WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S

WEEK 1 RECORD: 11-5

In week one we come away with a winning record. We drank the Kool-aid picking the Bears. The Panthers pick bites us on the rear. Suddenly Joe Cool can win a game in week 1. We did pick Colts to beat the Dolphins as perhaps the best pick of the week. We wish we jumped on the Chargers bandwagon beating the Chiefs. In week two, there’s plenty of solid match-ups. We may look better or implode, but our goal is the same – win the weekly football pool. Let’s roll out week two’s clunkers.

NFL WEEK 2 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-0) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (1-0)

Can we be impressed with the Green Bay Packers in week 1 on what they did to the Lions? The Commanders beat the Giants, a team they should beat, and almost every NFL team in the league should. The Lions either self-destructed and made Jordan Love look like a young Aaron Rodgers, or a Brett Farve.

The new big cheese in dairyland, Micah Parsons, has elevated Green Bay’s young defense as they are playing on another level. The visiting Commanders have Jayden Daniels who is a new kind of beast in the NFL, a guy that can do it all behind center. As a rookie he had ice in his veins when the game was on the line. In week 1 the Commanders mostly unloaded their running game against the G-Men. The Packers held the Lions rushing attack to 50 yards. I would like to think the Lions just self-imploded and made the Packers look that good in week 1. I think the home team has the advantage this week. The Packers have settled in at home playing their second straight game there. It’s a short week which is bad for any visiting team. The last time Washington beat Green Bay in Wisconsin, you have to go back to 1988. It was not even at Lambeau Field as the Packers played a few games back then in Milwaukee. Love is hot right now and Daniels is still finding his groove. The big cheese is very familiar with Washington playing most of his career with the Cowboys. Parsons can chase down Daniels.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

THE SUNDAY TILT

CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-1) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (0-1)

The Browns and Ravens are both coming off tough losses in week 1. The Browns defense held the Bengals to 141 total yards of offense in week 1. The Ravens thought they had their game in the bag but saw a 15 point lead vanish in the last 4 minutes on Sunday night to the Bills. Since 2008, the Ravens have lost 17 games when they were leading by double digit points in the second half. Which has been the most in the NFL. Can Joe Flacco beat his former team in Baltimore? He has only faced his old team once with the Jets in 2022 and lost that one. The Bengals defense coming in were not supposed to be anything good and held the Browns to 16 points. I can’t see the Browns putting up 40 points on this Ravens defense who will be looking to perform better than they did in week 1. First thoughts of this game, you think walk in the park for Baltimore. Since 2022 the Browns and Ravens have split the series 3-3 in six match ups. The Browns went 3-14 last year of which 1 win came from the Ravens. I think Baltimore pulls out a victory at home in a close one.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-0) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-0)

The Jaguars traded up to get two-way player Travis Hunter in last April’s draft. The former Heisman trophy winner plays wide receiver and corner back. The Jags won their first game of the season last week as Hunter played 44 plays on offense & caught 6 balls for 33 yards. He played only six plays on defense and registered a solo tackle. The Bengals did not dig themselves an early season hole as they won their first game of the year which is not Cincinnati-like. Joe Burrow was held to 113 passing yards. Burrow is not a duel threat quarterback so the Bengals offense were hurtful to fantasy owners throughout the world. Trevor Lawrence was back behind center & was held to under 200 yards passing but did not make any mistakes versus the Panthers. Jaguars are under new management with Liam Coen as a new head coach who wants to clean up his surfboard dude quarterback. The Bengals shockingly played solidly versus the Browns. I can see them hanging tough versus this Jaguars team. I can see Burrow coming out on the Bengals home opener firing on all cylinders. Hunter may razzle us with one or two plays, but not enough to take down the Bengals on the road.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

NEW YORK GIANTS (0-1) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (0-1)

The Cowboys offense was firing on all cylinders in the first half of the NFL opener versus the Eagles. In the second half, the defenses took over for both the Cowboys and Eagles in that opener as either team could stop each other in the first half. The Giants offense needs a major face lift. New York is thinking they can resurrect the career of their new starting quarterback Russell Wilson, but they are mistaken. Giants were held under ten points versus the Commanders and Wilson completed 45.9%. Wilson did OK last year in Pittsburgh, but he is far and away from the guy in Seattle. Dak Prescott has a trio of weapons he can throw the football to as that Cowboy offense could be legit if George Pickens can get his head out of his rear. The Cowboys defense is a work in progress but only gave up 3 points in the second half versus the Eagles after they had their way with them in the first. The Cowboys are the better team and should notch their first victory in front of the home crowd this weekend.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

CHICAGO BEARS (0-1) AT DETROIT LIONS (0-1)

Last week most people were drinking the Chicago Bears Kool-aid picking them over the Vikings. Bears ended up getting beaten by a rookie QB making his debut. In typical Chicago fashion, the Vikings QB JJ McCarthy is a local kid who grew up a Bears fan. What happened to the Lions last week? Either Green Bay is superior to everyone in the league or they self imploded. The Lions offense looked like they missed Ben Johnson, their former 0-Coodinator who now is the head coach of the Bears. Johnson was supposed to upgrade Caleb Williams and the Bears offensive line coming to Chicago. I’ve seen no signs. I have to go with Lions, a playoff team the last two years rebounding quickly in week two over a Bears team that has a history of blowing up as soon as the first quarter starts in game one of the regular season. The Bears I give credit to, as they won the pre-season. They beat the Chiefs and the Bills. They were going to the post-season. The Vikings comeback pulls the rug from under the Bears fans.

