots are by far the best AFC team. The Steelers are overrated and dirty, and this game is only the start of the Patriots’ path to victory.

My Prediction: Patriots win, 37-23

Texans @ Chiefs

The Chiefs will go all this way, having an awesome regular season, Jamaal Charles completely bouncing back to revamp the offense, Justin Houston coming back better than ever, to lose to Houston. Sounds like a terrible note to end on, but actually not. Houston’s a strong team. The Chiefs are pretty darn good, but in Houston, you have youth, new signings in Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller, a star receiver, and the best defense in the league led by J.J. Watt, who should return from injury sometime around October. The Chiefs don’t have anything close to a guy like Watt. The Texans defense is even better than the mighty Chiefs D. That plus the diverse, but strong offense will be the difference in this game as the Texans head to the AFC Championship Game, in hopes of dethroning the almighty Pats.

My Prediction: Texans win, 24-13

Cardinals @ Panthers

We saw this game in the NFC Championship last year, Carolina won. We saw the same match-up in 2014’s Wild Card Weekend. Carolina won both. With the Seahawks winning the division, the Cardinals would fall to the 5th seed, making this a Divisional Round match-up. I think the Panthers will take the cake again. The Panthers may have lost a ton of key secondary guys, but the front seven is still going to be on to David Johnson. They don’t have much to rely on besides Bene’ Benikwere and rookies James Bradberry, Daryl Worley and Zack Sanchez for receiver coverage. However, Arizona’s stars are scattered. I think things will be a little easier for the run game in Carolina. That’s good for Cam Newton, who loves to run the football. Personally, I think Carolina’s slightly better defense will make the difference in this game. They have a superior defensive line, some star pass rushers behind them, and even some possible future big names at corner. The Cardinals may have Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary, but have some holes and weak spots in the front seven, and even some playing across from Peterson and Honey Badger.

My Prediction: Panthers win, 33-28

Seahawks @ Packers

Seattle will be good again this season, especially if everyone’s healthy. They have the offense now, Jimmy Graham will be back, Thomas Rawls and Doug Baldwin should help. But Green Bay’s offense could be unstoppable. With Jordy Nelson back, the Packers have yet another weapon for Aaron Rodgers. The only reason they lost to the Vikings in the NFC North is because of Nelson’s absence! The Packers offense will be a challenge for Seattle’s Big D. This should be a high scoring back and forth game, but in the end, the Packers have the better roster, I like Mike McCarthy as head coach, and they will edge the Seahawks.

My Prediction: Packers win, 34-20

AFC Championship

Texans @ Patriots

This is an awesome match-up. The Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller led Texans are extremely underrated, and a league best defense leads them to be a great team this year, even dark horse Super Bowl contenders, because if they make it there, they’re sure to win in their home stadium, but this is the New England Patriots we’re talking about. Yes, the same New England Patriots with Tom Brady and Gronk who won 4 Super Bowls, their only Super Bowls since Brady joined the team. Brady is easily the greatest to play the game, all time. He truly has defined himself as the G.O.A.T. If he gets a fifth ring, that would be true dominance. Bill Belichick should be at his old tricks again and the powerful Patriots offense and underrated defense will work their way through the great wall of Houston, AKA: the Texans pass rush, and the defense should be able to hold the strong QB/RB/WR combo up while the offense does its thing. This is a Patriots team hungry for revenge, and they will be motivated to rout the Texans, and they will go out there and do their job.

My Prediction: Patriots win, 34-27

NFC Championship

Packers @ Panthers

The Panthers will have another strong season. At 13-3, they should earn the #1 seed. But the Packers will have more challenges on the 2016 schedule, and they still will go 12-4 and get the 2nd seed. The Packers are a dominant team, especially in these clutch playoff situations. With Josh Norman, Charles Tillman and Roman Harper off the secondary’s depth charts, Carolina’s much less likely to reach the Super Bowl, especially in a tough, straight forward NFC. Aaron Rodgers will take advantage of Carolina’s holes, and throw to underrated receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Eddie Lacy could also be successful against an aging defensive line, and the Packers offense will edge out Carolina’s D. I think Cam Newton and Co. should be about evenly matched with the Packers defense, even lacking receiver depth, but the new holes in the secondary will be the sole deciding factor in the game.

