NFL Picks Battle Week 1: Zach Gelb vs. Jersey Jerry

It was always Zach Gelb and Jersey Jerry, but Zach just didn't know it. Jerry in New Jersey, Jerry, what part of Jersey are you calling from?

I'm from North Jersey, I'm a blue collar union guy. And now, they're friends. It was always Jersey Jerry, it was always Zach Gelb. This has never happened before, and I'm man enough to share it.

I don't, I'm man enough. And now, it's time to respect their NFL picks, only on The Zach Gelb Show. That's what I'm talking about.

You can think of O'Reilly Auto Parts, what are your car care needs, get guaranteed low prices, and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Now joining us from Barstool Sports, as he will each and every Football Friday, as we'll pick three games each. One has to be an underdog. You know the rules, and we'll keep track of it all year long, is the great Jersey Jerry. Jersey Jerry, how you been my friend?

Hey, what's up Zach, what's going on brother? I'm doing fantastic, and I'm doing even better, because we got football tomorrow, we got football on Sunday, and now I get to hear your voice each and every Football Friday. I gotta start you off with the little Steelers question. Since you're a huge Steelers fan, I need you to deliver me the State of the Union, your thoughts on the Steelers heading into this season. Yeah, okay, so as far as the quarterback situation, I would have to say it's the right call.

You know what I mean? Let's put the veteran out there, let's put Mitch Trubisky out there. Listen, at the end of the day, Mitch has proven in the past that he can win NFL football games. That's something Kenny has yet to do. So let's see what Mitch can do. If all else fails, we turn to Kenny Pickett, you know what I mean? That's in the plan already with Tomlin, and I'm sure Mitch will have a short lease.

You know what I mean? So I think it's the right move, I really do. Are the Steelers a Super Bowl team this year?

Absolutely not. I wish I could say they were, but listen, they're just not. They will get there one day, it's just this year, I don't think it's the year. But hey, I hope they can make the playoffs and make a little run.

I would be so pleased with that. But for the quarterback situation, I'm happy where it is right now, I really am. I wanted them to start Kenny Pickett week one, they obviously did not do that. Now they're rolling with Mitch Trubisky like you just said. Week four? That's what I look for next, that Jets game maybe Pickett gets in.

Yeah, why are you, you know, I noticed that on the Twitters, on the Instagrams. You mentioned always Mitch Trubisky, what's up with that, Zach? He's a bust, I'm not a believer in him. I want to rock and roll with Kenny Pickett already, I don't think there's upside to Trubisky.

Yeah, Kenny definitely has a higher ceiling for sure, in my opinion at least. But hey, you know, at the end of the day, I don't care who plays quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I just want to win some football games, we'll see what happens. And the multi-million dollar question entering this NFL season before we get to our picks.

Who do you like to win the AFC West this year? Oh, that's tough. That's really, really tough. Listen, that division is loaded, man, it really is.

And it's going to be very, very competitive. But, since I'm pretty much friends, I'm pretty much close now with Max Crosby. I got no reason not to root for the Raiders. I drafted Devante Adams in fantasy footballs. Listen, if I had to pick a team, a dark horse, to win the Super Bowl, besides being the Bills, I would go with the Raiders, man.

I really think they got a good squad this year. You know what, expand, because I think it's important for the listening audience to hear this about your relationship with Max Crosby. Because I saw the interview and it was real powerful stuff. Yeah, so me and Max have one thing in common. At one point in our life, we were down on our luck. Now we're sober. Max just celebrated, I think, a few years clean a couple months back, coming on my podcast that I have about sobriety. He gives back to the community. He's a good guy, loves football, humble guy.

But yeah, man, we chat all the time. He's a good cat. Great defensive player, man.

Great. He's almost right up there with the Watts and the Aaron Donalds. He's right there. Jersey Jerry here with us from Barstool Sports. Okay, you want to go first for your first pick or do you want me to go? You can go first, Zach.

Listen, it's your show. Okay, I like that. I respect that. Jersey Jerry comes on our turf and he's respectful. That's why Jersey Jerry's all about the respect.

That's what I love about him. Yes, Zach, yes. I will start things off this weekend, the Browns and the Panthers. This line has moved big time. In some books, it is the Cleveland Browns now being a favorite. But I'm looking right now through your company's website, the Barstool Sports book, and I see it as a pick'em. I'm going to go with the Carolina Panthers in this one. I like the Baker-Mayfield revenge game here. Awesome, awesome.

I'm on board with you there as well. I will do my two picks and then I will do my underdog last. My first one is going to be this one, and I don't even think this game is going to be a very, very close game whatsoever.

Listen, I don't care. Devontae Adams gone. That defense is so good.

