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NFL Week 1 2020: Picks and predictions

By Matt Verderame

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 15: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers drops back to pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on September 15, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 15: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers drops back to pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on September 15, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

The 2020 NFL season is finally here, and weird as it may be, we’re going to get rolling without fans in most stadiums to begin it all.

Yeah, back again. Welcome to the party.

For the sixth straight year, yours truly will be picking every game of the season, right through Super Bowl LV. Since I’m not about losing you money, I pick the games straight-up but also provide a score. If you want to read into that, go crazy.

Alright, we’ve got a 2020 NFL season to play. Let’s do it.

All lines courtesy of OddsShark.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5)

The Chiefs are defending Super Bowl champs and open up (with fans!) at Arrowhead Stadium. Of course, this is where Houston’s season ended last year, watching a 24-0 lead in the AFC Divisional turn into a 51-31 defeat. There’s little reason to see a different outcome to start this campaign.

Pick: Kansas City 41, Houston 24

Seattle Seahawks (-1) at Atlanta Falcons

Quietly a very good game. Atlanta was brutal last year to start, but finished 6-2. The Seahawks were a yard away from winning the NFC West come Week 17, and have designs on earning another Lombardi Trophy for Russell Wilson’s showroom. Ultimately, Seattle doesn’t have the ability to win up front to rush Matt Ryan.

Pick: Atlanta 30, Seattle 28

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-6.5)

Have you seen the Jets offseason/training camp? What a disaster. The Bills are the AFC East favorites for the first time in a quarter-century, and they’ll look the part in Week 1 against the overmatched visitors from East Rutherford.

Pick: Buffalo 27, New York 10

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-3)

Tough game to call. The Lions were solid last year before Matthew Stafford went down. After Stafford was lost, so were Detroit’s final nine games. For Chicago, Nick Foles is an upgrade, but only a slight one over Mitchell Trubisky.

Pick: Detroit 20, Chicago 17

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