Boxing Picks 2025- Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford (Saturday 13th September)

It has felt the Boxing world has been in something of a freeze in anticipation of the main event in Las Vegas this Saturday, although the summer months have been more active than previous years.

Canelo vs Bud is a Super Fight, even if the two combatants are past their prime- they are still considered amongst the best pound for pound fighters in the sport and the winner is going to be given some big opportunities over the next twelve months to further their legacy and increase the bank balance.

Even the losing fighter may be afforded some opportunities, but you have to imagine that said fighter could also consider retirement.

This is a big weekend in other parts of the world too- the main event may be in Las Vegas, but Naoya Inoue faces a real challenge on Sunday and the Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan rematch for a World Title in Belfast is going to provide an intense atmosphere on Saturday evening, UK time.

For Boxing fans, this is the kind of weekend that should be appreciated and enjoyed with some solid fights across several hours and it should be the beginning of some solid looking cards to take us through to the end of the calendar year.

Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford

When this fight was first rumoured, my feeling was that Terence Crawford would be ready to 'shock the world' by moving up a couple of weight classes to beat the Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion.

However, the expectation was that this was not going to be a view shared by many.

To my surprise, the Terence Crawford bandwagon has been picking up steam ever since the fight was made official and there has been little reason to pull back on the selection.

You have to have a huge amount of respect for Canelo Alvarez and all that he has achieved in the sport- he is the naturally bigger man in terms of the weight class, and having just two defeats in a sixty-seven fight career against Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol will give his fans plenty of belief that the Mexican is ready to beat another contender.

Carrying the extra weight is going to be an issue for Terence Crawford, but he physically matches up to Canelo Alvarez.

Bud is also the older fighter, even if he is less battle worn, and you cannot ignore what has looked obvious slippages in Canelo Alvarez' performances over the last couple of years. The win over William Scull was particularly poor viewing earlier this year, although Canelo can at least point to being more active than Terence Crawford who is having just his second fight since July 2023.

The last time we saw Crawford in the ring, he was not exactly lighting it up and that was at Light Middleweight, but his footwork is going to be an advantage in this fight.

It may all end up boiling down to a simple fact- can Crawford take the punches and power that Canelo Alvarez will deliver?

A couple of years ago it may have felt different, but there is little doubt that Canelo's activity has dipped within fights and that is where Terence Crawford can use his footwork and Boxing IQ and skills to do enough to put the Rounds in the bank.

Earning a Decision win over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas has always been an extra challenge- there are a number of fights where it has been almost unanimously felt that the Mexican King has been given a kind verdict, most notably in the Gennady Golovkin trilogy and the Erislandy Lara bouts.

Even Dmitry Bivol's win over Canelo looked much more comfortable than the final 115-113 scores handed in by all three judges and you do have to wonder if any close Rounds will automatically be handed to Alvarez.

That is not to say it is going to be a fix, but the old saying of a 'good big one beats a good little one' might be on the minds of the judges when there is little between the fighters and so leaning with the Boxer they expect to be dictating is almost human nature.

The more Terence Crawford pushes to make it clear he has won the Rounds, the more chance of Canelo Alvarez landing something big, but the unbeaten American is someone who seems to know when to turn it on and off within fights.

It would be a real surprise if either fighter is Stopped, but the feeling is that Terence Crawford will outwork Canelo Alvarez for long enough to be given the Decision. Both fighters are likely to come out with some caution and it could be a slow burner, but there is a pride about both Canelo and Bud and that should see them exchanging plenty of leather once they have worked out some of the movements of the other.

This has all of the hallmarks of being a brilliant fight, even if both are past their best, and it is hard to rule out Terence Crawford from earning the upset.

My gut feeling is that Terence Crawford will find a way, but inactivity is an issue and we won't really know how that, and the added weight has affected his preparation until the two fighters are in the ring.

Canelo Alvarez has tended to find a plan that has helped him come through close fights, but this is his toughest test since the loss to Dmitry Bivol.

It is a Super Fight and the best play may be going with the gut feeling that has been in place since it was first rumoured and that is Bud Crawford finding a way, most likely on the cards.

Instead of a three day build towards the main event in Las Vegas, as was touted by the promoters when the big fight was first announced, there is a decent enough undercard put together.

It features fighters that could potentially be pushed into main event or higher profile fights going forward, especially with the links to Riyadh Season, and so there are big opportunities at play.

Serhii Bohachuk has raised his profile over the last twelve months and is expected to earn revenge over Brandon Adams, the sole loss on his record. However, it is not easy to know how the fight will develop considering the toughness of the veteran, although ultimately you have to believe Bohachuk will have his hand raised.

The interest may be in a couple of the crossroads fights featuring unbeaten opponents who will be looking for a big opportunity for the winner.

Callum Walsh and Christian Mbili are the favourites against Fernando Vargas and Lester Martinez respectively and both could overpower the Boxer coming out of the other corner.

It just feels like Walsh and Mbili have been building their records in better company compared with the opponent they are facing and that could show up- both of these fighters have a real belief that they are set for some big opportunities over the next twelve to eighteen months and they can prove that by impressing some of the biggest financial backers in the sport.

Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan II

There was a huge amount of controversy attached to the first bout between these two rivals which was ended with a punch thrown by Paddy Donovan after the bell.

He was well on his way to winning the fight, but that late punch was deemed a Disqualification-worthy effort, and Lewis Crocker maintained his unbeaten record.

The fight now moves from The SSE Arena to Windsor Park and more has been put on the line with a World Title awarded to the winner in the Welterweight Division.

Lewis Crocker insists he will be better, but it is hard to imagine him closing what looked a considerable gap to Paddy Donovan in the original bout.

Some talk has been around that Crocker was having issues in the build up to that one, but Paddy Donovan looked stronger and the better Boxer and this time he will be looking to really make sure he leaves with the victory and the World Title. It should mean a cleaner fight from Donovan as he puts the pressure on Lewis Crocker and he should be fired up to make a statement.

Paddy Donovan can do that inside this Stadium in what should be a fiery atmosphere and the exclamation point will be securing a Stoppage, one that cannot be taken away this time.

The first fight between Crocker and Donovan was memorable, but there is a rematch on the undercard that will have fans salivating.

Tyrone McKenna Stopped Dylan Moran in two absorbing Rounds back in December and they will run it back.

Since that contest, McKenna has been through another tough fight when being Stopped by Harlem Eubank, but he will be very confident that he has too much for this rival having shown that in the first bout.

You have to believe Dylan Moran will take some confidence from the number of times McKenna was dropped in that defeat to Eubank, but his own chin has shown a 'weakness' which his rival was happy to point out BEFORE the first win.

Another firefight could be in store, but one that Tyrone McKenna can come out on top.

