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Week 1 NFL Picks: Cowboys Unanimous Favorites Over Giants

The BTB writers weigh in with their picks for the Week 1 games.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The Cowboys will kick off the 2014 NFL season on Sunday night, which means it's time for us to kick off our sixth BTB writer pick 'em, where we have the front-page writers embarrass themselves publicly by picking their winners for each NFL weekend.

Here at BTB, we're very objective about our lack of objectivity. Most of us pick the Cowboys to win every game regardless of who the opponent is, and this week is no different - the Cowboys are our unanimous favorites against the Giants, and for good reason: the Cowboys have an NFL best .667 (36-18-1) winning percentage in season openers.

In a 16-game schedule, every game counts, including the season opener. The 49 Super Bowl winners have a combined 39-9-1 record in the Kickoff Weekend games of their title seasons.

Since 1978, when the NFL adopted the 16-game schedule, and excluding the abbreviated season of 1982, teams that win their season openers are more than twice as likely to reach the playoffs as opening game losers:

  • Of the 538 teams which won openers 281 went to the playoffs (168 won division titles).
  • Of the 539 teams which lost openers 129 went to the playoffs (74 won division titles).

With all of that in mind, here are the Week 1, 2015 picks from the BTB writers.

Danny_medium Dawn kamie_medium Jim_medium Michael_medium Captain_medium Emmittintro_medium Dr_fate_medium BTB Logo

Dave Danny Dawn Jamie Jim Michael OCC rabble Tom Consensus
2014 Record
169-87 - - 168-88 55-25 - - - - 172-84 158-98 169-87 174-82
2014 Percentage .660 - - .656 .688 - - - - .672 .617 .660 .680

PIT @ NE (-7) Nep_medium Nep_medium Nep_medium Nep_medium Pit_medium Nep_medium Nep_medium Nep_medium Nep_medium Nep_medium
GB (-7) @ CHI Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium Gbp_medium
KC @ HOU (-1) Hou_medium Kan_medium Kan_medium Kan_medium Kan_medium Kan_medium Hou_medium Hou_medium Hou_medium Kan_medium
CLE @ NYJ (-3) Nyj_medium Nyj_medium Nyj_medium Cle_medium Cle_medium Cle_medium Nyj_medium Nyj_medium Nyj_medium Nyj_medium
IND (-2.5) @ BUF Ind_medium Ind_medium Ind_medium Ind_medium Ind_medium Ind_medium Buf_medium Ind_medium Ind_medium Ind_medium
MIA (-3.5) @ WAS Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium Mia_medium
CAR (-3) @ JAC Car_medium Car_medium Car_medium Car_medium Jac_medium Car_medium Car_medium Car_medium Car_medium Car_medium
SEA (-4) @ STL Sea_medium Stl_medium Sea_medium Sea_medium Stl_medium Sea_medium Stl_medium Stl_medium Sea_medium Sea_medium
NO @ ARI (-2.5) Ari_medium Ari_medium Ari_medium Ari_medium Ari_medium Nos_medium Ari_medium Ari_medium Ari_medium Ari_medium
DET @ SD (-3) Sdc_medium Sdc_medium Det_medium Sdc_medium Det_medium Sdc_medium Det_medium Sdc_medium Sdc_medium Sdc_medium
TEN @ TB (-3) Tam_medium Tam_medium Tam_medium Tam_medium Ten_medium Ten_medium Tam_medium Tam_medium Tam_medium Tam_medium
CIN (-3.5) @ OAK Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium Cin_medium
BAL @ DEN (-4.5) Den_medium Bal_medium Den_medium Den_medium Den_medium Bal_medium Den_medium Den_medium Den_medium Den_medium
NYG @ DAL (-6) Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium Dal_medium
PHI (-3) @ ATL Phi_medium Phi_medium Atl_medium Phi_medium Phi_medium Phi_medium Atl_medium Phi_medium Phi_medium Phi_medium
MIN (-2.5) @ SF Min_medium Min_medium Sfx_medium Min_medium Min_medium Min_medium Sfx_medium Sfx_medium Min_medium Min_medium

Star_medium

Get your picks in for the BTB Pick 256 Challenge!

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Pick 256 is a season-long contest in which BTB members and readers get to pick the straight-up winners for all games each week.

Because we were a little late with the kickoff post this week, you have until kickoff on Sunday at 1 pm EST to submit your picks (and you'll get a freebie for tonight's Steelers/Patriots game). But why wait until the last minute? If you haven't yet submitted your picks, now would be a good time. If you don't know which teams to pick, you can always use the picks above as orientation. Here's the link to the entry form.

If the link above doesn't work for whatever reason, use the following alternative, which does not autopopulate your BTB user name into the entry form.

Alternative Pick 256 Entry Form

Good luck.

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