NFL Predictions Column
By Justin Lanza, Carter Watson and Cash
It’s that time of the year folks. The NFL is officially back, and that means Justin (@DonDraperFanAcc) and Cash (@rmeicsu) are back to give our weekly NFL picks. This season, we’re joined by Carter, as a regular writer. If you’re new here, we typically only cover the games after Thursday Night Football in our articles. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Justin: Last Season Total: 197-88.
Cash: Last Season Total: 213-72.
Carter: Last Playoffs Total: 9-4
Earlier in the Week Picks:
Justin: 1-1
Cash: 2-0
Carter: 1-1
Dolphins @ Colts
Justin: This could end up being a sneaky good matchup, as I believe it to be two even teams in terms of talent, with obvious flaws within their roster and organization as a whole. Miami’s offense usually starts out strong and then fizzles out after September, which should still continue this year, but this time they boast a bottom tier defensive unit that could easily end up being the worst in the league. Indianapolis made the still jarring decision to open the season with Daniel Jones as their starter, while they have a middle of the pack defense with the potential to play better than that. All that being said, I’ll take the bait here and pick Miami. I can’t ever trust Daniel Jones, even in a spot he should have a well-played game. Dolphins 24 - Colts 20
Cash: The Anthony Richardson experience is seemingly over, and they’re handing the reins to Daniel Jones, who’s hardly much of a better option. I don’t see how this is an improvement, at least with Richardson, you’re banking on “potential”, and if it doesn’t work out, you can find yourself higher in the draft order. Chris Ballard has to go. They’ve gone from the AFC South’s premier organization to the only team without multiple division titles since he joined. Another season of jarring mediocrity is coming. On the other side of the ball, the Dolphins are coming off a disappointing, if not expected, season. They’d lost a lot of key pieces, coupled with the injuries and aging of Tyreek Hill. I firmly believe the league has seen the best of Hill, Wide Receivers rarely do well after the age of 31. But they should be able to beat the Colts this Sunday.
Dolphins 24 - Colts 13
Carter: This Colts offense will be hindered greatly by Daniel Jones, and I expect the Colts to come out pretty slow on offense, even against a Dolphins defense that could be among the worst in the league. Coupled with the typical early-season success Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel have had, I expect the Dolphins to have a somewhat easy opening day. Dolphins 27 - Colts 13
Cardinals @ Saints
Justin: Weeks 1 and 18 are the only weeks I never hesitate picking a road team to win a game. You usually never know how teams will come out regardless of where the game is being played. But here you do. The Cardinals were and are projected to be one of the most average teams in the NFL, they’ll wipe the floor with the Saints who look to be primed for a top 3 pick this upcoming Spring. Spencer Rattler will make mistakes, while Kyler Murray and the rest of Arizona’s offense will enjoy this game to get into rhythm. Cardinals 31 - Saints 6
Cash: There’s just not much to say. The Saints are a joke and the Cardinals aren’t the best of the teams, but they should still easily win this one. The Saints can move one step towards a top 3 pick in this one. Cardinals 31 - Saints 10
Carter: The Saints have a tragically built roster, with minimal reliable weapons and a secondary among the worst in the league. Sunday afternoon will be the start of a long season for the Saints, and the Cardinals will cruise to victory despite the fact they aren’t terribly good either. Cardinals 34 - Saints 10
Raiders @ Patriots
Justin: A somewhat intriguing matchup as both teams feature new HCs, new schemes, and a different vibe around them compared to last year. Vegas comes in with Pete Carroll as their new HC, Geno Smith as their new QB, and an electric rookie RB paired with a defense that while still being young and not boasting household names, it isn’t going to be as bad as people think. I’m a bit higher on the Patriots than most this year, I can totally see a middling of the pack team playing meaningful football into early December. I’m eager to see what Maye can do with Josh McDaniels and play-action loving Mike Vrabel in the mix. Patriots start the year 1-0. Patriots 24 - Raiders 17
Cash: It was an interesting move to say the least, for the Raiders. Hiring the oldest coach in the NFL, rather than going in the complete opposite direction isn’t done very often in the NFL. I have to say, it’s certainly gone better than I thought it would so far. Obviously, football is played on turf, not lineup graphics. But it’s a promising start at the very least. I’m a big fan of Jeanty, and think he’s going to be one of the best in the league. And that defense shouldn’t be half bad either. The Patriots also hired a coach who’d spent some time out of the league. I do have some questions about bringing back Josh McDaniels to New England, but only time will tell how that move fares. I think the Patriots defense should do enough to win. Despite an early interception, a pair of touchdowns should be enough from Drake Maye to win. Patriots 24 - Raiders 17
