NFL Picks 2012: Week 1

THE 2012 REGULAR SEASON! WELCOME TO IT!

Wednesday kickoff
GIANTS (-4) vs. Cowboys
Figgs: Giants. The defending champs haven't lost their opener in tweleve years. More importantly, they're at home and the better team. I have no problem laying the 4 here. ($)
Joe: Cowboys.IT FEELS SO GOOOOD TO BE BAAAACK! I think the Giants win this game, but I decided against giving the 4. Whenever it's a toss up type of game, I don't like to give more than a field goal. I look for a 20-17, or 17-14 type of game here, so I'll take Dallas with those points. Regardless, I'm excited to be back for my 2nd season of picks here, and to defend my title from last year. Only two words to describe how i feel about football season approaching, "CAN'T WAIT!"
Nick: Giants. The defending champion has a strong winning record since the NFL started kicking things off on a weeknight, and I expect that too continue. The Giants' defensive front will do some damage against the Cowboy's questionable offensive line, and I expect enough offense for the New Yorkers to win by a 7-10 point margin. ($ -- 1 Schrute Buck)


Sunday, 1 pm kickoff
BROWNS (+9.5) vs Eagles
Figgs: BEER WE GO BROWNIES BEER WE GO!!!!!!!
Joe: Browns; Art is dead and I hope that is what it takes to lift the curse Browns win, 3-2
Nick: Browns. Getting a good feeling about this one.

TITANS (+5.5) vs Patriots
Figgs: Pats all day here. I know it's on the road, but shouldn't this be 8 or 9? ($)
Joe: Patriots; I like the kid Locker (who should have started all of last year but inexplicably sat for some reason), and I think they will win some games with him this year, but I don't like him as much as Tom Brady.
Nick: Pats. I don't think that the Titans are a pushover - they did win nine games last year, after all. However, without Kenny Britt on the field the Pats should be able to cover this number.

BEARS (-10) vs Colts
Figgs: Bears. Tough call with all those points, but I think the Cutler-Marshall combo back together makes the Bears a Super Bowl sleeper. Defense shouldn't have a problem with Luck's first game.
Joe: Colts; Wouldn't be shocked with an outright upset win, but if not, I like them to keep it close with the huge upgrade of Luck over Curtis "I can't believe I actually made the NFL" Painter
Nick: Colts. You have to be damn sure to give double-digit points, and I'm not quite there. I think the Bears win it, but this is a potential backdoor cover.

CHIEVES (+3) vs Falcons
Figgs: KC. I am officially off the ATL bandwagon this year. I bet on their under of 9 wins, this would be a good start.
Joe: Falcons; Ryan, White, Jones, Turner.  I don't see a skill postition player on KC that even comes close to matching any of these cats (or should I say birds).
Nick: Falcons. Another half point would tempt me to take the Chiefs, but the Falcons usually take care of business against mediocre teams, then struggle against the cream of the crop.

VIKINGS (-3.5) vs Jaguars
Figgs: Vikes. Peterson should play, but probably won't see much of a workload. When you're facing Blaine Gabbert, does it matter?
Joe: Vikings; Blaine "Thank God Curtis Painter got a contract so I wasn't the worst QB in NFL history" Gabbert is still the QB1 for the Jags, and I like Ponder as a solid starter in Minnesota, so I will feel comfortable taking the Vikes here
Nick: Jags. Tell me why the Vikings are good, again? This should be a low-scoring affair with plenty of running, so I'll take the points.

SAINTS (-7.5) vs Redskins
Figgs: NO. I don't know how successful the Saints will be this year with all of the drama and no Payton, but I think Brees will come out for the opener with something to prove.
Joe: Skins; RG3 era begins here, and I gotta roll with him and the skins.  The Saints will probably be fine, but I need to see it without Payton before I believe it.  Besides, I'm getting a TD here, so I'll take the dog.
Nick: Saints. New Orleans had the best point differential in the whole league last year, and people are forgetting that they easily could have been the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That extra half point leaves the backdoor wide open, but I like going against a rookie QB in a hostile, noisy environment.

JETS (-3) vs Bills
Figgs: Jills. Two teams where I bet their over/under wins, taking Buffalo's over and New York's under. The Bills taking this one in Jersey would be huge for me. ($)
Joe: J-E-T-S; Probably another up and down 8-8 year for the Jets, but at home against an overrated Bills team, this should be one of their high notes.
Nick: Bills. Much of my early gambling this season is based on the fact that I think the Jets and Cardinals suck. ($ -- 3 Schrute Bucks)

LIONS (-7.5) vs Rams
Figgs: Lions. Move over Rodgers, This will be the best offense in the league this year.
Joe: Lions; My eliminator pick for Week 1. Megatron and Stafford will tear the Rams D up, and I certainly don't see St. Louis "showing me" enough offensively to match it.(See what I did there)
Nick: Lions. More a pick against the Rams than a pick for the Lions.

