By: Lucas Kochevar

         The NFL Playoffs are officially here after an insane finale to the season with the Chargers and Raiders on Sunday Night Football. The 'Win and In' game lived up to the hype as the Chargers attempted a miraculous comeback, where LA converted on multiple fourth downs and scored the game-tying touchdown as time expired. Sadly, an ill-advised timeout by Brandon Staley changed the Raiders mindset and Vegas went on to kick the game-winning field goal. Raiders and Steelers fans jumped with joy as Justin Herbert and co. will watch wild card weekend on the couch. The NFC displayed some dramatics as well with the 49ers and Rams went to overtime, where the 49ers won to eliminate the Saints (Ha Losers!) from playoff contention. Week 18 set the stage for an exciting Super Wild Card weekend. 

AFC Playoff Games
Kansas City Chiefs def. Pittsburgh Steelers
Buffalo Bills def. New England Patriots
Cincinnati Bengals def. Las Vegas Raiders
Tennessee Titans on Bye

         My picks are officially in and I have all chalk here with the better seed winning each of their games. The AFC was set up to feature some very competitive games, but the Steelers sneaking in makes the picture seem fuzzy. The Steelers have been an inconsistent mess throughout the season with Big Ben playing out his last season. Ben is a legend but I expect the Chiefs to put him out of his misery. The two teams played each other a couple weeks ago and Kansas City embarrassed Pittsburgh. Unless Patrick Mahomes turns into a pumpkin, the Chiefs should outpace the Steelers offense and take the victory.
      The Bills and Patriots feature one of two division games this weekend. The teams split the season series and oddly enough, the away team won each match-up. Their games this year are hard to look at because the first one was the odd Monday night game where Mac Jones attempted three passes and the second featured Josh Allen playing his best football on the season. I have been bullish on the Bills all season, partly because they were my preseason favorite for the Super Bowl, but I sincerely believe they are playing great football. The Patriots seem to be the opposite of that as they haven't looked very good outside of demolishing the Jaguars. Mac Jones also seems to be on a leash and for good reason. The  early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year hasn't looked sharp and that could play into the hands of the Bills defense. For that reason, I think the Bills will be able to force a crucial turnover and Josh Allen will keep his recent playoff success going. 
         The game that I'm really struggling with is the Bengals and Raiders. Both of these teams are hot going into the game and it could really go either way. The reason I'm going with Cincy is the QB position. I have loved Derek Carr this season and he has helped stabilize the Raiders off-season turmoil, but Joe Burrow has the most confidence I have ever seen in a player. He remains calm, cool, and collected at all times and he has the offense humming with the three-headed monster at receiver along with RB Joe Mixon. The Bengals will gain some valuable experience here and get their first playoff win since the 90's. The one person that could throw a wrench into those plans would be Maxx Crosby, who absolutely tortured the Chargers RT. If the Raiders do lose, there is one winner: Interim HC Rich Bisaccia. He deserves the job for turning this team into a playoff contender. 

NFC Playoff Games
Tampa Bay Buccaneers def. Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Cowboys def. San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Rams def. Arizona Cardinals
Green Bay Packers on Bye

         The NFC plays out a similar way to the AFC with all chalk, but I see these games all being closely contested. The Tampa Buccaneers have been in shambles the past couple of weeks with multiple injuries to skill players and Antonio Brown being Antonio Brown. The Eagles have been the biggest shock all year and Nick Sirianni clearly deserves some Coach of the Year votes. I was aggressively low on the Eagles and thought the organization had big issues, but they turned out to find certain packages that worked and turned the ship around. If the Eagles went into Tampa Bay, controlled the clock and played good enough defense, I wouldn't be shocked at an upset. I don't think that will be the case as Tom Brady is inevitable and will find a way to beat the inexperienced Eagles. 
         The Cowboys and 49ers will be the most likely game to have an upset as the 49ers travel to Dallas. The Cowboys looked like a powerhouse all season long both on offense and defense. Despite a tough Arizona loss, the Cowboys bounced back and handled a depleted Eagles team. The 49ers, on the other hand, had a year that was full of ups and downs. They did find out that Deebo Samuel is a top five weapon in the league as he had a monster year for the San Fran offense. The big question for the 49ers is Jimmy Garoppolo. He's gotten them to this point so far and had a great finish to the game on Sunday, however, they were in that mess because of him in the first half. With a very opportunistic corner in Trevon Diggs, I can see the 49ers turning the ball over at least once. Dallas should be able to put up enough points in this one to separate from San Francisco, therefore, give me the Cowboys. 
         The second division showdown will take place in sunny Los Angeles as the Rams will host the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals were far and away the best team in the NFL through the first half of the season. Suddenly, the team started to fall apart and couldn't string together enough wins to secure the NFC West. The Cardinals are still fortunate to have Kyler Murray on their side because if he can get hot, then who knows what the Cardinals can do. The Rams have been media favorites all year as Matthew Stafford has finally returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The veteran gunslinger has struggled though, throwing multiple picks the last three weeks. Stafford is fortunate to have the Offensive Player of the Year candidate, Cooper Kupp, and Odell Beckham Jr. The two teams split the season series as, once again, the away team won the match-up. The Rams and Cardinals play with a lot of flash, which is what I see happening in this game. The offenses will be humming, but I would bet on the Rams defense to get a stop before the Cardinals. If Arizona manages to force a couple turnovers, they could steal this one on the road. I don't see that happening so give me LA.

