NFL 2019: Week 7 Predictions

Deshaun Watson and the Texans are making their mark in the AFC.

By: Elias McMillan

 

Last Week: 7-7

Season: 51-40-1

Top Five Games of the Week

Minnesota @ Detroit – I think the Lions have proven that they are an improved football team this season. After getting hosed by the officials last week, I think the league is starting to take notice. I like Detroit’s defense. That unit is good enough to keep them in ballgames if the offense is stale. Matt Stafford will face a challenge this week at home against a top five Vikings defense. Minnesota had their win of the season last week, completely dominating Philadelphia. The Eagles pass defense may have allowed Kirk Cousins to look better than he really is but Cousins does have the ability to perform at a high level like he did. His problem is with consistency. I think the Lions defense will limit Cousins this week and they’ll play in an angry mood in response to last week. Prediction: Lions over Vikings

Oakland @ Green Bay – The Packers are a team with great individual talent. But they are not a great team. Green Bay’s run game on offense has improved this season. They still have a healthy Aaron Rodgers. And the Smith brothers (not related) on defense are playmakers. Despite that, I’m not too impressed with them this season. I feel like they are one injury away from falling from the top of the conference. The Raiders come to Lambeau Field on Sunday fresh from the bye week. Oakland at 3-2 has been much better than what most have expected especially after cutting Antonio Brown. I don’t think they are better than Green Bay but it wouldn’t surprise me if this game came down to the wire. For whatever reason (officials), the Packers seem to always come out on top in those scenarios. Prediction: Packers over Raiders

Houston @ Indianapolis – I think Houston solidified themselves last week as a legit threat in the AFC and as the front-runners in their division. They can really put a hold on the top of the AFC South Sunday at Indy. QB Deshaun Watson has really been impressive as of late but it also helps that the Texans have a top 5 rushing attack on offense. The Colts, who are coming off a bye, are a tough football team but they lack offensive firepower. RB Marlon Mack could see some success against a middle of the road Houston defense. WR T.Y. Hilton seems to always have big games against Houston but his health has been an issue recently. I like the Texans to keep things rolling on the road this week. Prediction: Texans over Colts

Baltimore @ Seattle – The Ravens are not looking like the dominant team that they were earlier this season. Despite having the top rushing attack in football, QB Lamar Jackson’s passing has cooled down and their defense has been exposed. Last week in Cleveland, I feel like the Seahawks should have lost. But they are the type of team that will stay alive until the very end if you allow them to. The Seahawks maybe going through some injury problems but as long as QB Russell Wilson is behind center, they’ll be in the ballgame into the 4^th quarter. This matchup features two of the most athletic QB’s in the league. I think Seattle’s defense is more capable to bother Jackson inside or outside the pocket. I like the home team in this one. Prediction: Seahawks over Ravens

Philadelphia @ Dallas – This game will go a long way in deciding the NFC East. Both the Eagles and the Cowboys are coming off losses and enter Sunday’s show down with little to no momentum. The Cowboys have lost three straight including an embarrassing showing last week at the winless Jets. The Eagles allowed big play after big play in Minnesota last week as their defense continues to not look very good. The question on Sunday will be if the Cowboys can expose that defense. QB Dak Prescott must get off to a hot start. The Cowboys’ offense has been struggling lately, especially in the first half of games. Dallas will continue to have issues this week as both starting offensive tackles are banged up and WR Amari Cooper is also questionable. Philadelphia will have its chances on offense as well. If QB Carson Wentz has time, he’ll carve the Cowboys’ secondary. The Cowboys need to see a greater effort up front defensively. They are currently having issues with stopping the run and the pass rush has been less inspiring with the exception being Robert Quinn. I don’t think this game will decide the division but I see Dallas having more issues currently than Philadelphia. I see this being a high scoring affair with the Eagles’ defense being able to produce more big plays instead of giving them up like they did last week. Prediction: Eagles over Cowboys

The Rest of Week 7

Broncos over Chiefs – Weird things seem to happen on these Thursday night games. Kansas City is a bit banged up and Denver’s defense is playing well right now.

Rams over Falcons – LA won the Ramsey sweepstakes. I’m not sure if that will affect the game on Sunday but the Falcons are pretty bad right now.

Bills over Dolphins – Dare I say that the Bills could be in the thick of it in the AFC? Or is it too early to tell?

Jaguars over Bengals – This might be Cincinnati’s best chance at a win for a while.

Giants over Cardinals – The Giants are getting healthy and that may pay off soon with some wins.

49ers over Washington – San Fran is real. Washington is getting ready for the draft.

Chargers over Titans – Phillip Rivers and the Chargers gotta show that they are better than what we saw from them last week at “home”.

