2021 Week 1 Predix: Steelers and Bills Renew Rivalry

Courtesy of USA Today

Written by Sam DeCoste

Here. We. Go.

The NFL is back at last, and I'm back to give you in-depth predictions and analysis for every single regular season and postseason game. This is my 5th season writing the Predix, which means I'm just one season and a movie short of the Community model. Over the past 4 years, I have compiled analysis for 1,078 games including playoffs and Super Bowls, and correctly predicted 63.8 percent of them. My first season in 2017 remains my strongest Predix season yet, when I correctly predicted 67.4 percent of the games, and my Lock of the Week record was 14-3. I am dedicated to breaking those highs this season and making the 2021 NFL Predix on Franchise Quarterback the most accurate in blog history. 

My journey to record accuracy begins with an immaculate Week 1 slate, starting with the kickoff game featuring the Cowboys and Buccaneers. Opening weekend is highlighted by the Steelers taking on the Bills, the Cardinals visiting the Titans, and the Browns and Chiefs rematching from their playoff matchup last season.

Thank you all for joining me for another season of Predix. Your support means so much to me, and I hope you enjoy reading the most cutting-edge football prediction analysis around. Feel free to disagree with my writing on my Twitter, @thesamdecoste along the way. You will probably not agree with every word I write this year. Not that you have before.

Here are my records from last season:

Regular season record: 163-92-1 (63.6% winning percentage)
Postseason record: 6-7
Regular and postseason record: 169-99-1 (62.8% winning percentage)
Lock of the Week record: 13-4

All-time Predix record: 514-284-3 (64.2% winning percentage)

Cowboys @ Buccaneers

For the first time since 2002, the Buccaneers will unveil a Super Bowl banner. It also marks Tom Brady's first Super Bowl win since 2018. As stellar as Brady was down the stretch in 2020, he should be remarkably better out of the gate in 2021. Brady threw 4 interceptions in the first quarter of the season last season, but should protect the ball more efficiently, especially against the NFL's 23rd ranked defense from 2020. The Cowboys do not have the defensive personnel to cope with Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, and Scottie Miller in the passing game. The Bucs could also opt to roll with a run-heavy approach to exploit the NFL's 31st ranked rush defense from a season ago, and let Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette stomp all over the Dallas front 7.

The Cowboys are limping into the season opener as they battle a COVID outbreak in the locker room. Six players have tested positive for the virus since August 21, including All-Pro guard Zach Martin. Losing the anchor of the offensive line against a Super Bowl defensive line boasting the likes of Shaquill Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Ndamukong Suh, could spell a long night for Dak Prescott's first under center since suffering a season-ending ankle injury last October. Ezekiel Elliott should be the focal point of the Dallas offensive scheme to offset Tampa's ferocious pass rush and keep Prescott upright as much as possible. Pegging a few takeaways on the other side of the ball will be crucial to winning the field position battle and stealing possessions from Brady.

In the NFL Kickoff Game era, the Super Bowl champions are 13-2 in their primetime season openers. The Bucs will mark win number 14 in that department. 

Prediction: Cowboys 17, Buccaneers 34

Steelers @ Bills

In Josh Allen's 4th season, the Bills are locked and loaded, ready to make a run at the Super Bowl. Allen leads the NFL's 2nd ranked offense in yards and scoring from last season, and the unit may be even better this season with Emmanuel Sanders in the fold and an impressive showing from Devin Singletary in the preseason. But Stefon Diggs is indubitably Allen's favorite target, and he will see a heavy volume in targets early and often. The Bills defeated the Steelers late last season in large part thanks to Diggs' 10 receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown. Allen will look to spread the ball out, but Diggs should expect the lion's share of targets. The Steelers will send safety help to account for Diggs, but the Bills have enough weapons across the offense to stretch Pittsburgh completely open.

