Week 1 Games

[DownSetHutch]

I was just making my picks for the NFL Pool Competition and was reminded of the great match-ups to start the season.

Thursday, we have the Packers going into the defending SB Champ Seahawks' house to get things started. The Packers look to be strong NFC contenders, but Pete is gonna have his boys on fire with emotion. And the Packers, who have a lot of pride and look to be improved, are going to want to show that they are the big dawgs in the NFC this season. This will be a test for them, for sure. I could easily see this game going either way, but I would have to lean toward the Seahawks at home in Game 1. If they were to meet up later in the season, I may have a different opinion. Can't wait for this one.

Saints at Falcons. Wow, another great match-up. This was my hardest game to pick. I think the Saints will pull it off, but the Falcons will be a tough out. The NFC South will be a strong division this season.

Bengals at Ravens. The AFC North is also going to be a strong division, and these two teams have to both be considered playoff contenders. I'm picking the Ravens at home.

Raiders at Jets. Nothing to see here, folks. Lol.

Colts at Broncos. This game could be a preview of the AFCCG. Two very good teams with great leaders at QB, but the Broncos are going to prove that they not only got better, but they got tougher too. This will be a good game to show it. Can't wait.

 

[cdumler7]

There definitely are some good games for opening week! The Green Bay vs. Seattle game is probably my favorite non-Bronco game. Two powerhouse teams looking to make a mark on the upcoming season. I honestly could see this one going either way. I'm picking Seattle because well winning in Seattle is just down right difficult but if Green Bay wins it won't surprise me one bit.


I also have to say I am very interested to see which division ends up being the best in the NFL this season. I know everybody was beating the drum for the NFC West all off season but these past few weeks have been hell on that division with San Fran having players getting in trouble left and right, St. Louis losing Sam Bradford, and Arizona now missing the 2 starting MLB's of last season plus the guy I would consider the heart of their defense in Dockett.


I honestly if I had to pick a division would say the NFC North looks the most competitive. Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit all should have ridiculous offenses. Minnesota still has AP . Defensively no real stand outs but none of them look to be worst in the NFL either.


Anyway since I am not a part of the competition for picks in the games you have listed I would go...


Seattle over Green Bay
Saints over Falcons (I don't think they will be better than an 8-8 team this year)
Bengals over Ravens
Jets over Raiders (your comment made me LOL. That one feels like the toilet bowl pretty early in the season)
and of course Broncos over Colts in which I actually think the Broncos win by more than 2 touchdowns.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I was just making my picks for the NFL Pool Competition and was reminded of the great match-ups to start the season.

Thursday, we have the Packers going into the defending SB Champ Seahawks' house to get things started. The Packers look to be strong NFC contenders, but Pete is gonna have his boys on fire with emotion. And the Packers, who have a lot of pride and look to be improved, are going to want to show that they are the big dawgs in the NFC this season. This will be a test for them, for sure. I could easily see this game going either way, but I would have to lean toward the Seahawks at home in Game 1. If they were to meet up later in the season, I may have a different opinion. Can't wait for this one.

Saints at Falcons. Wow, another great match-up. This was my hardest game to pick. I think the Saints will pull it off, but the Falcons will be a tough out. The NFC South will be a strong division this season.

Bengals at Ravens. The AFC North is also going to be a strong division, and these two teams have to both be considered playoff contenders. I'm picking the Ravens at home.

Raiders at Jets. Nothing to see here, folks. Lol.

Colts at Broncos. This game could be a preview of the AFCCG. Two very good teams with great leaders at QB, but the Broncos are going to prove that they not only got better, but they got tougher too. This will be a good game to show it. Can't wait.

Definitely agree that GB at Seattle, NO at Atlanta, Cincinnati at Baltimore, and Indy at Denver are among the most interesting games this week. That the Raiders decided to start their rookie QB at NYJ, a team that features a pretty good defense, also makes that game at least somewhat interesting (like a train wreck, perhaps?). SD and AZ and TN at KC are also interesting games that I think could be pretty competitive.

Our game Sunday night figures to be a very good test for what I'm hopeful is our much improved defense. Indy added a lot of weapons on offense, but I'm not sure that they did enough to improve a defense that was pretty bad in the playoffs last year. Hopefully our offense matches the 40+ points that their defense yielded in each of its last two games. If that happens, I definitely like our chances.

