The Lions vs. Chiefs game in the first game of NFL Week 1 is broadcasted live by The Athletic.
I intend to include a star symbol in my forecast for this season.
During my training camp, I was assigned to write a story and spent two days watching the Los Angeles Chargers practice in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Justin Herbert has been a regular presence in live games, but rarely during two days of practice. I’m not sure if his confidence has grown since the start of the season, given what happened this year: his top-performing offensive line, Keenan Allen who is back in shape, or the lack of explosive play; nevertheless, his throws were almost flawless, with varied and effective speeds, ball placement, and overall length.
The Chargers’ defense is healthy, improved, and motivated, just as they were in the playoffs last year.
Merchandise
Despite the fact that Brandon Staley is still a wild card as the coach, I decided to pick the Chargers for the Super Bowl. The team’s impressive record includes an 11-to-1 lead in MVP voting and an over/under record of 9.5 wins.
The odds of Mahomes being able to beat Burrow and secure the NFL MVP title are in jeopardy as Week 1 approaches.
The Kansas City Chiefs are still a great team to watch in the Super Bowl, but they come with mediocre incentives. I chose the Dolphins because I expect the new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will create an underappreciated pass rush, while Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle’s passing style is still being overplotted.
I have six picks for the upcoming season, and two of them are still in my top two favorites. Aron Rodgers is under (9.5 wins, inconsistent schedule), while the Green Bay Packers are under(ofensive line, defense) with over 10.5 wins.
Jalen Hurts, Bijan Robinson, and creamsicles are highlighted in our NFL staff poll.
I have 32 picks for the season, but I would choose between the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans. Neither team impressed me during camp nor preseason, and I could see Aaron Donald and Derrick Henry on different teams in the playoff hunt.
We proceeded to play the games and had a 5-0 start on best bets.
BetMGM provides locked odds for selected outcomes. For live odds, click on this link to read.
Chiefs and Eagles lead the NFL in Week 1 of GO DEEPER rankings, with both teams earning first place finishes.
Chris Jones will be absent from defense, while Travis Kelce should also be impacted by his recent knee injury. This is why the Chiefs’ current number has decreased by two points. Although Dan Campbell may have some fiery qualities to showcase, Andy Reid could potentially give himself more time to prepare.
Dusty Baker’s decision to leave Chas McCormick on the bench is causing frustration among some in the Astros organization.
The Lions have a high level of offense, with 33.5 percent of those plays coming in and seventh among league-wide in 2022. Mahomes held onto the NFL record for most touchdowns he ever made against added pressure last season with 17 attempts.
The selection: CHIEFS
Don’t put your money on Patrick Mahomes and a well-prepared Andy Reid.
Fox at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday to host the Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons (-3.5).
Despite the Panthers’ intriguing performance, I believe they may face significant challenges due to Bryce Young’s performance during the preseason. The team also faced a contract dispute with Brian Burns, who practiced with Sanders on Wednesday. Miles Sanders will have an impressive season, and they can easily pass the Falcons. Last year, the Vikings allowed 72.9 percent of their opponent’S drives in NFL games.
PANTHERS: The choice is yours.
The Houston Texans will face the Baltimore Ravens (-10) at CBS Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The hype surrounding the arrival of new offensive coordinator, rookie receiver, and Lamar Jackson’s passing game has been valid. However, in Week 1, I am hesitant to lay 10 points against a team that is not playing well under DeMeco Ryans. This is especially true for the Ravens, who have had some cornerback issues since 2005 and are considered double-digit favorites when it comes to winning games with spread coverage.
The selection: TEXANS.
CBS announces a game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at +2.5 hours.
The team is expected to have a strong presence on the field, and even Joe Burrow has struggled against the Browns in the past. Deshaun Watson’s lackluster return to Cleveland last season may be why they continue to prioritize him over other players.
Merchandise
The Bengals’ victory is aided by the presence of a fit Joe Mixon on the offense and bolstered run defense that includes Nick Chubb.
The selection is BENGALS.
GO DEEPER NFL executives, what are the projected growth and decline trends of AFC teams for the 2023 season?
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts will face off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, with Fox reporting from 5 pm.
Shouldn’t a team that had an impressive playoff run and plenty of hype be considered dynamite, rather than being favored with 5 points, to have their star running back inactive for the first four weeks and rookie Anthony Richardson struggling with ball handling?
Despite their poor performance in the off-season, I’m still curious about the Jaguars’ overall record.
The selection: COLTS.
CBS affiliate carries Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Minnesota Vikings (-6) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, 12/28.
In my opinion, the Buccaneers are a covert team in the Caleb Williams/Drake Maye sweepstakes, and they have no plans to win. They are starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, but the Vikings may not be as strong as they were last season due to their inferior run attack and pass rush. However, they still have an impressive home-field advantage and will beat the Ravens by more than ten touchdowns. Furthermore, T.J. Hockenson will have more catches than any tight end player Travis Kelce?
