Wow. What a wild first week. Immediately we are reminded about the pure unpredictability of the NFL. But guess what? We’re gonna try anyway! Welcome to the 2nd installation of TSP’s game predictions! First, let’s take a look at our individual records after the NFL’s wild 2023 debut.
Arye Pulli – (8-8)
Jaymin Kanzer – (8-8)
Ani Iyengar – (10-6)
Evan Davis – (7-9)
Jason Perillo – (5-11)
Chase Price – (10-6)
Nate Baker – (8-8)
Lincoln Heimbach – (8-8)
Greg Graves – (10-6)
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
The Vikings suffered a disastrous loss on Sunday to a Bucs team starting an insurance salesman at quarterback. The Eagles nearly choked away a great first half and let Mac Jones throw for over 300 yards on their defense. Jalen Hurts and the offense looked pedestrian at best. If this team wants to win it all, they will have to get past the Cowboys and 49ers, both sporting top defenses and potent offenses.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Minnesota Vikings over Philadelphia Eagles.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Chase Price 10-6) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings.
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons defense looked great on week one, limiting Panthers QB Ant-Man to just 146 yards and 2 interceptions. Their rushing attack with Tyler Allgier and Bijan Robinson was electric, but Desmond Ridders clearly needs a little more work. They face a Packers team who dominated the Bears en route to a 38-20 victory. Jordan Love looked like the real deal and the Falcons’ defense should have its hands full.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Atlanta Falcons over Green Bay Packers.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Atlanta Falcons over Green Bay Packers.
Chase Price 10-6) – Atlanta Falcons over Green Bay Packers.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons.
Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills
The Raiders looked pretty good in their week one game against Mr. Let’s Ride and the Orange Horses. New quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also looked good in the first game as a Raider after spending the past 6 seasons in the Bay Area. On the other hand, Josh Allen made Bills fans think they were watching a Nathan Peterman rerun from a few years ago. Allen made poor decisions with the ball, leading to a bad loss to a Jets team without Aaron Rodgers and Zach Wilson playing the vast majority of the game.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Las Vegas Raiders over Buffalo Bills.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Chase Price 10-6) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Buffalo Bills over Las Vegas Raiders.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
This game features 2 quarterbacks who got paid a whole lot of money in the offseason and both put up duds in week one. Lamar Jackson wasn’t terrible and his team did come out with a win. Joe Burrow on the other hand? He was bad. Like Kershaw in the playoffs level bad. This is a divisional game in the AFC North, so expect a close game the whole way through.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Baltimore Ravens over Cincinnati Bengals.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Chase Price 10-6) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore Ravens.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Baltimore Ravens over Cincinnati Bengals.
Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions
The Seahawks are coming off a team dud. Like defense and offense. Geno Smith looked like he fell back to Earth after his magical run last season and the defense couldn’t contain Madden auto-generated players Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell. On the other hand, Jared Goff is quietly cementing himself as Detroit’s long-term answer at quarterback, and Detroit’s remade secondary looked good against Patrick Mahomes.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Seattle Seahawks over Detroit Lions.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Seattle Seahawks over Detroit Lions.
Chase Price 10-6) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Detroit Lions over Seattle Seahawks.
Los Angeles Chargers at Tenessee Titans
The Titans’ offense looked bad on Sunday. Ryan Tannehill did his best Jameis Winston impression and Derrick Henry looked old. Their defense led by Mike Vrabel looked as good as ever, however. And just like the Jets will keep them in any game. The Chargers offense was drastically different under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and combined for over 200 yards of rushing. Justin Herbert looked okay, but nothing like what we’ve seen out of him in the past.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Tenessee Titans over Los Angeles Chargers.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Chase Price 10-6) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Los Angeles Chargers over Tenessee Titans.
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and company have convinced the Vikings to bundle their Kirk and Cousins during their big win in Minnesota. Mayfield looked good in the game, and the Bucs’ defense came up with 3 forced turnovers, 2 fumbles, and 1 Interception all by Cousins. On the other hand, the Bears looked like the same 3-14 team they were last season, and Justin Fields didn’t make many strides. The Bears will look to rebound, while Tampa is shooting for that division title.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Chicago Bears over Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Chicago Bears over Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Chicago Bears.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Chicago Bears over Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Chicago Bears.
Chase Price 10-6) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Chicago Bears.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Chicago Bears.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Chicago Bears over Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Chicago Bears.
Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Chiefs didn’t have the best start to their season. Their receivers didn’t understand that they had to actually catch the balls coming toward them and their defense didn’t get enough pressure on Jared Goff at times. The Jags had a shaky first 3 quarters in Indianapolis but were able to put it together in the 4th, and Trevor Lawrence threw an interception but looked good otherwise.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Kansas City Chiefs over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Kansas City Chiefs over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Jacksonville Jaguars over Kansas City Chiefs.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Kansas City Chiefs over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Kansas City Chiefs over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Chase Price 10-6) – Jacksonville Jaguars over Kansas City Chiefs.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Kansas City Chiefs over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Kansas City Chiefs over Jacksonville Jaguars.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Jacksonville Jaguars over Kansas City Chiefs.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Colts rookie QB Anthony Richardson looked as good as the Colts could’ve hoped. His debut was very steady and he made some very nice plays with his arm and legs. C.J. Stroud had more of a rocky debut, but he wasn’t Zach Wilson bad or anything. DeMeco Ryans’ defense looked good for the majority of the game and was very effective in limiting Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Indianapolis Colts over Houston Texans.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Houston Texans over Indianapolis Colts.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Houston Texans over Indianapolis Colts.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Indianapolis Colts over Houston Texans.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Indianapolis Colts over Houston Texans.