My Prediction: Packers win, 37-31 in OT

Super Bowl 51

Patriots (AFC) vs. Packers (NFC)

This may be one of the toughest Super Bowl matches ever. the 2016 Patriots and Packers are two of the most well crafted teams of their era. Part of this will be based on the performance of the two star QBs, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Both these offenses are also very strong. The Packers may have more dependable wide receivers but Gronk and Bennett act like receivers, so the Pats have a lot of edge at tight end. the defenses are very similar as well. There are holes in each pass rush, but also stars. Green Bay may have more big names, but this young Patriots group was led and mentored by veteran Jerod Mayo. Mayo retired, but now in comes Terrance Knighton. Malcolm Butler and crew should cover the Packers receivers better, where as the young, still developing Packers secondary may struggle to keep up with the best Pats receivers, especially Gronk. Tom Brady and his bunch plus excellent coaching from Bill Belichick that I think is slightly better than Mike McCarthy’s should boost the Patriots to edge out the Packers.

My Prediction: Patriots win, 34-30

Awards:

MVP: Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB

Offensive Player of The Year: Le’Veon Bell, RB, PIT

Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, DE, HOU

Offensive Rookie of The Year: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, TB

Comeback Player Of The Year: Jordy Nelson, WR, GB

Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady

Between the shocks, blowouts, amazing plays and more, the NFL 2016 season is going to be great, and I can’t wait for it to come back. For now, I’m following training camp and you guys can look at my season previews by team. I have a couple up and more are coming soon.

NFL Week 13 Match-Up Breakdown

December 6, 2015December 6, 2015 Andrew Roberts NFL, Uncategorized Blake Bortles, Dallas Cowboys, Gio Bernard, Indianapolis Colts, J.J Watt, Jeremy Hill, Jeremy Langford, Jordan Cameron, Kansas City Chiefs, Marcus Mariota, Matt Forte, Matt Ryan, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Tom Brady, Washington Redskins

Favorite Match-Ups

This intense New York match-up technically has no home team, but season tickets and such give the Giants some edge. Both of these teams have dominant offense, so watch for a shootout. The issue is, making sure these offenses work together, despite plenty of options for Ryan Fitzpatrick and Eli Manning. So, that makes this a very intriguing match-up. But when teams are so close like this, I usually just pick the home team. Anyhow, there are still things to watch for from both offenses.

What To Watch For

Jets – All eyes on Jets running backs. Chris Ivory, Stevan Ridley and Bilal Powell take on a somewhat weak Giants rush D. The secondary isn’t much better. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has got Brandon Marshall taken care of, but also open your peepers for Eric Decker.

Giants – Can Hakeem Nicks make an impact? Darrelle Revis is out, so either him or Rueben Randle will be left with Buster Skrine, while Antonio Cromartie takes on OBJ. Nicks was signed by the Giants in the middle of November.

Pick A Winner!

Me My Dad Jill Mengel ( participates in my picks pool as well)

This may be match-up of the week. This will surely shake up the playoff picture, and it’s between two underrated teams. The Seahawks lost Jimmy Graham last week to a torn patellar tendon. The Seahawks must rely on other lower tier receivers like Doug Baldwin, Luke Willson and Tyler Lockett. Meanwhile, the Vikings star running back, Adrian Peterson, will be too heavily guarded to do much against a strong Seattle defense. Their good receiver trio will also be guarded, Charles Johnson, Stefon Diggs and Mike Wallace. They must rely on their own tight end, Kyle Rudolph. We last saw him at this level in 2013, when AP was hurt.

What To Watch For

Seahawks – All eyes on Thomas Rawls. Rawls had a 60 yard game vs the Steelers last week and hopes to continue to damage the Vikings. The rookie is the Stefon Diggs of Seattle.

