NFL Week 1 Predictions + Vikings 2025 Record

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign. Welcome back to the Skullcast, where we are two brothers who love to talk about football and are also Vikings fans. And so we spent a lot of time talking about the Vikings. Whether or not we're recording and sharing all of this with you guys, we're going to talk about it. We're in several fantasy football leagues together, and I don't know, this is just a fun thing that we enjoy hashing out throughout the fall. So we, a few years ago, decided to start doing a podcast on it. If you're just now joining us for the first time, go ahead and watch. And you want to catch up. Go ahead and watch our reflections on the preseason and then some of the things we're really kind of putting the heat on for Koc and what we want to see different in this 2025 season. We have two separate episodes looking at that. But today, Christopher. And by the way, I think I always fail to include our names, who we are. My name is Asher Whitmer. It's my brother, Christopher. How are you feeling? Today is the day or this is the week. We're recording this ahead of time for transparency, but it's going to be coming out either the day before or the day of the football season officially starting. How. How are you feeling as we head into this season? [00:01:31] Speaker B: I am so excited for tomorrow when the NFL season kicks up. I'm very bad. I wear my emotions on my sleeves, and I'm so. [00:01:40] Speaker A: I'm very bad at pretending when it's not real, when it's not actually there. So the Vikings play Monday night. We have to wait through all the other games. Is that a negative thing, or do you like the anticipation kind of seeing how everybody else gets started and then it's the big showdown in Chicago. [00:02:00] Speaker B: I do not enjoy anticipation. It enters my body like anxiety, and so it will feel anxious, and I think it's great. I love the Monday night game. There's always, like, a little. There's a little bit more football left. Um, and when it's the Vikings, then it's like, oh, there's Vikings football left. But then you have to go through all of Sunday being very bored of all these other teams that nobody cares. [00:02:25] Speaker A: About and, like, not being able to trash talk anybody because you're not quite sure yet how your team's gonna do, right? [00:02:31] Speaker B: Yeah. Especially on the opener. [00:02:32] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah. I remember I did not watch the opener last year, and they. I don't know why. I can't remember why. What were we doing? But you messaged. You were like. Because it was the first time ever that in the, in the o' Connell era where they had won by multiple scores. And that was kind of a criticism that we had of the Vikings heading in to last season. And they're open or they win like 20, what was it, 26 to 7 or something against the Giants. And so you were, I'm pretty sure you had a message in all caps. I can't remember. I didn't go back and look. [00:03:05] Speaker B: Yeah, it was, I do kind of remember that. Cause yeah, it was. Who did they play? [00:03:09] Speaker A: The Giants. [00:03:10] Speaker B: Yeah, that's right. It was, you know, it was kind of like eh, it's the Giants. But, but it was still multi score. They looked really good. [00:03:18] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:03:18] Speaker B: And the next week, was it the next week that they played the Niners? [00:03:21] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, it was the second week and they, I mean it wasn't quite as big of a blowout, but they were very dominant. They had that 97 yard touchdown. Yeah. Had a blocked punt return or a block. Yeah, I think it was a blocked punt or was it a block field goal? I can't remember. [00:03:36] Speaker B: I don't remember. [00:03:36] Speaker A: Yeah, no, I, I am, I am excited for this year. The focus of this episode is to make some predictions. There's no money on this. Christopher and I are not fans of, of betting or gambling. We're not putting any money on this or predictions. It's more in anticipation to create some anxiety for Christopher as he goes throughout the season. We're going to see how close we can get to accurately predicting what the season's going to be like. We're going to go through first of all, what the Vikings final record is going to be. We'll review that. We will reveal that. And then secondly, what the NFC north, how that's going to fall out and what each divisional team, what their record is by the end of the season. We're not going to go through their whole schedule, at least not today. Like we will inevitably because we're going to be picking each week's games. But then we will end this episode by picking the results of week one. There are. Yeah, everybody plays week one. There's no buy. Immediately we started our season of the buy. There's a. Excuse me, with the company that I work for. We do. It's not, I don't think it's official fantasy football. It's just picks. It's. I can't even remember what the name. Splash. Splash picks. So you just like pick each week and in week one they only, you only get the first 14. You do not pick the Thursday and Friday games. So it's just the Sunday and Monday games. Anyways, I'm going to share my screen and then those who are watching on YouTube can follow along with us. Those who are listening, we are available. If you're just watching on YouTube and you would like an audio version, we are available. We are available on audio any place. Podcasts are. You can access podcasts. We are also there. But for those who are watching, you can track along with us and you'll be able to, because we will each week and at the end of the season, we're going to look back on how accurate we are and Christopher and I are going to have have a version of our own pick ems league and see who wins the season and picking accurately. So to kick things off for the Vikings 20, 25, 20 season prediction, Christopher predicts the Vikings to have a final record of 13 and 4. So what makes you. And obviously we'll flesh this out as it looks in the division here in a moment, but what makes you confident that the Vikings. Everybody's like, no, the Vikings aren't going to win 14 games again, but you think they're going to get really close to winning 14 games again. Why is that? [00:06:01] Speaker B: Pure vibes. Pure feeling. Vibes talked about this. Yeah, that's right. When we first talked about this last week, I was much more like, reserved in my predictions. [00:06:14] Speaker A: Your first