2020 NFL Week 1 Picks: Lots of Close Games in Competitive Season

September 8, 2020 Andrew Roberts NFL 49ers, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Bills, Brandon Aiyuk, Broncos, Buffalo, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Mosley, Cam Newton, Cardinals, Chiefs, Cowboys, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, DeAndre Hopkins, Deebo Samuel, Denver, Denver Broncos, DeVante Parker, Devin McCourty, Devin Singletary, Dolphins, George Kittle, Giants, Houston, Houston Texans, James White, Jets, Jimmy G, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Julian Edelman, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC Chiefs, Kyler Murray, LA Rams, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Mike Gesicki, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Week 1 Picks, NY Giants, NY Jets, Patriots, Pats, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rams, Sam Darnold, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Steelers, Stefon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Texans, Titans, Zack Moss

The NFL off-season has been one of the craziest ever. Tom Brady left Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Instead he went to Tampa, building his own offense. This caused the biggest off-season QB carousel in a long time. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NFL Draft virtual and canceled the NFL preseason. But despite the pandemic and all the unusual events, football is coming back. With or without fans attending the game, this NFL season will go on, and so will my weekly NFL pick’em posts. Each week, I’ll have my NFL picks on this website as well as some fantasy content on my fantasy football Instagram account, @bsmfantasyfootball. I think this could be one of the most competitive seasons in a while, and that will mean a lot of close games. Keep reading to see my predictions of them all. I’ll say one thing, we could see multiple games go to overtime this week alone.

Lock of the Week

As I said, there should be a lot of close games this week. This is not one of them. I expect the Bills to have a lot of success running the ball. The combo of Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, and running QB Josh Allen will just be too much for a Jets front seven that will be without LB C.J. Mosley. Allen will also rely on his new star WR Stefon Diggs in this one. QB Sam Darnold will struggle, as a strong Bills defense shuts down his banged up arsenal of weapons.

Upset of the Week

I think the 49ers are the better team here. But WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are recovering from injuries, leaving QB Jimmy Garoppolo with solely star TE George Kittle to rely on. The Cardinals defense will focus in on Kittle, making it difficult for Garoppolo’s offense to function. QB Kyler Murray won’t be that much better against a strong San Francisco D. But with WR DeAndre Hopkins in the mix, I think Arizona will put up enough points to pull off the upset this time around. The Niners will have a chance at revenge later this season after Garoppolo’s receivers heal up.

The Other Games

Which teams do you have winning this week? Comment with your thoughts.

2019 NFL Free Agency Predictions: Part 1: Offensive Skill Positions

March 4, 2019March 6, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL, NFL 2019 Free Agency 2019 NFL Free Agency Predictions, Aaron Jones, AB, Adam Humphries, Adrian Peterson, Alex Collins, Alex Smith, Alshon Jeffery, Antonio Brown, Antonio Callaway, Blake Bortles, Brock Osweiler, C.J. Anderson, Chris Conley, Chris Herndon, Chris Herndon IV, Cole Beasley, Colt McCoy, D.K. Metcalf, Davante Adams, Devin Funchess, Dez Bryant, Donte Moncrief, Doug Martin, Dwayne Haskins, Ezekiel Elliott, Free Agency, Golden Tate, Jamaal Williams, Jared Cook, Jay Ajayi, Jerick McKinnon, Jesse James, John Brown, Jordan Matthews, Josh Allen, Josh Hill, Josh McCown, JuJu, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kareem Hunt, Kelvin Benjamin, Kenny Golladay, Kyler Murray, Lance Kendricks, Latavius Murray, Le'Veon Bell, LeGarrette Blount, Luke Willson, Marcedes Lewis, Mark Ingram, Marshawn Lynch, Marvin Jones, Matt Breida, Matthew Stafford, Mike Wallace, Nelson Agholor, NFL, NFL Free Agency Predictions, Nick Foles, Noah Fant, Phillip Dorsett, Randall Cobb, Richard Rodgers, Robby Anderson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold, Sammy Watkins, Spencer Ware, T. J. Yeldon, T.J. Hockenson, T.Y. Hilton, Teddy Bridgewater, Tevin Coleman, Tyler Eifert, Tyler Kroft, Tyreek Hill, Tyrell Williams, Tyrod Taylor, Vance McDonald

