WaltAug 12, 2026
A preseason Week 1 picks column that predicts final scores in four exhibition games, leaning heavily on head coaches' preseason records and backup quarterback situations.
Published in writing · Walter FootballRead the original
What Walt said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromPreseason Week 1 NFL Pick: Titans 27, 49ers 17
- Where it was published
- Walter Football
- The piece
- NFL Picks Against the Spread: Preseason Week 1, 2026
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1New York Giants 27 — Vikings 13“Preseason Week 1 NFL Pick: Giants 27, Vikings 13”
- 2Los Angeles Rams 31 — Chiefs 24“Preseason Week 1 NFL Pick: Rams 31, Chiefs 24”
- 3Tennessee Titans 27 — 49ers 17“Preseason Week 1 NFL Pick: Titans 27, 49ers 17”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants 27 — Vikings 131 | Score Predictions | — | — | — | — | |
| Los Angeles Rams 31 — Chiefs 242 | Score Predictions | — | — | — | — | |
| Tennessee Titans 27 — 49ers 173 | Score Predictions | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 3 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
3 checkable claims — 3 score predictions — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Score PredictionsNew York Giants
New York Giants 27 — Vikings 13
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Score PredictionsLos Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams 31 — Chiefs 24
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Score PredictionsTennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans 27 — 49ers 17
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Sam Monson · Game Outcome Picks · New York Giants · Miss 0
Monson picked every Week 10 game, taking the Giants, Lions, Packers, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jaguars, Seahawks, Rams, Cowboys, Bengals and Ravens, and also suggested the Chargers' only likely wins the rest of the way come against the Jets and Dolphins.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picked the Giants to beat the Commanders at home in the Thursday night Week 10 game, 23-14, citing New York's dominant front seven containing Jayden Daniels.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin predicted final scores for seven Week 10 games, taking the Giants over the Commanders, the Lions, Chiefs, Packers, 49ers, Bengals and Ravens to win their respective matchups.
More score predictions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picked seven Week 10 games with final scores, including a Commanders upset of the Giants, Lions over the Patriots in Munich, Chiefs over the Falcons, Packers edging the Vikings, 49ers over the Cowboys, Bengals over the Steelers and Ravens over the Chargers. They also suggested Joe Burrow could win MVP this season.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech gave straight-up score predictions for every Week 10 NFL game, including the desperate Commanders beating the Giants on Thursday night, the Lions handling the Patriots in Munich, the Texans beating Deshaun Watson and the Browns, and the Bengals surviving the Steelers at home despite returning from Madrid.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · Buffalo Bills · Close 76
Prisco picked the Bills to win 21-14 at Minnesota.