Cover photo taken from Yahoo Sports.
Welcome to kickoff. Our waiting has finally come to an end as the 2022 NFL season gets underway tonight. Week 1 is always a blast, and the opening slate of games this year promise to be no different. It’s time for teams to put all the questions to bed and finally go out and play. And we, the fans, are oh so lucky to watch it all unfold. Let’s get into my picks for the opening week of the season.
Bills 31-23 Rams 
Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC
The 2022 season kicks off with a potential Super Bowl preview between the defending champion Rams and the title favorite Bills in Los Angeles. I can think of no better way to start the season than with a game like this. We’re getting all the starpower in the world on full display as the first regular action of the season. These teams match up quite well with one another on paper, but as I said yesterday, I don’t like the moves the Rams made in free agency coming off of their Super Bowl win. I think they’re worse defensively, especially up front. It’s quite poetic that they lost Von Miller to Buffalo and now he’s lining up against them in the first game of their title defense. It’s just going to be too hard for LA to stop Josh Allen and company in their very first game with this downgraded unit. Their offense is good enough to keep them in this game, but I think the superior defense of the Bills will prove to be the difference in the clutch. Buffalo opens their potential season of dreams with a win.
Saints 24-10 Falcons 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
The Saints are destined to bounce back from last season’s misery in a huge way. Luckily, the schedule-makers gifted them a free win to start their season. The Falcons are arguably football’s worst team. With New Orleans having one of the best overall rosters in football, this one shouldn’t be close. I’m personally very excited to see their offense back at full strength with Jameis Winston, Alvin Kamara, and especially Michael Thomas and Chris Olave. Look for the rookie to make a huge impact in his NFL debut. Defensively, the Saints should shut down whoever the Falcons throw out on offense all game long en route to one of their easier victories of the year.
49ers 27-13 Bears 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
Like the game directly above, this one is a total mismatch. The 49ers boast perhaps the best roster in the NFL, while the Bears might have the saddest one. The biggest question in this game will be Trey Lance, and everyone’s eyes will be fixated on him as he makes his first start as the guy for San Francisco. I think he should thrive in their offense all year long, and it doesn’t get much easier than this for him to settle in. Meanwhile, the Niners defense should feast on a horrible Chicago offensive line and make life hell for Justin Fields, although he had a pretty nice game against them last year. While I’d love for the Bears to make some noise in this game, logic is pulling me in the exact opposite direction.
Bengals 24-19 Steelers 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Everyone is wondering whether or not the Bengals can run back their improbable success from 2021 and build a new powerhouse in the AFC. It all starts with this game against their bitter rival with plenty of questions of their own. The Steelers have made the decision to rock with Mitch Trubisky as their starting QB, and while I think that’s the wrong decision, I don’t think it makes them that much worse. However, Cincinnati might prove to be too tall of a task to open the season. The Bengals have too much firepower offensively, and if the last few weeks of last season was any indication, their defense is pretty stout as well. These AFC North games typically prove to be slugfests, and while I like Pittsburgh’s defense, I’m taking the unit that shows me more to like. And if this one comes down to the wire, it’s no question that I’d rather have Joe Burrow.
Eagles 30-14 Lions 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
I really like the direction both of these teams are heading in, but it’s no secret that the Eagles are a far better squad as of right now. The Lions have a good thing going, but it’ll still be a while before it all comes to fruition. Meanwhile, Philly is ready to seize the moment and show the league what they’re made of this year. I think they’re going to come out with their new-look offense and revamped defense and absolutely thwart Detroit from start to finish in a dominant win. I can’t wait to see what Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, and A.J. Brown do in their first game together. The the other side of the ball should be a delight to watch as well. I wouldn’t doubt the Lions’ ability to move the ball with their offense, but I think points will be too hard to come by for them to keep up for four quarters.
Dolphins 21-16 Patriots 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Even with their flashy new offense, it’s hard to believe this game won’t be a grind for the Dolphins. New England always plays them close and hard, and this game should be no different despite the overwhelmingly new circumstances in Miami. However, I have no doubt that their superior offensive talent will put them over the top in this game. The Patriots are just a weird team on both sides of the ball, and I have no idea what their identity is coming into this game. At least I know what I’m going to get with the Dolphins, and they might shock me offensively. I’m very intrigued to see what their offense looks like with Tyreek Hill, who always seems to pop off against the Patriots. Even if he’s stifled, Miami should be able to make enough plays to win this one.
Ravens 31-17 Jets 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Joe Flacco facing his former team for the first time has to be the most underrated storyline of Week 1, right? Why is nobody talking about this? Well, perhaps because the Jets are awful and this is a pretty terrible game on paper. The Ravens are the much better team and should handle this game with ease. I am excited to see how their offense looks, and especially interested to see how their defense performs with so many exciting new pieces. But other than that, there’s nothing really to see here. Just a good team beating up on a bad one.
Jaguars 23-20 Commanders 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
Oh brother. Can you think of any better way for the Commanders era of Washington football to start than a home loss to the worst team in football from the year before? Because I can’t! As much as I’d love to be optimistic about this game and this season, I just know what lies ahead: more embarrassment and sadness. This is how it begins. But, it’s not just the depression that comes with the Commanders. As I outlined the other day, I think the Jaguars had a very good offseason and will bring a level of energy to this game that Washington simply lacks. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne will likely have their way with a porous defense from a year ago. I can’t put any faith in Carson Wentz to do the same thing considering that the last game he played was the embarrassing loss to Jacksonville. If he led his team to victory in that game, he wouldn’t be my QB today. So, what better way to start his tenure in DC than by kicking it off with the same result as the reason he’s here?
