2015 NFL Week 3 Preview

Two straight bad 4th quarters have the Giants at 0-2. Eli and
company look for their first win.

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants
Thursday September 24, 2015 8:25pm
CBS, NFL Network -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Giants made NFL history by blowing double-digit leads in the fourth quarter of their first two games of the season. The good thing is they were good enough to be up double-digits in the fourth quarter. The bad thing is they're 0-2. This is exactly the game the Giants need, as the Giants should look to go up more than 10 points to put the Redskins away. The Giants' defense is porous, so Kirk Cousins should be able to score on them. Still, look for the Giants to get in the win column finally.

Washington Redskins 20 New York Giants 30

Despite an excellent showing in preseason, Sam Bradford's job may
be on the line if he has a poor outing here.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Jets
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Eagles are reeling at 0-2 like their NFC East counterpart Giants. However, the Giants have an easy home tilt against the division rival Redskins, and the Eagles have a difficult game against the stout Jets' defense in their building. The Eagles are familiar with MetLife Stadium as they play the Giants there every year. Still, the Jets are a much better team at the moment, as Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't turning the ball over and the defense is getting off the field. The Eagles may make a quarterback change if Bradford is lousy against another quality defense. That means you may see Mark Sanchez against the Jets. Stay tuned.

Philadelphia Eagles 17 New York Jets 24

The Cowboys did trade for Matt Cassel, but Brandon Weeden figures
to get the start in place of injured Tony Romo.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Dallas Cowboys
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

The Cowboys start their first official full game without Tony Romo as their starting quarterback for awhile. They'll also be without leading wide receiver Dez Bryant for awhile as well. Bryant played with Brandon Weeden at Oklahoma State, so Weeden and Bryant could've worked off of familiarity had Bryant been healthy. The Falcons are surprisingly 2-0, but they were narrow victories against teams who probably did more to lose themselves than the Falcons did winning. Even with a backup quarterback, the Cowboys should be able to get the job done this game relying on the run.

Atlanta Falcons 20 Dallas Cowboys 24

Indianapolis Colts vs. Tennessee Titans
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Tom McCarthy, Adam Archuleta
LP Field, Nashville, TN

The Colts are starting off surprisingly at 0-2, and looking at their first two opponents, many expected for them to start 2-0. Divisional opponents for the Colts should always be an easy week, even if the Colts are in Nashville for this one. Look for the Colts to jump on the Titans early. The honeymoon for Marcus Mariota is now over, as he was not as successful as maybe he thought he would be after the Week 1 victory. This is the first time the home fans get to see Mariota. Too bad it'll come against a motivated team.

Indianapolis Colts 31 Tennessee Titans 17

Oakland Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Carter Blackburn, Chris Simms
FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH

Both of these teams had horrible showings in Week 1, only to follow it up with an impressive showing in Week 2. The Browns are surprisingly going back to Josh McCown after Johnny Manziel had a successful outing in the team's home opener last week. Since both of these teams aren't really as good as their performance from last week suggests, I'll have to go with the home team here.

Oakland Raiders 13 Cleveland Browns 23

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

The Bengals have looked impressive in the early going, and a win in Baltimore would really be significant to both teams. The problem for the Bengals is Andy Dalton always looks impressive early in the season, only to wilt under pressure as the season goes along. For the Ravens, their home opener cannot have come soon enough. They thought they would at least be 1-1 after their first two road games, but a bad loss to the Raiders leaves them at 0-2 looking for answers. I'll go with the slight upset here. I think the Bengals find a way to pull it off in Baltimore and really put the Ravens in a hole.

Cincinnati Bengals 20 Baltimore Ravens 17

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

This preview should not be long, because the Jaguars have absolutely no shot at winning this football game. The Jaguars were at home for their first two, so this is their first road game of the season, and it comes against the defending champions. Brady has been lights out in the first two games as well, throwing for seven touchdowns and zero interceptions through the first two games. He hung a 40 spot on a tough defense in Buffalo last week. Brady did go 16-0 the last time the Patriots were embroiled in a cheating controversy, and from the looks of it, he appears motivated to silence his critics.

