PML Pick Ems’ is going to be a weekly segment featuring Greeny, Arod, Cammy, Burn, and myself where we predict the winners for every PML game. We will also have excerpts each week from each of us, but these excerpts will feature different topics each week. This week we are focusing on our “Locks of the Week” and our “Upsets of the Week.” We will also keep a running tally of the picks and it will be updated each week.
Locks of the Week –
Greeny –
49ers 42 – Steelers 17 –
I’m not sure if this is more to do with CEO or his opponent Curt. CEO is a solid coach with an unbelievable team and curt has been dubbed the interception merchant and now has low throw power Kenny two gloves. This one is a recipe for a blowout. CEO also has a low throw power QB, but the team advantage will play heavy here.
Burn –
Browns 28 – Bengals 7 –
Both of these teams are very good; however, I feel Mali and the Browns have the ability and is the favorite to win this division. He can make a strong statement by coming out in the first week and getting a great win over a divisional opponent. Mali has need doing well in the h2h circuit while we haven’t heard much from Goose. Goose hasn’t had much success in PML while Mali had some quality wins last cycle. We have a great slate of week 1 games, but I feel Mali is the only real sure lock this week.
Cammy –
Jaguars 35 – Colts 7 –
My lock of the week is going to be TBandits Jaguars getting a victory over the Colts. I think both coaches are great, but these jaguars are playing with a chip on their shoulder and now that they have their favorite team and quarterback in their hands again, I think they will put on a dominant showing week 1.
Fallen –
Falcons 28 – Panthers 14 –
We have two coaches that really came on strong the season of the cycle in Madden 23, but it took a few seasons of building in order to get their respective teams where they wanted them. I think that Nef is going to take their first matchup, he has the stronger offensive attack with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. I don’t think Bryce Young is going to be able to handle the pressure whereas Desmond Ridder will have a more efficient game because the Falcons are not going to ask him to throw very often. In fact, I predict that the Falcons are going to have more rushing attempts in this game than passing attempts and an aggressive defensive approach will pave their way to victory.
Upsets of the Week –
Greeny –
Eagles 34 – Patriots 28 –
Hd came all offseason asking for the Eagles. He got the team and it’s time to show out with them. The best time to beat the Dot led pats are season one before he can build them. This might be team for team the biggest difference all season. Eagles are far superior and if Hd just plays within himself he can pull off a win vs a solid coach.
Burn –
Giants 34 – Cowboys 31 –
The Cowboys are one of the best, if not the best team in the league. On paper, they don’t have many holes on the roster. They clearly have the better roster in this matchup; however, I feel that I can win this game. Drama and I have great match ups when we play so I feel it will be a close game, however, I believe I can use the speed on this Giants team to get the upset over the Cowboys.
Cammy –
Commanders 27 – Cardinals 24 –
I have the Commanders upsetting the highly touted coach in Que. This has nothing to do with Que’s ability as a coach more so the ability of the team he is up against. The Commanders line is going to make it very hard for him to run the ball on an already weak offense and then adding to that trying to throw the ball with very limited time without Kyler is going to hurt this offense even more.
Arod –
Ravens 34 – Texans 17 –
Will this really be an upset looking at the range of talent between the two teams? Some may call it one, while others may not. Texans’ user Keraun, the 7th ranked PML user last cycle, is out to prove he wasn’t just a product of a hulked-up Ravens roster last cycle. Arod, ranked 32, is hungry and looking to produce one of his first winning cycles of his PML career. I think the talent gap between the two teams provides a dosage of difficulty Keraun may have a hard time overcoming this early in the cycle with the stock Texans. I know both users aren’t taking this game lightly as their DMs have been filled with back-and-forth banter for weeks. The users are familiar with each other, and all the summer labbing leads to this. Should be a fun one.
Giants 35 – Cowboys 21 –
We’ve seen it before. Drama confidentiality comes out and has to quickly go back to the drawing board and retool. I think these two users know each other’s gameplay at this point so it could go either way. I think the Cowboys are the divisional favorites, but it could very well be a slow start out of the gate as Burn and the Giants steal it at home as the air attack of the Giants will be too much for the ground and pound Cowboys to keep up with.
Fallen –
Commanders 13 – Cardinals 10 –
Vet and Que are two coaches that are on the opposite spectrum when it comes to coach rankings, but I think this game is going to be too much for whichever backup Que decides to roll with. The Commanders have a dominant defensive line and Vet isn’t going to have to do much to apply pressure. Kyler Murray’s absence will be felt in this game, but Que isn’t going to let himself get blown out. It’s going to be a defensive, low-scoring game that ends with whichever coach turns the ball over less, dominants the line of scrimmage, and has the edge over time of possession.