OUR PICK: LIONS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-1) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-1)

I really don’t think Dolphins fans are trying to save their head coach’s job. The Dolphins looked like fins out of the water in week 1 versus the Colts. In New England the Patriots began the Mike Vrabel-era part two of the Death Star and that ended up in a loss to the visiting Raiders. The Patriots lost a close game unlike the Dolphins. That does not really mean anything as teams all the time play a horrific bad week and rebound in week 2.

The Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels better pray and hope his squad does that in their home opener because his tush is getting red hot right now. Many think he will be the first one fired this season. I think Patriots will bring it all. Miami is a tough place to play for visiting teams with the heat. Look for Tua Tagovailoa to redeem himself after a very rough game in week one as Dolphins Save Ferris at least for one more game.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-0) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-1)

Something you will never see again – a Big Mac for 0.99 cents. That’s probably what it cost the 49ers in the off-season to sign the former Patriots & Jags quarterback this off season. Brock Purdy is out with an injury and now it’s Mac tonight with Mac Jones getting the start. The Saints played better than I thought versus the Cardinals last week. Spencer Rattler is now 0-7 as the starting QB for the Saints. The 49ers injury list grew with George Kittle who is also out in this one. Injuries killed the 49ers last week. I think the 49ers still have plenty of talent to overcame the Saints for their second straight home game. Watch Mac Jones flourish in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Jones has had his ups and downs in the NFL. Mostly downs. My Spidey senses tell me he will have a good day and is still not sold on Rattler yet. Even though he may have the coolest last name over any other QB in the league.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

BUFFALO BILLS (1-0) AT NEW YORK JETS (0-1)

Last year the Bills swept the Jets. In Met Life Stadium where the Jets play their home games, Josh Allen is not your typical Josh Allen. The Bills won there last year 23-20. Then at home Bills beat up on the Jets 40-14. The Jets now have a new field manager in Justin Fields and new head coach in Aaron Glenn, former Lions D-Coordinator. The Jets were involved in an offensive shoot out with the Steelers as Pittsburgh prevailed at the end. The Bills stampeded back versus the Ravens down by 15 with 4 minutes remaining to win that game. I think both defenses will be much better in week two. Fields played well last week in his Jets debut. Once again in close games he fails to deliver in crunch time. I bet the farm Allen would deliver a W in a close game over Fields. I think the Bills defense who had egg on their face from being burned by Derrick Henry, responds in this one to help their quarterback at Met Life prevail.

OUR PICK: BILLS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-1) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-0)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking turns with their revenge tours. In week 1 Aaron Rodgers got his revenge against the NY Jets. Now it’s wide receiver DK Metcalf’s turn as he faces his old team, the Seahawks. It was Seattle who traded Metcalf to Pittsburgh during the off-season. The Seahawks also traded away their starting QB from last year, Geno Smith. Then signed Sam Darnold who had a career year in Minnesota last year. Darnold was nothing special in week 1 in his debut as he tallied up 150 passing yards with no touchdown passes & no interceptions in a loss to the 49ers at home. He did have a costly fumble in the game. The offense was dormant as the Seattle defense kept them in the game. The Steelers offense was humming as their defense was more of a shower curtain than a Steel one. How will all this unfold? This is a long flight for Seattle. I question the Seahawks offensive line at this time. Rodgers is out to prove his critics wrong. Metalf will help his QB cause and his own. The Steelers defense also have a rebound in their home debut.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

LA RAMS (1-0) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (0-1)

Cam Ward was thrown into the wolves den making his NFL debut versus the Broncos defense. Mr. Number 1 overall completed 12-28 passes for 112 passing yards for the Titans. He was sacked 6 times and lost a fumble. It was the Titans defense that kept the game close. For the Rams they were in a close one with the Texans. Everyone was waiting for the Rams to unleash their exotic aerial attack with their new toy wide receiver Davante Adams who signed with LA in the off-season. Pairing Adams up with Puka Nacua with the Rams running game this offense should be able to put a ton of points up on most of the competition. I think the Rams will score enough points off the Titans to win this game. I think the Rams defense will disrupt Ward’s growth as a quarterback making him have another bad day at the office. The Titans offense had too many penalties as a whole and dropped too many balls. It’s a work in progress for rookies. They will take their lumps in losses most of the time before they take those solid steps forward.