Ben Roethlisberger could easily find himself in a shootout where he has to match Allen punch-for-punch, but he does not have the arm strength to keep up anymore. The key for Pittsburgh to notch an upset is ride with the rookie running back, Najee Harris. Buffalo's rush defense can be exploited, and Harris is an explosive home-run threat capable of controlling the game. But Harris will need to start quickly, otherwise the Steelers will phase him out of the game completely and call 50 pass plays for Roethlisberger. Trailing early would be a disaster for the Steelers, but keeping the Bills at bay and even scoring first will keep them hanging around. Pittsburgh's 3rd ranked defense from a year ago must also pick up where they left off in 2020 with sacks and turnovers. The Steelers will have to reach the quarterback on third down passing plays and steal possessions from Allen to keep the game from spiraling out of reach.

At face value, these teams are AFC heavyweights. But these teams are trending in opposite directions, with the Bills ascending into legitimate Super Bowl contention, whereas the Steelers are steeply declining. An upset is not out of the cards, but the Bills are the dominant team, and Allen should pick up just as he left off last season.

Prediction: Steelers 20, Bills 24

Cardinals @ Titans

Our first look at Tennessee's video game offense comes in the Sunday early window, and all eyes will be on how the Titans will deploy their stars. With Julio Jones lining up adjacent to AJ Brown, the Titans could morph into an air raid offense, but they also have a 2,000 yard rusher to feed. Ryan Tannehill will have no shortage of weapons to spread the ball, and he should register a strong performance against a talented but exploitable Cardinals defense. But now that JJ Watt and Chandler Jones are teammates in Arizona, the Titans offensive line has to find a way to keep them at bay and keep Tannehill's jersey clean. The game could fall out of reach if Tannehill takes too many hits, but that's where Henry comes in. 

In year 3 of the Kyler Murray/Kliff Kingsbury marriage, it's time for the Cardinals to take a leap. The offense has an opportunity to start fast this season against a Titans defense that deeply struggled in 2020. The Titans finished as the league's 29th ranked defense and registered just 19 sacks all year long. Murray should have plenty of time in the pocket to go through his progressions and even scramble to extend plays because the Titans defense will not pose a significant pass rush threat. But behind DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals receivers have to create separation and play their part for Murray to find them. Arizona's offense lagged in the second half of last season because Hopkins was the only receiver making plays down the stretch, stranding Murray on an island. With AJ Green and Rondale Moore in the offense, they should generate more chunk plays in the passing game. 

This is a field goal game either way, but the Titans have the slightest edge at home.

Prediction: Cardinals 24, Titans 27

Chargers @ Football Team

One of the most competitive positional matchups of Week 1 is the Chargers offensive line versus the Football Team defensive line. The Chargers signed All-Pro center Corey Linsley to protect quarterback Justin Herbert, and keep the face of the franchise standing upright. Against Washington's loaded defense, Herbert will need time in the pocket to find Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in space. This is the best defense that Herbert has faced off against in his young NFL career, and Herbert has to prove he is up for the challenge. The Chargers offense also has to match Washington's intensity to win this game.

Starting at quarterback for Washington is Ryan Fitzpatrick at 38 years old. The Football Team believes he is a notable upgrade over the numbers in their quarterback room last year, and the offense has aptly surrounded him with explosive playmakers, but Fitzpatrick has to prove he can carry the offense for 17 games. The Washington offense struggled all season long to match the intensity of their defense, and held them back in crunch time. Antonio Gibson is capable of controlling the game at the line of scrimmage, and Terry McLaurin is a home-run threat on every snap. The X-factor in this game could be Derwin James, who is virtually playing his first game in 2 years. If he makes an immediate impact at the level he registered as a rookie, the Washington offense has their work cut out for them.

The exciting Chargers offense against stout Washington defense will be a great chess match to watch, but the Chargers talent should ultimately outlast Fitzpatrick and the Football Team. The same old Chargers would lose this game, but this should be a different Chargers team that wins gritty games on the road. 