Carter: This Las Vegas team is very exciting, with an underrated defense and a pretty strong group of offensive weapons. I also love Drake Maye, and although I’ve never been terribly convinced by Vrabel or Josh McDaniels, I am still under the impression the Patriots and Raiders will be teams that fight for AFC wild card spots late into the season. In the end, I think Christian Gonzalez’s absence will be too much for New England to overcome. Raiders 28 - Patriots 20
Steelers @ Jets
Justin: A game the NFL probably made week 1 for a reason, even though Rodgers hadn’t yet signed with Pittsburgh. It’s funny but these teams have simply swapped starting QBs, with Fields in New York and Rodgers in Pittsburgh. I’m not high on either team this season but the Jets’ offense could be the worst in football when week 18 comes around. I’ll take Pittsburgh as their running game and defense will be the difference makers. Expect a low-scoring affair. Steelers 17 - Jets 10
Cash: The Aaron Rodgers Error is over in New York, and now they move onto Justin Fields. I think a lot of people are expecting a Geno Smith type breakout for Fields, for whatever reason. I just don’t see it happening. Quarterbacks becoming salvageable like that after so long are the exception, not the rule. In traditional earlier season Steeler form, I expect the defense to be everywhere. Numerous sacks and a couple of turnovers will be more than enough to cover the subpar offense and get the road win. Steelers 16 - Jets 10
Carter: A matchup with two QBs facing their previous teams after disappointing individual seasons from both. It’s hard to imagine either one having bounce-back years, with Justin Fields’ progress being stagnant for years and Aaron Rodgers' arm not being the rocket it once was. This will be a low-scoring game in potentially poor weather, making me feel inclined to side with the Mike Tomlin-coached team. Steelers 14 - Jets 10
Giants @ Commanders
Justin: Washington gets an easy opener as they get to face the “Russell Wilson” led Giants. I’m not going to spend too much time here. The Giants are awful and I’m not falling for any hype after the preseason. Hopefully this game gets Jayden Daniels going and he avoids the sophomore slump. Commanders 34 - Giants 17
Cash: The Commanders really surprised me last season. Daniels, Quinn, and the entire team as a whole. We’ll see if the Kliff Kingsbury offense can continue to hum this time around. They shouldn’t have much trouble this time around. Russell Wilson should be out of the league and is no longer much of a threat to anyone. Jaxson Dart will be starting sooner rather than later.
Commanders 31 - Giants 13
Carter: I’m concerned about potential regression for the Commanders this season, as Kliff Kingsbury's offenses tend to drop off significantly in year two. Whatever problems may present themselves, however, will not be apparent when facing such a weak Giants team. Commanders 30 - Giants 10
Panthers @ Jaguars
Justin: There’s definitely some excitement to be had around this one. Bryce Young and the Panthers ended 2024 very strongly, with the sophomore year QB seemingly breaking out after an abysmal first 1.5 seasons. We’ll see if he can continue the flashes of talent he showed. Jacksonville has an entirely new coaching staff, built around the most intriguing non Ben Johnson hire of the offseason in Liam Coen. I cannot wait to see their offensive schemes, with Travis Hunter Jr. being added to an offense already featuring phenom Brian Thomas Jr. Their defense is talented where it counts and should improve, too. I like the Jags to win their opener at home, and this should be close throughout. Jaguars 27 - Panthers 24
Cash: Liam Coen is a hire that I like quite a bit. With some offensive pieces around Trevor Lawrence at last, like rising sophomore Brian Thomas Jr. or polarizing rookie Travis Hunter, we’ll hopefully see what he’s truly capable of. The excuses can’t last forever, it’s time to put up or shut up. That defense shouldn’t be half bad either. On the other side, we’ve got the Panthers and Dave Canales. Canales was a hire which I really liked at the time, and I still do. He has to make the decision on Bryce Young by the end of this season. While I didn’t think much of Bryce Young’s hot streak to end last season, maybe it’ll continue. Either way, I think the Jaguars have this one at home. Jaguars 24 - Panthers 17
Carter: There’s a lot of hype surrounding Bryce Young potentially having a breakout season, but I simply do not see it. The “strong” performances he had after returning from the bench in the back half of 2024 consisted mostly of below-average outings that were still an upgrade from the nearly uncharted territory he was in the first 18 games of his career. Jacksonville will have a high-powered offense, and I like them to start the year in a big way. Jaguars 24 - Panthers 10
Bengals @ Browns