By: Lucas Kochevar

      The first Super Bowl I ever watched was in 2008 with the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a special game with twists and turns all the way down to the end. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger led the team down the field and made one of the most impressive throws to set-up one of the most impressive catches in Super Bowl history by Santonio Holmes. This was how I was introduced into the NFL. Big Ben has been a constant fixture on NFL Sundays since his debut in 2004 with the iconic black and yellow. He entered the league with Eli Manning and Phillip Rivers, where he managed to outlast the two legends. Sadly, the times are changing and a new generation of QBs are starting to takeover the NFL. The time has come to wave goodbye to a legend. 

       This is not a new revelation that shocks many, as it is clear that Big Ben is too far over the hill and could be bottom five QB in the league. The traits that have made Ben such a threat his entire career are completely gone. The touch on the deep ball seems to be a tick off, the mobility is reduced severely, and placement of any pass over the middle feels dangerous. Ben has been a gunslinger for his entire career, yet, he can't consistently bring his A or B game. It's clear that he has to go if the Steelers want to have an offense that won't be on-and-off. The reports started to come out that he's been telling people close to him that this is likely his last year. The thing he doesn't realize is that his play is telling people that this is last year, whether he likes it or not. 

        Parting ways with a legend is one of the hardest things to do, trust me I understand. The Falcons traded away Julio Jones this past offseason and will likely see my favorite player ever, Matt Ryan, leave soon. The emotions will be riding high and the fans want to remember the good times, instead of this time in his career. Steelers fans should look back at the Ben that was dragging defenders around the field to deliver a bomb to Antonio Brown instead of this Ben that labors his way outside of the pocket. It has to be the time to look at internal options, trade options, or the draft. The best thing Steelers fans can do now is give Ben the proper ovations and send him off. Welcome him back to retire the number seven and in five years, welcome him back to celebrate his hall of fame induction. It's the only way to end an era of Steelers football, as well as NFL football. 

By: Lucas Kochevar

        Week five brings a number of games where teams will look to keep their season alive. Unfortunately, I can see this week being an ugly one full of blow outs. There are some fun storylines to follow still. Thursday Night Football shows two divisional foes in the NFC West with LA travelling to Seattle to take on the Seahawks. Washington looks to keep up with Dallas as they face the Saints, who are trying to bounce back after losing to the Giants. Justin Fields travels out west to take on the Raiders in a Khalil Mack revenge game. Trey Lance will possibly make his first career start against the undefeated Arizona Cardinals. These are some of the best storylines to follow this week, but not the best games. Not a lot of great games to watch, but here are the three I will keep an eye on. 

Green Bay Packers vs Cincinnati Bengals 
         In a shocking turn of events, the Cincinnati Bengals have started the season 3-1 and sit tied for the lead in the AFC North with Baltimore and Cleveland. The Bengals have been fairly solid in the games they've played. The offense has looked really good and really bad. Joe Burrow looks similar to his old self and has shown the connection with rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. The defense has played better than expected with the defensive line showing promise with Sam Hubbard coming off the edge. On the other side, the Green Bay Packers are coming off of three straight wins after getting destroyed week one. Ever since their week one embarrassment, the offense has comeback to life as they've scored 28 points or more in each of their wins. Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams are back to their old tricks. The defense has also looked inspired as rookie Eric Stokes Jr. looks like a keeper. 

         As I stated earlier, there aren't a ton of games that are super intriguing, but if the Burrow and the Bengals can hang around, I think this can be the best game of the 1 o'clock hour. The Bengals provide a unique passing attack as they have one of the best slot receivers in Tyler Boyd. They have Chase and Tee Higgins on the outside too. The rushing attack will be a storyline to follow for Cincy as Joe Mixon is likely going to miss the game with a sprained ankle. This could greatly hamper the offense and force Joe Burrow to play hero ball. If the opportunistic Packers defense forces a turnover or two, it could get ugly quickly. Aaron Rodgers will pick on this inexperienced defense, especially if Cincy will miss star S Jessie Bates II. I think Aaron Jones could be in line for a huge game as he looks to find some consistency. The Packers are a threat at any moment to go for forty and if they do this, it will be a blowout. I think there is a chance the Bengals win this as a statement game, however, I see Green Bay handling business. 

Green Bay Packers 35, Cincinnati Bengals 17

Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers
           The Cleveland Browns head out west to take on the Chargers. I absolutely love this game because I think these are the two most complete teams in the AFC. The Browns are coming off an ugly win over the Vikings, where Baker Mayfield struggled mightily. Cleveland's rushing attack has been deadly as ever. The defense is flying around with Myles Garrett getting around the edge with ease. The only variable that has been confusing game to game has been Baker Mayfield. Sometimes he looks like the old Baker, who throws the ball everywhere and plays with that edge. Then, there are other times where he looks like he doesn't belong in the league. The Chargers, on the other hand, have found the guy at QB. Justin Herbert has been playing fantastic and could be an early MVP candidate. The defense has been lights out as they have shutdown some monster offenses. LA looks like they found the guy in HC Brandon Staley. 

          I'm looking forward to this game, primarily, because of the Browns rushing attack versus the Chargers defensive line. Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb are easily the best duo of running backs in the league. Their rushing attack is the primary reason their offense thrives. They set everything up with the play-action. If the Chargers can neutralize this and force Baker into making critical decisions, they could take advantage of any mistakes he makes. The Chargers offense will look to stretch the Browns secondary with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams on the perimeter. Austin Ekeler will be a big threat too. The best one-on-one battle will be Myles Garrett vs rookie offensive tackle Rashawn Slater. Slater has been lights out as a rookie and still hasn't allowed a sack since October 2018. I think this game will play out as a defensive slugfest. In the end, I like the Chargers pulling away late. 

