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NFL season kicks off this weekend

By Tom King - Sports Writer | Sep 11, 2021

Tom King

Sure, there’s one game in the books from Thursday night in the NFL season.

But things don’t really begin until Sunday at 1 p.m.

And now our Sundays are fully booked all the way – are you ready? – until the Super Bowl on Feb. 13. That’s almost a lifetime away as we’ll be looking to see light at the end of that long winter tunnel right around then.

And today is a monumental day at Gillette Stadium as fans will flock to the first game that counts for anything since the New England Patriots’ Wild Card loss in early January of 2020.

Of course that happened to be you-know-who’s last game in a Patriots uniform. And after suffering through a year of Cam Newton, the Patriots and their fans usher in the Mac Jones Era today in a game that features Jones going against the guy he succeeded for the Tide in Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa just hasn’t been what Miami and head coach Brian Flores envisioned, as he can’t throw deep and move the chains to the Dolphins’ liking. They pretty much have to do the same things the Patriots will do to protect Jones – be physical up front to move the chains and use the short passing game.

Meanwhile, we’ll go with this NFL Pick Seven column for print to start the season, but it will probably be an online only piece until Super Bowl Sunday.

And here’s how this has worked over the years, same for this season: Every week we pick seven games, no spread, always the Patriots, then try for two all-AFC and All-NFC games, plus two interconference games. Sometimes the schedule doesn’t allow for them.

Either way, feel free to play along and see how poorly we do:

•••

PATRIOTS 27,

DOLPHINS 10

This may not be that close. The Dolphins are really at a disadvantage with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, and won’t be able to move the football against the Patriots’ revamped defense. It may not matter what Mac Jones does, the Patriots simply will suffocate the Miami offense.

•••

BILLS 24, STEELERS 17

It won’t be as easy as one would think, but the Bills, our pick as the eventual AFC champion, will be able to get it together in time to beat a Steeler team that won’t be nearly as good as the one that got off to an 11-0 start before it imploded. Ben Roethlisberger should have retired.

•••

BROWNS 37, CHIEFS 34

What an opener, this should have been the Sunday Night game, but CBS probably protected it. The Browns should be ready to take the next step, and we’re just not sure of that KC offensive line that got exposed in the Super Bowl, despite the addition of former Patriot Joe Thuney.

•••

GREEN BAY 30,

NEW ORLEANS 17

The Saints got a tough blow when Hurricane Ida forced the move of this game to Jacksonville, because they might have been able to give Aaron Rodgers some trouble so he could continue his sulk. Packer defensive backs should be ready as Jameis Winston loves to give the ball to the other team.

•••

RAMS 27, BEARS 17

This is the Sunday Night game, and it will be interesting to see how Matthew Stafford does in his new Rams uniform, and strange not to see him in Detroit. The Bears have no shot if they play Andy Dalton, and a better chance with rookie Justin Fields, whom the Rams don’t quite have enough film on. But the Sons of Nashua’s Ted Phillips may wait on that, we’ll have to see. Home team rules.

•••

SEAHAWKS 17, COLTS 14

This is a good one in Indy, and offense will be at a premium. But the rule is you always go with the better QB, and Russell Wilson is that at least seven times out of 10 when he takes the field.

•••

WASHINGTON FT 24, CHARGERS 21

Not a bad opener, and while L.A. may have the better quarterback in Justin Herbert over FitzMagic, the WFT will have the better defense led by QB menace Chase Young. He’s the reason we’re picking the home team.

LAST WEEK: 0-0

LAST SEASON: 89-42 (80-38 regular season, 9-4 playoffs).

Tom King may be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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