Welcome to another NFL season. If there is anything Doc has learned over the years about picking games, it’s whatever Del has picked, do the opposite.
Just kidding.
Actually, Doc Brown does not like picking games early in the season. He prefers to wait three weeks to evaluate teams before making picks, but for the purposes of this site and the pool, the show must begin in Week 1. So some of Doc’s strategies for Week 1 include going against the public. Generally, the public thinks teams are worse than they really are and tend to pick all the teams that were good last season. The problem is that it’s not last season anymore and things change. There are few sports where a bad team can become good to mediocre or a good team can become bad to mediocre so quickly as football. That’s why you see Doc taking teams like the Jags, Raiders, Jets and ‘Skins.
A few other notes: Doc is not a believer in the Dolphins. Yes, they’re a trendy pick, but Doc isn’t feeling them and doesn’t see Ryan Tannehill ever becoming part of the “good QBs” conversation. Rex Ryan will get a win in his Bills debut. He is all about making big statements and splashy entrances, and nothing would show that more than a win over the Colts. Don’t forget that his defense in Buffalo probably has more talent than any of his units with the Jets. Doc also is a believer in the Vikings this season. Teddy Bridgewater is going to have a very nice year and so will the team. Doc thinks the 49ers are going to stink it up royally. Like 5-11 bad. Lucky for us, they’re playing on Monday night so that’s the lock. See the rest of the picks below.
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
