10 NFC predictions for Week 1 of 2018 NFL season
By Ian Wharton
The NFC kicked off Thursday night as the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles faced the Atlanta Falcons. We have 10 predictions for Week 1 of the 2018 NFL season for the rest of the conference.
The NFC once again has a considerable edge on the AFC in terms of depth. Six teams currently have odds under 10/1 to win the NFC, as opposed to only four having that claim in the AFC. Those six teams don’t even include the upstart San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, or Carolina Panthers, and each of those teams would be highly competitive in the other conference.
It’s going to be an intense season as the six playoff seeds are determined. Divisional matchups will have extra importance with so many viable teams capable of claiming a playoff spot. A three-game skid or key injury for one-month may be enough to determine one of these races.
Let’s jump into Week 1 predictions.
10. Alvin Kamara won’t be the key to the Saints’ victory
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara’s rookie season went as well as anyone could’ve guessed. He was the catalyst to the Saints’ offensive overhaul, winning Rookie of the Year and totaling over 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns on just 201 touches. But he won’t be the key in Week 1 for the Saints despite a bigger workload coming.
Their divisional schedule starts right away against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers invested heavily into their defense this offseason, bulking up in the trenches to stop the run. It may not work against the Saints’ offensive line, but it’ll slow Kamara, and Sean Payton’s smart enough to attack the bigger weakness on the Tampa Bay defense.
The Saints have massive advantages in the passing game, now boasting four receivers capable of doing damage now that Cameron Meredith and Tre’Quan Smith are in the fold. And the Buccaneers’ young secondary is far too green to stop Drew Brees from picking them apart.