Saints over Bears – Mitch Trubisky maybe back for Chicago this week. That may be good or bad news depending on whom you ask.

Patriots over Jets – Do the Jets have newfound confidence after the return of Sam Darnold? Maybe. But let’s see Darnold against a top NFL defense on Monday night.

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NFL 2019: Week 6 Predictions

The 49ers are still unbeaten. On Sunday, they’ll face a tough opponent in the Rams.

 

By: Elias McMillan

Last Week: 8-7

Season: 44-33-1

Top Five Games of the Week

Carolina @ Tampa Bay – This NFC South divisional game in London could have a big impact later on this season in terms of playoff positioning. Carolina has found its stride offensively of late thanks to the play of RB Christian McCaffrey. Tampa Bay enters Sunday with one of the top run defenses in the league. The play of LB Shaq Barrett has really made a difference for this young team. Panthers QB Kyle Allen has done a good job keeping the Carolina offense afloat without Cam Newton but on Sunday that unit will be challenged up front. Tampa is looking for consistency in their passing game but if they can get going against the Panthers secondary, they’ll be able to fill the stat sheet. Prediction: Buccaneers over Panthers

Houston @ Kansas City – This matchup will feature two of the better young QB’s in the league. Patrick Mahomes had a rough go at last week, as the Chiefs were shocked at home by the Colts. Deshaun Watson has shown recently what he can do with his arm when he has enough protection. I think Mahomes and Watson’s talents will be on full display Sunday in a high scoring contest. Defensively, the Chiefs were bullied upfront last week and they’ll be looking to bounce back against a Texans offensive line that can be described as shaky. Houston’s secondary ranks near the bottom of the league in pass defense so I think that will allow Mahomes to have a big game as well. Prediction: Chiefs over Texans

Philadelphia @ Minnesota – The Vikings were able to put it all together last week against a bad Giants team. They’ll return back home Sunday to face a much tougher NFC East opponent. The Eagles are looking like a team that is just now finding their groove. After a dominant performance last week, they’ll be looking for similar results in Minnesota. The Vikings offer one of the league’s top rushing attacks but the Eagles’ run defense ranks first in the NFL. If Philly’s defensive line plays like they can at the line of scrimmage, QB Kirk Cousins could be in for a tough day. Minnesota’s defense isn’t bad either. They must start off fast pressuring Carson Wentz and keeping the home crowd engaged. This should be a big test for the Eagles. The big victory on the road would serve as a momentum boost heading into a clash with Dallas next week. Prediction: Eagles over Vikings

San Francisco @ LA Rams – It’s a shame that the majority of the country won’t be able to see this game on Sunday. The winner here will most likely have the inside track to the NFC West title. The 49ers are the surprise of this early season, remaining undefeated after destroying Cleveland on national television. San Fran has been a joy to watch especially considering how this team was built. They have one of the best defenses in the league led by pass rushers Dee Ford and rookie Nick Bosa. On offense, RB’s Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman are proving to be one of the top duos in the NFL. The Niners are also getting it done in the secondary with a pass defense that ranks 2^nd in the league. The Rams are a good football but they’ve been inconsistent at times. I think they’ll present the 49ers with their greatest challenge so far this season. QB Jared Goff leads one of the top passing attacks in the league. Unfortunately for the Rams, their defense is average at best despite having Aaron Donald. CB’s Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib have formed a bad habit with allowing big plays down the field. The Rams are a talented team but the Niners could prove to be just as talented. Plus, they are just playing better football right now. Prediction: 49ers over Rams

Detroit @ Green Bay – Green Bay really flexed their muscles in Dallas last week. Despite being outgained offensively, they attacked the Cowboys with a successful ground game and were able to force turnovers on defense. Not a lot is known about this Lions team. But they do only have one loss, playing Kansas City at home down to the wire. In recent history, the Packers have owned Detroit within the division. For the Lions to flip that script, they have to attack this Packers defense down the field. Detroit’s defense isn’t highly ranked either so, I imagine Aaron Rodgers and the Packers will be looking for big plays in the passing game as well. Rodgers at home against the Lions seems like a safe bet but it wouldn’t surprise me if this game were highly competitive. Prediction: Packers over Lions

The Rest of Week 6

Patriots over Giants – The top defense in the league faces a young and banged up offense.

Seahawks over Browns – I hope Baker Mayfield learns something watching Russell Wilson this week.

Dolphins over Washington – Yes. Miami will get off the snide and play inspired football at home against Washington who just fired their coach.

Saints over Jaguars – I wonder what impact Jalen Ramsey will have in this game. Regardless, I don’t see Jacksonville keeping pace with the Saints’ offense.

Ravens over Bengals – I was not impressed with Baltimore at all last week. They won but they didn’t deserve it. I hope they hit the reset button in practice this week. They can still be so much better than what they showed last week.