Panthers 20-17 Browns 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
If I’m being completely honest, there’s really no reason for the Browns to lose this game. But, I have agendas to push, and I’d really like to see Baker Mayfield exact his revenge on the team in his first game outside of Cleveland. Carolina does not match up well in this game at all, but it’s a bit hard to put any faith in a Browns team led by Jacoby Brissett. I do think their defense can carry them to victory, but I just don’t want to pick them. If the Browns can ignore logic and sense when making moves for a rapist QB, then I can also ignore logic and sense when it comes to picking their games!
Colts 28-13 Texans 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
The Colts are one of the most puzzling teams in the league heading into this season, but this should not be a challenge at all for them. Houston is arguably the worst team in the league with absolutely nothing to play for. Indy is in the midst of a new era with Matt Ryan at QB, but he is more than serviceable, and this team will see a good deal of success in 2022. There’s no easier way to start than being spoon-fed a win against your division rival. Look for Jonathan Taylor to kick off another potential MVP campaign with a massive game while the Colts defense flexes their colors against a putrid Texans offense.
Titans 22-10 Giants 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX
Why do we have so many lopsided matchups in Week 1? This might be the worst one of them all. It’s not necessarily because the Titans are that good, despite being last year’s 1 seed in the AFC. It has more to do with how dreadful the Giants are. New York is a team already looking ahead to who they’ll draft with a top 3 selection next April. Tennessee should crush them, especially with their dominant defensive front. The offense won’t need to do too much, which is good news for Derrick Henry, who should have an even heavier load to carry this season.
Vikings 29-27 Packers 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX
What a great game this is going to be. I have such high hopes for the Vikings in 2022, and there’s no better way for them to show everyone else their potential than by opening with a victory over their division rival and defending 1 seed. If this game was at Lambeau, I’d easily pick Green Bay, but I just have a feeling about Sunday evening in Minneapolis. I think their star-studded offense is built to overcome great defenses like the Packers have, and their improved defense can certainly shut down an offense with Allen Lazard as its WR1. You can never count out Aaron Rodgers no matter who he’s throwing the ball to, but something tells me this first game without Davante Adams will be a learning curve. The Packers won’t lose many games in 2022, but I can see this being one of them.
Chiefs 33-27 Cardinals 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS
If you like offense, tune into CBS on Sunday evening. It may be the first game without Tyreek Hill in Kansas City, but I have the utmost faith in Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to still be an elite offensive threat. The Cardinals should also be exciting on that side of the ball, even without DeAndre Hopkins. While you can make the argument that both of these teams are good enough on defense to prevent this from being a shootout, this game just has a back-and-forth feel to it. So, take the over. It’s virtually to bet against Mahomes and KC in the month of September, so I’ll rock with them. In any case, I think this could end up being one of the most entertaining games of the week.
Chargers 31-21 Raiders 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS
There likely isn’t a Week 1 game featuring two teams that people want to see more than this one. The Chargers are the sneaky Super Bowl pick in the AFC after a terrific offseason, and the Raiders made a huge splash in getting WR Davante Adams to help them out in their division push. Every time these teams get together, it’s an absolute blast, and I don’t see this one going any different. However, I do think LA should have a comfortable grip on this game from start to finish. Their defense is much better than Vegas’, and they should feast on an absolutely porous offensive line. I do think the Raiders offense will put up their numbers, but points will be a commodity for them. Meanwhile, I can’t wait to see what Justin Herbert, my personal pick for MVP, does in his season debut. I have extremely high hopes for him and his team, and I’d hate for them to let me down in Week 1. All things considered, that would actually be the most Chargers outcome here.
Buccaneers 27-24 Cowboys 
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC
It doesn’t get much bigger than a Sunday Night Football clash between Tom Brady and the Cowboys in Week 1. Even with an injury-riddled offense to start the year, I find it far too difficult to bet against Tom Brady. In his first game since his non-retirement, he should be able to feast against a terrible Cowboys secondary as long as his now-subpar offensive line gives him enough time to get throws off. Meanwhile, the Dallas offense, which is worse just about everywhere compared to 2021, won’t have much room to work against a fantastic Bucs defense. However, this is primetime, and you have to imagine that this game will remain close for its entirety. Just think back to last year’s season opener in Tampa. Regardless, I see the exact same result here, with the Buccaneers walking it off with a FG and leaving more Cowboys fans in misery.
Broncos 28-10 Seahawks 
Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN
Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle in his Broncos debut makes for one of the most fascinating storylines of the entire season. However, that’s the only interesting thing going on in this game. This should be an absolute wash for Denver. They’re infinitely better than the Seahawks at just about everything. I don’t even know if Seattle has it in them to score a single touchdown in this game. 10 points might be the most generous total I give them all year long. Meanwhile, I’m very excited to see how Russ and the Broncos offense performs in their first game of the year. My biggest question is, who will emerge as the true WR1 in this offense? And will they be effective enough to compete with the other great offenses of the AFC? Monday night’s game won’t give us all the answers, but it will definitely be a good indicator of how the Broncos are riding into this season.
All stats taken from ESPN.
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