As the start of the NFL kicks off on Thursday, this year will be the first time the site will feature my picks for every game of the 2022 season. This year features many exciting Week 1 matchups; beginning with the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams hosting a championship-hungry Buffalo Bills squad and finishing with Monday Night Football which features Russell Wilson squaring off against his former team as the Broncos open their season on the road against Seattle.
Of course, the most exciting game of the week (I might be partial) will be Patrick Mahomes and a presumed new-look Chiefs offense taking on Arizona’s new QB-WR tandem of Kyler Murray and Marquise Brown.
Nonetheless, here are my picks for Week 1:
Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams (Rams +2.5)
Buffalo was 13 seconds away from knocking out the Chiefs and punching their ticket to the AFC Championship for the time since the early 90s. But that was before Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs offense scaled the field in record time to pull off the (literally) last-second victory. I’ll bet money that, eight months later, the Bills have not forgotten that loss and are on a mission in 2022. Although defending Super Bowl champions that open the season are 10-5-1 over the last 16 seasons, I think the Bills pull off the upset and defeat the Rams in LA.
Bills 31, Rams 24
Baltimore Ravens @ New York Jets (Jets +7.5)
Quarterback Joe Flacco was just named the starter for the Jets as they go up against his old team, the Baltimore Ravens. Overall, I felt the Jets had a decent off-season. Especially during the draft, adding cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, defensive end Jermaine Johnson II and running back Breece Hall in the first two rounds. I’m also interested to see how Lamar Jackson does in his first season without Marquise Brown since the Ravens made little effort to find a viable replacement. That said, this will be Jackson’s first game back following an injury-riddled season in 2021. Despite opening up as 7.5-point underdogs, I don’t see the Ravens falling at the hands of Flacco and the Jets.
Ravens 21, Jets 10
New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons (Falcons +6)
Divisional matchups can always go either way, and these are two teams that do not like one another in the slightest. Both the Saints and Falcons have their own set of question marks; What will the Saints get out of Jamis Winston every week? And how productive will Atlanta’s offense be with Marcus Mariota under center? Overall, I think the Saints have the better roster, and they should be able to take care of business over a hated rival, who is tipping towards the brink of a rebuild.
Saints 27, Falcons 10
New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins (Dolphins -3.5)
Quarterback Mac Jones looked good as a rookie for the Pats a year ago, and he should continue to progress on an upward trajectory in his sophomore season. However, Bill Belichick’s refusal to name a new OC and DC is bazar, to say the least, and may provide a series of challenges for Jones and the Patriot offense. On the other sideline, all eyes are on Tua and his new teammate Tyreek Hill. Historically, the Pats don’t fare well whatever they come down to the south beach, and I believe it’ll be more of the same old, same old, as the Dolphins take down the Pats for the fourth-straight time in Miami.
Dolphins 31, Patriots 20
Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers (Panthers -1)
This game will be all about Baker Mayfield taking his revenge against the franchise that essentially tossed him aside for Deshaun Watson, who’s now suspended. Jacoby Brisset will be the starter under center for the Browns. With plenty of talent around him in Carolina, Cleveland will be lucky if the score is close by the final whistle.
Panthers 31, Browns 14
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals (Bengals -6.5)
When two AFC North squads meet, the result is usually a low-scoring dog fight, which could be the case in this one. Pittsburgh’s got offensive line issues that are cause for concern, and Mitch Trubisky isn’t the greatest to have under center. However, Joe Burrow has dealt with appendicitis all of the preseason, meaning he’s yet to have an opportunity to shake the rust off with some real-time snaps in a game. In the end, I think the Bengals do just enough to secure the victory.
Bengals 20, Steelers 17
San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears (Bears +7.5)
The Trey Lance era has officially begun in San Fran. How he responds to the pressure as a new franchise QB will remain to be seen. However, Kyle Shanahan will likely keep the play-calling simple for Lance on the road. Justin Fields dropping back behind a shaky o-line, tasked to block Nick Bosa, spells a very long day for the Bears. Niners improve to 1-0 after a huge win.
