Bleacher Report's Expert Week 1 NFL Picks
We're back for the 2023 NFL season with the goal of being better than ever in a battle against the betting books.
Every Thursday, Bleacher Report's NFL expert panel, which includes analysts Brad Gagnon, Gary Davenport, Kris Knox Brent Sobleski and Maurice Moton along with editors Wes O'Donnell and Ian Hanford, will provide a must-read column for all responsible bettors.
This year, in addition to picks against the spread, we'll also produce a consensus for straight-up selections for bettors who just want to place wagers on winners. Lastly, you can check out score predictions for an idea of how to bet over/under totals for each game.
Going forward, you'll be able to track our tipsters in the standings to see who's helped our audience rake in the most cash.
Now, let's get to the money with our first slate of plays for Week 1.
Lines are from DraftKings as of Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 4 p.m. ET. Check the latest lines at DraftKings. Information on public betting trends is courtesy of the Action Network. ATS records are provided by Team Rankings.
Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs
1 of 16
DraftKings Line: Kansas City -4.5
Bettors must ask themselves one question before they make a wager on this game: Who's going to be Patrick Mahomes' lead pass-catching target if tight end Travis Kelce sits out?
How about Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney (knee), Skyy Moore or perhaps Justyn Ross?
On Tuesday, Kelce hyperextended his knee, which leaves his status for Thursday's game in doubt.
While third-year tight end Noah Gray could see an expanded workload in Kelce's absence, he may remain an afterthought in the passing attack. In two seasons, the 24-year-old has caught 35 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns.
The Chiefs will host the Detroit Lions, who finished fifth in scoring and fourth in total yards last season. Davenport picked the visiting team to cover a shrinking spread.
"Before the Kelce news broke, I was on the Chiefs. The fact that the line moved all of 1.5 points after said news speaks to Vegas' confidence in the Chiefs," he said. "And Kansas City will still win this game straight up, because Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead. But with Kelce iffy to play at best, the Chiefs are down their top offensive weapon and their best defensive player in holdout tackle Chris Jones.
"We also saw these Lions play teams like the Eagles, Vikings, Seahawks, Dolphins and Bills down to the wire last year. The Chiefs will find a way to win. But Dan Campbell's Lions don't quit—they'll make the first regular-season game of 2023 an exciting one."
Predictions
Davenport: Lions
Gagnon: Chiefs
Hanford: Chiefs
Knox: Chiefs
Moton: Chiefs
O'Donnell: Chiefs
Sobleski: Lions
ATS Consensus: Chiefs -4.5
SU Consensus: Chiefs
Score Prediction: Chiefs 28, Lions 21
Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens
2 of 16
DK Line: Baltimore -10
The Baltimore Ravens will host the Houston Texans in a matchup with a lot of new variables.
This offseason, the Ravens hired offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace Greg Roman, and they added Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and Zay Flowers to their wide receiver group.
The Texans hired a new coaching staff, which is led by first-year lead skipper DeMeco Ryans, who served as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator between the 2021 and 2022 terms.
Moton feels a little skeptical about the Ravens, but he's not going to fade a perennial playoff contender.
"Don't expect Baltimore to blow the doors off Houston with a new offensive system," he said. "Lamar Jackson must get familiar with his new receivers, Beckham, Agholor and Flowers, as well. Moreover, the Ravens lost their 2022 sack leader, Justin Houston, in free agency, and All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey won't suit up as he recovers from foot surgery.
"Despite the questions about the Ravens on both sides of the ball, we know about Jackson's dynamic capabilities. He'll show why he's worth every cent of his new five-year, $260 million deal. The dynamic signal-caller will break off a few big runs against the Texans defense and connect with Beckham and Flowers a few times to break open the game in the second half."
Predictions
Davenport: Ravens
Gagnon: Ravens
Hanford: Ravens
Knox: Ravens
Moton: Ravens
O'Donnell: Ravens
Sobleski: Ravens
ATS Consensus: Ravens -10
SU Consensus: Ravens
Score Prediction: Ravens 31, Texans 14
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings
3 of 16
DK Line: Minnesota -6
In 2022, the Minnesota Vikings rewarded fans who sat at the edge of their seats through close games with an 11-0 record in one-score games through the regular season.
While analysts believe the Vikings won't have the same success in tight contests, the offense can still score points in bunches, which explains the six-point spread.