TEXANS (-12) vs Dolphins
Figgs: Fish. Don't see Houston having any problems winning, but almost two touchdowns without a healthy Foster is a tad high for me.
Joe: Texans; I wasn't sure if I wanted to lay this many points, but I decided to do so without seeing Tanehill prove anything yet. I could see him as this year's Gabbert (drafted way to high and being a complete bust) Just my opinion, either way, give me Houston here. 
Nick: Texans. This is a big number, but Tannehill has been incredibly bad so far. I can see Houston putting up around 30, and I'm not sure that the Dolphins can get to 20.

4:25 kickoff
PACKERS (-5) vs 49ers
Figgs: Pack. Game of the week here for sure. Although Rodgers isn't on my fantasy team for the first time in three years, my man-crush has not faded.
Joe: Packers;  San Fran's D should keep the Pack from putting up 30-40 point numbers, but I still feel comfortably laying the points for a 27-20 type victory.
Nick: I have good reasons to take the Niners: Green Bay can't run, has a shaky line, and a defense I just watched the Browns push around. But it's just awfully tough to take Alex Smith against Aaron Rodgers, on the road, getting less than a TD. Pack.

CARDINALS (+3) vs Seahawks
Figgs: Seattle? Gross.
Joe: Seattle; I'll take Russell Wilson over Johnny Bones anyday.
Nick: Hawks. RUSTY! My favorite game on the slate. Yeah, really. ($ -- 3 Schrute Bucks)

BUCS (+2.5) vs Panthers
Figgs: Cats. I'm digging Carolina a lot this year. ($)
Joe: Panthers; Almost as excited to watch Cam play as I am to watch the Browns. (At least he hasn't let me down yet.) The Bucs also have a very tall black QB, but my guy is 100 times better than your guy. Give me Carolina in their 1st of what I'm predicting will be 10 wins this year.
Nick: Bucs. Looking for the Bucs to bounce back and be sneaky mediocre this year. The Panthers still can't stop anyone, and the Bucs added two premium weapons in Doug Martin and Vincent Jackson. Premium.


Sunday Night Football, 8:20 pm
Hey, anyone remember last time these two teams met up?
BRONCOS (-2) vs steelers
Figgs: pittsburgh. Hate to do it, but I think they win. At least even if they do it won't mean quite as much as it did when Denver won last year.
Joe: Broncos; Yes, I remember! Tebow is now gone, so the steelers won't have to prepare for his style of game. They only have to prepare for his replacement...what's his name? Oh yeah, Peyton Manning! Good luck with that! Denver wins 89-0 (or by something more than 2. Either way)
Nick: Not going to take Pittsburgh here. Just not doing it. Fuck these guys. The recipe for beating Pittsburgh has always been spreading them out and throwing 50 times, and why can't Peyton Manning do that? The Broncos can get to the QB, Pittsburgh's offensive line is Swiss cheese, and they don't have a running back. Let's do this thang. Donks.


Monday Night Football, 7 pm
RAVENS (-6.5) vs Bengals
Figgs: Cinncy. Two pretty even teams, I like it to stay close.
Joe: Bengals; I like Baltimore to win the game (and finish 2nd in the divison behind the Browns [take his keys]), but I see this one a close, low scoring defensive 13-10 type game, so I'll take the Bengals getting the points.
Nick: Bengals. Baltimore beat Cincy by 7 and 8 points last year. I wish I had a full touchdown, but I'll take my chances with the Bengals improving.

10:15 pm
RAIDERS (-1) vs Chargers
Figgs: Oakland. Doesn't it always seem like SD lays an egg on this second Monday Night opener?
Joe: Chargers; I usually take the Raiders in all AFC West games, but I'm gonna get back on the San Diego bandwagon (at least until they blow a ridiculously easy game and force me to jump back off).They have a freaking Lightning Bolt as their nickname for crying out loud. Can't argue with that kind of reasoning.
Nick: Raiders. No Ryan Mathews, and I get to pick against Norv Turner and Phil Rivers on a big, loud, national stage? Done.

Additional Bets
Parlay: Bears, Patriots, Texans to win. ($ -- 4 Schrute Bucks)