Odell Beckham Jr.
By Joe Giglio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Get ready for the best day of the year, NFL fans: Opening Sunday (and Monday) of the new season.
With Thursday Night Football in the books, it’s time to get into the meat of the Week 1 schedule. That means a full helping of RedZone, national games on both FOX and CBS, and of course a Sunday Night Football battle and two Monday Night Football games to chew on.
How will it all shake out? Here are bold predictions for Week 1 around the NFL.
Rams pour 40 on Raiders
Jon Gruden’s bold strategy to trade away a top-five defensive player in the sport was, well, interesting. In the end, the draft picks and cap room that came back from Chicago could make the Raiders a better franchise. That won’t be the case on Monday when the best offense in the NFL puts on a show. Rams topple the 40-point mark in primetime.
Texans upset Patriots
If Deshaun Watson is healthy, the Texans are just as talented as the Patriots. New England could be poised to start slowly on offense. Houston will take advantage with an eye-opening win on the road.
Patrick Mahomes arrives
If you didn’t have a particular team to root for this season and wanted to see the most exciting games possible, the Kansas City Chiefs would be the team to watch. Part of the reason: Second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The best arm in the NFL is now under center for Andy Reid. Expect fireworks.
On Sunday, that will mean a Week 1 shootout with the division rival Chargers. With Joey Bosa out for Los Angeles, Mahomes will have time to throw for 350 yards and keep this game close.
Giants put scare in Jaguars
If there’s a home dog to back this weekend, the Giants make sense. New coach, star running back, health and the moniker of being a team many believe will bounce back in a big way vs. a Jaguars team that could overlook this road test. If Olivier Vernon was healthy, I’d pick the Giants to win outright. He’s not, but this can still be close.