NFL Week 1 Predictions

 The time has finally arrived! We witnessed the Bills surprisingly blow out the Rams on Thursday night, and now, we get to watch the other 30 NFL teams go at it on Sunday. And between the Patriots taking on the Dolphins, the Raiders going to LA to face the Chargers, and a 2021 week 1 rematch between the Bucs and the Cowboys, there should be lots of fireworks to kick off what should be a very memorable season. Let's get to the picks!

Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions: 1:00 PM ET (FOX)

This should be a interesting matchup. The Lions are a rebuilding team that has some intriguing young talent on the roster, while the Eagles are a good team that will attempt to become great this season. Just like last season, the Lions will be competitive, but the Eagles will pull away late led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is primed to have a monster season under center.

Eagles 33 Lions 17

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins: 1:00 PM ET (CBS)

Bill Belichick is probably the greatest coach in NFL history. But he does have a kryptonite: winning in Miami. The Patriots are just 5-7 in their last twelve road games, and it doesn't seem like their fortunes will change this year as they will take on a Dolphins team that made massive upgrades during the offseason. Patriots fans will not be able to get these three words out of their heads on Monday morning: Tua to Tyreek.

Patriots 13 Dolphins 30

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans: 1:00 PM ET (CBS)

Sunday will mark new beginnings for veteran QB Matt Ryan, who will be making his Colts debut against a Texans team that is is rebuilding. Ryan should bring a stable element to the Colts passing game while taking pressure off of Jonathan Taylor, who led the league in rushing yards last season. The Colts have lost 8 straight opening day games, which somehow isn't the longest opening day victory drought in the league (the Browns have lost 17 straight). But I think they emphatically end that drought on Sunday and start 2022 off at 1-0.

Colts 27 Texans 10

San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears: 1:00 PM ET (FOX)

This game looks like a huge mismatch on paper. The 49ers were one game away from making the Super Bowl last season and now, get to usher in a new era as Trey Lance takes over as the franchise QB. Meanwhile, Justin Fields will try to bounce back from a dismal rookie season. Unfortunately for Fields, he will have to go up against a very good 49ers defence that I think will pressure him and give him problems all day long. Niners win big.

49ers 28 Bears 14

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons: 1:00 PM ET (FOX)

On paper, the Saints are a much better football team than the Falcons. The Saints comes in as a team that will attempt to make their 5th postseason appearance in the last 6 seasons, while the Falcons should be in the hunt for the number one overall draft pick in 2023. But rivalry matchups can be tricky and with this game being in Atlanta, I think this game will be close throughout until the 4th quarter where the Saints pull away with what should be a much improved offence from last season.

Saints 30 Falcons 20

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals: 1:00 PM ET (CBS)

Another rivalry matchup here, this time in the AFC North. The Bengals come in as the defending AFC champions and will look to continue their dominance against the Steelers (3-0 record vs Pittsburgh since 2020, +55 point margin during that span). But we all know that a Mike Tomlin-led Steelers team will not go down quietly. The Bengals offence will have trouble early on against a good Pittsburgh defence before winning it late behind Joe Burrow.

Steelers 20 Bengals 23

Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers: 1:00 PM ET (CBS)

One of the most intriguing games on the Week 1 slate will take place in Carolina as the Panthers host the Browns. Baker Mayfield will make his Panthers debut as he will try to get revenge on the team that drafted him with the first overall pick in 2018. On the other side, Jacoby Brissett will get the start for the Browns as Deshaun Watson serves his 11 game suspension. Mayfield will play well, but I think the Browns get the win behind a monster performance by Nick Chubb on the ground.

Browns 26 Panthers 24

Baltimore Ravens @ New York Jets: 1:00 PM ET (CBS)

Joe Flacco gets the start for the Jets with Zack Wilson out due to injury, which means we get another matchup of a quarterback going up against his old team in Week 1. The Ravens and their star quarterback Lamar Jackson were not able to come to a agree on a contract extension, which I think will only motivate Jackson to play at a very high level this season. Baltimore wins big.

Ravens 36 Jets 16

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Washington Commanders: 1:00 PM ET (FOX)

The Jaguars will try to put the Urban Meyer era in the rearview mirror as Doug Pederson makes his coaching debut for the Jags. After mightily struggling during his rookie year, Trevor Lawrence comes into his second year with improved weapons and a head coach that actually knows what he's doing. However, the Commanders are at home and have some talented weapons of their own on offence. Carson Wentz gets a W in his first game with Washington.

Jaguars 27 Commanders 30

New York Giants @ Tennessee Titans: 4:25 PM ET (FOX)

A new era begins in New York as Brian Daboll makes his head-coaching debut with the Giants. Daboll's arrival could immediately help this Giants offence, which ranked 31st in total offence. However, a Giants team that finished in the bottom 10 in run defence will have to go up against one of the best running backs in the league in Derrick Henry. Titans will win comfortably at home.

Giants 17 Titans 28

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers: 4:25 PM ET (CBS)

What a game this should be. Two AFC West teams that have explosive playmakers on offence and game-wreckers on defence. The Raiders knocked the Chargers out of the playoff race with a thrilling win in Week 18 last season. I think we'll get another barnburner between these two. But the result will change as the Chargers win at home behind Justin Herbert and a much improved defence that will clinch the victory with a strip-sack by former Raider Khalil Mack.

Raiders 30 Chargers 37

Kansas City Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals: 4:25 PM ET (CBS)

Patrick Mahomes vs Kyler Murray in Week 1. It can't get any more exciting than that! Even without Tyreek Hill, this Chiefs offence will still be deadly in 2022. Meanwhile, Murray get a new contract with the Cardinals, and their offence has a lot of explosive talent. But that defence is looking nasty (and not in a good way). Chiefs win in a shootout.

Chiefs 41 Cardinals 30

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings: 4:25 PM ET (FOX)

Kevin O'Connell makes his highly anticipated head-coaching debut as the Vikings host Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have won three straight division titles and boast a record of 39-10 during the regular season over the last three seasons. It will be interesting to see how Green Bay's offence looks with Davante Adams no longer on the team. But the Vikings offence will have to score points against a very good Packers defence. It will be low-scoring, but I think Minnesota will get a close win in the final seconds.

Packers 17 Vikings 20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys: 8:20 PM ET (NBC)

These two teams met up in Week 1 last season in Tampa where the Bucs won 31-29 in a wild opening game. This time around, the game will be in Dallas as the Cowboys will try to establish themselves as a contender in the NFC. Both teams are dealing with issues with their offensive lines, so even though both teams have a lot of talent on offence, it seems like this game could be a low-scoring affair. Give me Tom Brady and the Bucs in a close one at Jerry World.

Buccaneers 24 Cowboys 21