Week 1 NFL Predictions

Can you believe it happened so fast?? Football season is back, so it's time for this year's picks and prognostications. Every week, I will post the games for the coming weeks and predict the outcomes straight up and vs the spread. It's going to be a fun year, I can feel it already!

Washington at New York Giants

Line: Giants by 4.5

While I do feel losing Strahan and Osi will affect any team, much less the Super Bowl champs, Washington doesn't have a good enough offense to exploit the Giants' perceived weaknesses. The big issue the Giants will face down the road is replacing their sack production, as Tuck and Kiwanuka will have a tough time without getting as many free shots at the QB without Strahan and Osi to take up blockers. Giants 21, Redskins 10

Cincinnati at Baltimore

Line: Bengals by 1.5

If Flacco can just manage the game and get the ball into McGahee and Rice's hands, B-More will have success. Chances are though, he'll probably look like a rookie, commit a couple dumb turnovers, and give a good Cincinnati offense favorable field position for some easy scores. Bengals 27, Ravens 17

New York Jets at Miami

Line: Jets by 3

Pennington has an inherent advantage knowing the Jets' defense, but it may not be enough to outduel Favre and the Jets' revamped offense. Jets 27, Dolphins 20

Kansas City at New England

Line: Patriots by 15.5

The Pats probably won't run the table this year and didn't exactly light it up in the preseason, but they couldn't get a bigger break than facing a team in Week 1 that'll probably spend the whole year rebuilding. KC will undoubtedly be overmatched even if Brady's ankle isn't 100%. Patriots 27, Chiefs 7

Houston at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 6.5

Yes, homer pick, I know, but Pittsburgh was in the top 5 in sacks allowed and is facing a rugged Texans' D led by the supernatural Mario Williams, who will undoubtedly get some pressure on Big Ben and make him work for everything. Steelers 24, Texans 21

Jacksonville at Tennessee

Line: Jaguars by 3

Without Brad Meester at C, the Jags will have a tough time running the ball against the Titans' rugged defense. With all the injuries they have at receiver, they'll have a tough time getting the passing game working as well. If the Titans can get their 1-2 RB punch of White and Johnson going, the Titans have a chance to pull a minor surprise in Week 1. Titans 16, Jaguars 13

Detroit at Atlanta

Line: Lions by 3

Tatum Bell gives the term "a player with extra baggage" a whole new meaning after he got kicked off the team for, in a boneheaded move, stealing the baggage of newly-acquired Rudi Johnson. Maybe Denver will take him back, after all Shanahan loves RB's with low character. Just ask "Goose is Loose" Clarett and Travis "I owe my baby mamas some child support" Henry. On a sider, the Lions could be a sleeper this year. They're actually going to try to run the ball this year and have the personnel to do it. Lions 27, Falcons 21

Seattle at Buffalo

Line: Bills by 1

The Seahawks are banged up at receiver and Hasselbeck is limping back after missing a good part of the preseason. Plus I don't think Jones and Duckett will be that much better than the remains of Shaun Alexander. If Edwards can just manage the game and keep feeding his horse, Marshawn Lynch, the Bills will get a solid home win to open the season. Bills 17, Seahawks 13

Tampa Bay at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 3

No truth to the rumor that the Bucs are bringing back Trent Dilfer to play QB. They seem to have every other 3rd rate QB in the league. On a sider, as much as I love the Saints as a sleeper team, they may not even be the biggest sleeper in their own division. Saints 23, Bucs 17

Carolina at San Diego

Line: Chargers by 9

THIS FOLKS, IS YOUR SLEEPER! The Panthers replaced fumbling machine DeShaun Foster in the draft with Johnathan Stewart, who has the tools to be an excellent NFL back, they added a bookend tackle alongside Gross in Jeff Otah, they finally got Steve Smith some real support at receiver in Moose Muhammed and DJ Hackett, and Delhomme appears to finally be healthy. Plus, there's no way Julius Peppers has two crappy seasons in a row. Lastly, the Panthers usually have good years when Smith goes psycho on a teammate, which he already did in training camp. Look for the Panthers to have their best year since they got to the Super Bowl in 2003. This theme will not die either, check my old columns on themikerophone.com, you'll notice I ride my sleepers to the finish! Chargers 28, Panthers 21

St. Louis at Philadelphia

Line: Eagles by 7.5

I think the Eagles have a solid team, but I'm not jumping on the bandwagon like the rest of the media that rates them over the Giants in the NFC East. When the biggest WR upgrade you made is drafting a 5'9" return specialist in the 2nd round, you did not upgrade your receiving core. McNabb and Westbrook will once again have to carry that entire offense by themselves. Eagles 20, Rams 10

Cleveland at Dallas

Line: Cowboys by 5.5

Pacman Jones makes his debut in Dallas an exciting one with two picks, one returned for a TD. After scoring, he takes a garbage bag full of money and dumps it on the Cowboys' cheerleader. He then picks up a wad of cash, shows it to the camera, and asks Roger Goodell "Will cash be ok?" Cowboys 31, Browns 17

Arizona at San Francisco

Line: Cardinals by 2.5

I know they went 8-8 last year. I know the O'Sullivan-Martz experiment will be an absolute disaster. Even so, I can't pick the Cardinals as favorites on the road ever. They're the NFL's ultimate tease. 49ers 21, Cardinals 20

Chicago at Indianapolis

Line: Colts by 9.5

Indy's limping into the regular season with Manning coming off of surgery and with Lilja and Saturday both out with injuries. They'll win, but they probably won't be as sharp as they'll eventually be in the coming weeks. Chicago should be much improved on defense with Mike Brown and Nate Vahser healthy to start the season. Colts 20, Bears 14

Minnesota at Green Bay

Line: Packers by 2.5

As much as I like the Vikings, I can't take them seriously as a contender until they fix the QB problems. Signing Gus "He's still in the league???" Frerotte doesn't exactly inspire confidence. I'll be keeping this game on mute, it's a Monday Night game in Green Bay, meaning every other word coming out of Madden's mouth will be Brett Favre. Packers 14, Vikings 10

Denver at Oakland

Line: Broncos by 3

JRuss and DMAC! It's a new era of Raiders football! JaMarcus showed signs at the end of the season of being a serviceable NFL QB and McFadden should have no trouble in Week 1 gashing the Broncos' porous run defense. With no Brandon Marshall, Denver doesn't have the weapons to keep up. Raiders 31, Broncos 24