The MikesPickz NFL Picks are back again for the 2019-20 season.
This year, I am going with a new format, but overall the picks will be the same. This year the picks will be in a list format rather than traditional grid you may be used to. The favorite will be marked with the spread in parenthesis next to the team name. For example, Patriots (-6.5).
I will make my picks for each game, every week of the NFL season using the point spread from the NY Daily News on Wednesday. After each week, the post will be updated with the results. This is my 14th season picking NFL games against the spread on MikesPickz. If you have followed along from the beginning, you will have noticed how it has grown and over the years. My full pick record can be found on the historical picks page.
I will continue to make my best bet pick and that will be indicated next to the game. My best bet is the team that I feel is most likely to win and cover the spread this week.
Welcome to Week 1 of the NFL Season! Without further adieu, here are my picks:
Week 1 BYE WEEKS: None
Best Bet: SEAHAWKS (-9.5) – LOSS
Week 1 Recap: 8-7-1, 0-1 Best Bet, 2-0 Survivor pool
Thursday Night:
- Packers at Bears (-3.5)
- The pick: Packers (+3.5) – WIN
Sunday Early Games:
- Rams (-3) at Panthers
- The pick: Panthers (+3) – TIE, I’ll take the home dog in a game I expect is going to be close.
- Redskins at Eagles (-10)
- The pick: Redskins (+10) – WIN, big divisional dogs tend to be great picks early in the NFL season.
- Bills at Jets (-3)
- The pick: Bills (+3) – WIN, another divisional dog that I like. I could even see them winning straight up.
- Falcons at Vikings (-4)
- The pick: Vikings (-4) – WIN, Mike Zimmer usually has his team ready to play Week 1 (4-1 ATS).
- Ravens (-7) at Dolphins
- The pick: Dolphins (+7) – LOSS, I’m a believer that the Dolphins have an advantage playing at home in the heat early in the season against teams from the North. Everyone is saying how the Dolphins are playing for the draft (and I do think there is truth to that), but don’t tell the players that.
- Chiefs (-3.5) at Jaguars
- The pick: Jaguars (+3.5) – LOSS, I’ll take the hook in this game. I like the Chiefs by 3.
- Titans at Browns (-5.5)
- The pick: Browns (-5.5) – LOSS, the Browns are probably the most hyped team coming into this season. Can they live up to it or do the fall to the pressure? I think they do enough to cover.
Sunday Late Games:
- Colts at Chargers (-6.5)
- The pick: Colts (+6.5) – WIN, if you can get +7 or better, obviously take that. But just because Andrew Luck retired, doesn’t mean the Colts are going to be bad. They were dark horse Super Bowl contenders with Luck and without Luck, I still think they are going to be in the playoff picture by the end of the season.
- Bengals at Seahawks (-9.5)
- The pick: Seahawks (-9.5) (BEST BET) – LOSS, Seahawks at home in the season opener against a first time head coach who has never even been a coordinator in the NFL? I’ll take that bet.
- 49ers (-1) at Bucs
- The pick: 49ers (-1) – WIN, if you have seen my season predictions, I like Jimmy G to be comeback player of the year. This game should have plenty of points and that could jump start his campaign.
- Giants at Cowboys (-7.5)
- The pick: Giants (+7.5) – LOSS, another divisional dog that I like. The Cowboys will have Elliott, but I’m not sold he is 100% effective after holding out all off-season.
- Lions (-2.5) at Cards
- The pick: Cards (+2.5) – WIN, I don’t think the Cards will be good that season, but week 1 with a new coach, new quarterback, new system that promises high flying points? I’ll take a chance that they come out and surprise people especially as a home underdog.
Sunday Night Football:
- Steelers at Patriots (-6)
- The pick: Steelers (+6) – LOSS, hard to go against the Patriots when they have extra time to prepare, but I just don’t see how this game isn’t close.
Monday Night Football:
- Texans at Saints (-7)
- The pick: Texans (+7) – WIN, the Saints seemingly always struggle early in the season (ahem, destroying survivor pools week 1 last season). I have the Saints to win the Super Bowl this season, but I think week 1 stays close and I’ll take a touchdown with the Texans.
- Broncos at Raiders (PK)
- The pick: Broncos (PK) – LOSS, how can you take the Raiders after all the drama this off-season? I think the Broncos defense stifles the Raiders.
Previous Week’s Record:
Regular Season Record:
Postseason Record:
Best Bet Record:
Click here for my Historical Pick Records
King of the Hill aka Lock of the Week aka Survivor Pool Picks:
In this section, I will post my pick for a survivor pool. Once a team is used, I can’t use them again for the rest of the season. The team selected only has to win the game, not cover the spread. Pick One and Pick Two are independent of each other. If I use a team with Picks One, I can use them later with Pick Two.
Week | Pick One | Pick Two |
Week 1 | Seahawks – win | Eagles – win |
Week 2 | ||
Week 3 | ||
Week 4 | ||
Week 5 | ||
Week 6 | ||
Week 7 | ||
Week 8 | ||
Week 9 | ||
Week 10 | ||
Week 11 | ||
Week 12 | ||
Week 13 | ||
Week 14 | ||
Week 15 | ||
Week 16 | ||
Week 17 | ||
Total | 1-0 | 1-0 |