Prediction: Chargers 27, Football Team 17

Vikings @ Bengals

Going back to 2015, the Vikings have earned a playoff berth every other season under Mike Zimmer's leadership. Do the math, this is the year they are poised to return, and they have one of the league's most dynamic offenses to score 30 points on a weekly basis. Justin Jefferson and Adam Theilen have lopsided matchups against Cincinnati's secondary, and Dalvin Cook is the heart of the offense and will keep the chains moving for all 4 quarters. The Vikings ought to light up the scoreboard against a mediocre Bengals defense. The returns of Eric Kendricks and Danielle Hunter can also help control the line of scrimmage against Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense. The Vikings defense struggled to register stops when they needed to last season, but they are better lined up now to get off the field more consistently,

Coming off a season-ending ACL tear, the jury is out if Burrow will return the same player he was this time a year ago. The Bengals acquired his former LSU teammate at receiver, Ja'Marr Chase, to increase the explosive plays within the offense, to team up alongside Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. On paper, the offense should be dynamite. But it comes down to Burrow's health, and if he's back to where he was before the injury. He will likely be thrust into a shootout right away, and he will need to match Kirk Cousins punch for punch. They have to secure a well-balanced attack to stay in the game, and keep Burrow safe in the pocket. Joe Mixon is the X-factor to a Bengals upset, and Burrow's development in his sophomore season.

Expect a fantasy football extravaganza from this game, and a Vikings win on the road. It will be exciting enough to unsettle Vikings fans, but they will win comfortably enough that the result will never have felt in doubt to begin with. 

Prediction: Vikings 30, Bengals 21

Seahawks @ Colts

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are accustomed to starting fast in the regular season, especially on offense. Going up against a Colts team battling an injury bug, the likes of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett could be in for outstanding days at the office. The Colts defensive line is not particularly strong, which bodes well for a Seahawks offensive line that notoriously struggles to keep Wilson's jersey clean. Cris Carson faces a stingy linebacking core which could challenge the running game, but the Seattle aerial attack is lined up to carve the Colts secondary apart. 

On the other side of the coin, Carson Wentz is back in the lineup, for the first time as a Colt, after a summer of rushed recovery from a foot injury. Wentz is looking to revive his career after his worst career season that earned him a trade away from Philadelphia, but coming off summer foot surgery and his worst career season spells trouble. He can depend on Jonathan Taylor who rushed for 1,169 yards in his rookie year, and Nyheim Hines coming out of the backfield as a multi-dimensional threat. Without TY Hilton for a few weeks, the load falls on Michael Pittman as Wentz's number one target. On paper, the Colts do not have the most adequate supporting cast for a quarterback in Wentz's situation, and they have to involve Taylor and Hines early and often to prevent the Seahawks offense from running away with the game. 

The Seahawks have continuity and the more talented side, and they should prevail without much disturbance.

Prediction: Seahawks 28, Colts 16

Eagles @ Falcons

A classic battle of the birds to kick off the 2021 campaign for two underachieving NFC squads facing rebuilding stretches. The Falcons will hope to jump off to a faster start this season than seasons past, in which they have limped out of the gate. Over the last 3 seasons, the Falcons have started 0-5, 1-7, and 1-4. An opening day win would be a massive confidence boost for the likes of Matt Ryan and the Falcons veterans, as well as first-year head coach Arthur Smith. Without Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley is the number one target, and now he has to carry the load in the passing game. Rookie tight end Kyle Pitts enters the league riding a fast-rolling hype train, and could give Ryan a dynamic element the offense has not seen since Tony Gonzalez.