Welcome to the first article of my 2019 NFL free agency prediction series! Today, I’ll be sharing my predictions for where offensive skill position players (QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs) end up signing. Where will Le’Veon Bell be headed after a year away from football? Where will Nick Foles find himself a starting job? Keep reading to find out what I think, and you check out my tentative schedule for the entire series below. In later articles, I will include links to the previously posted articles:

2019 NFL Free Agency Predictions

Series Schedule

Monday, March 4: NFL Free Agency Predictions: Part 1: Offensive Skill Positions

Wednesday, March 6: NFL Free Agency Predictions: Part 2: Linemen

Saturday, March 9: NFL Free Agency Predictions: Part 3: Linebackers and Defensive Backs

QB

In my eyes, Foles is the only viable starter that’s currently on the free agent market. Blake Bortles or Ryan Tannehill could eventually be released/traded, but for now, the choice is targeting Foles or waiting for the draft. Unlike other QB needy teams, the Jags could easily return to the playoffs with the right QB leading them. That being said, a veteran QB makes sense. The Giants, Redskins, and others will go for a combo of a rookie and a veteran mentor.

For Washington, Alex Smith will not be able to serve as a veteran mentor considering his severe knee injury in 2018. Colt McCoy isn’t a viable starter in my eyes either. However, Teddy Bridgewater is a free agent who has experience starting, so he could serve as Washington’s bridge starter (no pun intended) until their young QB, whether it be Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, or someone else, has time to develop.

The Bucs and Dolphins will also be on the lookout for veteran backups. Look for them to resign their 2018 backup QBs, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brock Osweiler. The Bills could also use some depth at QB behind Josh Allen, so bringing back their former QB, Tyrod Taylor, could be smart.

That would leave Josh McCown as the best free agent QB left. I have him going to LA to backup Philip Rivers until they draft Rivers’ successor.

RB

Viable Starters

Bell might be the best player on the open market in a long time. The Steelers refused to pay him what he wanted. But who will be up to pay him? He reportedly wants $25 million annually. I don’t think anyone will give him that, but I think he’d settle for $20 million/year if he ever wants to play again. If the Eagles free up enough cap between Foles’ departure and a release or two, they will be willing to pay for him for some answers at RB. Right now, they have a surplus of RBs, but no clear cut starter.

I see Ajayi, Philly’s last starting RB, leading a refined RB committee in Tampa. Expect an aging Adrian Peterson to do the same in Indianapolis. On the contrary, Ingram and Coleman will leave RB committees to become full time starters on RB needy teams. Coleman will replace Kareem Hunt, while Ingram will replace Marshawn Lynch (I see him retiring). The Ravens’ backfield is getting pretty crowded after the emergence of Gus Edwards, but I think Alex Collins will wind up back in Baltimore.

RB2 Options

The 49ers may have Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida at RB, but a veteran mentor like 3-time Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount could be helpful if they resort to an RB committee. Yeldon will serve a similar role in Green Bay, playing alongside young RBs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. The Steelers could also use a veteran in their backfield behind new starter James Conner, and I think Martin could be a good fit. Despite leading the Rams in the playoffs, Anderson may have to settle for a backup/committee role as well. He could be a good replacement for Coleman in Atlanta. Murray was successful in Minnesota, and there’s room for him in the backfield, so I see him coming back. With Coleman headed to Kansas City, the Chiefs will move on from Spencer Ware as he heads to Dallas to backup Ezekiel Elliott.

WR/TE

Top Tier WRs

Sam Darnold showed flashes of talent in his rookie year. I think a better RB and a #1 receiver could make all the difference for him. They should chase after Tate aggressively if they cannot land Antonio Brown (I have him going to San Fran). Bryant barely played last year, but he still could serve as a WR1. The Bills could be a fit, but if they pass up on Bryant, they could also take D.K. Metcalf in Round 1 of the draft.

Cobb looks to be leaving Green Bay, and the Steelers may seek depth options at receiver after Antonio Brown leaves. Cobb could be a fit to play across from JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Lions have no clear cut WR1 after Tate’s departure, but if they sign a lower tier option like John Brown, Matthew Stafford could look evenly split targets among Brown, Marvin Jones, and Kenny Golladay.