At times, quarterback Kirk Cousins' rapport with 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson seems unstoppable. Though the Vikings cut four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, replacement Alexander Mattison averages just as many yards per touch (6.3) as a three-down playmaker out of the backfield.
With all that said, our experts went heavy on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cover a touchdown line because they've fielded a top-nine defense in points or yards allowed in each of the last three years. Furthermore, Minnesota has question marks on defense after the unit gave up the fifth-most points last year.
O'Donnell couldn't fathom that our crew would side with an offense led by quarterback Baker Mayfield and explained why he chose to be the lone wolf on the Vikings.
"I am genuinely baffled to be the only one in the group laying the points in this game," he said. "Everyone knows the Vikings won a ridiculous number of close games a season ago, were exposed in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs and probably got worse in the offseason, too. But a touchdown spread is essentially one Baker Mayfield-led Buccaneers mistake away from covering.
"The Vikes aren't a genuine contender this season, but they'll have some offensive outbursts, particularly at home where they averaged nearly 27 points per game last season.
"Sorry, I just don't see Baker's Bucs scoring enough points to cover here. This could easily be a double-digit difference when all is said and done."
Predictions
Davenport: Buccaneers
Gagnon: Buccaneers
Hanford: Buccaneers
Knox: Buccaneers
Moton: Buccaneers
O'Donnell: Vikings
Sobleski: Buccaneers
ATS Consensus: Buccaneers +6
SU Consensus: Vikings
Score Prediction: Vikings 24, Buccaneers 21
.jpg?w=256 "Chiefs Broncos Football")
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
4 of 16
DK Line: Jacksonville -5
Your guess as to how Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson performs in his regular-season debut will sway your outlook on this AFC South matchup.
As one would expect for a player who will come into the league with 13 collegiate starts, the 2023 No. 4 overall pick experienced rough patches in the preseason, going 13-of-29 passing for 145 yards and an interception. In his last exhibition outing, he fumbled but broke off a 16-yard run, which is the X-factor in his skill set.
If Richardson takes care of the football, he can turn broken plays into big gains with his legs, though he may have to become the focal point of the Colts' ground attack with running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle) on the physically unable to perform list.
Knox doesn't buy into the idea that Taylor's absence will be a deciding factor in this matchup. Instead, he's intrigued by what Richardson brings to the offense.
"I like the Jaguars to win here, but I don't expect them to dominate as many might expect," he said. "Early divisional games can be tough, and the Anthony Richardson surprise factor should be enough to make this a field-goal game. The Colts' rookie QB may eventually hit a wall once teams have more tape on him, but he'll do enough to keep Jacksonville's defense off-balance and keep Indy in the game.
"The Colts won't have Jonathan Taylor, but they didn't have him when they beat Jacksonville at home in Week 6 last season either.
"The Jaguars are the better team and will outlast their AFC South foes, but Richardson and head coach Shane Steichen will cook up enough excitement to make Indy fascinating entering Week 2."
Predictions
Davenport: Jaguars
Gagnon: Colts
Hanford: Jaguars
Knox: Colts
Moton: Jaguars
O'Donnell: Jaguars
Sobleski: Jaguars
ATS Consensus: Jaguars -5
SU Consensus: Jaguars
Score Prediction: Jaguars 30, Colts 16
Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders
5 of 16
DK Line: Washington -7
In this matchup, Sam Howell and Josh Dobbs will lead their respective offenses—not at all an anticipated quarterback matchup.
Howell won the Washington Commanders' starting job over Jacoby Brissett. And according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Dobbs is expected to start in place of Kyler Murray, who's recovering from a torn ACL.
With these signal-callers under center, Moton expects the better defense to leads its team to victory.
"The Cardinals have a bottom-tier roster—perhaps the worst in the league," he said. "They released or lost wideout DeAndre Hopkins, cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and defensive end Zach Allen in free agency, but the front office didn't replace them with notable additions.
"Sure, Howell has a lot to prove with only one start on his pro resume, but Washington's stout defense may not allow a touchdown in this contest. Dobbs will struggle to move the ball with his career 58.8 percent completion rate.
"The Commanders win a low-scoring battle, but they'll do just enough offensively to win by 10-plus points."