Jacksonville Jaguars 14 New England Patriots 38

New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Chris Myers, Ronde Barber
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

The Saints will fall to 0-3 after this one, as the Panthers have too good of a defense to allow the Saints to win in Charlotte. The Saints really blew a big opportunity at a win when they lost at home to the lowly Buccaneers last week. The decline of Drew Brees and Sean Payton has kind of resembled the decline Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin have experienced in the past couple of years. The trade for Max Unger doesn't look so good now. Unger is a good offensive lineman, but trading Brees' best offensive weapon seems to be a mistake.

New Orleans Saints 17 Carolina Panthers 24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Houston Texans
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX

The Texans have played poorly in their first two games. They need to look at this game as an opportunity to get in the win column. Ryan Mallett appears to be starting again, and the Buccaneers aren't as good of a defense as the Panthers and Chiefs are. In front of the home fans, Mallett and the offense should be able to generate something. Let's see how Jameis Winston fares against J.J. Watt barreling in from his end spot. Winston isn't superbly athletic, so Watt should be able to get to him in this game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14 Houston Texans 20

San Diego Chargers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

Keenan Allen had a huge game in the season opener, and went completely missing last week against the Bengals. The Bengals do have a solid defense, so it isn't terribly surprising. The Vikings are hard to read, but the one thing you can count on is them feeding Adrian Peterson the ball often. They failed to do that in Week 1, and it cost them dearly. The Chargers are on the Eastern side of the country for another week, so they should be better adjusted and more prepared to win this football game.

San Diego Chargers 23 Minnesota Vikings 20

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. St. Louis Rams
Sunday September 27, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Trent Green
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO

The Rams are a hard team to figure out. They're lauded for their superior defensive line, but don't always control the line of scrimmage as evidenced against the Redskins last week. Last year, they were impressive defensively against the Seahawks, but got torched by a team like the Giants late in the season when things were going well for them. This year, they were impressive against the Seahawks again, but then got handled easily by the Redskins. The Steelers' offense is rolling, so look for them to open up the pass game and keep things going in the dome. Leveon Bell is back too. That's trouble for the Rams.

Pittsburgh Steelers 31 St. Louis Rams 20

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sunday September 27, 2015 4:05pm
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Tony Siragusa
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

The 49ers looked a lot more like what the prognosticators expected from them this season. They looked awful against the Steelers, but the Steelers are a very good team who can challenge the Patriots in the AFC if they can straighten out their defense. The Cardinals look like a team that's rolling whenever Carson Palmer is their quarterback. Going with the Cardinals is the safe pick here.

San Francisco 49ers 17 Arizona Cardinals 34

Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Sunday September 27, 2015 4:25pm
CBS -- Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots
Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL

This is the Bills' first road game, so it should be very interesting to see how they perform away from the rowdy fans in upstate New York. On the flip side, this is the Dolphins first home game, and they'll want to take advantage of this game because they fly to London next week to face the Jets. Both teams have solid defenses, even though that didn't show last week. This game will come down to the play of Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Tannehill. While many believe Tannehill is the better quarterback, Taylor is slightly better at using his legs and speed to avoid rushers. Still, I couldn't imagine Taylor getting a win in Miami.

Buffalo Bills 17 Miami Dolphins 23

Kam Chancellor ended his holdout, which means the Seahawks should
play much better defensively.

Chicago Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday September 27, 2015 4:25pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA

The Seahawks have Kam Chancellor back, but I'm not sure they need him for this game. The Bears lost Jay Cutler to a hamstring injury, so that means Jimmy Clausen will be starting. Whether it's Cutler or Clausen, the Bears are in serious trouble in this game. I forgot to add this is the Seahawks' home opener. The Bears are seriously in trouble.

Chicago Bears 7 Seattle Seahawks 34

Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions
Sunday September 27, 2015 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Ford Field, Detroit, MI

This is the home opener for the Lions, and they desperately needed it. They have struggled on the road in their first two games, and that may be attributed to not having DeAndre Levy out there. Levy is the leader of their defense, and without Ndamukong Suh, his play and impact is that much more important. The Broncos are fortunate to be 2-0 right now. They haven't looked sharp at all, and this will probably be another tough week for Peyton Manning. Look for the Lions' home crowd to be fired up. I can't remember the last time they've had a Sunday night game at home.