Moncrief and Wallace aren’t viable #1 receivers at this point, but they could still be a big help for WR needy teams. Moncrief could be a good option for the Pats, rather than overspending for Golden Tate. I have Wallace returning to the Eagles to play alongside Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor. This trio never played together despite being lined up as Philly’s top 3 receivers on the depth chart in 2018 training camp.

WR Depth Options

The Bills need more than just Bryant or Metcalf – maybe they can pair up Bryant with Beasley, his former teammate. The Ravens could also use some more depth at WR. Funchess isn’t a top tier option, but if they cannot land or draft someone top tier, he will have to do. Maybe they can pair Funchess with a rookie WR1. The Chiefs may not bring in anyone new, but they could bring back Conley to play behind Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins.

The Colts could use some more experienced options across from T.Y. Hilton – Matthews could be a good choice. They could always draft someone to split time as the #2 receiver with him. Williams upped his value this season, but I still cannot see many teams paying him WR1 money. The Jets could use another depth option behind Tate, especially if Robby Anderson leaves. The Patriots need all the quality WRs they can afford, so Dorsett could be a good option to bring back considering his developing chemistry with Tom Brady.

Top Tier TEs

Eifert has a concerning injury history, and I think it’s time for Cincinnati to move on. But Detroit could pair him with a drafted TE to ensure security at the position. Kroft will return to Cincy with Eifert on his way out. Kroft will return to Cincy with Eifert on his way out. The Saints could also use a veteran TE alongside the young Dan Arnold, and Cook might be the most consistent veteran on the market. It would be smart for the Texans to target Noah Fant or T.J. Hockenson in the draft, but signing a veteran in the meantime couldn’t hurt, and James could be a good mentor for their new TE.

Lewis and Rodgers are not cut out to be a team’s #1 tight end at this point. But they can provide depth as a TE2, with Lewis backing up Vance McDonald and Rodgers backing up Chris Herndon IV.

WR/TE Depth Options

Darnold needs more consistent receivers, so I could see the Jets moving on from Robby Anderson. Anderson could be a good depth piece in Cleveland, serving as the WR2 over Antonio Callaway. Humphries is also going into free agency expecting WR2 money. But I think he will have to settle for a little less, and if his price drops, the Pats may be willing to pay for him for additional depth. He is a good fit in New England. Despite a disappointing 2018, I could still see Benjamin contributing behind Davante Adams in Green Bay. They’ll need to draft a younger receiver to play alongside them though.

If the Lions sign anyone else at TE besides Eifert, I don’t think it will be their 2018 tight end Luke Willson. Josh Hill has a slightly better track record and could be a good bargain for the Lions. I see Willson returning to Seattle to compete for playing time with Will Dissly, Ed Dickson, and others. Kendricks was the most consistent of Green Bay’s tight ends this year, so look for them to retain him alongside Jimmy Graham.

Wow, that’s a lot of quality free agents. The madness will begin in a little over a week. Stay tuned for more predictions later in the week.

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 Midseason Report: Who’s Contending and Who’s Pretending

November 11, 2018November 11, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL Alex Smith, Alvin Kamara, Amari Cooper, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Golden Tate, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jon Gruden, Josh Gordon, Josh Rosen, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, Mark Ingram, Michael Thomas, Midseason Report, NFL, NFL Midseason Report, Nick Mullens, Patrick Mahomes II, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold

Welcome to my 2018 NFL Midseason Report. Today, I will show you my Power Rankings for the first half of the 2018 season and show you my revised season predictions. Comment below with your midseason Super Bowl prediction and keep reading to find out mine.

Part I: Updated NFL Power Rankings (Posted to Instagram Earlier this Week)

Note: Jaguars should say 3-5, not 5-3; otherwise records are as of 11/7.

Before the season, I was not that confident in the Chiefs, Saints, or Rams. But all three have lost just one game in the first nine weeks, so I couldn’t disregard that fact. They all rank Top 4 here, alongside the Patriots, who are riding a 5-game win streak and have dominated offensively week after week since WR Josh Gordon joined the team. I base these Power Rankings not just on performance so far, but ability to continue to thrive, the Pats clearly have that ability.

The Chargers, Panthers, Texans, and Vikings have also been off to strong starts. The Texans started the season 0-3, but have been able to overcome the slow start and win six straight. The Vikings’ record isn’t looking as good as we expected, but their early-season schedule was very difficult. Things should be smooth sailing from here. The Vikes really only had one disappointing loss, and that was to the Bills in one crazy game. The Vikings have not let one embarrassing loss derail them.

