2018-19 NFL Playoff Predictions: Pats Win it All Thanks to Favorable Schedule

January 5, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews 2018-19 NFL Playoff Predictions, 2018-19 NFL Playoffs, AFC, AFC Championship, Alex Smith, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Bears, Chargers, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Chiefs, Colts, Conference Championships, Cooper Kupp, Cowboys, D-Hop, Dak Prescott, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, DeAndre Hopkins, Divisional Round, Drew Brees, Eagles, Gillette Stadium, Gus Edwards, Houston, Houston Texans, Hunter Henry, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, James White, Jared Goff, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, LA, LA Chargers, LA Rams, Lamar Jackson, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Mitch Trubisky, Mitchell Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New Orleans, New Orleans Saints, NFC, NFC Championship, NFL, NFL Playoffs, Nick Foles, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Patty Mahomes, Patty Mahomes II, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly, Playoffs, Rams, Ravems, Rex Burkhead, Rob Gronkowski, Russell Wilson, Saints, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Sony Michel, Super Bowl, Super Bowl LIII, TB12, Texans, Todd Gurley, Todd Gurley II, Tom Brady, Wild Card Weekend

Welcome to my 2018-19 NFL Playoff Predictions. Today, I will show you my playoff bracket alongside score predictions and analysis for each game. Next week, I will update you with Divisional Round predictions unless all of this week’s games are predicted correctly. Below is my official playoff bracket:

I have the Patriots winning it all, though I don’t see them as the most talented team here. I think a favorable schedule, including home field advantage in the AFC Championship after Kansas City’s elimination will help them to a Super Bowl victory. The Super Bowl itself will be an epic battle of two aging superstar QBs, Tom Brady and Drew Brees. It will be close, but I have the Patriots coming out on top. Check out my score predictions and in-depth analysis for all 11 games below.

Wild Card Weekend

Offensively, these two teams are pretty evenly matched. The Colts have given the Texans a hard time in the past. But on Wild Card Weekend, I expect Houston’s defense to step it up and secure the Texans a victory. While Indy struggles to get into the red zone against a strong Texans D, Houston will score on an inexperienced Colts defense with ease as WR DeAndre Hopkins puts up another huge game.

This will be a high scoring game, and it could potentially end up being a complete shootout. Both these defenses lack the experience to thrive in the playoffs. This will allow QB Dak Prescott to find his receivers and lead the Cowboys to victory. However, QB Russell Wilson and his versatile offense will make it close and come within one possession of the victory.

With TE Hunter Henry back, this Chargers offense will only get better from here. I think they’ll be able to handle the rising Ravens D this time around. You know what they say: it’s hard to beat the same team twice. This time around, the Chargers D will figure out how to shut down QB Lamar Jackson, RB Gus Edwards, and a talented Ravens offense. It won’t be easy, but I see the Chargers as the only road team to win on Wild Card Weekend.

This will be closer than most people expect. QB Nick Foles has unlocked the full potential of the Eagles offense, and it will not be easy for even a dominant Bears D to contain them. But I see QB Mitch Trubisky and his receivers stepping it up and leading a late comeback effort. They will take advantage of the banged-up Eagles secondary and eventually secure the victory in overtime.

Divisional Round

This will not be an exciting one to watch. The banged-up Houston offense will struggle to put up points, even against a mediocre New England D. Don’t expect Brady the Pats to score much either against Houston’s strong defense. But I see the Pats getting by, as Brady and his receivers take advantage of Houston’s defensive weakness: their secondary. On the other hand, the Patriots’ well-rounded defense will stand strong.

No matter who wins in this divisional rubber match, it will be a complete shootout. The Chiefs have next to no defense, which will not serve them well against any playoff team. But will QB Patrick Mahomes II and company put up enough points to get by anyway? In the playoffs? I don’t think so. Mahomes will put up a multi-TD effort. But the Chargers’ revamped offense will dominate a weak Kansas City defense and outplay Mahomes and his squad. Even with Mahomes replacing QB Alex Smith, the Chiefs will choke in the playoffs, again, as the Chargers move on to face New England in the AFC Championship.

This will be another close one. But I don’t see this being as high-Scoring as Chicago’s Wild Card Weekend match-up with the Eagles. The Rams have one of the most star-studded defenses in the league. They will severely limit the abilities of a young Bears offense. But Chicago’s D is up there with LA’s. QB Jared Goff has had a good season in general, but he has put up a few duds here and there. After putting up a dud the last time these two teams played, I could see him doing it again. RB Todd Gurley is not at full health and WR Cooper Kupp is done for the year. Goff will find himself short of weapons and will fall short in OT, going one and done for the second year in a row.

Dallas will be able to get by in the first round, but wait till they see an elite contender. The Saints should be able to top the Cowboys with ease, even after their defeat in Dallas. This game will take place in New Orleans, and it will be easier on the Saints now that they have an idea of what they’re up against. Brees and his receivers will put up a decent game, but it’s the Saints defense that I could see stepping it up here against Prescott and his young offense.

