NFL Predictions, Week One

  • It’s been suggested that a thread devoted to picking NFL games, along the lines of that which exists for football in Europe, might be interesting. I thought I’d give it a shot. If there is no interest then, as they say in pick-up basketball, no harm no foul:) Each game listed below includes the official odds (which team is favored to win and by how much). There are 16 games total in Week One. Here goes . . . good luck!


    Dallas at Tampa: Tampa favored by 7.5


    Pittsburgh at Buffalo: Buffalo favored by 6.5


    New York Jets at Carolina: Carolina fav by 5


    Jacksonville at Houston: Jacks favored by 2.5


    Arizona at Tennessee: Tenn favored by 3


    Philadelphia at Atlanta: Atlanta favored by 3.5


    LA Chargers at Washington: LAC fav by 1


    San Fran at Detroit: San Fran favored by 7.5


    Seattle at Indianapolis: Seattle favored by 2.5


    Minnesota at Cincinnati: Minn favored by 3


    Miami at New England: NE favored by 2.5


    Cleveland at Kansas City: KC favored by 6.5


    Denver at NY Giants: Denver favored by 3


    Green Bay at New Orleans (game in Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida): GB by 4


    Chicago at LA Rams: LAR favored by 7


    Baltimore at Las Vegas: Balt favored by 4.5

  • As I said, I'm up for this on the grounds I know absolutely nothing about it. But that's a lot of games!


    Also, when you say "Dallas at Tampa", do you mean Tampa vs Dallas, ie played at Tampa's home stadium?


    What do the figures actually represent?

    Abandon all reason

  • As I said, I'm up for this on the grounds I know absolutely nothing about it. But that's a lot of games!


    Also, when you say "Dallas at Tampa", do you mean Tampa vs Dallas, ie played at Tampa's home stadium?


    What do the figures actually represent?

    Yes, in the US the visiting team is always listed first and the home team second (I’m not sure if that’s the way it’s done over there too). So, Dallas at Tampa means Dallas is playing Tampa in Tampa. The figures are the odds that have been set by the casinos—the predicted minimum margin of victory for the winning team. Admittedly half of those figures in the games this week represent an impossible winning margin. For example, Tampa defeating Dallas by at least 7.5. In reality, what that means is Tampa must win by at least 8 points for a bet on Tampa to payoff.


    It strikes me even as I try to explain this that it might be more enjoyable if it was scaled back. Perhaps just the marquee games of the week and simply choosing who will win each game. In that spirit, I propose the following games:


    Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Bucs


    Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills


    Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans


    Seattle Seahawks at Indianapolis Colts


    Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs


    Chicago Bears at LA Rams


    Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders

  • Here goes nothing (or, watch a Genesis fan make a total fool of himself!).


    Dallas 3-21 Tampa

    Pittsburgh 9-3 Buffalo

    New York Jets 20-30 Carolina

    Jacksonville 17-26 Houston

    Arizona 6-12 Tennessee

    Philadelphia 15-28 Atlanta

    LA Chargers 24-26 Washington

    San Fran 12-3 Detroit

    Seattle 22-18 Indianapolis

    Minnesota 33-12 Cincinnati

    Miami 14-21 New England

    Cleveland 3-27 Kansas City

    Denver 9-12 NY Giants

    Green Bay 21-18 New Orleans

    Chicago 30-18 LA Rams

    Baltimore 16-10 Las Vegas


    Yes, some of these scores are probably not mathematically possible but that adds to the mystique. Or something. I've watched a few games (literally 4 or 5 in my life) in the past usually in the run up to the Superbowl and actually enjoyed it at the time. The stop-start nature and tv ads are distracting but it's enjoyable nonetheless. This might spur me to watch a game more regularly. Maybe pick a random one each week.

  • It strikes me even as I try to explain this that it might be more enjoyable if it was scaled back. Perhaps just the marquee games of the week and simply choosing who will win each game.