In the middle of the pack, you’ll see teams like the Steelers (started slow but have picked up the pace), Bengals, Bears, and Redskins (who surprised early), and teams like the Packers, Eagles, Titans, Falcons, and Jaguars. They have been off to shaky starts, but I expect them to rebound, especially Philly, who does not have that difficult of a schedule remaining. The Eagles and Vikings, last year’s NFC Championship opponents, have struggled early thanks to a tough schedule, but should rebound from it. I could even see them pulling upsets to meet in the NFC Championship again.

The Ravens, Dolphins, Buccaneers, and Broncos are on a down-trend and fall just below this middle group. The Seahawks, Lions, and Cowboys have rode easy schedules to early success, so don’t expect much more from them. I see the down-trending teams as far better than this group. At the bottom, we have the teams that are likely out of contention: the Cardinals, Browns, Colts, Bills, Raiders, Giants, and 49ers. These teams have really struggled early and it will be hard for them to rebound. The Colts may be 3-5, but their wins came against the Raiders, Bills, and Redskins. That’s not a very impressive resume.

Part II: Updated Season Predictions

AFC East

New England Patriots (13-3, 1st Seed in AFC)
Miami Dolphins (8-8)
New York Jets (5-11)
Buffalo Bills (3-13)

They may have started 1-2, but the Patriots have been dominant since Week 4’s match-up against Miami. They should keep on rolling and finish with a 13-3 or 12-4 record, only losing 1-2 more games thanks to offensive dominance. The Dolphins may have started strong, but they should level off now that QB Ryan Tannehill has been hurt for several weeks and their win streak is over. This offense is good but they cannot compete with the top teams in the AFC. QB Sam Darnold and the Jets should win a couple more games, but the injuries they’ve sustained will prevent them from making any kind of playoff run. I don’t see the Bills improving much consdering the QB situation they are in.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6-1, 4th Seed in AFC)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
Cleveland Browns (3-12-1)

The Steelers should end up winning the division, but they won’t be the playoff powerhouse they usually are if RB Le’Veon Bell keeps holding out. They may manage to make it this year, but could this be the beginning of the end of the Steelers? The Bengals and Ravens have had decent seasons and are knocking on Pittsburgh’s door. Meanwhile, the Browns are still not very good, but they’ve clearly improved from last season and could be on the rise in years to come.

AFC South

Houston Texans (12-4, 2nd Seed in AFC)
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6, 6th Seed in AFC)
Tennessee Titans (9-7)
Indianapolis Colts (3-13)

The Texans may have started off slow, but they had a very tough early schedule, and the season only gets easier from here. They should cruise into a Top 3 playoff spot. The Jaguars struggled without RB Leonard Fournette, but I think Fournette’s return should make a difference as the Jags rebound and snag a Wild Card. The Titans aren’t quite as good as they were in 2017, but should still compete for a playoff spot. If I’m wrong about Jacksonville, the Titans may sneak in to the playoffs. The Colts should not win many more games with one of the worst defenses in the league. They’ve only beat one team above .500, and QB Andrew Luck may lead them to another victory or two, but no more than that.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (12-4, 3rd Seed in AFC)
Los Angeles Chargers (12-4, 5th Seed in AFC)
Denver Broncos (8-8)
Oakland Raiders (3-13)

The Chiefs have dominated offensively thanks to the breakout of QB Patrick Mahomes II. Alex Smith left Mahomes with a strong offensive core surrounding him, so the Chiefs should keep rolling. However, the Chiefs have been known for late season plummets and chokes after strong starts. Something tells me their inconsistent defense is going to cost them late in the season. The Chargers may catch up; they’ve only lost to Kansas City and the Rams so far, and it’s hard to beat the same team twice. Denver has looked alright so far with Case Keenum at QB, and the improved offense and strong defense should lead them to a smooth sailing 2nd half. However, I’ve lost hope in the Raiders at this point. Jon Gruden is a good coach. The Raiders just need some defensive talent and a better QB. That won’t come before the end of 2018.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6, 4th Seed in NFC)
Washington Redskins (6-10)
Dallas Cowboys (6-10)
New York Giants (4-12)

Look for QB Carson Wentz and the Eagles to dominate the second half. The Golden Tate trade was a good move, and that will help them jump right back into contention, especially considering their easier 2nd half schedule. They may face the Saints and Rams, but don’t have any other tough match-ups. The Redskins, on the other hand, don’t have it so easy. They’ll face the Texans, Jaguars, and Titans down the road. The Cowboys will improve after the Amari Cooper trade, but I don’t see it being enough. The Giants should win a few more games, as I expect QB Eli Manning to improve slightly in the 2nd half. But they aren’t going anywhere in the NFC East.