word, the first words out of your mouth were like, I think they can get nine. [00:06:21] Speaker B: I. Because so, well, I was. I was setting up this spectrum of like, my feeling is that they can do it again. I think for sure they can get nine. So, like, there's the bottom. But I am very pessimistic. Um, I'm pessimistic in my expression. Not always pessimistic in my feelings. Um, and so this. [00:06:41] Speaker A: Choosing. This is based on feelings. [00:06:43] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. So. And I think I have some, like, history to back up why I feel this way. Kevin. So we've gone over this probably ad nauseam if, if you've happened to listen to every Skull Bros. Episode. Skull Skullcast episode. Kevin in 2022 kept, you know, they had 13 and four, I think was their final record the next year. They started out rough, but then they were. They were heating up. End. And then Kirk Cousins gets injured and they end. End the season. What was it, 7 and 9 in 2023? [00:07:18] Speaker A: Weren't there 17 games by then? I think they were 7 and 10. [00:07:22] Speaker B: 7 and 10. Yeah, I think you're right. [00:07:24] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:26] Speaker B: So 7 and 10 with like on the backs of, of, you know, Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullins and Jaren Hall. The next year we go 14 and three. So I think that, that it's, it's, it's very reasonable to think that there's a common thread here being this new administration and coaching staff. And I think, I think the roster has only gotten better. I think that the roster has only gotten better and the coaching staff has only gotten more experienced. Brian Flores defense is in his third year and I don't, I don't think the Bears call me when the Bears make the playoffs. Like, like every single, like Vikings fans and packers fans and Lions. Lions maybe not so much, but Vikings and Packers fans just get so tired every single year there's hyper. It's. They're like the packers, we're going to. [00:08:15] Speaker A: Take back the North. [00:08:16] Speaker B: They're like the Cowboys, but if the Cowboys had less success like every single year. There's all this, this hype around the Bears and I believe that Ben Johnson will get them to the playoffs and it could be this year, but call me when that happens and then I will believe them. So I have the Vikings sweeping the Bears and then, and then I just, I just think that, yeah, I think, I think we have a really good team. When Jordan Addison comes back from his suspension, we will have. Now with the trade with for Adam Thielen, we will have Justin Jefferson. Jetta's the. I think at this point, just even based on what I hear national people talking about, I think the consensus best receiver in the league because he was compared to Devonte Adams who's a nobody now. He's compared to Tyreek Hill who's becoming a nobody. He's compared to Jamar Chase who is younger than him and so could give him some legitimate competition, but so far has a better record than ja' Mar Chase over just because he's been in the league longer. [00:09:19] Speaker A: Chase. Chase is good. [00:09:20] Speaker B: Yeah, Chase is good. [00:09:22] Speaker A: Chase is good and has a really good quarterback throwing to him. But yeah. [00:09:25] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Jetta's Addison, Phelan Hawkinson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Josh Oliver and Jalen Naylor. That's, that's our offense behind a stacked O line. So I just, I think we're going to be better. The defense got an upgrade. Still a little bit concerned about the cornerback room, but I imagine that they're going to make the, going to make a big trade here similar to the Thielen trade for a corner, I would guess. [00:09:51] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:52] Speaker B: So I was, I was trying to tamper my expectations and say 11 and 6 when we first created. Created these. And then I was listening to a Score north podcast and it got me all hyped up and so I decided to go with my feelings. Yeah. [00:10:06] Speaker A: No, I think. I personally agree with you. I think the Vikings have a very good chance of having a similar record. They are a better team than last year. [00:10:16] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:10:17] Speaker A: And so I think. I think we're going to see better play. I hope we see better coaching, even. And like you laid out so nicely, like the pieces are coming together. I am concerned a little bit about depth. You know, there's a couple positions that's just a couple injuries could shaft us again a little bit. Like the Derrisa move. [00:10:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:10:37] Speaker A: Or like the Derrisa injury did last year. Thankfully, the O line is overall better and any team is really an injury or two away from not being able to go the whole way. [00:10:48] Speaker B: Right. [00:10:48] Speaker A: But this is an exciting year. I think they can easily repeat the caliber and even be better caliber of the play. My thing, though is I think the whole division is going to be better than last year. And we'll flesh this out a little bit more on the next slide. But I have the Vikings going 11 and six as their final record. But I threw in. They win their first playoff game. And I don't know if that's so much a prediction as much as an expectation. Like, I think it's time for KOC to go win a playoff game. And that's the. Yeah, I would love to see them go deep. I think they can go deep, but I don't know that they will. I think it's appropriate to have the expectation that the Vikings win at least 11 games and that they win a playoff game. And you were. I was. I was just looking back on our notes. You were more optimistic than I was last year. I think we did both guess 10 and 7 as our record. I threw in that the. The Vikings. As a final prediction, the Vikings were going to have a top five defense. I think they're starting off, in my opinion, as a top five defense. Warren Sharp has the Vikings defensive line as the best in the game. Obviously, we'll see how accurate Warren Sharp is, but I think they. They will be a very good defense this year. [00:12:07] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:08] Speaker A: And so, yeah, let's. Let's look at how that fleshes out then in the division. We have. I have the Green Bay packers taking the Division 12 and 5. Vikings coming in second, beating the tiebreaker over to the lions. Both go 11 and 6 and then the Chicago Bears at 8 9. I agree with you that I