Los Angeles Chargers 24, Cleveland Browns 14

Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs
         The Sunday is finished off with this primetime match-up. In this Sunday night showdown, the Bills travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. This game will be an AFC Championship rematch. These teams are slightly different from when they last saw each other. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen still run both of their respective high octane offenses. The Chiefs look vulnerable at this moment as they are 2-2 currently. The plot twist is that are two plays away from being undefeated. The Chiefs managed to handle the Eagles last week to get back on track, though. Mahomes and the offense look as dominate as usual, but the defense is aggressively inconsistent. They have looked absolutely horrible on that side and shows that they have a big Achilles heel. The Bills, somehow, lost to the Steelers week one, but have rattled off three straight wins. Since that loss, the offense has rounded back into form and the defense has looked much improved from last year. In my eyes, I think the Bills are the true best team in the league, even over the undefeated Cardinals. 

         This will be an amazing game to checkout. The Bills would love to avenge that loss and the Chiefs want to get back on track. I can see the Bills coming out and dominating the Chiefs defense with Stefon Diggs being at the center of it. The most interesting battle will be the Bills defense and the Chiefs offense. The Bills defense has looked super dominate, but they were playing super inferior offenses. The defense could be much better than before, but we won't actually know until they play a team like the Chiefs. The Bills defensive line has been intriguing because of the different usage of so many players. Only one player, Ed Oliver, has played over 50% of the snaps. The Bills linebackers and secondary have been playing well as always. I think keeping Patrick Mahomes in the pocket will be key to minimizing the damage. Overall, I think this will be an absolute shootout and the Bills will be able to edge out the Chiefs because of that swiss cheese defense KC has. Give me Buffalo on the road.

Buffalo Bills 41, Kansas City Chiefs 38

By: Lucas Kochevar

          Week three comes and goes with some truths coming out about certain teams. It seems to be three clear-cut contenders in the AFC between the Bills, Chargers, and Browns. The NFC saw a huge clash of its titans between the Rams and Buccaneers, where the Rams pulled ahead and never looked back. A couple teams remain undefeated and four game-winning kicks happened. The most impressive of those four kicks was clearly Justin Tucker, who also set the NFL record, with a game-winning 66 yard field goal. This week we have a handful of interesting games. Starting on Thursday, we get the Bengals and Jaguars, which isn't a great game, but it's the last two number one picks going head-to-head. Mahomes looks to bounce back against Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. There's a pivotal division game happening in the Bay area with the 49ers and Seahawks. The most anticipated game of the week will be Tom Brady's return to Foxborough. All these games will show some promise, however, I think there are far more interesting battles this week. 

Carolina Panthers vs Dallas Cowboys
         The undefeated Carolina Panthers travel to Dallas to play the surging Cowboys. The Panthers have been a surprise team early on with three relatively easy wins. The Panthers defense has been the story as they have dominated in all three games. They have been fantastic in all facets of the game. The pass rush is getting there with Brian Burns as they have 14 sacks through three games. They've built a wall in the run game too with Derrick Brown at DT. The secondary is incredibly opportunistic, but they lost rookie Jaycee Horn due to a fractured foot. Sam Darnold looks rejuvenated and has been a new QB from his New York Jets days. He found a favorite target in D.J. Moore and, even with a bad offensive line, they have found enough offense to look good. A big challenge will be life without Christian McCaffery, who injured his hamstring Thursday night. The Cowboys have seemingly put it together since dropping their first game against Tampa Bay. Dak Prescott looks up to his old tricks again as he is distributing the ball all around. Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard are one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. Overall, the offense looks as dangerous as ever, especially after their convincing win over the Eagles. The defense does look a lot more cohesive than last year and Trevon Diggs has been awesome at CB. 

           I expect this game to be a thriller. This will be a battle between two of the leagues best. The Panthers defense will have their hands full with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and co. I think the Panthers will be able to slow down the run game and that will keep them in it. Similar to their week one loss, the Cowboys could fall back into a pass happy attack, which means two of their most dynamic players will have to commit to pass blocking. The Panthers offense will have to find their footing without McCaffery. They have Oklahoma St. rookie Chubba Hubbard, who has played well in limited snaps, but he isn't McCaffery. Losing a player of his caliber is a big chunk of plays gone from the playbook and a safety blanket is gone for Darnold. I could see them struggling at least through one half of football, but finding their footing in the second half. By then, it could easily be too late and they would have to play major catch-up. For that reason, I like the Cowboys in this spot to make somewhat of a statement win at home by beating an undefeated Carolina team. 

Dallas Cowboys 31, Carolina Panthers 17

Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams
        Both teams will enter this game undefeated, but only one can remain. The Los Angeles Rams hold the title for best team in the NFL, in my opinion. They have looked fantastic so far and Matthew Stafford looks right at home. The offense looks explosive with Desean Jackson and Cooper Kupp running wherever they want. The Rams defense is as dominant as ever. Aaron Donald is doing Aaron Donald things and Jalen Ramsey is far and away the best cornerback in the league. Raheem Morris has stepped in for the departed DC Brandon Staley and has led the team right as they were. The Cardinals have started off the year hot, despite looking lost at times. The Cardinals dismantled the Titans, survived the Vikings, and handled business against the Jaguars. Kyler Murray has been a machine throwing and running all over the place. Each week, a new wide receiver will pop up as a 100 yard threat. The Cardinals defense hasn't done a whole lot since their week one domination of the Titans. They look to put pressure on Matt Stafford and the electric Rams air attack.

