NFL Week 1 Preview

MACON, Ga. — After the most eventful offseason in NFL history, with the anticipation for the 2022 season as high as heading into any season, the 2022 regular-season kicks off tonight where last season ended. The defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams begin their quest to repeat tonight when they host the Buffalo Bills, a team that, arguably, may have been the best team in the NFL last year- they just left 13 seconds too many on the clock. While Buffalo may be a trendy pick to win the Super Bowl, plenty of other teams have their sights set on Glendale, Arizona in mid-February. But to get there, you have to grind through a 17-game regular-season, especially in the AFC, and then the high stakes of the NFL Playoffs. It all starts in week one, with a potential Super Bowl preview, marquee division matchups, a revenge matchup in the best division in football and a Homecoming for one of the best quarterbacks of this generation. Opening Kickoff Night: Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner) The NFL could not have picked a better matchup for Opening Night than Bills-Rams. This might be a Super Bowl preview. Buffalo was rolling at the end of the regular season and heading into the playoffs, and they were maybe the best team in the AFC. Josh Allen is an absolute stud and gunslinger at quarterback. And he’s got a strong receiving corps to distribute the ball to. Stefon Diggs has 230 catches over the last two years, and had a touchdown in all eight road games last year. In addition, Dawson Knox tied for the league lead for touchdowns by a tight end last year with nine. As for the Rams, their trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford paid massive dividends as he led them to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp is coming off a triple crown season, only the fourth receiver to win the triple crown since 1970. And on defense, Aaron Donald did not retire. He’s back to anchor a defense that bolstered its weak spot at linebacker in Bobby Wagner. Wagner is the only defensive player with 100+ tackles in each of the last 10 years, and ranked third last year with 170. These are two similar teams, both with Super Bowl aspirations. But the difference in this game will be the Rams being able to attack the Bills secondary that will be missing all-pro cornerback TreDavious White, as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury. Game pick: Rams 31 Bills 24 Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals – 1 p.m. on CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn) Of all the AFC teams with Super Bowl aspirations, it feels like the Bengals aren’t a trendy pick. In fact, it almost feels like they’re being disrespected. As if last year was a fluke. The Bengals obliterated Pittsburgh last year, but the Steelers should be a little better this season. That’s largely thanks to an upgrade at quarterback, with Mitch Trubisky taking over for retired Ben Roethlisberger. That could be troublesome for the AFC North given the strong receiving corps the Steelers have in addition to running back Najee Harris. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase overshadowed the great rookie season Harris had as far as the AFC North goes. But where the Bengals really, I think, shifted the rivalry is their defense. There’s now an element of physicality to them, starting with Trey Hendrickson up front, Logan Wilson at linebacker and hard-hitting safety Jessie Bates III back to anchor the secondary. This game won’t be like the 41-10 drubbing the Bengals put on the Steelers last year. But the Bengals are more talented and have the better quarterback, which is why I think they will win their fourth straight over Pittsburgh. Game pick: Bengals 34 Steelers 20 San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears – 1 p.m. on FOX (Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver) This game may not attract the casual fan, but there is some intrigue. The 49ers are moving into the Trey Lance era, or are they? Despite signing Jimmy Garoppolo to one-year deal just before the season is set to get underway, Lance has been deemed the starter. It’s hard to list teams with better rosters than the 49ers, led by a schematically advanced offense and a talented, lockdown defense. Chicago is entering year two of the Justin Fields era. Despite how it may have looked last year, Fields actually had a solid rookie season. He led all NFL rookie quarterbacks with 420 rushing yards, including 103 against the 49ers last year. There are questions surrounding what direction the Bears are heading in, but we know where the 49ers are heading. That’s the difference in this game. Game pick: 49ers 27 Bears 17 Kansas City Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Gene Steratore) Th Chiefs will take the field for the first time in the post-Tyreek Hill era, while quarterback Kyler Murray, fresh off a contract extension this offseason, will lead the Cardinals into battle in year four under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. If it felt like Patrick Mahomes had an off-year last year, he didn’t. In fact, Mahomes still threw for just under 5,000 yards and 37 touchdowns. And if you’re worried about how the offense will look with Tyreek Hill now gone, tight end Travis Kelce ranks in the top five in the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns since 2014. Kyler Murray is a mysterious quarterback. There’s a lot to like about his game, but there is also a lot left to be desired. Then again, another season with 3,500 yards and 20 touchdown passes would join him with Peyton Manning as the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to accomplish the feat in each of his first four seasons. These are two