NFL Season Kickoff: Week 1 Preview and Predictions
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00:00Welcome back to Newswire here on Sports Grid. We're getting ready for week one of the NFL season. It's now less than a week away. In fact, there's a game in Brazil next Friday night. Let's take a look at the first week of the NFL slate with Vinny Iyer of Sporting News.
00:17Vinny, we're underway now with college football here. A few games on Thursday, a few games last weekend, and then after we get through the Labor Day weekend, the NFL takes full focus. Thanks again for coming on the show.
00:27Yeah, and the week one games are starting to come into focus as well, so I'm excited to actually be able to look at those and pick those finally and get in on the action.
00:36Yeah, and it's week one, and I think that this is the danger zone for me with a lot of teams because on paper, the Patriots do not come close to where the Cincinnati Bengals are with or without Jamar Chase.
00:50In fact, if he plays, Vinny, I don't think the number's going to go up much, maybe a half a point. I don't even know that he's worth a half a point in the NFL.
00:57But again, all the money is going to come in on Cincinnati, and I'm always very scared of the first week because I think, Vinny, in the end, you and I would agree that the Patriots are only going to win a handful of games.
01:09But anything can happen in the first week of the season. That's the danger zone for me.
01:14Yeah, for sure. I mean, the one thing that we've seen in recent years is that the defense is a little bit ahead of the offense, and therefore you see a lot of unders hitting early in the season.
01:25And that's something we're going to watch for, and this game's got a pretty low total that's tied to the Patriots not looking all that good with Jacoby Brissett, a quarterback here now named the starter.
01:37So the Bengals, again, Luan Arumo's still the defensive coordinator. He can cause a lot of problems for any quarterback, especially one that's struggling and has limited weapons.
01:46I mean, Joe Burrow's back. The enthusiasm is going to be there on the home side.
01:50So it seems like a bit of a trap extending there to nine and a half points, but I do like the Bengals at home here.
01:57I think they're going to come out and play well. They want to reestablish themselves as kind of an AFC contender.
02:03And this is a game where they can make a statement, I know the Patriots are going to stink and might be the worst team in the league, but the Bengals still want to come out there and prove that they belong by taking care of business.
02:14Yeah, it's going to be fun to see, because Vinny, it's sort of rare to go into the first week of the season knowing that everybody in their survivor pool has the same team.
02:23And everybody's going to be taking the Bengals in week one. If the Patriots pull that upset week one, they're going to have to start that pool over, I think, for everybody this year.
02:31All right, well, that game could be a dud. Honestly, this game could too, but the oddsmakers are certainly telling us that even with all of the additions that the Falcons made in the offseason, it's still a wait-and-see approach.
02:43They take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in week one next Sunday. They are just three-point favorites against Pittsburgh.
02:50Pittsburgh name their starting quarterback, it is Russell Wilson. We know Atlanta has a new coaching staff. We know Atlanta has a new quarterback.
02:56We also know that they have some new toys too, but the oddsmakers are telling us these teams are about even, Vinny.
03:02Yeah, this is going to be interesting, because first it's going to be odd to see Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins in these jerseys playing in week one.
03:11But we'll get used to it fast. I think what's going to happen here is what new-look offense is going to adjust.
03:17And the funny thing is the Steelers are running the Falcons offense from last year, because Arthur Smith, the former Falcons coach, is their coordinator.
03:24So, look, is he going to have some motivation here to win this game? Probably, because he was never given a good footing here in Atlanta.
03:35So he's going to be a bit motivated. It's a different style with Raheem Morris, and that defense is going to be attacking.
03:41So it's going to be a good battle of two new teams. I would try to stay away from this game if I can, but if I'm going to go into it, I like the Steelers in this one.
03:49Mike Tomlin, I think that team is a little bit more prepared defensively. You've got to like where they're at in relation to the Falcons.
03:56And the Falcons, as I said, Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons. But the Steelers can come out, well, I think, again, defense ahead of offense.
04:03And I trust the Steelers in that type of game early in the season.
04:06Yeah, no, I think the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially with Tomlin, great against the spread on the road.
04:11So that's something to keep an eye on. You see that stat there. Good job by Frank throwing that up there.
04:16All right, Vikings-Giants. You're going to have to beg me to watch this one, Vinny. I don't know why I would.
04:21This will be a pass for me. Total of 41.5. Vikings, slight favorites, I guess. I mean, I guess the Giants could probably win this game.
04:30I don't know who they are. I don't know who the Vikings are either at this point.
04:34Sam Darnold starting for Minnesota. Daniel Jones starting for New York.
04:41I mean, as I'm talking myself into this, I'm thinking maybe I would just take the Giants and hope for the best here, because I really don't like either team.
04:48Yeah, I do like the Giants in the under in this game as well, because I think they're going to cause some problems with their pass rush.
04:55Kayvon Thibodeau, they did trade for Brian Burns. That's going to be the thing.
04:59These two teams have very good pass rushes. The Vikings added Jonathan Gennard, Andrew Van Ginkel.
05:04So don't expect a lot of points in this game. Two struggling quarterbacks.
05:07Sam Darnold is a good practice quarterback. When the lights come on, he's bad, especially where he used to see ghosts.
05:13They're in the Meadowlands and the Giants Stadium here. The Met life has not been a good life for him in the past.
05:20So this looks like a very rough game return here for Sam Darnold.
05:24Daniel Jones at least can run around and make some plays.
05:27And I think this Giants defense might surprise a few people by making them a little bit more competitive.
05:33But I can't see either team getting to 20 points in this game. I can't see it.
05:39Well, I can't if one defender is running the other way.
05:42That's the way it's going to happen.
05:44The battle of booing quarterbacks, that seems like that's what's going to be that game.
05:47Did you pick a Super Bowl winner and all that yet, Vinny? Is that up in the sporting news or no?
05:51It will be, but I'm going with the Chiefs in the rare three-peat.
05:55I know it doesn't sound exciting, but it's never happened before in this era, right?
05:58We haven't seen any team do that, but look, the Chiefs, I think, are a better team at the end of last year.
06:04They've got their defense intact.
06:06They were able to get Chris Jones to where he wants to be with his contract.
06:10Chris Jones, Travis Gelsie, Patrick Mahomes, they're going for four rings together.
06:14And you look, I mean, Xavier Worthy, Marquise Holly Brown.
06:18I mean, these are extra weapons for Patrick Mahomes that the league should be scared about.
06:22Well, Vinny, I know the football season is getting ready to start.
06:26I've always wondered if there's a way that we could slow down time for the football season.
06:30I know it seems like we're just starting, but before we know it, I know we're going to be talking about the Super Bowl.
06:34I don't want to do it. I want to slow this time down if we can.
06:38I'll see you next week. We'll take a look at a couple more games. Enjoy your weekend and Labor Day.
06:42Thanks, Greg. You too.