We made it. After a long, restless summer of baseball, we have made it.

The 2016 NFL season is close to arriving, and with Week 1 on schedule, the takes will be at their hottest. So what better place than here, and what better time than now to predict what will happen in the season opener?

This feature will predict and analyze all 16 games this week. As the season progresses I may shorten it to more thrilling games or matchups with playoff teams, but for now all 32 teams will have a shot here.

So with that said, I present my NFL Week 1 Predictions for the 2016 season.

Preparing to be wrong.

 

 

THURSDAY

Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos

A Super Bowl rematch, this game can set the tone for both teams coming into the season. The Broncos won the Super Bowl on an outlier year carried by their defense, while a favorable schedule and top playmakers masked the Panthers flaws on their way to a 15-1 record last season.

Reigning MVP Cam Newton was the best quarterback in 2015. His accuracy wasn’t standout, but his ball placement on tighter throws was really good, and his decision making stood out as a whole. It’s the offensive line and receivers that don’t have that trust yet. Ted Ginn had a career year in 2015, but he’ll have to prove he can consistently catch the ball, because he does have great speed. Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess have had several consistency issues in their careers, and likewise the offensive line has to prove their 2nd half stretch from last year was not a fluke.

The Broncos have the best defense in the NFL, but the offense is another thing. The run game is decent and the receivers are solid, but newcomer Trevor Siemian has not played a regular season snap yet, so I don’t expect much from him, unless the receivers bail him out or Gary Kubiak runs a short passing game to accommodate for his QB’s skill set. The Panthers defense is in the ballpark of Denver’s, even without Josh Norman. Luke Kuechly is a freak athlete that can read the quarterback’s eyes with ease, and the overall depth on the defensive side is good.

On Thursday Night, we shouldn’t expect much offense. Super Bowl MVP Von Miller’s health will be important, and he’ll make that already impressive unit even better. This is really a game where the Broncos can’t have their defense give up points, because Sieman doesn’t seem to be able to carry this group yet. The Panthers defense just needs to give Newton and company more opportunities to strike to tire out the Broncos D.

A defensive stand will likely take place, but I’ll take the Panthers to win on the road because of a better offense.

 

SUNDAY

Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars

One of these teams has a talented young roster on both sides of the field that is primed for a bright future. The other team has Aaron Rodgers.

The Jaguars have been a sleeper pick for the postseason amongst analysts, though the talent is not the issue. 3rd year quarterback Blake Bortles is arguably the NFL’s most inconsistent passer, offering frustrating footwork and accuracy at times while also amazing with his mobility and arm strength. The offensive line and defense still have patches the fix, but the dominant 1-2 punch of Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns has been a feared duo, and the promise of Rashad Greene stands out too. The run game features the talented young TJ Yeldon and the veteran presence of Chris Ivory.

Future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers makes his receivers better, giving them plenty of positions to succeed and grab the ball, but his receivers stunk last year. The return of Jordy Nelson will help a lot, but depth is questionable after him. Eddie Lacy had a bad 2015, so he’ll be needed to ease the weight off (no pun intended) of Rodgers this year.

With the Jaguars talent on offense and Rodgers and Nelson on the other side, this looks to be a shoot out of sorts. The Packers defense would be wise to force immediate pressure on Bortles, as he often struggled last year when his first read wasn’t there. In addition, his footwork in his early career has been messy under duress, so this will lead to inaccurate throws and pick parades.

This will be a close one, but due to home field advantage I’ll give the Jaguars the win. Robinson and Hurns will stretch the field and erase accuracy for Bortles, who must limit the mistakes to give JAX a chance. Regardless of the score, it’ll be interesting to see if the 3rd year QB will make a leap in progression this year.

 

Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens

The Bills finally have promise at quarterback under the athletic Tyrod Taylor, but what happened to the defense? Under Rex Ryan, it regressed last year, which is not good. The surprising release of Karlos Williams means LeSean McCoy will get worked in the run game, which isn’t exactly a bad thing.

There should be major concerns for Joe Flacco and the Ravens this early in the season. Despite being billed in as a possible playoff team, the Ravens lack trusted youth on offense, and the age of some of their best skill set players in Justin Forsett and Steve Smith means the window is close to disappearing. Flacco is coming off an ACL and MCL tear, and his decision making and footwork were both bad in 2015. Under Marc Trestman’s dink and dunk play action offense, open receivers are abundant, but the play calling and quarterback play did not live up to standards last year.