Denver Broncos 23 Detroit Lions 27

In happier times, Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles celebrate
a touchdown. Charles fumbled the game away later on.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers
Monday September 28, 2015 8:30pm
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

This is a great game for a Monday night. The Packers are invincible at home, so I expect them to win this game. However, I expect the Chiefs to be legit challengers, and make the Packers sweat like they did last week against the Seahawks. The Chiefs have had an enormous amount of time off, as their Week 2 tilt was a Thursday night. That game was a tough one to swallow too, as Jamaal Charles fumbled the game away after they were dominating for the majority of the game. Charles should look to redeem himself here, but too much Aaron Rodgers will doom the Chiefs.

Kansas City Chiefs 23 Green Bay Packers 30

2015 NFL Week 2 Preview

Peyton Manning has never lost to the Chiefs as a member of the
Broncos, and has only lost once to them his entire career.

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Thursday September 17, 2015 8:25pm
CBS, NFL Network -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Watching the Broncos struggle to beat the Ravens at home was an indication of something we all didn't want to see. It appears Peyton Manning is very near the end, but one game may be fooling us. Usually, Manning is on point early in the season, making crisp and sharp throw with zip on his passes. He had numerous passes that had great zip on it, but the Ravens were able to defend them well because they defended the short crossing route patterns well. When Manning tried to throw it over the top of the defense, he wasn't accurate. The Chiefs were impressive in Week One, against a lowly Texans team. I expect them to get a win here in their home opener. Finally, they beat the Broncos.

Denver Broncos 16 Kansas City Chiefs 20

Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Giants coughed away an opportunity at an impressive road win, even though the Cowboys did a lot to shoot themselves in the foot. The Giants should be able to beat the Falcons at home, but that is no sure thing. The Falcons' offensive is impressive as usual, but it's their defense that'll determine whether or not they can win on the road. The Giants' offense didn't impress at all until their fateful final drive, when their rush game broke open, and Eli Manning was able to complete clutch passes. The Giants will use this game and their next home game to get off to a decent start.

Atlanta Falcons 23 New York Giants 27

Houston Texans vs. Carolina Panthers
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Trent Green
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

The Texans looked awful in their home opener under the guidance of Brian Hoyer, but they looked better under Ryan Mallett. It has been reported Bill O'Brien will go with Mallett for this game and beyond, but the Texans simply aren't a very good team right now. The Panthers' defense is expected to continue their stellar play that propelled them into the playoffs late last season, and the defense that led them to a 12-4 record the season before. This pick is a no-brainer.

Houston Texans 6 Carolina Panthers 24

San Francisco 49ers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

Many expected the 49ers to be awful this season, but they dominated in their season opening win Monday night against the Vikings, the last game of Week 1. The 49ers' defense showed they can still dominate and Colin Kaepernick is a decent quarterback, but to expect the 49ers to win in Pittsburgh is asking too much of the 49ers. For the Steelers, their offense seems to be on point, with the exception that they couldn't get points on the board in the season opening loss to the defending champion Patriots. Look for the Steelers to find it a little easier to put up points here. They won't be dealing with headset malfunctions.

San Francisco 49ers 17 Pittsburgh Steelers 27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Chris Myers, Ronde Barber
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA

The Saints were locked in a battle against the Cardinals in the season opener, but the Saints will look to bounce back from last season's debacle to reclaim their good years under the helm of Drew Brees and Sean Payton. A home opener against the Buccaneers is a good way to start. The way the Buccaneers played in the season and home opener against the Titans, they may very well be the worst team in the NFL. Time will tell if Jameis Winston can improve during his rookie season. If not, the Buccaneers may not be patient enough with Mike Glennon as the backup.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 New Orleans Saints 30

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Sam Rosen, Kirk Morrison
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

The Lions blew a huge opportunity at a statement win on the West Coast when they blew an 18 point lead against the Chargers. Many thought the Lions' defense will be a lot worse this year without Ndamukong Suh, but they still have quality guys like DeAndre Levy, Darius Slay, Glover Quin and Ziggy Ansah who are terrific and underrated defenders. The Lions should still be a good defense despite last week's showing. The Vikings, on the other hand, were overhyped, mainly because many believe Teddy Bridgewater will take that next step. Only problem is the only truly talented players on the team happen to be Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson. They have two solid young corners in Xavier Rhodes and rookie Trae Waynes, but they need time.