There is also a decent looking Super Middleweight fight on the undercard and there seems to be little love lost between Caoimhin Agyarko and Ishmael Davis.

However, it feels the layers have got it about right with Davis going in as a narrow favourite and he should do enough to beat the home fighter on the cards.

MY PICKS: Terence Crawford to Win @ 2.60 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Christian Mbili to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Callum Walsh to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Paddy Donovan to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.66 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tyrone McKenna to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.83 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2025: 19-56, - 32.93 Units (94 Units Staked, - 35.03% Yield)

College Football Week 3 Picks 2025 (Saturday 13th September)

The expanded Playoff format in the world of College Football does offer some more room for error for the very best teams in the nation, but it still feels like some are teetering on the edge of a cliff if they are to lose a second game in Week 3.

Teams playing in the SEC know that non-Conference defeats could be tough to shake off if they were to lose to a couple of the top contenders within the Conference, while others, like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, will see their schedule as being too weak even if they make a run following a second defeat.

The Playoff Committee have made it clear that they like to see more competition and that will mean not punishing a team for a loss to another top team and so there are some bigger, more important non-Conference games scheduled than ever before.

Week 3 is also bringing together teams from within Conferences that are looking to make an early statement and the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville is going to be really fun to watch.

While we do have some very good looking games in Week 3, there are also some teams being asked to lay big spreads and that means there is a pressure to impress before moving into tougher parts of the schedule.

It all adds up to what should be another fun week around the nation with games being played across several time zones on Saturday.

Factors meant there were no College Football Picks in Week 2, but the idea is to bounce back in Week 3.

After a good start to the season, Week 1 proved to be something of a headache with some late plays moving against the selections.

Hopefully the upcoming slate of games can help turn things back around.

Oregon Ducks @ Northwestern Wildcats Pick: The first season in the Big Ten Conference went as well as the Oregon Ducks (2-0) would have hoped as they won the Championship with an unbeaten record. That included wins over the likes of the then defending National Champions Michigan Wolverines as well as Ohio State and Penn State, but the season might have felt underwhelming when beating in the College Football Playoff as the Number 1 Seed.

That defeat was against the aforementioned Buckeyes in a rematch, a team who would go on to win the National Championship, and so motivation is high within the Oregon camp.

They have reloaded effectively and new Quarter Back Dante Moore has shown the benefits of sitting behind Dillon Gabriel and learning the Offensive plan last year.

Oregon are clearly a team on a mission and the blowout win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys will have certainly gotten the attention of the rest of the loaded, competitive Big Ten, as well as the very best teams across the nation.

The Ducks do not have to face Michigan or Ohio State in the regular season this time around, but they will want to keep the momentum behind them ahead of a rivalry game against Oregon State next week before closing out September with a road game at the Penn State Nittany Lions, the team that came into the season as the third favourite to win the Conference.

These are big challenges for the Ducks, but they will not want to overlook Northwestern Wildcats (1-1) in what is a very early start for Oregon.

It is the first true road game of the season, even if Northwestern are currently playing in a couple of homes while renovations continue at their real Stadium, and the early start is expected to offer some challenges. Head Coach Dan Lanning is not looking for excuses though and he is going to be hugely encouraged by what he has seen from the Ducks early in the season.

The Wildcats finished last season with a 4-8 record having overachieved in Head Coach David Braun's first season in charge, and they have already been well beaten by the Tulane Green Wave. A tough schedule suggests the Wildcats will do well to surpass the two Conference wins earned last season and they have lost starting Running Back Cam Porter to a season-ending injury.

Trying to establish the run would have been a plan for the Wildcats if only to give the Defensive unit a chance to rest and recover, but that would have been challenging even if Porter had been able to suit up.

All of the pressure could be on Quarter Back Preston Stone, who threw 4 Interceptions in the loss to the Green Wave, and he is almost certainly going to be put under pressure by the Oregon pass rush when throwing in this good looking Secondary.

Stopping the Oregon Ducks is going to be hugely challenging judging by what this Offensive Line has been able to do and Northwestern's Defensive Line have not really been very stout up front. Dante Moore's main task early on will be to hand the ball off to any of a number of Running Backs and allow the Offensive Line to punish the Wildcats on the ground, which in turn will open up his passing lanes as the game develops.

The Offensive Line have not only opened up big holes for the rushing plays, but they have kept the pocket clean for the Quarter Back and the limited Wildcats pass rush is not expected to rattle Moore.

It should mean another big win for the Oregon Ducks, who have outscored the first two opponents by 46 and 66 points respectively.

Blowouts on the road are much tougher to achieve, but Oregon did win a couple of road games by 35 points last season and they may reach that kind of margin in this one against a Wildcats team expected to have another year of difficulties.

Last season Northwestern finished with a 1-3 record against the spread as the home underdog and only a sleepy performance from the Oregon Ducks is expected to allow this game to be close.

Wisconsin Badgers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Pick: This may only be the start of the second year in charge of the Alabama Crimson Tide (1-1), but Kalen DeBoer may struggle to hold onto his job if his team lose to another non-Conference opponent in Week 3. They bounced back from a really poor performance against the Florida State Seminoles to beat UL Monroe, but expectations are always huge around Alabama and missing out on another College Football Playoff will likely spell the end of DeBoer's time as Head Coach.

The chances of reaching the Playoff will depend on how Alabama go the rest of the way, although it is very difficult to see how they would recover from a second defeat this early in the season. In two weeks time they have to travel to Athens to play the Georgia Bulldogs and the likes of Tennessee, South Carolina and LSU are still on deck.

We are yet to see how the loss to the Seminoles will stack up, but losing to the Wisconsin Badgers (2-0) might be harder to explain away with the visiting team just 14-13 under the guidance of Head Coach Luke Fickell.

The Badgers have yet to be tested in the 2025 season, but are expected to be without starting Quarter Back Billy Edwards Jr, even if he is looking to travel with the team. Instead the focus will be on Danny O'Neil who has experience as a starter with the San Diego State Aztecs, but who will rarely have been up against anything that closely resembles the Alabama Defensive unit.

They shut out UL Monroe last week after underperforming against the Seminoles and the Crimson Tide Defensive Line will certainly feel they can win at the Line of Scrimmage against this Badgers Offensive Line. This time they are not facing a dual-threat Quarter Back and so Alabama can play the game with a bit more confidence up front and force Danny O'Neil to try and beat them through the air.

Wisconsin's Offensive Line may feel they can give O'Neil some time in the pocket, but he is going to be throwing from third and long at times and against an Alabama Secondary that is looking very strong.

It may be tough for the Badgers to move the ball with consistency, but they will be motivated for a big performance having been thumped by the Crimson Tide in Madison last season.

