2017 NFL Predictions: Week 1

Welcome to another year of Top Level Sports NFL Predictions!  2016 was my first year posting weekly predictions for the entire season, and I finished the year off with a record of 164-90-2, getting 64.5% of games correct.  This placed me in the 97th percentile of all pick-em users on Yahoo.  This year, I’m aiming for 171 correct picks, which would equate to getting more than two-thirds of games correct.

Additionally, as frequently as I can, I’ll be trying to release weekly podcasts where I go over my picks in more detail.

Picks will be released every Wednesday.  Here’s who I have in Week 1.

Teams on Bye: Buccaneers, Dolphins

Survival Football “Lock of the Week”: Bills – Let’s face it, this is the only time you’re going to feel comfortable about picking the Bills.  If they lose, it just wasn’t meant to be this year.  Alternatively, I also like the Texans against the Jaguars.  Ultimately, the Steelers and Falcons are the safest picks out there, but if we’re going 17 weeks, we’re going to need them down the road.

Top 5 Games of the Week:

5: Vikings vs. Saints – Adrian Peterson takes on his old team in his Saints debut.  It’s a classic offense vs. defense game, and while they aren’t the most high-profile teams, it should be fun to watch.

4: Titans vs. Raiders – Last year, the Raiders took a huge step forward, only to see an injury to Derek Carr kill their Super Bowl hopes.  Many are predicting the Titans to break out in a similar fashion this season.  These could very well be the AFC powerhouses of the next decade.

3: Patriots vs. Chiefs – The Patriots are the defending Super Bowl Champions, and this is a matchup of the two AFC teams who received byes during last season’s playoffs.  Looking at this game, I’m reminded of 2014, when the Chiefs pummeled New England 41-14.  After that game, many called the Pats’ dynasty over.  Not quite.

2: Cowboys vs. Giants – It’s one of the league’s biggest rivalries and one that produced a pair of great games last season.  The Cowboys and Giants should be competing down the wire for the NFC East title, making this matchup all the more important.  Ezekiel Elliott will play, but Odell Beckham Jr. remains questionable.

1: Packers vs. Seahawks – Aaron Rodgers.  Russell Wilson.  Two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks and MVP candidates.  It’s a heavyweight battle between two of the best teams in the league.  What more do you want?

Comment below with your picks or any questions about mine.