Picks for Week 1 of the 2016 NFL Season
The National Anthem.
It's ironic that so much of what everyone is talking about recently in the NFL is around 49ers QB Colin Kaepenrick and others not standing for the national anthem. I say ironic because many, including myself, see the national anthem as a sign of patriotism and this Sunday will be the 15th anniversary of 9/11. One of the most horrific days in this country's history.
I'm not going to tell anyone to stand, sit or kneel during the national anthem because one of the things that makes America great is that we have freedom of speech. Colin Kaepernick and anyone else who so chooses, can sit or kneel during the playing of the national anthem whether you agree or disagree with their decision. They have a constitutional right to do so.
Additionally, you have a right to think or feel however you want about this situation. I stand and always will stand for the national anthem out of respect for those in the military who have made it possible for me to enjoy a football game on a Sunday afternoon.
During the playing of the national anthem my mind usually thinks of World War II or some major battle because it's because of those who were at Pearl Harbor, or on the beaches of Normandy, or someone like former Arizona Cardinal, Pat Tillman, who left the NFL for Afghanistan and ultimately died fighting after what transpired on 9/11, that I'm free today.
I'm grateful for their sacrifices and I respect what they've done for this country. That's why I stand. You may agree or disagree, which is fine. I'm entitled to my own opinion and so are you. That's what makes America great.
It'll be an emotional day in the NFL and around the country on Sunday and it's hard to move on from that, I know, but let's continue.
Here are my picks, bound to be wrong, I'm sure, for the first week of the NFL season.
Week 1 Picks (Home team in CAPS)
Carolina over DENVER (Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC): Trevor Siemian vs. Cam Newton. Who could've predicted that? The Denver defense will keep the Broncos in the game, but I like the Panthers to get revenge in this Super Bowl rematch.
Green Bay over JACKSONVILLE (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): We will find out if the Jaguars have fixed their defensive problems right from the start. Going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers explosive offense will be the ultimate test for Gus Bradley's new look Jaguars defense. Jacksonville will compete, but I like Rodgers and the Packers in this one.
Buffalo over BALTIMORE (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): This is will an interesting game for the shear fact that I don't know what to expect from either of these teams this season. Come December I expect the Bills to have a better record than the Ravens, but this Sunday your guess is as good as mine.
HOUSTON over Chicago (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Brock Osweiler's first game for the Texans will be a good one. He'll lead Houston to a victory over Jay Cutler and Chicago.
PHILADELPHIA over Cleveland (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): Could be one of the few games the Browns have a chance of winning this season. I'll be curious to see how Robert Griffin III plays with new head coach Hue Jackson calling the plays, but I don't think the Browns will start the season 1-0.
ATLANTA over Tampa Bay (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Toss up. I could see both the Falcons and Buccaneers having good seasons and being in contention for the Wild Card come December, but I also could see them both going 6-10. I'm leaning towards the Buccaneers being the better overall team in 2016, but with this one being in Atlanta, I'll take the Falcons.
Minnesota over TENNESSEE (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Even without QB Teddy Bridgewater, pick the Vikings here. Tennessee is still trying to figure things out and I look for QB Marcus Mariota to have a tough time all day with the Vikings defense. Love the fantasy matchup for RB Adrian Peterson in this game as well. Keep an eye on QB Sam Bradford and how he plays following his trade from the Eagles.
Cincinnati over NY JETS (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): Going to be an emotional day in New York on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Hard to believe it's been 15 years since that tragic day and you know the Jets will be fired up to play for their fellow New Yorkers. This could be one of, if not the best, game of Week 1. Two good defenses will be on the field at MetLife Stadium and it could be a low scoring game. Overall, the Bengals have a better offense even without Pro Bowl TE Tyler Eifert. QB Andy Dalton will lead a late fourth quarter scoring drive to seal a win for the Bengals.
Oakland over NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Points. Points. And more points. Both of these teams have explosive offenses and the winner of this one could be the first team to 35. I picked the Raiders to make the playoffs and they'll backup my prediction by starting the season 1-0.
KANSAS CITY over San Diego (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): Kansas City will be one of the best teams in the NFL this season and I think they'll get off to a fast start against San Diego. Don't expect it to be an exciting game though. Plenty of defense, a lot of check downs from QB Alex Smith, but it'll result in a win.
SEATTLE over Miami (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Dolphins will have to wait till Week 3 before they can enjoy an upgraded home in Miami as they start the season up in Seattle. A long flight, a hostile environment and a good football team in the Seahawks won't start things off well for the Dolphins.
INDIANAPOLIS over Detroit (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): You just don't replace Calvin Johnson. Detroit will miss the future Hall of Famer. I think Andrew Luck will have a big day to get 2016 off to a good start for the Colts as Matthew Stafford misses Megatron.
DALLAS over NY Giants (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): Why not? Dak Prescott will lead the Cowboys to an upset of the Giants in his first NFL start.
ARIZONA over New England (Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC): Wouldn't be shocked at all if Jimmy Garoppolo and the Patriots found a way to win out in the desert on Sunday night. Cardinals are tough to beat at home and behind that defense they'll get the victory, but Garoppolo won't make it easy.
Pittsburgh over WASHINGTON (Monday, 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN): There are not going to be many teams capable of stopping the Steelers on offense this season and Washington is not one of those teams. Look for QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown to have big games on the first Monday Night Football game of the year.
Los Angeles over SAN FRANCISCO (Monday, 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN): The 49ers are going with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, not Colin Kaepernick, to open the season. Gabbert played surprisingly well last season, which gives the 49ers some hope under new head coach Chip Kelly. I like the Rams to win this game though as their first game back as the Los Angeles Rams.