VIKINGS is the one to choose.
CBS affiliates schedules a game between the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints (-3) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, which is scheduled for 3 pm.
Derrick Henry’s performance is commendable. Mike Vrabel has done a good job of keeping the Dallas Cowboys in top form, but it seems like the team is on the verge of collapse, and if they start to play with an offensive line that doesn’t work, it will be more damaging.
The Saints have a promising start to the season, thanks to Derek Carr, bolstered by dependable receiving personnel, and seasoned run-of-the-season players. Alvin Kamara’s suspension means that until Week 4 the team will have Jamaal Williams on the sidelines, but its defense is weak so it hasn’t changed much in recent days. Play the better team at home.
Choose from a selection of SAINTS.
Fox will broadcast a game between the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers (+2.5) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at 2 o’clock ET.
Despite the hype surrounding Kenny Pickett, I have not seen any evidence that he is more than just a good starter. The 49ers defense was strong enough to shut down Picturing and the Steelers’ run game without Nick Bosa, but now that his contract has been signed, the spread will potentially exceed three points.
The selection is based on 49ERS.
The 49ers will have a season-opener with the addition of Nick Bosa, who has been the highest-paid defender in the NFL.
Fox’s schedule airs at 1 p.m. on Sunday to show the Arizona Cardinals take on the Washington Commanders (-7).
It’s important to acknowledge the Cardinals’ tendency to underperform for Caleb Williams, and they even terminated backup quarterback Colt McCoy because of his previous success. Nevertheless, Washington coach Ron Rivera may not be impressed with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’State method, but if Washington doesn’t have enough on-field players, then it’ll take advantage of their talented defensive line and use fantasy breakout star Jahan Dotson against an underperforming Arizona secondary.
The selection: COMMANDERS.
Despite the excitement of Justin Fields, the Bears’ lackluster pass rush and run-heavy defense are compounded by the absence of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.
The selection: PACKERS.
The 23 GO DEEPER NFL players are the most captivating to watch for the 2023 season.
The Eagles’ performance should improve from last season, thanks to Jalen Hurts and his successful offseason.
EAGLES is the one to choose.
Despite the positive comments made during and after preseason games, it’s unclear how much of a difference this team will make.
Merchandise
Chandler Jones’ absence from Sunday’s game is a result of his social media rant against the Raiders’ coach and general manager. This is more significant than you may assume, given that he was in excellent shape for the 2022 season and was expected to give rookie Tyree Wilson some time to recover.
BRONCOS is the one to choose.
Both teams are expected to have strong seasons, but the absence of Jalen Ramsey and Keenan Allen during training camp will determine the outcome. Justin Herbert’s performance on Sunday should not be a concern, as he had the second-highest rate of yards per attempt and EPA per dropback against man in Vic Fangio’S last season with the Broncos in 2021.
The selection: CHARGERS.
The Rams were already in a precarious situation when Cooper Kupp visited with hamstring specialists. They had to deal with the absence of Ramsey and Bobby Wagner on defense, as well as underrated tackle Greg Gaines, safety Nick Scott, and linebacker Leonard Floyd. This year, players like Aaron Donald were frequently triple-teamed every play, while others like Geno Smith and Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet performed poorly.
SEAHAWKS is the one to choose.
Despite Mike McCarthy’s desire to run the ball more and generate some groans, the Cowboys still have plenty of potential to win games.
The selection is in favor of COWBOYS.
GO DEEPER’s burning fantasy football questions are crucial for all 32 teams to know.
The Jets have a schedule that is notoriously brutal, but I’m happy to see them win this one. They played two games against the Bills last season without Rodgers and thanks to mediocre defense that only scored 37 points. Although they may be ranked eighth in power rankings, Bo Wulf believes there is resentment towards Robert Saleh for using the team as scapegoating.
The Bills will have to deal with the loss of Von Miller, their pass rusher, and an already struggling offensive line due to the retirement of Brandon Shell and injury to Tommy Doyle. Meanwhile, the Jets’ defensive play is not doing well, while New York enjoys a win for their home fans.
The selection: JETS.
The teams to bet on in betting games are the Chiefs, Colts and Jaguars (chiefly led by Roy Williams of the New York Mets), the Steelers and 49ers, the Chargers who wager heavily on the Dolphins last year, and the Seahawks whose predictions suggest the Rams will win.
Merchandise
The Panthers have a surprising score differential over the Falcons, but with Young’s success, they could potentially benefit from having arguably better quarterbacks.
In Survivor Pool, it’s best to stick with the Commanders as they won’t be utilized again this season, or even considered for future games.
The last season’s best bets were 26-27-3 and a score of 127-139-5 at the ATS.
The research conducted by NFL editor Jason Starrett for TruMedia was aided by his contributions.
Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images: Top photo of Justin Herbert.
The NFL’s all-time leading players, ranked in the top 100, will be released as “The Football 100” this fall. You can pre-order it here.