NFL Week 1 Picks

It’s here.

It’s finally here.

The long wait that lasted through 97 months of the NBA playoffs and 742 months of summer baseball is over. Thank the lord.

Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season is upon us and I can’t wait to dive into the first slate of games and pick some winners. So, let’s not waste time blathering and get to work.

Here is how I see Week 1 unfolding.  (Apologies, no pick of tonight’s game between Carolina and Denver.)

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

BUCCANEERS AT FALCONS

Well, Year 2 of the Jameis Winston Experience gets under way and everyone will be looking for the man to take a leap forward in his second trip around the league. Will it happen? It should.

The organization’s new head coach Dirk Koetter – why did they fire Lovie Smith? — was last season’s offensive coordinator and has undoubtedly made the quarterback his No. 1 priority. With some talented skill positions players (Doug Martin, Mike Evans, etc.) already in the mix and some quality defensive additions via free agency, there’s no reason to believe this team can’t improve on 2015’s 6-10 mark.

Then we have the Falcons. Remember last season’s 5-0 start? That was fun, right? Too bad they ended at 8-8 and missed the playoffs. Matt Ryan is making way too much money for him to repeat his 21 TD, 16 INT performance from 2015. Even with Julio Jones dealing with an ankle injury, expect the favored Falcons to get it done in the Georgia Dome. Sorry, Jameis. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of games left.

Winner: Falcons

BROWNS AT EAGLES

Sure, this website has Baltimore in its name, but I’m no Cleveland hater. Quite the contrary. Nothing made me happier than watching the Cavaliers hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy and I’d love to see the Browns pick themselves out of the dumpster and become competitive.

And guess what? Cleveland got handed the perfect opponent to start the Hue Jackson Era. The Browns are on the road, but they’re going up against a dumpster-fire Eagles squad that’s starting a rookie QB in Carson Wentz — who didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his limited preseason action.

Enjoy it, Cleveland. Week 1 is your time. Your new captain Robert Griffin III (still feels weird saying that) will officially kick off his redemption tour with a notch on his belt.

Winner: Browns

VIKINGS AT TITANS

The Titans have the worst uniforms in the league. That has nothing to do with the game, I just needed to get that off my chest.

Clothing aside, Tennessee might actually have something to be excited about in 2016. QB Marcus Mariota is coming off a good rookie season (despite some injuries) and he suddenly has not one, but two talented running backs behind him. DeMarco Murray (don’t laugh) looks poised to shed the memory of his one disastrous season in Philadelphia and Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry has looked impressive, averaging more than six yards per carry in the preseason.

As for the Vikings? Well, you gotta feel for them. Not because they lost Teddy Bridgewater, because honestly, was he really THAT good? It’s because they had such little confidence in backup Shaun Hill, that they traded for … Sam Bradford. Ewww.

The Vikings have a better roster than the Titans, but it’s going to take a little bit longer to get their offense together. Expect an opening-week hiccup.

I’m going with the road team to ruin the Vikings’ first regular-season game in their beautiful new stadium.

Winner: Titans

RAIDERS AT SAINTS

This one should be easy. The Raiders are on the rise and are a sexy pick to compete for their first playoff berth since 2003 with a young core that includes Derek Carr, Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper.

Meanwhile, the Saints have an aging quarterback and a defense that ushered opponents into the end zone last season. What’s more, that once-vaunted homefield advantage disappeared as the team finished 4-4 at the Superdome in 2015.

Slam-dunk win for the Silver and Black, right? Pump the brakes. Call me crazy, but I see the Saints – who still have a potent offense — pulling out an inexplicable win in front of their home fans.

Winner: Saints

BENGALS AT JETS

These are two teams coming off heartbreaking ends to the 2015 season. The Jets went 10-6 in head coach Todd Bowles’ first season, but managed to get squeezed out of a playoff spot. The Bengals got to the postseason – again – and flamed out spectacularly (again) with an ugly late-game collapse against the Steelers.

So, we hit the reset button. The Jets are at home and the Gang Green faithful are hoping Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard will start another solid campaign. However, that’s a tall task against the Bengals team that has Andy Dalton back under center after a thumb injury ended his 2015 campaign early.

Even without LB Vontaze Burfict (suspension) and star TE Tyler Eifert (elbow) in the lineup on Sunday, Cincinnati has too many weapons for the Jets to deal with.

Winner: Bengals

CHARGERS AT CHIEFS

Who doesn’t love an AFC West clash in Week 1?

The Chargers are coming off a 4-12 stinker last year and have offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt back in the fold. Will that be enough to get past the Chiefs – who swept the Bolts last season?

Nope. Even if Kansas City doesn’t have the recovering Jamaal Charles in the lineup on Sunday, they still have enough depth at running back to give a solid Chargers’ defensive front fits. Don’t expect a blowout, but the home team should come out on top.