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings (11-4-1, 3rd Seed in NFC)
Green Bay Packers (10-5-1, 5th Seed in NFC)
Chicago Bears (7-9)
Detroit Lions (5-11)

The Vikes had a tough schedule early on, but the Patriots are their only remaining opponent with a current record above .500. Things should be smooth sailing from here, especially with RB Dalvin Cook back. The Packers should also make the playoffs. I cannot imagine a healthy Aaron Rodgers missing the playoffs, even with the lack of talent around him. The Bears still face the Vikings twice and the Packers and Rams once each, so I could see them fall out of the playoff picture. I don’t see the Lions winning many more games either after giving up WR Golden Tate. They’re an okay team, but they need defensive help and they play in such a tough division.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints (13-3, 1st Seed in NFC)
Carolina Panthers (10-6, 6th Seed in NFC)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Atlanta Falcons (8-8)

The Saints have been off to a strong start. They added Eli Apple on defense, and they may have a lack of offensive depth, but Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and Michael Thomas alone have led them to a strong season. Carolina should put up a fight for the division as well. Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey have dominated, and the defense has definitely improved despite giving up 52 points to the Steelers. The Bucs might be out of contention, but they do look better than before. They have a deep offense and a young, rising defense that should help them turn it around in the 2nd half. In this tough division, the Falcons will fall behind. They are dominant offensively but the defense has been painfully inconsistent.

NFC West

Los Angeles Rams (13-3, 2nd Seed in NFC)
Seattle Seahawks (6-10)
Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
San Francisco 49ers (5-11)

Until their loss in New Orleans, the Rams were undefeated. So I’ll admit I was wrong about the Rams being overrated. I was also vastly wrong about the Cardinals. They clearly have potential, but QB Josh Rosen needs a couple years to develop. Maybe he’ll have a second-year breakout like Jared Goff did. The Seahawks have been alright so far, but they should also plummet due to a difficult upcoming schedule. The Niners are likely also out of it now that QB Jimmy Garoppolo is done for the year. But QB Nick Mullens should win them a few more games.

Playoff Predictions

I could see a lot of upsets in these playoffs. Look for the Eagles and Vikings to make runs despite rough starts. In the AFC, I think the Pats will see the Chargers in the Championship game. I think the Chiefs will be upset by Jacksonville in the first round. I think it will be a Patriots-Vikings Super Bowl, with the Pats winning in the end.

That’s all for my NFL Midseason Report. Stay tuned for more news 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 9 Picks & Previews: Contenders Keep Going with Close Wins

November 4, 2018November 4, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews 49ers, Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith, Alvin Kamara, Amari Cooper, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Bay Area, Brandon Marshall, Brock Osweiler, Cam Newton, CBS Sports, Chargers, Cooper Kupp, Courtland Sutton, Cowboys, Dak Prescott, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Dalvin Cook, DeMaryius Thomas, Detroit, Detroit Lions, Drew Brees, ESPN, Golden Tate, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Khalil Mack, Kirk Cousins, LA, LA Chargers, Le'Veon Bell, Lions, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chargers, Marshawn Lynch, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Nathan Peterman, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Week 9 Picks, Niners, Oakland, Oakland Raiders, Pack, Packers, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Picks, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Raiders, Ravens, Rob Gronkowski, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Sony Michel, Steelers, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Terrelle Pryor Jr., Titans, TNF, Vikes, Vikings, Will Fuller, Will Fuller V

Welcome to my Week 9 NFL Picks & Previews. Last week I went 7-7, putting my overall record at 68-51-2 (69-51-2 including Week 9 TNF). I am ahead of 3 ESPN experts and 1 CBS Sports expert. Look for a lot of the borderline contenders to prove themselves this week with important wins. I think the Ravens will shut down the Steelers for the 2nd time this year, the Vikings will silence the Lions, and the Chargers will dominate the 4-3 Seahawks coming off the bye week. The Chargers had put a 4-game win streak together prior to the bye. Although some of these contenders will win, some will be upset. Who will fall in a shocking upset? Who will remain elite? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week

Expect LA’s explosive offense to embarrass the young Seattle D in a blowout. With WR Brandon Marshall a free agent, QB Russell Wilson will also struggle to find reliable open men. Meanwhile, QB Philip Rivers will lead the Chargers to a blowout victory with 4+ TD.