Justin: This is one of the only winnable games Cleveland has on its schedule. At home against the only defense in their division they can actually put up yards and potentially points on. I have Cleveland picking 1st in the 2026 draft, so that should tell you where my head is at when picking their games this season. Cincinnati comes into 2025 with mixed feelings. On one hand, their offense projects to pick up where it left off and continue to move the ball with ease as the core of Burrow, Chase, and Higgins with Chase Brown slowly but surely becoming a workhorse back. On the other hand, their defense might be the worst unit in the sport. They have one genuinely good player in Hendrickson (who is fantastic), and the rest they can only hope pan out more times than not. I bet Cleveland keeps this close as Burrow has struggled in the Dawg Pound in the past, but I expect the Bengals to pull out the win. Bengals 31 - Cleveland 20
Cash: Browns were obviously in the headlines for all of the offseason. From the draft day trade to move down for the extra first round pick, and selecting Shedeur Sanders, a lot of eyes have been on them. It’s probably going to be a tough season for them, but Mason Graham is a pretty good player, and I expect him to be one of the team’s bright spots. This is one of their best chances to win, the Bengals are notoriously bad to start seasons. The Bengals defense will almost certainly be one of the five worst. I expect the Bengals offense to stack gaudy numbers to compensate, but it’s not going to result in winning football. I think the best Cincinnati can do this year is 9 wins. They should win this one, but I’ve been wrong about them early in the season plenty of times before. Bengals 31 - Browns 27
Carter: Cleveland looks like one of the weakest teams in the league on paper. Still, it feels likely that Kevin Stefanski’s coaching ability keeps them in a few games they probably should not be competitive in. Facing a division rival with a poor defense week one, this seems like one of those opportunities for the Browns to steal a win. I think the Bengals will pull it out, but the game will end with more questions than answers about their ability to get stops.
Bengals 34 - Browns 28
Buccaneers @ Falcons
Justin: Perhaps the most exciting game of the early slate. Tampa has to be coming into the year with something to prove after their wildcard loss at home to Washington. Atlanta enters with 2024 1st round pick Michael Penix Jr as their starting QB, and some questions surrounding their defense. This is a big test early for both teams as these are the two who will be competing for the NFC South come December. I’d love to back Tampa here, but I’ll go with the home team to scrape a tough, gritty win from a divisional rival. Falcons 23 - Buccaneers 20
Cash: It’s a shame this is a game being played in the earliest Sunday slot. It very well could’ve been on primetime, on Sunday or Monday night. These are going to be the two teams competing for the NFC South, and these 2 matchups between teams are going to be great. Michael Penix Jr. is coming off a rookie year where he didn’t play all that much, but looked very promising in the time that he did. I expect the defense to be better, given Terry Fontenot’s poor track record, but I’m expecting too much. The Buccaneers have a great all round team, with an excellent offensive weapon group which should be fun to watch. When things are so tight, typically I run with the home team. But I’m actually going with the Buccaneers. Just a gut feeling. Buccaneers 27 - Falcons 24
Carter: The two teams that were in contention for the NFC South title last season face off week one, again looking to be the favorites for the division’s top spot. I think we’ll see a high-scoring affair, where the Bucs defense manages to get more stops, and take an early divisional win on the road. Buccaneers 34 - Falcons 30
49ers @ Seahawks
Justin: San Francisco has possibly the most question marks surrounding their team. And yet, even in this state, I’d still heavily bet on them to beat Seattle. It’s just what the 49ers do. Sam Darnold doesn’t scare me nor does he scare San Fran. The Seahawks’ defense should be even better this season, and you’ll definitely see glimpses of that Sunday, but I don’t quite trust their offense to carve up San Fran, even with the amount of secondary concerns. 49ers 24 - Seattle 23
Cash: I’m not convinced Sam Darnold is an upgrade on Geno Smith. I think his offensive circumstances were optimal in Minnesota, and even then, he was extremely streaky. Sure, he was good to start. But once he cooled down, he was the usual, hard to watch player. I think it’s going to be more of the latter this season, because Seattle doesn’t have a weapon of Justin Jefferson’s caliber. Mike Macdonald’s defense should put in a good effort in this one. On the other side, we have a 49ers team which is probably the biggest question mark in the league. They’ve still got the pieces on paper to win double digit games this year, and the schedule certainly is conducive for that. But football isn’t won on paper and never will be. Kyle Shanahan has to deliver. And so does newly paid Brock Purdy. And I think they do, at least this time out.