Rex Ryan must dial up the blitzes to test Baltimore’s pass protection. Baltimore’s offensive line experienced a decline, and with a rusty Flacco, that should make it easier for the defense to make plays. a Forsett-Terrance West-Buck Allen combo is not bad, but it’s the dink and dunk passing game that will likely be relied on throughout.

Baltimore has too many age and health concerns this early in the season (for now), so the Bills get my pick. Tyrod Taylor can make plays downfield with the talented Sammy Watkins, as well as with his feet, and I don’t see the Ravens defense stopping it much.

 

Chicago Bears at Houston Texans

With big things expected for both teams, the offseasons tell different stories.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is no longer coming under scrutiny or big expectations. He is not a great quarterback, but at his best is a good one, and can deliver great plays when given a chance. Jeremy Langford will have a lot to live up to coming in the footsteps of Matt Forte, but his talent shined in his rookie season. The receiving duo of Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White is also very promising, as they both are tall receivers that can stretch the field and make the spectacular catch. It’s unclear if guard Josh Sitton will play in his Bears debut, but his presence will be huge for Chicago this season.

The Texans could be without J.J. Watt, but their offense looks good. Lamar Miller is one of the best runningbacks in the league, able to put up great runs under weak run blocking, and DeAndre Hopkins can make any quarterback better with his margin for error. The promise of Braxton Miller and Will Fuller give some much needed depth to the receiving core, and Jadeveon Clowney has been an underrated pass rusher.

New quarterback Brock Osweiller will decide the Texans fate this season. His reps have been limited, but he should be able to test the Bears defense. Kyle Fuller is a very talented young cornerback that has played injured for a chunk of his NFL career, but while the defense is improving (especially with the addition of Danny Trevathan), Hopkins will be able to provide Brock enough chances to throw downfield, and Lamar will provide a nice short pass option.

This is a game where the Bears have the better QB, but the Texans have the better RB, WR1, and defense. Adam Gase’s offense in 2015 provided more of a focus on checkdowns, but even with him gone expect Chicago to be about the same in terms of scheme. The Texans nevertheless should win thanks to the presence of Hopkins and Miller.

 

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles

The Browns stirred up controversy last week by saying they didn’t pick Carson Wentz because they didn’t think he would be a top 20 quarterback in the future. Of course, Wentz’s NFL debut will be against Cleveland at home.

Incredibly, the Browns offense is talked up for a change, with new head coach Hue Jackson calling the shots. With the Bengals, Jackson’s play calling was creative and diverse, and he was able to get the best out of quarterback Andy Dalton, who had a career year under him. Robert Griffin III, who had an impressive preseason, is trying to resurrect his career in Cleveland, and Hue will likely get the most out of him. Backing them both up are a group of talented skill set players such as Duke Johnson, Isaiah Crowell, Corey Coleman, Terrelle Pryor, Gary Barnidge (who got open by scheme throughout much of 2015, but has impressive hands), and the return of fan favorite Josh Gordon.

While the Cavs have technically ended the Cleveland sports curse, the Browns defense suggests the misery will be around for a little longer.

The Eagles offseason was mostly an enigma. After firing Chip Kelly and hiring Doug Pederson, the team gave an extension to Sam Bradford (before trading him), Chase Daniels and rookie Wentz. Wentz was injured in the first preseason game, though the Eagles chose to start him this week after trading Bradford to the Vikings. The offense surrounding him has questions everywhere, as the offensive line is dangerous and the receivers have catching issues, so this suggests a rebuild starting with Wentz.

The Browns defense will make this a closer game than it should be. RGIII can use his feet to escape pressure, and his arm to fire downfield to Gordon-less receivers, but the pass protection won’t be as good as it’s usually been.

Against one of the weaker units, Wentz will be able to learn to survey the field and read pre snaps. With a rookie coming off an injury however, I see the Browns stealing this one on the road.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

For many, the biggest concern for the Falcons lies with Matt Ryan. Generally one of the better quarterbacks in the league, his decision making in 2015 arguably put the team between a rock and a hard place (his preseason play hasn’t helped calm these worries either). This, along with a regressing offensive line and generally poor defense, prevented the Falcons from reaching the playoffs after a 6-1 start.