 

[DownSetHutch]

TD, I agree on the SD at AZ and TN at KC games both being interesting, partly because they feature AFC West teams, and partly because they are just tough to predict. I think I leaned toward our division foes in both, but just barely.

 

[cdumler7]

TD, I agree on the SD at AZ and TN at KC games both being interesting, partly because they feature AFC West teams, and partly because they are just tough to predict. I think I leaned toward our division foes in both, but just barely.

Usually first week of the season I lean towards home teams as it just is hard to predict from one year to the next how a team will do. Right now I do think Arizona is the 2nd best team in the NFC West (San Fran to me is falling apart quickly) and have the weapons on both offense and defense to make life hell for the Chargers. Thankfully we get them at home.

I have KC beating Tennessee but of Locker has improved as a quarterback I could see the Titans pulling out a surprise win against a Chiefs team that I just think is in for a bit of a down fall this season.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Usually first week of the season I lean towards home teams as it just is hard to predict from one year to the next how a team will do. Right now I do think Arizona is the 2nd best team in the NFC West (San Fran to me is falling apart quickly) and have the weapons on both offense and defense to make life hell for the Chargers. Thankfully we get them at home.

I have KC beating Tennessee but of Locker has improved as a quarterback I could see the Titans pulling out a surprise win against a Chiefs team that I just think is in for a bit of a down fall this season.

Arizona's missing some key parts to that defense. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rams became the second best team in the NFC West. They have a strong defense, a good running back who showed he could get yards against the division, and Hill's decent enough to make that team dangerous. Doubt they make it far, but they could very well be better than AZ and SF right now.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I thought that GB at Seattle was a pretty good game, despite what ended up a lop sided score. Sure do wish GB had gotten away with the defensive holding on third down with only about eight minutes left. Might have been a much more entertaining finish.

 

[iknowftbll]

I thought that GB at Seattle was a pretty good game, despite what ended up a lop sided score. Sure do wish GB had gotten away with the defensive holding on third down with only about eight minutes left. Might have been a much more entertaining finish.

The Packers stayed in it, but the Seahawks looked like the all around better team. This shouldn't surprise anyone.

My picks for the most relevant games this week:

Jets 17, Raiders 13

Cardinals 27, Chargers 24

Chiefs 23, Titans 20

Broncos 34, Colts 17

 

[cdumler7]

I thought that GB at Seattle was a pretty good game, despite what ended up a lop sided score. Sure do wish GB had gotten away with the defensive holding on third down with only about eight minutes left. Might have been a much more entertaining finish.

Yeah at least the game stayed half way relevant for a bit. Seattle in my opinion is the best team in the league at making teams pay for mistakes and just a couple of bad plays by the Packers and next thing you know they are losing by 14-20 points kind of thing. You have to play mistake free football against them. They don't turn it over and live for the turnover on defense.

Plus Seattle really was just the better team in this one. Green Bay just didn't have the pieces on defense to match up well with Seattle's offense. Not many teams in the league will have that ability. Percy Harvin when healthy is a game changer for that offense.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Really hope that our defense this year resembles Seattle's, not so much in terms of scheme, but in terms of aggressiveness, swarming to the ball, and the ability to get ball carriers on the ground. Perhaps I'm overly optimistic, but I actually think that we have the ability to do those things. Very excited for Sunday night!

 

[randymon]

Yeah at least the game stayed half way relevant for a bit. Seattle in my opinion is the best team in the league at making teams pay for mistakes and just a couple of bad plays by the Packers and next thing you know they are losing by 14-20 points kind of thing. You have to play mistake free football against them. They don't turn it over and live for the turnover on defense.

Plus Seattle really was just the better team in this one. Green Bay just didn't have the pieces on defense to match up well with Seattle's offense. Not many teams in the league will have that ability. Percy Harvin when healthy is a game changer for that offense.

To me the most glaring prob was Rodgers and that play where he would of had first down if he ran ( he could of slid easily too, to avoid hit) was very un Roger esk. GB had scored to pull within in 13 I believe and then stopped Seattle and if Rodgers would of run for 1st down instead of throwing it away, they would of had 1st down at Seattle 30 yd line I believe and good momentum. Rodgers did not look like himself at all. Of course those dropped int chances and those stupid 3rd down penalties on the D didn`t help either.