Detroit Lions 24 Minnesota Vikings 17

Arizona Cardinals vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Tony Siragusa
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

Many expected the Bears to be a mess, but Jay Cutler has shown the ability to be an average quarterback and play solid at times. This probably isn't the defense he wants to go up against, but at least they're at home. While the Cardinals have Carson Palmer back and their stout defense largely intact, look for the Bears to get a victory. I don't expect the Bears, even a team lacking talent, to lose their first two games at home.

Arizona Cardinals 20 Chicago Bears 23

Rex Ryan got the Bills a win in Week 1. Now they face the division
rival and defending Super Bowl champion Patriots.

New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY

I tout this as an upset special, but I'm certainly not the only one. There are good expectations for this Bills team this year, and Rex Ryan has shown the ability to get the most out of his players early in his tenure. Ryan has experience trying to confuse Tom Brady, and did so successfully in the 2010 AFC Divisional Round after getting spanked in the regular season a month before. Look for Ralph Wilson Stadium to be rocking, and Brady won't be able to utilize the quick snaps on the road like he did in their home opener.

New England Patriots 23 Buffalo Bills 27

San Diego's last visit to Cincinnati was a successful one as the
Chargers shocked the Bengals in the 2013 AFC Wild Card game.

San Diego Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

The Bengals were very impressive in Week 1, but Andy Dalton always gives you a reason to believe in him, especially against poor teams. The last time the Chargers played in Cincinnati, they were putting the clamps on the Bengals' offense in the 2013 AFC Wild Card game, a game in which the Bengals were expected to get their first playoff win in over 20 years. They still have not won a playoff game, but I expect the Bengals to win their home opener. Pressure is relatively non existent in Week 2 for Dalton.

San Diego Chargers 17 Cincinnati Bengals 27

Tennessee Titans vs. Cleveland Browns
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Tom McCarthy, Adam Archuleta
FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH

The Titans looked very impressive in their season opener, albeit against a poor team in the Buccaneers. However, the Browns are another poor team, so I expect rookie Marcus Mariota to keep things going here in Cleveland, and ruin the home opener for the Browns. Let's see if Johnny Manziel gets the start here. Josh McCown took a pretty bad fall in that opener, and due to concussion protocol, will not be able to practice until Friday at the earliest. A Browns team without McCown has no shot.

Tennessee Titans 27 Cleveland Browns 13

St. Louis Rams vs. Washington Redskins
Sunday September 20, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Dick Stockton, David Diehl
FedEx Field, Landover, MD

The last time the Rams played in Landover, Jeff Fisher was pulling funny stuff against the Redskins as he sent out the six players the Rams acquired in their 2012 NFL Draft day trade with the Redskins, in which the Redskins acquired Robert Griffin III. RG3 has not panned out the way the Redskins would have liked, and Kirk Cousins, also drafted by the Redskins in 2012, is the starter. The Rams have an opportunity to build on last week's great win against the defending NFC champions Seahawks. However, the Rams tend to do stuff like this, and I believe they'll play poorly and lose.

St. Louis Rams 14 Washington Redskins 21

Miami Dolphins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday September 20, 2015 4:05pm
CBS -- Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker, Steve Beuerlein
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL

The Jaguars have not shown the ability to play against quality defenses yet. Simply put, they do not possess the offensive firepower to do so. It remains to be seen whether the return of Julius Thomas will give their offense a boost. However, his return won't be for another couple of weeks. I expect the Dolphins to control this game from start to finish, en route to a 2-0 start on the road.

Miami Dolphins 20 Jacksonville Jaguars 10

Baltimore Ravens vs. Oakland Raiders
Sunday September 20, 2015 4:05pm
CBS -- Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots
O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA

There were expectations Derek Carr would improve in year 2, and there is still time for him to do so. However, he didn't look good at all in Week 1's terrible loss to the Bengals. The Ravens' defense looked solid against the Broncos, so the Raiders should be an easier task. The Ravens did lose Terrell Suggs for the season, and have signed Jason Babin. It'll be interesting to see how the defensive unit performs without their emotional leader. They won't have to worry much about that in this game, but they'll worry later in the season.