Winner: Chiefs

BEARS AT TEXANS

Welp, Brock Osweiler got the money he was looking for this past offseason. He just had to go to Houston to get it.

Kudos to him. Never fault a player for getting paid. Now’s he’s gotta produce and NFL schedule-makers did him a huge favor. Hello, Chicago!

Seriously, what’s the deal with the Bears? Jay Cutler is still there, really? They let Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte go? Hmmmm. Anyone else feel Chicago has a chance on the road this weekend?

Me neither.

Winner: Texans

BILLS AT RAVENS

Too bad there’s only one football.

Joe Flacco is back after tearing up his knee in 2015, but that’s not his biggest problem going forward. It’s going to be a challenge to distribute the ball to all of his potential targets this season.

Between Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman (he finally gets to play!), Chris Moore, Kamar Aiken and even Steve Smith, the Ravens have quite the collection of riches at wideout. That’s a great problem to have. Add to that some impressive depth at running back and it’s easy to predict that Baltimore will score points in bunches this season.

Sure, the Ravens are starting two rookies on the offensive line, but the Bills can’t rush the passer anyway, so rock on.

Winner: Ravens

PACKERS AT JAGUARS

The excitement is building in Jacksonville. The Jaguars aren’t just a pushover anymore. There is legitimate talent on both sides of the ball. Head coach Gus Bradley is desperate to keep his job as he enters his fourth season and is guaranteed to pull out all the stops.

So, do I have the guts? Am I going to go all in on the Jaguars to hand the Packers an opening-week loss?

No, I’m a coward. I need to see it to believe it. I’m not betting against Aaron Rodgers vs. an unproven commodity.

Winner: Packers

DOLPHINS AT SEAHAWKS

It’s almost not fair.

New Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase inherits a roster that has undeniable talent, but hasn’t lived up to it. Gase’s job as a quarterback whisperer is to get Ryan Tannehill to take the next step forward in his development as people are running out of patience with the latter.

That’s going to be damn near impossible in an opening week trip to Seattle, a place that has made better quarterbacks wither. The run to the playoffs starts next week. Expect Russell Wilson and Co. to score often while the Legion of Boom does what made them famous.

Winner: Seahawks

LIONS AT COLTS

Yikes, which team is the bigger mess?

Is it the Colts with their tissue-paper offensive line or the Lions who are seemingly a different team every week?

When all else fails, go with revenge. Lions head coach Jim Caldwell was once the man in charge in Indianapolis before being shown the door, and don’t think Jim wouldn’t love to stick it to his former team in their building.

Winner: Lions

GIANTS AT COWBOYS

OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG.

Sorry, I’m a little excited. Don’t you understand what’s happening on Sunday? It’s the coming-out party for the NFL’s next great quarterback. That’s right, I’m talking about none other than DAK FREAKING PRESCOTT, people!

The rookie slayed the NFL preseason to the tune of a 137.8 passer rating and is now poised to do the same in the regular season, right? Preseason performances always predict future success, yes?

OK, I’m kidding. Obviously, there are going to be bumps in the road for Prescott, but he’s got the benefit of an amazing offensive line and a running game that will take a ton of pressure off him. He doesn’t need to do it all himself.

Plus, the Giants losing this game would be so … Giants.

Winner: Cowboys

PATRIOTS AT CARDINALS

It’s the first Sunday night game of the 2016 season and Tom Brady won’t be in uniform. Probably won’t be at the stadium either as he serves the first of his four-game Deflategate (booo!) suspension.

You can break down the film and point to reasons why the Cardinals are a lock to win, but there’s no need.

Cardinals D > Jimmy Garoppolo.

Winner: Cardinals

STEELERS AT REDSKINS

The first game of a Monday night doubleheader. Lovely. We get the Steelers, who are seemingly in the playoff mix every season taking on the circus-like Redskins.

However, this game features one very intriguing matchup: Steelers WR Antonio Brown vs. new Redskins CB Josh Norman. Now, that has some sizzle.

The Redskins squeaked in to postseason last year with their 9-7 record, while not beating a single playoff team along the way. Here’s a chance to turn that around. With a dynamic passing attack against a young Pittsburgh secondary, it’s not a stretch of the imagination to see the Redskins get an opening-week win at FedEx Field.

And of course, the Steelers won’t have either Le’Veon Bell or Martavis Bryant (both suspended) in uniform.

It might seem like an upset, but it’s really not.

Winner: Redskins

RAMS AT 49ERS

As a native of Los Angeles, it pleases me that the Rams are back in Southern California. Of course, they’ll have to wait to make their regular-season debut at the Coliseum as they make a Monday night trip to Levi’s Stadium.

Yes, Jared Goff went from No. 1 pick to third-string quarterback. Yes, the Rams don’t seem to be very good at cornerback. Yes, Jeff Fisher has made coaching 7-9 teams into an art form.

I don’t care, I’m going with the homer pick.

Winner: Rams

Enjoy Week 1!