NFL Week 1 Predictions
The 2010 NFL season started Thursday with a Saints victory over the Minnesota Vikings in a showdown between last years NFC Championship participants.
New Orleans showed once again they are going to be a team to be reckoned with, and have a legitimate chance of repeating as champions.
Now the rest of the league gets their feet wet.
Here are my predictions for week one, with a picture of the player I expect to make the key difference in their victory.
Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 of 15
Cleveland gets one of their few wins of the year. Of course, the Bucs could be saying the same thing.
Tampa Bay can expect success on the ground game, behind their underrated offensive line, but the passing game is a question with an injury to their starting quarterback and young, developing wide receivers.
Cleveland has a more veteran and balanced offensive attack. I think their new acquired tight end Ben Watson will open things up by splitting the seams.
Cleveland 27 Tampa Bay 17
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills
2 of 15
If the Dolphins are going to get respect, they must win these type of games.
Buffalo has three very good running backs, though two are starting the season slightly banged up.
Miami has two proven veteran running backs.
This will be an old school game of smash mouth football.
Miami 24 Buffalo 13
Cincinnati Bengals @ New England Patriots
3 of 15
A playoff game on opening day. If Cincy runs, then it will open the pass. The Pats have a very happy quarterback intent on earning his newly signed $72 million contract.
The Pats young secondary will get a great test from the Bengals veteran starting receivers and young tight end. They will hold a huge key to this game, because the New England pass rush has looked mediocre so far in exhibition games.
It might come down to who gets the ball last, but the Patriots know how to close out the close games.
New England 34 Cincinnati 31
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Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans
4 of 15
The Colts were flat in preseason, while the Texans get a lot of love as a team on the rise. I expect these two to split the series this year.
Andre Johnson will have quite a battle against a pair of young Colts cornerbacks that overachieved last year. The legs of Arian Foster against a small Colts defensive line will be very important to maintain offensive balance.
Indianapolis has a future Hall of Famer at quarterback named Peyton Manning who an never be counted out.
Houston 38 Indianapolis 34
Denver Broncos @ Jacksonville Jaguars
5 of 15
The Broncos seem to start each season fast recently. An opening day win seems probable if Kyle Orton can throw well, since there is no running game yet due to injuries in the running backs unit.
While the media will crowd around the locker of rookie Tim Tebow, he won't do much besides carry a clipboard. Denver's top draft pick Demaryius Thomas has a nice chance to explode this week against an average Jaguars secondary.
Denver 27 Jacksonville 17
Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers
6 of 15
A lot was made of the loss of Ben Roethisberger for a month, but the Steelers still had three very capable quarterbacks on their roster. After an injury to Brian Leftwich, they have two. How many teams can claim this?
Even if Dennis Dixon struggle, veteran Charlie Batch is right there. So is that tough defense led by Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau, known as Coach Dad.
Atlanta will need a good running game to win this.
Pittsburgh 21 Atlanta 17
Oakland Raiders @ Tennessee Titans
7 of 15
I expect the Raiders to be much better than some expect. They had a very good offseason.
The key will be stopping Titans running back Chris Johnson, as well as not allowing too many lanes to scramble for quarterback Vince Young. Oakland can concentrate on Johnson, leaving their secondary to play on an island. Something Nnamdi Asomugha is used to.
Rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain could easily have 15 or more tackles by the end of this game.
Oakland 17 Tennessee 14
Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants
8 of 15
The Jints need this "W" bad to stay pace in the NFC East already. Carolina will struggle against all of their receivers.
Carolina will try to run the ball down New York's throats all game, and the Giants best be ready.
It may come down to who has the most experienced quarterback, which is New York.
NY Giants 27 Carolina 16
Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears
9 of 15
The Lions are no longer the joke of the NFL, and the Bears learn this Sunday.
Detroit has a nice offense developing with quarterback Matt Stafford, running back Jahvid Best, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, and Pro Bowl wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
Both teams have decent defenses, though Chicago's is more battle tested. If they can rattle Bears quarterback Jay Cutler early, Detroit can come away with a big divisional win.
Detroit 26 Chicago 20
Arizona Cardinals @ Saint Louis Rams
10 of 15
The Cards might be able to win this with even Matt Leinart at quarterback. MAYBE.
Saint Louis is just not ready to win against a team of Arizona's caliber.
Arizona 24 Saint Louis 20
Green Bay Packers @ Philadelphia Eagles
11 of 15
Maybe 80 passes will be thrown....or more. Shoot out here perhaps.
Eagles fans will see why coach Andy Reid went with Kevin Kolb over Donovan McNabb this year, but the Packers trenches will make the difference ultimately.
Green Bay 41 Philadelphia 31
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks
12 of 15
The Niners defense will be the difference here, though Seattle appears headed in the right direction.
San Francisco 23 Seattle 17
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins
13 of 15
The best rivalry in the NFL. A flat Dallas against a beat up Redskins. The Cowboys have a history of healing against Washington.
Washington needs to control a suspect Dallas offensive line in order to stop their very good trio of running backs. But Dallas expects to handle a Redskins offensive line, though improved, that struggled all of last year. Can Washington's old backs hit the holes fast enough?
It might come down to the Redskins linebackers. Besides Pro Bowl middle linebacker London Fletcher and pass rushing outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, the rest of the unit is a hodge podge of role players.
Dallas 30 Washington 27
Baltimore Ravens @ New York Jets
14 of 15
Game of the Week
Ravens future Hall of Fame middle linebacker Ray Lewis is saying his ex-defensive coordinator, now current Jets head coach, Rex Ryan is trying to cash in a check his mouth can't cover.
Baltimore has too many weapons and much too much pride to lose here.
The Jets need to run the ball well to win, while the strength of Baltimore's defense is their front seven.
This will be a battle that will leave marks, bruises, and perhaps more.
Baltimore 27 NY Jets 14
San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
15 of 15
The Chiefs are better than last year, but they just aren't ready to be on the Chargers level yet.
San Diego is fully expecting to defend their AFC title, and beating divisional rival Kansas City is the start they need.
San Diego 34 Kansas City 24
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