Conference Championships

AFC Championship

In order for TB12 and the Patriots to take down this dominant Chargers offense, they’ll need to get their own act together offensively. But at Gillette Stadium, I have confidence in them. As long as the Chargers or somebody else dethrones the Chiefs before New England has to play them, the Pats will get the opportunity to play the AFC Championship at home, where they are undefeated on the season. Against a decent Chargers D, Brady will have to use a variety of receivers, and the Pats will have to run the ball occasionally. But I have confidence that they are capable, especially on home turf, though this will not be easy. If this was played anywhere but Gillette, the Patriots would likely fall short to LA’s overpowered offense.

NFC Championship

Against a tough Bears D, you cannot expect a huge game out of Brees and company. But the Saints have made defensive improvements of their own throughout the season, and I could see them holding the Bears to just 1 TD of their own. The Saints will get by in the end, making the Super Bowl for the first time since 2009.

Fun fact: In 2009, the Saints went 13-3, losing to the same opponents as they did this year. They went on to win the Super Bowl that year.

Super Bowl LIII

In a battle of two star QBs in Brady and Brees, I have the Pats winning it all. But it won’t be Brady who drives the victory. The Saints have succeeded in stopping the run for most of the season, but the at times dominant Pats RB trio might overwhelm them. Meanwhile, Brees will have a strong game here, but I think the Pats’ star-studded secondary will stand strong, holding Brees and his receivers to just 2 TDs. These two things along with a vintage game by TE Rob Gronkowski will lead New England to a 6th Super Bowl victory. I think RBs James White and Sony Michel will shine in this game, and I see the future of this team depending on their success.

That’s all for today’s predictions. Stay tuned for more NFL Playoffs coverage and updates 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 8 Picks & Previews: Could be Exciting Sunday with Many Close Games

October 28, 2018October 28, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews Aaron Rodgers, Amari Cooper, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown, Bilal Powell, Bills, Blake Bortles, Brock Osweiler, Buffalo, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Beathard, Cam Newton, Cameron Brate, CBS Sports, Cooper Kupp, D-Hop, David Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins, Dolphins, Eagles, Eli Apple, Eli Manning, ESPN, G-Men, Houston, Houston Texans, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, Jameis Winston, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Norman, Josh Rosen, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kyle Lauletta, Le'Veon Bell, London, Marshawn Lynch, MatPat, Matt Patricia, Matt Stafford, Matthew Stafford, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Mitch Trubisky, Mitchell Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New Orleans, New Orleans Saints, NFL, NFL Picks, O.J. Howard, Odell Beckham Jr., Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly, Picks, Ryan Tannehill, Sacksonville, Saints, Saquon Barkley, T.Y. Hilton, Texans, Tom Brady, Travis Kelce, Vikes, Vikings

Welcome to my NFL Week 8 Picks and Previews. Last week I went 8-6, putting my overall record at 61-44-2 (62-44-2 including Week 8 TNF). I’m hoping for at least 9 or 10 wins this week to get ahead of the ESPN and CBS Sports experts I am trying to compete with. I am ahead of just 1 expert from each website. This week, expect a lot of close, exciting games. Even Vegas is predicting this, as many of their NFL point spreads this week are under 4. But with lots of close games comes lots of surprises. Who will pull a shocking upset? Who will stand strong and win as expected? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week (MNF)

Stay tuned for a potential video preview closer to the game!

There are not many locks this week, but the Patriots should be able to take down the QB Josh Allen-less Bills with ease. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Buffalo, and it doesn’t matter that it’s Monday Night Football. Expect QB Tom Brady and the Pats to dominate here, taking an early lead and running with it. The Patriots defense isn’t going to go from shaky to shut down in a week, but it should hold a struggling, banged-up Bills offense to 20 or less points. One thing this offense does have on the New England is a strong run game. New England has continued to struggle against strong run games this year. But I don’t expect much else from the Bills offense, and the Pats should end up winning by 10 or more.

