NFL Week 1 Schedule: 3 Young Teams That Will Break out on Opening Weekend

The 2011 NFL season is shaping up to be one in which the proverbial guard of the league will change. Perennial powers like the Indianapolis Colts, the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants all look to be on the decline this year, with these three teams ready, willing and able to take their place among football's best, at least on opening weekend.

St. Louis Rams

There's a lot to like about the St. Louis Rams these days. They have a sensational young quarterback in Sam Bradford, a creative offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels, a defensive mastermind in head coach Steve Spagnuolo and an athletic pass rush that will give opposing quarterbacks nightmares.

Taking out a team as talented as the Philadelphia Eagles won't be easy, but it will provide the Rams with the perfect opportunity to strut their stuff with the whole league watching.

Running back Steven Jackson, slot receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Lance Kendricks will all have plenty of room to roam against the Eagles' depleted linebacking corps. Meanwhile, defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn will give Philly phenom Michael Vick fits as they tear apart the Eagles' suspect offensive line.

The young Rams will also be aided in their efforts to slay this year's paper champions by a raucous home crowd at the Edward Jones Dome, with the artificial turf working squarely in St. Louis' favor.

Cleveland Browns

Speaking of the St. Louis, former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur now finds himself as the head honcho in Cleveland with a pretty good squad of his own to work with. Like the Rams, the Browns come into the 2011 season with a second-year quarterback (Colt McCoy), a bruising ball-carrier (Peyton Hillis) and a defense loaded with young talent.

Unlike the Rams, however, the Browns need not concern themselves with a particularly difficult Week 1 opponent. Shurmur will make his head coaching debut at home against the bungling Cincinnati Bengals, who will start rookies at quarterback (Andy Dalton) and wide receiver (AJ Green), a recent incarceree at running back (Cedric Benson) and heaven's knows who in a depleted defensive backfield. 

Cleveland's success on opening weekend should continue well into the season until at least the end of November, after which point the Browns must play the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens a combined four times in five games to close out the season.

Houston Texans

No team comes into Week 1 with a more loaded bandwagon than the Houston Texans. They'll have the privilege of rolling out their fantasy football-friendly offense, led by Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster at home against an Indianapolis Colts team that has nary a prayer of winning with Peyton Manning still recovering from his third neck surgery of the calendar year.

The Texans' extra-divisional schedule is tough, with games on tap against the AFC North and NFC South. That being said, the weakness of the Colts, the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars should leave the AFC South open for the Texans' taking, with an easy victory on Sunday boosting Houston on its way to its first-ever division crown and the playoff berth that comes with it.

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