Falcons over Cardinals – If Atlanta loses this one, they might be looking for a new head coach real soon.

Broncos over Titans – Tennessee showed promise earlier this year but things look to be turning for the worst.

Cowboys over Jets – Dallas can’t over look these “lay-ups”. The Jets will have opportunities for success on Sunday. Le’Veon Bell faces a poor run defense and the offense could also receive a boost from the returning QB Sam Darnold. The Cowboys have to show that they are ready to bounce back while not over looking their opponent.

Chargers over Steelers – LA fell short at home last week. Pittsburgh is down to their third string QB. I think the Chargers will be aiming for an impactful performance against a wounded opponent.

NFL 2019: Week 5 Predictions

QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will be looking to stay undefeated this Sunday night.

 

By: Elias McMillan

Last Week: 7-8

Season: 36-26-1

Top Five Games of the Week

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle – This will be a big matchup in the NFC West on Thursday night. The Rams were embarrassed defensively at home last week. Now, they will try to bounce back on the road against the rival, Seahawks. Seattle flexed their defensive muscles in Arizona in Week 4, holding the Cardinals to 10 points. Seattle isn’t known for their explosive offense but they could be in attack mode against a Rams defense that gives up big plays. QB Jared Goff is going to have to shake off his recent slump to keep the Rams in the ball game. Seattle is usually tough at home and home teams usually do well in these Thursday night game. I like the Hawks. Prediction: Seahawks over Rams

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh – Congratulations, Pittsburgh! You got your first win of the season last Monday against a toothless Bengals squad. Good thing that it is just Week 5 so, we can say that you are squarely in the AFC North race. I didn’t see what happened to Baltimore last week coming but I should have. I knew Baltimore’s lack of defensive talent would catch up to them eventually and it all came ahead in the form of Browns RB Nick Chubb. The Ravens will be looking for answers this week in Pittsburgh it what has always been an intense contest between rivals. If the Steelers watched the Ravens/Browns film from last week, I bet they would be thinking that they might find some success in the running game. Last week, Pittsburgh experimented with a “wildcat” like attack on the ground that worked well. Even Coach Tomlin admitted that it was gimmicky but whatever works, works. I think that might be code for “we don’t trust Mason Rudolph and the passing game to win us ball games yet”. I think the Ravens will put out a better effort at stopping the run this week. Their run defense has to be able to put the game for Pittsburgh in the hands of Rudolph. QB Lamar Jackson wasn’t as sharp last week but he’ll be able to attack the Steeler defense if he’s protected. Pittsburgh’s defense feasted against Cincinnati but I think Baltimore will prove to be a much tougher opponent. Prediction: Ravens over Steelers

Green Bay @ Dallas – The Cowboys received their first loss of the season last week and now they’ll return home to face a rested Green Bay team. The Packers were shocked at home by Philly with the main culprit being their defense. Dallas must play aggressive offensively on Sunday to prevent a two game losing streak. Green Bay’s defense is improved from a season ago but they still struggle against the run. Ezekiel Elliott should be the main focus for the Cowboys offense on Sunday but Dak Prescott should have plenty of opportunities thru the air as well. The Cowboys are a bit banged up on their offensive line this week. Green Bay pass rushers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith could be huge factors in this game. If Green Bay can stop the run and limit Prescott, Aaron Rodgers could be in store for a huge game. He has never lost at AT&T Stadium and the Cowboys pass rush has been inconsistent sans the recent emergence of DE Robert Quinn. These two teams often play in competitive games against each other. I think the difference on Sunday will be which Packers defense will choose to show up. After a ten-day break and the state of the Cowboys offensive line, I think Green Bay will have the advantage. Prediction: Packers over Cowboys

Indianapolis @ Kansas City – The Chiefs showed that they could win a close ball game on the road last week in Detroit. Those late game heroics are going to pay dividends for them later on this season. I’m not sure what happened to the Colts at home last week against Oakland. I don’t care if T.Y. Hilton wasn’t healthy. They should have been good enough to beat that Oakland team. I mean, I think David Carr isn’t that bad but they made him look like Rich Gannon last week. Indy clearly has defensive issues right now, which is bad news, as they’ll meet the reigning MVP QB Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night. It’s going to be a long night for the Colts if their offense can’t keep up. Prediction: Chiefs over Colts

Cleveland @ San Francisco – Plenty of weird things can be said about this Monday night matchup. First: an undefeated 49ers team. Second: the AFC North leading Cleveland Browns. Strange, right? It’s just Week 5, after all. The Niners are coming off the bye so hopefully they are well rested. Despite their 3-0 record, I think San Fran is an overachieving, sloppy football team. I don’t think much about the Browns either. Last week, they discovered their running game and shocked Baltimore. I think the Browns can be successful with that formula again this week. Despite their issues, Cleveland is more explosive on both sides of the ball than the 49ers. And maybe, the Browns are just a better team on the road? I don’t know. This one is a toss up. I don’t think San Fran is worthy of their undefeated title. I like the Browns to give them their first loss of 2019. Prediction: Browns over 49ers

The Rest of Week 5

Cardinals over Bengals – Cincinnati looked pretty bad last week. Week 5 is too early to start thinking about the draft/future but they are already doing it in Miami.