Predictions
Davenport: Commanders
Gagnon: Commanders
Hanford: Commanders
Knox: Commanders
Moton: Commanders
O'Donnell: Commanders
Sobleski: Commanders
ATS Consensus: Commanders -7
SU Consensus: Commanders
Score Prediction: Commanders 21, Cardinals 10
San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers
6 of 16
DK Line: San Francisco -2.5
The Pittsburgh Steelers have set up quarterback Kenny Pickett to make a second-year leap, and that may pay early dividends in the form of a Week 1 upset.
Pittsburgh signed left guard Isaac Seumalo to shore up the interior of the offensive line. In an open competition for the left tackle job, Dan Moore Jr. won the battle against rookie first-rounder Broderick Jones. The team acquired wideout Allen Robinson II and selected tight end Darnell Washington in the third round of the draft.
Pickett should have enough pass protection to spread the ball like an NBA point guard.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers have a couple of major question marks.
Is Nick Bosa conditioned for a full workload after he held out in the offseason? On Wednesday, he agreed to terms with the 49ers on a new deal that makes him the league's highest-paid defensive player, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. On a positive note, the 25-year-old seems ready to play.
Also, All-Pro tight end George Kittle has an issue with his adductor, which has limited his participation at practices.
With Pickett's potential growth and supporting cast, Hanford is taking Pittsburgh to win straight up.
"Brock Purdy shocked the NFL with his late-season run last year, but the pressure is on now that he's the unquestioned starter in San Francisco," he said. "While the 49ers' roster is loaded from top to bottom, traveling across the country to play a Steelers team that's looking to prove something in Week 1 is no easy task.
"Pickett's added experience combined with a stable of weapons headlined by fellow second-year breakout candidate George Pickens, a retooled offensive line and a deeper defense will have Pittsburgh ready to surprise in Week 1.
"The home team is 4-0 the last four times these two teams have met, with the Steelers being 3-1 against the spread in that span. Not only do I like the Steelers to cover in Week 1, but I also like Mike Tomlin's crew to win outright."
Predictions
Davenport: 49ers
Gagnon: Steelers
Hanford: Steelers
Knox: Steelers
Moton: Steelers
O'Donnell: Steelers
Sobleski: Steelers
ATS Consensus: Steelers +2.5
SU Consensus: Steelers
Score Prediction: Steelers 20, 49ers 17
Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints
7 of 16
DK Line: New Orleans -3
Quarterback Derek Carr starts a new chapter with the New Orleans Saints, but he'll see a familiar opponent in the Tennessee Titans.
In nine years with the Las Vegas (formerly Oakland) Raiders, the 32-year-old has played five games against the Tennessee Titans, and he threw for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in those outings.
In New Orleans, Carr has a No. 1 wideout in Chris Olave, a healthy Michael Thomas who has his mind set on competitive domination, and perhaps a couple of underrated pass-catchers in wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and tight end Juwan Johnson.
If Tennessee continues to give up about 275 passing yards per game as it did last year, Carr could have another productive outing against a recognizable foe. The Titans signed cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting to patch up their coverage on the boundary, and the four-time Pro Bowler may test him early in the game.
Despite questions about the Titans' pass defense, Sobleski can see Tennessee leaning on its top two offensive players and a stout front seven to win the game.
"While holes can be poked in Tennessee's roster, the formula is still present to be successful," he said. "Both Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill are healthy. The Titans will run the ball and push the ball downfield in the play-action game.
"Most importantly, Tennessee's defensive front remains among the league's best, which will make life difficult on Carr in his Saints debut."
Predictions
Davenport: Titans
Gagnon: Saints
Hanford: Saints
Knox: Saints
Moton: Saints
O'Donnell: Titans
Sobleski: Titans
ATS Consensus: Saints -3
SU Consensus: Saints
Score Prediction: Saints 28, Titans 24
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
8 of 16
DK Line: Cincinnati -2.5
As of right now, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (calf strain) seems like he's on track to suit up for Week 1. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the signal-caller has trended in the right direction since recently returning for full practices.
While the Bengals should be encouraged by the 26-year-old's recovery, bettors should exercise caution before they lock in Cincinnati to cover the spread.
Though our experts came up with a consensus in favor of of the Bengals, Sobleski shined a light on their struggles against the Browns since Burrow's 2020 rookie year.