want to see it from the Bears first. I do think Johnson's going to automatically be better for the team than Eber Fluss was. I'm skeptical of Caleb Williams, especially being paired with Johnson's style of offense. There's going to be some growing pains with that. I think we saw that, we glimpsed that in the preseason even. And yes, they blew out the bills 38 to nothing. They blew out the Bills the year before as well. And also the, the Bills were playing all their backups, right? We saw a couple drives with John with Williams against the Chiefs number one defense and he did not look good. I think the Vikings will have a very similar result on Caleb Williams. And I do have. I do have the Vikings winning in Chicago. In theory, I had the Vikings splitting against the division, but maybe, maybe they do sweep Chicago. I don't know. I'm not sure. I'm. I'm not sure if I'm that bold to say that yet, but I don't. The Bears are so good that they're going to go first to worst. I. It never made sense when people automatically had them in the super bowl last year just because of having Caleb Williams. Really the only thing they improved was drafting Caleb Williams that year. This year they have improved some other pieces as well, obviously having a new head coach. But there's a lot more to the Bears flaws than just the coach, than just the quarterback, than just not having a piece or two in the offense or defense. And so like you, I want to see it first. If they get over.500 then, then maybe I'll see them as a threat. I had. I really think the Vikings can win the division, but I don't know. The last couple of weeks has had me wondering if we're sleeping on the Packers a little bit. Like I think they could be sneaky good. What sort of Jordan Love are we going to get? Are we going to get the Jordan Love that ended the 23 season, won a playoff game against the Cowboys and Dak Prescott, or are we going to get the Jordan Love like most of last year where he was throwing interceptions? The packers have improved pieces as well. They have a good run game. They have Matthew golden who looks pretty good as a wide receiver, but they're really thin on their wide receiver depth and so not only is that going to be a little easier to defend, but an injury or two could. Could really reshape things. I don't know. I. I'm going to go conservative. This is a little bit the Vikings fan in me that's like, I just don't want to be too disappointed. So I'm going to have them a little bit lower. You have them. [00:14:54] Speaker B: I'm ready for heartbreak. [00:14:55] Speaker A: You have them winning the division at 13 and 4. You have the Lions coming in second at 12 and 5. The Packers. You're just not in on the packers either. You had the packers higher. You always had Minnesota winning the division, but you did have the packers higher until right before starting this episode. And you literally have zero faith in the Bears improvement. [00:15:16] Speaker B: Yeah, I. So I'm probably. I'm probably low on the Bears, but I just. I'm just so. I'm done. Done. And in some ways, I want to get ahead of the train of, like, when they are. When they are a train wreck. I want to have had that in writing. Maybe I'll be clowned because maybe I'll have. Have predicted that the next super bowl winner would go 6 and 11. That's what happened with the Eagles last year. The Eagles started out not great, and it felt like it was going to be more of, like, how 2024 ended. And I told our nephews who are Eagles, Eagles boys, Eagles fans. I told our nephew. I was like, yeah, I just don't think. I don't think the Eagles are going to do well this year. [00:16:02] Speaker A: I. Last year still has me, like, the result of last year has me in this sort of, like, I don't know that I can trust myself kind of feel because I. I didn't think the Eagles look like super bowl champions most of the season. Now, obviously, by the time the playoffs came, they were. And I think Jalen Hurts is the kind of guy that shows up in big games. And so I think there are some games where he looks less than. But then when that really matters, he shows up big. And so, yeah, I mean, you got to give it to him. [00:16:34] Speaker B: Also. Just. Just a small tangent. Like, we. We just picked up Carson Wentz, and so I was talking with. Cause I live in Philly, I was talking with somebody about the difference between Winston and Hertz. And Hertz is just. He's got a really good worth, work ethic and attitude, and he's just humble and grinds. And Carson Wentz, by all accounts, was a terrible teammate and super big ego and wouldn't take coaching. And I think Hertz. I think Hertz's magic is his leadership. Like, I think people just want to go out and win for him. And I don't think guy like. I think a guy like McCarthy has that I think a guy like McCarthy could also have a really big ego and so it'll, it'll be, it'll be. [00:17:19] Speaker A: Interesting to see but it's, it's fun because McCarthy's won. He's won in college, he's won in high school. But then you wonder what, what is it going to be like when adversity hits? Whereas Hertz has a little bit of that Tom Brady s story where physically and McCarthy has that too. People, people think he's less than physically as well. But physically doesn't quite look like the dominating force that you expect of a, of a top tier quarterback. But has a work ethic like Hertz has a work ethic to work his way. He has the ability to will himself to be a better player and raise everybody else up around him and to Will wins. Yeah that, yeah, we've, we've really only seen from Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady in quite that way. And I don't, I don't know, maybe I'm putting Hertz too high because there are some really elite quarterbacks. Josh Allen, Marc Jackson, so forth, Jaden Daniels. [00:18:15] Speaker B: But yeah, I think when it's all said and done, we will look back at last year and the hardship that McCarthy had in, in getting sidelined for a whole year as being really actually healthy for his, for his just like mental development as a quarterback. I. So I'm probably too low on the Bears and there's a good chance I'm too low on the Packers. I think part, part of it is I was just looking over the schedules. The packers have a really nice schedule and so if, if I have made a flaw in anything, it's that the packers may get a better record just based on their schedule. I think I'm also, there's also a part of me that's like the amount of disrespect that the Vikings have gotten over the, over particularly the past few years where it's like, it