NFL Confidence Pool Picks Week 1

by Devon Rymarchuk - 9/8/2021

The first week of the NFL season is often the hardest to predict. Usually filled with upsets and unpredictable outcomes, this season will be no different. With no games above an eight-point spread, it will be a hard-fought Week 1, making your confidence pool all the more exciting. If there is a week to make some unpopular picks, Week 1 could be your week to separate yourself from the competition. We are going with picks without a spread here. If you want Office Pool Picks ATS, click here for our weekly article.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

Arizona Cardinals @ Tennessee Titans

Spread +3

Win Odds: 40%

Pick Popularity: 20%

My favorite value pick of the week is Arizona Cardinals @ Tennessee Titans, with only 20% of people picking the Cardinals and having a 40% chance to win. Depending on your pool size, this could be a risky pick to put a lot of confidence in. However, with the recent upgrades on the team, I like the Cardinals to take this.

New York Jets @ Carolina Panthers

Spread +5

Win Odds: 37%

Pick Popularity: 15%

Heading into Week 1, I believe a lot of the public may be viewing the Jets as the same team as last season, where they were constantly picked against in every pick’em format. With a new head coach and a rookie quarterback, who has been lights out in pre-season, it would not be far-fetched to see an upset here.

Indianapolis Colts vs Seattle Seahawks

Spread +2.5

Win Odds: 46%

Pick Popularity: 18%

Depending on the Status of Carson Wentz, picking the Colts with higher confidence could offer you a lot of value in Week 1. I would wait until the status of Wentz is known before making this pick, but don’t shy away from this matchup.

Jacksonville @ Houston

Spread -3

Win Odds: 65%

Pick Popularity: 62%

Picking the Jacksonville Jaguars with higher confidence will present a lot of value in your pool for Week 1. With the Jaguars not being the most popular pick of the week, I believe you will be able to gain a lot of ground by putting them near the top of your list. The Houston Texans have an absolutely disastrous situation going on right now within their organization, and Trevor Lawrence has looked spectacular in preseason.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons

Spread +3.5

Win Odds: 37%

Pick Popularity: 30%

I like the Philadelphia Eagles to upset the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 1. Two first year head coaches will duke it out in an exciting battle. Both teams are notoriously very difficult to bet on, but I believe Jalen Hurts will muscle this one out.

The first week of any football year can give you a lot of momentum moving forward in the season. With free agency, the NFL draft, and coaching changes, many teams will have a completely new look heading into Week 1. It is important to not bring biases from last season into a new year and to fully expect franchises to both shock and disappoint in week 1.

My Confidence Picks

Win	Loss
16. San Francisco 49ers	Detroit Lions
15. Jacksonville Jaguars	Houston Texans
14. Los Angeles Rams	Chicago Bears
13. Green Bay Packers	New Orleans Saints
12. Buffalo Bills	Pittsburgh Steelers
11. Baltimore Ravens	Las Vegas Raiders
10. Indianapolis Colts	Seattle Seahawks
9. Kansas City Chiefs	Cleveland Browns
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Dallas Cowboys
7. Los Angeles Chargers	Washington Football Team
6. Arizona Cardinals	Tennessee Titans
5. Miami Dolphins	New England Patriots
4. New York Jets	Carolina Panthers
3. Philadelphia Eagles	Atlanta Falcons
2. New York Giants	Denver Broncos
1. Minnesota Vikings	Cincinnati Bengals

Get NFL picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Pick:	KANSAS CITY CHIEFS -5.5
Start:	December 15, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #465 Kansas City Chiefs -5.5 over Cleveland Browns (1p.m., Sunday, December 15 CBS) The Chiefs keep winning games and sooner or later one of those wins will come by a comfortable margin. I look for that to be this Sunday against a Browns team that is just playing out the string. Cleveland currently sits at 3- 10 and will enter this game having lost 4 of their last 5 games. Their only win came against Pittsburgh in a snow game on a short week. All 4 of those losses by the Browns have come over the posted number for this game. Kansas City is better on both sides of the football, and I just do not see the Browns offense keeping pace. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend card featuring top plays in basketball, football, and hockey. We will feature our World-Famous Nonconference Game of the Year in College Basketball on Saturday. This game has won 13 of the 15 years it has been in existence and it is a must have for any big game hunter. Read More Read Less

NFL Confidence Pool Picks Week 1

Most Recent NFL Confidence Pool Picks