new-look teams, and I expect a close one in this matchup. Game pick: Chiefs 28 Cardinals 21 Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins) A classic revenge game. The Raiders beat the Chargers in a thriller in last year’s regular-season finale to clinch a playoff spot, and send the Chargers home. Justin Herbert, aside from still having not led the Chargers to the playoffs, has had an absolute monstrous start to his career. He has the most passing yards and touchdowns of any quarterback through their first two seasons, including 5,000 passing yards in each of his first two seasons. The Chargers are all in on him, as evidenced by their strong free agency period where they bolstered both their offensive line and defense. On the other hand, the Raiders kind of flew under the radar this offseason. And yet, it’s arguable they have the best receiving triplets of any team in the NFL in Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. Adams signed with the Raiders this offseason, and he led the NFL in receptions and ranks second in touchdowns since 2016. A model of consistency the Raiders need. I don’t think this game can top last year’s game in Las Vegas, but I still think there will be some offensive fireworks in this game. This game could set the tone for both of these teams’ seasons. Game pick: Chargers 31 Raiders 24 Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings – 4:25 p.m. on FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi) It feels like this game is being overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. How will Green Bay’s offense look without Davante Adams this season? Will they be more run-centric? Who emerges as a pass catcher? Regardless, they have the two-time reigning MVP under center in Aaron Rodgers, who might be playing the best football of his career. If Green Bay does go to a run-first approach, running back Aaron Jones could be in for a huge year. He’s the only running back, in addition to Derrick Henry, to have 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. Hate on Kirk Cousins. Do it. Just know he’s the only quarterback in the league to throw for 25 or more touchdowns in each of the last seven seasons. Now with offensive-minded head coach Kevin O’Connell, watch out for Cousins and this offense, anchored by the receiving duo of Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Minnesota is 4-2 at home against Green Bay since U.S. Bank Stadium opened in 2016. That good record will continue on Sunday. Game pick: Vikings 34 Packers 24 Sunday Night Football: Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic) As if the all-time regular-season leader in every passing category, better known as the G.O.A.T., needed to come back for more. Well, he is. Tom Brady returns for his 23rd NFL season. Brady is back for potentially one last ride, and he has a team good enough around him to lead to his eighth Super Bowl title. Mike Evans is about as consistent of a wide receiver as there is in the NFL, with eight straight 1,000-yard seasons and an NFL-leading 75 touchdowns since his rookie season in 2014. What worries me about Tampa Bay is their offensive line, and Brady is not a mobile quarterback. Dallas is an interesting team. Quarterback Dak Prescott is coming off his best season in 2021, and the Cowboys were the NFL’s top scoring and offensive team. But they lost Amari Cooper in a trade this offseason, and there are questions surrounding Ezekiel Elliott and the running game. But their defense is really good. Linebacker Micah Parsons had 12 sacks and 20 tackles for loss last year, and cornerback Trevon Diggs became a ball magnet with 11 interceptions. I think this game is close because this is the Cowboys early in the season, but I will take the more talented team in Tampa Bay. Watch the Buccaneers pass rush against the Cowboys absent stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith. Game pick: Buccaneers 27 Cowboys 20 Monday Night Football: Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN/ABC (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner) Russell Wilson returns to Seattle in his first game as the Broncos quarterback. He’s one of the best quarterbacks of our generation. But is Denver’s receiving corps better than the one he had when he left Seattle? Denver certainly has a better overall roster, but there are question marks. If the coaching staff lets Russ cook, are his targets good enough to throw to? Are they prolific enough to compete in the vaunted AFC West? And can his offensive line protect him, something he did not have towards the end of his time in Seattle. Speaking of Seattle, I’m more in on them than others might be. I look at their offense and see two really good receivers in Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. I also see a running back in Rashaad Penny who got really good down the stretch. I see a defense that has some talent and will keep a potentially struggling offense in games this season. And, to be honest, I see this as my upset pick of the week. Game pick: Seahawks 24 Broncos 21 Other Week 1 Games New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. on FOX (Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Shannon Spake) The Saints kick off their first season after Sean Payton’s retirement with a divisional matchup against a rebuilding Falcons team. New Orleans still has an elite group of skill players, but how will quarterback Jameis Winston fare coming back from a torn ACL? The Saints defense is strong, allowing fewer than 20 points per game last year. What direction is Atlanta heading in? Marcus Mariota is the starting quarterback, but is he the long-term answer? While Cordarelle Patterson and Kyle Pitts are solid skill players, will they make a