"Over the last three seasons, the Browns own a 5-1 record over their division rival," he said. "Furthermore, Cleveland has far more to prove in this contest. In a division that's going to be a dog fight all season long, the Browns must show they're finally ready to become a legitimate contender after the moves they've made over the last two years. The talent is in place. They know how to play well against the Bengals. Kevin Stefanski's squad will be up for this game.
"Plus, Joe Burrow's calf injury limited his reps this summer, which means the Bengals offense may not be clicking on all cylinders at the start of the regular season."
Predictions
Davenport: Bengals
Gagnon: Browns
Hanford: Bengals
Knox: Browns
Moton: Bengals
O'Donnell: Bengals
Sobleski: Browns
ATS Consensus: Bengals -2.5
SU Consensus: Bengals
Score Prediction: Bengals 28, Browns 23
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
9 of 16
DK Line: Atlanta -3.5
This NFC South matchup features two top-eight picks from this year's draft, which raises the level of intrigue for a game between two teams that missed the playoffs last season.
The Carolina Panthers didn't waste any time with their decision to name Bryce Young the starting quarterback. And why not? He's the No. 1 overall pick expected to become the face of the franchise.
The Atlanta Falcons may run their offense through running back Bijan Robinson, who's a strong candidate to win 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year. He should rack up a ton of yards in Atlanta's run-heavy offense that led the league in rush attempts last season.
Though the Falcons have an established identity, and the Panthers will look to create their own on both sides of the ball, Gagnon took Carolina against the spread and to win outright.
"It's a divisional opener between two not particularly great teams," he said. "But the underdog is getting a field goal and a hook with a lot more overall offensive talent and the exciting vibe that comes along with a No. 1 overall pick under center as well as a new head coach. That should at least keep Carolina within a field goal."
Predictions
Davenport: Panthers
Gagnon: Panthers
Hanford: Falcons
Knox: Falcons
Moton: Falcons
O'Donnell: Falcons
Sobleski: Falcons
ATS Consensus: Falcons -3.5
SU Consensus: Falcons
Score Prediction: Falcons 23, Panthers 17
Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots
10 of 16
DK Line: Philadelphia -4
The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots will test new offensive philosophies in their season opener, which may result in mistakes in the form of turnovers. Remember, these teams ranked within the top four in takeaways in 2022.
Brian Johnson, who served as the Eagles quarterbacks coach over the previous two seasons, will call plays on offense. He has the luxury of taking over an ascending offense with 2022 MVP candidate Jalen Hurts under center.
The Eagles quarterback has four-fifths of his starting offensive line from the previous campaign intact, with wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the perimeter.
New Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has a reclamation project. He has to help quarterback Mac Jones bounce back from a down year, which came after a promising rookie campaign. Last year, New England ranked 17th in scoring and 26th in total yards.
Unanimously, our crew took the Eagles against the spread and straight up. On behalf of the group, Knox explained why Philadelphia will cover on the road.
"Will the Eagles' Super Bowl hangover start kicking in as early as Week 1? I wouldn't count on it," Knox said. "With a double coordinator change, Philly may experience some road bumps this season, but New England doesn't have the horses to keep pace with the Eagles offense.
"The Patriots should have a top-tier defense in 2023, and their offense will show improvement under Bill O'Brien, but the latter piece of the equation will take time. I expect New England to be a much tougher challenge for the rival Dolphins in Week 2. I also expect Philly to win by a touchdown."
Predictions
Davenport: Eagles
Gagnon: Eagles
Hanford: Eagles
Knox: Eagles
Moton: Eagles
O'Donnell: Eagles
Sobleski: Eagles
ATS Consensus: Eagles -4
SU Consensus: Eagles
Score Prediction: Eagles 23, Patriots 17
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
11 of 16
DK Line: Seattle -5.5
Many NFL fans may not be able to name a Los Angeles Rams defensive starter other than Aaron Donald. This offseason, they cleaned house on that side of the ball, trading cornerback Jalen Ramsey and releasing linebacker Bobby Wagner and edge-rusher Leonard Floyd.
With a defense full of young unknowns and wide receiver Cooper Kupp's status up in the air because of a hamstring injury, our experts sided with the Seattle Seahawks despite the competitive nature of division matchups.
Davenport saw how L.A. competed against the Seahawks with a depleted roster last year and went in the other direction with his pick against the spread.
