NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

NFL Week 1 Predictions: Wild and Crazy Rules the Field

By Dan Salem

facebooktwitterreddit

NFL Week 1 predictions are cool, but outlandish and crazy predictions are way more fun! Football is here and some wild things are about to go down. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Check out more of the brothers in Seesaw Sports Debate on BuzzChomp. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.

TODD:

Week 1 of the NFL season is just about upon us! It’s an exciting time. Looking at the schedule, there is quite an intriguing slate of games to start the year. Pittsburgh faces an angry Tom Brady and New England in the year’s first contest Thursday night; three different games are between division rivals; we get an expansion-era match between Carolina and Jacksonville; week one has it all!

Since week one results are always crazy and unexpected, it seems worth creating our own crazy and unexpected predictions for what is sure to go down. I’ll get the ball rolling:

– Sam Bradford throws for the most yards of any quarterback this week.

He’s healthy, even though he may not be for long. He has this new beautiful system to maneuver in that allows him to make lots of crisp and clean throws from the pocket. He will also be going against an atrocious Atlanta Falcons defense inside the dome.

ALSO ON SPIN ZONE: Ranking the 30 Greatest QBs of All-time

– The Bengals shutout the Oakland Raiders on the road.

Everyone is on the Oakland bandwagon this year. It’s too early. This team isn’t quite good yet, and the Cincinnati defense will be healthy to start the season. As long as the Bengal defenders stay on the field this year, it will be a very good unit.

– Ben Roethlisberger finishes the Patriots vs. Steelers game as the leading rusher.

No Le’Veon Bell in this game. New England has a long, storied, history of yanking around running backs; why would it be any different in week one? This game will be a shootout, lessening the need for rushing attempts in the first place.

What have you got for me in the bold-predictions department for week one of the NFL season? These hypotheses are sure to go wrong, so don’t hold back.

Aug 28, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) gestures on the line of scrimmage as Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Ramik Wilson (53) prepares to block during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 34-10. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

DAN:

Those are some solid predictions, and although they are inherently ‘crazy,’ I’m still balking at the Bengals shutting out Oakland. I think the Raiders defeat Cincinnati, in a semi-upset of sorts. I’ll see your predictions and raise you one huge dose of dazzle.

– Buffalo defeats the Colts at home.

Everyone’s Super Bowl darlings hit some adversity to open the season, falling to an upstart team with a talented defense and a surprisingly dynamic offense. Buffalo flexes its muscles early, allowing Rex Ryan to huff and puff as he loves to do.

This might be the biggest upset of the week, outside of the Giants taking down the Cowboys, which is a rather unlikely. The Bills open the season at home, under a fiery new head coach with the mind of a defensive mad scientist. It’s too much for Andrew Luck this early in the year.

More from NFL

– Marcus Mariota runs for multiple touchdowns while Jameis Winston gets none.

The matchup of flashy rookie quarterbacks goes opposite of expectations. Mariota leads his Titans to victory, with over 50 yards rushing and two plus touchdowns. Speculation will surge about his fantasy value and his teams chances this season.

The flip side is Winston, who looks good but not great in defeat. Jameis doesn’t find the end zone and is unspectacular from a fantasy perspective. Its an early misstep, in what will prove to be a statistically impressive season for Winston.

– Kirk Cousins throws zero interceptions.

Against a talented Dolphins defense, Cousins remains unblemished for the Redskins. It’s a bright spot for a team that desperately needs stability. The jury is out on whether Washington can defeat Miami. But Cousins secures his place as QB1 on the depth chart.

Those are some solidly wild predictions. Wednesday we pick against the spread, putting money were our mouths are.

Dan Salem is a Staff Writer for NFL Spin Zone. He’s also Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp, and a New York Jets Analyst for Pro Football Spot. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram.

Todd Salem is a Staff Writer for NFL Spin Zone. He’s also a Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp, a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, and an Analyst for Tipster Labs, among others. Follow him on Twitter.

Next: 2016 Super Bowl Predictions - Packers and Colts

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/NFL