Titans over Bills – Tennessee is talented but inconsistent. Much like their QB. They still should have enough to beat Buffalo.

Bears over Raiders – Khalil Mack has been talking all week about how he can’t wait to face his former team. Over/Under on how many sacks will he rack up on Sunday? 8? 9.5?

Saints over Buccaneers – Even without Drew Brees, New Orleans is a really tough football team. It would be interesting if Tampa can continue its success through the air like last week.

Giants over Vikings – In-fighting in the Minnesota locker room has the Vikings trending down. New York has been trending up since Daniel Jones has entered the picture. Plus, having Golden Tate back from suspension will help.

Eagles over Jets – The Jets are back from the bye but they can’t compete with their current situation at QB.

Patriots over Washington – New England would have to try real hard to lose to this Washington team.

Jaguars over Panthers – Minshew-Mania is running wild! Believe it!

Texans over Falcons – Two underachieving teams here. Atlanta looks like the bigger mess.

Chargers over Broncos – The Bradley Chubb injury will hurt Denver’s defense big time. Von Miller needs to step up.

 

NFL 2019: Week 4 Predictions

Surprise! The Lions are undefeated. On Sunday, they’ll face Kansas City at home.

By: Elias McMillan

 

Last Week: 9-7

Season: 29-18-1

Top Five Games of the Week

Philadelphia @ Green Bay – The Eagles are in the need for a confidence builder after losing at home to the Lions in Week 3. Too bad that things will not get any easier for them as they will kick off Week 4 in the NFL on the road against a good Packers team. Green Bay has surprised everyone this year with how well they are playing defensively. It is now Aaron Rodgers and the offense that needs to step up. I think Rodgers will have a big game tonight against a poor Eagles secondary. QB Carson Wentz will have to perform at a high level tonight in order to keep the pace against Rodgers. The Eagles will be receiving more help in the passing game with a couple of key guys returning from injury. But I don’t think it will matter if the Packers defense continues to play like it has in the first 3 weeks. Prediction: Packers over Eagles

New England @ Buffalo – The undefeated Bills area nice surprise to start the 2019 season. But here comes the Patriots to crush their dreams in this early season matchup. Buffalo has a huge chore on Sunday but they can help themselves by keeping the home crowd into it with some big plays in the 1^stquarter. The fans at the Ralph will be fired up at the pre game so the Bills must really prioritize getting off to a good start. I imagine this would mean QB Josh Allen testing that Patriot secondary and the Bills defense getting after Tom Brady. Given the atmosphere at the stadium on Sunday, it would be interesting if this game was competitive late into the 4^thquarter. Weirder things have happened but usually New England plays great in Buffalo. I’m not sure if the Pats will be able to put up many points against the Bills defense but they find a way to pull this one out at the end. Prediction: Patriots over Bills

Kansas City @ Detroit – The Lions did tie with Arizona earlier this season but they are still technically unbeaten. Detroit also shocked the NFL last week upsetting the favored Eagles on the road. Now, the Lions return home to face the team with the hottest offense in the NFL, Kansas City. Detroit’s defense is underrated especially in the secondary. That unit will face a great test Sunday as the Chiefs offer a boatload of offensive weapons. QB Patrick Mahomes is the reigning MVP and he is playing like he’s going to win that award again this year. His counterpart on Sunday, QB Matt Stafford, has pretty good arm too but Detroit has had problems protecting him. I think the Kansas City defense will get after Stafford in the backfield and force him into some mistakes. If the Chiefs defense can give Mahomes some short fields to work with, he will fill the stat sheet. Prediction: Chiefs over Lions

Minnesota @ Chicago –Chicago’s defense showed up in a big way on Monday Night. They are going to have to play that way every week to get a victory. QB Mitch Trubisky didn’t play too badly against Washington but it’s looking more and more like he has regressed in 2019. Minnesota’s defense is usually tough and they will make it hard for that Bears offense to operate, even at home. LB Khalil Mack is capable of taking over ball games so, Minnesota must do whatever to prevent that from happening. Double teams. Triple teams. Whatever. QB Kirk Cousins is a good player but he is also the type to fold under pressure. He is going to have to step up in the face of this defense and deliver for his team on the road. If not, we could see an upset. Prediction: Vikings over Bears

