After finally winning a Best Bet last week, it’s time for me to make picks based on zero football knowledge! This week I will be making my picks based on one simple question: which team has the best jerseys? (Shoutout to Erik Manning). As you will read in the rest of my picks this week, I will be making all bets based on how good each team’s uniform scheme is. Criteria includes jersey layout, helmet design, logo, originality and color scheme. Before choosing my lock of the week, here are my two honorable mentions for best jerseys.
Oakland Raiders
Now, one might say the Raiders should be disqualified from this competition. The Raiders’ team colors are black, white and grey, and I don’t even know if those are technically colors. But there is just something great to the simplicity of the look. As far as my research can tell, the Raiders have never messed around with any other colors in franchise history, and it really sets the tone for Raider’s football. It’s either white on black, or black on white. I would be scared to play them. Also, double bonus points for their logo. A football player with an eye patch. It really makes you think, what kind of guy is still playing football with an eyepatch? A wild and crazy man, that’s for sure.
Seattle Seahawks
Here’s a hot take: Regardless of whether you like them or not, I honestly think the neon green color rush uniforms are a competitive advan- tage to wear. How many teams can say that? Offensive linemen must go blind from having to look at them play after play. The jersey design itself is very good, as even the non- electric jerseys have solid neon trim. Their logo is a mean bird. I like it.
And the best NFL jersey (and your Lock of the Week) is the… Cincinnati Bengals
By far the best integration of team name and jersey in the NFL. First of all, calling the team “Bengals” is a nice way to hide the fact that they are basically named the Tigers, which is a pretty lame mascot. Ben- gals themselves, have stripes, and so do the jerseys! The heavy reliance on black is welcome, and the orange is a good compliment. I also like how they don’t wear their whites of- ten, contrary to the rest of the NFL. Lastly, I love a good helmet, and the Cincinnati Bengals have tiger stripes on their lids. If spreads were deter- mined based on team jerseys, the Bengals would be ten point favorites every week.
The pick: Cincinnati Bengals (+3) over the Denver Broncos