The Buccaneers finished 6-10, but found impressive seasons from Jameis Winston and Doug Martin. Tampa Bay isn’t exactly a good team, but Winston’s decision making was generally good in his rookie season, while Martin is a speedy, elusive runner. The receiving talent is solid thanks to the old reliable Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, who can make plays despite drop issues last year.

In this division matchup, Dirk Koetter (once the offensive coordinator for the Falcons) will make his head coaching debut in the NFL. The hire was described as a safe move, though he was credited for reviving the play of Martin last season. He’s inheriting a defense that was pretty bad the previous season, and the signing of corner Brent Grimes seems more underwhelming now than it would have before. Let’s not show Miko this.

Julio Jones will not be the key in this game, but rather Devonta Freeman. A surprise breakout candidate, Freeman will be crucial to the Falcons success this season. Behind good protection, Freeman was able to make plays and deliver as a red zone option.

Outside of that, the Falcons have Julio and former Bengal Mohammad Sanu to rely on. Julio played injured during the preseason but is nevertheless a great receiver Ryan is able to trust, and Sanu was an underrated explosive receiver during his time with Cincinnati.

Both defenses will likely struggle (if Desmond Trufant can catch it’ll suggest otherwise), but I see the Buccaneers winning this. The Falcons offensive line likely won’t give Ryan much time, so I see crucial picks being made.

 

Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans

With Teddy Bridgewater out for the season, Minnesota desperately needed a quarterback, so they traded a first round pick to the Eagles in exchange for Sam Bradford. Bradford lacks the mobility Teddy has, but he’s a better downfield passer, capable of stretching the field when given time in the pocket.

The problem? Bradford is on a team that can’t give him time in the pocket. The Vikings feature perhaps the worst offensive line in the league, and guard Matt Kalil especially is in bust territory. Thankfully, Adrian Peterson highlights the run game, with the talented Jerick McKinnon backing him up. Stefon Diggs and Laquon Treadwell highlight the otherwise sub par receiving core, but I don’t expect them to be more than just solid players.

On the other side, Marcus Mariota highlights the Titans offense. Mariota had a really good rookie season, showing off excellent footwork, consistent accuracy, and smart decision making despite a limited supporting cast. With Delanie Walker, newcomer DeMarco Murray, rookie Derrick Henry, and the promising Tajae Sharpe, that should hopefully change.

Right from the get go, however, the Vikings are better coached. The offensive line is woeful, but the run game and defense make up for most of the issues. Norv Turner should stretch the field with a more aggressive vertical offense for Bradford (depending on if he starts over Shaun Hill in week 1). Mike Mularkey doesn’t sound like he knows Mariota’s style of offense, so I expect a run heavy offense that will limit the amount of points his quarterback can put up. What they should do is focus Mariota on pocket passing, since that’s where he thrives on the most.

Combine that with the Vikings defense, one of the better units in the league, and I see them winning easily over the Titans.

 

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets

Andy Dalton lost talent in former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Marvin Jones and Mohammad Sanu, but AJ Green and Tyler Eifert are still on board, along with a very good offensive line, so he still has plenty of talent around. Giovanni Bernard looked nice in the preseason, but Jeremy Hill experienced a frustrating sophomore season, failing to provide much in efficiency.

The Jets were arguably held back from contending in 2015 by Ryan Fitzpatrick. Surrounding by a quality running game and the talents of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, Fitzpatrick’s accuracy and decision making were not up to the standards required for Gang Green to make the playoffs. There are no excuses this year either, as the team has replaced Chris Ivory with explosive receiving back Matt Forte.

This game will be a battle of “which quarterback can make more mistakes behind quality talent?” Dalton is a better quarterback than Fitzpatrick, but was really propped up in 2015 by the scheme and talent his receivers showed off. That said, he can at least run his offense better than Fitzpatrick with his thanks to quick passes on first reads and superior arm strength.

The Bengals take this one on the road.

 

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints

The Raiders featured one of the league’s most talented offenses in 2015. Derek Carr experienced a step forward in progression, the run game was underrated, and the offensive line and receivers were stellar. While the offensive line limited the offense last year due to injuries to key players, the added depth and returned health will make them good to go. All that’s left is to improve the run defense and build around superstar pass rusher Khalil Mack.

