It feels like an eternity ago since February 3, 2019. The Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots played in a lackluster Super Bowl that left many fans underwhelmed. As a result, many fans were left desiring more, and that desire has festered all summer long. The NFL Draft changed the entire dynamic of the league as the Cardinals, Giants and Redskins all drafted their franchise QBs. Many other top-tier college athletes joined NFL rosters. There have been multiple blockbuster trades since the Super Bowl including the Antonio Brown and Jadeveon Clowney trades. Some teams, like the Cowboys and Chargers, are potentially embracing life without their star running backs due to contract negotiations. Meanwhile, the Colts are picking up the pieces of their team after Andrew Luck retired. Regardless of which franchise is your favorite, the entire power structure of the NFL has dramatically changed. This season is the NFL’s 100th season, and I expect nothing less than drama, chaos and dynamic play. Here are my straight-up picks for every week 1 game:
Week 1 (Previous combined record: 0-0)
Key:
- Italicized team is favorited, according to odds makers
- The team listed first is the home team
Chicago Bears (-3) vs. Green Bay Packers: Packers win 24-21
Philadelphia Eagles (-9.5) vs. Washington Redskins: Eagles win 24-10
Cleveland Browns (-5.5) vs. Tennessee Titans: Titans win 27-23
Miami Dolphins (+6.5) vs. Baltimore Ravens: Ravens win 31-13
Minnesota Vikings (-3.5) vs. Atlanta Falcons: Vikings win 26-23
New York Jets (-3) vs. Buffalo Bills: Jets win 30-21
Carolina Panthers (+3) vs. Los Angeles Rams: Rams win 37-28
Jacksonville Jaguars (+4) vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Chiefs win 38-16
Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5) vs. Indianapolis Colts: Chargers win 36-27
Seattle Seahawks (-9.5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Seahawks win 30-17
Dallas Cowboys (-7) vs. New York Giants: Cowboys win 24-23
Arizona Cardinals (+2.5) vs. Detroit Lions: Lions win 30-13
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (EVEN) vs. San Francisco 49ers: Buccaneers win 33-26
New England Patriots (-5.5) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Patriots win 24-20
New Orleans Saints (-7) vs. Houston Texans: Saints win 35-26
Oakland Raiders (-1) vs. Denver Broncos: Broncos win 27-21
Eric Fenstermaker 