"The regret is already flowing through me like the Force through Yoda on this pick, but this is another instance where picking the game straight up and picking against the spread are two different things," he said.
"The Rams were already being written off before Cooper Kupp got hurt, but this is still a team with a quarterback who won a Super Bowl a couple of years ago. The Rams can run the ball—an area the Seahawks struggled to defend in 2022. And these sorts of in-division games tend to be close. Last year, the two meetings between the Seahawks and Rams were decided by seven points total—and that was a Rams team that was falling apart.
"Seahawks squeak it out. Rams cover. Now what did I do with my lightsaber?"
Predictions
Davenport: Rams
Gagnon: Rams
Hanford: Seahawks
Knox: Seahawks
Moton: Seahawks
O'Donnell: Rams
Sobleski: Seahawks
ATS Consensus: Seahawks -5.5
SU Consensus: Seahawks
Score Prediction: Seahawks 31, Rams 19
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
12 of 16
DK Line: Chicago -1
The NFC North battle between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers has a different feel to it without Aaron Rodgers in the mix. Both teams have a quarterback with a lot to prove this season.
The Packers traded the 39-year-old to the New York Jets and entered the Jordan Love era. He's started in just one game in three campaigns and is less experienced in regular-season action than Bears signal-caller Justin Fields, who's going into a crucial third term with 25 career starts.
Because of the discrepancy in experience between Fields and Love, Gagnon went with the Bears in a toss-up contest.
"This could definitely go either way, but I definitely trust the proven dual threat Justin Fields over the question mark that is Jordan Love," Gagnon said. "The improved Bears deserve to be more than a semi-pick-'em for a home opener with a team that could be in trouble this season."
As of Wednesday, 54 percent of the public sided with Gagnon and Moton.
Predictions
Davenport: Packers
Gagnon: Bears
Hanford: Packers
Knox: Packers
Moton: Bears
O'Donnell: Packers
Sobleski: Packers
ATS Consensus: Packers +1
SU Consensus: Packers
Score Prediction: Packers 24, Bears 20
Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos
13 of 16
DK Line: Denver -4
The Las Vegas Raiders will get their first look at the Sean Payton-led Denver Broncos, who have nowhere to go but up in scoring rankings after finishing the 2022 campaign with the fewest points per game.
The Silver and Black jettisoned quarterback Derek Carr and replaced him with Jimmy Garoppolo, who has a plethora of pass-catching targets such as Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Renfrow, Austin Hooper and Michael Mayer in the receiving group.
Moton believes we'll see a grind-it-out matchup between these AFC West rivals, and he confidently took the Raiders to cover the spread.
"Someone tell oddsmakers that the Raiders have won six consecutive matchups with the Broncos," he said. "Secondly, Josh Jacobs has averaged 127.3 rushing yards in his previous three games against Denver. Though he missed most of the offseason because of a contract holdout, the 2022 rushing champion should be ready to go at full speed on Sunday.
"Despite the bizarre turn of events around Chandler Jones' posts on Instagram, Las Vegas doesn't need a high-level defense to slow down Denver's offense. Russell Wilson didn't look impressive in the preseason, completing just 10 out of 19 pass attempts for 117 yards and a touchdown.
"We could see a battle between ground attacks. In the event that happens, side with Jacobs over Javonte Williams, who's coming off a season in which he tore his ACL, and Samaje Perine. Even if you think the Raiders lose, the Broncos shouldn't get more than a field goal with their uninspiring offense."
Predictions
Davenport: Broncos
Gagnon: Raiders
Hanford: Broncos
Knox: Raiders
Moton: Raiders
O'Donnell: Broncos
Sobleski: Raiders
ATS Consensus: Raiders +4
SU Consensus: Broncos
Score Prediction: Broncos 26, Raiders 23
Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers
14 of 16
DK Line: Los Angeles -3
The Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins could put on an offensive showcase with some fireworks in the passing game. These teams finished third and fourth, respectively, in yards through the air last season.
Our NFL crew sided with the Dolphins to win a scoring shootout primarily because quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has, arguably, the best wide receiver duo in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at his disposal.
On the flip side, Hanford thinks quarterback Justin Herbert will lead the Chargers to victory as he elevates his game to an MVP level under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
"Justin Herbert should be better this year with Kellen Moore taking over for Joe Lombardi, who far too often didn't use Herbert's big arm to its full potential, and I expect that trend to start in Week 1 against a Dolphins secondary that's missing Jalen Ramsey," he said.
