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Fearless Rick & Coin Flip NFL Week 1 Early Games
All times Eastern
Preseason Week 3 Results: Rick: 10-6; Flip: 4-12
Wednesday, September 9
New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks (-3.5, 44) (8:20 pm, NBC) - The champs are back in action in a re-match of last season’s Super Bowl. The Seahawks may actually be better than they were last year and that spells trouble for the visitors.
Can Sam Darnold duplicate his 2025 season? That’s a key question surrounding this game and the remainder of the season, but one thing is certain: the Seattle defense will be a force with which to reckon. The Pats also will be better on defense and the addition of A.J. Brown to the New England receiving corps will provide QB Drake Maye some big time playmaking.
Coin Flip: Seattle
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Seahawks 20 Patriots 13
San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams (-3.5, 48.5) (8:35 pm Netflix, Melbourne) - OK, we get it. The Rams are la creme de la creme in the NFL. They will probably win this game - the first ever in Australia - against their NFC West rivals, the 49ers, who have the usual injury issues already, with no less than 11 starters listed as questionable a week before the game.
The Rams may get the assistance on defense of Aaron Donald, who has been working out with the team, but they’re unlikely to need him. Going with the Rams just on hype. After this, we’ll see.
Coin Flip: Los Angeles Rams
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Rams 27 49ers 20
Buffalo Bills (-1.5, 44.5) @ Houston Texans (1:00 pm, CBS) - Houston, we have a problem, and it’s called C.J. Stroud. The Texans signal-caller was horrible in the playoffs last season and has plenty to prove heading into the regular season. The Bills have revamped their defense and will be pressuring most of the afternoon.
Buffalo still has Superman, aka Josh Allen, and his wingman, James Cook III, both of whom will be all-pro again this season. Add in D.J. Moore at wideout and the Bills have the look of a team that could finally go all the way.
Coin Flip: Buffalo
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bills 31 Texans 14
What the Jets have going for them is a revamped defense, Geno Smith at QB and another season with Aaron Glenn as head coach. Both teams were 3-14 last year, so this game is a tough one to call, but give the Jets the nod on Geno Smith’s experience behind center.
Coin Flip: Tennessee
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Jets 24 Titans 16
Indy was headed for the playoffs in 2025 until Jones’ injury left them leaderless. There’s a very good possibility that the Ravens may be a little overrated here especially against a quality Colts team at home. Baltimore’s defense was nothing special last season and they may not be much better in 2026.
Coin Flip: Baltimore
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Colts 31 Ravens 21
Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield will have Bucky Irving by his side, and that may make all the difference for the Bucs’ offense. Irving missed seven games last season, and, including the 31-25 loss to Philly in which he was injured, the Bucs were 3-5. Tampa missed the playoffs by a hair but are likely to rebound in 2026. This one looks like a shoot-out.
Coin Flip: Cincinnati
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Buccaneers 34 Bengals 31
Cleveland (5-12 in 2025) will start discredited Deshaun Watson over Shedder Sanders in the first of two consecutive road games. The idea is that Watson will either make or break in those two games giving the Browns’ brass reason to start Sanders at QB for the home opener, or not. Either way, give the points. Could be a romp.
Coin Flip: Jacksonville
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Jaguars 34 Browns 9
Atlanta seems to have figured out its QB rotation, for now, with Tua Tagovailoa getting the call over injured Michael Penix Jr. and Cooper Rush. Atlanta can lean on RB Bijan Robinson while the Steelers are still in search of a running game. Defenses appear equal. Razor’s edge to Atlanta.
Coin Flip: Pittsburgh
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Falcons 20 Steelers 17
Caleb Williams may be gunning for MVP this season. He was lights out last year and should be ready to roll. Carolina QB Bryce Young still needs some fine-tuning, but he was on the right path in 2025. No reason to believe he won’t be better this year. Tough call in a game that may be won by a field goal or possibly in OT.
Coin Flip: Chicago
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Panthers 27 Bears 24
New Orleans goes with Tyler Slough over Spencer Rattler at QB, though neither of them hold a candle to Detroit’s Jared Goff, which is why giving seven is probably not enough for Saints’ backers.
Coin Flip: Detroit
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Lions 30 Saints 17
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