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NFL Picks, Week 1 2019: Packers come out of the gate slowly amid division’s hot start

APC isn’t feeling optimistic about the Packers’ chances of pulling off an upset victory on Thursday evening.

By Evan "Tex" Western
Green Bay Packers v Baltimore Ravens Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images

When the Green Bay Packers take the field against the Chicago Bears this evening to open up the NFL’s 100th season, fans of both teams will be thrilled to see their squads playing meaningful football for the first time in more than eight months. Of course, the critical question is which team will win the year’s first contest and move into sole possession of first place in the entire NFL at 1-0.

Unfortunately for the Packers, APC is not feeling particularly optimistic about the result. Perhaps it is home teams’ 14-2 records on Thursday night season openers. Perhaps it is the Packers’ new offense under Matt LaFleur, which has not taken a single preseason snap at full strength. Or maybe it’s lingering expectations following the Bears’ 12-4 season a year ago contrasted against the Packers’ dismal 6-9-1 campaign.

For all of those reasons and probably a handful of others, the composite pick from APC’s contributors is that the Bears will earn the first victory of the season. Meanwhile, we have the Packers as the lone NFC North team to start off at 0-1, as APC predicts the Minnesota Vikings to win at home over the Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions to travel to Arizona and defeat the Cardinals.

All will not be lost if these results come true; the Packers will come home for three straight games at Lambeau and five in the following six weeks. That should be an opportunity for the team to try to right the ship quickly and get back in the winning side of the ledger. But for now, APC expects Matt LaFleur and company to look at an 0-1 record by this time Friday.

Here are our picks for week one.

Week 1 NFL Picks

Game Tex Jason Peter Jon M Jordan Kris Matub Paul Shawn Wendi Zach Bob Mike Composite
Game Tex Jason Peter Jon M Jordan Kris Matub Paul Shawn Wendi Zach Bob Mike Composite
GB @ CHI CHI CHI CHI CHI CHI CHI GB CHI GB CHI CHI GB GB CHI
LAR @ CAR LAR LAR LAR LAR CAR LAR LAR LAR LAR LAR LAR LAR CAR LAR
TEN @ CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE CLE TEN CLE
KC @ JAX KC KC KC KC KC KC KC JAX KC KC KC KC KC KC
BAL @ MIA BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL BAL*
ATL @ MIN MIN MIN MIN MIN ATL ATL MIN ATL ATL MIN MIN ATL ATL MIN
BUF @ NYJ BUF NYJ NYJ NYJ NYJ NYJ NYJ NYJ BUF NYJ NYJ BUF NYJ NYJ
WAS @ PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI PHI*
IND @ LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC LAC*
CIN @ SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA SEA*
DET @ ARI DET ARI DET DET ARI DET DET DET DET DET DET ARI ARI DET
NYG @ DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL DAL*
SF @ TB TB TB SF SF TB SF TB SF TB TB TB SF SF TB
PIT @ NE NE NE NE NE PIT NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE NE
HOU @ NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO*
DEN @ OAK OAK DEN DEN DEN DEN DEN DEN DEN DEN OAK OAK OAK DEN DEN

* Indicates unanimous selection

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