feels like every season we go in and they're like they're not going to be good and it's like we have, we have a building track record of a coach or team, whatever. I think I didn't want to do the same thing to the Lions where it's like the moment we think their coordinators are gone, you know, now they're a bottom feeder team again. I don't think 11 and 6 is bottom bottom feeder. I'm not saying I'm not making commentary on your record of them. I think I was just, I was just trying to look at the schedule and think, okay, if they are last year's team, this is what I think that they would. They would win. [00:19:39] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. I think that's fair. They're going to have a healthy defense. I do think the criticism of Campbell. Goodness. [00:19:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:19:48] Speaker A: Dan Campbell, his name was slipping. My mind is, does he run too hard of a training camp? And that's why there's always, like, injuries tend to stack up by the end of the season. I think part of why I have, like, I actually don't think the packers are the biggest threat to the Eagles, even though I have them winning the division. Part of why I have them winning the division is because of their schedule. It's so much easier than the Vikings and the Lions and the Lions are going to have a more challenging schedule, but I think the Vikings and the Lions are better teams and would be more dangerous to face in the playoffs. But. So. I don't know. I don't know. I. I didn't. You walked through all four schedules to lay it out? I just walked through the Viking schedule and then kind of what I think, based off of what I know has developed in Green Bay and with the Lions and with the Bears and so forth, kind of what I think they can get. I haven't fleshed out how that would affect other. Other games and so forth, and where I have Green bay getting their 12 wins or Chicago getting their nine losses, whatever. But I do think the schedule is going to benefit the packers, and I think the packers are a better team, potentially. The wide receiver depth for them is a serious concern, in my opinion. [00:20:56] Speaker B: The Packers. [00:20:57] Speaker A: The packers, yeah. [00:20:58] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. [00:21:00] Speaker A: So let's. Let's go on to walk through week one. The predictions. The first game is Cowboys and Eagles. And at this point, I think this is. People could guess this in their sleep, especially as long as Parsons is unsigned. Then I believe on Friday, the Chiefs. Friday play at the Chargers in Brazil. Excuse me. I got a cop. [00:21:22] Speaker B: This'll be an interesting game. [00:21:25] Speaker A: Yeah, it will be. Do you think the Chargers. Obviously, we have the Chiefs going. I think the Chiefs could be one of the most underrated teams of the year. A lot of people have them even losing the division. Yeah. Have you watched much of the commentary on them? [00:21:42] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, I can. I can see why you would say that. I just think it's funny. Funny because they went to three straight Super Bowls and. [00:21:50] Speaker A: Yeah, well, that's kind of why I'm saying that is like, people think people are literally talking on national. National programs that, you know, The Broncos are going to win the division, or even some people think that the Raiders are going to be really good. [00:22:04] Speaker B: That the Broncos. [00:22:05] Speaker A: I think it's really. [00:22:07] Speaker B: I think the Broncos will be good. I just. It feels like the Bears to me. It's like Sean Payton. When was the last time Sean Payton fielded a super. Anyways, the Saints. He had some good teams with the Saints, but, like, he also had some really terrible years there. [00:22:22] Speaker A: As Vikings fans, we have very low feelings for Sean Payton, for sure. But I do think. Oh, my question was going to be, do you think the Chargers, where do you think they fall out in the. I think they lose to the Chiefs here, obviously, but they've had some injuries, some preseason injuries that. [00:22:41] Speaker B: There is like this weird thing. I. I really like Justin Herbert. Um, I like the Chargers. I like Jim Harbaugh. I mean, not. Not like a fan, but I think, yeah, the Charger. I mean, there's the Raiders, too. I think the Raiders will probably end last and the Chargers probably end third in the division. I don't know about, like, record wise. [00:23:08] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. So you, you think the Broncos will be better than the Chargers? [00:23:13] Speaker B: I guess I do. Yeah. I don't know. It feels. They could flip flop a little bit. It feels like, like the chart, you know, there's the unfortunate little bit with the Vikings. There's an unfortunate feeling of like, the Chargers are going to Charger. [00:23:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:27] Speaker B: And there's less of that association with the Broncos, I think. I think just purely based on, like, Justin Herbert has picked up some of that association. And so there's a. There's a degree to which I lack confidence that Herbert is the guy, but whereas Bo Nix is less. Has less history. And last year he seemed like he was the guy. And it feels like this year he's just going to build on that. Whereas it feels like Herbert's star is waning a little bit. [00:23:55] Speaker A: I get a kick out of how many people pick and choose which sophomores are going to have sophomore slumps. And Bo Nix is not one of them. Like, you don't really. [00:24:03] Speaker B: People think he's going to. [00:24:04] Speaker A: I guess Nick Wright's not a big fan of him, but it's amusing to me that it's like, wait, why? Why? Okay, so we say C.J. stroud had this sophomore slump. Why aren't people expecting that of Drake May or Bo Nicks or, you know, Caleb. What makes people think Caleb Williams is going to be better than last year if there's a sophomore slump? Maybe because last year. No, I don't. I Don't I just get amused by that. Like how we. [00:24:30] Speaker B: Yeah, it is interesting. [00:24:31] Speaker A: I think season people. [00:24:32] Speaker B: Stroud, Jaden Daniels. Go ahead. [00:24:34] Speaker A: I was just going to say I think Stroud was better. I think some pieces around him were lacking than last year. Maybe even the offensive coordinator being one of them. But what were you going to say about Daniels? [00:24:45] Speaker B: People think Jaden Daniels is going to have a sophomore slump. I think that's more than