Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs (-3)
Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Network
The 2024 NFL season kicks off with too many storylines to count. A rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, Ravens-Chiefs features last year’s regular season MVP (Lamar Jackson) vs. the Super Bowl MVP (Patrick Mahomes). Kansas City is looking to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Lombardi Trophies, while the Ravens will be trying to avenge last year’s heartbreaking AFC Championship Game defeat. We saw the Chiefs lose to the Lions last year on ring ceremony night, and I’d expect something similar this year. Ultimately, this game means way more to Baltimore, and with Derrick Henry now leading the Baltimore backfield, the Ravens make a statement in Week 1.
Score prediction: 24-20 Ravens
Green Bay Packers @ Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5)
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
The two most common dark-horse picks to come out of the NFC this year meet in Week 1 for the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil. Philadelphia is coming off a disastrous second half of 2023. There isn’t a hotter coaching seat than Nick Sirianni’s, meaning anything but a strong start could see him unemployed by the Eagles’ Week 5 bye. On the other hand, Green Bay was one of the hottest teams closing out the 2023 season, and was a few bad breaks from finding themselves in the NFC Championship Game.
Both teams feature new starting running backs – Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Josh Jacobs (Packers) – with both offenses clearly looking to emphasize the ground game this year. The Eagles’ offense is as talented as any in the league, but their defense remains a concerning work in progress. The Packers are incredibly balanced on both sides of the ball, and with the head coaching advantage, will take this Week 1 clash.
Score prediction: 28-24 Packers
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons (-2.5)
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
It’s new quarterbacks galore in this matchup, with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields taking on Kirk Cousins and the Falcons. Both teams are coming off disappointing 2023 seasons, and enter 2024 with playoff aspirations. While no one would ever confuse either of these teams for having explosive offenses, Atlanta is banking on Cousins being the missing piece to unlock Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London. This game features two hard-nosed defenses, but with Atlanta playing in front of its home crowd and the advantage on offense, the Falcons will win a close one.
Score prediction: 20-17 Falcons
Arizona Cardinals @ Buffalo Bills (-6.5)
Joe Rondone/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK
The Cardinals and Bills each enter Week 1 with drastically different receiving corps from the previous year. Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. immediately slots in as Kyler Murray’s #1 option, while the Bills’ offense now has a Stefon Diggs-sized hole after he was traded to Houston this offseason. This game should be closer than people anticipate considering the Bills had seven more wins than the Cardinals in 2023, but ultimately, Buffalo is too good on both sides of the ball to drop its home opener to a still-developing Cardinals team.
Score prediction: 24-21 Bills
Tennessee Titans @ Chicago Bears (-4.5)
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Caleb Williams era is officially underway in Chicago. The #1 overall pick may lack experience, but with a wide receiver trio of D.J. Moore-Keenan Allen-Rome Odunze and a pass-catching running back in D’Andre Swift, Williams should find success quickly. The Titans always seem to assemble strong defensive units, but Chicago should have no issue taking this home opener. Tennessee swapped out Derrick Henry for Tony Pollard, and Will Levis didn’t give too many signs in year 1 that he can light up a defense as stingy as Chicago’s. Caleb Williams starts his career in front of the home crowd with a victory.
Score prediction: 24-13 Bears
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals (-9.5)
Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK
Remember how great it was to be a Pats fan four years ago? Man does that feel like a distant memory now. Bill Belichick is out, Jerod Mayo is in, and somewhere deep inside his soul, Belichick is relieved to not be coaching this current squad. Whether it’s Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye or Joe Milton or Bailey Zappe or Drew Bledsoe leading the offense, New England is starting its season with a loss. The Bengals have notoriously gotten off to slow starts in recent years, but the Patriots are the perfect Week 1 opponent to end that trend.
Score prediction: 31-10 Bengals
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts (+2.5)
Brett Phelps/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK
One of the few in-division match-ups of Week 1 promises to be a great one. The hype train for C.J. Stroud and the Texans is in full swing, as the defending Rookie of the Year looks to build on an unforgettable rookie year. However, Anthony Richardson and the Colts will have something to say about it. Richardson was dynamic in his limited action last year, and will look to prove Stroud isn’t the only 2023 draftee who’s a franchise cornerstone in the AFC South. In what should be a great rematch of last year’s Week 18 win-and-you’re-in-the-postseason, the Colts get revenge and make a statement in Week 1.