Upset of the Week

This would be a shocker given Kansas City’s performance in Denver and Denver’s tendency to perform far better at home. But it’s hard to beat the same team twice, especially when they are riding the momentum of a 45-10 victory including a spectacular defensive game. I understand that it was the Cardinals, but momentum is momentum. Thanks to this momentum, I think Denver’s D will do surprisingly well in stopping Kansas City’s dominant offense. This all-offense Chiefs team will struggle against a Broncos offense that has improved from 2017. TE Travis Kelce will catch Kansas City’s lone TD as the rest of the offense is overwhelmed by the Denver D in an upsetting loss.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night)	Expect a low scoring game as the Texans shut down defense overwhelms QB Brock Osweiler and the young Miami pass offense. Expect the Dolphins backfield to struggle as well, with Houston’s defense holding them under 50 yards combined. I don’t see the Texans dominating on offense, but it will be enough thanks to a strong game by WR DeAndre Hopkins and the front seven’s performance.
Sunday, 9:30 AM EST (Posted to Twitter before the game)	I don’t think Jacksonville’s defense will look as sharp as usual in London, especially after 4 Jaguars defenders were arrested last night. But they will improve from the surprising struggles of the last couple weeks. Look for QB Blake Bortles to regroup and rebound after being replaced last week, leading the Jags to a surprising London victory. But Philly should keep it close with strong run defense against the troubled Jags run game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	In this battle of two of the league’s rising defenses, don’t expect much from either young QB. QB Mitch Trubisky and his receivers will put up a dud against New York’s amazing secondary. But the Jets offense won’t be looking any better with RB Bilal Powell and most of their best receivers hurt. Chicago’s defense should come up clutch, holding the Jets under 10 and saving Chicago the game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Browns tied the Steelers in Cleveland, but don’t expect as close a game in Pittsburgh. The Steelers will make up for RB Le’Veon Bell’s continued absence with a dominant day by WRs Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Pittsburgh’s D should also appear surprisingly better, holding the Browns young offense under 20.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Jameis Winston and his TE duo to lead Tampa to victory against a Bengals defense left with holes after losses in free agency. QB Andy Dalton and his receivers should make this close, but the defensive problems will begin to stab them in the back. The Bucs will win on the road thanks to another big day on offense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect a strong game out of QB Cam Newton and the Panthers offense. But the Ravens versatile defense should slow them down significantly. However, Baltimore’s receivers will still struggle to keep up as Newton’s multi-TD game is enough to lead Carolina to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I know most people would call me crazy for expecting 34 points out of the Giants. But this is a team that beat the 5-3 Houston Texans. I don’t think the G-Men are really as bad as they seem. Even the GM has given up. But I think the Giants will turn it around and win a few games before the season ends. They have a talented, star-studded offense. All they need is a QB who can manage that. If QB Eli Manning cannot, maybe another QB on the roster is the answer. WR Odell Beckham Jr. will be kept busy against CB Josh Norman, but you can expect strong games out of RB Saquon Barkley and New York’s other offensive weapons. The Redskins will make this close with a clutch offensive performance, but I have them falling just short.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Matt Patricia’s Lions to win another one on home turf as they begin to look like legitimate contenders. The Seahawks should be able to overwhelm the Lions D, one of Detroit’s biggest flaws this year. But QB Matthew Stafford’s 3 TD game should be enough for a Lions home victory.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	The Colts should make this close with a surprisingly strong offensive performance led by QB Andrew Luck and WR T.Y. Hilton. They will take advantage of a weak, rebuilding Raiders D. But expect Oakland to shine on offense against Indy, who has one of the worst defenses in the league. It doesn’t matter if WR Amari Cooper is here or not. The Raiders will miss Cooper and injured RB Marshawn Lynch, but should still manage to win. If they can beat the Browns in Oakland, they can do the same to Indy.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	I was tempted to pick the Packers in an upset as the Rams offense struggles without injured WR Cooper Kupp. But this versatile Rams defense is just too good to allow 20+ points to a Packers offense that lacks WR depth despite an amazing QB in Aaron Rodgers. Defense will win the Rams this game as they remain undefeated.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Arizona’s only win so far this year was in San Francisco. I think they can beat the QB Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers again in Arizona. They will be led by strong games out of young QB Josh Rosen and RB David Johnson. The Niners should look decent on offense and make this close. But I think the Cardinals will hold on on home turf.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	I think Minnesota’s offense will be slowed by a young Saints D that just added CB Eli Apple. But the Vikings defense should look even better, holding the Saints under 20 points and to just 1 TD. This shut down defensive performance should lead the Vikes to victory.

That’s all for my picks and previews this week. Stay tuned for more NFL posts soon, including my midseason report next week.

2018 NFL Week 7 Picks & Previews: Could This Week Mark Turning Point for Certain Teams?

October 21, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Alex Smith, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta, Atlanta Falcons, Bears, Bills, Broncos, Buffalo, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Beathard, Cardinals, Cards, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, Chargers, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Colts, Cooper Kupp, Dak Prescott, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Anderson, Eagles, Eli Manning, Falcons, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, Jameis Winston, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, LA, LA Chargers, London, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chargers, Matthew Stafford, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Titans, Tom Brady

Welcome to my NFL Week 7 picks and previews. Last week, I went 8-7, placing my overall record at 53-38-2 (53-39-2 including TNF Week 7). This puts me ahead of 3 of 10 ESPN experts and 1 of 8 CBS Sports experts. There have been a lot of early season surprises this year. The Bears are tied for the NFC North lead. The Eagles sit at .500, and the Falcons sit at just 2-4. Both of them were playoff teams in 2017. Could this mark the turning point for some of those surprise bad teams? Will some of the pleasant surprise teams begin to regress? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week

The Buccaneers struggled last week in Atlanta. But now that they are back on their home turf, expect QB Jameis Winston and the Bucs to bounce back. The Browns have little to no momentum going into this one either. They’re coming off an embarrassing blowout loss in Cleveland. Don’t expect a much better offensive performance from the Browns against an underrated Bucs defense in Tampa. I also don’t think the Browns secondary will be able to contain Tampa’s deep group of receivers. Expect an easy Buccaneers victory.

Upset of the Week

I tend to lean towards teams with the home field advantage when making my picks. But the Bills have actually performed relatively well on the road. If they can shock the Vikings in Minnesota, they should be able to take down the 1-5 Colts in Indy. It doesn’t matter if Josh Allen is the QB or if Derek Anderson is. This Colts defense has struggled all season, costing Indy several games. With the Bills dominating a rebuilding Colts D, QB Andrew Luck and the Colts offense should be able to put up a fight. But it will be very difficult to keep up with Buffalo, leading to a Bills road victory.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 45-10 Broncos)

Look for QB Josh Rosen to lead Arizona to a home victory against the sinking Denver Broncos. The Broncos defense may be good, but they are not even close to 2015 form, and that will cost them. QB Case Keenum and his receivers will make it close, but it won’t be enough thanks to the dominance of the Cardinals offense.

