Finally the 2023 season is about to begin. Time to put weekly picks on the line. So many posters crow about how brilliant they are, but avoid actually picking ALL of the teams who they think will win week by week and every week....and keep track of their success.
My 2022 record for picks was .642. A respectable record but one I am striving to beat in 2023. My best was week #13, when I went 13-1 (.929). Worst was week #10, 6-8 (.429) one of three weeks below .500. Also had six weeks above .700 (including the .929 already mentioned) and one week at .813.
With no further ado here are my week #1 picks....
Week 1 Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
The two most daring (and have myself questioning myself quite extensively) is Detroit over KC and Cleveland over Cincy.
The Detroit pick is the most difficult to make....KC, at home...opening day, on guard to NOT have a let down.
But, their two best players not named Patrick Mahomes will not be on the filed. Chris Jones with his ill-advised hold out, and Travis Kelce’s knee injury.
The FIRST game Kelce is missing because of injury since he became a starter in 2014.
KELCE is the go-to receiver for KC from well before Mahomes began his career. He IS Mahomes' crutch.
In his 9 years of starter (he missed all of his rookie year because of injury not getting one single offensive snap) he has ranked #1 or #2 in receptions, receiving yards AND targets.
In four of those seasons (2022, 2020, 2019 and 2016) he was #1 in ALL of those team stats. In FIVE seasons he was #1 in the two most important stats....catches and receiving yards.
Much was made last season when Tyreek Hill left the team, some opining that it would hurt the KC offense.. Horsehockey. TRAVIS KELCE is the ONE player (besides Mahomes) that makes that team great. TRAVIS KELCE is the most consistent and one of the best ball catchers in the NFL since 2014.
Since 2014 Kelce is ranked #1 in catches (814...DeAndre Hopkins 801) and #4 in yards (10,344...Julio Jones 10,892, Hopkins 10,496 & Mike Evans 10,425).
Anyway....I’m going out on a limb and picking upstart Detroit to win that game. Same with Cleveland, with Watson having the most to prove over any other player in the NFL. At home, they take it to Cincy and beat them in a close game
Or, at least, that’s what I’m hoping for for both games.
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Originally Posted by OpIv37
