After a strong start to my weekly NFL picks, it turns out I may not be too bad at this whole sports thing — if you’ll allow me to toot my own horn.
It’s hard to believe how much there is to digest after just two weeks of action. But consider: two games of an NFL schedule is the equivalent of 10 in the NBA or NHL and 20 in MLB. It may not seem like it, but we are well into football season.
That being said, there are still a LOT of games to played and countless storylines yet to emerge. Some of my ponderings before we head to picks:
Little help?
I feel bad for Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor. For all of his shortcomings, he’s arguably the best quarterback to pass through Buffalo since the Doug Flutie glory days.
The problem is, with the team in transition, management has given him an impossible task: remain competitive with one of the worst groups of pass-catchers in the league. It’s no secret that the Bills will likely spend a high draft pick in next year’s draft on a potential franchise quarterback. In all likelihood, that means Taylor will be playing elsewhere in 2018.
I believe given the right opportunity Taylor could easily lead a team to the playoffs, if not further. But it seems more likely by the week that it won’t be happening in Buffalo.
Go for it!
The NFL is seeing more close finishes than ever before. The gap between the good and bad teams is smaller than it’s ever been, giving new meaning to the phrase “any given Sunday.”
Combined with longer extra-point attempts, there has been a notable increase in the number of big decisions to be made regarding fourth downs and two-point conversions.
Yet despite overwhelming statistical evidence to the contrary, teams continue to take the conservative approach. Whether it’s punting on fourth and two from the opponent’s 40-yard line or settling for a field goal late in the game — as the Panthers did against the Bills — coaches seem content to play it safe.
Not only is this often detrimental to a team’s chances of winning, it also makes for some boring football, which as anyone will tell you is becoming more of the problem these days.
On to the picks:
Denver at Buffalo
It’s unlikely that the Bills’ offense will be as inept as it was last weekend. But it might not matter since they have to go up against another fantastic defense. Expect a low-scoring game with C.J. Anderson proving to be the difference-maker.
Nick’s pick: BRONCOS
Pittsburgh at Chicago
The Steelers aren’t quite firing on all cylinders yet, but that shouldn’t matter against a bad Chicago team. Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown should both have huge games.
Nick’s pick: STEELERS
Baltimore vs. Jacksonville (London)
The Baltimore defense has to be licking its chops at the prospect of facing Blake Bortles. The Ravens have been their usual dominant selves on ‘D’ so far. Likewise, Bortles has been his usual self — bad news for Jacksonville fans.
Nick’s pick: RAVENS
Atlanta at Detroit
A matchup between Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford would figure to have plenty of points. But Atlanta and Detroit also boast very solid defenses. I think the Falcons have a bit more firepower on offense.
Nick’s pick: FALCONS
Cleveland at Indianapolis
Oof. Who’s up for a DeShone Kizer vs. Jacoby Brissett showdown? Probably not that many. If the Browns have any hope of making some progress, this is the kind of game they have to win.
Nick’s pick: BROWNS
Tampa Bay at Minnesota
Sam Bradford is out once again, and as last week showed, he may very well be the difference between Minnesota being a playoff team and an also-ran. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, looked mighty impressive in their blowout of the Bears.
Nick’s pick: BUCCANEERS
Houston at New England
It seems like Tom Brady is doing just fine. Houston will represent a significant upgrade from the calamity that is the Saints defense, but the Texans have yet to prove they can do anything on offense to keep up with a group like New England’s.
Nick’s pick: PATRIOTS
Miami at N.Y. Jets
Not a very compelling matchup here. The Jets simply don’t have the talent to win that many games this year. Short of a Jay Cutler meltdown, they shouldn’t pose much of an obstacle to the Dolphins.
Nick’s pick: DOLPHINS
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia
Could this be a passing-of-the-torch game in the NFC East? Carson Wentz has looked good early on, while Eli Manning seems to be nearing the end of the line on a Giants team that looks completely lost.
Nick’s pick: EAGLES
New Orleans at Carolina
A study in opposites: good offense (Saints) vs. good defense (Panthers) and bad offense (Panthers) vs. bad defense (Saints). Something’s gotta give, right? I don’t buy the Panthers as being a particularly good team, and Drew Brees is still capable of winning a game by himself.
Nick’s pick: SAINTS
Seattle at Tennessee
The Titans offense is firing on all cylinders, while Seattle’s defense has been as strong as ever. The key will be if the Seahawks offense can finally get its act together. I’m not sure if they’ll be able to this week.
Nick’s pick: TITANS
Cincinnati at Green Bay
Even early in the season, Lambeau Field is a tough proposition for opponents, especially if those opponents are as inept offensively as the Bengals have been so far. Even if Aaron Rodgers has a rare off day, don’t expect many points from Andy Dalton on the road.
Nick’s pick: PACKERS
Kansas City at L.A. Chargers
Don’t let the records fool you: this should be one of the better games of the week. The Chiefs look as strong as anybody in the league, while the Chargers just can’t seem to catch a break. They may very well end up being the best 0-3 team of all time.
Nick’s pick: CHIEFS
Oakland at Washington
This one should have some fireworks involved. Two high-flying passing attacks collide, with both Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins always posing a threat to light up the scoreboard. The powerful inside running of Marshawn Lynch should prove to be the difference.
Nick’s pick: RAIDERS
Dallas at Arizona
Coming off an embarrassing loss to the Broncos, expect the Cowboys to re-discover their old form against a Cardinals team missing its best player (David Johnson).
Nick’s pick: COWBOYS
Last week: 13-2
Overall: 13-2
