NFL Week 1 2022: 3 teams on upset alert this Sunday

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The teams that should be on upset alert most often in Week 1 are young teams that receive a ton of hype without really proving it on the field. The Eagles fit this description to a T after putting together a solid offseason to build on a 9-8 record that resulted in a 2021 playoff appearance.

Acquiring A.J. Brown on draft day to give Jalen Hurts a No. 1 receiver drew a ton of headlines but Philadelphia also added some key pieces on defense like cornerback James Bradberry. The fact that the Cowboys were forced to shed some talent and lost left tackle Tyron Smith to a potential season-ending injury in camp now has some experts projecting the Eagles as a legitimate NFC East title contender.

Week 1 sees Philadelphia hit the road as 4-point favorites against the Detroit Lions, who are coming off a three-win campaign that saw them earn the second pick in the NFL Draft. Dan Campbell’s team did finish the year as a much tougher out, however, playing a ton of close games as Detroit embodied the gritty personality of its coaching staff.

That kind of team is a dangerous matchup for the Eagles, who could get caught looking ahead to their home opener against the Vikings and underestimate the Lions. Forgetting to take Detroit seriously could lead to a tough loss that would raise some questions about Philadelphia’s upside going forward.