STRAIGHT PICK-EM

With Covid-19, I thought the NFL would never happen due to being a contact sport. Since the league will be playing, we will take a wild stab at each match up every week and try to pick the winner. We may pick out of a hat. Perhaps some axe throwing at the dart board may determine the winner. Hell, we don’t know how we will figure out the winner like we care. We will make an educated guess each match up, cross our fingers, and pray we get each match up right. I do recommend you go with the opposite. Tall boys after tall boys mean we have not gotten it right for a very long time.

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

HOUSTON TEXANS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

OUR PICK:CHIEFS

It’s opening night and the Chiefs will be amped up, being at home and coming off the sweet Super Bowl victory. Always have to go home team for the Superbowl champion in the first game of the season. They always relive the magic.

THE SUNDAY SLATE

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

OUR PICK:COLTS

This is the rise of the Phillip Rivers. Once a superhero and now turned human, and just dreadful last season ending his time on the west coast. Like the Dark Knight Rises, Rivers reforms himself in the off season in an undisclosed location. Rivers will ride again this time in Indianapolis. The Jaguars makes Rivers’ first villain, an easy one like the Riddler. But, we know this team has no answers. The Rivers rises again. Just can’t wait until he faces the Joker and the other clowns to his left.

CHICAGO BEARS AT DETROIT LIONS

OUR PICK: LIONS

This game I went back and forth on in my mind. I know Mitch Trubisky has a good record versus the Lions. Bears defense screams in my mind. Then I go back to the early season struggles Mitch Trubisky has historically. Why is Nick Foles being paid big money to sit? Lions were in every game last season and had late leads in most of them. This season opener they’ll manage to hold them and not fold them.

VEGAS RAIDERS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS

OUR PICK PANTHERS

First thing is a west coast team traveling east will not help Las Vegas’ first official NFL game with their new team. I like Teddy Bridgewater’s chances with a bad Raider defense in the second half of last season. Raiders made improvements. Bridgewater will play a clean game and use his weapons. Christian McCaffrey is the best back in the league and D.J Moore, one of the best receivers in the league. Panthers forget all about the cookie they had for many years. New Sheriff in town.

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

OUR PICK: PATRIOTS

Miami has improved. I know Miami has the hex on the Patriots, but in Miami, not Boston. The Evil Empire will prevail in the first week. It may not be pretty, but the Patriots game plan will be the key. I think fans will be wanting their Brady back despite the win.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM

OUR PICK:EAGLES

Washington is still in the process of grooming their young quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. New system. New coach. Carson Wentz has been there and done that. Eagles win on the road.

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS

What could have been if the Browns never moved to Baltimore?

OUR PICK:RAVENS

Browns have another coaching staff. No preseason. I think they will need to iron more wrinkles out with this team, especially after what that moron Freddie Kitchens did to them last season. Lamar Jackson will fine tune their play and rebound from that devastating loss in the playoffs last season.

LA CHARGERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS

OUR PICK:BENGALS

WHY NOT? Why can’t number one draft pick Joe Burrows come out on top of Chargers Tyrod Taylor? Bengals will have all their play makers healthy unlike last season. What did the Chargers do to improve in the off season? Bengals earn their stripes in the opener and send the Chargers back to LA as they may think about when to put their rookie quarterback in.

NEW YORK JETS AT BUFFALO BILLS

OUR PICK:BILLS

I know Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott will have his team ready and not take the Jets lightly. I see the Bills defense giving the Jets fits. I think with Josh Allen, we will see some big time improvement of his play behind center. Last season he took steps. This season Allen makes strides.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT ATLANTA FALCONS

OUR PICK:SEAHAWKS

The thing that impressed me last season was the Seahawks winning road games. The Falcons are even a better offense than they were last season, adding some nice toys for Matt Ryan to bring out this Sunday. Seattle’s secondary is my X-factor in this close game which will force Ryan to make some mistakes. Russell Wilson finds a way to win close ones and he’ll do it in Atlanta.

PACKERS AT VIKINGS

OUR PICK:PACKERS

I hate saying this. After the Packers drafted a quarterback in the first round, it gives Aaron Rodgers an axe to grind. I could see Rodgers getting off to a very quick start, especially in a building with no fans. The viking horn without the crowd is nothing to disrupt the Green Machine offense. Kirk Cousins in big games; I have no faith in him. The Vikings defense has been revamped with some new blood. The Packers defense improved last season. Should be the same or even better.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT NEW ORLEANS

OUR PICK:BUCCANEERS

This is the game of the week in my book and everyone else in the NFL world probably agrees. Tom Brady versus Drew Brees sounds like a monster movie or heavy weight boxing match for all the marbles. I hate Tom Brady. Love to the Saints… knock the Buccaneers who are now one of teams you must hate into tomorrow.

My gut feeling which seems like the way the script goes is the villain, Tom Brady, will win the first match up between these two future hall of fame quarterbacks. The villain always strikes first leaving Brees to swoop down and take out Brady in the second match up.

CARDINALS AT 49ERS

OUR PICK:CARDINALS

Last season Cardinals gave the 49ers a run for their money in two games they played against each other. The Cards added DeAndre Hopkins to the mix that makes Arizona’s receiving core even better. Remember, Larry Fitzgerald still wears the bird on his helmet. The losing team in the Superbowl always seems to be hungover the following season. I recommend a greasy cheeseburger with an egg on top of it.

DALLAS COWBOYS AT LA RAMS

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

Cowboys make their mark in the Rams new stadium that will get appreciation from St. Louis, the town the Rams left. I think Dak and company get off solidly with a big win on the road. Dak Prescott will be on a mission to take his play to the elite level of Patrick Mahomes in search for big money at Menards.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT NEW YORK GIANTS

OUR PICK:STEELERS

Big Ben must be salivating. His comeback from injury last year that sidelined him most of the season, is against a weak Giants secondary. Steelers all night long.

TENNESSEE TITANS AT DENVER BRONCOS

OUR PICK:TITANS

Titans add Jadeveon Clowney while the Broncos lose Von Miller with a freak injury for the entire season. Derrick Henry runs wild and Titans make it known early they were no fluke last season.