NFL Picks Week 1: 3 Rivalry Games Guaranteed to Surprise

The start of the 2011 NFL season brings with it the hopes and dreams of 32 teams, over 1,500 players and millions of fans who believe that this will be the year when everything falls into place and championship hopes turn into reality.

The schedule is stacked with a number of interesting games between rivals and the winners will have all the confidence in the world heading into Week 2. But, as we all know, in rivalry games anything can happen because the two teams know each other so well. Talent often wins out in these games, but every so often the underdog pulls off the upset.

Here are three Week 1 rivalry games that will surely end with a surprising result.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore

It would not be a surprise if either team won this game because they are two of the best in the AFC. What will be a surprise is how much the Ravens win this game by.

Joe Flacco has the perfect combination of speed and power at wide receiver for the first time in his career. Acquiring Lee Evans from Buffalo was a major coup for this team and the Ravens offense will become one of the best in the NFL.

Pittsburgh is always dangerous, but they have not looked impressive in their last two opening games. Last year they did not have Roethlisberger for the first four games, so that gives them a valid excuse for last season. But they usually don't find their rhythm until two or three weeks into the season.

These two teams always play games that are decided by three points, but in this case the Ravens will dominate the Steelers in Baltimore to start the season on a major high note.

Prediction: Ravens 27, Steelers 13.

Indianapolis at Houston

The Colts and Texans have built a nice rivalry over the last two years. It has certainly been helped by the fact that the Texans have won a couple of games between these two teams in the last few years, but this is the first time in which the Texans are definitively the better team.

Peyton Manning's absence changes everything for this Colts team. He is the most important player in the NFL and without him this team is going to struggle.

But the Texans have to prove that they are able to beat teams that they should beat. That has been the Achilles heel for this team over the last three seasons. They have made the necessary upgrades to their defense to take control of the AFC South.

The surprise result here will not be that the Texans win the game, but by how much. Indianapolis is going to be a mess until Manning comes back and this game is going to be over in a hurry.

Prediction: Texans 31, Colts 7. 

New York Giants at Washington Redskins

The Giants are the better team in this game, but with all the injuries and roster turnover they have had to endure this preseason, they will not be ready to play this game.

The Redskins are banking on Rex Grossman to handle the starting quarterback job this season, which is never a good sign. But running back Tim Hightower had a fantastic preseason and looks poised to have a breakout season.

Hightower and backup Ryan Torain will have a field day running on the Giants defense, which will allow Grossman to have a field day against the Giants' banged up secondary.

And you know Eli Manning is going to make at least one throw that makes you scream at the television, so the Redskins have everything in their favor heading into this game.

Mike Shanahan will have his team ready to go when they step on the field with their division rivals and they will pull off the upset.

Prediction: Redskins 23, Giants 20.