Overall: Hopefully better than last year.
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| New York Jets C Nick Mangold on 9/11 in 2011. (Image Courtesy of Getty Images) |
I'm not going to tell anyone to stand, sit or kneel during the national anthem because one of the things that makes America great is that we have freedom of speech. Colin Kaepernick and anyone else who so chooses, can sit or kneel during the playing of the national anthem whether you agree or disagree with their decision. They have a constitutional right to do so.
Additionally, you have a right to think or feel however you want about this situation. I stand and always will stand for the national anthem out of respect for those in the military who have made it possible for me to enjoy a football game on a Sunday afternoon.
During the playing of the national anthem my mind usually thinks of World War II or some major battle because it's because of those who were at Pearl Harbor, or on the beaches of Normandy, or someone like former Arizona Cardinal, Pat Tillman, who left the NFL for Afghanistan and ultimately died fighting after what transpired on 9/11, that I'm free today.
I'm grateful for their sacrifices and I respect what they've done for this country. That's why I stand. You may agree or disagree, which is fine. I'm entitled to my own opinion and so are you. That's what makes America great.
It'll be an emotional day in the NFL and around the country on Sunday and it's hard to move on from that, I know, but let's continue.
Here are my picks, bound to be wrong, I'm sure, for the first week of the NFL season.
Week 1 Picks (Home team in CAPS)
Carolina over DENVER (Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC): Trevor Siemian vs. Cam Newton. Who could've predicted that? The Denver defense will keep the Broncos in the game, but I like the Panthers to get revenge in this Super Bowl rematch.
Green Bay over JACKSONVILLE (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): We will find out if the Jaguars have fixed their defensive problems right from the start. Going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers explosive offense will be the ultimate test for Gus Bradley's new look Jaguars defense. Jacksonville will compete, but I like Rodgers and the Packers in this one.
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The journal to Houston begins on Thursday as the 2016 NFL season gets underway. |
Buffalo over BALTIMORE (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): This is will an interesting game for the shear fact that I don't know what to expect from either of these teams this season. Come December I expect the Bills to have a better record than the Ravens, but this Sunday your guess is as good as mine.
HOUSTON over Chicago (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Brock Osweiler's first game for the Texans will be a good one. He'll lead Houston to a victory over Jay Cutler and Chicago.
PHILADELPHIA over Cleveland (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): Could be one of the few games the Browns have a chance of winning this season. I'll be curious to see how Robert Griffin III plays with new head coach Hue Jackson calling the plays, but I don't think the Browns will start the season 1-0.
ATLANTA over Tampa Bay (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Toss up. I could see both the Falcons and Buccaneers having good seasons and being in contention for the Wild Card come December, but I also could see them both going 6-10. I'm leaning towards the Buccaneers being the better overall team in 2016, but with this one being in Atlanta, I'll take the Falcons.
Minnesota over TENNESSEE (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Even without QB Teddy Bridgewater, pick the Vikings here. Tennessee is still trying to figure things out and I look for QB Marcus Mariota to have a tough time all day with the Vikings defense. Love the fantasy matchup for RB Adrian Peterson in this game as well. Keep an eye on QB Sam Bradford and how he plays following his trade from the Eagles.
Cincinnati over NY JETS (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): Going to be an emotional day in New York on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Hard to believe it's been 15 years since that tragic day and you know the Jets will be fired up to play for their fellow New Yorkers. This could be one of, if not the best, game of Week 1. Two good defenses will be on the field at MetLife Stadium and it could be a low scoring game. Overall, the Bengals have a better offense even without Pro Bowl TE Tyler Eifert. QB Andy Dalton will lead a late fourth quarter scoring drive to seal a win for the Bengals.
Oakland over NEW ORLEANS (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX): Points. Points. And more points. Both of these teams have explosive offenses and the winner of this one could be the first team to 35. I picked the Raiders to make the playoffs and they'll backup my prediction by starting the season 1-0.
KANSAS CITY over San Diego (Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS): Kansas City will be one of the best teams in the NFL this season and I think they'll get off to a fast start against San Diego. Don't expect it to be an exciting game though. Plenty of defense, a lot of check downs from QB Alex Smith, but it'll result in a win.
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| Love the renovations the Dolphins have made down in Miami. Also, who knew their home was now called Hard Rock Stadium? (Image via Dolphins webcam) |
INDIANAPOLIS over Detroit (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): You just don't replace Calvin Johnson. Detroit will miss the future Hall of Famer. I think Andrew Luck will have a big day to get 2016 off to a good start for the Colts as Matthew Stafford misses Megatron.
DALLAS over NY Giants (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): Why not? Dak Prescott will lead the Cowboys to an upset of the Giants in his first NFL start.
ARIZONA over New England (Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC): Wouldn't be shocked at all if Jimmy Garoppolo and the Patriots found a way to win out in the desert on Sunday night. Cardinals are tough to beat at home and behind that defense they'll get the victory, but Garoppolo won't make it easy.
Pittsburgh over WASHINGTON (Monday, 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN): There are not going to be many teams capable of stopping the Steelers on offense this season and Washington is not one of those teams. Look for QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown to have big games on the first Monday Night Football game of the year.
Los Angeles over SAN FRANCISCO (Monday, 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN): The 49ers are going with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback, not Colin Kaepernick, to open the season. Gabbert played surprisingly well last season, which gives the 49ers some hope under new head coach Chip Kelly. I like the Rams to win this game though as their first game back as the Los Angeles Rams.
Overall: Hopefully better than last year.
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