Much like Alabama, the Badgers will look to try and win on the Line of Scrimmage when they are on the Defensive side of the ball and try and force the pressure onto Quarter Back Ty Simpson of the home team. In recent years the Crimson Tide Offensive Line have been big and strong though and you have to believe that they can get something going on the ground.

Easing the burden on Ty Simpson is important, as is the fact that he will have one of his top Receivers back when Ryan Williams is expected to be have passed through the concussion protocol. He looked to be growing into the game against Florida State before putting in a big performance against ULM, and being in front of the chains should make the play-calling that much more comfortable for Simpson to execute.

You have to believe the Crimson Tide will show their qualities in this one, especially as the hosts, and they have been a decent home favourite to get behind.

This is a big spread, but with two weeks coming up to prepare for Georgia, the Crimson Tide can leave it all out on the field and they can put a thumping on Wisconsin for a second season in a row. A couple of turnovers will help, and the feeling is that the Defensive unit can make enough big plays to offer up some short field opportunities, which will ultimately allow the home team to pull clear of the spread set.

Central Michigan Chippewas @ Michigan Wolverines Pick: It was a really disappointing season as defending National Champions and the Michigan Wolverines (1-1) are trying to bounce back from a defeat at the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 2. They finished with an 8-5 record in 2024, but the Wolverines were the last team to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes and the fans will be demanding they find a way to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff this time around.

Losing to the Sooners stings, but the Michigan Wolverines do have a schedule that will give them a chance to prove they are worthy of having a spot in the twelve team Playoff later in the year.

Michigan have a big game coming up at the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but the defeat last week should have refocused the team, even if Head Coach Sherrone Moore is serving the first of a two game suspension. He will be watching on and looking for a reaction from his team.

The Wolverines look to be facing a good opponent in the Central Michigan Chippewas (1-1) who are in the first year under a new Head Coach having finished 4-8 last season. The blowout loss at the home of the Pittsburgh Panthers is a reminder that it will take time to learn the methods of Matt Drinkel, a Head Coach who wants his team to run the ball and set things up from there.

It was a real problem for the Chippewas in that defeat to the Panthers and they are not expected to have a lot of joy going up against this Michigan Defensive Line. Despite the defeat last week to the Sooners, Michigan played well on this side of the ball and they have the strength and power up front to close down the running lanes and force Central Michigan to take to the air.

Rod Moore could be back to play some snaps in the Secondary after a serious injury suffered last season and that is going to be a boost for the Wolverines. They are also facing a Central Michigan team giving all of their Quarter Backs a chance to impress and the Wolverines should be able to contain much of the Offensive threat over the course of the four Quarters to be played.

This game also gives the Wolverines a chance to open up the playbook Offensively as they look to find some rhythm on this side of the ball.

The Offensive Line should be able to have their way against the Chippewas Defensive Line and that is going to open things up for the Michigan Wolverines and their young Quarter Back. The likelihood is that Michigan will rip off some big gains on the ground and that should really give Bryce Underwood an opportunity to show why he was so heavily recruited ahead of his College career.

Bryce Underwood found it tough against the Sooners, but this is a much weaker Secondary and the Quarter Back should be playing from manageable field positions.

This is the biggest spread that Michigan will have faced since Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL, and they failed to cover as a 20+ favourite on two occasions last season. The Wolverines also failed to cover as a big home favourite in the win over New Mexico in Week 1, but the Chippewas were well beaten by the Panthers and could struggle to stick with the angry hosts in Week 3.

Western Michigan Broncos @ Illinois Fighting Illini Pick: Four teams made it to the College Football Playoff out of the Big Ten Conference last season and all won double digit games. The exception was the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-0) who had a 10-3 record after winning the Bowl Game, but losses to Penn State, Oregon and Minnesota in the regular season meant missing out.

However, the Fighting Illini have moved into 2025 with a lot of confidence having returned so many starters from last season on both sides of the ball.

Two crushing wins to open this season has only built the confidence further and Illinois did impress in the victory over the Duke Blue Devils last week.

The biggest test for the Fighting Illini is not to overlook the Western Michigan Broncos (2-0) ahead of a big Conference opener against the Indiana Hoosiers.

For as long as the Illinois Offensive starters are playing, the Fighting Illini should be comfortable moving the chains. The Offensive Line is expected to set the table for the rest of the team by opening up some big lanes on the ground against what has been a struggling Western Michigan Defensive Line and this should also mean Quarter Back Luke Altmyer is able to build on what has been a very good start to the season.

The experienced Quarter Back had 22 Touchdown passes to go with 6 Interceptions last season and he has begun this year with 6 Touchdown passes without throwing a single pick. With the team expected to be moving the ball on the ground, Altmyer should be given a bit more protection and the Fighting Illini should have a comfortable day Offensively and keep the points ticking over as they have in the opening two games.

After struggling in the opening defeat to the Michigan State Spartans, Western Michigan's Offensive performance was stronger in the Week 2 defeat.

However, this is another step up for the Broncos Offense which is not very experienced and it will be tough to pick up the yards on the ground as they were doing in the loss to North Texas. This week they are facing an Illinois Defensive Line that has been very strong in the opening couple of games and it will put pressure on Broc Lowry or Brady Jones when they are playing out of the Quarter Back position.

As teams have been chasing points against Illinois, there has been some successes had against this Secondary, which will also be happy to give up some yardage with big leads to protect. However, we have not seen much from the Broncos passing game to believe they can sustain drives and failing to run the ball efficiently will also mean having to face this Fighting Illini pass rush that has been very good.

Illinois are not a team that have been used to being favoured at home over the last twelve months, but they have a 2-1-1 record against the spread in that setting, including covering in Week 1. This is a big number, but the Offensive performances will certainly encourage Fighting Illini backers, as will the fact that the Broncos are just 2-4 against the spread as the road underdog since the beginning of the 2024 season.

MY PICKS: Oregon Ducks - 27 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 27.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini - 27.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Auburn Tigers - 24.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders - 23.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Iowa State Cyclones - 21.5 Points @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (September 12-14)

I always felt the six weeks between the end of the 2019/20 Premier League season and the start of the 2020/21 would fly by, but even then the new season has snuck up on me in the same way the NFL season has done.

With the European competitions being completed in August, it did mean the Premier League offered Manchester City and Manchester United the chance to have an extra week to prepare for the season and that means those two teams along with Burnley and Aston Villa are not going to be in action this weekend.

Even then, there are eight Premier League matches to come this week and, importantly, the Fantasy Football Game is back with GW1 ready to go.

I have a few thoughts about the opening week of the season which you can read below once I put down my thoughts as to how the weekend Premier League games will go.

