From left: Sports Editor Karl Winter, Sports Assistant Editor Paxton Ritchey, Staff Writer Kyle McCabe, Photo Editor Ali Levens, Sports Assistant Justin Touhey and Staff Writer Austin Hall. This group of six made its picks for the second week of the NFL season after a wildly unpredictable first week. Art by Madeline Duvall
We were blindsided in Week 1.
The Washington Football Team sacking Carson Wentz eight times and starting off the season with a win? Only Photo Editor Ali Levens predicted it correctly.
The Jaguars knocking off Philip Rivers and the Colts? Only Staff Writer Kyle McCabe got that one right.
The Lions dropping a chance to beat the Bears at home despite leading 23–6 after three quarters? Only Sports Editor Karl Winter, an avid Chicago fan, picked that one.
The defending NFC champion 49ers losing at home to the Cardinals? Not a single one of us saw that one coming.
The best record among our staff was a lowly 9–7, shared by Winter, Assistant Sports Editor Paxton Ritchey and Staff Writer Austin Hall.
Sports Assistant Justin Touhey had the toughest week, with his hometown Giants falling short at home and his trusted Tom Brady losing his first game in a Buccaneers uniform.
Like teams who came out rusty in Week 1, we will have to bounce back.
Week 2 may offer more predictable games, as we all agreed on a single team to win seven of the games. However, there should also be some barnburners, starting with the Battle of Ohio on Thursday and followed by a tasty Patriots-Seahawks matchup Sunday night as well as the first-ever game in Allegiant Stadium on Monday night.
Though you may not trust us anymore, consider our takes before you tune in to Week 2.
Cincinnati Bengals (0–1) at Cleveland Browns (0–1) (Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5:20 p.m. PDT)
Justin: Browns
Paxton: Browns
Austin: Bengals
Ali: Bengals
Kyle: Bengals
Karl: Browns
“Both these teams looked horrible in Week 1, but the Browns have more talent. So I have to pick them to bounce back and win the game.” — Paxton
“The NFL just feels better when the Browns suck again. Six points and three turnovers [in Week 1]? It just feels like everything was back to even again […] I think [Bengals’ rookie quarterback Joe] Burrow’s going to be pissed. Maybe this is my Kyle McCabe Jaguars-Colts game that I’m hoping I’m the only one that gets it right.” — Austin
Jacksonville Jaguars (1–0) at Tennessee Titans (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Titans
Paxton: Titans
Austin: Titans
Ali: Titans
Kyle: Jags
Karl: Titans
“I’m taking the Jags because I think that [quarterback Gardner] Minshew is going to play well at the beginning of the season.” – Kyle
“I’m going to pick [the Titans] in Week 2 again because they’re a really good team —that everybody seems to be forgetting went to the AFC Championship game — with basically the same roster, plus [defensive end] Jadeveon Clowney. […] The Titans are going to win this game, but we need to talk about how ruthless [Patriots Head Coach] Bill Belichick is, knowing exactly the right time to move on from [Titans kicker] Stephen Gostkowski.” — Paxton
Carolina Panthers (0–1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Bucs
Paxton: Bucs
Austin: Bucs
Ali: Bucs
Kyle: Panthers
Karl: Bucs
“I don’t see how a Panthers team who couldn’t stop Josh Jacobs and the Raiders is going to be able to stop the weapons that the Bucs have, regardless of whether or not [Tom] Brady play super well, so I will take the Bucs at home.” – Karl
“It’s a pretty easy explanation how they’re going to stop them, Karl. Brady is going to throw two or more picks again.” — Kyle
Denver Broncos (0–1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Broncos
Paxton: Steelers
Austin: Steelers
Ali: Steelers
Kyle: Broncos
Karl: Steelers
“I’m going to be praying all week that [wide receiver] Courtland Sutton returns from his injury. I think it will be a big boost to the offense and the Broncos will get their first win.” — Kyle
“I knew Kyle was going to pick the Broncos and that’s totally fine, but this one isn’t going to be close. The Steelers proved they were an absolute unit this week. They have a case to the best defense in the NFL, and the [quarterback] Ben Roethlisberger revenge tour is in full swing.” — Paxton
Los Angeles Rams (1–0) at Philadelphia Eagles (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Eagles
Paxton: Rams
Austin: Rams
Ali: Rams
Kyle: Rams
Karl: Rams
“The Rams are moving from their beautiful new SoFi Stadium to the absolute hellhole that is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles will win this game.” — Justin
“One way to not be afraid of angry, yelling, screaming, ratchet Eagles fans is for them to not be there, which they’re not going to be. It’s a matchup of the 2016 first and second draft picks [Jared Goff and Carson Wentz], which is interesting. I think the Rams look just OK enough to win this one and [Rams defensive tackle] Aaron Donald should get after Carson Wentz a little bit. Rams, barely.” — Austin
San Francisco 49ers (0–1) at New York Jets (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: 49ers
Paxton: 49ers
Austin: 49ers
Ali: 49ers
Kyle: 49ers
Karl: 49ers
“The 49ers are wasting fuel by flying from a literal fire to a team that is a literal dumpster fire.” — Ali
Buffalo Bills (1–0) at Miami Dolphins (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Bills
Paxton: Bills