Dallas @ New Orleans – The Cowboys got through their first 3 games of the season like a walk in the park. Now, we will get to see what this team is really about as they’ll face 3 out of 4 quality opponents before going into the bye week. First up, the New Orleans Saints, who are coming off a huge road victory at Seattle. The most notable thing with the Saints at the moment is that they are without QB Drew Brees. That seemed to not matter last week as QB Teddy Bridgewater delivered and WR Michael Thomas and RB Alvin Kamara provided big plays. The Cowboys had a season defining win last season against the Saints and I’m sure New Orleans hasn’t forgotten about it. Both defenses in this game are really going to get after the opposing offenses. Both teams will also attempt to control the line of scrimmage with the run game rather it be with Kamara for New Orleans or Ezekiel Elliott for Dallas. QB Dak Prescott has been great at providing big plays down the field this year when he has time. DE Cam Jordan had a huge game against Dallas last year and that Cowboys offensive line will have to account for him again on Sunday night. Dallas didn’t look as sharp last week and I think New Orleans will be able to ride the high of last week’s big win in Seattle. Dallas is also having problems, yet again, with getting to the QB on defense. It wouldn’t surprise me if Bridgewater is successful attacking through the air. Prediction: Saints over Cowboys

The Rest of Week 4

Falcons over Titans – I’m beginning to think that Tennessee’s Week 1 victory over Cleveland has over rated them.

Colts over Raiders – Indy might have a tough time defending home field against a fresh Oakland team.

Chargers over Dolphins – I think I read that it’s been a while since the Chargers franchise has won in Miami. They’ll have a great chance to buck that trend on Sunday.

Washington over Giants – Let’s see if all the Daniel Jones love will continue with Saquon Barkley out of the lineup.

Ravens over Browns – Baltimore has been talking how they are tired of hearing about Cleveland. They will be looking to make a statement this week.

Texans over Panthers – Kyle Allen looked great last week. I think Houston’s defense will be too much for him to overcome.

Rams over Buccaneers – Tampa should have won last week but the game winning field goal was off target. The Rams wont give them a chance at a last second victory.

Seahawks over Cardinals – Seattle’s defense will be looking to bounce back after being dominated last week at home.

Jaguars over Broncos – I like the Jacksonville defense to look really good against “statue quarterback” Joe Flacco. Jaguars LB Josh Allen could be the next Von Miller.

Steelers over Bengals – I wouldn’t call this a must win for Pittsburgh in Week 4 but, yeah, it really is. If they drop this one at home, it could get ugly in the Steel City as Pittsburgh would start the season in the AFC North basement.

NFL 2019: Week 3 Predictions

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will hope to stand toe-to-toe against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

By: Elias McMillan

 

Last Week: 10-6

Season: 20-11-1

Top Five Games of the Week

Atlanta @ Indianapolis – The Falcons gutted out a victory at home last week against the Eagles. Despite the victory, this team seems to underwhelm me each week. With the talent they have, they should be able to execute much better than they do. I like what I saw last week with the Colts. The issues with Adam Vinateri and the kicking game almost cost them but they were able to overcome and get a big divisional victory on the road. The Colts offense seems to be operating smoothly through the air and on the ground. I like their balanced attack to help them control the game clock and limit Atlanta’s offense this Sunday. Prediction: Colts over Falcons

Baltimore @ Kansas City – The Ravens and the Chiefs played in what was probably the best game in the regular season last year. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense returns to Kansas City this Sunday looking for a different result from last season. Jackson has been the talk of this 2019 season though it is still early. Many are still not as impressed with Jackson considering Baltimore’s opponents but he’ll face a quality opponent this week. Kansas City’s defense isn’t all that great but they’ll offer more than Miami or Arizona. But just like in their matchup a season ago, this game will be all about the QBs. Patrick Mahomes is playing like the MVP he was last year and the injury to Tyreek Hill hasn’t slowed this offense. I think Jackson will be able to go toe-to-toe with Mahomes but even without Hill, the Chiefs have too many weapons. This should be a fun, back and forth, contest. Prediction: Chiefs over Ravens

Houston @ Los Angeles Chargers –Losing to Detroit might be a sign that the Chargers have some issues. Houston barely escaped Jacksonville last week but I believe they can play more like the team that lost a close in New Orleans Week 1. The Chargers have been hampered once again with injuries on both sides of the ball. LA’s defense will have to continue to limit their opponents as Phillip Rivers and the offense try to figure out their issues. For the Texans, they just have to keep their QB, Deshaun Watson, upright. The Chargers have a great pass rush with the ability to change the face of this game. Too bad the Chargers don’t really have a “home” field advantage. Prediction: Texans over Chargers