difference? It’s a division game, so it will be close for that reason. But I think the Saints are the more talented team and will pull this one out. Game pick: Saints 24 Falcons 17 Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers – 1 p.m. on CBS (Spero Dedes, Jay Feeley, Aditi Kinkhabwala) Revenge is a dish best served cold, and Baker Mayfield no doubt will have revenge on his mind as he leads the Panthers into battle against his former team. The Browns begin the season without DeShaun Watson as he begins his 11-game suspension. Jacoby Brisett will start, but the Browns will look to unleash the running game led by Nick Chubb. In addition, Myles Garrett leads a defense that was inconsistent last year. For Carolina, Baker gives them a much-needed upgrade at quarterback. Christian McCaffrey looks to stay healthy, as he only played seven games in 2021. When on the field, he leads all active players in scrimmage yards per game. Baker has revenge on his mind, and that’s not a good thing for the Browns. They will wish they hadn’t traded him after Sunday’s game. Game pick: Panthers 20 Browns 13 Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions – 1 p.m. on FOX (Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Kristina Pink) There is optimism in Detroit, and how can you not root for head coach Dan Campbell? They really improved down the stretch last year, but do they have the right pieces in place? Philadelphia is also improved, but their improvements came in the form of upgrades. Wide receiver A.J. Brown came over in a trade from Tennessee in the offseason, and he joins second-year wide out Devonta Smith to form a legitimate one-two punch. Is Jalen Hurts the long-term answer at quarterback? He did lead the Eagles to the playoffs last year, so that’s tangible progress. And having two good receivers to throw to should help further his development. Philadelphia rolled the Lions last year, but this game should be much different. Game pick: Eagles 27 Lions 24 Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans – 1 p.m. on CBS (Tom McCarthy, Tiki Barber) Matt Ryan makes his Colts debut ready to lead a team that should have made the playoffs last year. This team is still talented enough to make a run to the playoffs and win the AFC South. Solid skill players lead the way offensively, and their defense is also really stingy. They’re not known for blitzing, but they are really fundamentally sound. The Texans are still in a rebuild, but they could make some progress this year. There might be something to second-year quarterback Davis Mils, but the skill players will have to develop along with him. Game pick: Colts 27 Texans 20 New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins – 1 p.m. on CBS (Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta) I’m really concerned about New England, particularly quarterback Mac Jones. He now doesn’t have an offensive coordinator. Literally. Jones was really solid last year, but it helped he had offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels calling the plays. He is now the head coach of the Raiders. But the one saving grace for New England is their defense. Matthew Judon is their leader, with a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2021. Miami might be the most improved team in the league, and first-year head coach Mike McDaniel and the coaching staff are all in on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill joins second-year wide out Jaylen Waddle to form a bona fide one-two punch. Add in tight end Mike Gesicki, and Tua has a formidable group of weapons to throw the ball to. The Dolphins also beefed up their offensive line with free agent signings Terron Armstead and Connor Williams. The Dolphins defense is also strong. Emmanuel Ogbah joins Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt as the only players in the AFC with nine sacks in each of the past two seasons. It’s truly a new era in New England. The Dolphins have won three straight against the Patriots, and seven of the past nine in Miami. That streak continues on Sunday. Game pick: Dolphins 30 Patriots 17 Baltimore Ravens @ New York Jets – 1 p.m. on CBS (Andrew Catalon, James Lofton, Michael Grady) Both teams have optimism heading into 2022. The Ravens are much healthier, and the Jets are much improved after a phenomenal draft. Last year Baltimore went from 8-3 to 8-9, but that was largely due to injuries. This year, the Ravens are healthier and poised to make a run back to the playoffs. The Jets have some promising young talent, but can it materialize on the field? Second-year quarterback Zach Wilson will be out till week four at the earliest, which means Joe Flacco will make the start against his former team. Game pick: Ravens 26 Jets 17 Jacksonville Jaguars @ Washington Commanders – 1 p.m. on FOX (Chris Myers, Robert Smith, Jennifer Hale) I’m excited to watch second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence under new head coach Doug Pederson. There’s a culture now in place, which should help the talented quarterback phenom. As for Washington, Pederson’s old quarterback, Carson Wentz, is now their “Commander in Chief.” The Commanders have some talent, but can it materialize? And can Wentz avoid the same mistakes that dogged him last year? Game pick: Commanders 31 Jaguars 17 New York Giants @ Tennessee Titans – 4:25 p.m. on FOX (Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin) Like New England, I’m worried about Tennessee. They lost wide receiver A.J. Brown to a trade to Philadelphia, and running back Derrick Henry is coming off a season plagued by a foot injury. As for the Giants, once again there is hope heading into the season. But can Daniel Jones fulfill the promising optimism? Game pick: Titans 24 Giants 14