Austin: Bills
Ali: Bills
Kyle: Dolphins
Karl: Bills
“I think this game is an equalizer. We’ve got a 1–0 team and an 0–1 team. I think they both come out 1–1.” — Kyle
“Another week without [Dolphins rookie] Tua [Tagovailoa] is going to be another week of an L, so I’ve gotta go Buffalo. [Bills quarterback] John Allen is going to have maybe six overthrows by probably like 10 yards apiece, but they should beat the Dolphins.” — Austin
Minnesota Vikings (0–1) at Indianapolis Colts (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Vikings
Paxton: Vikings
Austin: Vikings
Ali: Vikings
Kyle: Vikings
Karl: Vikings
“I think the Vikings had a lot of problems in the secondary last week against [Packers quarterback Aaron] Rodgers, but I don’t think that they’ll have all the same problems against the Colts. The Colts lost one key piece of their running game with Marlon Mack out with an injury, so I will be taking the Vikings on the road as well.” — Karl
Infographic by Inez Kim
Detroit Lions (0–1) at Green Bay Packers (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Packers
Paxton: Packers
Austin: Packers
Ali: Packers
Kyle: Packers
Karl: Packers
“I am the only one who picked [Packers quarterback] Aaron Rodgers to win last week. I will continue with that pick.” — Justin
Atlanta Falcons (0–1) at Dallas Cowboys (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Cowboys
Paxton: Falcons
Austin: Cowboys
Ali: Falcons
Kyle: Falcons
Karl: Cowboys
“America’s Team let me down once again for the season opener. I just hope that the Falcons don’t blow a 28–3 lead this time if they do get ahead. So I’ll go with the Falcons.” — Ali
“It’s America’s Team that everybody hates versus the team chock full of first-round picks that can’t win games. Coin flip game — Dallas. I don’t see them dropping two in a row.” — Austin
New York Giants (0–1) at Chicago Bears (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. PDT)
Justin: Bears
Paxton: Bears
Austin: Bears
Ali: Bears
Kyle: Bears
Karl: Bears
“The Giants are a bad enough roster that [Bears quarterback] Mitch Trubisky might not even need a magical fourth quarter to pull this one out.” — Paxton
Washington Football Team (1–0) at Arizona Cardinals (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:05 p.m. PDT)
Justin: Cardinals
Paxton: Cardinals
Austin: Football Team
Ali: Cardinals
Kyle: Football Team
Karl: Cardinals
“[Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray] is like the guy in P.E. in middle school and he’s like [4-foot-11-inches] but the only thing he can do is run fast, and he thinks he’s, like, the most athletic dude on the planet. I hate watching him play. He’s annoying. He’s going to go down so many times without being touched because he’s gonna look at the guys in front of him. [Cardinals Head Coach] Kliff Kingsbury is not as cool as he thinks he is. But then [Washington quarterback] Dwayne Haskins exists. […] I’m going to go Washington.” — Austin
“I was super impressed with Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. […] Kyler Murray now has a legit weapon in [wide receiver] DeAndre Hopkins. He has Larry Fitzgerald, maybe one of the best wide receivers in the history of the NFL. He’s got a newfound offense with Kliff Kingsbury that actually worked pretty darn well against the team, the 49ers, whose defense was absolutely unbelievable.” — Justin
Kansas City Chiefs (1–0) at Los Angeles Chargers (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:25 p.m. PDT)
Justin: Chiefs
Paxton: Chiefs
Austin: Chiefs
Ali: Chiefs
Kyle: Chiefs
Karl: Chiefs
“[The Chargers] were lucky to beat Joe Burrow and the Bengals. They don’t stand a chance against [Chiefs quarterback] Patrick Mahomes. [Chargers quarterback] Tyrod Taylor — great man, [but] not an NFL starting QB. They just flat out don’t have the firepower to compete.” — Paxton
Baltimore Ravens (1–0) at Houston Texans (0–1) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:25 p.m. PDT)
Justin: Ravens
Paxton: Ravens
Austin: Ravens
Ali: Ravens
Kyle: Ravens
Karl: Ravens
“I think the Texans will put up a little more of a fight than you think because they’re at home — but ultimately, the world’s best regular season quarterback [Lamar Jackson] will, of course, win this game without a problem.” — Justin
New England Patriots (1–0) at Seattle Seahawks (1–0) (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 5:20 p.m. PDT)
Justin: Seahawks
Paxton: Seahawks
Austin: Seahawks
Ali: Patriots
Kyle: Seahawks
Karl: Seahawks
“I could go either way, so I’ll pick the Patriots.” — Ali
“I actually think that the Cam Newton version of the Patriots is going to be a pretty good team this year. However, the Seahawks’ defense has owned Cam Newton for his entire career with the Carolina Panthers. They know how to stop Cam Newton. Also, this game is prime time at home. The Seahawks prime time record under Pete Carroll is absurd.” — Paxton
New Orleans Saints (1–0) at Las Vegas Raiders (1–0) (Monday, Sept. 21 at 5:15 p.m. PDT)
Justin: Saints
Paxton: Saints
Austin: Saints
Ali: Saints
Kyle: Saints
Karl: Saints
“The Raiders defense had a little bit of trouble with Carolina, and even if they put up a lot of points. I think the Saints are going to be able to outscore them in this new domed building.” — Karl
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Contact Karl Winter via Twitter: @karlwinter23 or by email: karl.winter@pepperdine.edu
