NFL 2026 Week 1 Prequel
Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 8pm
New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks (-3 1/2) — The season opening game is a Super Bowl rematch. That game was a mismatch and this game could be as well. The Seahawks did lose some pieces, as Super Bowl champions often do. The Patriots overachieved last year and spent this offseason drowning in the Mike Vrabel controversy. Vrabel is a good enough coach to keep his team focused, but to go on the road against the champs is a tall order. Seahawks cover
Thursday, September 10, 8pm
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (-3 1/2) in Australia. The first ever game in Australia is being played in Melbourne. Home field means nothing in this series. Both teams were legitimate Super Bowl contenders last year, with the Rams possibly being the best team despite no getting there. This year the Rams have loaded up. With Aaron Donald coming out of retirement and Myles Garrett being brought in, the Rams are in Super Bowl or bust mode. As great as Sean McVay is, his kryptonite has been Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers. Yet this Rams team feels different. Winning it all starts with beating their nemesis. Rams win but fail to cover
Sunday, September 13, 1pm
Chicago Bears (-3 1/2) at Carolina Panthers — This is the year we find out if the Bears are contenders or pretenders. They got every lucky break possible last year. They start out against a family weak Panthers team that made the playoffs with a losing record by winning a division nobody wanted to win. he Bears won too many close games last year to think they will start on the road with a blowout win. Bears win but fail to cover
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals (-3 1/2) — Both of these teams have ridiculously talented quarterbacks in top overall draft picks Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow. Mayfield just signed his new monster contract the pays him Burrow money. Yet both teams are led by overrated coaches in Todd Bowles and Zac Taylor. Take the home field. Bengals cover
New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions (-8 1/2) — This is the year whether we figure out if Dan Campbell is the genius behind the offense. With Ben Johnson now in Chicago, the Lions sputtered frequently last year although injuries played a major role. The Lions start the season against a woeful Saints team. If ever there was a game for Jared Goff to light up the scoreboard and show that the pinball Lions offense is still on full tilt, this is it. Lions cover
Buffalo Bills (-1 1/2) at Houston Texans — In a shocking move, the Bills fired Sean McDermott. They and the Texans both have very good defenses and very good quarterbacks. Yet neither team has been able to get over the playoff hunt. Go with the home field and the stifling defense of Demeco Ryans. Upset special, Texans win outright
Baltimore Ravens (-3 1/2) at Indianapolis Colts — In another shocking move, John Harbaugh was fired after nearly 20 years at the helm in Baltimore. Both of these teams are in flux. Lamar Jackson is still a star. The Colts will see if Daniel Jones can return to his brilliant form he showed before an injury derailed his season last year and caused the Colts collapse. The spread is too high for a road team facing uncertainty despite the talent level. If Jones is healthy, the spread will look ridiculous. Upset special, Colts win outright.
Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars (-8 1/2) — The Browns are in rebuilding mod for what seems like the billionth straight year. The Jaguars are coming off of a 13-4 season where Trevor Cohen became the quarterback everyone thought of as a generational talent and top overall Draft pick. The level of talent is a total mismatch. Jaguars cover
Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3 1/2) — For the first time in nearly two decades, Mike Tomlin is not on the Steelers sideline. Aaron Rodgers is reunited with his former coach Mike McCarthy. The Steelers will switch from smash mouth to West Coast football, but Rodgers is no dink and dunker. With this 22nd year expected to be his final season, Rodgers begins by facing off against a Falcons team influx. Michael Penix is now the guy, but he was injured last year. The guy he supplanted was shipped out of town. Bijan Robinson is elite, but if the Steelers have a defense, they can force Penix to beat them. Go with the home crowd and a comfortable Rodgers. Steelers cover
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (-1 1/2) — Week 1 is normally too early to declare a Stupor Bowl, but these teams were awful last year. The Jets even brought Geno Smith back, which could be the curse that finishes off the improved Smith for good. Cam Ward has shown flashes but the top overall Draft Pick has not proven himself yet. Go with the home field. Titans cover
4pm
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers (-9 1/2) — The Chargers already had their stud coach in Jim Harbaugh and stud quarterback in Justin Herbert. Now they have their stud offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniels, who was let go from his head coaching job in Miami. It was not his fault that Tua Tagovailoa kept getting injured. McDaniels a couple years back had an offense that put up 70 points against a good Denver squad. The Cardinals jettisoned Kyler Murray and are now starting journeyman Jacoby Brissett. he chargers never reach their potential, but they should have this game put away by halftime. Chargers cover
Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders (-3 1/2) — Tua Tagovailoa kept getting hurt and Mike McDaniels took the fall. Tagovailoa is gone and now Malik Willis takes the reins. The Raiders threw Pete Carroll under the bus and are rebuilding for the billionth straight year. Kling Kubiak just won a Super Bowl as offensive coordinator but has never been a head coach. He likes to pound the rock. Top overall Draft pick Fernando Mendoza is properly being given a clipboard. Kirk Cousins was brought in to mentor him. The Raiders have not won a playoff game since 2002, but the Dolphins have the longest streak by having not won one since 2000. Home field means nothing in this game. Both teams could easily blow it. Cousins can hand the ball to Ashton Jeanty, which might be just enough. Raiders win but fail to cover
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-1 1/2) — Jordan Love has proven himself. JJ McCarthy has not. Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell are both solid coaches. Love has more to work with. The Packers have more talent, but home field matters a great deal in this series. If O’Connell can get stone age football of running and defense, the home crowd should be decisive in winning ugly. Vikings cover
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (-4 1/2) — This was the NFC Title Game two years ago, but injuries savaged the Commanders last year. The Eagles traded away unhappy receiver AJ Brown. Jalen Hurts is still elite, while Jayden Daniels has to return to form after being injured last year. Dan Quinn knows defense, and Nick Sirianni is creative on offense. Home field is a big deal in this rivalry. Go with the home crowd. Eagles cover
8pm
Dallas Cowboys (-2 1/2) at New York Giants — John Harbaugh brings the Giants instant credibility. He will turn the team round. If the Cowboys do not make a deep playoff run, Jerry Jones may blow the whole thing up. It is long past time for Dak Prescott to put up big numbers in situations other than garbage time. On paper the Cowboys are the more talented team. Games are not played on paper. It may be too much to ask of Harbaugh to start with a win, but the Giants at least will be competitive. One key for the Giants is Jaxson Dart learning how to slide. Cowboys cover
Monday, September 14, 8pm
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-3) — The Broncos ended the Chiefs nine year run atop the AFC West. Injuries killed the Chiefs. Yet the Broncos suffered a cruel twist of fate when they lost Bo Nix and then the AFC Title Game. With Nix back and Sean Payton the maestro, the Broncos have the talent to get back to the Super Bowl. Yet with Walrus Andy Reid and superhuman freak of nature Patrick Mahoems, so do the Chiefs. In a battle of potential Super Bowl contenders, take the home field given that Arrowhead is a hostile place o place for road teams. Chiefs cover