Week One NFL Picks and Predictions - Debut Edition for 2010

Welcome one and all to the best free NFL picks and predictions for week one of 2010. This is my third year of picking the NFL games here on AC, and I am very excited to announce that this season there will be a big contest going on between myself and some fellow sportswriters. I will keep you posted as to how I am doing, and hopefully will bring home the fake trophy we have up for grabs. Okay, so it is actually for bragging rights, but I digress.

I hope that you will tune in each week to get the best in NFL predictions for your office pools. I am also excited to tell you that you can easily subscribe to these picks and get them directly through your email by hitting "follow" up there below my name. If you do not mind sharing your email, you can simply leave your email in the comments below and I will gladly send you a notice. Enough with the details, lets get to the fun part-NFL football is back baby!

One note about the picks this season - straight up picks will be posted below and picks against the spread will be added to the article on Friday or Saturday when the point spreads are posted. Be sure to check back towards the end of the week to get your spread picks as well.

Without further ado, here are your week one NFL picks and predictions for 2010.

THU, SEP 9

Minnesota at New Orleans

What a way to kick off the season. A repeat of the NFC Championship game from a year ago, the Vikings and the Saints are sure to get the season started off right. Old man Favre has returned for yet another season, and there is a decent chance that it might have been a mistake. Some injuries to the receiving corps for Minnesota could be a blow for Favre and the offense, but he always seems to manage to figure a way to win. It also does not hurt to have Adrian Peterson in the backfield either.

As for the Super Bowl Champion Saints, quarterback Drew Brees seems primed to take them back to the promised land yet again. The team seems to be put together quite well, and it will be interesting to see if they start red hot like they did last year. This season, they will have a bit more running on tap I think, but the bottom line will still come back to how well Brees moves that high powered passing game.

This game will be a tight one I think, just based upon the quality of the two teams. I do think that Brees and company will take care of business at home and get Favre's return off to a rocky start. Week one will not be kind to the Vikings as New Orleans produces a repeat performance of the playoff game from last year. The final score will be close, but the Saints will take the win.

Winner - New Orleans Saints

SUN, SEP 12

Miami at Buffalo

This is a trap game for Miami if ever there was one, and I expect that they will have a bit of trouble with a scrappy Buffalo squad. The Bills have enough weapons to give the Dolphins some problems on defense, but I do not think they have enough to really pull it off. At least not yet. Later in the season might be a different story. Miami is looking pretty solid for this season, and they will start off with a tough win on the road.

Winner - Miami Dolphins

Detroit at Chicago

Ah, those lovable Lions. I really feel bad for them every single year but this might be the year that they no longer need my pity. Matthew Stafford will end up being one heck of an NFL quarterback and I think that progression starts in earnest this season. Finally, they have a running back to take some pressure off of Calvin Johnson. The Lions are going to be pretty good offensively, but that defense is still woefully bad. The Bears are a team that is really hard to figure out just yet. I think that Cutler will be much better this season, and the offense will get better as the season wears on. Simply based upon a superior defense and homefield advantage, the Bears will pull this one off.

Winner - Chicago Bears

Oakland at Tennessee

The Raiders are simply a team that can not seem to find an identity. I do think that getting rid of Jamarcus Russell was a step in the right direction, and Campbell will be a huge upgrade if nothing else in leadership. The Titans are a team that could be very good if Vince Young can keep himself together mentally. I think that Oakland will win a few games that they are not expected to this season, but not this week. The Titans are still tough at home, and Chris Johnson will run wild on that run defense of the Raiders.

Winner - Tennessee Titans

Cincinnati at New England

Now we are getting into the games that nobody really knows what to expect. Nobody but me that is! Some people think that the Bengals are going to be fantastic this season, and I would not argue that point. I do think they will be very good, but not against the Patriots at home. Brady will find a way to win the game and I do not expect it to be terribly close. It will take some growing pains, but the Bengals will be in great shape by midseason or so. Owens will have a good game though because he really wanted to be a Patriot I think. He will want to show up Belichik and the Pats.