Fulham v Arsenal Pick: After a very short off-season the Premier League is back in action on Saturday as Arsenal make a relatively short trip across London to take on newly-promoted Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Both of these clubs enjoyed plenty of success at Wembley Stadium last month as Fulham earned their spot in the top flight through the Play Off Final just days after Arsenal won the FA Cup. The Gunners have also won the Community Shield in the national Stadium a couple of weeks ago and the Mikel Arteta era is beginning to take shape with some interesting signings made.

A couple of youngsters may take over in key defensive positions, but keeping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks to have been the crucial piece of business done this off-season. Signing Willian will give the squad some experience too and Arsenal have produced some big results under their Spanish manager.

However there are some questions about a team that only won 4 of 19 away Premier League games last season. The Gunners have to be much stronger than that if they are going to bridge the 10 point gap that existed at the end of last season between Arsenal and the Champions League spots and the improvement has to be shown right at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign.

I do think Arsenal have the attacking players to make hay at Craven Cottage where they have enjoyed visiting in recent times. There are a number of members of the squad who would have been involved in the 1-5 win on this ground a little under two years ago and I do think Fulham have a squad that looks short of the quality needed to survive, at least at this point.

Scott Parker will believe he has the time to still bring in the players that can make the difference for Fulham, but I do think they will find it difficult to contain a team like Arsenal who have pace and quality in the final third.

You do have to wonder how players will cope with what has been a very short time between seasons, but both of these groups should come into the fixture with confidence. I think that could produce a decent game of football even without the fans and I believe that Arsenal will edge a high-scoring fixture.

Fulham were decent here in the Championship, but the step up in class is likely going to be telling for much of the season barring some real quality being signed before the end of the transfer window. Any signings to be made might be accelerated forward if Fulham struggle on Saturday and I do think Arsenal win a fixture featuring at least two goals.

Crystal Palace v Southampton Pick: These two teams are both trendy picks for the new Premier League season- the form shown since the resumption of play means plenty are tipping up Crystal Palace for relegation and Southampton for a top half finish and perhaps even a push for Europe.

Roy Hodgson is a very strong manager and he will extract all he can from the Crystal Palace squad, but much is going to depend on whether he can find a consistent path to goal from somewhere. That is never easy, but Crystal Palace have signed players to try and produce in the final third, although the key for the club is holding onto Wilfried Zaha if possible.

Zaha has been linked with a move away and while the transfer window is open there is going to be a fear that he will finally get his wish.

That uncertainty won't help the Crystal Palace squad which had lost 7 straight Premier League games before a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. Now they have to take on a Southampton team who had the 4th best record in the Premier League after the three month suspension of the season came to an end.

Southampton have not really strengthened the squad as much as they would have liked, but there is quality available to Ralph Hasenhuttl. The Austrian manager has gotten plenty out of his players in the squad and a rejuvenated Danny Ings provides the end product to the strong football played by The Saints.

This is a team that have loved playing away from home with 9 wins from 19 games on their travels in the League and Southampton have won 3 in a row on this ground. The injuries at the back will make Crystal Palace vulnerable to the upset here and there are plenty backing Southampton to secure the three points here.

It is early in the season though and I do think Crystal Palace are a team that need to be respected thanks to a manager who will make it hard to break his team down. However, I do believe Southampton could have a very good season and I will get behind them on the Asian Handicap which will return the stake in the event of a draw.

Liverpool v Leeds United Pick: It wasn't much fun being a Manchester United fan in a season in which Liverpool and Leeds United had as much success as they did and both clubs will believe they can follow on the 2019/20 campaign with a successful 2020/21.

Liverpool can go into the season as English Champions for the first time in thirty years and they will host Leeds United who have had sixteen years outside of the top flight.

While the hosts will be looking to repeat, the expectation around Leeds United means the fans are hoping to do more than merely survive at this level. With Marcelo Bielsa in charge there is a feeling that Leeds United could even push for a top half finish, but much is going to depend on Rodrigo and whether he has the goals to push Leeds United forward.

This is a very big test for Leeds United against a very good Liverpool team who were not playing as poorly as the results would suggest back in June and July. There was a slight drop off in intensity, but Liverpool were still creating chances and their front three should be rested and ready to compete in this opening weekend fixture.

The absence of Jordan Henderson hurt the side more than expected though and he looks like he could be missing for this fixture. That will offer Leeds United encouragement as will playing in front of an empty Anfield, but even then there is a big step up of class for the visitors to deal with.

We know Bielsa will have Leeds United very well prepared, and that does make them dangerous, but I think Liverpool will be ready to show that the end of last season was just a blip and not an extended issue for the squad to deal with. It should be a good football match with both looking to get forward and cause problems for the opponent, but Liverpool should have a little too much quality when all is said and done.

West Ham United v Newcastle United Pick: Two clubs with fan bases who can sometimes have unrealistic expectations meet on the opening weekend of the 2020/21 Premier League season- both David Moyes and Steve Bruce will likely snap your hand off if you gave West Ham United and Newcastle United a 17th place finish at the end of this campaign, but fans expect the clubs to be operating much higher up the League table.

Mike Ashley was almost finally out of the club, but Newcastle United remain in his control and that means another difficult season is likely in front of the club. Steve Bruce did a fine job for the club last season, but his football is not always appreciated and Bruce has yet to truly win over the fans.

David Moyes is another manager whose football is not always appreciated, but his West Ham United team did end last season in fine form and that will be encouraging to him.

However, things are clearly not going smoothly at the London Stadium judging by captain Mark Noble making his feelings known about the sale of Grady Diangana. Bids have been made to improve the squad, but at the moment West Ham United are going into the new season with what they have.

That is a slight concern for the fans, but West Ham United do have some quality players in the squad who have perhaps underachieved. If Moyes can get those performing to the level they can reach, then West Ham United should feel good about their chances when it comes to avoiding the drop to the Championship.

Newcastle United have had a decent window and bringing in the likes of Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson are decent signings on the budget on which they are operating. Last season Steve Bruce showed he can make his team more than the sum of their parts and there is some pace and quality in the final third which could cause problems for opponents.

However, the defence is vulnerable and even more so without Martin Dubravka keeping goal and I think that is where the home team might have the narrow edge. West Ham United should have won at St James' Park back in July having twice led on the day, and I think being at home will give them more of an opportunity even without the fans in attendance.

It is the first game of the season though and opening weekend results can be a little eye-catching. The home team should be good enough to earn the points here, but the Asian Handicap may be the best approach to this fixture.

West Brom v Leicester City Pick: The first 'Super Sunday' Premier League fixture of the season comes from The Hawthorns as newly-promoted West Brom host Leicester City.

Slaven Bilic's men almost backed their way back into the Premier League from the Championship having failed to win any of their last 4 games to give the likes of Brentford and Fulham an opportunity. That does mean the team perhaps does not come into the new season with the same kind of momentum as some other promoted clubs do, while West Brom still need to address the main problem of looking like a squad that does not have enough goals in them.

