Welcome football fans, a new season is afoot! If you’re new here I’m in a contest where I pick every game each week straight up, with every correct pick being worth 1-point. There are also 4 key picks each week that are worth 3-points – you are able to choose whatever 4 games you want. Annoyingly, I finished 2024 with a record of 198-87, which was good for fourth place – just outside the money positions. Enough with the setup, on to the picks!

Thursday, September 4th, 2025

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (-8.5) – 5:20pm, NBC/Peacock

Philly brings back pretty much the same team as the one that just won the Super Bowl and is well-primed for a run at a repeat. After trading Micah Parsons, the Cowboys seem to be trapped in purgatory for the foreseeable future. Pick – Eagles

Friday, September 5th, 2025

Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5) at Los Angeles Chargers – 5:00pm, YouTube

All signs point to this being Travis Kelce’s swansong season, especially after he and Taylor Swift announced their engagement. Also, how will Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the rest of the Chiefs respond after being humiliated in the Super Bowl. Jim Harbaugh took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his 2nd season, can he achieve the same in Los Angeles? Pick – Chiefs

Sunday, September 7th, 2025

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) at Atlanta Falcons – 10:00am, FOX

Shootout of the week. Pick – Buccaneers

Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5) at Cleveland Browns – 10:00am, FOX

Zac Taylor, now in his 7th season as Bengals head coach, is known for how slowly his team starts the season. In fact, Cincinnati has a 1-5 Week 1 record under Taylor and 1-11 record after Week 2. Pick – Browns

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5) – 10:00am, CBS

It must be so frustrating to be a Dolphins fan. Mike McDaniel has proven he can scheme up a potent offense. Tyreek Hill can put up elite WR numbers. De’Von Achane is one of the best duel-threat running backs. The defense has talent on all 3 levels. The outline of a playoff team is there, it just comes down to can Tua Tagovailoa stay healthy for a full 17 game season plus the playoffs. It’s funny, Indianapolis is in a similar position to Miami, having a solid roster across the board but missing a QB. The Anthony Richardson experiment isn’t going well in Indy at all. He was an extremely raw prospect to begin with and then lost most of his rookie season to injury. He rehabbed and came back only to have a pretty poor 2025, culminating in Richardson subbing himself out after a play, during their Week 8 matchup with Houston, because he was “tired” and needed a break. Shane Steichen, rightly, proceeded to bench him for the next game. Richardson went on to start 5 more games, but was not impressive. It’s become so bad for the former Gator that he now sits behind Daniel Jones on the depth chart, a QB who himself has had his share of poor QB performances and was run out of an organization. Pick – Dolphins

Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (-2.5) – 10:00am, CBS

A strange similarity between the two teams is both fired their first-time, ex-player head coach, who both went 4-13. Antonio Pierce by the Raiders and Jerod Mayo by the Patriots. In response to hiring such young and inexperienced HC’s both organizations went for a more veteran option, especially Las Vegas. Pete Carroll has energy, experience and excels at building up a culture. The Raiders need him to bring all 3, and quickly, as they play in one of the toughest divisions in all of football. Trading for Geno Smith was a shrewd move to upgrade the QB position. Meanwhile, New England opted to hire their former linebacker turned coach Mike Vrabel. He hired Josh McDaniels, who’s back in NE for a third stint, as the offensive coordinator which is very intriguing. Drake Maye is expected to take another step forward in his development this season. Pick – Patriots

Arizona Cardinals (-6.5) at New Orleans Saints – 10:00am, CBS

Simply put, the Saints have the worst QB situation in the entire NFL. Spencer Rattler will come into the season as QB1 with 2nd round pick Tyler Shough waiting in the wings. Rattler went 0-6 in the 6 games he started last season, while Shough is a 25, almost 26, years old rookie. With the QB room being as unstable as it is the Saints might not win too many games and, thus, be picking near the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. A QB would be the obvious choice, who better to select than, say, your offensive coordinators’ kid. Doug Nussmeier, who is tied at the hip to new head coach Kellen Moore, has a son named Garrett Nussmeier. If that name sounds familiar he’s the current starting QB for the Louisiana State University Tigers. Pick – Cardinals