Sunday, 9:30 AM EST (Posted to Twitter Before Kickoff)

Look for QB Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense to put up another strong offensive performance in London. The Chargers have only lost twice this year, and the losses were to the Rams and Chiefs, two of the best teams in the league. They have dominated offensively against every other opponent. I also see Tennessee struggling against a young Chargers defense. This will lead to a secure Chargers victory.

Note: I think it’s a possibility that the Chargers eventually move to London if LA doesn’t work out for them.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

Stay tuned for a potential video preview closer to game time!

Expect QB Tom Brady to throw to many different receivers and lead the Pats to victory. New England should use their newfound receiver depth to their advantage. Even the Bears strong defense should struggle to contain an offense that outscored the then undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Look for New England’s secondary to at least partially contain QB Mitch Trubisky’s receivers and for the Pats front seven to shut down Chicago’s RB duo to secure victory.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

Look for the Lions to struggle in Miami against a young, versatile Dolphins D. Expect QB Matthew Stafford to connect with his WR trio for TDs to make this close. But I also think the Dolphins will have a strong offensive game on home turf, especially against a mediocre Lions D. Miami will pull ahead to win by 13.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

Expect the Vikings to be led by a strong defensive performance that holds the Jets under 15 points. I see Minnesota’s offense making an impact later to secure the Vikings a lead. The Vikes should win easily in the end thanks to defensive dominance and a late-game offensive statement.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

This will be a defense first game as two of the best defenses in the league face off. But Jacksonville should at least look better offensively than they did last week, despite facing a tough Texans defense. I also expect the Jags defense to bounce back. They’ve just faced two offense-heavy teams. Now they go up against another defense-first team, the Texans. I expect Houston to struggle regressively against the young Jags defense.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

The Eagles may have gotten off to a mediocre 3-3 start, but QB Carson Wentz has met expectations, and that will show this week as he throws 4 touchdowns in a dominant performance against a young Carolina secondary. The Panthers’ defensive backs have looked better this year, but they are facing one of the best passing offenses in the league. Meanwhile, expect Philly’s D to perform surprisingly well, holding Carolina under 25 as the Panthers are unable to bounce back from a tough Week 6 loss.

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST

Until 2017, the Saints were known as the team that sucked because they had no defense. But last year, the young Saints D broke out for a huge year. Expect to see flashes of the 2017 Saints D against a mediocre Ravens pass game. Baltimore has been led by their defense so far this year as well. New Orleans will be impacted by this, but their experienced offense should allow the Saints to get by in Baltimore.

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST

QB Dak Prescott had a huge game last week out of nowhere. Don’t expect to see it again in Washington. The Cowboys have been dominant on home turf, but have not won a game on the road. Look for the Redskins defense to step it up here while QB Alex Smith just barely leads Washington past Dallas.

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST

The Rams offense should struggle without WR Cooper Kupp. But San Francisco won’t do much better without QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Look for them to put up a dud against LA’s shut down defense. The Rams should get by despite their offensive struggles.

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST

Now that they’ve lost their momentum, don’t expect QB Patrick Mahomes II and his receivers to look as sharp as usual, but they still should put up 20+ points. QB Andy Dalton and the Bengals should make this close, but look for the young Chiefs defense to step it up despite battling numerous injuries. Kansas City hasn’t really needed much defense, not until these last couple of weeks. But defense wins games, and with the Chiefs D stepping it up, Kansas City should win a close primetime game.

Monday, 8:15 PM EST

Atlanta will struggle early here as the defense falters against a strong Giants offense. QB Eli Manning may be having a rough year, but he should be alright against Atlanta’s inconsistent defense. Look for the Falcons to put up a fight on offense late, but fall just short in primetime.

That’s all for this week’s picks and previews. Stay tuned for more Boston sports articles soon, including a preview of the crazy week ahead for all four Boston teams.

2018 NFL Week 6 Picks & Previews: Expect Lots of High Scoring Games

October 14, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized 49ers, Adam Thielen, Alex Smith, Aqib Talib, Atlanta, Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield, Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben, Brock Osweiler, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Bucs, Cam Newton, Carson Wentz, Chargers, Chiefs, Cleveland, Cleveland Browns, Courtland Sutton, Dak Prescott, DeAndre Hopkins, DeMaryius Thomas, Denver, Denver Broncos, Deshaun Watson, Devonta Freeman, Eagles, Emmanuel Sanders, Eric Berry, Evan Engram, Falcons, Fitzmagic, Giants, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Greg Olsen, Isaiah Crowell, Jameis Winston, Jay Ajayi, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, Keenan Allen, Khalil Mack, LA, LA Chargers, LA Rams, Lamar Miller, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, London, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Matt Ryan, Melvin Gordon, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Week 6 Picks, Niners, NY, NY Giants, Nyheim Hines, Oakland, Oakland Raiders, Odell Beckham Jr., Pack, Packers, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Picks, Raiders, Rams, Randall Cobb, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Stefon Diggs, Sterling Shepard, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tevin Coleman, Todd Gurley, Tom Brady

