Known as a notorious slow starter, I always have to have a new strategy to try to stop this trend.

So let’s go with the easiest strategy — none at all.

I made all my picks in about 45 seconds based on last year’s reputations mixed in with a little knowledge of what’s happened in this summer’s preseason — but not the preseason game results.

That’s because I always bring up the ol’ Lions adage — the year they went 0-16 they were also 4-0 in the preseason.

That won’t be a problem for them this year as they were 0-4, though it does give them a chance at 0-20.

Hmmm.

Anyway, let’s get to the picks before I get cold feet and decide to do major research on at least half these games, which I know wouldn’t go well:

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Tonight, 8:20 p.m.

Green Bay at Chicago — I downplay home field in this matchup. Instead, I’m looking at how much good the coaching change is doing in Green Bay. A lot, I imagine. Packers, 34-30.

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Sunday, 1 p.m.

Los Angeles Rams at Carolina — Even though Super Bowl runners-up have a bad history in the follow-up year, I still like L.A., at least this early. Rams, 37-27.

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Tennessee at Cleveland — OK, I’ll drink the Browns Kool-Aid — wait, brown Kool-Aid? Wouldn’t that be rather disgusting? — until they show I shouldn’t. Brown, 23-19.

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Kansas City at Jacksonville — Until somebody actually shows they can stop Patrick Mahomes, here’s some more Kool-Aid worth drinking. Chiefs, 39-28.

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Baltimore at Miami — Let the tanking — er, rebuilding — begin in Miami. And this is after Hurricane Dorian spared South Florida. Ravens, 27-16.

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Atlanta at Minnesota — I haven’t heard a peep in the preseason about either of these teams. And that’s just fine. Vikings, 30-23.

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Buffalo at New York Jets — Other than running back Shady McCoy getting cut over the weekend, haven’t heard a whole lot out of these two either. Jets, 19-14.

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Washington at Philadelphia — I’ll worry more about how brittle Philly QB Carson Wentz is a few more games in. Eagles, 33-24.

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Sunday, 4 p.m.

Indianapolis at Los Angeles Chargers — Didn’t some QB named Luck just retire? And with the juggernaut that this L.A. team was for awhile last season, I’ve got to go with the Chargers, 29-20.

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Cincinnati at Seattle — With Houston’s trade of Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle, you gotta go with the Seahawks, 19-10.

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Detroit at Arizona — No time like the present against a raw rookie QB to get the Lions’ season off to a rousing start. Cardinals, 27-20.

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New York Giants at Dallas — Won’t Dallas’ unheralded defense just mash Giants QB Eli Manning? Cowboys, 31-17.

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San Francisco at Tampa Bay — What little I’ve heard of the Bucs hasn’t been good this summer. 49ers, 40-23.

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Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Pittsburgh at New England — Now we all know about the slow start New England often gets off to, but Bill Belichick has had about eight months to prepare for the Steelers. Patriots, 37-24.

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Monday, 7:10 p.m.

Houston at New Orleans — Texans seem in disarray; not a good formula for playing in the Superdome. Saints, 27-17.

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Monday, 10:20 p.m.

Denver at Oakland — Oakland will get up for this game, which will probably cost them for the next month. Raiders, 31-19.

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Last regular season — 158-96, 62 percent. Playoffs — 5-6, 45 percent, though I did get the Super Bowl right.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.