NFL Picks Week 1: Reviewing Expert Predictions, Vegas Odds and Opening Schedule

The long offseason is finally over.

Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season begins Thursday night with a matchup between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. 

Winners of Super Bowl 50, the Broncos are playing host to the Panthers in this grudge match. While much of the championship team remains intact from last season, Denver's new quarterback situation is one of the more intriguing storylines of the season. Trevor Siemian will make his first career start under center, taking over for retired legend Peyton Manning.

It's a tall order, and it's an example of one change that might have some picking the Panthers and their strong defense to triumph this time around. Of course, no team goes through an offseason without making some significant changes, making playing the prediction game and trying to beat the odds a tough task as the season begins.

It could be useful to have some guidance in Week 1, so here's a look at the opening schedule, expert picks from around the web and the spread for each contest. 

Date	Time (ET)	Matchup w/ Spread	Chris Simms, B/R	Pete Prisco, CBS Sports	Merril Hoge, ESPN	Stephen White, SB Nation
Sept. 8	8:30 p.m.	Carolina Panthers (-3) at Denver Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Panthers	Panthers
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Minnesota Vikings (-2.5) at Tennessee Titans	Vikings	Vikings	Titans	Titans
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Chicago Bears at Houston Texans (-5.5)	Texans	Texans	Texans	Texans
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles (-4)	Browns	Eagles	Eagles	Eagles
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens (-3)	Ravens	Ravens	Bills	Ravens
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (-7)	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints (-1.5)	Saints	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons (-3)	Buccaneers	Falcons	Buccaneers	Falcons
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) at New York Jets	Jets	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals
Sept. 11	1 p.m.	Green Bay Packers (-4.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars	Packers	Jaguars	Packers	Packers
Sept. 11	4:05 p.m	Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks (-10)	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks
Sept. 11	4:25 p.m.	New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-1)	Cowboys	Giants	Giants	Giants
Sept. 11	4:25 p.m.	Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts (-3.5)	Lions	Colts	Colts	Lions
Sept. 11	8:30 p.m.	New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals (-6)	Patriots	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals
Sept. 12	7:10 p.m.	Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Washington Redskins	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Redskins
Sept. 12	10:20 p.m.	Los Angeles Rams (-2.5) at San Francisco 49ers	Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams

Adam Lefkoe and Chris Simms of Bleacher Report also broke down the Week 1 slate of games on The Simms & Lefkoe Podcast:

Odds are courtesy of Odds Shark and updated as of Thursday, September 8, at 12 p.m. ET. Expert picks are courtesy of Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, ESPN.com and SB Nation. All picks are straight up, not against the spread.

Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans

While the Minnesota Vikings are expected to be one of the better teams in the league due to an Adrian Peterson-featured running game and a talented defense, they will be hard-pressed to live up to their full potential.

Teddy Bridgewater's season-ending injury has cast the Vikings' entire season in doubt, as the franchise had to scramble to shore up the QB situation. Minnesota swung a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to bring in Sam Bradford, who may or may not start over veteran Shaun Hill on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Whichever quarterback gets the nod will be working with a thin, unproven wide receiver corps. Minnesota's best bet is to get the ground game going early in this one and hope the defense and special teams can come up with enough plays to see out a victory.

The Titans went 3-13 last season, including 1-7 at home, but they have reason to be optimistic in 2016. Quarterback Marcus Mariota is entering his second season and looking to improve upon a rookie campaign that saw him toss 19 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Mariota may have better weapons surrounding him this year, with a pair of new running backs in veteran DeMarco Murray and rookie Derrick Henry looking eminently capable of shouldering a heavy load in the backfield, and rookie wide receiver Tajae Sharpe providing the team a spark with an excellent preseason.

It may take some time for the Titans pieces to come together, however, but the opportunity is there to steal a game in Week 1. The above experts are split on this contest, and the 2.5-point spread in favor of the Vikings leaves this one pretty much a toss-up. If neither Bradford nor Hill proves to be at least marginally effective, Tennessee might be able to win this one on the strength of a dynamic performance from the dual-threat Mariota.

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers

Though they aren't playing in their new city, the Los Angeles Rams could have hardly asked for a better opportunity to get their new West Coast era off to a winning start with a nationally televised Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers.

After one failed year of experimenting with Jim Tomsula as head coach, the 49ers brought in renowned tinkerer Chip Kelly to marshal the team. While Kelly and his madcap schemes might be enough to lift the team's offense from the NFL doldrums, it likely won't translate to many wins thanks to a defense depleted of talent. 

Ben Margot/Associated Press

The Ringer's Robert Mays provided more on how far (and how rapidly) this once-mighty group has fallen: 

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San Francisco plummeted from fifth in defensive DVOA in 2014 to 27th last season, and it's unlikely the 49ers will be much better under new coordinator Jim O'Neil. The team handed linebacker NaVorro Bowman — who is still somehow only 28 — a massive four-year, $42 million extension with $22 million in guarantees this offseason, but he simply hasn't been the same since shredding his knee in the aforementioned NFC championship game. Last season, the best players on this defense were probably nose tackle Ian Williams and edge rusher Aaron Lynch. Williams has already been ruled out for the year with an ankle injury, and Lynch is suspended for the first four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Even for the staunchest Kelly believers, the forecast in San Francisco — for this year at least — is pretty grim.

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The Rams should be able to take advantage of the 49ers' lack of talent and experience on defense with one simple strategy: Let Todd Gurley cook.

Gurley set the NFL aflame last season, rushing for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 13 games. Four of his top five single-game rushing totals last season came in Rams victories, as he proved himself a threat to score or break a dazzling run from nearly any position on the field. With the Rams now playing in the nation's second-largest media market, it's time for Gurley to get ready for his big close-up.

Rams fans won't see 2016 No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff in uniform on Sunday, which means it's up to Case Keenum to take care of the football and keep the chains moving on passing downs.

Richard Vogel/Associated Press

Sparkplug wide receiver Tavon Austin gives the team a unique dimension on offense, as he can turn short, high-percentage throws into big gains while also picking up a few carries or featuring in a gadget play. It likely won't take much for Keenum to outperform 49ers starter Blaine Gabbert, but even if he isn't up to the task, he has a better ground game to fall back on.

The Rams defense has pockets of talent, especially in a front four that features defensive tackle Aaron Donald and defensive end Robert Quinn.

Donald proved himself to be a phenomenal disruptor on the interior with a knack for busting through the line and taking down quarterbacks. Kelly might run several quick-hit plays to take Donald away from the action, but it's only so long before the offensive line begins to tire and the Rams are able to disrupt the 49ers' rhythm and timing.

Look for the Rams to get that first regular-season win representing their new city out of the way in Week 1.