         This game will show us if the Cardinals are a legit team or not. The Rams are another level of competition than anything they have faced and it will be interesting to see how Kyler fares against them. Kyler vs Donald and Hopkins vs Ramsey will be quite the show. I see this game as an absolute shootout if the Cardinals end up pulling it out. Either they go score for score or they hold the ball and make sure the Rams don't get on the field. With how Kliff Kingsbury coaches teams, they will not run the ball consistently. Rookie receiver Rondale Moore will be a key player in this to make sure the Cardinals have the big play threat outside of Hopkins. On the flip side, the Rams need to continue their dominance. Push the issue and make the Cardinals DBs make plays. Something interesting to note will be the Rams running game. Darrell Henderson Jr. was out last week so Sony Michel was the primary guy. Once again, the run game was far behind the passing game. I don't see this being an issue still. I like the Rams here to win comfortably after a close first half.

Los Angeles Rams 34, Arizona Cardinals 26

Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers
          Another divisional game for the week as the Las Vegas Raiders carry their undefeated record into LA to take on the Chargers. The Chargers are coming off an emotional win over the Chiefs as the game went down to the wire. Justin Herbert played near flawless and carried his team to the win. Herbert connected with WR Mike Williams and Keenan Allen plenty of times as center Corey Linsley looks to be a vital piece of the Chargers. The LA defense has been revitalized as Derwin James has rounded back into form from his pre-injury days. Joey Bosa has been playing well and rookie Asante Samuel Jr. already has two interceptions on the year. The Chargers have had tough games for all three weeks and it doesn't get any easier Monday night. The Raiders come into the game undefeated under Derek Carr. As of right now, Carr looks incredible and, very similarly to his 2016 breakout campaign,  could be an MVP candidate. Maxx Crosby has been a defensive stonewall on the line. The team is playing together and Jon Gruden looks to have them on track. The Raiders have been a shocking team as many people projected another mediocre year. They could still come crashing down to Earth, but for now, the Raiders are here to stay. 

          This game last year was featured on a Thursday Night Football and provided a candidate for game of the year. Justin Herbert looked phenomenal and Marcus Mariota shined for Derek Carr, who got hurt early on. This game will be a different atmosphere and should test to see if the Raiders are legit. I think Herbert will be on the attack, as always. Herbert will press the issue and make the Raiders defense make a play, specifically the secondary. The Chargers could really give the Raiders some trouble with the Austin Ekeler as he is dangerous on the checkdown just as much as the run game. On the flip side, the Raiders offense has been strange. TE Darren Waller's involvement has changed week to week, but you can see players like Hunter Renfrow and Henry Ruggs stepping up when Waller has been covered. It'll be interesting to see how HC Brandon Staley will attack Las Vegas. This will be key because the passing attack has been the primary way the Raiders have done anything. The running game has been grossly inconsistent and who knows who will be healthy on Monday. This is by far the biggest game for Vegas and emotions will be running high, but I think the Chargers are a top-3 AFC team and they'll outpace the Raiders on offense. 

Los Angeles Chargers 38, Las Vegas Raiders 27

By: Lucas Kochevar

         The Tampa Bay Buccaneers unveiled their championship banner on Thursday night's season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. The passing offenses were humming out of the gate and never seemed to slow down. Both quarterbacks threw the ball fifty-plus times and eclipsed 350 yards. Both defense still forced turnovers and had strong stretches. Overall, this game was a great way to open up the season. There are a couple of takeaways that you can gather from these teams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
       The Buccaneers offense is more dangerous than ever. I understand that they were playing one of the worst defenses in the league from last season, however, the Buccaneers still seem like a well-oiled machine. The rushing game wasn't exceptionally strong, but they only rushed the ball 14 times. The passing attack was unreal. The ball was spread out to Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski. Those three guys were huge, especially Brown, who provided a big time catch that had a 2015 Steelers AB feeling to it. Tom Brady looked sharp despite throwing two picks, where one was a Hail Mary heave. Watching Tom Brady do this at 44-years old seems absolutely absurd. The Mike Evans' disappearing act was a bit concerning, but there's only so many people that can catch the ball.

     I think Tampa Bay was especially sloppy on the offensive line. They seemed undisciplined, but that's an easier fix. The defense did lose CB Sean Murphy-Bunting to an elbow injury caused by a fellow Buccaneers player. I think the linebackers for Tampa had a great showing as Devin White and Lavonte David both recorded double-digit sacks. Vita Vea was an absolute wrecking ball in the middle of that defense and might make his first pro bowl if he stays healthy. The secondary couldn't contain Amari Cooper whatsoever and Dallas was moving the ball with ease. If Murphy-Bunting has to miss an extended period of time, then this secondary could be in trouble if they play like they did tonight. 

Dallas Cowboys
      The Dallas Cowboys should win the NFC East. This was an impressive performance for a team entering a year full of high expectations with Dak Prescott back. Prescott actually outplayed Brady and drove the Cowboys downfield time after time with Amari Cooper leading the way. Cooper was a monster and solidified himself as a primary receiver. Ceedee Lamb played well and was a nice change of pace for them. The offensive line kept holding towards the end of the game, but overall they played well. The run game was a bunch of nothing with Zeke. I think this offense is finally moving off the need for Zeke to be a focal point. The offense rides and dies with Dak. They should try to incorporate Zeke in order to take the pressure off Prescott. 

        The Cowboys defense was not very great for the entire night as Brady had all the time in the world to throw. Something I did notice was Trevon Diggs playing all over the place. He managed to be the best CB on the field and made an excellent play on the ball. CB Anthony Brown was tied for leading the team in tackles, the only issue is it happened because they kept throwing at him. I thought Micah Parsons played the game fast and showed off his raw talent. He needs more time to really shine, but it was still very encouraging from him. This defense has a long way to go in order to be effective, especially under DC Dan Quinn. 

