Week 1 of the NFL season is always a mystery, as we have no idea what we are going to get from most teams. Teams will go from last to first and vice-versa, so picking against the spread is always a challenge at the start of the season.
With that in mind, Doc and Del are both pleased to get off to a 9-6-1 start for the 2015 season. More importantly, Del killed it with his three locks of the week. Had it not been for the Steelers’ miracle back-door push against the Patriots, Del would have gone 3-0. But we’ll certainly settle for 2-0-1 with the money-making picks for Week 1.
Typically I wouldn’t poke fun at my worthy opponent, Doc Brown, but if you read the shot he took at me last week you’ll understand why it gives me great pleasure to say HAHAHAHAHAHAH to the result of his only lock in Week 1.
Alas, we are onto Week 2. Here are Del’s Week 2 NFL Picks, with analysis after the chart:
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
There were two games that jumped out at Del this week. The first one is Dallas getting five points on the road against the Eagles. Yes, I realize Dez Bryant is out and DeMarco Murray is on the opposite side of the field. I also know that the Cowboys were fortunate the Giants handed them a win last week with some of the most boneheaded coaching and execution you will see all season. Having said that, the Falcons showed us the Eagles can once again be scored upon. Tony Romo has plenty of weapons he is comfortable with — Jason Witten, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley — and should be able to keep the game close. Dallas also still has a tremendous offensive line, which should help them run the ball and keep Chip Kelly’s fast-paced offense off the field. I see this game being decided by a field goal or less.
The second lock Del is taking this week is the Colts laying seven at home against the Jets. Given the way Indy played against the Bills last week, some feel that Andrew Luck and company are going to have similar issues against a physical New York defense. The difference is the Colts are much better offensively than they showed last week, and they are playing at home this week. They should be hungry to get veterans Andre Johnson and Frank Gore on track and pick up their first win of the year. It won’t help if T.Y. Hilton (bruised knee) doesn’t play, but I expect Indy to find a way to somehow slow Chris Ivory down and get back on track. This should be a 10-point game in Chuck Pagano’s favor.