Welcome to my Week 6 NFL pick’em and previews. Last week I went 8-7, placing my overall record at 45-31-2, ahead of 7 of ESPN’s 10 experts, and 3 of CBS Sports’ 8 experts. Some of the offense-heavy teams in the league take each other on this week. The Chiefs face off with the Patriots. The Raiders take on the Seahawks in London. The Chargers will head to Cleveland to play the Browns. The Bucs and Falcons will play each other in an intriguing divisional match-up. Who will win in these likely shootouts? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week (MNF)

With WR Randall Cobb likely back, expect this Packers passing offense to perform a lot better than they did in Detroit, especially since they are home this week. But it’s the run game that I see leading the Pack. These running backs haven’t really had the chance to truly shine in Green Bay’s pass-first offense, but I could see it happening against an inexperienced 49ers run defense. Without QB Jimmy Garoppolo, it will be extremely difficult for the Niners to match Green Bay’s offensive performance. I see the Packers winning easily.

Upset of the Week

This Broncos defense will make it difficult for the Rams to score as much as they usually do, but I think they manage to score 20+ points on Denver, led by RB Todd Gurley. However, I expect Denver’s receivers to have a strong day as well, despite the fact that they are facing a stacked Rams secondary. They have two dependable veterans in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, and a promising rookie, Courtland Sutton. I think they can handle the Rams secondary, especially with ex-Bronco Aqib Talib on IR. Look for Denver to pull the upset in a game that’s surprisingly high scoring.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted on Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 34-13 Eagles)	Expect the Eagles run game to struggle with RB Jay Ajayi on IR. But I think QB Carson Wentz and his receivers will find a way to win it in New York. The Giants offense will struggle once again without TE Evan Engram, but I think WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard will have strong games to make this close.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect Houston’s elite defense to shut down QB Josh Allen and his receivers. I think they will hold the Bills to 1 TD or less in this game. Meanwhile, QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense will have a decent enough despite the banged-up run game and lack of WR depth. I see the trio of Watson, RB Lamar Miller and WR DeAndre Hopkins leading them to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Colts offense should look better than they did in New England. Expect RB Nyheim Hines to step it up with the receivers banged up. However, I see the Colts D, which has struggled all season falling apart against a promising Jets passing game. Look for both QB Sam Darnold and RB Isaiah Crowell to have big games as the Jets score at least 4 TDs. New York should win easily with the Colts defense regressively struggling.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST UPDATE: Ryan Tannehill is OUT, Brock Osweiler will start	Look for the Dolphins young D to have success against QB Mitch Trubisky and his offense. Their promising group of receivers will not be enough here as the run game struggles. I also think that with the home-field advantage, the Dolphins will manage to score 30+ points despite facing Khalil Mack and the Bears D. With QB Ryan Tannehill out, QB Brock Osweiler will rely on his receivers as Mack and the Bears front seven shuts down the Dolphins run game. In the end, I have the Dolphins pulling a surprising upset at home, thanks to an all-around elite performance.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Cincy’s receivers to step it up against a struggling Steelers secondary. But the Steelers will make this a close shootout. QB Ben Roethlisberger and his receivers will thrive as well against a rebuilding Bengals secondary. But without RB Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers run game will be easily shut down. The Bengals will manage to win thanks to the strong run defense and strong game by their receivers.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns to make this close in Cleveland. But this Chargers offense has dominated and led the team to victory against every below average defense they’ve played. Look for QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Keenan Allen and company to do the same in Cleveland as they take on an inexperienced Browns D. This stellar offensive performance will lead LA to victory for the fourth time this season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect a shootout in this London game. Both these defenses have struggled regressively all season. Look for Oakland’s offense to dominate against the young Seattle D, and expect QB Russell Wilson and his receivers to have a field day against the Khalil Mack-less Raiders defense. I think the Raiders, who will have more success running the ball, will outscore the Seahawks to win it.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect the Panthers offense to be back at full speed with TE Greg Olsen back. They will be able to take advantage of a below average Redskins secondary with QB Cam Newton’s favorite target healthy. QB Alex Smith and his receivers will put up a fight with a 3 TD game of their own. But look for the Panthers strong front seven to be successful in pressuring Smith and shutting down Washington’s RBs, allowing Carolina to hold on for a victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think Arizona’s D will step it up this weekend, allowing them to come close in Minnesota. But the Vikings WR duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs is just too much for this Cardinals secondary to handle, and their success will lead to an overtime Vikings win, despite the run game’s continuing struggles. The Vikings defense will also have a nice game, holding the Cardinals to just 1 TD and overwhelming rookie QB Josh Rosen.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	With RB Devonta Freeman out, both defenses struggling, and both offenses dominating, expect a lot of passing in this game. QB Matt Ryan and his receivers should have a field day against the weakening Bucs secondary, while Tampa’s underrated front seven shuts down RB Tevin Coleman. Meanwhile, QB Jameis Winston and his receivers will prove that the Bucs can succeed on offense without QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Expect them to pull the upset in a shootout, as Atlanta begins to lose hope after another embarrassingly bad defensive game.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	This Titans roster is filled with young talent on both sides of the ball. Look for their younger players to step it up and lead Tennessee to victory at home. The Ravens should continue their strong season by getting out to an early lead thanks to shut down defense. But Tennessee’s young core will lead to a comeback as they outplay Baltimore. After two straight losses, the Ravens will begin to regress.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Expect QB Dak Prescott and his receivers to be shut down by a top notch Jags defense. Prescott looked pretty bad against the Texans D. I can’t see him doing any better against Sacksonville. Meanwhile, the Jaguars will manage to get by on offense, bouncing back from last week’s putrid offensive performance. The combination of these two things will lead to a Jaguars victory, despite run game struggles without RB Leonard Fournette.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST Check back closer to gametime for a video preview!	Look for QB Tom Brady and his receivers to thrive, overwhelming the Chiefs secondary without S Eric Berry. Kansas City’s offense should make this close, but expect the Chiefs defense to blow it despite a 30-point, multi-TD game for QB Patrick Mahomes II and his offense.