        As I stated earlier, this game was a perfect start to the season with some back and forth offense and late game heroics from the best quarterback to play the game. Dallas will travel to Los Angeles to play the Chargers next week, meanwhile, Tampa Bay will stay at home to face the Falcons. 

By: Lucas Kochevar 

        I'm back after missing last week, but if we're being honest, there wasn't a ton of intriguing match-ups to highlight besides the primetime game on Sunday night. The difference between this week and last week is that we can actually see what teams are looking to contend and we can put to rest some of the week one anomalies. A handful of teams look to stay undefeated, while a number of teams look to find their first win. Kyler Murray continues his breakout tour in Jacksonville. Justin Fields may start in his first game against Cleveland. We also get to see what could be a fun division rivalry for the next decade with Mahomes and Herbert. Those are a few stories to watch and now I'll give you my five games to watch this week.

New Orleans Saints vs New England Patriots 
         In the early slate of games, we get this game between two 1-1 teams from different conferences. Both teams are in the new era of quarterbacks for their teams. The Saints came out of the gate hot and looked like they found the best replacement possible for Drew Brees with Jameis Winston. They throttled the Packers much to everyone's surprise. The next week, they came out and put up a dud against the Panthers. Their team is in a precarious position with their team identity. The Patriots had a slightly different road to 1-1 with a heartbreaking loss in week one to the Dolphins. Last week, they put on a defensive clinic and made Zach Wilson look like a bust with four interceptions. Mac Jones has impressed compared to his peers in the rookie class, but he hasn't really done anything noteworthy. Essentially, the game plan is to not let Mac make any crucial turnovers as he hardly makes big throws down the field. It's a formidable strategy, however, if they want to compete in the AFC, they'll have let the leash off. 

           In this game, I would imagine that the New Orleans passing attack against the New England secondary is the biggest battle. This could very well determine the tone of the game. The Saints rank dead last in Yards per Game, which is extremely uncharacteristic of a Sean Payton-led team. The Patriots, meanwhile, have lead the league in interceptions since 2019. JC Jackson is a stud on that defense and was tied for the lead league in interceptions last season. Jameis is the number one guy for throwing backbreaking interceptions. If he makes too many of those mistakes, Bill Belichick and co. will make him pay. If I had to guess, this won't be the Mac Jones breakout game. The Patriots offense has come from Damien Harris on the ground and I don't see that changing here. The Patriots will rely on the Alabama running back to keep up his stellar play and keep improving. This game is a major test for both teams and I think the Patriots keep their solid play rolling  and get the win here. 

New England Patriots 28, New Orleans Saints 24

Seattle Seahawks vs Minnesota Vikings
        The Seattle Seahawks will take on the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis in the afternoon. Russell Wilson looks to bounce back after a disappointing home opening loss against the Titans last week. The Seahawks started off the season on a strong note against the Colts and then the first half of the Titans game. Suddenly, Derrick Henry took over and the offense went cold. The Vikings have started 0-2 and have suffered back-to-back crushing losses. The first one in an overtime comeback effort against the Bengals and then a blown lead over the Cardinals, where kicker Greg Joseph missed the game winning kick by a few inches. Minnesota's offense has been strong with Kirk Cousins playing well. The defense has struggled mightily as the entire unit, besides Eric Kendricks, has been pretty horrid. I'm curious to see if the Vikings can earn their first win at home over Russell Wilson. 

         Like I said, Kirk Cousins has been brilliant so far this season. He's tossed for nearly 600 yards and 5 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. Dalvin Cook has been impressive as well, but he is dealing with a slight injury. Something that has plagued Cousins his entire career is his ability to win the big one. Most of these 'big one' games end up coming against the best of the best franchises. One that stands out to me is Kirk Cousins and the Vikings travelling to to Seattle for Sunday Night Football. The Vikings jumped out ahead 13-0 and ended up blowing the game. Cousins played well, but threw a pick. Those little mistakes like that are why he gets a bad rep among many fans. Cousins needs to attack the Seattle secondary. On the other side, Russell Wilson has played great on the road, especially in domes. Wilson has a knack for playing well in domes and should be able to air it out on a swiss cheese defense. This game has the potential for a fantastic shootout, but don't be surprised if Seattle runs away with this one.

Seattle Seahawks 41, Minnesota Vikings 31

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Los Angeles Rams
        The game of the week will be happening in beautiful and sunny Los Angeles. The Rams and Bucs are both undefeated and look like the cream of the crop in the NFC. Tampa Bay went out and the offense looked as good as it did last year. Tom Brady looks like he can play at 50 years old and Rob Gronkowski looks like he found the fountain of youth. This is the first big test for them to see of they can really be Super Bowl contenders once again. The Rams are embracing the new era with brand new QB Matthew Stafford from Detroit. Stafford has looked really sharp and has been every bit of good as advertised. The defense continues to look dominate as well. They need games like this in order to separate themselves from the rest of their tough division. This also seems to be the first big challenge for them as well. The Rams need to win a big game like this to push themselves past the Jared Goff-era. 

          The key of this game to me will be the trenches. The Rams offensive line is held together by some average guys and older guys like future Hall of Famer LT Andrew Whitworth. The Bucs defensive line is one of the most ferocious fronts in all of football, especially with Vita Vea in the middle. The Rams will need to slow these guys down to give Stafford some time in the pocket. Part of me believes they can do it because Atlanta was moving the ball against this front. The secondary for Tampa is banged up so that also opens the door for the Rams' receivers to run free. On the other side, Tampa has one of the best offensive lines in football and give Tom Brady an eternity in the pocket. The Rams have the best defensive player from the past twenty years with Aaron Donald. The Rams have to get creative in pressuring Brady in order to move him off his spot. If the Rams can do that, I think the LA offense can generate enough points to win. For that reason, I will pick the Rams to win at home and solidify themselves as the NFC frontrunners. 

