Week 1 NFL best bets and predictions
Last year, I went 45-23-2 with my NFL best bets during the regular season. That was good for a winning percentage of 65.7%. It’s going to be hard to live up to that record in 2023 — especially with a slight uptick in volume — but I’m damn sure going to try my best. And that starts with the three picks I have for the Week 1 slate, which includes a play on what should be an enticing battle between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Keep reading to find out what I have and make sure you also check out what my talented VSiN colleagues are playing. Those plays are available here, but you can also check out the Pro Picks page.
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Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts
The Colts gave up more points per game than all but three teams in 2022, as Indianapolis allowed 25.1 points per contest. The Colts also did nothing to address a leaky secondary, and they brought in an offensive-minded head coach in Shane Steichen. Both of those things tell me that Indianapolis isn’t looking at a one-year turnaround on the defensive side of the ball.
With that in mind, I’m expecting Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars to hang a big number on the Colts. Jacksonville is loaded with pass-catching weapons, with star wide receiver Calvin Ridley returning from a one-year gambling suspension and joining guys like Christian Kirk, Evan Engram and Zay Jones — as well as running back Travis Etienne. This was already one of the most improved offensive teams in the league in 2022, but more talent and another year in Doug Pederson’s system should yield great results. And that’ll start with a big performance in Week 1.