That’s all for my picks this week. Feel free to comment with your thoughts, and stay tuned for more posts soon.

2018 NFL Week 4 Picks & Previews: Which Surprise Teams Come Back Down to Earth?

September 30, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Alshon Jeffery, Alvin Kamara, Andrew Luck, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben, Broncos, C.J. Beathard, Cardinals, Cards, Carson Wentz, Chiefs, Dak Prescott, David Johnson, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Carr, DeVante Parker, Dolphins, Doug Baldwin, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Evan Engram, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, Jets, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Mixon, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, Khalil Mack, LA, LA Rams, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Matt Ryan, Melvin Gordon, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Michael Thomas, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Picks and Previews, NY Jets, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Picks, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rams, Ravens, Rishard Matthews, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sacksonville, Sam Bradford, Sam Darnold, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Steelers, Stephon Gilmore, Tom Brady, Vikes, Vikings, Vontae Davis

Welcome to my Week 4 NFL picks and previews. It was a rough week for me last week, as I finished 6-10. But luckily, I’m still 27-19-2 (28-19-2 including TNF Week 4) due to my strong week in Week 2. I’m still ahead of 9 of ESPN’s 10 experts, and half of CBS Sports’ 8 experts. There have been a lot of surprises in the NFL so far this year. Unexpected contenders have emerged, and what were perceived as some of the NFL’s best teams are struggling to keep up. I definitely think this week will set some things straight. Some of the expected contenders will start to surpass the surprise teams. The question is, which surprise teams come down to earth first? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week

QB Sam Darnold and the Jets offense looked good in the first couple weeks. But this offense is still very young and has things to learn. I expect this dominant Jaguars defense to tear apart New York’s offensive game plan. The pressure of Sacksonville will get to Darnold, which will mess up the entire offensive scheme for the Jets. The Jaguars offense doesn’t have to have a field day to win a game, and they’ve made that very clear. RB Leonard Fournette will likely return this week. They had been fine without him, at home against the Patriots! Given that, this home game against the Jets with Fournette back should be a clinic in Jacksonville’s favor.

