The return of Fitzmagic, Aaron Rodgers finding new ways to win, and the Cleveland Browns finding new (old) ways not to. Week one of the NFL season was glorious in so many ways, but not as a testament to the predictive powers of players in our Pick Six contest – now in association with Skybet. Nobody even managed to call five out of six games correctly on our first run in this new home.

Still, hats off to CRAIG LLEWELLYN, KPERSON, ANDREW COSTANZA, WEST COAST OFFENSE and ANDREW HULBERT, who jump ahead as our early league leaders with four. You can see the full standings at the bottom of the piece. Before that, here are this week’s games.

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 6pm BST)

I’ve created a rod for my own back here because, at time of writing, Aaron Rodgers’ status remains in doubt. But I’m going to go with Mike Zimmer on this one. “He walks on water,” said the Vikings head coach of Rodgers this week. “So I’m sure he’s going to play.”

It seems even safer to assume that, if Rodgers does play, he will be a little less mobile than usual. And that might well be a problem against a defense that matches up well in the right places. The addition of Sheldon Richardson, who was dominant against the 49ers in Week 1, will allow Minnesota to bring pressure up the middle against a Packers offensive line that looks pretty suspect in its interior.

As thrilling as Green Bay’s comeback was last weekend, we also cannot forget the evidence of that first half, when Mitch Trubisky was allowed to complete 11 of 14 passes for 109 yards. Clay Matthews was a non-factor, rarely able to generate pass rush and missing tackles when did put himself in position to make a play. Kirk Cousins, meanwhile, did not look too shabby on his Minnesota debut.

Vikings win

Kansas City Chiefs @ Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, 6pm BST)

The oddsmakers make Pittsburgh four-point favourites. I start there because, on the surface, it might seem a little surprising. The Steelers were ugly in Cleveland, turning the ball over six times and blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead against opponents who have won once in two years. This while Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill set about shredding a San Diego team widely tipped to win the AFC West.

It is always dangerous to overreact to one week’s action. This would be a good time to remind ourselves that the Steelers barely scraped a 3-point win over the Browns in their 2017 opener, before going on to post a 13-3 record. Pittsburgh have also taken four of their past five head-to-heads with the Chiefs.

I could go on. The Steelers led the league in sacks last year, and piled up another seven against the Browns. Kansas City’s secondary looks porous without Marcus Peters or the injured Eric Berry. And yet I still find myself leaning toward the Chiefs here. I think this becomes a shoot-out and, crazy as it feels to say it against opponents boasting Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster, in that scenario I like this Andy-Reid-in-September offense more.

Chiefs win

PAOLO’S PUNT:  Chiefs to win, 54+ Total Points, Tyreek Hill 100+ Receiving Yards & to Score a TD… 20/1

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets (Sunday, 6pm BST)

Sam Darnold, huh? From the Jetsiest start imaginable to a 31-point victory and 116.8 passer rating in the space of one captivating debut. And now, for his encore, a home game against a Miami team boasting what ought to be one of the league’s best edge rushing tandems in Robert Quinn and Cameron Wake.

That duo did not quite live up to billing in Week 1, failing to produce a sack despite lining up against back-up offensive tackles toward the end of their win over Tennessee. Yet the Dolphins’ defense impressed overall, keeping their focus through protracted weather delays and producing three turnovers. Rookie safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was an instant hit, allowing only three completions for 14 yards on six passes aimed into his coverage.

Ryan Tannehill looked sharp on his return from injury, yet the Miami Herald provide a statistical note to perhaps consider. The quarterback has had a torrid time against the Jets ever since they hired away the Dolphins’ defensive line coach, Kacy Rodgers, to be their co-ordinator in 2015 – completing 53.1% of his passes for a 74.4 passer rating in three games.

Jets win

PAOLO’S PUNT: Jets to win, Sam Darnold more Passing TDs than Ryan Tannehill… 11/4

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 6pm BST)

Not even Ryan Fitzpatrick would predict a repeat of his Week 1 performance. “I’m realistic about how hard this game is,” he told reporters at the end of Tampa Bay’s 48-40 win over the Saints. “I’ve thrown six touchdowns in a game. I’ve thrown six interceptions in a game. How do you come back from those? This game is a week-to-week proposition, and you better understand that.”