Jalen Hurts starts at quarterback after an offseason spruced with questions about Philly's comfortability at the position. The Eagles are also guided by a rookie head coach, Nick Sirianni, but should play a similar style of football Doug Pederson employed when he opted to start Hurts. If nothing else, the Eagles offense should be explosive and entertaining. Rookie DeVonta Smith joins a receiving core featuring Jalen Reagor, Dallas Goedert, and Zach Ertz, with Miles Sanders and Boston Scott coming out of the backfield. The Eagles may lean on run-pass option play-calling and look to limit Hurts' pass attempts. Hurts started just 4 games last season and he is entering just his 2nd season, so Sanders and Scott could be busy early on in the season. 

There are always questions about team identity and readiness to win for teams with recently-hired head coaches, but there are slightly fewer questions surrounding the Eagles. Hurts and the Eagles offense will light up a porous Falcons defense out of the gate, and kick off the season 1-0.

Prediction: Eagles 23, Falcons 21

Jets @ Panthers

The NFL schedule-makers did not waste any time with the Sam Darnold revenge game. After 3 middling years with the Jets, Darnold has a shot at a career renaissance with the Panthers under Matt Rhule. Darnold's supporting cast in Carolina is indisputably the most talented in his career, including a healthy Christian McCaffrey, his former Jets teammate Robby Anderson, and DJ Moore. The Jets do not have the defensive personnel to contain Carolina's weapons, and the Panthers could opt any which way offensively and find success. McCaffrey will undoubtedly see high volume in touches despite missing 13 games last season, and will become Darnold's favorite target early in his Panthers career. 

Jets fans are hoping rookie quarterback Zach Wilson will live up to pre-draft expectations after a string of exciting preseason performances. But Jets fans saw the same hype in Darnold, and even Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, and so on. But already, the Jets have surrounded Wilson with an adequate supporting cast in his rookie season. Corey Davis, Keelan Cole, and Elijah Moore are solid receivers capable of consistently creating separation and helping Wilson develop a short and intermediate passing game. The Jets offensive line is also much-improved, and can keep Wilson upright going up against a young and hungry Panthers defensive front. If the Jets can slow down Carolina's pass rush, Wilson will have time in the pocket to go through his progressions and move the chains. 

Both the Panthers and Jets are undergoing identity changes this season from head coach to quarterback, and they should provide a very entertaining contest to kickoff their campaign. The Panthers should outlast the Jets in a close affair, and Darnold will shine in his new colors.

Prediction: Jets 17, Panthers 23

49ers @ Lions

The road back to the playoffs for the 49ers starts on the road in Detroit, and Jimmy Garappolo is San Francisco's man under center. He and the 49ers offense face off against the bottom-ranked defense from 2020, a unit which surrendered 420 yards per game. The 49ers are a run-heavy offense under Kyle Shanahan, and will look to unleash the speed of Raheem Mostert and Trey Sermon from the backfield. They can also extend drives and chew clock by finding receivers explosive after the catch, including Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and tight end George Kittle. The Lions defense is young and inexperienced, and cannot match up with the 49ers personnel, nor can their first-time head coach out-scheme Shanahan's gameplan. 

For the Lions, the Jared Goff era begins. The former number one overall pick is looking to prove to the Rams that he is still an elite-level quarterback, and is capable of leading a championship team. The Lions front office did him no favors on the outside, and left him one of the league's most impotent receiving cores. Tyrell Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Kalif Raymond round out Detroit's top receivers on the depth chart. TJ Hockenson is a prolific red zone threat, but could be blanketed by Fred Warner most of the afternoon. D'Andre Swift is an exciting talent at running back, but the 49ers defensive line led by Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead could neutralize the ground game right away. The Lions offense stands little chance to move the chains against a top-notch 49ers defense.

These squads are trending in opposite directions. The Lions are in rebuild mode, while the 49ers have their sights set on another Super Bowl run. There's only one clear winner. 

Prediction: 49ers 27, Lions 9

Jaguars @ Texans

Entering the season, this pair of AFC South rivals arguably make up the two most difficult teams to read. Both teams are under the guidance of first-year head coaches, led by new faces at quarterback, and have undergone remarkable roster upheaval amidst rebuilding terms. 

