Week Three: NFL Predictions

Writer: Marcus Carr

Week two had us in a rollercoaster especially if you had the Cardinals like I did, this week provides a little more security.. But nobody is safe in a survival pool. Onto the picks.

Over the next 19 weeks, we will encounter the six months out of the year we wait for. Some call it the best time of their life, others like to call it the NFL football season. Also for the next 19 weeks, I will be providing you with picks to every matchup of the year. If you want to win yoursurvival pool this year, you will take this advice every week. If you want to lose first round, you might also take this advice. Onto the picks for the weekend.

Thursday September 21st

Los Angeles Rams Vs San Francisco 49ers

Levi Stadium, Santa Clara

Brian Hoyer has not thrown a touchdown yet this season, the 49ers have been a disaster falling to 0-2. This game is two teams who are likely not to make the playoffs, though the Rams have scored a combined 66 points in their first two games they sit 1-1. They could win this one by a large margin, did someone say the Rams could be 2-1 and score 90 points or more in their first three games?

Sunday September 24th

Baltimore Ravens Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Wembley Stadium, London

The first game this season played overseas, this could be a blow out. The Jags defense looked really good in week one but could not mimic the defense intensity in week two, losing 37-16 to the Titans at home. The Ravens pulled out another win advancing to 2-0, they could be one team that is a sleeper this year in the AFC, Baltimore starts the season 3-0.

Denver Broncos Vs. Buffalo Bills

New Era Field, Buffalo

The Broncos defense silenced the potent offense of the Dallas Cowboys holding Ezekiel Elliott to a total of 8 yards on the ground. The Bills lost in a field goal only game to the Panthers 9-3. The Broncos defense could take them deep into the playoffs this year, Trevor Siemian is the next Peyton Manning? Broncos move on to 3-0.

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Chicago Bears

Soldier Field, Chicago

Le’Veon Bell has yet to score a touchdown this season and the Steelers are 2-0, this is scary. The Bears got torn apart last week against Mike Evans and the Bucs, there is no telling how ugly this one could get against the best receiver in the league, Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh moves onto 3-0 and Bell gets his first touchdown of the season.

Atlanta Falcons Vs. Detroit Lions

Ford Field, Detroit

The Lions are 2-0, yes check the numbers, they are 2-0. There was not much expectation for the Lions this season but they beat the Giants on the road last week and will have another tough matchup at home against the Falcons. The Falcons got their groove back in week two defeating the Green Bay Packers at home 34-23. This one is going to be a shootout, big days for both quarterbacks but the Falcons walk out with this one.

Cleveland Browns Vs. Indianapolis Colts

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

The Colts almost held on to beat the Cardinals last week, but this is a battle of two 0-2 teams. With Myles Garrett not likely to play the Colts will squeak by the Browns in a boring game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs. Minnesota Vikings

U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

The Bucs hype might be real, Mike Evans looked outstanding last week. Sam Bradford suffered a non contact knee injury and is day-to-day, so his status is up in the air. With or without Bradford the Bucs will be too much for the Vikings. This will be a close one but Tampa Bay moves to 2-0.

Houston Texans Vs. New England Patriots

Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

Tom Brady is alive and well, he threw three touchdowns in the first QUARTER last week. Three. Even with Gronk going down with an injury, the Texans will be no match for Brady and company. The Patriots move on to 2-1.

Miami Dolphins Vs. New York Jets

Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford

Jay Cutler looked really good last week, new situation new him. The Jets are well the Jets, this might be your safest pick this weekend. The Dolphins take this one on the road.

New York Giants Vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

The Giants look horrible, their offensive line couldn’t block a dog from getting to Eli Manning. This is bad, the Eagles on the other hand don’t look too bad, they could very much win this division. Odell Beckham can go off at any time but the Eagles take this one.

New Orleans Saints Vs. Carolina Panthers

Bank Of America Stadium, Charlotte

The Saints got picked apart last week and the Panthers squeezed one out. The Panthers lost Greg Olsen for the rest of the season and this could be huge to their offense and Cam Newton. This one will be a tight one but the Panthers squeeze out another win at home.

Seattle Seahawks Vs. Tennessee Titans

Nissan Stadium, Nashville

This could be a good one, the Titans bounced back from a week one loss and will be up against a tough Seattle defense. The Titans offense was rolling last week and expect them to keep rolling, they surprise the Hawks at home.