anything. Just because he had an incredible year. He had an incredible first year. So, you know, getting eliminated in the second round of the playoffs is going to be worse than, you know, the championship. I don't necessarily think that should reflect necessarily on. [00:25:05] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. The Dolphins. Colts. We have both the Dolphins winning. Yeah, I guess we're not. I can't remember last year, did we pick scores? I don't think so. We just picked winners. [00:25:16] Speaker B: No, we didn't. Yeah, I think we just picked the winners. [00:25:19] Speaker A: We're both pretty down on the Steelers. We think the jets are going to beat the Steelers. I don't. I don't really know why other than I think Rogers is way overrated. [00:25:30] Speaker B: Why at this point going to be better. [00:25:32] Speaker A: Yeah, gosh. I will say, like we. We made these picks before. I really watched or listened to any feedback on the jets training camp and it doesn't sound good in terms of. Of how Fields has played in training camp. So we could be wrong on this. On this game. Panthers at Jaguars. You are very low on the Jaguars. I'm not high on the Jaguars. I just think that this is a game they could take it home. It's fairly equal, especially now that Thielen's gone. I do think Bryce Young could be good. Could be a sneaky good QB this year. But I also think the Jaguars are going to have some level of success. Why do you pick the Panthers? [00:26:10] Speaker B: Well, this might change now that Phelan has. Has been traded. So there's a part of me that regressed this a little bit. [00:26:19] Speaker A: I guess we could edit on. [00:26:21] Speaker B: I think for similar reasons. I'm down on the Jake. Um. No, let's stick with it. We'll see. I'm down on Trevor Lawrence in the same way that I'm down on. On Justin Herbert. I think Bryce Young had kind of an. Was it. I think it was last year where he was sat and then Andy Dalton had an car accident and he came back and played a lot better. So. So I think the end of his season last year was a lot better. And that often can be kind of a. A picture of how the next season is going to start. But now. Now. Yeah, you know, they've. They cut. They cut Hunter Renfro, traded Adam Thielen. And so I don't know about, like, his receiving core. I don't really know any of those guys. Those names. [00:27:07] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:07] Speaker B: So they. They could have a really miserable year, either of these teams. But the Jaguars, with, With Travis Hunter. I don't really have a lot of confidence in Trevor Lawrence, but I really want to see him succeed. All of these kind of bright stars that came into the league. I just want. I just want good quarterbacks. [00:27:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:27:28] Speaker B: So it'd be a bummer. Yeah. But I'll. I'll stick to. [00:27:31] Speaker A: I think. I think Lawrence, you know, he was injured a bunch last year and he did have that playoff win where they came back and beat. [00:27:40] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:27:40] Speaker A: Speaking of. Justin Herbert beat the Chargers. I'm not convinced their coach is going to be that good. He had one year looking really good with the bucks. So I. I'm not super high on the Panthers. I'm sorry, The Jaguars. I just think they can. They could take the Panthers at home. [00:27:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:27:56] Speaker A: Cardinals versus Saints again. Autumn feeder. Do you expect the Cardinals to end any place higher than fourth in the West? The Saints are just. They're going to be really bad, I think, this year. [00:28:07] Speaker B: Yeah, the Saints are going to be really terrible. If it wasn't for Kellen Moore, who's like the super hyped up. I remember the Vikings interviewed Kellen Moore and I was super dreading it because he. He had like a couple good years with Cowboys. Everyone thought he was a savant. And then he went to the Chargers and then he went to the Eagles, so he got some experience. So I think he's a good coach. If it wasn't for him, I would predict the Saints to go 0 and 16. They're just awful. [00:28:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:28:33] Speaker B: I don't even know who their quarterback is going to be. It's. It's nobody. It's nobody good. [00:28:37] Speaker A: Are they named Spence, Spencer, Rattler, or is it Riddler? I'm not sure. As the starter for this game, I don't know if he's their quarterback. [00:28:46] Speaker B: But what's interesting is I'm pretty sure I need to go double check this. I'm pretty sure Kevin o' Connell got cut by the jets because of Kellen Moore. Like, Kellen Moore was the other quarterback. [00:28:59] Speaker A: Interesting. [00:29:00] Speaker B: And so I'm. It's something along there. They have history, so I'm. I'm kind of interested to see this sort of. They also Interviewed both for the Vikings. They're both these like whiz kid offensive minds. I'm curious. I think he's inheriting a much, much worse team. Like the Saints are in a much worse place than the Vikings were. Yeah, it'd be interesting to see what they do. But yeah, I think the Cardinals are also kind of desperate. I think if they don't win this year, I think the house gets cleared. I think. [00:29:30] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:29:31] Speaker B: I don't know about the coach, but they, I think they definitely restart at quarterback and stuff. [00:29:36] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. It'll be interesting to see how they go. Giants at Commanders. Do you think the Giants, like. I think the Commanders are going to be really. They'll. Yeah, they'll have a good year. But are we, we sleeping on the Giants at all in any way? [00:29:50] Speaker B: No, no, they're. [00:29:51] Speaker A: They're not, I think going to be good. [00:29:52] Speaker B: I think they've lost confidence. I was just a good coach. I just can't see how they, they would hold the locker room like. I think the locker room is probably just. [00:30:02] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:30:03] Speaker B: Lost. [00:30:03] Speaker A: Yeah. I, I'm amused again. I was thinking about this last evening. I'm amused by how many people insist the Steelers will be good because it's Rogers. Rogers is the qb. He's in the twilight years of his career. But it Rogers, two time mvp, one time Super Bowl. Why don't we have that same attitude about Russell Wilson? Like Russell Wilson has had a really good history. I don't think we