With the NFL schedule being released, what’s a better time to do some way-to- early predictions? Here, we will discuss which teams will start their seasons on the right foot and which will start in the hole. Will the defending Super Bowl Champs start their season off with a win? Who wins the first-ever game streaming on YouTube? Let’s jump straight into it!
NFL Season Opener: Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
As the season’s tradition, the defending Super Bowl Champions will host the season’s first game! The city of Philadelphia and the Eagles will be rowdy, and they should be. They are coming off winning their second Super Bowl in franchise history, and what a win it was. They dominated the two-time defending Champs, the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite trading for receiver George Pickens to get Dak Prescott some help, it won’t be enough. The first game under Brian Schottenheimer will be quite a hostile environment. I expect the Eagles to dominate the Cowboys in the first game of the season.
Second NFL Game in Brazil: Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Chargers
For the second straight season, the NFL is having a game in Brazil on the first Friday of the season. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are taking on Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs are coming off their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. On the other hand, the Chargers are coming off an excellent 11-6 record in their first season under Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. This game should be close and physical. However, I expect that the Chiefs will pull it out late and continue to dominate the AFC West.
Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts
This is one of the more intriguing games in week one. On one side, you have Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and head coach Mike McDonald, who may be on the hot seat after a disappointing 8-9 season. Conversely, you have a quarterback in Anthony Richardson, who is still looking to live up to his 4th overall draft selection. At the same time, both teams made improvements through the draft, with the Colts acquiring tight end Tyler Warren and the Dolphins selecting defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. With this game being in a dome, the high-end speed of the Dolphins will prove to be too much for the 26th-ranked pass defense last season.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets
This could be a revenge game on both fronts, assuming Aaron Rodgers signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers between now and the start of the regular season. New York signing Justin Fields to a two-year deal will give him another opportunity to prove he is a starter in this league. As for the Steelers, they made a blockbuster trade for DK Metcalf and traded away George Pickens. Under new head coach Aaron Glenn, the Jets should be a different team, but not in week one. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a record of 5-1 in their last six weeks against one-opp opponents, and it will be no different this season.
Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars made a big-time move in the draft by trading up for WR/CB Travis Hunter, while the Panthers got third-year quarterback Bryce Young a number-one receiver in Tetairoa McMillan. This is a validation year for Trevor Lawrence and the Jags. Under new head coach Liam Coen, T Law may finally have his Head Coach for the foreseeable future. Hunter makes an immediate impact as a face-of-the-franchise-type player. Jacksonville shows up and shows out in their home opener and starts the season 1-0.
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
The Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray are starting the season on the road against the New Orleans Saints. After Derek Carr’s retirement, the question mark turns to either rookie quarterback Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler. The Cardinals are coming off a fantastic draft, beefing up their defense with the likes of Walter Nolen and Will Johnson. I expect Marvin Harrison Jr. and Murray to explode into one of the best connections in the NFL next season. Arizona starts their season off as they leave NOLA with a nice win.
New York Giants @ Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders had a storybook run to the NFC Championship game last season. Jayden Daniels was playing like a top-five quarterback for much of last season. They improved the offensive side of the ball, making trades for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel. As for the Giants, they brought in three quarterbacks: Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart. With the number two pick in the draft, they selected Abdul Carter to add to an already stacked defensive line. I will go on a limb and say the Giants pull off the week one upset in Washington. They played them tight in both games and didn’t come away with the win. New York stuns the Commanders in week one.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heading to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in Week One. With the Falcons handing the reins to Michael Penix Jr., we have another lefty quarterback in the ATL. He showed promise last season despite only starting three games. As for Tampa, they won the NFC South for the 4th consecutive season with a record of 10-7. Baker Mayfield had an excellent season, finishing in the top five in passing yards and passing touchdowns. In this opening weekend game in Atlanta, the Buccaneers will continue to reign supreme over the South as they leave Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a win.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are hosting the Cincinnati Bengals in their home opener. Who will start week one with the team drafting multiple quarterbacks in this past draft? Despite the question marks around Trey Hendrickson’s future with the Bengals, I think we all expect the Bengals to return to their upper-echelon team in the NFL. One of the few teams that Joe Burrow has struggled with in his career has been the Browns, not in this game. Burrow will finally have a great start to the season with a divisional win.
Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots
The New England Patriots had one of the more exciting offseasons in the NFL. They hired Mike Vrabel as their new head coach and signed Stefon Diggs, Milton Williams, Carlton Davis, and Garrett Bradberry, to name a few. As for Vegas, they also had a busy offseason, signing Pete Carroll as their new head coach, drafting Ashton Jeanty with the 6th pick in the NFL Draft. They also traded for Geno Smith. That said, I expect the Patriots to show up and show out at home to start their season. Drake Maye continues to look like the franchise quarterback in New England as they begin the season 1-0.
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks
This NFC West rivalry has been one of the marquee rivalries in the NFL. The 49ers lost plenty of their defensive starters last season, which is very concerning for a team that many believe should be a Super Bowl-contending team. As for Seattle, they made one of the more stunning moves in the NFL this offseason. They traded away quarterback Geno Smith and signed Sam Darnold. In this first week one matchup, despite the losses in the offseason, the 49ers will come out and get the win in Seattle against the Seahawks. CMC will return to form, and Brock Purdy will start to show why he was worth the 265 million-dollar extension.
Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos
In the home opener for the Broncos, they will be hosting number one pick Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans. With Denver coming off an impressive 10-7 season under Sean Payton, they are primed to continue their upward trajectory. Second-year quarterback Bo Nix was great as a rookie last season and should look strong in this game. Rookie quarterbacks are 0-7-1 in their first starts, with the last win being Sam Darnold in 2018. Denver dominates Ward and the Titans and starts their season 1-0.
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers
The Detroit Lions had an interesting offseason. They lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators. What does that mean? The offense and defensive schemes will be different. However, they will get their superstar edge rusher, Aiden Hutchinson, back from the broken leg he suffered last season. As for the Packers, they addressed their need for a receiver by drafting Matthew Golden in the first round of the NFL draft. With these two division rivals colliding in week one, I have the Packers taking this NFC North battle. It will be a shaky start for the Lions due to their offseason coaching losses.
Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams open their season hosting CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans. With Tank Dell being out for the season, Houston traded for receiver Christian Kirk to fill the void. They also added safety CJ Gardner-Johnson to help with their backend. As for the Rams, they cut Cooper Kupp and added Davante Adams, giving Matthew Stafford a strong number two next to Puka Nacua. The Rams will come out and dominate an offensive line that was shaky last season, then traded away their best offensive lineman. LA wins comfortably.
Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills
The NFL’s first Sunday Night Football game of the season is a rematch of the Divisional Round of the playoffs last year between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens—a battle of two AFC titans. On one side, Josh Allen won the MVP award last season. Conversely, you’ve got the two-time MVP winner Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. We know how Bills Mafia can get rocking and rolling, especially in NFL primetime. The Buffalo Bills will win this game at home just as they did in the playoffs last season. Josh Allen puts on the Superman cape as they narrowly escape with a win.
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
The NFL’s first Monday Night game is an NFC North battle between two bitter rivals. For the Minnesota Vikings, despite their flameout in the playoffs last season, JJ McCarthy will finally be handed the reins. He showed signs of flashes last preseason before suffering his season-ending knee injury. As for Chicago, they hired the hot offensive coordinator from the Lions, Ben Johnson, to be their new head coach. Pairing him with former number-one overall pick Caleb Williams could be a match in heaven. The Bears will pull this game out and start the season 1-0. Despite McCarthy not technically being a rookie, his first start in the NFL might be rough in Chicago.
Final Thoughts on NFL Week One
With the NFL schedule being released, many football fans and I are on the edge of our seats. A new NFL season brings an opportunity for fans and teams to get together for the yearly hope for their team’s success. How do you think your team will do this season? Will the Chiefs continue their dominance? Are the Eagles primed to go back-to-back and claim the NFL’s grandest prize, the Super Bowl? Many questions will be answered this season, and we can’t wait!