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5) at New York Jets – 10:00am, CBS

The very rare double revenge game! Aaron Rodgers played QB for New York last season, while Justin Fields split snaps with Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh. It’s even funnier when you consider that neither fanbase is exactly thrilled about their new QB. Jets suffered a massive injury loss on their offensive line with the news G Alijah Vera-Tucker will miss all of the 2025 season. Pick – Steelers

New York Giants at Washington Commanders (-6.5) – 10:00am, FOX

Can the historic Jayden Daniels rookie season be followed up or will he suffer a sophomore slump? NYG have a stout front-7, including rookie Abdul Carter, but are pretty thin on talent at more other position groups. Russell Wilson will start under center in Week 1, but there is a good chance rookie first rounder Jaxon Dart will start by Week 10. Pick – Commanders

Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5) – 10:00am, FOX

Two-way Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter WR/CB is expected to play on both sides of the ball. Trevor Lawrence came into the NFL as a “can’t miss” prospect. He’s been totally unremarkable, outside of his sophomore season, 4 years into his career. There hasn’t been much stability for Jacksonville in terms of their head coach and, now, with a first-time HC in Liam Coen it’s another offensive reset Lawrence will have to go through again. Bryce Young came on down the stretch last season, will he be able to build upon that? Pick – Jaguars

Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (-8.5) – 1:05pm, FOX

Cam Ward’s welcome to the NFL moment comes against the toughest possible opponent. Pick – Broncos

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) at Seattle Seahawks – 1:05pm, FOX

Mike Macdonald wanted an offensive overhaul, and he sure got it. Ryan Grubb was unceremoniously fired and replaced by Klint Kubiak. Geno Smith (traded to LV), DK Metcalf (traded to PIT) and Tyler Lockett (released) were some of the high-profile players to depart in the offseason. Sam Darnold was signed after an incredible 2024 season with Minnesota. In the offseason, Brock Purdy inked a 5-year, $256 million dollar extension. Unfortunately for the Niners, they had to balance their books and let go of a handful of long-term, very productive starters like LB Dre Greenlaw, S Talanoa Hufanga, WR Deebo Samuel Sr., Javon Hargrave and Charvarius Ward to name a few key contributors lost in free agency. Christian McCaffrey missed most of 2024 and is looking to rebound in 2025. Pick – Seahawks

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (-2.5) – 1:25pm, CBS

Pack are all-in after trading for All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, Detroit is still a very talented team, but are also coming off a massive coaching overhaul after both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn were hired away – beware of the brain drain. Pick – Packers

Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) – 1:25pm, CBS

Matt Stafford was rumored to be traded in the offseason, but he stuck around and signed an extension. Annoyingly, LA also hit with both of their 2024 draft picks from Florida State Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. C.J. Stroud went through a bit of regression last season after winning offensive rookie of the year in 2023. He was one of the most sacked QB with 52 taken. Improvement on the offensive line will dictate how well the Texans do in 2025. Pick – Texans

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (-1.5) – 5:20pm, NBC

This could easily be an AFC championship preview, although both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have questionable playoff losses on their respective resumes. If either one of them could break through the glass ceiling and lead their team to a Lombardi Trophy, it would do wonders for their perception. You never want to be the “Charles Barkley” of your sport – an insanely talented and productive player who couldn’t win a championship. Pick – Bills

Monday, September 8th, 2025

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Chicago Bears – 5:15pm, ABC/ESPN

Kevin O’Connell is what everyone thinks Ben Johnson will become, a bonafide QB whisperer. Since Johnson rocketed the Lions into being one of the most explosive, high-scoring offensives in the NFL everyone has been watching and waiting to see what job he would chose as his first. A fair amount of expectations for the young HC. Pick – Bears