The proposition looks daunting this weekend, as he faces an Eagles defense that just held Matt Ryan without a touchdown. Is it unthinkable, though, that this Tampa Bay offense might be better? Todd Monken has breathed fresh life into the offense, and he is not short of talented weapons. Mike Evans remains the headliner, yet DeSean Jackson has a habit of hurting the Eagles, piling up 440 receiving yards in five games so far against his former team.

I’m actually more concerned for the Bucs on the other side of the ball. Vernon Hargreaves has been placed on IR after suffering a torn labrum. His fellow starting cornerback, Brent Grimes, missed the New Orleans game with a groin injury and was not yet back at practice on Wednesday. Nick Foles is not Drew Brees but, against this secondary, I don’t think he needs to be.

Eagles win

PAOLO’S PUNT: Eagles to win, Nick Foles 3+ Passing TDs, Ryan Fitzpatrick Under 250 Passing Yards.. 6/1

New England Patriots @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 4.25pm BST)

A rematch of January’s AFC title game, yet the sense lingers that the Jaguars still have plenty to prove. That defense remains as suffocating as ever, undone only once by the remarkable Saquon Barkley last weekend (and he had to break three tackles to do it), yet the final act of their win over the Giants was painful to watch.

Every one of Jacksonville’s second-half possessions ended in a punt, Blake Bortles plainly under orders not to contemplate any action that could result in a turnover. Good game management, perhaps, but against a team like New England more will be required. As the Jaguars can attest, this team is still dangerous when 10 points down in the fourth quarter and facing a third-and-18.

What should make Jacksonville optimistic is the fact that they retain 10 out of 11 defensive starters from the team that almost caused an upset in Foxboro. I believe TJ Yeldon will keep the ground game going even if Leonard Fournette is absent. When Bill Belichick spends his press conference waxing lyrical about Blake Bortles’s running ability, though, it only reminds us of how New England made sure that the quarterback’s best asset, his legs, were a non-factor eight months ago.

Patriots win

PAOLO’S PUNT: Patriots to win, James White to Score a TD… 9/4

Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears (Tuesday, 1.15am BST)

For all that went wrong in their second-half collapse at Lambeau Field, at least the Bears could come away from week one with plenty of positives to reflect on. Khalil Mack had a debut to remember: with a strip-sack, an interception and a touchdown all in the first half alone. Now he lines up against Seattle right tackle Germain Ifredi, the player who led the entire league in penalties last year.

It is hard to envisage how Seattle’s patchy offensive line will contain Chicago’s pass rush, having allowed the Broncos six sacks last weekend. Barring a miraculous recovery by Doug Baldwin from a sprained MCL (the receiver is presently listed as ‘doubtful’ on the injury report), Russell Wilson will not even have the option of heaving the ball up for his number one target to chase when he finds himself in a tight spot.

Seattle’s new-look defence gave mixed signals against Denver, giving up 470 yards to the Broncos’ offense but also forcing three turnovers. A similar figure would be a minimum requirement, to my mind, if they are to have a shot here.

Bears win

PAOLO’S PUNT: Bears to win, Khalil Mack 2+ Sacks, Mitchell Trubisky More Passing TDs than Russell Wilson… 10/1

PAOLO’S featured #RequestABet: Eagles, Chiefs, Bears, Patriots and Jets all to win… 22/1

Overall standings

(With apologies to MILKS – I do feel your pain if there’s been a technical glitch but I can’t count predictions posted after the games have begun.)

4- CRAIG LLEWELLYN, KPERSON, ANDREW COSTANZA, WEST COAST OFFENSE, ANDREW HULBERT
3 – MATTHEW SHERRY, RANDY BULLOCK, MORN01, TED BOVIS, OWEN MARSDEN,
2 – PAOLO BANDINI, DAVID
0 – MILKS, JOHN O’GORMAN

Think you can do better? Why not leave your predictions in the comments section below…

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