    Definitely keep it to 8 to 10 per round, that seems to work best for the european football one we have. But may I suggest that also like that one, we do predict scorelines and apply the same system of 3 points for an exact correct prediction, 1 point for correctly predicting the overall result. So for instance, I've gone for Dallas 18 Tampa 26. If that's the actual score I get 3 points, if it's not the score but the result was a Tampa win, 1 point. But hey it's your show, your rules! In some ways it might be more feasible to predict a correct soccer score, less so for NFL? I'll be led by you.

    I would try but I don't follow American Football.

    Neither do I but what the hell, here goes - and I have done some minimal research for what it's worth:


    Dallas Cowboys 18 Tampa Bay Bucs 26

    Pittsburgh Steelers 24 Buffalo Bills 32

    Arizona Cardinals 25 Tennessee Titans 21

    Seattle Seahawks 13 Indianapolis Colts 19

    Cleveland Browns 26 Kansas City Chiefs 20

    Chicago Bears 10 LA Rams 24

    Baltimore Ravens 32 Las Vegas Raiders 21

    Abandon all reason

  • That’s a good idea (3 points for exact score; 1 point for correctly predicting the victor). Let’s use that system. My predictions are:

    Dallas 16 Tampa 34

    Pittsburgh 21 Buffalo 31

    Arizona 24 Tennessee 27

    Seattle 24 Indianapolis 17

    Cleveland 27 Kansas City 38

    Chicago 21 LA Rams 24

    Baltimore 34 Las Vegas 27

  • Worth a punt I suppose.


    Dallas 21 Tampa 24

    Pittsburgh 10 Buffalo 24

    Arizona 21 Tennessee 14

    Seattle 21 Indianapolis 17

    Cleveland 24 Kansas City 31

    Chicago 24 LA Rams 17

    Baltimore 27 Las Vegas 9

    “Without music, life would be a mistake”

  • The first game is in the books. Final score last night: Tampa 31 Dallas 29. Apparently it was a real thriller--right down to the wire. Unfortunately I fell asleep and missed the ending.

    Everyone earns a point.


    TheWatcher: 1

    Backdrifter: 1

    Genesis1964: 1

    Moonlitknight1: 1

  • I make it I got a lame 3 points there...

    Yes, sorry I’m late in computing the scores based on last week’s games and setting things up for this week. The scores after Week One:


    Genesis1964: 4

    Moonlitknight: 4
    the watcher: 3 points

    Backdrifter: 3 points

  • Here are the top games from Week Two with my predictions. All games will be played on Sunday:

    Buffalo at Miami: Miami 24 Buffalo 17

    Las Vegas at Pittsburgh: LV 23 Pittsburgh 20

    LA Rams at Indianapolis: LAR 27 Indy 20

    New Orleans at Carolina: NO 23 Carolina 16

    Dallas at LA Chargers: LAC 27 Dallas 24

    Tennessee at Seattle: Sea 30 Tenn 17

    Kansas City at Baltimore: KC 31 Balt 27

  • Buffalo at Miami: Miami 18 Buffalo 24

    Las Vegas at Pittsburgh: LV 30 Pittsburgh 17

    LA Rams at Indianapolis: LAR 21 Indy 14

    New Orleans at Carolina: NO 27 Carolina 20

    Dallas at LA Chargers: LAC 20 Dallas 27

    Tennessee at Seattle: Sea 25 Tenn 21

    Kansas City at Baltimore: KC 27 Balt 27

  • Buffalo at Miami: Miami 21 Buffalo 18

    Las Vegas at Pittsburgh: LV 27 Pittsburgh 10

    LA Rams at Indianapolis: LAR 24 Indy 14

    New Orleans at Carolina: NO 37 Carolina 24

    Dallas at LA Chargers: LAC 24 Dallas 31

    Tennessee at Seattle: Sea 16 Tenn 21

    Kansas City at Baltimore: KC 24 Balt 17

    “Without music, life would be a mistake”