Jaguars fans will finally be able to watch Trevor Lawrence take snaps in the NFL, and they are confident he is prepared to dismantle a frantic Texans team. Under Urban Meyer, it's hard to say what offensive approach the Jaguars will take. Meyer would be wise to pound the rock right away, especially against a Texans defense which ranked bottom against the run last season. Despite the season-ending injury to Travis Etienne, James Robinson is a workhorse from the backfield. The Jags can feed him 25-plus carries and let him gallop right through the Texans defense, whilst limiting Lawrence's responsibility as a rookie quarterback making his first career start. Robinson can also open up play-action passing for Lawrence to connect with Marvin Jones, DJ Chark, and Laviska Shenault.

The Deshaun Watson scandal is still unsolved, leading head coach David Culley to start journeyman Tyrod Taylor under center. As dysfunctional as the last 18 months have been for the Texans, the offense is still notably talented, especially in the backfield. The offense could run through Philip Lindsay, David Johnson, Mark Ingram, or even Rex Burkhead. The ground game will have to be Houston's strength now that both DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller are gone. Brandin Cooks and Jordan Akins are the only true threats left in the passing game. On defense, the Texans can be creative in the blitz and cover packages they send to Lawrence. They have the luxury of being Lawrence's first career opponent in the regular season, and can rattle and confuse him. 

Over the last 15 years, quarterbacks selected first overall in the draft are 0-6-1 in their first career game. Not to mention the Texans have won 6 straight against the Jaguars. But the latter stat could mean diddly squat now that Watson is out of the equation. This Jags squad is more talented than years past, and Lawrence is poised to be a generational talent. He will open his NFL career with a hard-fought divisional win on the road. 

Prediction: Jaguars 20, Texans 17

Browns @ Chiefs

The Browns have been waiting for this rematch all offseason long. After losing 22-17 to the Chiefs in the Divisional Round last season, the Browns are locked and loaded for another deep playoff run. But in order to quell their playoff demons, the Browns have to unleash a higher octane offense than the version we saw in January. Their offense runs through the backfield duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and ranked 3rd in rushing offense last season. But Baker Mayfield can keep the Chiefs offense honest by spreading the ball out, especially now that Odell Beckham is back in the lineup. If Beckham is healthy and as explosive as before, the dynamic of the Browns offense completely changes. The only way to defeat the Chiefs is to outscore them, and the Browns may have the weapons to do it this time around. 

Coming off a humiliating Super Bowl loss, the Chiefs completely revamped their offensive line with 5 new starters from last season, including Orlando Brown and Joe Thuney. Revamped protection is timely with Myles Garrett lining up in the trenches, and should help keep Mahomes comfortable in the pocket. From there, it's backyard football tossing to Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman. The Chiefs could also seek out to balance out their offense and bump up the load for Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The Browns defense is improved on paper, but the abundance of new starters could spark miscommunication and growing pains early in the season. And few defenses are capable of locking down the Chiefs to begin with. 

The Browns will not have their revenge. The Chiefs still rule the AFC, and will secure a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker early on. 

Prediction: Browns 17, Chiefs 24

Packers @ Saints

In case you forgot about Hurricane Ida, recall that this game originally expected to take place in New Orleans have been forcibly relocated to Jacksonville. It marks another mental hurdle the Saints have to deal with as they usher in the post-Drew Brees era. On a pure football note, Jameis Winston is starting at quarterback for the first time since the 2019 season. It marks his first chance at redemption from tossing 30 interceptions in his final year as a starter. He can lean on Alvin Kamara to handle a heavy load from out of the backfield, but otherwise is lacking in offensive firepower. Without Michael Thomas and Tre'Quan Smith, the Saints unquestionably have the worst receiving core in football. Marquez Calloway is Winston's number one target in the passing game, with Deonte Harris, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, and Adam Trautman as the next-best options. A limited receiving core won't stop Sean Payton from being aggressive and leaning on the passing game, but they match up against a more than capable Packers defense.