Upset of the Week

QB Sam Bradford had clearly declined, and after two weeks, all Cardinals fans knew Bradford wasn’t the answer. But Steve Wilks has finally put QB Josh Rosen in as the starter! Rosen was my favorite QB of this year’s draft, and I expect him to completely turn around the Cardinals offense this week. I don’t expect this kind of consistency throughout the year in 2018. But this will give us a glimpse at what the Cardinals invested in down the road, kind of like what the Jets received from QB Sam Darnold in his first game. I think Rosen can handle the rebuilding Seattle defense on his home turf. Look for Arizona’s tight ends to have an especially strong game as well. Meanwhile, the Seattle defense will struggle to contain Rosen and RB David Johnson. Their offense will see slight improvement with WR Doug Baldwin likely to return, but nothing significant as Arizona pulls off the upset at home.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted on Twitter Thursday Night, Actual Score: 38-31 Rams)	Don’t expect an especially strong game from WRs Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. This Rams secondary is one of the league’s best. However, the ground game will lead the way for the Vikes and make this close. Look for QB Jared Goff and RB Todd Gurley to lead the Rams to victory with the help of strong defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Miami’s receivers to thrive against a New England secondary that lacks a #2 corner. #1 CB Stephon Gilmore will shut down WR DeVante Parker though. However, this Dolphins run game is not the greatest, and if the Pats can shut them down, there is hope for the New England D. I don’t think the Pats suck. Their last two Super Bowl-winning seasons started with 2 wins and 2 losses. Plus, they lost to a coach who knows them really well and their toughest opponent. I think QB Tom Brady will find open men to lead New England to victory here. This victory that will begin a long winning streak for the Pats.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Packers are a pass-first offense, and I don’t think the Bills will be able to keep them under control without CB Vontae Davis. I don’t see this as a blowout though. QB Josh Allen and the Bills offense will make it close. But Green Bay will win at home by a comfortable margin, led by a dominant passing game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Matt Ryan and his newfound WR duo to overwhelm the Bengals secondary and score multiple TDs. I don’t think the Bengals will be as strong on offense here without RB Joe Mixon. They will lose this one thanks to surprisingly strong defense by Atlanta.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think the Texans will do alright against the weak Colts defense in an effort for their first win. But depth has been a problem for this team from the start, and that will hinder their success. The Colts will give the Texans a scare. This will be thanks to a pretty good week by QB Andrew Luck and his offense, even against the fierce Houston D.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	WR Rishard Matthews was released by the Titans this week. Now, the Titans lack a healthy QB and lack WR depth. That will cause the offense regressive struggles. The Eagles defense will also do their job in shutting down Tennessee’s RB duo. QB Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense will cruise to victory, especially if WR Alshon Jeffery plays.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect an offensive shootout here. Both these defenses are some of the league’s worst, and I think both these offenses are underrated. The Cowboys pass defense will struggle excessively against the LIons strong WR corps. However, I think QB Dak Prescott will finally turn it around against the struggling Detroit D. This will lead them to a home win.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think the Bucs will start QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in this game. Look for the Fitzmagic to continue, but will it be enough for the Bucs in Chicago? I’m concerned that Tampa’s secondary will blow it for them against QB Mitch Trubisky and the Bears underrated WR corps. I also feel that the Bucs young run game will struggle against Khalil Mack and the Bears run defense. These two things will lead Chicago to victory at home.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	QB Baker Mayfield will lead the Browns to another strong offensive game here against a declining Raiders D. But you cannot sleep on these Raiders receivers. Against a young Cleveland defense, expect QB Derek Carr and the Raiders deep WR corps to dominate. I also expect a strong game from Oakland’s running backs that assist Carr in an offensive shootout victory.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The 49ers will miss QB Jimmy Garoppolo here. QB C.J. Beathard will do alright in LA, but he will be nowhere near Garoppolo’s level. I don’t see him finishing the job for the Niners. Meanwhile, the Chargers offense will have a strong day against the 49ers young D. QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, and the strong offense will lead LA to victory.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	QB Eli Manning and his receivers should do alright against a Saints defense that has significantly declined since last year. But they will miss TE Evan Engram. Meanwhile, RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas will have dominant games that lead the Saints to victory despite an underwhelming game by QB Drew Brees.
SNF (Sunday, 8:20 PM EST)	The Steelers may be declining without RB Le’Veon Bell, but they are still an average team that can win some games without him. I think the Steelers defense will be able to shut down the Ravens attack. Plus, QB Ben Roethlisberger will find plenty of weapons to lead Pittsburgh to victory, even without Bell.
MNF (Monday, 8:15 PM EST) (OT)	This will be a very close game. QB Patrick Mahomes II will lead a strong Chiefs offense to a big game. But the Chiefs are all offense, no defense, and they will struggle to contain Denver’s receivers. I could see this going to overtime, but I don’t see the Chiefs winning with their run game struggling against the unstoppable Denver front seven.

That’s all for my Week 4 picks and previews. Feel free to comment with your thoughts.

2018 NFL Week 2 Picks & Previews: QB Carousel Leads to Surprise Winners

September 16, 2018September 16, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized A.J. Green, Aaron Rodgers, Alshon Jeffery, Andrew Luck, Broncos, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, Chiefs, Dak Prescott, Delanie Walker, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Carr, Doug Baldwin, Drew Brees, Ezekiel Elliott, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, Jalen Ramsey, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman, Julio Jones, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, Khalil Mack, Kirk Cousins, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, Matthew Stafford, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Mitch Trubisky, Mitchell Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, NFL Picks, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Picks, Redskins, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sacksonville, Sam Bradford, Sam Darnold, Vikes, Vikings, Washington, Washington Redskins

Welcome to my Week 2 NFL picks. Last week, I went 9-6-1, putting me ahead of 4 of ESPN’s 10 pick’em experts, and 2 of CBS Sports’ 8 pick’em experts. This off-season, many quarterbacks changed teams as usual. Patrick Mahomes II was named Kansas City’s starter as Alex Smith was traded from the Chiefs to the Redskins. Kirk Cousins, formerly of the Redskins signed with the Vikings. Case Keenum, Minnesota’s 2017 starter, is now starting in Denver.

I thought that Keenum and Cousins would thrive with their new teams, while Smith struggles without his offensive weapons and the Chiefs offense struggles without Smith. But all four of those teams succeeded thanks to strong offense in Week 1. Mahomes just made the Chiefs offense look better, and the Redskins just might be better off with Smith than they were with Cousins. Does this have to do with the QB carousel, or is it what surrounds these quarterbacks that leads them to thrive? Either way, the Chiefs and Redskins could be two surprise teams to watch out for, and the Vikes and Broncos look to stay elite. Will all four win again this week? Read my picks below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week (MNF)

I thought the Seahawks offense would struggle last week, but things actually turned out alright for them despite a loss. However, they will be without WR Doug Baldwin this week, so don’t be surprised by a dud out of Seattle’s offense. Plus, the Bears defense looks much better with everyone healthy and Khalil Mack on board. Expect a strong week by QB Mitch Trubisky as well as the Bears running backs. However, it will be Mack and the Bears D that holds Seattle under 10 and leads the Bears to victory.