Being at home should give West Brom a chance to get off to a good start, but we are still without fans and this Leicester City do have quality despite their poor end to the 2019/20 campaign.

The 3 losses in their last 5 Premier League games means Leicester City missed out on a return to the Champions League, but Brendan Rodgers will have been reminding his squad that they achieved their goal of returning to European Football. The absence of James Maddison did hurt Leicester City down the stretch, but the England international may not be available this weekend either and that is a concern.

Leicester City have not won any of their last 8 away games in all competitions but they were playing better than the results would suggest. There looks to be a continuity with the squad that should see them have another decent campaign even though Ben Chilwell has been moved on, and I think Leicester City do have more goals in their squad than West Brom.

Neither team ended the last season in the manner they would have wanted, but a new campaign comes with new hopes and dreams and I think Leicester City will edge to the three points at The Hawthorns.

Tottenham Hotspur v Everton Pick: Both Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti are shaping their respective Tottenham Hotspur and Everton squads up to their liking and that does mean there is a greater sense of expectation around them.

After missing out on the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur have to be looking to push their way back in alongside the elite of European Football, while Everton will be hoping to be the 'best of the rest' and challenge for silverware and a return to any European competition.

There is an excitement around both squads with some of the new faces arriving to freshen things up and I do think we could see a decent game on Sunday afternoon. The short turnaround between seasons is going to be a challenge for every club to deal with, but it may also mean some of the players can get off and running quicker than they may do in usual seasons.

When these teams met after the resumption of the Premier League it was a very poor game of football that ended 1-0 in favour of Tottenham Hotspur. However, the home team look in a healthier place now and Everton have brought in some quality that could make them much more competitive even against the better teams in the Premier League.

The midfield reinforcements should offer a lot more protection for Everton this season and I do think James Rodriguez will add some quality to the forward line along with Richarlison. However new signings can take time to bed in and that is where Tottenham Hotspur have a little more continuity in their squad that can see them edge to the points here.

It should be a much better game than the one we saw here in early July, but Tottenham Hotspur managed to do enough to earn the three points on that occasion and I think they can do the same here. With a fully fit squad to choose from, Jose Mourinho can lead his team to a good start to the season and the fixtures over the coming weeks are certainly in Tottenham Hotspur's favour too.

Sheffield United v Wolves Pick: It was a game of limited chances when Sheffield United hosted Wolves in early July and I do think we could see something similar when they meet on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.

Chris Wilder and Nuno Espirito Santo have to be given a lot of credit for the organisation of their respective teams and they won't have moved too far away from their principles.

I do think the loss of Dean Henderson will hurt Sheffield United as Aaron Ramsdale is simply not the same level of goalkeeper and that may make The Blades a little more vulnerable. However, Wolves are coming in off a long season and the squad is missing key players having sold Matt Doherty and lost Jonny to a long-term injury.

Both clubs are not going to be lacking for effort, but creating chances against the other is going to be a difficult challenge. I do think both Sheffield United and Wolves could be dangerous from set piece situations and that might be the best way to break open this fixture, but chances may be difficult to come by in open play and that could mean goals are at a premium.

We saw a couple of tight and competitive fixtures when these two teams met in the League last season and I do think we will see more of the same. There was a more open feel to the fixture at Molineux, but I imagine this one to follow the patter of the fixture played at Bramall Lane in early July and that is both teams looking to be well organised and hard to break down.

The layers have shortened the price of one, or both, of these teams failing to score on Monday, but it may still be the best way to approach the fixture. Some may want the small interest in a 1-1 correct score to cover the selection as that looks the most likely score if both teams do find the net.

Brighton v Chelsea Pick: The final game of the opening weekend of the Premier League comes from the Amex Stadium where Brighton and Chelsea actually played a friendly in front of a limited crowd in the last couple of weeks.

This time there will be no fans inside the Stadium and I do think the new look Chelsea team might have too much attacking threat for their hosts to cope with.

That is no disrespect to Brighton, but Graham Potter's style does mean they are a little more open and they simply do not score the same amount of goals as those teams at the top. Since the resumption of the Premier League Brighton have lost home games to Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City and they conceded at least three times in each of those defeats.

Now they have to face another team that finished inside the top four of the Premier League table and the only real doubt around Chelsea is how quickly some of the talented players they have purchased will settle in. I don't doubt Ben Chilwell, but the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are coming in from outside of England and it can be an eye-opening experience for youngsters that have not dealt with this League before.

Even then I do think Werner and Havertz will have a big impact on this Chelsea squad, while the return of Christian Pulisic is a huge boost for Frank Lampard. The American looked to playing at a very high level before an injury in the FA Cup Final, but he is not expected to miss time and looks to be a key threat for Chelsea who will provide the chances for Werner.

A deeper looking squad should have too much attacking intent for Brighton who will try and get forward. They might even have some success against this Chelsea backline which will look similar to the one that started games last season, but I would think Frank Lampard's men will find their way into the final third effectively and can eventually break down Brighton.

The fixture here did end 1-1 last season, and Brighton played well on the day. However, I think this Chelsea team is much improved and I believe they win fairly comfortably ahead of a big League game against Liverpool to come next weekend.

MY PICKS: Arsenal & Over 1.5 Goals

Southampton 0 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur

Sheffield United-Wolves Both Teams to Score- NO

Chelsea & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 1

Unbelievably we are just hours away from the Official Fantasy Football game to be live once again with GameWeek 1 of the competition starting on Saturday.

The season is scheduled to be a very tight one which means it is going to be difficult to manage our Fantasy squads as much as it is going to be for the managers in reality. Through to the end of January it feels like the top clubs will be playing twice a week barring the international breaks in October and November and that is likely going to mean heavy rotation especially as the vote came back to restore the maximum of three substitutions per game rather than the five subs that were allowed following the resumption of the Premier League in June.

While I am planning on keeping my main chips in hand until the second half of the season when they can have the biggest impact, I do think there is a chance that my first Wild Card of the season will be used sooner rather than later.

That is mainly down to the fact that the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City are not in action on the first weekend and they have some very good looking assets that would usually have been part of the squad.

At this stage I don't think it would surprise anyone to learn that I am still making vast changes to my squad, but I will say there are four names that I would think are almost certainly going to be selected in Week 1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Timo Werner are those names and I do think it would take a real change in my approach to see any of those dropped with the deadline just hours away.

Teams I do think are worth getting behind early in the season are Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Southampton and I would love to get through the early weeks without taking a hit to my total.

Chelsea are another team that look to be benefiting from their early fixture list, but like many I think I will be looking at various options right up until the 11am deadline.

NFL Week 1 Picks 2020 (September 10-14)

I think it is partly the fact that the Coronavirus outbreak has basically disrupted my 2020 as well as many others, but also something to do with the fact that the English Premier League, College Football season and the NBA PlayOffs are all being played at different times than I would usually expect.