Reaching Week 1, it may come as a major surprise that Aaron Rodgers is still the Packers starting quarterback. But here we are, and Rodgers is ready to prove that he is still an MVP-level player deserving of more respect from the franchise. Last season, Rodgers was outstanding against the Saints in the Superdome, throwing for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns, and led the Packers to a 37-30 win. He should register another strong outing this time around, but the Packers could face a rude awakening without All-Pro center Corey Linsley who signed with the Chargers in free agency. The Saints defensive line is notoriously stout against the run and explosive at rushing the passer as well. The Saints defense will look to force Rodgers to throw to anybody but Davante Adams, and the role players of the offense like Robert Tonyan, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Allen Lazard will have to play their part to keep the Packers offense churning.

As the new season starts, the Packers are virtually the same team that has finished 13-3 the last 2 seasons, while the Saints have more questions than answers on offense. Playing a home game away from home doesn't help the Saints either, and it's too difficult to imagine a Packers loss this week.

Prediction: Packers 29, Saints 22

Broncos @ Giants

This is quietly one of the most intriguing games of opening weekend, and could prove to be the most entertaining. It begins with a sneaky-fun Broncos team capable of snapping a playoff drought that dates back to their Super Bowl 50 win. Teddy Bridgewater is the new starting quarterback after Drew Lock lost the job in training camp, and is looking to lead an otherwise high-octane offense. Courtland Sutton rejoins the receiving core after going down early last season with an injury, alongside Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, KJ Hamler, and Noah Fant. The duo of Melvin Gordon and rookie Javonte Williams in the backfield is equally exciting as well. The Broncos defense is loaded in its own right, featuring Von Miller and Bradley Chubb on the edges, and Kyle Fuller and Justin Simmons rounding out the secondary. They face a turnover-heavy Giants offense led by Daniel Jones, who is as careless with the football as a starting quarterback can be. The Broncos could be in for a turnover party right out of the gate.

In year 3, Daniel Jones has to prove he is the answer for the Giants at quarterback, and it starts with a turnover-free performance. He will have no shortage in support on offense, especially if Saquon Barkley is ready to return by Sunday. Barkley is practicing and trending towards playing as it stands, and would give a much-needed boost to a Giants offense which lacked explosiveness last season. The receiving core is much more explosive than last season as well, with Kenny Golladay and rookie Kadarius Toney thrown into the fold alongside Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton. The Giants will likely have to score 25-plus points to beat a formidable Broncos team capable of scoring in bunches, and Jones will have to keep up. He will not be afraid to air the ball out, but he also has to be careful with the football and avoid gifting his opponents extra possessions.

There are plenty of offensive superstars on tap for this game, and the game could turn out to be a doozy. But in a quarterback matchup between Teddy Bridgewater and Daniel Jones, there is only one winner. 

Prediction: Broncos 26, Giants 20

Dolphins @ Patriots

Cam Newton is gone, and Mac Jones is the new Patriots starting quarterback. He leads a revamped Patriots offense much improved from the 2020 offense, and could play a fierce style of bully-ball. Jonnu Smith is one of the most dynamic tight ends in football and will open up the playbook for Josh McDaniels, while Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne create new avenues for the short to intermediate passing game. But the Patriots will be a run-first team, and primarily run the offense through Damien Harris against the Dolphins. Bill Belichick may have placed his trust in a rookie quarterback, but Jones will not throw more than 25 passes in his first career game if all goes according to plan. Going up against one of the NFL's top scoring defenses from a year ago, and a unit that forced a turnover in every single regular season game last season, Belichick wants to keep Jones from doing too much, and let his defense win the game.