Vikings – Like I said, watch for Kyle Rudolph. He had his big year in 2013, and it’s almost seemed like he retired, but he is still really there. If you throw to him more, maybe he’ll get his groove going again. And just in time for Christmas :).

Pick A Winner!

Me My Dad Jill

This tough AFC West match-up could factor into deciding Denver’s faith. If Denver wins, then it’s down to this game to decide if they clinch the division. If the Chiefs win, then Denver’s still fighting. If the Raiders win, they clinch. Despite Kansas City’s red hot reign, Oakland has potential to win this game. They’re such a feast or famine team. Today better be a feast, despite Oakland’s recent struggles.

What To Watch For

Chiefs – Chiefs receivers Jeremy Maclin and Albert Wilson must be on their best against a weak Raiders secondary. Watch for Jeremy Maclin to have a big game. He’ll be motivated, with Travis Kelce under Charles Woodson’s watch.

Raiders – Amari Cooper shall feast on the Chiefs. If Amari Cooper gets something going, he can have a third hundred yard game. Otherwise, he’ll have a sixth 20 or less yard game.

Pick A Winner!

Me My Dad Jill

In another match-up crucial to the playoff picture. In just the blink of an eye, with a Steelers win, they’ll be in the playoff picture, and the Colts culd be out, especially if Houston wins. Big Ben will play, even a little banged up, but they have good receiving options, and a stud handcuff to Le’ Veon Bell (MCL tear) in DeAngelo Williams. Can Big Ben lead them to victory over Matt Hasselbeck’s Colts, 4-0 under him?

What To Watch For

Colts – Watch for Andre Johnson and other high tier receivers. Johnson , the veteran, has been left be practically all season, and now is his time to make a mark in what may be his final season of a sensational career before retiring.

Steelers – DeAngelo Williams!!! Williams is bound for a big game against a somewhat weak Colts Rush D. Also look for Markus Wheaton to continue what he did last week at CenturyLink, a sequel. Except this time, the Steelers can more easily get the W.

Pick A Winner!

Me My Dad Jill

The Cowboys are missing Tony Romo again, this time for the rest of the season. They have yet to win a game without him in the backfield. Meanwhile, the Redskins are suddenly heating up, and snatched the weak NFC East. Can they continue their reign over the division or will they fall. This game is an important one to win, although it will be close. Will Dallas stay win-less when Romo-less?

What To Watch For

Cowboys – Watch for the tight ends. The weak Redskins secondary only has enough to cover Dez Bryant with their stars. Jason Witten and Gavin Escobar will be left to … DOMINATE!!! Seriously, don’t forget those tight ends.

Redskins – If their offense can keep their groove, and the youngsters continue to play as big of a role as they have, then the Redskins should be fine and win this easily.

Pick A Winner!

Me My Dad Jill

Bold Predictions

Tom Brady Throws 5 TDs for 400+ yards

I think Tom Brady will have a big game. It’s easy against the Eagles 😀

2. J.J Watt Holds Bills To Just 100 Total Rush Yards

When you’re J.J. Watt, you dominate. It’s what you do.

3. Jordan Cameron Goes For 100 Yards, TD

Jarvis Landry will draw Kyle Arrington’s attention. That takes care of teh Baltimore secondary.

4. Bengals RBs have combined 200 yard game

Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard face a Browns rush D on the weaker side 0f things.

5. Despite Loss, Bortles Throws For 350, 2 TDs

Blake Bortles shall dominate the Titans defense, even if Mariota makes up for it. It’ll be a shootout.

6. Even With Forte In, Langford Rushes For 75

Matt Forte has NaVorro Bowman. They’ll leave Jeremy Langford alone.

7. Matt Ryan Bounces Back, Throws 4 TDs In Win

Matt Ryan’s primed for another long waited breakout weak

8. Rams Pull The Upset Switch, But Suck In Fantasy

This game will be a team effort.

9. San Diego Gets Held To 0 TDs

They can kick all the field goals they’d like!

10. CAR @ NO: Neither Team Scores Even 20

These two defenses are underrated!

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Boston Sports Mania

Best of the city of champs

Marcus Mariota

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