I am so far behind, but my pick is in so here we go with our first Competition Thursday!
Packers @ Bears (-3.5)

The season opens up with a difference this year – instead of the Super Bowl Champions the NFL have decided to start the centenary season with the oldest rivalry in the league, so we have the Green Bay Packers taking on the Chicago Bears.

My usual Thursday night theory of always take the home team unless there is a really good reason not to doesn’t hold in week one given that neither team has a short week and both had plenty of time to prepare. As I wrote yesterday, I think the Bears will be competitive with another year for the offence to settle into Matt Nagy’s system and whilst the defence can’t sustain the number of turnovers they created last year, they still look a fearsome unit. However, the Packers kept hold of their defensive coordinator Mike Pettine despite the change in head coach and it is hoped the new offence will get even more out of the terrifying Aaron Rodgers. There are a lot of unknowns at this time of year, but the extra half point sways me to back the Pack on the road and it seems that Dan agrees. I’m sure the weekend’s games will separate us

Gee’s Pick: Packers
Dan’s Pick: Packers

Week 1 Trivia

After it’s debut in last night’s newsletter, it’s time to confirm what trivia terrors Dan’s Dad has in store for us this season:

‘After an interesting, and oft times infuriating season last year and another pre-season which proves absolutely nothing we arrive at the main event for the next 5 months – ‘The 2019 TWF Trivia Quiz’.

There will be a mix of old and new, a flexible scoring system more akin to QI than Brain of Britain but we also have a theme. I’m not going to say what it is but there will be a bonus of 3 points for the first player to spot what it is. To be clear there is one guess per week and if both get it in the same week both players will score the points.

Anyway enough obfuscation here is the question for Week 1 which is worth 2 points

Prior to arriving in St. Louis in 1960, in which city did the Cardinals play their home games?

Good Luck and enjoy the season which will see a stunning Vikings win in the Superbowl and a back to back ‘Pick ‘em’ winner.’