New Orleans @ Seattle – The news of the Drew Brees injury is terrible but it could be worst. New Orleans seemed to be prepared for this as they made Teddy Bridgewater the highest paid backup QB in the league this past offseason. Bridgewater’s first assignment as a starter will be a tough Seattle defense on the road. Seattle wasn’t that impressive last week in Pittsburgh but they did enough to win. Seattle must exploit the Saints run defense and control the clock. That’s something that they usually do a great job at especially at home. Also, the Saints defense will get after Russell Wilson. Seattle’s offensive line is usually inconsistent at best. I like Bridgewater but the Saints offense won’t be as explosive without Brees. Prediction: Seahawks over Saints

Los Angeles Rams @ Cleveland – Well, it’s good that Cleveland avoided a 0-2 start but they did not impress against the Jets. The Browns have a tough defense I think but for those first two games, it has been the offense that has disappointed. And it’s not going to get better this week with the Rams coming into town in primetime. The Rams are coming off an impressive home win against New Orleans. LA looked look last week on offense. Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown are making a big impact in the running game. Cleveland should also have a tough time containing the Rams defensive line, led by Aaron Donald. Prediction: Rams over Browns

The Rest of Week 3

Titans over Jaguars – Tennessee has owned Jacksonville recently in the series. This could be Jalen Ramsey’s last game as a Jaguar. I don’t think so. But it could be.

Bills over Bengals – Cincy got thrashed last week at home and Buffalo will be fired up for their home opener.

Cowboys over Dolphins – I don’t think this is a trap game for Dallas. The Cowboys do have some injury concerns. I hope they will be able to treat this one like a preseason game.

Packers over Broncos – Green Bay might finally have a defense to match what they can do offensively.

Vikings over Raiders – Minnesota won’t be anyone if Kirk Cousins plays like he did last week.

Patriots over Jets – New England might be able to rest Tom Brady in the 4^thquarter in this one. Oh. And you can add the NEW YORK JETS as another gutless organization that refuses to sign……ahhhh….nevermind. Eyeroll emoji.

Eagles over Lions – I guess you have to give Detroit credit for upsetting the Chargers. I wonder if the Eagles are healthy enough to avoid another pitfall in consecutive weeks.

Cardinals over Panthers – Cam Newton or no Cam Newton. Carolina has been a disappointment so far this season.

Buccaneers over Giants – Tampa’s offense can at least appear valuable against the Giants defense.

Steelers over 49ers – Pittsburgh can’t go 0-3. They’ll rally around Mason Rudolph and play inspired football on the road in San Fran.

Washington over Bears – If Chicago’s offense can’t produce, their defense will tire out. Case Keenum and Washington’s passing attack will take full advantage if they can weather the Bears defense.

 

NFL 2019: Week 2 Predictions

Drew Brees and the Saints will be looking for revenge this Sunday in LA.

By: Elias McMillan

 

Last Week: 10-5-1

Season: 10-5-1

Top Five Games of the Week

Minnesota @ Green Bay– Green Bay’s defense had a surprising, dominating performance Week 1 in Chicago. Either that or Chicago was having major issues on offense. I think it was a little bit of both. Minnesota’s defense was equally impressive at home, nearly shutting out an Atlanta team with a usually explosive offense. I think both defenses will bring it on Sunday in this key, early season, divisional matchup. I think the difference in this contest will be the Vikings offense. RB Dalvin Cook had a productive season opener and the Packer secondary will face a stiffer challenge in Kirk Cousins and the Vikings passing game. Prediction: Vikings over Packers

Seattle @ Pittsburgh – After an offseason of headlines and controversy, I thought Pittsburgh would come out last week playing with their hair on fire. Instead, it was New England who lit them up to the tune of a 30-point victory. But fearless leader and father of 52 grown men, Ben Roethlisberger, alerted the masses this week saying that there is no need to panic. And he’s right. 0-1 is just that. But judging from what I saw last week, this Steelers team better start turning it around soon. The home opener against Seattle could be a good start but it will be a challenge. Seattle struggled at home last week against Cincinnati but they were bailed out once again by the usually suspects, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks defense. If Roethlisberger can’t find success against this stingy Seattle defense, Pittsburgh could be in trouble. Mainly because the Steelers defense looked like they couldn’t stop anyone last week. I’m not expecting Wilson to attack the defense like Brady did in Week 1 but he might if he feels that he can find success. I could see Seattle jumping out in front in this one before Pittsburgh mounts a second half comeback. But then, it will be Wilson who will put his team in position to close this one out on the road. Prediction: Seahawks over Steelers