Upset of the Week

I don’t think WR Amari Cooper will make much of a difference for QB Dak Prescott and the troubled Dallas pass offense. Their big week against Jacksonville is a sign of big things to come, but it won’t happen this week as Tennessee’s secondary steps it up. The Titans will bounce back from a rough October with a triumphant Monday Night victory coming off the bye as they shock the Cowboys in their first home loss of the season.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter on Thursday Night; Actual Score: 34-3 49ers)	Even with their third-string QB starting, I think this young 49ers offense can put together a big game considering how bad the Oakland D has been without DE Khalil Mack. Oakland’s season will begin to fall apart despite looking okay on offense. I don’t think they will win many more games with RB Marshawn Lynch out and WR Amari Cooper gone.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Brock Osweiler somehow led for the Dolphins to victory in Week 7. But I don’t see him winning against the Jets elite secondary. Expect multiple interceptions here, even on Osweiler’s home turf. QB Sam Darnold will step it up to secure a Jets victory on the road. QB Ryan Tannehill spoiled New York’s home opener. Darnold will look for revenge with Tannehill injured for the third straight game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Chicago’s defense to lead them to victory against another banged-up AFC East team in the Bills. Buffalo will have to settle for Nathan Peterman at QB, although they did add another weapon in Terrelle Pryor Jr. for him. I think Peterman will look better than usual and make this close, but there’s no way he leads the Bills to victory against this Bears defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Pittsburgh was starting to look alright without RB Le’Veon Bell. But there’s no way they get past this versatile Ravens run defense without their star running back. This will make it hard for Pittsburgh to outscore Baltimore. I don’t see the Steelers defense performing any better than usual against this deep Ravens receiving corps.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Against a rebuilding Browns defense, QB Patrick Mahomes II should be dominant as usual. I could even see him throwing 4 TD in this game. The Chiefs defense will slip a little against QB Baker Mayfield and an improved Cleveland offense, but Mahomes’ field day will be enough for them here.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for the Redskins to play complimentary football here in an all-around strong game. They will utilize their versatile roster as they win at home. Atlanta’s washed-up defense will also struggle to contain QB Alex Smith’s deep receiving corps.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for serious regression from Detroit’s offense as they face one of the league’s best defenses without WR Golden Tate. I have the Vikes holding them under 10 here. QB Kirk Cousins and his receivers won’t look much better, but they should manage to get by. Don’t expect many more losses by the Vikes either. With RB Dalvin Cook healthy, things should be smooth sailing. They’ve really only had one concerning loss this whole season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Cam Newton and the Panthers offense should ride the momentum they gathered in Week 8 to beat the Bucs in Carolina. They should not be concerned about facing a Buccaneers D that has struggled all season. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will not be enough to lead Tampa to victory here as Carolina shuts down Tampa’s run game. That puts a lot of pressure on Fitzpatrick, which could cause him to struggle.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Houston will struggle offensively, as WR Demaryius Thomas doesn’t provide much of an upgrade over WR Will Fuller. Plus, Denver’s secondary knows Thomas very well and will be able to shut him down. The Broncos will edge out a victory in a low scoring game as WR Courtland Sutton steps it up with Thomas flipping sides. Don’t expect much scoring though. This is a battle of two of the AFC’s best defenses.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The Rams will stay undefeated with a road win over New Orleans. Their elite defense will come ready to shut down QB Drew Brees, RB Alvin Kamara and the Saints offense. Even with WR Cooper Kupp back, the Rams won’t be at full speed on offense. But they should get past the Saints thanks to elite defense and a last minute, victory-securing TD.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	If RB Sony Michel and TE Rob Gronkowski are healthy, this will be a blowout. Otherwise, it could be close. QB Aaron Rodgers will struggle to find open men here, as the Patriots secondary will keep Rodgers’ small number of dependable receivers well covered. The Pats offense will be back to dominance if they have Gronk and Michel. But after New England’s hiccup without them last week, I don’t think the offense would be the same without them. I think they will be able to play, but I’m not an injury expert. Either way, New England should win and remain undefeated at home.

