NFL picks and predictions are difficult enough in Week 1 of a given season when we know so little about how offseason roster changes will manifest on the field. Now we're picking NFL games to open a season defined by . Welcome to 2020.Only two of the 16 games on the will feature , as the Chiefs and Jaguars will allow a small percentage of their stadiums' capacities to be filled. So the typical home-field advantage attached to the odds for each game is not as much of a factor.However, team travel for away games during the coronavirus pandemic is extra stre sful, so the teams scheduled to
Kurt Suzuki Jersey make lengthy trips in Week 1 will be the first to deal with the NFL's extensive health and safety protocols for teams on the road.Per tradition, the Week 1 NFL schedule begins with the defending Super Bowl champions this year the Chiefs hosting the Thursday night season-opener, and it ends with a "Monday Night Football" doubleheader.Here are our Week 1NFL picks straight up, all the way through thatpair of Monday night games.MORE NFL WEEK 1: | NFL picks, predictions for Week 1 Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs ()Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBCThis won't be the party the Chiefs hoped it would be with only about 20 percent of Arrowhead Stadium's capacity filled with Kansas City faithful. But it should still come with the desired result. The Chiefs lost almost nothing from their Super Bowl-winning roster, and while the Texans remain competive on the strength of Deshaun Watson's brilliance, they still don't stack up. There's a reason as champions.Pick: Chiefs 30, Texans 17Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings () Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxMany were bothered by how the Packers handled their roster in the offseason. But even with Jordan Love in the picture, as long as Aaron Rodgers is playing quarterback, Green Bay's offense will be a problem for opposing teams. Of course, the Vikings are uniquely equipped to give the Packers i sues, too. This one will be as close as the odds suggest.Pick: Packers 27, Vikings 23Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSThis would be a lot more fun if Tua Tagovailoa were starting over Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Dolphins, but we'll take what we can get with Cam Newton starting for the Patriots in their first post-Tom Brady era game. New England hasn't had much time to integrate the QB who was signed just before training camp, which would be an i sue for anybody but Bill Belichick
Jose Ramirez Jersey and Josh McDaniels.Pick: Patriots 24, Dolphins 13Philadelphia Eagles () at Washington Football TeamSunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxThe Week 1 NFL schedule was finalized so long ago that one of these teams went by a different name when it was announced. Washington has been fortunate to have new coach Ron Rivera guide the team through a turbulent offseason, but he won't be able to steer his players to many wins in 2020. The slate begins with theNFC East rival that won the division last year and has a solid chance to repeat.Pick: Eagles 28, Washington 17 The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded.Seattle Seahawks () at Atlanta FalconsSunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxThis is a tough spot for the Seahawks, the team this season. It's a long road trip for an early kickoff, but at least Seattle has the cushion of the offseason rather than having to deal with such a challenge in the
Preston Tucker Jersey middle of their schedule. The Falcons are a tough team to read going into Week 1. We feel more confident about what we'll get from Ru sell Wilson and Co.Pick: Seahawks 30, Falcons 20Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSWeird, inexplicable upsets in Week 1 are relatively common, especially when division opponents collide to begin a season. Which makes this a dangerous game for the Ravens, who speaking of inexplicable upsets got blown out by the Browns as one of their two regular-season lo ses last year. Cleveland hasnew, offensive-minded coachKevin Stefanski and hopes of contending in the AFC North(). This game is the perfect opportunity for the Browns to prove themselves worthy of the optimism.Pick: Browns 33, Ravens 28Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxThe Lions are getting a field goal at home, which basically makes this game a to s-up. The Bears recently announced Mitchell Trubisky won the starting quarterback job over Nick Foles, which probably matters very little to their Week 1 opponent. Detroit is simply focused on the return of its own QB and what that will do for an offense that was making strides before he got hurt last season.Pick: Lions 27, Bears 17 The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded.New York Jets at
Eddie Mathews Jersey Buffalo Bills ()Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSAfter reaching the playoffs as a wild card last year, the Bills noticed what was happening around them in the AFC East and did everything they could to pad what was already a solid roster. They'll be good enough defensively to win their first division title since the Clinton administration, and they hope the addition of Stefon Diggs will be enough to lift Josh Allen to a Pro Bowl level. The Jets, meanwhile, are not yet ready to contend.Pick: Bills 27, Jets 10Indianapolis Colts () at Jacksonville JaguarsSunday, 1p.m. ET, CBSPhilip Riversnow lives in Florida, not too far from where he will make his debut as the Colts' new quarterback. Indianapolis signed the veteran hoping his savvy will help get the team back to the playoffs a year after Andrew Luck's sudden retirement. While the Colts are in win-now mode, the Jaguars appear to be in ... whatever the opposite of win-now mode is. This spread is big for good reasons.Pick: Colts 31, Jaguars 13Las Vegas Raiders () at Carolina PanthersSunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBSWe have absolutely no idea what to expect from the Panthers, a team with a new coaching staff, a new quarterback
Matt Joyce Jersey and an overhauled defense that no longer features Luke Kuechly. The Raiders can't know what to expect, either, which is why a team that flirted with the postseason last year is barely favored over a team that had no shot.Pick: Raiders 27, Panthers 24Los Angeles Chargers () at Cincinnati BengalsSunday, 4:05 p.m. ET,CBSThe Chargers are starting Tyrod Taylor over Justin Herbert at quarterback, so this will not be a matchup featuring QBs who were selected in the top six picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. If Joe Burrow comes out of the gate as well as the Bengals expect, though, a Chargers lo s to open the season against last year's worst team might push them to think more about playing the rookie. The fact that Burrow no longer has to deal with the injured Derwin James in this game is notable.Pick: Bengals 28, Chargers 21 The referenced me
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