Week 1 NFL Picks: Road Teams That Will Cruise to Season-Opening Wins

There is nothing worse than opening up a brand new NFL season by losing convincingly in front of your home fans. 

Unfortunately for some teams this coming weekend, that will be the case. 

Although anything can happen on any given Sunday in the NFL, the results of these uneven matchups can be seen coming from a mile away.

Let's take a look at my picks for road teams sure to cruise to season-opening wins this weekend. 

Philadelphia Eagles Over Cleveland Browns

Although the Eagles finished 8-8 a season ago, they managed to win five out of eight road games. On Sunday, they will be on the road to take on the woeful Cleveland Browns, who have lost their last seven season openers.

With Cleveland starting a rookie quarterback on Sunday in first-round draft pick Brandon Weeden, Philadelphia's defense will have a definitive advantage and likely turn the afternoon showdown into a blowout.

Offensively, the Eagles shouldn't have too much trouble on the road on Sunday. The Browns ranked 30th last season defending the run, and quarterback Michael Vick is a dual-threat weapon who can exploit the Cleveland defense on the ground by himself.

Throw shifty running back LeSean McCoy into the equation, and the Browns are in a world of trouble this weekend. 

I see this one turning into a rout early, with Philly dictating the pace from the opening kickoff at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

New England Patriots Over Tennessee Titans

The last time the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans met in the regular season was in 2009, when the Patriots laid a 59-0 beatdown on the Titans in Foxborough.

I like the Pats to win in 2012 as well, but I don't foresee it being quite as one-sided. 

New England was 6-2 on the road a season ago, and is projected to represent the AFC once again in the Super Bowl. Tennessee, on the other hand, is simply hoping to make the playoffs this winter and will attempt to do so with a second-year quarterback leading the way.

Jake Locker only played in five games last season for the Titans, and will see tons of different and confusing looks from Bill Belichick's defense on Sunday afternoon. 

Meanwhile, Tom Brady and the Patriots offense is a given. New England scored more points than any other AFC team in 2011. Brady and company finished behind only the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints to rank third in NFL scoring offense. 

Seattle Seahawks Over Arizona Cardinals

Despite going 7-9 in 2011, the Seattle Seahawks boasted a plus-six scoring differential at season's end and finished with the second-best scoring defense in the NFC behind only the San Francisco 49ers. 

That defensive potential will help them cruise to a 1-0 record this weekend on the road against the division rival Arizona Cardinals. Seattle lost at Arizona in overtime in last year's regular season finale, 23-20, setting up a rematch on Sunday afternoon.

The Seahawks will avenge that heartbreaking loss, however. With explosive rookie Russell Wilson starting under center for Pete Carroll's squad, I expect the Hawks to put up plenty of points all while shutting down John Skelton and the Cards offense.

After all, the Cardinals looked pitiful this preseason. The team went 1-4 and looked terrible in their most important exhibition against Tennessee, when Skelton and Kevin Kolb combined for one touchdown and three interceptions. 

Seattle earns a vital division win and heads home to play the Dallas Cowboys with a 1-0 record.

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