NFL Predictions: The Indianapolis Colts Undefeated Season Ends Week 1
It's finally here! Gone are the meaningless preseason games, and here to stay is the regular NFL season!
The offseason brought many changes league-wide, with rookies suiting up for the first time and veterans being traded. The NFL is looking much different than it did at the end of last season, and Week One could have some surprises in store for us.
So which teams will begin their seasons 1-0? And which perennial favorites will come up short.
Here are 10 predictions for Week One of the NFL season.
The Lions Will Win In Chicago
1 of 10
Sorry, Bears fans, but Detroit has stepped it up on offense with the help of rookie Jahvid Best. Best is looking more like a seasoned NFL running back than a kid just starting in the league.
These aren't last year's Lions, and with Ndamukong Suh apparently out for blood, the Bears shouldn't underestimate this new and improved Detroit squad.
Bills Lose at Home
2 of 10
Even with a less than stellar Miami defense, Buffalo's best running back is C.J. Spiller. Spiller shows promise as a rookie, but he needs a better quarterback than Trent Edwards.
The Dolphins will have the advantage of playing this game in Buffalo while it's still warm up north, and the Bills are making the mistake of putting all of their eggs in one basket with Spiller.
Steelers Win at Home
3 of 10
No Ben? No problem for the Steelers. Dennis Dixon has what it takes to step it up at quarterback until Roethlisberger returns to the starting position. Dixon will have outstanding targets in Hines Ward and Mike Wallace.
And Pittsburgh's defense will continue to be amongst the top in the NFL with James Harrison and James Farrior, oh yeah, and who's that guy with the hair?
Troy Polamalu is arguably the best safety in the league, and he is back in fighting shape.
The Falcons don't stand a chance.
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This Is The Year For Houston
4 of 10
The Texans are coming off of their first winning season since the establishment of the team, and they will have their true test in game one against the Colts.
We all love Peyton Manning. He's strong. He's accurate. He's one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL.
But let's not make the mistake of ignoring Matt Schaub. Schaub led the league in passing yards last season, and his supporting cast isn't too shabby either. Andre Johnson had 101 catches last year with an average of 15.5 yards per carry.
Houston is on their way up, and they have what it takes to pull out an early season win over the Colts.
Bengals Lose On The Road
5 of 10
"Who Dey?"
Well, "Dey" aren't much more than a couple of VH1 shows and the two main reasons Twitter is constantly overloaded.
Even with the turmoil surrounding Tom Brady and Randy Moss' contracts, the Patriots will get the W over the Bengals in week one.
The Pats stopped T.O. last year when he was with the Bills, and this year will be no different.
Chad Ochocinco has never broken 100 yards against New England in their past four games. In fact, he has 197 yards total when playing the Patriots.
Carson Palmer is a great quarterback, but the Pats already have answers for his receivers. And New England's offensive line will give Brady the time he needs to make the big plays.
49ers Win On The Road
6 of 10
The 49ers will be out for revenge against the Seahawks after Seattle ruined their playoff chances last season. Seattle's average defense will allow for Alex Smith and his squad of running backs to advance the ball on the ground, and San Francisco's defense will keep Seattle's offense almost stagnant.
Rookie safety, Taylor Mays will show his former coach he means business, and the 49ers will pull off a win on the road.
Cowboys Win in D.C.
7 of 10
The Cowboys want to play in a home game Super Bowl, and the Redskins aren't going to stop them. Regardless of Dez Bryant's attitude in the offseason, the kid is good, and with some grooming, he could be another Randy Moss.
Donovan McNabb couldn't get the job done against the 'Boys when he was with Philadelphia,so don't expect anything to change with the Redskins.
Even though Dez Bryant doesn't like to carry pads, we're sure he'll be more than happy to hold onto the football.
Tebow Loses On The Road
8 of 10
Despite injury rumors, Jags' running back Maurice Jones-Drew will be playing at home against the Broncos. Jacksonville hasn't received near the amount of media attention that Tim Tebow has brought the Broncos, but their offense is looking really good this season.
Jones-Drew had a killer season last year with 1,391 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he says he's ready to go for this season opener.
The Jags will also have the weather on their side with a nice early afternoon game at home. Tebow may be used to Florida in early September, but the rest of his squad will be feeling the heat.
Chargers Win In Kansas City
9 of 10
Despite the absence of some key players, Phillip Rivers and company will have little trouble trampling over the Chiefs.
Last season, the Chargers blew out Kansas City in both of their meetings (80-21 combined), and this season will be no different.
Kansas City's best chance is to take advantage of the absence of left tackle, Marcus McNeil, and get to Rivers before he can make a play.
Unlikely.
Get Ready, Raider Nation
10 of 10
The rebuilding is over. Oakland is a hungry squad just waiting to be unleashed, and unfortunately for the Titans, the Raiders will be coming to Tennessee to take out their aggression.
Oakland will need to contain Chris Johnson, but he is the only real threat on the Titans' offense.
Jason Campbell is in at quarterback, and he threw for 3,600 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Redskins. Campbell will be able to play it safe with tight end Zach Miller, and his running backs (Darren McFadden and Michael Bush) have the speed and size to combine for some serious yardage.
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