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Here’s who — and what — we like in Packers-Eagles, Patriots-Bengals, Titans-Bears, Broncos-Seahawks and Rams-Lions.
Packers vs. Eagles — Friday, 8:15 p.m. (Peacock)
If we have to pick a side here, we’re going with the Packers, who finished the 2023 season on a roll before falling just short in a Divisional Round loss at San Francisco.
What we feel even more confident in than a Green Bay win, though, is a high-scoring affair. Obviously, QBs Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts have a lot to do with that. More importantly, both these defenses are working with new coordinators after struggling in ’23, and there’s plenty of new personnel playing key roles for both the Packers and Eagles.
Vic Fangio’s Philly D will be without Fletcher Cox and Haason Reddick up front, and the Eagles secondary will need rookie Quinyon Mitchell and second-year man Kelee Ringo to both prove to be quick studies at corner.
Green Bay, who hired Jeff Hafley from Boston College to run its defense, has plenty of talent (from Kenny Clark, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary up front to Xavier McKinney and Jaire Alexander on the back end). Still, there are questions about how it will all come together for the Pack this season, and Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley pose a major challenge for a defense adapting to a new scheme.
Best bet: Over 49.5 (-110 at DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365)
Patriots vs. Bengals — Sunday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Don’t be fooled by Cincinnati’s poor starts the last two years. Star Bengals QB Joe Burrow is healthy, and that is a scary thought for not only the Pats, but the rest of the league. The 2023 campaign was one to forget for the Bengals, but when Burrow was 100 percent healthy, Cincy beat both San Francisco (on the road, no less) and Buffalo.
As recently as late July, New England promised to have a very good defense in Jerod Mayo’s first year as head coach. But without pass rusher Matthew Judon (traded to Atlanta during training camp) and DT Christian Barmore, who is out indefinitely with blood clots, the Pats’ front seven won’t be the same.
The combination of the Pats’ bleak offensive situation overall and now-questionable defensive front makes it easy to see Cincy cruising on Sunday.
Best bet: Bengals -8.5 (-108 at DK)
Titans vs. Bears — Sunday, 1 p.m. (FOX)
There are a few reasons to like Chicago in Caleb William’s much-anticipated debut on Sunday. For starters, the Bears have a high-upside offense headlined by 2024 No. 1 overall pick Williams at QB and a talented group of receivers featuring veterans D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen.
But it’s the battle between the Chicago D, which was suffocating late last season, and the new-look, Will Levis-led Titans O that really makes us like Chicago to not only win, but cover.
Best bet: Bears -3.5 (available at -110 at DraftKings, bet365, Caesars)
Broncos vs. Seahawks — Sunday, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
We circled Seahawks-Broncos as a great matchup for the home team way back in July, and despite rookie Bo Nix’s important preseason showing in Denver, we haven’t changed our mind.
Seattle has gone 9-8 in each of the last two seasons (reaching the playoffs in 2022, but falling just short last year), and Geno Smith and Co. should be a tough team to beat under new head coach Mike Macdonald, who promises improve the Seattle D after an outstanding tenure as the Ravens’ D-coordinator.
Seattle’s biggest weakness, on paper, is it’s O-line, but in a home game against an underwhelming Denver front seven, that shouldn’t be a fatal flaw. Give us the Seahawks by at least a touchdown in front of their raucous fans in what should be a long debut for Nix.
Best bet: Seahawks -5.5 (-120 at FanDuel)
Rams-Lions — Sunday, 8:20 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
Last year, these teams met in Detroit in an entertaining Wild Card matchup that the Lions squeaked out 24-23.
The primetime meeting on Sunday night once again pits Matthew Stafford against his old team.
The Rams look like a solid team in 2024. On Sunday night, though, their front seven has a brutal matchup against one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL. Detroit has two good running backs in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and it’s hard to argue with PFF’s ranking of the Detroit O-line as the league’s best.
That is shaping up to be bad news for the inexperienced Rams front seven in Week 1.
L.A. boasts several talented pieces up front, including second-year budding stars at outside linebacker (Byron Young) and DE (Kobie Turner), plus rookies Braden Fiske and Jared Verse. But those four, as well as young, unproven inside linebackers Omar Speights and Christian Rozeboom, appear to be in over their head against Penei Sewell and Detroit’s road graders.
Stafford, Cooper Kupp and the L.A. offense will test a Detroit secondary that struggled in 2023, but the Lions are going to be able to pound the rock to keep the Aaron Donald-less Rams at bay.
Best bet: Lions -4.5 (-106 at FanDuel)
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