Baltimore Ravens 26 Oakland Raiders 10

DeMarco Murray did not have a good showing in Week 1. He'll want
to impress his former team here in Week 2.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday September 20, 2015 4:25pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

While many people say the Cowboys were fortunate they came away with a season opening victory against the Giants, the same case could be made that the Giants were pretty fortunate to be up 10 in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys looked lazy at times, and looked disinterested in their season opener. While the Cowboys should play better football here in Philadelphia, the Eagles will not go 0-2 this season. Look for the Eagles' offense to open the floodgates and put up a lot of points against the Cowboys like they did in AT&T Stadium last Thanksgiving.

Dallas Cowboys 27 Philadelphia Eagles 38

This fateful play all but cost the Packers a chance at
a Super Bowl appearance and title.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers
Sunday September 20, 2015 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

It's hard to see the Seahawks starting off at 0-2, but that is exactly where they will be after this game. A defensive unit without Kam Chancellor struggled against the Rams last week, and Aaron Rodgers is probably the best quarterback in the league. The Seahawks' pass rush can still get to Rodgers like they did in both matchups last season, but both matchups last season were in Seattle. Rodgers finally gets them in Green Bay, and he'll take advantage. The taste of the crushing defeat should still be fresh to the Packers as well, so they'll be motivated to put up some points.

Seattle Seahawks 20 Green Bay Packers 31

New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts
Monday September 21, 2015 8:30pm
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

The Jets looked good in their season opener, while the Colts looked like a team that lacked talent. I've seen several predictions from NFL analysts that the Colts will be much improved this year due to the additions of Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. I do not believe both of those players are difference makers at this point in their careers. The health and productivity of Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton is most important, but their defense has to step up and be more physical. With the home crowd behind them, they will do that and get this victory.

New York Jets 17 Indianapolis Colts 27

2015 NFL Week 1 Preview

Tom Brady is back on the field after U.S. District
judge Richard Berman overruled Roger Goodell's four game suspension.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots
Thursday September 10, 2015 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

Tom Brady is back, so this game is everything the fans want, and even Roger Goodell and the NFL. Goodall will not be in attendance for this one, and it's best he stays away from those fans and Robert Kraft. In a funny twist, both teams will be without their starting running backs due to an incident in which they were arrested together. When the Steelers' Leveon Bell and the Patriots' Legarrette Blount were on the Steelers last year, they were both arrested for marijuana possession. Both have been suspended as a result of that incident. Blount joined the Patriots midseason last year after being cut by the Steelers. So who's affected more by the loss of their running back? I'll say the Steelers, and that may be the difference in the game.

Pittsburgh Steelers 20 New England Patriots 30

Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Greg Gumbel, Trent Green
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

The Jets are loaded on both sides of the ball, but we all know the quarterback position is the most important position in football. It remains to be seen what the Jets can get from Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Geno Smith when he returns and if he's given the starting job back. It helps the Jets get the Browns at home for the season opener. It's a nice way to get off to a good start, but the Jets did win their first game last year before losing the next eight games, essentially running Rex Ryan and John Idzik out of town. Expect the Jets to get off to a good start in this game, and a better start to this season than last season.

Cleveland Browns 13 New York Jets 23

Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

The Bears drafted Kevin White in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft to replace Brandon Marshall, who was traded to the Jets in the offseason. White is now out with a shin injury, which means Jay Cutler will have Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal to work with, provided both are healthy as well. The Packers are dealing with injuries to their wide receiving corps as well, as Aaron Rodgers' favorite target, Jordy Nelson, is sidelined for the season with a torn ACL. Randall Cobb also injured his shoulder in preseason, but it doesn't appear to be serious and he and Davante Adams will have to shoulder the load in Nelson's absence. In all, the Packers are a much better team than the Bears, and should win this opener against their rivals.

Green Bay Packers 34 Chicago Bears 17

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX

The Chiefs are removing former first round draft pick Eric Fisher from left tackle over to the right side, as the Chiefs favor Donald Stephenson over Fisher. Who knows if this is a move to properly and effectively block J.J. Watt, but Watt will most likely be moved around so Stephenson and Fisher will most likely be tasked with handling him. Jadeveon Clowney doesn't figure to be playing in this game, and the Texans will love to see what Clowney and Watt can do together. Both teams finished 9-7 last year, but the Chiefs figure to be the better team this year. They should be the better team on the road in this one as well.