It's so underrated. Give me the Packers all day, minus one and a half, all day and night. I could see this game being a double-digit game. Listen, all the hype around the Vikings this year. I don't see it, man.

I don't see it. Give me Aaron Rodgers minus one and a half. I'll take it all day. You know what's interesting about this game? Because, in theory, you would think, oh yeah, Green Bay's just going to easily win the game. Isn't it weird that that spreads only a point and a half? Yeah, what they're doing is, listen, I'm using a little reverse psychology here.

Because it didn't work last night. I felt like yesterday's line with the Bills and the Rams, they were begging you to just take the Rams. And I took the Rams. It was brutal. Yeah, it was brutal. It was a catastrophe.

It was a catastrophe, to say the least. I'm doing a little reverse psychology here. I'm sticking with my guns.

I'm going Aaron Rodgers. Alright, my next game, maybe this is just the Patriot fan in me. And I don't love what they're doing on offense.

It makes no sense with Patricia. It makes no sense with Judge and Belichick and how they're calling plays. I just don't buy into Mike McDaniel and Tuatunga Vailoa yet when it's a spread of three and a half points. This kind of feels like a field goal game. 24-21. I'll take the Pats as one of my underdog picks. Plus the three and a half points.

Awesome. Yeah, hey listen, they always play close games. I like it. My next one, I will go with the Saints. Minus five and a half against the Falcons. I'm a big believer in Jameis Winston.

I really am. They got weapons. They got weapons all over the field. Defense is great. Weapons on offense drafted.

Chris Salave. Yeah, give me the Saints. I'll take the Saints minus five and a half. So, so far I have the Pats plus three and a half. I have the Panthers on a pick.

I'm in Jersey Jerry from Barstool Sports. I have the Packers minus one and a half. And the Saints minus five and a half points. My last pick, I'm going to the Monday night game. Hopefully after a good Sunday, we go into Monday.

We got some cash in the bank account. And we then place it on the Denver Broncos. Ooh, this line just jumped up to seven. Excuse me, it's still at six and a half points. So, I will take them at six and a half points up against the Seattle Seahawks. I love Russell Wilson and his return to Seattle. Yep, yep.

For my underdog play, Zach, I don't think a lot of people are going to see this coming. But they should by now. They will be the Pittsburgh Steelers plus six and a half. That is something that I will guarantee. Okay? You can put a guarantee on that.

And I got a little staff for you. Listen, I'm a numbers guy. When a team makes a Super Bowl and they lose, right? In the last 21 years, that same team is four and 17 against the spread. What it's called is, it's called a Super Bowl hangover. And that's exactly what you seen last night. And that's exactly what you'll see Sunday at one o'clock from the Cincinnati Bengals.

Give me Pittsburgh all day, plus six and a half. Let me just ask you this, aside from what you just said, because we're doing this on the spread. Are you feeling them good on the money line, plus 230 to win the game outright? It will be very tough.

It will be hard. Listen, I think it's a field goal game. I really do. The Pittsburgh Steelers had all offseason to think about this matchup. The Bengals destroyed them both times last year, ran all over the field. I'm not making excuses.

I'm really not. The Steelers' defensive line was a catastrophe last year. Everybody was injured. I think they improved on the defensive line. Secondary is back, and we added Miles Jack, which is a huge pickup. I just see this, honestly, as a real low-scoring game and a field goal game. I will sprinkle the money line a little bit. I won't go crazy.

I'm definitely going to hammer it, plus six and a half. The picks for week one. Jersey Jerry taking Green Bay, minus a point and a half up against the Vikings. Rollin' with the Saints against the Falcons. New Orleans minus five and a half, and the Steelers plus six and a half up against the Bengals. I'm taking the Pats plus three and a half.

Denver laying the six and a half, and the Panthers in a pick. Tell me what you got to plug here, Jersey Jerry. My plugs? Yeah, go ahead. Oh yeah, so on Instagram and Twitter, you can find me at at JerryTheKid21. If it don't have a blue check mark, it ain't me.

I'm verified on both ends. You can catch me on Facebook as well, and the TikToks as well, Jersey Jerry. Oh, you're on TikTok now? Yeah, you know, I got somebody running it for me.

I'm not the best at the TikTok, but I got somebody running it for me. I do that. I do the Facebook still a little bit.

But I rather do Twitter and Instagram. Well, Jersey Jerry, I'm looking forward to our picks each and every week. Great to have you on and actually know when you're calling me this time instead of what you did with that Gordon Hayward stuff, which I thought was hilarious. But always great to hear your voice and looking forward to it throughout the year. Hey, yeah, exactly. Thanks again, man. I'll talk to you next week for sure.