Whatever the reason, the 2020 NFL season has very much snuck up on me to the point that I honestly can't believe that Week 1 opens up on Thursday.

Last season I was pretty happy with my prediction that the Kansas City Chiefs would win the Super Bowl, although I tipped them to see off the Philadelphia Eagles in the big game.

I only actually got seven of the twelve PlayOff teams right this time last year, but injuries were one reason and jumping aboard a Hype Train was my other issue.

As I said twelve months ago, predictions for how the NFL season would have shaped up by the time we reach February are hard enough to make in December, let alone in September. This season we don't even have a pre-season to try and gather some information, while you simply don't know how effectively players will have gelled with their new teams and how Draft Picks have learnt in a new world without having that day to day contact with Coaches.

The same goes for the new Coaches joining teams to turn around the fortunes of those who have slipped from the level they wish to be operating at, but I can't go into Week 1 without having some thoughts about the way the Divisions, the PlayOffs and the season may shape up.

AFC East- the long time dominance of the New England Patriots in this Division looks to be coming to an end this season with the departure of Tom Brady, although it is a weak Division.

The Buffalo Bills look most likely to take over from the Patriots, but I don't want to draw a line through a team who won ten games with Matt Cassell at Quarter Back and especially not with Bill Belichick still very much in control. Cam Newton, if healthy, is a huge upgrade on Cassell and I do think New England can put him in a good position to be a success and in this Division there is every chance they can find a way to ten wins and earn a Wild Card spot at the very least.

Being a Division winner means a tougher schedule with both Super Bowl teams on the list as well as playing the likes of the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans and hoping Newton remains healthy all season is the big question mark.

If there is a slip the Buffalo Bills look strong Defensively and stronger Offensively which could see them finally get the better of the Patriots on their way to winning the AFC East for the first time since 1995, although I would expect both the Bills and Patriots to make the expanded PlayOffs.

There is no doubt the Miami Dolphins will be improved and they look to be under the perfect Head Coach, but they and the New York Jets are looking for a transitional season to show progression in and that is all I can really expect of both.

Winner- Buffalo Bills; Wild Card- New England Patriots

AFC North- twelve months ago I said the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers would both not be as bad as some people have advertised, but the former far exceeded my expectations and the latter were undone by crucial injuries at key moments.

Baltimore remain the team to beat with Lamar Jackson looking to bounce back from another poor PlayOff showing and I do think this is a team that has picked up some good looking pieces to keep the team chugging forward. I also think the Steelers will be better if Ben Roethlisberger can return to form after being out for almost a year, although Big Ben is definitely closer to the end of his career than the beginning.

Most expect the Cincinnati Bengals to finish bottom of the pile, but I like some of the moves they have made and if Joe Burrow hits the ground running they could at least play spoiler for others. They are still a year away, while the Cleveland Browns are hoping they are just a year behind where most expected them to be after a really poor 2019 that ended with a 6-10 record.

I hate to admit I had the Browns as the AFC North Champion twelve months ago, but it is hard to know what to expect from a team who have a first year Head Coach and a Quarter Back who showed regression in 2019. Baker Mayfield will need to be a lot better if the Browns are going to end with a Wild Card spot at the worst, but I do think he has been given every chance with an improved Offensive Line.

I've got the Ravens coming in with another Division crown, but I would not be surprised if the Steelers have better luck with their health and reach the PlayOffs and possibly even have room for the Cleveland Browns.

Winner- Baltimore Ravens; Wild Card- Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns

AFC South- you can almost draw a line through the Jacksonville Jaguars who have fallen away from the team that were minutes from reaching the Super Bowl in 2018, but the other three teams in the AFC South look capable of making some noise this season.

The Tennessee Titans reached the AFC Championship Game last season, but I still think there are holes to be filled if they are going to become a consistent top team in the Conference, while their Divisional rivals Houston Texans blew a 24-0 lead against eventual Champions Kansas City Chiefs in the PlayOffs.

Houston do look weaker with some more questionable off-season moves by General Manager/Head Coach Bill O'Brien, but they have Deshaun Watson who has shown he can carry this team on his back. However, without DeAndre Hopkins life has become much tougher for him and the Texans also carry the burden of being the Divisional Winner which means a very difficult schedule in front of them

Philip Rivers is hoping to show there is something left in the tank for the Indianapolis Colts who were hurt by Andrew Luck's retirement on the eve of the 2019 season. Even at 7-9 it feels like the Colts overachieved though and having someone like Rivers under Center certainly makes them more dangerous this time around, especially with a very good Coaching staff.

My feeling is that the schedule works best in favour of the Titans and that is why I think they win the Division- if Houston can get into their Week 8 bye with a winning record then I think they might have the momentum to go further, but I also believe a losing record would put the Texans under pressure and especially Bill O'Brien.

The Colts may sneak into the Wild Card spots if Rivers has anything left.

Winner- Tennessee Titans

AFC West- outside of a major injury to Patrick Mahomes I do think the Kansas City Chiefs are going to be winning the AFC West and I am not sure there will be many who dispute that.

The other three teams in the Division, the new Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos all have some issues around Quarter Back which will make it difficult for them, although all look to be improving teams too.

In this Division it is one thing having a strong Defensive unit, but you need to find the Offensive firepower to compete with Mahomes and the Chiefs and that is where these three teams have been focusing in the off-season.

My issue with the Raiders, Broncos and Chargers is that it feels like they can all feast on each other and that means it will be difficult to even fight for a Wild Card spot. All are improving, but may yet be a year away from truly competing.

Winner: Kansas City Chiefs

NFC East- there has not been a repeat winner of the NFC East since 2004 when the Philadelphia Eagles managed to do that and this current crop of Eagles will be hoping to do the same in 2020. I do like the Eagles and as long as they remain healthier they are going to be there or thereabouts when the PlayOff spots are decided, although the Dallas Cowboys look much better than 2019 too.

Both the Washington Football Team and the New York Giants have considerable work to do to challenge at the top of the NFC East again and it does really feel like a two horse race in what was once the toughest Division in the NFL.

Nine or ten wins has been enough to win this Division three times in the last five years and I think the schedules suggest the Cowboys are more likely to reach that mark than the Eagles.

Divisional games will be crucial, while an upset here or there can swing the momentum in favour of Dallas or Philadelphia, while both will believe the additional PlayOff spot should mean at least post-season Football regardless if they go in as Division Winners or not.

Winner- Dallas Cowboys; Wild Card- Philadelphia Eagles

NFC North- for me the biggest disappointment in the NFL in 2019 had to be the Chicago Bears who finished with an 8-8 record and lots of questions about Quarter Back Mitchell Trubisky. Nick Foles has been signed to compete with Trubisky and the big question for the Bears is whether they can get enough Offense together to make sure of what is a strong, but declining Defensive unit.