49ers 24, Bears 7
Philadelphia Eagles @ Detriot Lions (Lions +4)
I like how the Eagles decided to rally around quarterback Jalen Hurts during the offseason by gathering the pieces to build an offense in which he can be successful. I also think the Lions will be an aggressive club that plays hard for head coach Dan Campbell on a weekly basis. But defending the amount of talent the Eagles have might be too big a task.
Eagles 24, Lions 14
Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans (Texans +7)
This will be Matt Ryan’s first game donning the blue and white since coming over to Indy from Atlanta in a trade over the offseason. Ryan still has the arm strength to sling the ball through the air and make the Colts’ passing game a legitimate threat this season. The Colts also have a dominant rushing attack with Jonathan Taylor. A mix of both should keep the Texans off balance on defense. However, a shootout could be in store if quarterback Davis Mills picks up where he left off last season. Indy will still be the better team, regardless.
Colts 27, Texans 24
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Washington Commanders (Commanders -2.5)
Jacksonville closed out the 2021 season with a victory over Carson Wentz and the Colts, which is why Wentz isn’t in Indy anymore. Now, Wentz will play against his former head coach Doug Pederson in Week 1. With more stability at head coach, I think the Jags make strides toward being a competitive team this season and stroll into our nation’s capital and defeat Wentz again with another incredible defensive effort.
Jaguars 17, Commanders 14
Kansas City Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals (Cardinals +6)
A key matchup will be the Arizona passing game going against Kansas City’s secondary. The Chiefs have seven DBs age 25 or younger, and four are rookies. Which means Kyler Murray will be the first of many veteran QBs that will test them early and often, looking for a favorable matchup. But Patrick Mahomes is no stranger to getting into a shootout, and this could very well be a game where a ton of points are scored. Will Arizona do enough to keep up? I don’t think so. The Chiefs come out on top.
Chiefs 38, Cardinals 28
New York Giants @ Tennessee Titans (Titans -6)
Brian Daboll found some success as the offensive coordinator in Buffalo, but that’s because Josh Allen was the best QB he’s ever had at his disposal. Now, he’s got Daniel Jones and a Giants locker room that is a far cry from the teams that were led by Tom Coughlin when Eli was under center. The G-men have a tough battle ahead against Tennessee, whose only source of offense will come from the ground via Derrick Henry. If New York can get ahead early and force the Titans to throw the ball, they have a shot. However, I don’t see them being able to contain Henry for all four quarters. The Titans win this one.
Titans 20, Giants 14
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings (Vikings +1)
The national sports media continues to act like the loss of Davante Adams will hamper Green Bay’s ability to move the ball on offense. But they seem to forget (or ignore) that the Packers are 10-0 in games they were forced to play without him. Minnesota will make enough plays to keep things interesting, but Rogers, no longer having the pressure to constantly feed Adams the ball, will keep the Vikings guessing by spreading the ball around to pick up the ‘W’.
Packers 34, Vikings 28
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers (Chargers -3.5)
Both the Raiders and Chargers will push to make the postseason while also stealing the division crown from Kansas City. Vegas beat L.A. at the end of last season to cap off a four-game winning streak that helped propel them into the postseason. However, the Chargers handed the Raiders their first loss of the season last year. This game could go either way, but I think the addition of Davante Adams gives the Silver and the Black the advantage to edge the Bolts in a narrow win.
Raiders 34, Chargers 31
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys (Cowboys +2.5)
The first SNF game features the GOAT Tom Brady squaring off against Dak Prescott. This one has the makings to be a defensive, low-scoring game. Both offenses have concerns along to o-line, which does not bode well for either QB. But I think Brady can do just enough to get a lead and let his defense do the rest.
Bucs 14, Cowboys 13
Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks (Seahawks +6.5)
Monday Night Football kicks off with Russell Wilson coming home to face the Seahawks, which is the only intriguing storyline with this game. The Broncos are hoping Russ can help produce a winning record for the first time since Peyton Manning retired following the 2015 season, and the Seahawks are just about in full rebuild mode. Denver is the obvious pick.
Broncos 24, Seahawks 13
