NFL Week 1 Preview

NY Jets @ Houston Texans
Spread: Houston, -4.5
o/u: 44
The Jets go into this season with a revamped defense, but not much new on offense, save rookie QB Matt Sanchez. He'll be throwing to a talented but not spectacular group of WR, which no longer includes includes Laveranues Coles. Also, the Jets D has been overall inconsistent the past few years, being near the top in the league vs the pass and the bottom vs the run one year, and the opposite the next. Rookie head coach Rex Ryan is looking to finally put it together. His problem in Week 1 is the Texans offensive weapons. He'll have to find ways to stop both RB Steve Slaton and WR Andre Johnson, who led the AFC in receptions and yards last season. On paper, Houston's defense looks improved, but I'm not buying it just yet.
Pick: Jets 24 - Texans 21

Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta Falcons
Spread: Atlanta, -4
o/u: 43.5
Miami won a lot last year by surprising teams with the Wildcat offense. This year, they add Pat White as a QB/WR tailored for this formation. But with teams having all offseason to prepare, it will be hard for Miami to repeat last years playoff run. Atlanta will still have the strong offense and defense that carried them through Matt Ryan's first season, and Ryan will only improve from here. The only worry is RB Michael Turner, who was wildly inconsistent last year. He'll have to corrct that, or Ryan will have to carry the team even more than he did last year.
Pick: Atlanta 24 - Miami 14

Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints
Spread: Saint, -13
o/u: 49
Detroit will win this season. It just won't be in Week 1.
Pick: Saints 35 - Lions 10

Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals
Spread: Bengals, -4
o/u: 42.5
New Denver QB Kyle Orton is no Jay Cutler. And Kyle Orton with an injury to his throwing hand is no Kyle Orton I want to depend on. On the other hand, Bengals QB Carson Palmer hasn't been the same since injuring his knee in the playoffs a few years ago. Now he has to deal with a preseason ankle injury and the loss of WR TJ Houshmandzadeh. I'm looking for Denver to pound the ball and keep the score low.
Pick: Broncos 13 - Bengals 10

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens
Spread: Ravens, -13
o/u: 36
The Cheifs may have improved their passing game in the offseason, but for some reason they still rely on Larry Johnson to carry the ball. After Herman Edwards ran him into the ground(like he did with Curtis Martin in NY), Johnson doesn't have much, if anything, left. Their biggest addition, QB Matt Cassel, is nursing a knee injury and is questionable. The Chiefs defense also didn't improve much. The Ravens may have lost their defensive coordinator, LB Bart Scott, and S Jim Leonhard, but they still have Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed. And their D didn't show any signs of letting up in the preseason.
Pick: Ravens 21 - Chiefs 6

Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Spread: Cowboys, -6
o/u: 39
Dallas is not the team everybody thinks they are. With TO gone, Tony Romo is left with WRs Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, and TE Jason Witten. Thats not a group thats going to strike fear into the hearts of defensive secondaries. Meanwhile, Tampa looks to be better than people give them credit for. Their losses on offense have more than been made up for with new additions Byron Leftwhich and Derrick Ward. I don't think they'll be great this year, but I think they have enough to beat Dallas.
Pick: Buccs 13 - Cowboys 10

Minnesota Vikings @ Cleveland Browns
Spread: Vikings, -4
o/u: 40
Adding Brett Favre has reportedly left a "schism" in the Vikes locker room, but that won't stop them on the field. Favre will be throwing to an already talented group of WRs, and Adrian Peterson will continue to run over entire defenses. And now that the Williams Wall will be playing all season, they know they have a solid defense to depend on. If the Browns are telling the truth and Jamal Lewis is still their main back, they have problems. And Brady Quinn may have finally been named starting QB, but their biggest receiving threats from last year are gone via trade, jail/suspension, and retirement. Don't expect much from the Browns this year, but Quinn may show some flashes of what everyone thinks he can be.
Pick: Vikes 28 - Browns 10

Philadelphia Eagles @ Carolina Panthers
Spread: Eagles, -2.5
o/u: 43.5
The Eagles are expected to be the NFC's rep in the Super Bowl this year. Some other are saying it will be Carolina. Both teams have one weakness: defense. The Eagles will be weakened without Brian Dawkins and Lito Sheppard this year, even with the addition of Ellis Hobbs. For the Panthers, once you get past their d-line, theres not much there. Both teams have high-powered offenses, the Eagles through the air, the Panthers on the ground. This game will be high scoring, but I give the slight edge to Philly's D.
Pick: Eagles 35 - Panthers 21

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts
Spread: Colts, -7
o/u: 44.5
Jacksonvilles offense, at this point, can pretty much only run the ball. They cleared out last years receivers and replaced them with a group that is on one side old and on the other overrated. Their one saving grace is that Indy only has one player who can stop the run: Bob Sanders. Bob Sanders is out with a knee injury. The Jags might keep it close, but they won't stop Peyton Manning.
Pick: Colts 28 - Jaguars 24

Washington Redskins @ NY Giants
Spread: Giants, -6.5
o/u: 37.5
If the Eagles/Panthers game is one of offense without defense, the Redskins/Giants game is the opposite. The Redskins added 350 lb DT Albert Haynesworth in the offseason, a move the Giants feel was made for the sole purpose of stopping RB Brandon Jacobs. The Giants will return almost all of last years defense, which was one of the leagues best. Both teams have bruising running games, but with not much to speak of in either teams passing games, they'll both be running into walls all day long.
Pick: Giants 13 - Redskins 10

St Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
Spread: Seahawks, -8.5
o/u: 41
Both of these teams were bad last season. The difference comes down to injuries. The top players for Seattle last year are back healthy this year, with the exception of Deion Branch, who hasn't done much for Seattle anyway, and is questionable with a hamstring injury. The Rams, however, are still bad.
Pick: Seahawks 28 - Rams 10

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals
Spread: Cardinals, -6.5
o/u: 46
The 49ers had high hopes for their passing game this season after drafting WR Michael Crabtree. But Crabtree still hasn't signed, and they'll once again have to rely on RB Frank Gore. Gore is a solid player, but he can't handle that kind of load. On the other side, the Cardinals injury report looks like a list of the teams receivers. In fact, half of the teams eight WRs show up this week, including Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston. Short term, Arizona should be fine, as last years running game and a healthy WR Larry Fitzgerald can carry them for a game or two.
Pick: Cardinals 24 - 49ers 13

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers
Spread: Packers, -3.5
o/u: 46
Some say Jay Cutler is an improvement over Kyle Orton. He is, but its like going from driving a coupe to driving a sedan: it has its advantages, but underneath the body is the same car. Cutler had a stacked receiving corps with Denver last year, and still threw 18 INTs. The only things that will keep this game competitive will be Chicago's D and Green Bay's lack of one.
Pick: Green Bay 28 - Chicago 20