Carolina Panthers (vs. Chicago Bears)
I could end up being quite wrong here, but I just do not see the hype with the Carolina Panthers this year. Yes, they won the NFC South last year, but it came with a mediocre 8-9 record, and quarterback Bryce Young was also rather mediocre.
He passed for at least 200 yards in just four games and went just 8-8 as a starter. Statistically, he played the best football of his career, but that isn't saying much right now. The Chicago Bears are also, simply, significantly ahead than the Panthers are. Chicago won the loaded NFC North last year with an 11-6 record, as they saw Caleb Williams take a massive step forward in late-game situations, and he was simply playing a more polished brand of football.
The Bears did need to get better on the defensive side of the ball, as General Manager Ryan Poles did bring in new faces at linebacker and in the secondary. All in all, the Bears are in a higher tier than the Panthers and should win this one.
Cleveland Browns (@ Jacksonville Jaguars)
The Cleveland Browns may struggle to win three games this year given how below-average the quarterback situation is. The Jacksonville Jaguars, on the other hand, have a younger quarterback in Trevor Lawrence who was on fire to end the season. The Jaguars won 13 games and won the AFC South.
While I do believe a slight regression is coming for the Jaguars, the Browns should not have much of a chance in this one. Cleveland has a new coaching staff, a totally revamped offensive line, and no longer has Myles Garrett. The Browns could end up being a 'get right' game for many teams this year.
Arizona Cardinals (@ Los Angeles Chargers)
This could be even more lopsided. The Arizona Cardinals could flirt with being the first winless team in the 17-game era, as the roster and quarterback room are both bottom-3 in the NFL, and the coaching staff is new. There simply isn't much of anything to be excited about outside of a few neat players here and there.
And while the Los Angeles Chargers aren't a juggernaut, they have won 22 regular season games over the past two seasons and know how to win football games. The Chargers also have been a Wild Card Round playoff exit the past two seasons and obviously want to get over that hump, and games like this simply can't be losses.
The Chargers will absolutely take care of business against the Cardinals.
Add us as a preferred source on Google