Score prediction: 27-21 Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins (-3.5)
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Will this finally be the year Trevor Lawrence proves to be a franchise QB? Maybe, but it won’t be in Week 1 when he proves it. The Jacksonville offense is not built for shoot-outs, which makes Miami an absolute nightmare matchup in Week 1. Trying to limit Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle after eight months without an NFL regular season game sounds like a recipe for disaster. The Jaguars will be competitive this season, but you won’t get that impression following Week 1.
Score prediction: 34-17 Dolphins
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints (-4.5)
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints may have invented the brown paper bags over fans’ heads, but it’s the Panthers who enter 2024 most likely to be donning that style. 2023 couldn’t have gone much worse for the Panthers, and they enter 2024 desperate for drastically different results. Unfortunately, a Week 1 matchup against a ruthless defense playing in front of a raucous home crowd is far from ideal. Another year of familiarity for Derek Carr in the Saints’ offense will do wonders, and New Orleans will move to 1-0 in a laugher.
Score prediction: 28-10 Saints
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants (-1)
David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
With all due respect to fans of both of these teams, this might be the toughest Week 1 game to get excited about. Sam Darnold vs. Daniel Jones is a matchup that shouldn’t even be televised, and it feels safe to assume both teams got worse this offseason with the departures of Kirk Cousins and Saquon Barkley. In what will be likely be a low-scoring, offensive struggle, the homes team ekes out a narrow victory.
Score prediction: 13-10 Giants
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers (-3)
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
These two AFC West squads are coming off disappointing seasons, and both feature new head coaches. While the Raiders’ starting quarterback role remains up for grabs, the Chargers enter this season with plenty of questions at the wide receiver position. Ultimately, a Jim Harbaugh-led squad is always going to prioritize running the ball, so it will be interesting to see how star QB Justin Herbert adapts. While Maxx Crosby is a superstar, the Raiders’ defense as a whole doesn’t exactly instill a lot of fear. The Chargers will take Harbaugh’s home opener in a tight one.
Score prediction: 24-21 Chargers
Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks (-5.5)
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Pete Carroll is out and Mike Macdonald is in for a Seattle Seahawks squad looking to return to the postseason in 2024. The Broncos on the other hand? They’re just celebrating Russell Wilson no longer leading the offense. While it remains to be seen whether Jarrett Stidham or Bo Nix will get the start in Week 1 for Denver, I think they pull off the surprise victory either way. There are always a few upsets to start the season, and with a new coach employing a new defensive scheme, the Seahawks will start the season 0-1.
Score prediction: 20-17 Broncos
Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns (-1.5)
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The best game of the Week 1 afternoon slate features countless intriguing matchups. Dak Prescott and the high-scoring Dallas offense going against reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, plus Micah Parsons squaring off against a Cleveland Browns offense that desperately needs the Deshaun Watson of old. This should be a back-and-forth affair, but ultimately, the Cowboys just have too much firepower on offense for the Browns to keep up.
Score prediction: 30-23 Cowboys
Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-4)
Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
It’s officially Baker’s team on the heels of signing a 3-year, $100 million deal this offseason, as he kicks off the season against Jayden Daniels making his NFL debut. The Commanders offense should look drastically different with a new coaching staff and the #2 overall pick under center, but it’s safe to assume it’ll take some time for the unit to find its groove. Tampa Bay returns much of last year’s team that reached the postseason, and should have no issue improving to 1-0.
Score prediction: 27-17 Buccaneers
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions (-3.5)
David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
The Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff saga adds another chapter to kick off Sunday Night Football this season. Everyone knows the storylines by this point – Stafford got a ring in his first season in LA, Goff has transformed the Lions into a Super Bowl contender, and the Lions eliminated LA last postseason for their first playoff victory in 22 years. These teams know each other very well by this point, and this should be the highest scoring game of Week 1. Both offenses have a ton of continuity, and two of the sharpest offensive minds with regards to play-calling. In a back-and-forth affair, the Rams win on a game-winning field goal as time expires.
Score prediction: 34-31 Rams
New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers (-5.5)
John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Hold your breath, Jets fans. We all remember Aaron Rodgers’ tragic Week 1 experience last year, and at this point, New York just wants to make sure Rodgers remains the starter entering Week 2. The NFL schedulers certainly could’ve given a friendlier Week 1 matchup, as Rodgers gets to travel cross-country to face a franchise that has had his number more than any other. With Rodgers leading the way, New York’s offense will be much improved and we know the defense is stout, but San Francisco just has too much talent on both sides of the ball. Rodgers comes out unscathed, but he’ll have to wait another week before leading his team to a victory.
Score prediction: 24-20 49ers