Dallas @ Washington– The Cowboys were as impressive as any team in the NFC last week. I was sort of surprised because though the Giants aren’t very good, they always seem to give Dallas a game usually. Washington looked great early in Philadelphia before completely falling apart. Despite their collapse, Washington should feel good about their passing game as Case Keenum threw for 400+ yards. For Washington to get the win over the rival Cowboys on Sunday, they must be able to attack on offense for 60 minutes. Dallas has struggled against the run recently and that issue has seemed to follow them into this season. Barkley had some huge gains last week and veteran RB Adrian Peterson will be looking forward to similar success. What helped the Dallas defense last week was how the offense was able to control game. Dak Prescott looked really comfortable going down the field last week as he posted a perfect passing rating. I think he could see similar success against Washington but only if his offensive line can protect him. RB Ezekiel Elliott isn’t back to his old self just yet but that will change as the season goes along. Dallas’ balanced attack will be key this Sunday in terms of controlling the clock and keeping the defense fresh. This one will probably be tougher than last week but starting 2019 2-0 in the division would be huge for Dallas. On the other hand, Washington does not want to start this season 0-2 in the division. Prediction: Cowboys over Washington

New Orleans @ Los Angeles Rams – No doubt that the Saints have had this date circled when the schedule came out. On Sunday, the Saints will be looking for a huge road victory against the team they should have beaten in last year’s NFC Championship. New Orleans showed real mettle last week at home, winning on a late field against Houston. The look just as good as they did last season and maybe even better. The offense can still put up big numbers and that defense seems to get by with that “bend but don’t break” mentality. The Rams won a physical battle in Carolina Week 1. I think their defense will face a greater challenge this week. The Rams struggled against the run in Carolina and I think RB Alvin Kamara will be used effectively in this matchup.  New Orleans will be looking to beat LA on the field on Sunday and leave the officials out of it. Prediction: Saints over Rams

Philadelphia @ Atlanta – The Eagles started last week on shaky ground, allowing Washington to get the jump on them. They eventually recovered but their pass defense still left the game looking pretty weak. It seems like the Eagles have this issue every season. At least, recently. On paper, I think Philly’s issues in the secondary should serve as an advantage for Atlanta in their home opener. The Falcons offense was embarrassingly bad in Minnesota and they should be looking to prove that they are better than what they showed. But then, I remembered this same matchup a season ago where Atlanta still struggled against this Eagles defense. I think we’ll see the same story on Sunday. Prediction: Eagles over Falcons

The Rest of Week 2

Panthers over Buccaneers – It seems like Bruce Arians has a long way to go with fixing this Tampa offense.

Bengals over 49ers – This is a toss up. I think Cincy can still be a surprise team this year.

Chargers over Lions – The way Detroit folded last week in Arizona was embarrassing.

Colts over Titans – For whatever reason, Indy has been able to own Tennessee in this divisional rivalry recently.

Patriots over Dolphins – This one will get ugly real quick. Antonio Brown might make this game watchable.

Bills over Giants – Don’t look now but maybe Buffalo can be the team to challenge for second place in the AFC East this year.

Ravens over Cardinals – I’m here for the Lamar Jackson show to takeover the league. Here for it.

Texans over Jaguars – Watson and the Texans played good enough to win last week. They’ll close out a banged up Jacksonville team at home.

Chiefs over Raiders – Kansas City is banged up but I’m not buying into Oakland.

Bears over Broncos – Denver looked better than Chicago last week. But it’s going to be tough for the Broncos to protect their statue (ala Drew Bledsoe) of a QB, Joe Flacco.

Browns over Jets – Cleveland took their lumps last week but since then, the Jets have completely imploded with multiple major injuries.

NFL 2019: Week 1 Predictions

Tom Brady and the Patriots begin, yet another, title defense this Sunday night.

By: Elias McMillan

 

Past Regular Season Records:

2014 Regular Season Record: 158-97-1

2015 Regular Season Record: 163-93

2016 Regular Season Record: 163-91-2

2017 Regular Season Record: 151-103

2018 Regular Season Record: 150-104-2

 

Top Five Games of the Week

Green Bay @ Chicago – The 2019 regular season opens in Chicago with a classic NFC North rivalry. Coming off a disappointing loss in the playoffs last year, the Bears enter 2019 as the favorite in the NFC North. Green Bay is the mist of a rebuild under new head coach Matt LaFleur. Green Bay won a thriller in the season opener last year on the strength of QB Aaron Rodgers’ second half performance. Tonight, Chicago will have to keep the Packers offense from striking distance in the second half by jumping on them early and getting enough from QB Mitch Trubisky and the offense. I think LB Khalil Mack and the Bears defense will do its job at limiting Rodgers’ chances. Green Bay’s defense will be younger group this year and the Bears offense must be able to take full advantage. Prediction: Bears over Packers

Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina –Last season’s NFC champions will travel across the country on Week 1 to face a team trying to get back to the top of the conference. I think Carolina will be much improved this season because of their additions on defense. That defense will receive a tough test in the season opener in the form of this Rams offense. LA’s defense showed some inconsistency last season but the great play at the line of scrimmage from Aaron Donald and Dante Fowler covers much of that up. QB Cam Newton will be looking to show that he is at 100% but he’ll face a great challenge in the Rams’ pass rush. Newton must find a way to preserve himself from big hits while at the same time putting Carolina in a position to win. That could be tough. Prediction: Rams over Panthers

Kansas City @ Jacksonville – The highlight of this matchup will be the Chiefs offense vs. the Jaguars defense. Kansas City returns in 2019 with an electrifying offense led by the league MVP, QB Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City will be loaded at WR this year with Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and rookie Mecole Hardman. And I’m very interested how Andy Reid will incorporate recently signed veteran RB LeSean McCoy. Jacksonville’s defense disappointed a season ago and they are looking forward to bouncing back this year. A solid group will lead them up front on the defensive line and CB Jalen Ramsey will continue to lead the secondary. Usually a good defense can get the best of a great offense but I think Kansas City just has too many weapons.  Also, there’s a lot of hype surrounding new Jaguars QB Nick Foles but I’m just not buying. Just because he might be better than Blake Bortles, doesn’t mean that he is going to take this offense to the next level. Prediction: Chiefs over Jaguars

Indianapolis @ Los Angeles Chargers – Around this time of year, I find myself believing in the Chargers. They have had a pretty decent roster on paper in the last couple of seasons. That can be said again for 2019 but they received horrible news in the form of Derwin James’ injury. LA should be okay offensively though, even without RB Melvin Gordon. Speaking of absences, many fans are still shocked over the sudden retirement of Colts starting QB Andrew Luck. I think Indy will be a team that will not blink and they will rally around QB Jacoby Brissett. I like the Colts to score the upset on the road. Prediction: Colts over Chargers

Pittsburgh @ New England – QB Tom Brady’s record at home against Pittsburgh has been talked about a lot this week. At home or on the road, New England usually does a good job at owning the Steelers in recent years. The Steelers were constantly in the news this offseason because of the Antonio Brown situation and because they missed the postseason for the first time in 5 years. The Steelers will be so happy to be in the news for an actual game this Sunday though it is against the hated rival, defending Super Bowl champion, Patriots. I’ve said before that New England really didn’t improve during the offseason but since when that has mattered. They still have Brady, Bellichick, and a stingy, bend but don’t break defense. It will also be interesting to see how New England uses WR Josh Gordon. I imagine he’ll replace Rob Gronkowski as Brady’s big target down the field. I believe Pittsburgh will be looking to make a statement in this first regular season game. After an offseason of drama, the time to discuss non-football issues is now over. The Steelers will be looking to highlight WR’s Juju Smith-Schuster and James Washington. And on defense, T.J. Watt and rookie Devin Bush will be in attack mode. It will be a time for celebration for the home team as they raise another Super Bowl banner but I believe the night will be spoiled by a hungry Pittsburgh team. Prediction: Steelers over Patriots

The Rest of Week 1

Titans over Browns – So much for all the hype. I see Tennessee’s defense dominating in a Week 1 shocker.

Ravens over Dolphins – Miami is toothless. I’m looking forward to the Lamar Jackson show in Baltimore.

Vikings over Falcons – Minnesota will be anxious to get 2019 off on a good start.

Jets over Bills – Le’Veon Bell gets 30 touches, as the Jets offense will overwhelm Buffalo at home.

Eagles over Washington – Philadelphia is hyped once again this year. Washington? Quite the opposite.

Seahawks over Bengals – Cincinnati will feel the loss of A.J. Green to start the season. This will be a classic show of home dominance from Seattle.

Cowboys over Giants – These Dallas-NYG games almost always come down to the wire. It would be interesting if that trend continues Sunday as the Cowboys clearly have the better team.

Cardinals over Lions – No one knows what to expect from Kyler Murray, Kliff Kingsbury, and the Arizona offense. I think that might serve as an advantage for them.

49ers over Buccaneers – Jimmy Garropollo will have to come out in 2019 playing at a high level. If not, it could get ugly real quick in the Bay Area.

Saints over Texans – It’s going to be hard for Houston to beat anyone with the state of their offensive line. Too bad that they’ll meet a really good New Orleans team on Monday night.

Broncos over Raiders – The talk on Tuesday after this game will not be about Antonio Brown. It will be about how good Joe Flacco looked.