Los Angeles Rams 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27

By: Lucas Kochevar 

      Football season is officially back. College football starts this week with UGA and Clemson as the big draw. Shortly after that, the NFL season finally starts with Tampa Bay taking on Dallas on September 9th. This season has many storylines to follow with Tom Brady trying to repeat, Patrick Mahomes getting back on top, and Aaron Rodgers last dance with the Packers. The slate will be full of games worthwhile but, these are the five to keep an eye for. 

LA Chargers @ Washington Football Team
      One of the first games of the day kicks off in Washington between WFT and the Chargers. New HC Brandon Staley and Justin Herbert have to make an extensive trip for this week one match-up. That bodes well for Washington as they enter their second year under HC Ron Rivera. The biggest challenge will be WFT's D-Line going up against LA's O-Line, especially DE Chase Young against the Chargers first round pick OT Rashawn Slater. These two faced each other in 2019 in college and Slater was one of the guys that managed to contain Young. That will be fun to highlight. On the other side, Washington named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starter last week and he faces the genius, young defensive mind, Brandon Staley. Staley did fantastic things with the Rams last year and now he inherits gifted players like Derwin James and Joey Bosa. WFT has some of the most underrated players in the league on the perimeter with Terry McLaurin and newly signed weapon Curtis Samuel. Both of these guys should play a big role of WFT wants to win.

       Vegas has this game as a toss-up with LA being the -1 favorite and I tend to agree. The Chargers are one of those teams that I have taking a good jump with Herbert, however, them being the favorite seems interesting simply because of the new head coach element and the travel. If I had to predict this game, I have to go with Washington. In week one, the trend seems to be that the defense is not ready. Last season, a little over half of the league managed to score over 21 points in week one. The question would then be: If defense is the issue, then shouldn't the better offense win with LA? Typically, yes. The difference here is that LA is the less experienced defense and they're implementing an entirely different scheme. Washington should be able to come out and run their typical defense under Riverboat Ron and get stops when needed on LA's offense. The pass rush is fierce and forces the offense to rush their decisions. I believe Fitz magic will be able to lean on RB Antonio Gibson and his two WRs. Look for Washington to win in a sloppy game as both teams go through a feeling out process for week one here. 

Washington Football Team 27, Los Angeles Chargers 20

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills
       The Buffalo Bills are coming off one of the best seasons they've had in the last twenty years and they face the Steelers, who look to improve on what was a very disappointing ending to their season. The Steelers started their season 11-0 and fell flat on their faces, meanwhile, Buffalo advanced to the AFC Championship and lost to Kansas City. The most intriguing story here is that this could be legendary QB Ben Roethlisberger's last season opener. Nothing has been reported about a retirement, but for a player that has notoriously taken a ton of damage, Big Ben might be towards the end of his road. The prospect of Buffalo's surging offense against the Steelers stifling defense should showcase some premier football. The Bills offense was the story last year, and similar to that, they should be the story this year. For some unknown reason OC Brian Daboll didn't get a head coaching job and he returns to run the offense. With another year under Daboll, don't be surprised if Josh Allen makes a run at MVP. His odds sit at +1400 to win the award and that would likely be where I would place my money for pure value. 

        As previously said, the Bills offense vs Steelers defense will be the headliner here but let’s look at the other side of it. The Steelers offense last season was aggressively inconsistent when they hit their wall last season and dropped a majority of their last couple games. The biggest issue was balance between the passing attack and rushing attack. Their running backs last season, James Conner and Benny Snell, were never able to put together competent games to help Big Ben and his arm isn't like it used to be. Part of the problem has to do with the O-Line but, with a new group and Najee Harris, they look to improve the overall balance of their team. Vegas has the Bills as a touchdown favorite at -6.5 here. Once again, I agree with the oddsmakers here. The Bills offense is a well-oiled machine and the defense is sneaky good. The Bills are coached exceptionally well under HC Sean McDermott and I expect them to be more than ready for anything the Steelers might throw at them on offense. This game will set the tone for the Steelers' and Bills' season and I am really looking forward to it.

Buffalo Bills 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 16

Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs
        Kansas City has been the team to beat in the AFC for three years now, but Cleveland is coming into the year with something they haven't in a long time: hope. The Browns seem to be playoff contenders for the foreseeable future and they look to make a push with Baker Mayfield. The Chiefs look to make another Super Bowl run after a really disappointing loss to the Buccaneers. The Chiefs offense should be better than ever with the new additions to their offensive line. KC will desperately need these guys to pan out with the Myles Garrett coming off the edge for the Browns. The rest of Cleveland's defense will be a unit to watch, specifically the secondary. Denzel Ward should be coming into his own as a star young cornerback. My biggest curiosity will be how the Chiefs defend Tyreek Hill. Guarding Hill is a challenge for so many teams due to his ridiculous speed. Then, you also have Travis Kelce, the best TE in the league. The Browns second level will be challenged for sure. 

