Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns – 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink) Radio: Westwood One (Dan Miller, Tony Boselli)
The Battle of Ohio is on national television for the first time since 2015, and the importance of this game is enormous. It’s just two games, but starting 0-2 in the NFL is panic-inducing. This scenario is especially true to the Browns, who are in grave danger of their season heading to a very dark place should they lose tonight. As for the Bengals, they can absolutely win this game after what Joe Burrow and the offense were able to successfully drive down the field twice in the fourth quarter.
This game is all about the Browns, because of the imminent fallout if they lose. There is entirely too much talent on their roster for them to have lost 38-6 to the Ravens. It comes down to how rookie head coach Kevin Stefanski utilizes that talent to mesh the great individual players into a potentially great team.
Watching the game from last Sunday, how did Nick Chubb only get 10 carries? He may be the third best running back in the NFL, and he should be getting AT LEAST 20-25 carries a game if not more. CBS’s Charles Davis mentioned on the broadcast that Stefanski thinks Odell Beckham Jr. is an “unbelievable talent.” Yeah, okay. He’s talented, and when he’s performing at his best he’s a top five wide receiver. But come on. Three catches for 22 yards on Sunday?
If the Browns lose this game, the next 10 days in Cleveland will be absolutely miserable. I might even tune into Cleveland sports tall just for my pure entertainment. And guess what? I think they will lose. I saw enough from Burrow, the offense, and also the defense that has me confident enough the Bengals will take care of business tonight.
My pick: Bengals 23 Browns 14
Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
The Chargers will be playing their first game in brand new SoFi Stadium Sunday, which, by the way, looks absolutely marvelous. My gosh. Anyway, the Chargers couldn’t have a tougher opponent for their home-opener than Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, who have owned the Chargers in recent years. I’m not sure what to think of the Chargers after watching them beat the Bengals on Sunday. There’s talent on offense and their defensive line is legit, but can that talent produce enough wins to put them into contention?
With Kansas City, you know what you’re getting. Mahomes didn’t put up the most prolific numbers on Opening Night, but he didn’t need to. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Hellaire, my rookie of the year pick, had about as good of a debut for a running back with 139 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Twenty five carries; what a concept. Overall, the Chiefs offense will prove to be too much for the Chargers and Kansas City’s defense will keep Los Angeles’s offensive weapons at bay.
My pick: Chiefs 37 Chargers 20
New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Mike Holmgren)
It will be really weird to watch a game in Seattle with no fans in the stadium. That atmosphere is electric, to say the least. The way I look at this game is I ask myself who would I NOT bet against: Russell Wilson or Bill Belichick? It’s like The Clash deciding should they stay or should they go.
Russell Wilson was simply unbelievable on Sunday in the Seahawks win at Atlanta. How good was he? He had the same number of touchdowns (4) as incompletions. Meanwhile, Bill Belichick is still here in New England. I’m going to keep stressing it for every marquee game involving the Patriots this season: DO. NOT. OVERLOOK. THE PATRIOTS.
That said, though, I’m not betting against Russell Wilson in this game. He’s had success against the Patriots before, and I don’t like New England taking a cross country flight. Literally. With Wilson at quarterback, there will be, as Seattle’s Pearl Jam would sing, an “Even Flow” to the game.
My pick: Seahawks 30 Patriots 21
New Orleans Saints – Las Vegas Raiders – 8:15 p.m. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)
I cannot wait for this game. Football in Vegas. SIGN. ME. UP. And what better opponent to face the Raiders than the New Orleans Saints and their always-entertaining brand of football.
Something about this game doesn’t have me confident in the heavily-favored Saints. Playing on the road in Vegas on Monday Night Football has me thinking of previous Saints road woes. On the other side, Las Vegas is a solid team, and I think Jon Gruden is a better head coach in his second stint than others might think. Josh Jacobs is a stud at running back, and rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III adds a much-needed dimension to the passing game.
My pick: Raiders 31 Saints 24
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 