NFL Picks Week 1: What Week 1 Games Will Be Highest Scoring?

In what was easily the best season opener of the recent Thursday night NFL openers, the Green Bay Packers topped the New Orleans Saints 42-34 by stopping Mark Ingram at the 1-yard line with time expiring to preserve a victory in an absolute shootout.

It was the first time in NFL history in a regular season opener that both teams' QBs threw for three TDs, zero INTs and 300-plus yards passing.

Aaron Rodgers followed up his Super Bowl MVP performance with another excellent performance, lending further credibility that he just might be the best QB in the game today.

Brees was also impressive, nearly leading the Saints from a 42-27 deficit in the fourth quarter before Ingram was stopped just a yard short of potentially sending the game into overtime.

Is there even an argument anymore that the NFL isn't a vertical passing league? If there was before Thursday night, those arguments can remain in the closet for awhile.

In honor of last night's great game, here are four games that might not be as high-scoring as the Saints-Packers bout but will no doubt, give it a run for its money.

Minnesota at San Diego

Yes, this will be a high-scoring game.

Some people may frown at this selection, and let's just say it's not because of the Chargers.

The Minnesota Vikings, at first glance, don't look like a dynamic offensive team.

They have a 34-year-old QB in Donovan McNabb, who is clearly past his prime and just had the worst season of his career in 2010 when he threw for more INTs than TDs for the first time in his 12 seasons career.

They lost their top WR and one of the top young WRs in the game in Sidney Rice, when he bolted for Seattle.

This is still a team that is just two years removed from the NFC Championship game and just one year removed from being a Super Bowl favorite.

This team is loaded with talent. A lot of people are picking the Vikings to be the worst team in the division, and I'm just not buying it.

Since the Vikings drafted Adrian Peterson in 2007, the Vikings (outside of last season) have always been an above average offensive team.

In terms of points scored, they ranked 15th in 2007, 12th in 2008 and second in 2009.

McNabb is extremely efficient at taking care of the ball with a supporting cast. The Vikings have Visanthe Shiancoe, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian.

The Chargers ranked second in points scored last season. That was without Vincent Jackson for most of the season, without Malcom Floyd for a good portion of the season, without Antonio Gates for part of the season and finally without Ryan Matthews healthy.

It's safe to say Phillip Rivers can make any offense look good.

This game will be a shootout. Don't be surprised if this is the second best game of the week, bested only by Saints-Packers.

NY Giants at Washington

Really, I'm being serious with this one.

Everybody knows the Giants are an offensive threat. Eli Manning may have a penchant for throwing INTs, but he can move the ball downfield. He threw 31 TDs and over 4,000 yards in 2010.

Despite the loss of Steve Smith, the Giants have two rising young receivers in Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. They're the reason that the Giants had an easy time letting Steve Smith walk in free agency.

You already know the deal with the two-headed rushing attack of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.

The Giants one is easy to explain, so let me go into detail about the Redskins offense.

The Redskins don't have any superstars on offense, however, they do have players that are more than capable of moving the chains.

Chris Cooley has been one of the better TEs in the league for the past seven years. Santana Moss is still quietly putting up big numbers, having posted 93 receptions for over 1,000 yards in 2010 with a mediocre QB situation.

The Redskins are finally settled at RB with Tim Hightower. Did I mention that they now have Jabar Gaffney starting and still have Anthony Armstrong as a potential slot receiver?

The Giants defense is not good. They have playmakers that cause a lot of sacks and a lot of turnovers, but they are below average in the stat that matters most: points per game.

The Giants ranked 17th in 2010 and 30th in 2009 in this category.

The Redskins will be vastly improved in 2011 on the offensive side of the ball. This will be the game that proves they're no joke.

New England at Miami

Yes, that Miami Dolphins team. The Miami Dolphins team that ranked 30th in points scored in 2010.

This Miami Dolphins team will be different.

Dan Henning is gone as offensive coordinator and the Dolphins upgrade their RB situation with the drafting of Daniel Thomas and the acquisition of Reggie Bush.

For all of the flack Henne got for the Dolphins' mediocre season, the RB duo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams was just as bad.

Henning forced the hand of the running game to terrible results. The Dolphins ranked 11th in rushing attempts, yet ranked 21st in yards, 29th in TDs and 30th in yards per attempt. There's a reason neither Ronnie or Ricky returned to Miami.

Henne is a decent QB. With a running game and Bush providing Henne a safety blanket in the passing game, the Dolphins offense will be a surprise in 2011.

New England is a mixed bag on defense. They ranked eighth in points allowed but 25th in yards allowed. Their defensive backs got absolutely torched last year.

Expect the same here. I'm not saying Chad Henne will have a 300-yard, three-TD performance. However, I am saying the Miami offense will be in a shootout with New England that will probably go into the late 20s/early 30s range.

Miami will be energized because of their home crowd, and they always come out to play against New England, no matter how much the Patriots are favored by.

Oakland at Denver

These are still hated rivals despite the mediocrity of the two teams the last several years.

Here's what you need to know for this game.

Oakland was 20th in points allowed in 2010. Denver was 32nd in the same statistic.

Kyle Orton was on pace to throw for 4,500 yards before he was sidelined for the last three games. The Raiders ranked sixth in points scored and had the second best rushing attack in the league in yards, TDs and yards per attempt.

Denver will be better offensively with a more structured attack led by John Fox. Willis McGahee will make a difference in short-yardage and red-zone situations.

Denver will be improved defensively when it comes to pass defense and rushing the passer. They're facing the Raiders, and the Raiders are going to run the ball all day. Denver's run defense has not been improved enough to the point where they should be able to shut down Darren McFadden and Michael Bush.

In these teams' last meeting during Tim Tebow's first start, Oakland defeated Denver 39-24.

This is a game that will be sloppily played by both teams, resulting in a poor man's shootout, reminiscent of this past Thursday night's game between New Orleans and Green Bay.

The only difference is it'll be between two teams that probably won't finish above .500.