Cincinnati Bengals Vs. Green Bay Packers

Lambeau Field, Green Bay

The Red Rifle has been awful this season, the Bengals are considering signing Colin Kaepernick. The Packers lost on the road against a really good Atlanta offense but will bounce back this week against a subpar Bengals team. Packers win big at home.

Kansas City Chiefs Vs. Los Angeles Chargers

StubHub Center, Carson

Alex Smith is 2-0, Alex Smith might be the greatest quarterback of all time. Kareem Hunt might win Rookie Of The Year and….. The Chargers can’t win late in games. We all knew that though, the Chargers are bad but congratulations to Antonio Gates for breaking the NFL tightend touchdown record. The Chiefs go to 3-0, Alex Smith might win a Super Bowl.

Oakland Raiders Vs. Washington Redskins

FedEx Field, Landover

Did you see how happy Marshawn Lynch was last week? Do you really think this team is going to lose now? They might be unstoppable. The Redskins barely won against the Rams last week, the Raiders dominate them on the road, I think it’s safe to say that the Raiders are serious contenders.

Monday, September 25th

Dallas Cowboys Vs. Arizona Cardinals

U of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale

Both teams have not met expectations this year, Ezekiel Elliott might be a serious problem. Carson Palmer could be the problem for the Cardinals. This could very well be a boring Monday night game but Dallas will wreck this Cardinals team, even with the problems surrounding the organization. Cowboys win by 14+.

Week One: NFL Selections

Writer: Marcus Carr

Over the next nineteen weeks we will encounter the six months out of the year we wait for. Some call it the best time of their life, others like to call it the NFL football season. For the next nineteen weeks, I will be providing you with picks to every matchup of the year. If you want to win your survival pool this year, you will take this advice every week. If you want to lose first round, you might also take this advice.

Thursday, September 7th

 

Kansas City Chiefs Vs. New England Patriots

Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

The Patriots will take the first matchup of the 2017-2018 season against Andy Reid and company. The Patriots have a solid chance of going undefeated this season, and they could rest their starters the last four games for the season. Andy Reid and company will be looking to gain revenge from the 2016 AFC Divisional Round oss with a newly remodeled team. Pats by a landslide.

Sunday, September 10th

 

New York Jets Vs. Buffalo Bills

New Era Field, Buffalo

With the Bills recently going separate ways with potential star wide receiver, Sammy Watkins, the Bills will have to heavily depend on LeSean McCoy on offense. The Jets are not very good on either side of the ball this year, Brandon Marshall is in New York but with the Giants, even though he thinks Ryan Fitzpatrick is better than Eli Manning. LeSean McCoy and the Bills will run all over the Jets.

Atlanta Falcons Vs. Chicago Bears

Soldier Field, Chicago

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones will be looking to bounce back from the 28-3 comeback loss in Super Bowl 51. Julio Jones will again be one of the best receivers in the NFL this season, but it will be interesting with new offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian calling the plays. The Bears are in the midst of a rebuild after parting ways with Jay Cutler this offseason. Falcons win by 14+.

Baltimore Ravens Vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati

With Jeremy Hill having a subpar 2016 campaign and going down with an injury, the Red Rifle, Andy Dalton, will look to bounce back by feeding former OU running back Joe Mixon and dropping bombs to AJ Green. The Ravens will be in for a shootout with the Bengals. The Ref Rifle and the Bengals pull one off at home.

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Cleveland Browns

FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland

Le’Veon Bell’s holdout didn’t last very long. He will be re-joining an already loaded offense which just got Martavis Bryant back from suspension. The Cleveland Browns don’t have much working for them outside of Myles Garrett and Isaiah Crowell; the Pittsburgh Steelers could make this one ugly. Look for Big Ben, Bell and Brown to all have big days for the Steelers.

Arizona Cardinals Vs. Detroit Lions

Ford Field, Detroit

Matthew Stafford is making more money than any player in the NFL. Yes you read that right. 5 years, $135M. For the Detroit Lions, there hasn’t been much outside of Stafford since Megatron retired other than false hope for Ameer Abdullah. Arizona brings back an above-average defense and one of the best running backs in the NFL, David Johnson. Look for their defense turn to easy offense. David Johnson and the Cardinals cake walk against the Lions.