49ers 22 - Seahawks 17
Carter: I think Geno Smith is better than Sam Darnold, and that the Darnold we see in 2025 will be closer to the player we saw on the Jets than the one we saw in Minnesota. I have questions about the San Francisco defensive line, with two rookies starting in Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins. I think this is a coin toss, so I’ll take the home team to grab the win over their rivals. Seahawks 23 - 49ers 20
Titans @ Broncos
Justin: A very boring and predictable matchup. Tennessee travels to the Mile High City with a QB playing in his first game, and a team that’s prime to finish with a lower tier record. Denver has high hopes for 2025, hoping Bo Nix can continue the success he had last season. Expect a game that gets out of hand for Tennessee early, as Denver’s defense should make Cam Ward struggle in his first outing. Broncos 28 - Titans 13
Cash: There’s not much to see here. The Broncos have a stout defense, and Mile High is a tough place for a rookie QB to play. Cam Ward might have a tough day. We’ll see if Bo Nix can make the next step this season, but the Broncos should win whether he plays well or not.
Broncos 27 - Titans 13
Carter: 2025 top pick Cam Ward did not get an ideal opponent for his career debut, as he will have to travel to Denver and take on a defense that will be among the best in 2025. For Denver, I’m excited to see if Bo Nix makes a leap after a promising rookie season. Denver starts 1-0. Broncos 31 - Titans 14
Lions @ Packers
Justin: An already sexy week 1 matchup got even sexier when Green Bay acquired Micah Parsons. I’m so excited to watch this game. Detroit lost both coordinators to head coaching opportunities, but gained back a healthy defense. One that surely would have performed differently if not down to backups at many positions. Green Bay needed that one guy on defense. A pass rusher to anchor the rest of the unit. And boy did they get it and then some. The Packers’ defense was already a much improved unit last season and now they only gain a years’ worth of experience and Parsons.. Yeah I’d say they’re ready to compete. And they’ll start off heading in the right direction. Look for Parsons in his limited snaps (still learning the playbook) to be the difference maker he usually is, and expect Jordan Love to play solid football as he comes back from his thumb injury. Packers 31 - Lions 25
Cash: Year 4 of the Dan Campbell project. What a turnaround it has been for him and Brad Holmes in Motown. They play tough, physical football on the field, and draft rangy elite athletes off the field. It’s hard not to be optimistic, if you’re a Lion fan. They do have to win in the postseason this year. Last year’s home divisional round loss was a catastrophe, considering they had home field advantage and a bye. Losing both coordinators to other teams is tough, so some amount of regression from 15 wins is expected. But they should still be a very good team. Green Bay made one of the biggest trades in a long time, in acquiring Micah Parsons. I think he’ll do very well there, once he gets a little more healthy. Green Bay’s defense is going to look a lot better now. The real question is if Jordan Love is ready to elevate this team to true contender status or not. The hype train is at an all time low, but I still believe he can be a pretty good QB in this league. With that said, I’m gonna take Detroit in this one by a hair in this one.
Lions 27 - Packers 24
Carter: I think the Green Bay hype has gotten out of hand. Jordan Love is still prone to cold streaks and the offensive line looks far from ideal. Their cornerback pairing of Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs is not convincing, and their defensive line is questionable even after adding Micah Parsons. I like Detroit to start big and get their fourth straight win at Lambeau Field. Lions 30 - Packers 17
Texans @ Rams
Justin: A matchup I’m still flabbergasted that it’s a week 1, 4pm slated game, when this has Monday Night Football written all over it. LA added Davante Adams to an already elite offense, but their QB and leader Matthew Stafford has a very serious back injury that he’s choosing to play through (as he always has toughened through injuries), but this time he’s one bad sack away from a possible nightmare ending to his season/career. Houston has something to prove this year, not only to the rest of the league but to themselves too. Stroud and the offense as a whole wasn’t the same as they were in 2023, and I think this is a tremendous spot to prove to yourselves that they can play at an elite level on that side of the ball again. I expect the Stroud to Nico Collins connection to run rampant Sunday, but the Texans fall short as the Rams defense does what they did best to end 2024, dominating the trenches. Rams 26 - Texans 20
Cash: Can you believe this Sean McVay’s 9th season coaching in the NFL? Just crazy to think about. This is hardly the best team of his Rams’ tenure, but they continue to draft well, so I think that they will continue to make the playoffs more often than not, and that they have a good shot of making it this year. Matthew Stafford is now ancient, injury prone, and likely doesn’t have much good football left in the tank. He’s been dealing with a serious back injury which makes me discount the Rams as a true contender for this season. I don’t think he’s going to be able to play more than 15 games. This is likely the team’s last or second to last run with Stafford. They need a succession strategy. Houston already has their quarterback for the long term, on the other hand, though he suffered a pretty nasty sophomore slump. He’s got to be better if the Texans want to take the next step. I do love Demeco Ryans and the group of players the Texans have, but I have a gut feeling Rams sneak away with a win here at home. Rams 23 - Texans 20