The Saints haven’t made the playoffs since 2013, and the defense is the biggest reason why. The 45 pass touchdowns given up last year is the most in a single season in NFL history, so it says a lot about where Cortland Finnegan is currently at when he can’t even make the Saints defense. 

It’s less bleak on the other side of the ball, however. Drew Brees is still a quality starter capable of smooth mechanics and high volume passing. His supporting cast is solid, including Mark Ingram, Brandin Cooks, CJ Spiller, rookie Michael Thomas, Willie Snead, a good offensive line, and a QB friendly offense that can scheme receivers open.

This would be a playoff team if their defense was average, but it’s the Broncos of bad defenses. Oakland can feast on the defense by playing horizontally and vertically; It won’t matter either way since they have more than enough talent to do it. New Orleans’ defense was so bad last year that evaluating opposing offenses was a problem because of it. 

The Saints have to pray that their offense can keep up. Mark Ingram should be the main focus here against a bad Oakland rush defense, but otherwise I have the Raiders opening 2016 at 1-0. I would also like to see Clive Walford get more reps, as he was great his rookie season.

 

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

Philip Rivers is a top quarterback in the league, but that wasn’t enough to survive a disastrous 2015 season. After starting 18-14 under Mike McCoy, the Chargers free fell to 4-12 last year. I don’t really see the offensive line surviving much this year, but the team added a weapon in Travis Benjamin and Keenan Allen is returning. Benjamin is a speedy route runner that broke through in 2015, and the cards will play right with Allen healthy.

On the other side of this AFC West showdown, the Chiefs were a surprise playoff team in 2015, finishing at 11-5 after starting 1-5, and won their first playoff game since 1993, despite losing Jamaal Charles for most of the year. Though not spectacular in talent, Andy Reid’s scheme makes his players thrive in their most comfortable areas, and superstars Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce can cover for Charles if he is not healthy this season.

There really isn’t much for me to say about this game, but the Chargers need to force pressure on Alex Smith if they want to win. The veteran quarterback out of Utah works best at simple passes and throws on the first read, so making him hesitate would do favors for San Diego. All the Chiefs have to do is rely on the short passing game in Charles and Kelce while stretching the field with Maclin. Travis Benjamin and Allen should ease the receiving issues the Chargers had last year in week 1.

Even so, the Chiefs are my pick in week 1, unless Joey Bosa becomes the Messiah immediately.

 

Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks

 

Expected to contend in 2015, the Dolphins instead imploded, thanks to inept coaching, receivers that couldn’t catch or move the ball, a scheme that would not let Ryan Tannehill audible, and an inexplicable refusal to give Lamar Miller the ball.

Enter 2016. Chevy Chase’s brother Adam Gase is now the new Dolphins head coach, and the team has brought aboard Arian Foster. A great runningback in his prime, Foster played well in the preseason but still faces questions for this year. The Jarvis Landry hype is big, but so far he’s a style over substance receiver, dancing more than he should instead of finding holes and exploding. With messes everywhere else on the receiving core, the team hopes Kenny Stills can lead the way.

Meanwhile, Seattle is cashing in on a huge 2nd half of 2015. Facing 4-5 to start out, the team rallied to 10-6 thanks to a more focused offense and again made the playoffs. In spite of a poor offensive line, Russell Wilson has the intelligence to push the ball downfield precisely while also being a severe threat at the run game, making him one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Surrounding him is the speedy and turbulent Thomas Rawls and CJ Procise at runningback, the underrated Doug Baldwin, and Tyler Lockett, who was a rookie sensation that banked in on huge plays and thrived as the returner.

We know the Seahawks defense is at the top of its game, but the offense has never looked this good. As long as Russell Wilson lowers his hesitation, this team could return to the Super Bowl.

In the toughest area to play on the road, the Dolphins likely won’t stand a chance in this one. Tannehill is a good quarterback, but all eyes will be on Gase. His offenses in the past eased some of the lifting of his quarterbacks by emphasizing shorter throws, so he’ll hopefully bring some much needed creativity to this Dolphins offense. Rookie tackle Laremy Tunsil has been very promising, so this will bring much needed relief to the pass protection.