"Don't get me wrong. Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and company will also test a Chargers defense that largely struggled last year. However, the addition of Quentin Johnston, a stronger (and healthier) offensive line and Moore's play-calling will have the Chargers ready to come out on top. I like both teams to put up points, but Herbert's dark-horse MVP campaign will kick off early with a big win on Sunday."
Predictions
Davenport: Dolphins
Gagnon: Dolphins
Hanford: Chargers
Knox: Dolphins
Moton: Chargers
O'Donnell: Dolphins
Sobleski: Dolphins
ATS Consensus: Dolphins +3
SU Consensus: Dolphins
Score Prediction: Dolphins 35, Chargers 33
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
15 of 16
DK Line: Dallas -3
We'll see the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants square off for Sunday Night Football in a showcase that features two teams that made the 2022 playoffs.
Even though the Giants made a big leap in head coach Brian Daboll's first year, skeptics don't quite believe in Big Blue's progression for consecutive campaigns.
Sure, they retained running back Saquon Barkley, acquired star tight end Darren Waller from the Las Vegas Raiders and drafted a first-round cornerback in Deonte Banks, but the oddsmakers expect the team to regress in 2023.
Our panel comfortably backed the Cowboys, but O'Donnell can feel the tide turn in this NFC East rivalry.
"Let's get some numbers into the mix here," he said. "The Giants have beaten the Cowboys just once, once, since the start of the 2017 season. That's a 1-11 record in the past six years. Bad. Awful. Atrocious. Typing that hurts my brain and heart.
"New York was also last year's NFL leader in covering the spread with an ATS record of 14-5. However, one of those five losses came against Dallas even without Dak Prescott under center.
"DraftKings set the Cowboys' over/under win total at 10.5 (they won 12 games a year ago) and the Giants at 7.5 (they won nine games a year ago). The narrative points to a Giants' regression this season as they can't get nearly as lucky as they did in 2022 winning eight of those nine games by one score.
"The Cowboys are three-point road favorites for solid, understandable and backable reasons. I'm throwing all that out the window, though. I would gladly take the points if forced to but will be riding with Big Blue straight up anyway. It's time to change the narrative in this rivalry."
Predictions
Davenport: Cowboys
Gagnon: Giants
Hanford: Cowboys
Knox: Cowboys
Moton: Cowboys
O'Donnell: Giants
Sobleski: Cowboys
ATS Consensus: Cowboys -3
SU Consensus: Cowboys
Score Prediction: Cowboys 30, Giants 21
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
16 of 16
DK Line: Buffalo -2.5
After an inspiring season of HBO's Hard Knocks, the New York Jets will look to enter the Super Bowl discussion with the addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, running back Dalvin Cook and the return of a defensive core largely responsible for allowing the fourth-fewest points and yards last season.
With all the excitement around the Jets, they must show why they can topple the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title.
Buffalo has won the division for three consecutive years, but Moton has some concerns about the way its 2022 season came to an end in the playoffs.
"To reiterate a point made on Boy Green Daily with Paul Esden Jr., the Bills trended in the wrong direction at the end of the 2022 campaign, which ended in a 27-10 AFC divisional-round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals," he said. "In two playoff games, Josh Allen threw for three touchdowns, three interceptions and completed less than 60 percent of his passes in both games.
"Allen has MVP potential because of his big arm and willingness to run over defenders on the move outside the pocket, but he has a tendency to go through rough stretches and throw head-scratching interceptions. The Jets' stingy defense will capitalize on those mistakes.
"In the Monday Night Football spotlight, Rodgers shines with his new team and immediately raises the standard with a three-touchdown-performance against a Bills defense without Von Miller and a big question mark at linebacker following the loss of Tremaine Edmunds in free agency."
Predictions
Davenport: Bills
Gagnon: Bills
Hanford: Bills
Knox: Bills
Moton: Jets
O'Donnell: Bills
Sobleski: Jets
ATS Consensus: Bills -2.5
SU Consensus: Bills
Score Prediction: Bills 26, Jets 21
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).
21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
.jpg?w=480 "Chiefs Broncos Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Rams Draft Football")
.png?w=600 "LeBron Addresses MJ Comps 🐐")