This is a tough Division with positives about each team, but vulnerabilities which look like the others can exploit.

Aaron Rodgers has to be irritated by the lack of support he seems to be getting in Green Bay where the Packers decided to move up in the First Round to select his replacement rather than Offensive support for a former Super Bowl winning Quarter Back. The Packers were a fortunate looking 13-3 last season and Rodgers is going to need his Defensive unit to continue improving while hoping someone, anyone can give him additional help in the Receiving unit along with Davante Adams.

The Minnesota Vikings have lost some key performers on both sides of the ball, but they remain under strong guidance and will believe their win over the New Orleans Saints in the PlayOffs is something they can build upon in 2020. Mike Zimmer will need that to show he is the long-term answer at Head Coach for the Vikings who are looking for a first Divisional title since 2017.

Another Head Coach that will be feeling the pressure is Matt Patricia at the Detroit Lions having gone 9-22-1 in his three seasons in Detroit. Last season the Lions lost Matt Stafford which did not help their cause, and this team is a lot better than the 3-12-1 record, although they are another team that have to show they finally understand what Patricia wants from them.

I don't think the Packers will win thirteen games in 2020, but I do think they remain the team to beat in a tight Division. With Aaron Rodgers they may just edge to the crown and this is a Division where the teams could feast on one another and prevent any Wild Card opportunities arriving.

Winner- Green Bay Packers

NFC South- the moment it was announced that Tom Brady would be taking his talents to Florida the first thought turned to Brady versus Drew Brees in two Divisional games.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints look to be the teams to beat in the NFC South, but I would not want to sleep on the Atlanta Falcons who finished 2019 as strongly as they did. However, the Carolina Panthers look to be in a rebuilding phase of their development having let Ron Rivera leave as Head Coach and also breaking in a new Quarter Back in Teddy Bridgewater.

Out of the Saints and the Buccaneers I do think the continuity of the Saints will give them the slightest of edges even with a much tougher schedule on deck. Week 1 is a big chance for either team to land a significant mental blow if nothing else, but I would be surprised if either was not able to make the PlayOffs.

Both the Buccaneers and the Saints look like they have ten wins on the schedule, while the Falcons are an upset or two from hitting that mark themselves. All three teams could show enough to take advantage of the additional PlayOff spot that is going to be made available this season and it would not be a huge surprise if the Number 1 Seed in the NFC comes from this Division either.

Winner- Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Wild Card- New Orleans Saints

NFC West- a poor throw from Jimmy Garoppolo was the difference between the San Francisco 49ers winning the Super Bowl or not, although it was a season of inches at times for the NFC Conference Champions. A huge Defensive stand in Week 17 with time running down helped the 49ers edge the Seattle Seahawks and subsequently earn home field throughout the NFC PlayOffs instead of being the Number 5 Seed.

Those two teams look like they are going to be the top teams in the NFC West for another season, although the improving Arizona Cardinals will have to be afforded respect. Much will depend on Kyle Murray's development and whether the Defensive unit have improved much from 2019, so this may be a season that comes too soon for the Cardinals who will simply be looking to challenge for the Wild Card spots.

San Francisco do have questions about Jimmy G at Quarter Back and whether he is really the player to take them over the edge, but all the pieces around him remain productive and strong and I do think the 49ers will be difficult to beat barring huge injuries or serious decline of some of the veterans on the roster.

While Russell Wilson is around the Seattle Seahawks will be a challenger, but the Offensive Line concerns will always mean the Quarter Back is in danger of picking up an injury he shouldn't really be having to face. The Seahawks have always been competitive and look to have seriously strong pieces coming together, although a pass rush on the Defensive side of the ball may be missing.

I would not be surprised if the Division is decided in Week 17 again when the 49ers and Seahawks are scheduled to meet.

You also can't discount the Los Angeles Rams even if there are questions about Jared Goff and his ability from the Quarter Back position. Salary cap issues means the Rams have had to let go of some key players, but they are still a decent squad and the schedule is looking relatively kind as long as they can win those big home Divisional games.

I don't know I can trust Goff to do that, although we could have a fight between the Rams and the Cardinals for the final Wild Card spot in the Conference.

Winner- San Francisco 49ers; Wild Card- Seattle Seahawks

AFC Seeds: 1) Baltimore Ravens; 2) Kansas City Chiefs; 3) Buffalo Bills; 4) Tennessee Titans; 5) Pittsburgh Steelers; 6) New England Patriots; 7) Cleveland Browns

NFC Seeds: 1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2) San Francisco 49ers; 3) Dallas Cowboys; 4) Green Bay Packers; 5) New Orleans Saints; 6) Seattle Seahawks; 7) Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl Prediction- Kansas City Chiefs over New Orleans Saints

As I said last year, these predictions can look really dumb really quickly, but it is how I feel things are going to develop at this stage, although it is something worth revisiting at some point in November or December

Week 1 Picks

The NFL is back and I am going to be adding any selections from Week 1 in this thread beginning with the opening game of the 2020 season when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans.

A good start to the season will hopefully lead to a strong 2020 campaign, although there are plenty of factors that will be at play that we won't usually be dealing with. I just hope all can stay safe during what has been a terrible few months for everyone around the globe.

Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: When you win a Super Bowl as a Quarter Back you have to expect a shiny, brand spanking new contract will await you, but the manner in which Patrick Mahomes played in the PlayOffs last season meant even more to the Kansas City Chiefs. No one should be surprised that Mahomes has been rewarded with the biggest contract in the history of the NFL and he is certainly in a position to help the Chiefs win multiple titles in the coming years.

They will go into the season as the favourites to win the Super Bowl again next year, although things have changed for many in the months since the Chiefs saw off the San Francisco 49ers. The 2020 NFL season will begin without fans in the Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium has long been one of the toughest road venues to play at so this could be a benefit for the visitors to this Stadium until things return to some semblance of normality.

In other sports we have seen some deterioration in home advantage, but it will be interesting to see the impact it has on the NFL. That might be the best bet for the Houston Texans to win this game and earn a measure of revenge for the historical collapse in the PlayOffs inside this Stadium last year.

Houston were leading the Kansas City Chiefs 24-0 with less than ten minutes left in the first half, but that is when Patrick Mahomes took over and had his star shine brightly as he led the Chiefs all the way back to actually lead at half time.

The majority of the starters have remained with the Kansas City Chiefs since their Super Bowl success and I don't think Andy Reid is going to allow the team to slip backwards. Damien Williams did score three Touchdowns in the win over the Texans in the PlayOffs and has decided he will not take part this season, but the First Round Draft Pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire looks like being more than capable of filling in for the Running Back.