        The Chiefs are the Super Bowl favorites at +450 and they will have huge expectations here to make a statement at home. That leads me into thinking the Browns might be sneaky in this season opener. When Cleveland travelled to KC for their playoff game, they competed the entire game. Mahomes wasn't 100% healthy but, the Browns still were in the game and had a real chance at winning. I remain skeptical about the Chiefs defense, especially the D-Line outside of Chris Jones. I think Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are primed for huge games. The spread sits with the Chiefs as the obvious favorite at -6.5 and I personally think it will be closer than that. This game gives me the feeling of last year’s Browns-Ravens matchup on Monday Night Football. The most dangerous coach in sports with a bye week is Andy Reid and the off-season is just the longest bye week there is. This leads me to thinking the Chiefs win in a week one shootout but, both teams prove to be legit in the AFC. 

Kansas City Chiefs 38, Cleveland Browns 34

Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints 
       Packers fans have been through the ringer this off-season with the entire Aaron Rodgers problem. He finally came back from his hiatus and the team was right to call him on his bluff that he wouldn't sit out the season. The Saints, on the other hand, did lose their QB, but that was because of retirement. The Saints have announced Jameis Winston as the week one starter to no one’s surprise after the preseason he was having. This game provides a ton of intrigue for me because the Packers are a premier team in the NFC and should compete for a Super Bowl berth and then New Orleans will look totally different without Brees. The Saints and Packers also had a really fun game last season where Green Bay ended up winning 37-30 and Alvin Kamara had a monster run. This game should be another shootout for the slate as both defenses aren't really known for being lockdown. The Packers O-Line is something to keep note of mainly due to them losing their all-pro C Corey Linsley. I think that loss is being underplayed for the Packers and it could hurt them for the long haul.

         Seeing the Saints offense with a QB who can throw more than 25 yards will be a change for sure. The Packers secondary got torched by Tom Brady and the Bucs in the NFC Championship, so you have to think that was an area they wanted to improve on. CB Jaire Alexander should have his side on lock but, it’s the other guys that may be in trouble with Jameis throwing the ball everywhere. On the flip side, the reigning MVP should keep his great streak going. He showed no signs of slowing down last season and I don't foresee him falling off a cliff. This game will be decided with the offenses. The Vegas guys have this game as a field goal difference in favor of Green Bay -3. I think that's generous with the Saints and it might have factored in home field advantage. With Hurricane Ida, New Orleans won't be playing in NOLA for the next month. That might shift the line some in favor of Green Bay. I would expect these NFC contenders to have a fun game, but don't be surprised if one team pulls away from the other. 

Green Bay Packers 37, New Orleans Saints 27

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots
       Two teams that missed out on the playoffs last year look to make it back in this week one division match-up. The Dolphins had a strange end to last season but, with Tua Tagovailoa, they look to make some noise. The Patriots finally missed out on the playoffs last season with Cam Newton under center. They hope to recapture some magic with rookie QB Mac Jones. The Patriots surprisingly cut QB Cam Newton today and named Mac Jones the official starter. The move was quite shocking as the Patriots just don't seem like the team to trust a rookie QB, but after a strong showing in preseason, they made the judgement that he was ready for week one. The Dolphins really did the exact opposite last season with Tua and Ryan Fitzpatrick. With Fitz in Washington now, the job is all up to Tagovailoa. Miami was in the wild card mix last season but just couldn't put together a strong finish to take that spot. They did win with their head coach hire from last year, former New England assistant Brian Flores. 

        This game will be an Alabama fan's dream with both Jones and Tua playing. It might provide a tiny bit of insight on the debate in regard to who’s better. Both defenses should perform with some energy. Flores had them playing above their skill level with last year. I am really curious to see what he throws at Jones and how Mac will respond to it. Bill Belichick has never lost to a rookie QB. Ever. Tagovailoa will essentially be a rookie QB and Belichick should be able to scheme against him. Tua looked good in preseason, but he never played any first teamers. I have no doubts about the defense for Miami, but the Miami offense is still very questionable. Even if you don't believe in Tua, they still have a spotty O-Line and a journeyman at RB. Both of these teams are nearly playoff contenders but, they have ways to go. Something that surprises me is that Miami is +2.5 underdog. I understand that going on the road is always a challenge, especially in Foxborough, but the team was better overall last season. In the end, I believe the better overall roster will win, therefore, the Dolphins should take this game with the help of their defense. Out of the two division match-ups, this is definitely the more intriguing one, especially now that we will see Mac Jones

Miami Dolphins 24, New England Patriots 13

By: Lucas Kochevar

       The New Orleans Saints are a team entering a crucial year in their franchise's history. It'll be the first time they will start with out QB Drew Brees in over a decade.  Brees was the most accomplished Saints player to ever put on the uniform. The biggest challenge this off-season, however, was the cap. The Saints have been ducking and dodging the salary cap for several years now. This year, it seemed to catch-up with them. They had to make many tough decisions with free agents and they had to restructure a dozen players' contracts. They managed to do it but, it costs them some good players. 

      The Saints will look vastly different without number nine under center but, they look to survive with the in-house options they currently have on the roster. Jameis Winston is coming into his second year with the Saints and Taysom Hill has been an important offensive chess piece for HC Sean Payton. These two have been battling it out over camp and it's hard to get a pulse on who might win the battle. On one hand, Hill played in Brees' place last season when he was hurt. Hill was effective and put the Saints in the position to be in the playoffs. On the other hand, Winston has much more experience playing QB at the NFL level. Winston would be the clear choice if it wasn't for Payton's weird love affair with Hill. Winston is getting a ton of buzz after a spirited performance Monday night against the Jaguars. He looked comfortable and ready. This doesn't mean the end for Hill but, I would imagine he has an uphill battle for QB1. 