Kansas City Chiefs 20 Houston Texans 17

Rex Ryan will make his Bills' head coaching debut at home against
the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY

The Tyrod Taylor era for the Bills begins at home, but the matchup everyone will be interested in is Andrew Luck against the Bills' defense. The Bills were terrific last year defensively, led by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. However, Schwartz didn't stick around when the Bills hired Rex Ryan as their new head coach. Ryan and new defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman figure to pick up where Schwartz left off with the defense. This appears to be a game ripe for an upset.

Indianapolis Colts 21 Buffalo Bills 24

Both quarterbacks were drafted by the Redskins in 2012, but it's the late
round draft pick Kirk Cousins who will be getting the start.

Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
CBS -- Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
FedEx Field, Landover, MD

The soap opera that is the Redskins start the season at home, and Kirk Cousins will probably look to not be killed by Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh. Ryan Tannehill just received a nice new deal, but is he really deserving of it? His numbers were solid last year, but he came up short in moments where they needed him, especially during the final game of last season losing to the Jets once again. Tannehill also lost to the Jets during the final game of the 2013 season at home, so some have scratched their head at Tannehill's new contract. The Dolphins should win this game since they have the defense to rattle Cousins, but do not be surprised if the Redskins win this at home.

Miami Dolphins 20 Washington Redskins 10

Carolina Panthers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Chris Myers, Ronde Barber
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL

Many eyes will be on the development of Blake Bortles, who impressed at times in his rookie season last year. They signed Julius Thomas to a deal, so they're hoping Thomas can come in and be a receiving target to help Bortles move the offense. For this game, Thomas won't be around, as a broken finger will sideline him probably for the first month of the season. Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson will have to deliver if the Jaguars want to win this game. The Panthers are two time defending NFC South champions, and with Devin Funchess aboard, the Panthers look to improve upon last season. It would've been a lot better with Funchess teaming up with Kelvin Benjamin, but that will not happen this year. The Panthers won't need Benjamin to win here though.

Carolina Panthers 24 Jacksonville Jaguars 14

Seattle Seahawks vs. St. Louis Rams
Sunday September 13, 2015 1:00pm
FOX -- Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston
Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO

The Rams shocked the Seahawks last year with a victory in the dome over the then defending champions. I have a feeling the Seahawks will not be caught off guard this time around. It appears they will be without Kam Chancellor, as he has yet to report to the team. This seems to be a serious holdout from Chancellor, so it'll be worth watching the developments between Chancellor and the team, in addition to who fills in for him. This is the first game for Nick Foles as the starter. Foles was the Eagles's starter last season until he got a midseason injury. In Chip Kelly's weird offseason, he traded Foles for Sam Bradford straight up. Bradford has received a lot of hype for his performance in preseason. Let's see how Foles is with his new team.

Seattle Seahawks 28 St. Louis Rams 17

New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals
Sunday September 13, 2015 4:05pm
FOX -- Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

This should be an entertaining game, as the Cardinals' solid defense look to use their crowd noise to rattle the Saints' high-powered offense. The Saints' offense figures to be high-powered because they have Drew Brees at the helm. However, they did get rid of maybe the best tight end in football in Jimmy Graham, in addition to Kenny Stills. They also have elected not to re-sign Pierre Thomas, as he remains a free agent. It'll be very interesting to see who Brees relies on other than Marques Colton. He does have an explosive receiver in Brandin Cooks, who was putting up great numbers before he was injured in his rookie season last year. He figures to be a big part of the offense. The Saints haven't played well on the road recently, and Carson Palmer will be returning for the Cardinals. The Cardinals should get the win.

New Orleans Saints 20 Arizona Cardinals 24

Detroit Lions vs. San Diego Chargers
Sunday September 13, 2015 4:05pm
FOX -- Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Tony Siragusa
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

The Lions lost Ndamukong Suh in the offseason, and many regard him as the best defensive tackle in football. It remains to be seen how that'll impact the Lions' defense, who were #1 during several stretches of last season. They did acquire Haloti Ngata from the Ravens, but Ngata isn't as young and as explosive as Suh is. Ngata still figures to be an important part of the Lions' success on defense this year. However, it should be very warm in San Diego this Sunday, which means the Chargers may wear their white uniforms, forcing the Lions into a darker color. Many folks may not believe that actually makes a difference, but the Chargers pulled that tactic on the Seahawks last season, and many of the Seahawks' players were exhausted from the heat. Then again, the Seahawks do have dark colored home uniforms. The Lions don't.