should. I'm not saying we should. I'm just saying it's amusing to me who we pick and choose. Oh, their name alone, like who they are. Russell Wilson has had some really good years and even last year was decent. Why are people so high on Rodgers but not Wilson? [00:30:39] Speaker B: I think Russell, Russell Wilson went to more Super Bowls than Rodgers. Just need to say that for the packers fans out there. But I think people largely consider that that was only because of the Legion of Boom defense. [00:30:54] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean he, his, his stats were pretty good too, throughout that period. I'm not, I'm not a. I'm not caping for Wilson. I don't think the Giants are going to be that good either. It just is amusing. Yeah. Who gets sophomore slumps? Who doesn't? Who or who do we think is going to have sophomore slumps? Who doesn't? Who do we think's name stands for itself? Who doesn't? We kind of bumped over them. But the Buccaneers beating the Falcons, is that sort of a similar thing? It's like until, until we see different like talk to us when the Falcons actually show up sort of thing. [00:31:27] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:31:27] Speaker A: You think Cousins ends up. [00:31:29] Speaker B: I think they're on the rise. No, I think unless. Unless Penix gets injured. [00:31:34] Speaker A: Yeah, that's true. I think Penix is one of those that could be like either he could be pretty good and yeah. Has a starting career from here on or actually doesn't end up being as good as people anything. [00:31:45] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:31:46] Speaker A: Bengals at Browns. We have the Bengals winning this especially now that Hendrickson is signed and sealed and delivered. I don't know if there's much more to talk about that other than the Browns are not a total dumpster fire. But yeah, it'll be interesting to see how their season goes. One of the things like when you see that such a distinction division between ownership and then the GM and the coach. Like is there ever anything good produced from that? It seems like you have to have good sinking from what ownership, GM and coach. Just everything with the Browns and forcing Shadir Sanders to be drafted and thereby probably Shadur at sometimes going to get a start even though it seems fairly obvious Stefanski does not want him. [00:32:30] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. [00:32:31] Speaker A: You think the Raiders will beat the Patriots with the Patriots being at home. Why do you say that? [00:32:36] Speaker B: Yeah, this is a really interesting game. Like in some ways these two teams have been bottom feeders. I think it is. It's I think the micro one of. [00:32:47] Speaker A: The most boring teams. Based on Ashton Jensen. [00:32:50] Speaker B: I think. I think that Pete Carroll will be interesting. I Geno Geno Smith, Pete Carroll, Ashton Genty. You know they've got a couple of defensive players. They probably won't be good. I think they'll go last in their division. But the Patriot, the Patriots are in some ways like a. Not a mirror. But they're in very similar places in the sense that like Mike Vrabrel's coming in. He had some really good success with the Titans. I think Mike Vrabel probably will win a Super bowl with the Patriots as a head coach. [00:33:25] Speaker A: Do you think so? [00:33:27] Speaker B: I think so. I think his history with the ownership there is going to give him the sort of leeway that he didn't have with the Titans security and I think. I think he will because he's a Belichick guy. I think he will ride off of some of the attraction pole of Belichick that even Belichick can't ride off of. Like, like that old school kind of like we're, you know, the Patriots are back, you know, sort of and people are going to be like I want to go. I Want to go play for them. I want to go play for variable players. Love variable. [00:33:59] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:00] Speaker B: So I just, it's an interesting game. The Patriots might squash the Raiders, and the more I talk, the, the less I'm confident in my pick here. But I think the Raiders are going to be better than people think. [00:34:10] Speaker A: But, yeah, I, I'm not sure what I, Yeah, I guess I'm just not very high on the Raiders. I'm, I'm not high on Carol. Gino has declined like he had that great comeback year, and he's declined every, every year since to the point of. If all you knew of him was last year's stats and play, I don't think he'd be starting on any, any pro football team, maybe for the Saints, but, but he had that good year a couple years ago, and so that's kind of in people's memory. It was with Pete Carroll. So I, I get it. They have Ashton Genty. Brock Bowers is a, was, was probably their funnest watch last year. Um, just watching what he can do as a tight end. Yeah, I, I, I don't expect a lot either from either of these teams, to be honest. But I do think the Patriots win this one at home. I think the Patriots could compete for a playoff spot. I'm not ready to say they're going to get a playoff spot. You have the Dolphins in that division that I think are going to be better than a lot of people. If two is healthy are going to be better than a lot of people are giving them credit for as well. But it'll be interesting to see Niners at Seahawks. You have the Niners winning. I don't think the Seahawks. I think the Niners probably win the division out west. I'm enough of a leftover Darnold fan that I'm just hoping he pulls off a win. What do you think? Why, why do you think the Niners beat the Seahawks? [00:35:34] Speaker B: Yeah, I think the Niners are a better team. I really hope Sam Darnold has success. I, I don't think the Seahawks are a good team. I think that McDonald had some success with the Ravens, but he's again, one of those, like, guys that I just, I don't know, I just don't have. I don't think he has that, that thing, but, but he might, he. Of all of, all of those, like, kind of younger coaches, he's probably the one I have the most confidence in, but he's a defensive guy, and I just don't know. I think Clint Kubiak I think is their oc. Is that right? Who is. You know. [00:36:11] Speaker A: Sounds right. [00:36:12] Speaker B: He's a decent oc. And so maybe Darnold will have success with that. I just. I don't think it's going to be like him and Kevin o'. Connell. [00:36:20] Speaker A: Yeah. I do think. And if there's a pick that I'm nervous about, I think it'd probably be this pick. I do think Darnold's to have a rude awakening