         As for the rest of the Saints offense, they bring back many of their starters. They still have a solid group on the O-Line with OTs Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk. They did lose some solid weapons in the passing attack with WR Emmanuel Sanders and TE Jared Cook. They cut Cook for cap reasons. The veteren TE will be missed as he was a great security blanket as standout WR Michael Thomas missed most of last season. The Saints TEs will be a position to monitor as TEs Adam Trautman and Nick Vannett both went down with preseason injuries. Thomas will also be missed at the beginning of the year. The Thomas situation was weird because the star WR seemed to not trust the team doctors and wanted to go outside of the team for his rehab. Thomas is a weird diva, like most receivers around the league. Luckily for them, they seemed to figured out the issues but, only time will tell. Lastly, Alvin Kamara is coming back off of the best year of his career. As a Falcons fan, I hate the Saints with all my heart but, I can concede the fact that Kamara is a top three RB in the league. He will be the engine of this team and whichever QB finds themselves starting will need to rely on the star RB. 

         I think the offense will be an above average unit because Sean Payton is very talented at keeping that side of the ball relevant. The struggles will likely come with the defense. The defense has been, typically, reliable for the past couple of seasons as they hit on late draft picks made by GM Mickey Loomis. The difference, in my eyes, is that they won't pack the same punch like they have in years past. DE Cameron Jordan is coming up on the later years of his career. They lost DE Trey Hendrickson to the Bengals and DT Sheldon Rankins to the Jets. Those are three very vital players to the Saints success on the D-Line. The Saints first round pick was a DE from Houston, Payton Turner. This pick was an aggressive reach for a player. He was slotted at around the third round and New Orleans took him at 28th. The Saints LB core will rely heavily on leader Demario Davis. The secondary is the same group that they have had with Marshon Lattimore as the lead CB. Lattimore has some personal trouble with the law. He was arrested and charged in Ohio so his future could be a bit foggy. Overall, this group has names and can be solid. The issue I'm having is the consistency. I think this defense will hit a ceiling at some point in the season and that will be the issue with this team.

          Through all my hatred for this team, I can say that they have been impressive in their successes over the years. I see the Saints run as division winners coming to an end. I see them as a team that will hover around .500 but, I cannot see them sniffing the playoffs. They would have to leapfrog over multiple teams, that I believe are better, in order to grab a wild card spot. Simply put, I do not see that happening. Winston was never able to find a winning style of football in Tampa Bay as the starter. Hill won games but, I think defenses weren't exactly sure what the Saints would look like. Now they have film and Hill is not an established QB in the league. The defense should be average for the league standard and that won't be able to carry this team, especially if Hill or Winston fail. This franchise will be truly tested this year and will face some adversity without the future Hall of Famer calling the shots on offense. 

By: Lucas Kochevar 

       The New York Giants haven't sniffed the playoffs since 2016 but, with third year QB Daniel Jones and HC Joe Judge, people are wondering if they can climb back into the mix. The Giants have been a hot topic recently with intriguing training camp stories coming out. First off, they had a major brawl happen with Jones sitting at the bottom of it. Judge was irate and made the players run sprints due to their actions. Then, they had several players sign and immediately retire. These are not typical stories and with Judge's reputation as being a hard-ass, it really makes you think if the culture being established is a good one that can last years. The typical argument would be 'Look at the Patriots. They have a strict structure and they're the greatest dynasty in NFL history,' I agree they are easily the greatest, but I also believe that their sustained run is an anomaly. It also helps when you have the greatest QB of all-time in Tom Brady. The Belichick coaching tree holds a poor record with very few of them panning out when they leave NE. 

         It truly is hard to see them turning into a playoff team after one season with Judge in charge. There is one major unit that has to make noise in order for New York to compete. The offense last year ranked 31st in both points averaged and yards per game. They were absolutely putrid on paper and film. Even in the previous losing seasons, they managed to be in the middle of the league. Daniel Jones has to be more consistent for this team to work. Jones is the key to the puzzle. He struggled with turnovers mightily in his rookie season, but in his sophomore year he managed to convert on more opportunities. Something that is concerning is the lack in improvement in accuracy. Many QBs see the percentage rise over the years as the game comes to them, however, in year one to two, Jones saw his percentage go down slightly from 62% to 61%. I should cut him some slack due to the fact that his offensive coordinator is Jason Garrett. The former Cowboys HC calls a very vanilla game and seems to be stuck in the past compared to the new age pace and space offense. If they come out of the gate slow, don't be surprised if a change is made rather quickly at OC. 

       The Giants are getting star RB Saquon Barkley back from his torn ACL. The offensive line should show growth, especially with OT Andrew Thomas playing his second year. They signed Kenny Golladay to an already loaded receiver room. With all this talent, the Giants should be at least in the top half of the league for offensive stats. The defense was actually surprisingly effective last season. With James Bradberry being a stud, the Giants held strong and kept them in games. They re-signed DL Leonard Williams and signed CB Adoree' Jackson. Those two are key factors in this unit improving upon their success last season. The team has to get more pressure on the QB, whether it's in creative ways with the blitzes or the D-Line winning their 1-on-1's. 
 
           In my honest opinion, I think the Giants spent recklessly on talent they didn't need for skill positions. They should have invested far more in the trenches. Spending $72 million on Kenny Golladay was a huge risk and they already have talent with WRs Sterling Shepherd and Darius Slayton. Do I think they have the makings of a playoff team? Yes. Do I think they will make it? No. The consistency week in and week out terrifies me with this team. The Cowboys get Dak back and the WFT is still a better team on paper, despite not having a true QB1. The road is a very difficult one, even for a wild card spot. Daniel Jones is a player to keep a major eye on this year. Seeing strong improvement from him is just as important as a playoff berth for Giants fans.