Carter: After being the only team to really scare the Eagles in last season’s playoffs, the Rams brought in Davante Adams to replace Cooper Kupp. There are questions to be asked about the secondary in Los Angeles, a group that did not add anyone new after looking pedestrian at times in 2024. Regardless, the Rams should be among the NFC’s best again this year. Houston should also be a strong team. Much was said about CJ Stroud’s sophomore slump, but I find it to be a bit overblown. Look for a big year from him and the Texans' offense. In this week one matchup, I’ll take Los Angeles in a high scoring one. Rams 33 - Texans 28
Ravens @ Bills
Justin: While having a matchup featuring two juggernauts on primetime in week 1 is pretty darn cool, I really wish this was a Sunday night game in say week 7, when we know what these teams look like and can predict better. But alas, the game is played early on. I like Buffalo’s Super Bowl chances more than the Ravens’, but the Bills don’t match up worse against any team than they do against Baltimore. Additionally, Buffalo’s secondary is one of the weirdest in recent memory. They have elite cornerback play to go along with some of the worst collection of safeties you’ll ever see. That is why I have to go against my better judgement and back Lamar and the Ravens on Sunday. I hope and pray this is an AFC Championship preview. Ravens 34 - Bills 31
Cash: Here we go again. It was only 33 weeks ago when we saw Mark Andrews fumble the Ravens’ season through his handles in Buffalo. What a matchup we’re being treated to, closing out the first NFL Sunday of the year. The Bills have come agonizingly close these last few years, but the outcome has always been the same: a close playoff loss to the Chiefs. I’m not sure if this year is going to be any different. The Ravens on the other hand, this very well just might be the year for them. They’ve got a well built roster on both sides of the ball, and some pretty good depth too. With that said, I’m slightly leaning on the home team in this one. In my opinion, the Ravens’ march towards February begins next weekend. Bills 31 - Ravens 27
Carter: This is said every year, but 2025 feels like the year one of these teams gets past Kansas City and heads to the Super Bowl. After an electric matchup between these teams in the playoffs, Baltimore is looking to avenge their divisional round loss. I think the matchup here favors Ravens heavily, with the collection of Bills safeties not being ideal allowing Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to take the game on the ground. Ravens 30 - Bills 28
Vikings @ Bears
Justin: I’ve had the Bears’ opener circled on my calendar since its release, in large part because the mystery of how the Bears offense will look under new HC Ben Johnson is so intriguing. Easily one of the top playcallers on either side of the ball in the sport, it’s hard not to get excited. He got the best out of Jared Goff, and that’s after he spent time with Sean McVay. He made the RB pairing of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery the best in the sport to the point in which teams are trying to emulate the formula of a bruising back along with an everything back in Gibbs. Minnesota, who will start 2024 first round pick J.J. McCarthy, is coming off a 14 win season, but 0 playoff wins. Training camp was up and down for McCarthy, and although I don’t know what to make of him, the idea of him interests me. I think Chicago wins their home opener in primetime. Bears 24 - Vikings 20
Cash: The Bears got themselves an offensive minded coach for Caleb Williams, and now’s the time to see if their shiny toy is a Ferrari or a Honda. Even though I hated his game plan for the playoff game against the Commanders, Ben Johnson is a pretty good playcaller, and I think that the Bears offense will make big strides this season. The offensive line has been upgraded too, it’s all up to Caleb. On the Vikings’ sideline, they’re coming off a disappointing end to their last season. They won 14 regular season games and got bounced in the first round, which has got to hurt. Starting a quarterback who is basically a rookie in JJ McCarthy, there’s bound to be growing pains. I’m not that high on his future as a NFL QB compared to most, but Kevin O’Connell is a fine coach who should lead his team to 9 wins at minimum, regardless of who’s playing under center. As for the outcome of this game, I’m leaning on the Bears by the thinnest of margins. Bears 24 - Vikings 23
Carter: I absolutely love JJ McCarthy. I have since he was at Michigan, and I think he’ll be an upgrade over Sam Darnold for the Vikings. The Bears, however, look so complete on both sides of the ball. The additions of Joe Thuney and Drew Dalman on the offensive line should help Caleb Williams greatly as he looks to break out in year two. Bears 28 - Vikings 20.