Winner - New England Patriots

Carolina at NY Giants

We all know that I am a huge Carolina Panther fan and I want to disclose that upfront in week one. That said, I am not in the habit of picking them when I think they are going to lose. Nobody seems to think that the Panthers are going to beat the NY Giants and I have not a clue why that is. First of all, the Giants are not the team they once were. Second of all, the Panthers have the best running game in football. Better than the Jets, or any other pretenders to that crown in my estimation. The Panthers are going to run all over the Giant defense and upset them at home. Lock it down and put it in the bank. If you do not, you will be sorry you did not listen.

Winner - Carolina Panthers

Atlanta at Pittsburgh

The Falcons are heading to Pittsburgh in what might be the game of the week when all is said and done. These two teams match up rather well. I do think the Falcons have an offensive advantage, but the Steelers are going to be at home with a stout defense. I think that Matty Ice will take a huge step forward in his growth as an NFL quarterback and win this game late.

Winner - Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland at Tampa Bay

This is my second game of the week where you can probably pick up some easy points in your NFL office pool. Cleveland is heading to Tampa Bay with an old NFC South boy under center. Tampa Bay is tough at home, but perhaps no other quarterback other than Jake Delhomme has been as big of a thorn in the side of the Bucs. Jake Delhomme owns the Bucs and will continue that trend this week. Then the Cleveland fans will claim he is the next coming of Bernie Kosar (until next week when he throws seven interceptions of course) For this week, however, Jake will be king.

Winner - Cleveland Browns

Denver at Jacksonville

This is a game that I have no clue which way to go really. Both teams bore me to tears but I do love the running game in Jacksonville. I will give the slight edge to the Jags because of that and because they are at home.

Winner - Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis at Houston

This is going to be a fun game to watch, and the Texans are screaming upset to me. I am also hearing the common sense side of my brain that says Peyton will not lose this game. I will go with common sense because the Texans are not quite ripe yet.

Winner - Indianapolis Colts

San Francisco at Seattle

San Francisco is my pick to win the NFC West, and I think that the Seahawks are going to be near the bottom. Yes, even the Rams are going to finish ahead of the Seahawks this season.

Winner - San Francisco 49ers

Green Bay at Philadelphia

Man it is tough to pick against Philly at home any day of the week, but Green Bay makes it a bit easier. Who looked better than the Pack this offseason? Rodgers looks like a million bucks and the Pack might just be ready to win it all again. Philly will be okay and right the ship sometime this season, but it won't be in week one.

Winner - Green Bay Packers

Arizona at St. Louis

The Cardinals are a seriously different team than they have been in years past and that is not necessarily a bad thing. The drama with Leinart and Anderson has got to be a problem in the locker room, and the Rams are not nearly as bad as some people seem to think. Bradford is going to be a superstar. He will get that elusive first NFL win in week one to everyone's surprise.

Winner - St Louis Rams

Dallas at Washington

Will Donovan McNabb make it through week one? Will Albert Haynesworth sit out or play? If he does play, will he get tired after one snap and need an IV? All kidding aside, the Redskins are a team that seems to be in complete disarray. The Cowboys are not and will run away with this one.

Winner - Dallas Cowboys

MON, SEP 13

Baltimore at NY Jets

The Ravens are going to go head to head with a tough Jets defense. The Ravens have Joe Flacco under center while the Jets have Mark Sanchez. The Ravens will win based on this fact alone as the defenses will off set one another. I think Flacco will make more plays and pick up the win.

Winner Baltimore Ravens

Score - Baltimore 24 New York 14

San Diego at Kansas City

This is going to be ugly. Very ugly. Expect San Diego to lead virtually every offensive statistic in week one.

Winner - San Diego Chargers

Score - San Diego 36 Kansas City 17

Picks against the spread to be added on Wednesday. Check back here.