by Matt Fischer
It’s Formulator Football Friday! You’ll get a preview of the football weekend ahead every Friday for the remainder of 2018 as we preview NFL and college football each week. I have a lot of picks that nearly made the cut for my premium NFL and college football picks this weekend.
NFL Week 2
This could be one of the best NFL weekends of the season. Several good match-ups that could impact the playoffs. Sunday, the Falcons host the Panthers, the Chiefs visit the Steelers, the Vikings and Packers battle in Green Bay and the biggest game of the weekend is the AFC Championship rematch as the Jaguars host the Patriots.
If the Patriots win in Jacksonville on Sunday, everyone will put the Patriots back in another Super Bowl. For the Jaguars and Jalen Ramsey, it’s time to make a statement that they weren’t a flash in the pan last season. I think Ramsey has an opportunity like Richard Sherman had awhile back when the Seahawks hosted the Patriots. The Seahawks defense and Sherman came up big and got a win, it brought them to the national stage. That same opportunity lies ahead on Sunday for Jalen Ramsey and the Jaguars.
NFL Survivor Pool Pick
My survivor pick crashed and burned on Monday night in that dumpster fire in Detroit. The Lions got a pick six on Sam Darnold’s first NFL pass…then lost 48-17. Disgusting.
This week, I had four solid candidates. Going with a team that didn’t make the playoffs last year and has a new QB but has their home opener. Get my week 2 NFL Survivor Pool Pick.
Free NFL Picks
These were strongly considered for this weekend’s guaranteed NFL picks for week 2.
Panthers +6 at Falcons – Divisional game so both teams are very familiar with one another. Carolina was a playoff team last year and that defense looks good again this season. I’ll take them to keep it close.
Chiefs +4 at Steelers – Kansas City can score. Pittsburgh is going to let loose and have Big Ben throwing deep. Without Chiefs killer, Le’veon Bell, I’ll take the Chiefs and the points as I could see them winning outright.
College Football Week 3
I can’t wait to watch Georgia at South Carolina tomorrow. I like this Gamecocks team a lot but like Georgia more. The Bulldogs are my pick to win the national title this season. I’m worried about them in the other Columbia this Saturday though. South Carolina is going to hang around.
I remember the big games Nebraska and Colorado played in the Big 8 and then the Big 12. Now both are off in new conferences but collide in Scott Frost’s debut as the Huskers coach. The Huskers season opener got wiped out by weather last week so they begin with Colorado this week. I think the Buffs having a game under their belt helps them.
Jimbo Fisher and Dabo Sweeney have faced off numerous times. This will be their first meeting in College Station. Fisher’s familiarity with Clemson should help but I just can’t see the Aggies hanging around. Clemson has a NFL defensive line, honestly it’s better than some in the NFL right now, that’ll control the line. A&M doesn’t have the players to pull the upset here.
Herm Edwards looked good in his debut at ASU. Now it’s a big step up in competition. My eyes will be on the desert as the Sun Devils host Michigan State. I was in disbelief and disappointed when Edwards was hired. A win Saturday could start to turn my opinion around.
Stanford and USC collide in a game that’ll thrust the winner to the top of the heap to challenge Washington for the Pac-12 title. Stanford struggled out of the gate last Saturday but got rolling and pulled away. I think they put together four quarters this week and take care of the Trojans.
Free College Football Picks
These were strongly considered for this weekend’s guaranteed college football picks for week 3.
Georgia State (+28.5) at Memphis (Tonight) – Memphis is going to score at will tonight but I don’t think they have the defense to totally shutdown GSU. Georgia State can stay within four scores tonight.
Penn State -35 against Kent State – The Nittany Lions will simply overwhelm Kent State. I don’t see the Golden Flashes getting more than 10 and Penn State could easily top 50.
Rutgers +3 at Kansas – This simply came down to should Kansas be favored over anyone? They got a win on the road last week but remember they dropped a game to a FCS Nicholls State to open the season.
Get ready for the Football Weekend
Data Driven Week 2 NFL Predictions
Data Driven Week 2 College Football Predictions
NFL Survivor Pool Picks Week 2
NFL Power Rankings