OUR PICK: RAMS

ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-0) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-1)

I don’t know what I was thinking picking the Panthers in week 1 over the Jaguars. I also thought the Cardinals would have scored more points off a bad Saints team in week one. Bryce Young is now back to back to his old ways as a QB after doing well in the second half of the season. The Cardinals will be on their second consecutive road game to start the season. Kyler Murray was sacked 5 times in the opener. He had two touchdown passes & no interceptions. Before I pick Young and the Panthers again like some kind of fool, I have to see improvement with my own eyes. I like the Cardinals defense in this one. They should do enough to keep the Panthers from breaking out on the scoreboard. Look for James Conner to have a big game versus the Panthers defense. I like Murray to have a bigger day than he had in week 1 as well. Look for better protection in week 2 for their QB by the Cardinals.

OUR PICK: CARDINALS

DENVER BRONCOS (1-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1-0)

The Colts have had talent on the offensive side of the ball the last few seasons. They just needed a QB. Two seasons ago Gardner Minshew almost had the Colts in the post-season. Last week Daniel Jones was throwing dimes out there on the field as Colts scored 33 points and beat up on the Dolphins. For Denver the Broncos won a ugly game against the Titans who would not go away. Bo Nix was not the Bo Nix from last season. Jones went 22-29 for 272 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Now he faces Denver which is a different animal on defense than the Dolphins. I’m going to roll with the Colts being at home. Their defense has improved. The Broncos should be back in the post-season this season. They are a solid team. They look like they are still knocking the rust off. I think Jones can do enough to win this game. His mind set is light years ahead from his playing days in the Big Apple. The Colts offense also has a solid running game with Jonathan Taylor which will help Jones avoid the dumb mistakes like he did when he wore a Giants uniform.

OUR PICK: COLTS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-0) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-1)

Can you imagine the Kansas City Chiefs starting out the season 0-2? The Chiefs took a loss in Brazil by Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers as Justin Herbert did his own version of the Patrick Mahomes Houdini act using his legs to make big plays happen. The Eagles raised their Superbowl banner at home in the NFL opener by beating the Cowboys.

REVENGE WEEK

The Eagles as you remember gave the Chiefs a beat down in the Superbowl. A few years before that Patrick Mahomes guided the Chiefs to a comeback victory over the Eagles in that Superbowl win. Here we go again with part three of the Eagles/Chiefs but this time meeting up in regular season. I want to pick Eagles in this one. Watching the Eagles last week they are missing too many guys from that Superbowl defense that stomped out the Swifties. The Chiefs at home. I can’t see them going 0-2 to start the season either. I have to go Chiefs. I hope this pick will be wrong.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

ATLANTA FALCONS (0-1) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-0)

The Vikings made a 4th quarter comeback versus the Bears to win their first game of the year on the road. It was JJ McCarthy’s NFL debut and it did not look pretty until late in the game. The Falcons had some kicking issues in a loss versus their archrival Buccaneers. Michael Penix Jr. from the Falcons played well as he was picked in the same draft and round as McCarthy and made his debut late in the season for Atlanta. Both Atlanta and Minnesota seem like every game they play is too close for comfort if you are a fan of any of these teams. Last year the Vikings stomped down on the Falcons in an old-fashioned beat down. The two QB’s at the time was Sam Darnold versus Kirk Cousins. I think McCarthy has confidence after his 4th quarter versus the Bears. I think he will now be like Darnold and enjoy all the weapons he has. The Falcons have a great running game, but the Vikings are very good at stopping the run. If Falcons win it will be all about how Penix plays. That Viking defense will come after Penix with all those fancy blitz packages that were orchestrated by Brian Flores. You do not know who is coming and where they are coming. Vikings in another close one.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

THE MONDAY NIGHT DOUBLE HEADER

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-0) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (0-1)

If the NFL had only two divisions and they were both from the south in each conference, this game may be the Superbowl. The Buccaneers fought tooth and nail versus their arch-rival the Falcons and won the game. It was a Baker Mayfield drive to seal the deal and a missed kick. Houston battled the Rams and came out on the losing side of that one. Houston failed to score a touchdown off the Rams defense. The Texans have the home field advantage. How will the Texans offensive line do against a blitzing style Buccaneers pass rush. The Texans offensive line is not very good. CJ Stroud continues to struggle after his amazing rookie season where he looked like he was getting a ticket to Canton. Give me Baker Mayfield and that offense which was moving the ball last week, not like the lame duck of the Texans O.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

LA CHARGERS (1-0) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-0)

With the Chiefs and Broncos losing in week 1, it makes the Raiders and Chargers tied for first in the AFC West. How about those apples? Geno Smith is the new QB for the Raiders. With Pete Carol, his old coach, Smith passed for 362 yards in his first ever game as a Raider. He had 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Justin Herbert beat the Chiefs in Brazil in their first game of the season. Herbert is 3-7 all-time versus the Chiefs. Herbert is 6-3 all-time versus the black and silver. Herbert vs Smith only happened once when Geno played for the Seahawks. Smith won that game. Both starters have a similar record as a starter. Smith is 41-43 as a starter all-time in the NFL. Smith is older than Herbert. Herbert’s record is 42-38 as a starter. This game will be a shoot out. I like the Chargers winning a close one here. The way Herbert played against the Chiefs was something that sticks in the back of my mind. How he scrambled around in the pocket making some nice throws on the run and using his feet for yards. I think Chargers ruin the Raiders opener.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS