Each Thursday I will make my game picks for the upcoming week’s games. We have a juicy schedule to open week 1 this season. On to the game picks!

Thursday, September 7

Lions 24, Chiefs 17

With Chris Jones still not with reporting to the Chiefs, this Lions offense should have ample space to run the ball. Expect to see a heavy dose of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Kansas City also has to deal with Travis Kelce possibly missing this game with a hyperextended knee. Andy Reid will be able to scheme some things up, but I see Detroit leaving Kansas City with a win.

Sunday, September 10

Falcons 20, Panthers 14

Interesting division game in the NFC South. Will the Panthers be able to protect Bryce Young better than they did in the preseason? Time will tell but Atlanta might not have the defensive line to truly test them up front. I think this will be a competitive game because Carolina has the defense to slow down this talented Falcons offense. Bryce Young will make some plays, but this offense still seems limited and will probably take some time to mesh.

Ravens 23, Texans 17

All focus will be on the new look Ravens offense under Todd Monken in this game. Houston’s secondary could be sneaky good this year, and could force Baltimore to resort to more of a run heavy approach. Baltimore’s defense has question marks in the secondary and up front but the Texans simply don’t have the weapons to take advantage.

Browns 28, Bengals 23

This is quite a week 1 matchup. One of the best matchups in this game will be the Bengals O-line up against the Browns D-line. Cleveland should boast a wicked defensive line featuring new acquisitions Dalvin Tomlinson, Ogbo Okoronwko, and Za’Darius Smith joining Myles Garrett. The Browns defensive line should be the difference making unit in this game and be able to disrupt Joe Burrow and the passing game.

Jaguars 24, Colts 13

The Colts are going to have to figure out what to do with their running backs. Without Jonathan Taylor, the Colts will lean on a committee of Zack Moss, Deon Jackson, and Evan Hull. The Colts figure to struggle to run the ball well in this game putting pressure on Anthony Richardson and the pass game. The Jaguars have a suspect secondary but the Colts may not take advantage. On the other side, the Colts also have a concerning secondary so look for the Jaguars to showcase Calvin Ridley in what could be his coming out party in a Jacksonville uniform.

Vikings 27, Buccaneers 24

This is the game I think could be one of the most exciting of the week. This should be a good defense for Baker Mayfield to tear up in his first game as a Buccaneer. Chris Godwin and Mike Evans figure to have big games against a weak Vikings secondary. I think the difference in this game will come down to turnovers and I trust Kirk Cousins to ultimately take care of the ball better than Baker Mayfield.

Saints 27, Titans 20

Derek Carr will be able to attack this Titans secondary if the protection holds up. The Saints may have a tough time running the ball against this Titans stout defensive front. On the other side, it will be interesting to see DeAndre Hopkins make his Titans debut. Expect a heavy dose of Derrick Henry in this one but ultimately they won’t be able to keep up with New Orleans.

Steelers 20, 49ers 16

The pass rush on each side will make things tough on these offenses. Expect a lower scoring game with Pittsburgh able to make a few more plays at home. I think T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith will make a few game changing plays and force the 49ers into settling for some field goals. Kenny Pickett and the passing offense will need to make plenty of plays because Pittsburgh is going to have a hard time getting their run game going.

Commanders 27, Cardinals 10

It’s hard to know what to expect from this Cardinals offense. With Joshua Dobbs starting, I believe he can be a steady player for them but the offense lacks firepower and will struggle to move the ball against this Commanders defense. The Commanders offense should be able to make plenty of plays against this Cardinals defense which lacks any sort of pass rush to cause problems.

Packers 23, Bears 20

I struggled with this pick quite a bit. The Bears offense looks improved on paper but this looks like a tough defense to start the season against. Quite the opposite on the other side. The Packers should be able to have success on both the ground and through the air against a defense that lacks a lot of playmakers. Adding LBs Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards will help the Bears against the run but the pass rush and secondary are still concerns.

Broncos 20, Raiders 17

Patrick Surtain vs. Davante Adams will be a must see matchup in this game, but this game probably comes down to the run game of each team. Denver will probably have a run heavy attack with injury questions surrounding their WRs. If Denver can slow down Maxx Crosby, they should find some success through the air against the Raiders secondary. I see the Denver defense getting a couple turnover and gaining a narrow win against a division rival.

Chargers 31, Dolphins 27

This could be one of the higher scoring games of the week. Each team has so many weapons offensively making it hard for the defenses to get stops in this game. I think both offensive lines are equipped to slow down the opposing pass rushes in this game as well. Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa will probably throw a lot in this one considering the question marks in each secondary.

Eagles 30, Patriots 17

This is quite the challenge for the Patriots in week 1. The Patriots secondary may be able to slow down the Eagles pass game a bit but I don’t see them containing Jalen Hurts and this elite Eagles rush offense. On the other side, Philadelphia will have a field day against this Patriots offensive line. This game could get out of hand quickly.

Seahawks 26, Rams 20

Seattle should win comfortably but these games always seem to be competitive. The Rams have an extremely young defense and its hard to see them getting many stops. With Cooper Kupp now officially out, the Rams have few options to target. Expect Cam Akers and Tyler Higbee to receive a lot of touches. I think the Rams hold Seattle to some FG attempts and make a few plays on special teams to keep this game closer than it probably should be.

Cowboys 27, Giants 20

The Cowboys have a wide array of playmakers to utilize in this matchup. With Brandin Cooks now on board, he could open up more opportunities for CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup to get open. This is a young Giants secondary that will be tested early and often. On the other side, the Giants will probably give Darren Waller an ample amount of targets in his first game with the team. I think the Cowboys offense is too explosive in this game and win it on the road.

Monday, September 11

Bills 20, Jets 19

This is probably the most anticipated matchup of week 1. I think we are in for a defensive game. The Jets defense can slow down this Bills offense as we saw last year. The Stefon Diggs vs. Sauce Gardner matchup will be one of the key determiners of the winner. I believe both defensive lines will be able to get pressure up front and slow the offenses. Ultimately, I think Josh Allen makes a few more plays than Aaron Rodgers for the Bills to sneak out with a victory.