Chase Price 10-6) – Houston Texans over Indianapolis Colts.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Indianapolis Colts over Houston Texans.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Houston Texans over Indianapolis Colts.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Indianapolis Colts over Houston Texans.
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were supposed to be in rebuild and tank mode. Matthew Stafford showed the world that he still got it, after an offseason of assumptions that his best days are behind him. The 49ers absolutely blew the doors of a hapless Steelers squad, showing that they are still the team to beat in the NFC West. Rams-49ers is always a treat and hard-fought. The 49ers have won the last 8 regular season match-ups, but the Rams did the one that mattered the most. Sunday’s game will mark the first game in NFL history where a Number 1 overall pick and Mr. Irrelevant will start at quarterback against each other.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Los Angeles Rams over San Francisco 49ers.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Evan Davis (7-9) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Chase Price 10-6) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Nate Baker (8-8) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
Greg Graves (10-6) – San Francisco 49ers over Los Angeles Rams.
New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals
The Giants had the worst opening weekend possible, getting blown out by Dallas. Their offense looked terrible, but their defense looked alright so that’s a silver lining. Luckily, they get the worst roster in the league to rebound from last week. The Cardinals are. Well. They’re bad and there’s no way to sugarcoat that.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Arizona Cardinals over New York Giants.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Evan Davis (7-9) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Chase Price 10-6) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Nate Baker (8-8) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
Greg Graves (10-6) – New York Giants over Arizona Cardinals.
New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys
The Jets lost Aaron Rodgers for the entire year 4 snaps into the season. Many teams would quit and be disappointed. But the Jets’ defense came to play and picked off Josh Allen 3 times with a fumble. Their offense put on a gritty performance and creaked out enough points to win. The Cowboys utterly dominated the other New York team on Primetime and their defense looked unflappable. This game features 2 of the best defenses in the league, so which offense can do enough to win?
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – New York Jets over Dallas Cowboys.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Chase Price 10-6) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Dallas Cowboys over New York Jets.
Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos
Sam Howell was…okay on Sunday in his 2023 season debut. There was the good, the bad, and the ugly but overall looked promising. In a weak NFC, the Commanders could for sure make it into the playoffs. The Broncos made many changes in the offseason to get the best out of Russell Wilson, including bringing in Sean Payton as head coach and signing Mike McGlinchey via free agency to bolster the pass protection. Instead, same old offensive struggles. Such a shame.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Washington Commanders over Denver Broncos.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Denver Broncos over Washington Commanders.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Denver Broncos over Washington Commanders.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Denver Broncos over Washington Commanders.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Denver Broncos over Washington Commanders.
Chase Price 10-6) – Washington Commanders over Denver Broncos.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Washington Commanders over Denver Broncos.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Washington Commanders over Denver Broncos.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Washington Commanders over Denver Broncos.
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Mac Jones and the Pats had a horrid first half, and then nearly came back to beat the Eagles. On the other hand, Tua Tagoviloa and the Dolphins offense, especially Tyreek Hill, looked very close to unstoppable. Expect to see more fireworks from that offense in this game and going forward this season, but I do expect that Bill Belichick’s defense won’t be pushovers like the Chargers were.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – New England Patriots over Miami Dolphins.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – New England Patriots over Miami Dolphins.
Chase Price 10-6) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots.
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
Derek Carr and the Saints, especially their defense, looked pretty good on Sunday during Carr’s first regular season game, not in a Raiders jersey. Bryce Young looked okay in his NFL regular season debut and has room for improvement. Both teams are definitely in the running to win their division, so those will be a close game and will be important in the playoff race for sure.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Carolina Panthers over New Orleans Saints.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Evan Davis (7-9) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Chase Price 10-6) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Nate Baker (8-8) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Greg Graves (10-6) – New Orleans Saints over Carolina Panthers.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett and the Steelers had a great preseason. Pickett looked like he had improved by a lot and may have even solidified himself as Pittsburgh’s future at quarterback. It all came crashing down in their season opener. Pickett and the offense looked anemic and the defense wasn’t any better, allowing Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk to do what they pleased. The Browns defense shut down Joe Burrow and the dynamic Bengals offense, so keep an eye on them. Deshaun Watson didn’t look any better than his return last season, and this isn’t good news for Browns fans.
Arye Pulli (8-8) – Cleveland Browns over Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jaymin Kanzer (8-8) – Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns.
Ani Iyengar (10-6) – Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns.
Evan Davis (7-9) – Cleveland Browns over Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jason Perillo (5-11) – Cleveland Browns over Pittsburgh Steelers.
Chase Price 10-6) – Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns.
Nate Baker (8-8) – Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns.
Lincoln Heimbach (8-8) – Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns.
Greg Graves (10-6) – Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns.