Jacksonville Jaguars Vs. Houston Texans

NRG Stadium, Houston

With Blake Bortles still conducting the Jags offense, things aren’t expected to be very successful this season. Their defense could be stellar being so young and developing. The added workhorse running back, Leonard Fournette, through the draft this year, but that alone won’t be enough against one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. The Houston Texans have their own quarterback problems this year but are hopeful Lamar Miller and DeAndre Hopkins can help develop former National Champion, DeShaun Watson. Houston’s defense doesn’t let the Jags breathe this week and win easily.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs. Miami Dolphins

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Jay Cutler is now running things in Miami, and with his new environment, the Dolphins’ offense could be reinvented. Devante Parker and Jarvis Landry could have huge years due to the new quarterback situation, but that doesn’t take away that the Bucs are bringing back a young quarterback-receiver duo in Jameis Winston and Mike Evans. This is one matchup to be monitoring over the weekend; it could be a fun one. The Bucs win after it comes down to the wire, and Mike Evans has a big reason they win this one.

Oakland Raiders Vs. Tennessee Titans

Nissan Stadium, Nashville

The dual between two young quarterbacks, both bouncing back from season-ending injuries. The Oakland Raiders were promising last year until Derek Carr went down, with a stellar offensive line and Armani Cooper as the lead receiver. The Titans look to develop Mariota even more while he has shown flashes of eliteness. Oakland Raiders offense will be too potent for the Titans’ defense in this one.

Philadelphia Eagles Vs. Washington Redskins

FedEx Field, Landover

An NFC East divisional matchup, Carson Wentz now has Alshon Jeffery to throw to while Kirk Cousins has the jack of all trades, Terrelle Pryor, to throw to. This could end in a shootout with both teams having subpar defenses. Carson Wentz is set for a big year this season, and Kirk Cousins still has something to prove after his regression last season. Eagles take one on the road and win by 3.

Indianapolis Colts Vs. Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

With Andrew Luck sitting in week one, the Colts will be in trouble this year with no timetable of return for Luck. The Los Angeles Rams recently added wide receiver, Sammy Watkins. They will have time to get in free reps against the lack lustered Colts defense. The Colts’ defense could have Jared Goff looking like an MVP candidate after this one. Todd Gurley will break loose in this one. But the Rams are the Rams and could blow this. Rams win by 7 at their first home game.

Seattle Seahawks Vs. Green Bay Packers

Lambeau Field, Green Bay

This could be the matchup of the week: Aaron Rodgers vs the stingy Seahawks defense. We know what both are capable of doing. Rodgers torched the Seattle defense last time they met, throwing 3 touchdowns on 246 yards, winning 38-10. We could see something very similar to that this week, where Jordy Nelson will be joining the Packers after missing all of the 2016 season. Packers win big at home.

Carolina Panthers Vs. San Francisco 49ers

Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara

The 49ers are a wreck top to bottom, and their only hope this season is Carlos Hyde having a season like last year. The Panthers have had their own problems since letting Josh Norman walk- they went 6-10 last season. Cam Newton and company could have a nice day against a subpar 49ers defense. Panthers should be a safe pick this week.

New York Giants Vs. Dallas Cowboys

AT&T Stadium, Arlington

This could very much be the NFC East Championship game come playoff time. Ezekiel Elliot will be good to play on Sunday but will be suspended from weeks 2-7. Odell Beckham Jr. is questionable for the game with an ankle injury but he will likely start. The Cowboys will seek revenge after their 2016 week 1 loss to the Giants where Terrance Williams blew it for them. Cowboys win this one in a shootout.

Monday, September 11th

 

New Orleans Saints Vs. Minnesota Vikings

U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

Drew Brees lost Brandin Cooks this year but always produces. The Vikings will look to unlock Dalvin Cook this year to turn around their past seasons. This could be a boring Monday night game to start where The Saints take this one on the road.

Los Angeles Chargers Vs. Denver Broncos

Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver

The Chargers added another receiver, Mike Williams, this year to join Keenan Allen and Tyrell Williams, with Hunter Henry to take over the tight end position. It looks like the Chargers could be legit contenders this year if their defense can figure it out. On the other hand, the Broncos’ offense hasn’t been the same since 2015. The Chargers will take this one easily in their first game being the “Los Angeles Chargers.” Never forget, San Diego. Never forget.