The Pick 6 is back! The 2017 NFL Season starts tonight and Bill and Kevin are back again to answer 6 important questions each week, so let’s get it started!
1. The Vegas O/U for wins for New England is 12.5. Let’s be honest, that’s LOW. Let’s make it 13.5. Over or under?
Kev: Over, Over, Over! I was hoping we had a bold predictions question, but I am making my own here. The Patriots are going 19-0.
Bill: O.V.E.R. This one is easy. Brady and company went 14-2 last year. Brady missed FOUR of those games. Then they won the Super Bowl without Gronk. Oh, that’s not enough? OK, how about we add Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks? Edelman went down but still… This is the best NFL team since the ’07 Pats.
2. Which division is the best in the NFL this year?
Kev: NFC South. It is a deep division and they have four solid QBs. Two of the QBs have won the last two MVPs (Ryan and Newton), another is still young and was the #1 overall pick in 2015, and the other? Well that would be Drew Brees, and he is pretty good too.
Bill: The NFC East and AFC West are really good and will be competitive this year. The edge goes to the NFC East because I think the Chargers won’t be good again. But the true #1 division? That would be the NFC South. Saints add Peterson and lose Cooks. Brees will make that work because he could make me catch a couple TDs. The Bucs will be a little better and they won 9 games last year. I think the Panthers bounce back but not all the way (especially if they go through with the plan to keep Cam in the pocket, as that will limit his full potential). I think the Falcons take a small step back in the regular season and don’t do too much in the playoffs if they make it.
3. The Lions surprised a lot of people last year by making the playoffs after losing Megatron. What team do you think makes a surprise playoff appearance this year?
Kev: The Bucs went 9-7 last year, so I won’t pick them. I will go with the Bills. Wait, what?!?! Yes, those Bills. I like their schedule and I think McCoy is going to have his best year in Buffalo. Also, they will have the advantage of playing Miami twice in the last three weeks. This is a Miami team that has to play 16 weeks in a row.
Bill: E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!! OK, I know, I know, I’m biased, blah, blah, blah. To be honest I didn’t think I would be able to pick them as a surprise playoff team but most experts are putting the Birds in the bottom half of their power rankings. Wentz has to be slightly better and we have to run Blount down the freakin’ middle. I can’t watch a repeat of the blasphemy that was our season of DeMarco Murray. Our D will be better than expected and our offense should be fine if the O-line holds together (yikes).
4. McCaffery, Hunt, Cook, Fournette, Mixon, to name a few. Which rookie RB has the biggest impact this season?
Kev: I’ll take Fournette. He is the clear #1 in Jacksonville and will be the focal point of the offense. The big question is whether he will get decent enough QB play to prevent teams from stacking 8 in the box.
Bill: This is a tough one. I have been hearing amazing things about Hunt. And we know how well running backs do under Andy Reid. However, I’m going with McCaffery. He looked incredible in the preseason, both running and catching. I think he will be used in a vareity of positions on the field, which will leave him with the highest usage of any rookie RB this season.
5. Biggest difference in win total (positive or negative).
Kev: -4 wins for the Dallas Cowboys. I am also not trying to be biased here, but let’s face it, the Cowboys were not a 13-2 team last year. Their last loss was against the Eagles and they sat everyone so I’m not counting it. I mean they technically were a 13-2 team but not talent-wise. A 9-7 season isn’t bad, and can still get them into the playoffs, but I expect a drop off. It also helps my cause that Zeke is going to miss 6 games.
Bill: +5 wins for the Carolina Panthers. 6-10 last year was the biggest surprise last season. (Don’t tell me about Arizona who is simply bad). I was tempted to go Jets -5 but I don’t have the guts to predict a team to go 0-16. They have the potential to be the worst team of all time.
6. NFL Comeback Player of the Year: J.J. Watt or the field?
Kev: The Field. Watt has a great chance, but I’m not putting that chance at greater than 50%. There are some good guys coming off of injuries like Kennan Allen, and of course Marshawn Lynch who is returning from retirement.
Bill: I like J.J. Watt. He’s one of the best defensive players in the league and is sure to have an incredible season if he can stay healthy.
Extra Point or Go for 2?
PAT: Panthers (Kevin) @ 49ers
Two Point Conversion: Seahawks @ Packers (Bill)