That’s all for this week. Stay tuned for more NFL posts soon, including my mid-season report (I usually post it after Week 8, but have delayed it until after Week 9 to the chaotic playoff picture we have right now). Hopefully, Week 9 will settle some things.

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

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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 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 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

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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.

Thursday Night Football	I expect the Chiefs to come out on top in the end here. QB Patrick Mahomes’ offense is a dominant force and I doubt this weakening Texans D will be able to keep up. However, the Texans will make it close, as the duo of WR Brandin Cooks and WR Will Fuller should be able to outplay Kansas City’s secondary. I think they might even force OT.
	I think QB Cam Newton will rely on pass catching RB James White and slot WR Julian Edelman to beat out an improved, but still below average Dolphins defense. On the other hand, WR DeVante Parker and TE Mike Gesicki are no match for Stephon Gilmore and Devin McCourty.
	The Browns have a good front seven, but it won’t be enough to stop dual threat QB Lamar Jackson. I expect Kevin Stefanski to completely modify the Browns offense and that will allow them to make this competitive. However, in Baltimore I see them falling short.
	QB Gardner Minshew II is lacking surroundings. I expect WR D.J. Chark to have a good game thanks to their chemistry, but it’ll be tough against this improved Colts D. The Colts also have an improved run game behind an elite o-line that should dominate against a crumbling Jaguars defense.
	The Raiders do have an improving offense centered around RB Josh Jacobs and TE Darren Waller, and they will make it close against an unproven Panthers defense. But I expect RB Christian McCaffrey to run all over the Raiders D in this one.
	Washington’s defense is looking better than it has in a while, with a front seven led by rookie Chase Young and veteran Ryan Kerrigan, plus a secondary that includes CB Kendall Fuller and S Landon Collins. They will hold the Eagles to just 1 TD, but fall short due to anemic offense.
	The Vikings D is looking strong after adding DE Yannick Ngakoue, so I expect a strong Week 1 performance against Green Bay. RB Dalvin Cook will lead Minnesota to victory, but it will be close with natural slot WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson rotating outside.
	The Lions won’t put up too many points as I expect the Bears D to improve upon last year. But the Bears QB troubles will cause them to fall short. I think QB Mitch Trubisky will have some success with RB Tarik Cohen and WR Allen Robinson, but be too inconsistent to finish the job. I have Detroit taking it in OT.
	This is definitely going to be a close one. But on the road, I have the Seahawks falling short. QB Matt Ryan will lean on his strong WR duo and RB Todd Gurley to lead Atlanta to victory in overtime.
	The Chargers secondary is looking strong, but the loss of S Derwin James hurts. I think QB Joe Burrow will capitalize on his connection with WR Tyler Boyd and find ways to beat out this strong Chargers D, pulling off the upset in his debut. The Chargers offense will show flashes of a strong performance but struggle overall with Tyrod Taylor at QB.
	QBs Tom Brady and Drew Brees face off twice this year. In this one, I’m expecting the Saints to squeeze by for a victory in a back and forth offensive shootout. WRs Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin will all get the chance to stand out here.
Sunday Night Football	I’m expecting an OT thriller in the first edition of SNF this year. QB Jared Goff will be under center in a pass heavy offense that outplays the Cowboys secondary and makes this one close. But QB Dak Prescott will rely on what’s arguably the best WR trio in the league alongside RB Ezekiel Elliott as he leads the Cowboys to last minute victory.
Monday Night Football	This could be tough for the Giants as Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses in the league. But the Giants defense has also improved, and I expect them to slow down RB James Conner and make things difficult for QB Ben Roethlisberger in his return. This could go either way, but I have New York pulling off an upset in overtime.
Monday Night Football	I think the Broncos will shut down QB Ryan Tannehill and make it hard for the Titans offense to put up much. But RB Derrick Henry will just be too much for Denver, allowing the Titans to stay in this game. Denver’s offense will take time to click after all the new additions, but I think RB Melvin Gordon and rookie WR Jerry Jeudy will make a difference as the Broncos narrowly get by here.

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Lock of the Week

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