with. [00:36:27] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:36:28] Speaker A: Just how much the system and KOC specifically helped him get success and. Yeah, I hope he'll be good. I don't think he's going to repeat last year's numbers and what that means for the Seahawks, I don't really know. [00:36:42] Speaker B: But. [00:36:42] Speaker A: But I. Yeah, it'll be interesting. The Niners may take that game. We have the Broncos beating the Titans. Cam Ward looks good. Yeah. Especially at home. I think the Broncos get this one. We have the packers beating the Lions that are playing at home. I think we've fleshed that out enough. I think the Lions and Packers will both be good. I guess my rationale. I'm not sure what yours was. My rationale is I have them splitting in division and kind of giving the home team the win. Is that kind of what you were thinking? [00:37:11] Speaker B: Yeah, pretty much. [00:37:12] Speaker A: What's that going to be like to have the number one seed if they lose to the Packers? Is everybody going to start. Everybody's probably going to be raving then forever about the packers being the best team in the nfc, probably. You think so? [00:37:24] Speaker B: Yeah. Well, I think. I do think that the Eagles are getting. Getting some respect. I think it'll be the packers are the. The most. The biggest threat to the Eagles, I think will be the narrative. [00:37:37] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. So the Rams have questions. Perhaps. We don't know. Was there. Was there a legit injury? Were they being extra cautious? I do think their offensive line is really weak. And I saw Albert Breer had his. I don't know if you watch his beer report. It's a fun. Usually like 15 minutes long. And he just goes through three. Three main things. But one. One of them a week or two back was on the Texans. He thinks they're going to have the best defense in the league. And he thinks a lot of people are sleeping on the Texans. He. He says their biggest question mark is the offensive line, which was funny because they have both Cam Robinson and then Ingram that used to play for the Vikings. We offloaded them to improve the offensive line. So it'll be interesting to see if their offensive line is improved. I think I said earlier my pick on the Seahawks was one I'm nervous about. I think the Texans could be really good. The Rams also could be really good. What kind of Stafford is going to show up? I don't know. If you force Stafford to move a lot, perhaps. I also remember the Vikings blitzed him quite a bit last year and he did really well at just snapping and throwing, which is an excellent veteran QB type play. [00:38:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:38:49] Speaker A: But it'll be interesting to see how that game turns out. [00:38:52] Speaker B: I think I've. I've been too low on the Rams the past couple of years and so I think I'm trying to tamper that. I think people are too high on them this year, particularly with that back injury. I think it'll all come down to that back injury. I listen, some people think they're going to the NFC Championship, which I guess they, they were close to last year. I just, for all the reasons you said. I just don't see that repeating. Like, I think the team is, is dwindling and they need another reset. [00:39:20] Speaker A: Yeah. I do think their coach deserves the respect, but when you look at the team, it's like I don't see. And again, I'm like, I kind of come into this year questioning my judgments, but I don't see as complete of a team with the Rams as I would maybe even with someone like the Lions or, or the, the 49ers, perhaps the niner. A bunch of people might be sleeping on the Niners too. [00:39:44] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:39:44] Speaker A: They'll improve life. Ravens at Bills. You have Ravens, I have Bills. I think this, these are very comparable teams. [00:39:53] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:39:53] Speaker A: And so I tend to just give it to the home team. I don't really have a whole lot that goes into that other than that. What Josh Allen's coming off in MVP season. Obviously Lamar Jackson also very, very close behind, probably actually statistically lost it because they have Derrick Henry now as a running weapon. And it's not just Lamar Jackson, which I think makes them a better team, but he didn't win another mvp. Why do you have the Ravens beating the Bills in Buffalo or in. Yeah, in Buffalo? [00:40:25] Speaker B: I think not. Like it's. It's one of those things where like both teams are very comparable and yeah, maybe, maybe the home team will win that. You know, they do. The, the Bills do have a home advantage. A non. Not insignificant home advantage. I don't know. I think. I think the Ravens are just going to play really well this year. The Bills are going to play really well this year. But I guess it's just a feeling again, mostly going off of a lot. [00:40:55] Speaker A: Of feelings, which is really what this is like. There's no like sure way to. To predict these things. That's what. And the Vikings people who are making money on national programs are going off of their feelings too. They have their. Yeah, they have their narratives and then they have to stick to that narrative from year over year to. We have. We both have the Vikings beating the Bears in Chicago again. There's a good chance they sweep the Bears. It's interesting because I think the Vikings are going to want to come out and set a tone. But you also have the Bears who are going to want to come out and set a tone in home. But I just. Until I see it, the Vikings are the better team. The Vikings are the favored to win according to Las Vegas. But yeah, I don't know. Do you have anything more to add to that? [00:41:40] Speaker B: No, I think. Yeah, I don't know. I've already gone. I've trashed the Bears enough. I think the Bears we got. I think the Vikings are going to come out really well. I think that. That Brian Flores defense is going to be buttoned up and Caleb Williams will probably play better throughout the rest of the year, but I. I think he'll be. He'll be hit in the teeth with the. With the Vikings defense. [00:42:03] Speaker A: Yeah, hopefully maybe that floor is. Defense gets some respect if. If indeed that does happen. Because it does seem like there's generally kind of just quietness around exactly what the floor like even I heard who was. I was listening to and they kind of brushed off like last year's. They were talking about the 49ers and they were brushed off. Brock Purdy losing