Sadly for Miami, that won’t be enough. At home and with a top offense and defense, the Seahawks should have no problem winning this one.

 

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts

Is it time to trust in the Cooter (giggles)? After a 1-7 start, the Lions fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and promoted Jim Bob Cooter. Under him, Detroit focused on the short passing game, and this tactic was successful, propelling the team to 6-2 in the 2nd half of the season.

The Colts, meanwhile, have Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton and Dwayne Allen, and not much else. The offensive line is one of the worst in the league, and it is currently unknown how much of it rookie Ryan Kelly will improve. Likewise the defense has flaws everywhere. This just seems like a roster bent on surviving on if Luck can get murdered and still be efficient instead of building a quality all around roster.

Matthew Stafford and Luck have been compared quite a bit this offseason, though the comparison isn’t 100% accurate. The similarity in stats has a valid point, but Stafford plays with better coaching and scheme. He won’t have Megatron to throw 50/50 bombs to, but Marvin Jones and Golden Tate are only slight downgrades. Luck has better ability in the pocket, as well as more splash plays and consistency behind bad offensive lines. He is significantly better than Stafford because of that in my opinion.

Detroit must continue to run the same short passing game they ran during the end of 2015. Theo Riddick is a quality receiving back, and Ameer Abdullah had a promising rookie season. Facing a weak defense will make it easier for them to be schemed open and use their athleticism to make big plays. For the Colts to have a shot, sigh…..they must rely on Luck to carry them throughout the game, which likely means another situation in which they have to come back from multiple scores in the 4th quarter.

The Lions should win this one.

 

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

Once again, an injury to Tony Romo has open the floodgates of possibilities in the NFC East. The Giants just might be the team to capitalize this year with a top quarterback in Eli Manning and top receiver in Odell Beckham.

The offensive line doesn’t seem to have improved, but the young talent at the skill set positions and the defense certainly has. Shane Vereen and Paul Perkins will likely be promoted thanks to Andre Williams getting cut, and Sterling Shepherd is a talented young pass catcher. On defense, Jason Pierre Paul is returning, and new additions include Eli Apple, Oliver Vernon, and Darian Thompson.

With Romo currently out for the Cowboys, we get to see how Dak Prescott plays behind the best offensive line in football, as well as a top running game. Ezekiel Elliot is a candidate for Rookie of the Year, and Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden give depth backing him up. Outside of Dez Bryant, the Cowboys lack consistent quality at the receiving position.

Prescott played impressively in the precision, showing good poise and footwork, but he’ll have to prove it again in the regular season. What really makes the entire Cowboys offense thrive is Romo’s pocket patience. He’s able to to manipulate coverage by offering an abundance of subtle pocket movement, making his line and receivers better in the process. It’s unrealistic to say Prescott will have that same level of patience right away, but the Cowboys will give him plenty of clean pockets so he can learn to do it.

 

While the Cowboys must run their typical run heavy offense with passing in the shotgun, the Giants and Ben McAdoo’s offense must continue to run the West Coast while giving Beckham as many chances as possible to make splash plays. New York should also unleash their younger talent at their division rival, considering the disaster the Cowboys defense experienced in the offseason.

Because of an inexperienced quarterback on the other side, I’ll take the Giants in this matchup.

 

New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals

Tom Brady’s suspension will likely impact the Patriots in the 2015 season. Brady has a quarterback friendly offense where his tight ends and slot receivers are schemed open, allowing them to get big yards after the catch.

Still, Brady plays a commanding role because he gets the ball out quickly and effectively, and his intermediate game is great. Jimmy Garoppolo has better downfield passing but lesser accuracy and poorer decision making thus far, so for these 4 games the quarterback position could be a liability for an offense otherwise gifted with talent and smart coaching.

Carson Palmer is coming off his best season yet, leading an explosive vertical offense and the hype train of David Johnson. Like New England, Arizona is loaded with quality on both offense and defense, which makes it disappointing that Brady’s absence prevents two of the game’s best quarterbacks from playing in the same game.