And ultimately while Patrick Mahomes is behind Center you would think the Kansas City Chiefs are going to be able to move the ball effectively. Having no pre-season could have an impact, while some teams might not be as far along with their preparations, but you have to believe the  Chiefs are going to be comfortable on the Offensive side of the ball knowing the system and what Head Coach Andy Reid wants from them.

Kansas City showed they can run the ball against the Texans in the PlayOff win, but they might have an even easier outing in Week 1 of the 2020 season with Houston losing key players on the Defensive Line. That only opens things up for Patrick Mahomes even more and I don't think the Houston Secondary is going to be good enough to hold out having allowed 75 points in two games played at Arrowhead Stadium last season.

The Texans can get some pressure up front, but Mahomes is capable of scrambling and throwing very effectively and it feels like Kansas City will be scoring plenty of points in this one.

As many teams in the AFC West believe, the only way to really compete with the Kansas City Chiefs may be loading up Offensively and trying to beat them in a shoot-out. That might have been the best policy for Houston too, but bafflingly they almost gave away DeAndre Hopkins in the off-season in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals and that means their own star Quarter Back Deshaun Watson loses his best target.

It isn't as though Houston have come out and filled the Hopkins gap either and relying on Brandin Cooks and Will Fuller to last the whole season my be foolhardy at best. Deshaun Watson has been frustrated with the direction the team have been moving to the point that some suggested he would push for a trade away from the Texans, and this looks a very difficult opener for him no matter how talented the Quarter Back is.

At the end of the day Watson will need to be protected by the Offensive Line against a strong Kansas City pass rush and that seems unlikely either which ultimately means not finding the time to throw to reliable Receivers. Where DeAndre Hopkins could make a stunning catch or two to move the chains, I am less convinced Cooks and Fuller are able to replicate that.

Instead the Texans may wish to pound the rock on the ground which can chew up the clock and keep Patrick Mahomes on the sidelines. Bill O'Brien decided he wanted to bring in David Johnson as part of the trade for DeAndre Hopkins and he will team up with Duke Johnson to try and control the time of possession.

David Johnson has to show he can return to something like the level he once reached for the Cardinals and the Texans did actually run the ball pretty well against the Chiefs last season. They might have some success in this one again, but things will get very difficult if Houston find themselves two scores down and that would mean shifting from the game plan and having to find Deshaun Watson time to find his own Receivers.

He is certainly capable of finding a backdoor cover with the amount of points being given to the underdog in this one, but I do think the Houston Defensive unit is going to find it difficult to contain the Chiefs.

Kansas City are 7-0-1 against the spread in their last eight games as the favourite and they won't have forgotten losing in the regular season to the Texans last season even if they did earn the revenge in the PlayOffs. They are also expected to be better prepared with the continuity through from last season which means 17 of 22 starters remain on the roster and Kansas City are 4-1 against the spread in their last five Week 1 games.

I can't ignore how well the road team has done when these teams meet, but I think Kansas City will be coming out to make a statement and look to have too much Offensive firepower for the Houston Texans.

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots Pick: Week 17 of the 2019 NFL season saw the Miami Dolphins upset the New England Patriots and forced their Divisional rivals into the Wild Card Round of the PlayOffs. The Dolphins were 16 point underdogs in that game, but the upset was compounded when the Patriots were beaten by the Tennessee Titans and Tom Brady's final pass of the season was a Pick-Six.

Even then not many would have thought that was going to be the final pass Tom Brady would throw as a New England Patriot, but that has turned out to be the case as he left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For a while it looked like New England would go into the 2020 season with an inexperienced Quarter Back, but the decision was made to sign Cam Newton and he at least will begin this season looking healthy.

I have no doubt about Cam Newton's ability and the quality of his Receiving corps is perhaps something that the Quarter Back has become accustomed to in his time with the Carolina Panthers. However, the scrambling ability is something the Patriots have simply not had before during the tenure of Tom Brady and I do think they would have spent the off-season tailoring the Offensive unit to be one that runs first.

Last season the Patriots did struggle to establish the run and that should change in the 2020 season as long as Newton remains healthy and effective. The Dolphins will feel some of the signings they have made and the inside knowledge of the New England Patriots will help defending the run, but this new system is one that many of the former players will likely be unfamiliar with and I do anticipate the Patriots having a strong day on the ground.

Anything else will make it very difficult for New England to have success because Newton will not be able to target a strong Receiving unit and this Dolphins Secondary have certainly picked up the talent on the Defensive unit. The Patriots can look to make the quick passes if the run is working for them, but they can't expect to have a dominant day through the air and it all is going to be based on how much they can get out of what should be a good rushing attack.

Changes haven't just been made on the Offensive side of the ball, but New England have lost key performers on their Defensive Line and Linebacker corps on the team. The Secondary still has plenty of experience and talent, but New England will be looking to show what they learnt from the Week 17 upset to the Dolphins who will still have Ryan Fitzpatrick starting at Quarter Back.

Upgrades have been made to the team at Running Back in the year after the Dolphins finished with the lowest yards per attempt average in the NFL. Matt Breida and Jordan Howard are going to give the Dolphins a one-two punch at the Running Back position and Miami would have taken note of how effective Tennessee were in the PlayOffs with Derrick Henry.

No one should confuse Breida or Howard with Henry though and so it may still be a tough day for the Dolphins against one of the better Defensive Lines in the NFL in 2019. While they have lost some of the power of last season, the Patriots will still be looking for Ryan Fitzpatrick to beat them through the air as he did in Week 17 and this time I think the Secondary will be more ready for him.

The Quarter Back did play well for the Dolphins last season so has to be respected, but there is still every chance that Fitzpatrick will have one of his four Interception days which have blown up many of his previous teams in the past. He will be confident, but Fitzpatrick likely knows he is also on a short leash with Tua Tagovailoa the First Round Pick who has looked far healthier than anyone would think he would be at this stage of his rookie season in the NFL.

Miami covered here last season, but had not in their previous seven visits to New England and I do think Bill Belichick is going to have his team prepared to show the rest of the NFL that the departure of Tom Brady does not mean an end to a dynasty. The future Hall of Fame Head Coach prepares his teams methodically and he will be looking for revenge for the loss in Week 17 which proved to be more than a single defeat for the Patriots.

I love Brian Flores and the way he has motivated Miami in his time as Head Coach so have nothing but respect for him. This group of players is significantly more talented than the group he had last season, but going back into Foxboro against an angry team looking to prove something may be too much for the Dolphins to cope with in Week 1.

MY PICKS: Kansas City Chiefs - 9 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

New England Patriots - 6.5 Points @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Minnesota Vikings - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Baltimore Ravens - 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Buffalo Bills - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Washington Football Team + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Indianapolis Colts - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Cincinnati Bengals + 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Los Angeles Rams + 2 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)