to the Vikings. And there was. Oh, it was. I think it was first things first because Kevin Wilds. No Brew Brew was like, you cannot. You cannot brush that off. Like Brian Flores, his scheme is nasty. Like that's why. That's why Brock Purdy makes that comment. So that. That was kind of interesting. But in general, it seems like people don't quite just realize how good the Vikings defense is. And I get it. Yeah, they had two blowouts to end the season. We would put the majority of the blame on the lack of offense showing up. But yeah, yeah, I think that. I think that floor is. Defense will show up. I'm excited for the offense. I think the offense, especially with Adam Thielen. Yeah. Traded now. I think the offense will. Will be really good. It'll be exciting to see. We have relatives who are Bears fans. So we better be right about this because we'll probably be hearing it if we're wrong. So. [00:43:18] Speaker B: Yeah, that's fine. Hey, that. That would make me happy. As long as, you know, as long as they're not too good against the Vikings, I would be happy to see the Bears be a good team. I just. I was really proud of the NFC north going into a second year. [00:43:35] Speaker A: I. [00:43:36] Speaker B: There's no reason in my mind why the NFC north shouldn't be the best team, the best division. NFL again. [00:43:42] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. And I think. What's his name? Bagent? Is that his name? Their backup? Like that's. [00:43:47] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:43:48] Speaker A: I don't know if you saw that. He, he. They recently signed him to $10 million contract as a backup QB. Yeah. [00:43:54] Speaker B: He was really emotional about it. [00:43:55] Speaker A: Yeah. And life. He was considering it. Life changing money. That's what we hear about. You know, QB is getting 55 million a year and for him 10 million a year, which is how it would be for me. That alone is incredibly life changing money. [00:44:10] Speaker B: Brock Purdy's botter feed him feeder salary of 800,000 or whatever a couple of. [00:44:15] Speaker A: Years ago would be life changing. [00:44:18] Speaker B: Would be life changing. [00:44:19] Speaker A: You know, whatever J.J. mcCarthy's being paid this year is. Is going to be. [00:44:24] Speaker B: Yeah. Right. [00:44:26] Speaker A: And I actually think like Beijing is good. I don't know if you've watched a lot of him, but he could be one of the best backup QBs in the NFL right now. So just. Just Williams not doing well isn't the given. I don't see them going to Beijing as a starter. [00:44:43] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:44:43] Speaker A: But it is a team where it's like. Because I don't have a ton of confidence in the Vikings if McCarthy doesn't turn out. Obviously we saw some nice flashes from Max Brosmer, but you know, with wentz being the QB2 and. Yeah, I don't know how that would turn out, but the Bears do have a good backup QB situation. So. Yeah, those are our picks and we'll see. We'll see how things turn out. [00:45:11] Speaker B: We have to get better throughout the season. [00:45:13] Speaker A: This is. [00:45:13] Speaker B: This is. This is week. This is week one of doing episodes and we made them pretty long. I think we were imagining 25 minute episodes. [00:45:22] Speaker A: Yeah. We. We have some correct course adjustments to make of our own. This. [00:45:26] Speaker B: That's all right. [00:45:29] Speaker A: We. We kind of. We're gonna have to learn how to. What spiels to leave. I don't know. Yeah. [00:45:33] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:45:33] Speaker A: Even just kind of thinking on the fly. I don't know if we. Maybe we should Just run through our picks and then like talk about the ones that we want to highlight. Yeah, bear with us. Go ahead and drop in if, if you're listening. And the reason we say if you're listening is because we're. We're not always sure who all is listening. The numbers are small enough yet that we're like, that might be us just checking to see if anybody's listening. That's how my, my boys are. They have a couple YouTube channels and they'll. They'll get everybody in the house to go watch their. Watch their video so that it gets like 10. 10 videos, dude. They have like 5. 5 YouTube channels. They have survival, like Survi. Survival guys. Survival guys. And then they have some just kind of trick shots and around the house, like goofing off. And then they have streaming video games that they play. They are all into. [00:46:28] Speaker B: That's. Into the, the YouTuber life. That's what every kid wants to be these days. [00:46:34] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, at this point we're like, we're. Yeah, it, it gives them kind of a creative outlet, gives them something to do. We, we do very much temper how much time they're spending shooting videos, how much time they're spending on the computer, editing, uploading. We even regulate how often they post a week. But it is kind of an interesting era we live in. They. They. I mean, they, they're at least with the editing than I am. It's a. They have some cool stuff. They have a drone. They get drone shots of and put to music, make things look cool. Anyways, we will see you in the next episode, which will be a recap of these games and then we'll talk about highlights. Kind of the rhythm we're going to follow is one episode to recap the week and then an episode to make predictions for the coming games. Because there's such a short turnaround, we're also going to have a third episode that dives into something like we did, evaluating how the season ended, something similar to that. I don't know if that's necessarily going to come in between the. The recap and predictions or if we'll kind of have it published over the weekend as we're watching games, whatever. But that's kind of the rhythm that we're going to follow. Try to have predictions out by Thursday and then recap on Wednesday and then an extra episode somewhere in there. Thanks for joining us. Oh, I never finished my thought. If you're watching, go ahead and drop in your comments. What you think you can go through the whole week one, how it's going to turn out or if you're an NFC north fan, what you think the standings are going to end up as. And we'll compare notes and see who's right or wrong. [00:48:09] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:48:10] Speaker A: Hope you all have a good rest of your weekend, enjoying some football and many other things. We'll see you later. [00:48:17] Speaker B: All right.