Upset of the Week

I learned one major lesson about the Chiefs in Week 1: QB Patrick Mahomes is not a bust, and he is capable of becoming an elite NFL starter this year. Expect him to lead a talented Chiefs offense to victory despite some iffy defense by Kansas City. The Steelers offense will begin to miss RB Le’Veon Bell, and their mediocre defense won’t be enough to stop the Chiefs.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted on Twitter on Thursday Night; Actual Score: 34-23 Bengals)	I don’t expect more than 30 total points in this game. Both these defenses are arguably Top 10 in the league. They should be successful in pressuring each other’s quarterbacks and shutting down each other’s running backs. But the Bengals will edge out the victory at home thanks to a strong game by WR A.J. Green.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Jets strong defense and a good day by rookie QB Sam Darnold led the Jets to victory in Detroit. Expect more of the same in Miami, and watch for an especially strong game out of New York’s secondary.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think QB Josh Allen will lead the Bills to a closer game than they had last week. But I see the Chargers having a better offensive day and winning this one. They will rebound from their struggles against Kansas City last week.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Saints QB Drew Brees to excel against a young Browns defense. But you should expect the Browns to make this a close offensive shootout, even without WR Josh Gordon.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	With TE Delanie Walker on IR, I don’t expect a very strong game by the Titans offense, especially against the elite Houston D. I think the Texans will be able to squeeze by despite a banged up wide receiver group.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I do expect QB Andrew Luck to look good in his second game back. However, expect the Colts weak defense to give up 30+ points again in a loss. They will especially struggle at containing the Redskins receivers.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	This is a battle of two capable backup QBs and two strong defensive fronts. With QB Carson Wentz and WR Alshon Jeffery hurt, I don’t think the Philly offense will be able to handle this strong Bucs D. The strong defense will lead Tampa to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST (OT)	Expect the Packers to pull off another last minute comeback here, this one extending into overtime. It just shows how clutch QB Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense are. I do expect strong games by the Vikings receivers that keep this close and give the Vikings an early lead.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for a strong game out of WR Julio Jones and the rest of Atlanta’s receivers against a young Carolina secondary. This will help lead Atlanta to victory as the Panthers receivers struggle. However, Carolina’s strong run game will lead the way and make this close.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST (OT)	Expect both teams to rebound from offensive struggles last week. The Lions have a veteran QB and strong receiver group that may very well be the highlight of this team. But I think QB Jimmy Garoppolo and the young 49ers offense will look dominant against a below average Lions D. The 49ers will edge out an overtime victory at home.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	I don’t expect the Rams to have a field day here. The Cardinals defense is much improved from last season. But the Rams will edge out a victory as their own defense holds QB Sam Bradford and his receivers below 20 points.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST Stay tuned for a game preview before the game begins!	Expect a lot of passing, as this will be a close game and running backs on both sides are injured. I think the Jaguars will struggle to find ways to score without RB Leonard Fournette, but the Jags defense will lead them to victory. As a fan, I really want to see TE Rob Gronkowski prove CB Jalen Ramsey wrong and lead the Pats to victory, and I think he will prove Ramsey wrong. But as an unbiased reporter, I see this as one of the toughest games on New England’s schedule, and I can’t see them winning with WR Julian Edelman suspended and multiple RBs banged up.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Expect the Raiders to struggle at scoring against the stellar Broncos defense. Strong offensive line play by Oakland will be key to protect QB Derek Carr, and I expect to see that at the very least. But I think Denver’s offense will repeat what they had going last week to pull off another home victory.
Sunday, 8:30 PM EST	I think this is going to be an offensive shootout. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will find creative ways to score at home and RB Ezekiel Elliott will have a strong game. Meanwhile, I think the Giants will take an early lead against a young Cowboys D. But I see Dallas pulling away with a victory in the end thanks to a choke by the New York defense.

That’s all for this week’s NFL picks and previews. Stay tuned for more NFL articles coming soon.

2017 NFL Mock Draft: Trubisky to Niners, Tight Ends Go Early

April 17, 2017April 17, 2017 Andrew Roberts NFL, Uncategorized Cam Robinson, Christian McCaffrey, Corey Davis, Dalvin Cook, Derek Barnett, Deshaun Watson, Gareon Conley, Haason Reddick, Jabrill Peppers, Jamal Adams, John Ross, Jonathan Allen, Leonard Fournette, Malik Hooker, Malik McDowell, Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore, Mike Williams, Mitch Trubisky, Myles Garrett, NFL, NFL draft, NFL Draft 2017, O.J. Howard, Patrick Mahomes, Solomon Thomas, Taco Charlton

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2018-19 NFL Playoff Predictions: Pats Win it All Thanks to Favorable Schedule

Wild Card Weekend

Divisional Round

Conference Championships

Super Bowl LIII

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

2018 NFL Week 8 Picks & Previews: Could be Exciting Sunday with Many Close Games

2018 NFL Week 7 Picks & Previews: Could This Week Mark Turning Point for Certain Teams?

2018 NFL Week 6 Picks & Previews: Expect Lots of High Scoring Games

2018 NFL Week 4 Picks & Previews: Which Surprise Teams Come Back Down to Earth?

2018 NFL Week 2 Picks & Previews: QB Carousel Leads to Surprise Winners

2017 NFL Mock Draft: Trubisky to Niners, Tight Ends Go Early