The Dolphins defense ought to be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a rookie quarterback making his first career start. But the same could be said about the Patriots defense facing Tua Tagovailoa after rookie year struggles. He'll find former Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle out wide as Will Fuller serves a suspension, but the Dolphins offense is otherwise unchanged from 2020. The Dolphins offensive line is among the worst in football, so Tagovailoa should be getting his steps in to say the least. He'll be running around all afternoon away from free rushers. Running the ball with Myles Gaskin and Malcolm Brown will help offset the pass rush and play ball control offense, but the Dolphins offense does not match up promisingly with the Patriots defense. 

Winning these head-to-head games within the AFC East will be crucial for the Dolphins and Patriots teams to keep up with the Bills, especially right out of the gate. The Patriots are back in front of a full house at Gillette Stadium and starting a much stronger lineup from last season, and are poised to open the season with a win over the Dolphins for the 2nd straight year. This is my Lock of the Week.

Prediction: Dolphins 10, Patriots 23

Bears @ Rams

SoFi Stadium reopens the season on Sunday Night Football as it did a season ago, but now we will finally be able to witness fans flock into the multi-billion dollar stadium. It will also mark Matthew Stafford's first game as a Ram, and his chance to blossom under the coaching of Sean McVay and in an exciting offense. The fabric of the Rams offense could completely change if Stafford performs at the level of the price tag the Rams paid for him. It could spell career years for Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, and increased targets for Van Jefferson and DeSean Jackson. Against a strong Bears defense, it will take a well-rounded, balanced approach to keep the chains moving for 4 quarters. They can work Darrell Henderson in the backfield to open up the passing game for Stafford, and keep Khalil Mack at bay.

Despite Bears fans, and every fan with eyes clamoring, Andy Dalton is the opening day starter instead of rookie Justin Fields. Dalton starting under center is as uninspiring as they come, especially for an average Bears offense. David Montgomery will likely see a high volume in carries to limit Dalton's responsibility, but chunk plays are lacking in the offense with him starting. The Rams defense is also an inopportune matchup for the Bears offense, with Aaron Donald facing off against one of the NFL's weakest offensive lines. 

The Rams are a realistic Super Bowl challenger this season, while the Bears are floating around in limbo waiting for the right time to deploy the rookie. On the night, the Rams win comfortably. 

Prediction: Bears 10, Rams 23

Ravens @ Raiders

Monday night marks the first time fans can watch the Raiders play football in Las Vegas. They will hope that their offense will give them a reason to cheer them on, and that the team snaps their playoff drought. Derek Carr is back under center, and the offense will likely turn to the two-headed monster in the backfield starring Josh Jacobs and the newly-signed Kenyan Drake. Running the ball and throwing the ball short to the running backs can offset the mismatches on the outside, where Baltimore's dynamic secondary matches up against the likes of Henry Ruggs, Hunter Renfrow, and Bryan Edwards. The Raiders will likely have to keep up with a high-scoring Ravens offense, and they will have to stick to the run to do it, because their passing game is not built to keep pace.

The Ravens head into the season battling an injury bug in the backfield, after season-ending injuries to running backs Gus Edwards, JK Dobbins, and Justice Hill. While Le'Veon Bell adjusts to the offense, Ty'Son Williams and Trenton Cannon are the next men up in the backfield. Monday night will be a chance for them to prove their worth and contribute right away. But while Williams and Cannon may move the ball, and Lamar Jackson can play a role in the ground game, the Ravens will need to lean on their passing game more than they will be comfortable with. Their offensive scheme needs to be quick and efficient, after losing starters on the offensive line this offseason. The Raiders pass rush likely will not throw the Ravens offense off, but look for quick passes and heavy volume for the next men up. 

What homefield advantage in Vegas is like is a complete mystery, and could certainly play a deciding role in what is an otherwise lopsided matchup. But barring any magical voodoo, the Ravens should run the Raiders out of their own building.

Prediction: Ravens 31, Raiders 17