2012 TransGriot NFL Picks-Week 1

New year, new season and going into this 2012 NFL prognostication competition with Mr. Watts with the determination to win it. A tie, and especially in the way I had to do it last year to get to that 164-92 record is not an option.

I want to get off to a solid start and better than the 9-7 I started Week One off with last year. 

But the first week of a new NFL season and trying to pick winners is always a crapshoot because the pretenders vs contenders don't usually shake out until about the 4th week. 

You have to factor in all the old faces in new places.  What will be the effects of rookies such Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck be to their new teams?   Training camp injuries?  How will the season long suspension of Saints coach Sean Payton affect them?.  Will we see the locked out regular officials soon instead of the replacement ones and when will the replacement refs blow a call or two that costs a team a game?   What 2011 NFL playoff teams will fall by the wayside this year and what teams who didn't make the playoffs in 2011 surprise us and do so this year?  

And will my Texans not only win the AFC South for the second consecutive year but actually make it to New Orleans for the Super Bowl as the NFL pundits are predicting?  

Enough jibber-jabber, it all starts tonight     Mike's picks are here.   Team I'm picking to win will be in bold print and underlined. 

Here's mine to kick off our 2012 NFL prognostication battle and may the best Texan (pun intended) win.

NFL Week 1    Last year's TransGriot record 164-92    
No Byes

Wednesday, September 5

Dallas at N.Y. Giants
Sunday, September 9
Noon Games
Indianapolis at Chicago
New England at Tennessee
Buffalo at N.Y. Jets
Washington at New Orleans
Jacksonville at Minnesota
Atlanta at Kansas City
Philadelphia at Cleveland
St. Louis at Detroit
Miami at Houston Afternoon Games
San Francisco at Green Bay
Seattle at Arizona
Carolina at Tampa Bay Sunday Night Game.
Pittsburgh at Denver
Monday, September 10
Cincinnati at Baltimore
San Diego at Oakland