Detroit Lions 17 San Diego Chargers 20

Tennessee Titans vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sunday September 13, 2015 4:25pm
CBS -- Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

The schedule makers certainly figured both teams would be drafting Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota in some order in this year's draft. That makes this game worth watching. However, with the way Mike Glennon has played, do not be surprised if Lovie Smith gives the start to Winston, and then pulls him in favor of Glennon after a couple of mistakes. The Titans, meanwhile, believe they have their future quarterback in Mariota. It has been weird for the Titans, as they tabbed Zach Mettenberger to start last year after Jake Locker went down with yet another injury. Locker inexplicably retired, but the Titans were probably looking to get Mariota anyway. I believe Mariota will impress here, and pull off a good road win.

Tennessee Titans 23 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Oakland Raiders
Sunday September 13, 2015 4:25pm
CBS -- Tom McCarthy, Chris Simms
O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA

Those who will watch this game should be interested in the debut of Amari Cooper, who looked really good in the preseason. It remains to be seen whether Derek Carr can elevate his game, but it appears the Raiders have solid receiving options with Cooper and newcomer Michael Crabtree. As for the Bengals, it appears to be the same old story for them. They come in with a solid defense, but their success largely depends on Andy Dalton. Can Dalton move past the game manager phase and start to win games with his decision making and right arm? This game looks ripe for an upset, as the Raiders will get the home fans pumped after a season-opening victory.

Cincinnati Bengals 14 Oakland Raiders 17

Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday September 13, 2015 4:25pm
CBS -- Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, CO

Normally, the game of the week in the 4:25pm slot has a very interesting matchup, but this matchup just seems to be any other game. Both teams were eliminated in the division round last year, so they'll look to improve upon that. These two met in the season opener two seasons ago, and Peyton Manning threw for seven touchdowns in a rout. Let's see what happens here. Manning is usually at his best early in the season, when the weather is warm and the ball is coming out well from his hands. I expect for him to have a great game in this one.

Baltimore Ravens 20 Denver Broncos 35

Lining up across from Odell Beckham Jr. may bring bad memories
for Brandon Carr.

New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys
Sunday September 13, 2015 8:30pm
NBC -- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

The Cowboys lost DeMarco Murray in the offseason, but many believe his success was attributed to the dominant offensive line. Joseph Randle appears to be the starter, and their brass believes a running back by committee option can duplicate Murray's success. For the Giants, they struggled in the preseason, but their offense is still expected to do well. Their defense, on the other hand, has caused Giants' fans to sound the alarm early. It remains to be seen who will be starting at safety opposite Landon Collins, who's expected to get the starting gig. Also, the Giants are still trying to sign Jason Pierre Paul and determine when he can return. The Giants also haven't won a season opener since they opened MetLife Stadium in 2010. Look for that streak to continue here.

New York Giants 20 Dallas Cowboys 31

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Atlanta Falcons
Monday September 14, 2015 6:55pm
ESPN -- Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

This could be a shootout, as both teams have explosive offenses. However, the Eagles have improved a great deal on defense, so it'll be interesting to see how they perform here. The health of Sam Bradford will always be on the minds of Eagles' fans, so any hit to Bradford will be cringeworthy. However, a healthy Bradford seems to be clicking, so look for the Eagles to get their season off to a good start.

Philadelphia Eagles 41 Atlanta Falcons 24 

Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers
Monday September 14, 2015 10:20pm
ESPN -- Chris Berman, Trent Dilfer
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

The 49ers have had the worst offseason of any team in quite some time, so it'll be interesting to see how they look in regular season play. They still have Colin Kaepernick, who they still believe is their franchise quarterback. They also have added Torrey Smith as a deep threat, so let's see what the 49ers can actually do. For the Vikings, having Adrian Peterson in the backfield with Teddy Bridgewater will help the young quarterback a lot. Look for the Vikings to feed Peterson early and often, and get Bridgewater in a lot of play action. Still, I expect the 49ers to win at home.

Minnesota Vikings 20 San Francisco 49ers 23