Garoppolo will be given plenty of chances thanks to Bill Belichick’s genius at creating open plays and exploiting the flaws in the opposing defenses, but the Cardinals will also be given a chance because of Garoppolo’s limited status. Blitzes and immediate pressure should be mandatory so that the young quarterback is forced into mistakes. On the other side, Arizona will face a tough defense, but should be fine as long as Palmer’s finger is good to go. He was erratic after the Eagles game where he sustained that injury, but healthy he was nearly unstoppable, as were Michael Floyd, Larry Fitzgerald, and John Brown. JJ Nelson will expect to play a bigger role this season as well.

Even without Brady, the Patriots should put up plenty of points thanks to their talent. We know how excellent Rob Gronkowski has been, but Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola are great for New England’s offense, while LeGarrette Blount is a decent running option. Newcomer Martellus Bennett will open up more red zone opportunities for a team that has thrived on them.

That being said, the Cardinals should win this game at home. New England without Brady is obviously a factor, but the amount of talent Arizona has at offense and defense should be enough in a close game on Sunday Night.

 

MONDAY

Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins

Ben Roethlisberger is arguably the 2nd best quarterback in the league behind Aaron Rodgers. Behind a quality OL and set of receivers, the quarterback’s decision making improved, as he was able to rely more on great pocket movement and precise downfield throws.

The Steelers will be without Martavis Bryant, LeDarius Green, and Le’Veon Bell for Monday Night, but Antonio Brown will be returning. Brown is the best receiver in the NFL, and is exceptionally gifted at round running and creating instant separation. DeAngelo Williams will take Bell’s place for a while, and though he isn’t as patient as Bell, his explosiveness makes him a great backup.

The Redskins shocked the NFL by sneaking into the playoffs in 2015, and much of this was credited to the breakout year of Kirk Cousins. While he deserves credit for their success, he was set up by a favorable offensive scheme that relied on yards after the catch, an easy schedule, and a terrific receiving core in DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder, and Jordan Reed. The Redskins wisely franchise tagged Cousins, while giving him another weapon in Josh Doctson during the draft, as well as adding All-Pro corner Josh Norman in free agency.

I have doubts about Cousins living up to his 2015 season. He was lucky to not make mistakes throughout the 2nd half of the 2015 season, and was exploited in the playoffs where he constantly made mistakes (yes, you don’t need to throw a pick or fumble the ball to make mistakes). He’ll rake yards thanks to his receiving cast, but I fear he’ll make too many mistakes for Washington to be a favorite to win.

Give me the Steelers to win this one. The defense is still rebuilding, but the quality of Ben, Brown, Williams, and the offensive line should be enough.

 

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers

Football has returned to Los Angeles, and nothing is more exciting than Los Angeles football featuring Jeff Fisher as the head coach.

For some reason, however, their first game back isn’t going to be played in Los Angeles. Elephant in the room, much?

After trading up to haul the #1 pick in the draft, the Rams selected QB Jared Goff, and expectations were big. To the shock of everyone, Goff is riding 3rd string despite his draft status, and he is not even active on Monday Night. It’s early, but that’s not a good sign.

Outside whatever signs of hope the Rams have at quarterback, the overall quality of the offense isn’t good. The pass protection sucks, and the receiving core is underwhelming. Only the excellence of Todd Gurley saves this group. Luckily the pass rush is high quality, with the dangerous Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn leading the way.

Chip Kelly is coaching in his debut with the 49ers, and it’s going to be a long way to the top. 49ers fans won’t be able to stand the lack of talent on offense, and it’s a lot worse with Blaine Gabbert leading the way. Teams are somehow convinced he’s a starting quarterback instead of a shoddy decision maker. Just as worse is the idea that Case Keenum is a good quarterback. It’s bad enough Goff can’t even beat him or his backup, but Keenum screams inefficient downfield passing and overall inefficient play.

On paper this game is a boring matchup, so with my luck it’ll be a shootout (I’ll pray that it is). The Rams don’t suck quite as much as the 49ers do, so they should win this one thanks to a better run game and defense.

 

RECAP

Panthers>Broncos

Jaguars>Packers

Bills>Ravens

Texans>Bears

Browns>Eagles

Buccaneers>Falcons

Vikings>Titans

Bengals>Jets

Raiders>Saints

Chiefs>Chargers

Seahawks>Dolphins

Lions>Colts

Giants>Cowboys

Cardinals>Patriots

Steelers>Redskins

Rams>49ers

 

 

Welcome back, football. See you all week one.

 

(Featured Image via etonline.com)