NFL Week 1 picks and predictions for every game: Packers still own Bears, Chiefs upset alert?

NFL Week 1 picks and predictions: Early Afternoon Games

This is just a mismatch, plain and simple. While we aren't entirely sure what the Ravens offense is going to look like with new OC Todd Monken calling the plays, the talent gap is evident just on paper. Plus, putting rookie C.J. Stroud on the road against an experienced Ravens defense for his first NFL start doesn't exactly sound like a recipe for success to me.

Probably the best game of the 1 p.m. ET slate, I'm giving the Browns a slight edge here.

The fact of the matter is that we don't know entirely what Cleveland is going to look like in this game with a full offseason having Deshaun Watson at the helm and able to suit up Week 1. The defense is also a question mark. But Joe Burrow missed the majority of training camp with a calf injury and, with a sneaky shaky track record in Week 1 on top of that, I'm taking the Browns at home.

It's understandable if you don't want to trust the Vikings giving the fool's gold they showed for virtually all of last season. Having said that, this offense should be able to slice through a dubious Bucs defense with relative ease. And even if Brian Flores' Minnesota D takes some time to take its final form, are you really going to trust Baker Mayfield to keep the pace? I'm surely not.

Don't count me in among the believers in the Saints this season. In fact, they feel like a bit of a sucker bet to win the NFC South if you ask me. Having said that, the Titans aren't a team that deserve a ton of faith at this current juncture. We saw the offense take a noticeable step back last season and that's unlikely to subside this year. The defense will keep it close, but New Orleans is simply the better team and, at home, that'll show up in the final score.

Quietly, this could be one of the more entertaining games of NFL Week 1. Bryce Young seemingly got better with every preseason snap and there should be high hopes for the No. 1 overall pick in Carolina. Having said that, the Falcons are a machine under Arthur Smith. It might not always be pretty, but there's enough talent for this group to be consistently effective and claw out a win, especially in Atlanta.

The Anthony Richardson hype train is going to get off the rails quite a few times in the quarterback's rookie season. Jacksonville's defense might not be a world-beater, but it's enough to cause an exceptionally inexperienced developmental quarterback a lot of problems. More importantly, this Colts defense is just plain stinky. Trevor Lawrence and Calvin Ridley should lead the charge to dice up Indianapolis in a decisive Week 1 victory.

The other contender for best game of the early slate, this is a tough one to pick ultimately. I'll let Iain MacMillan chime in again from his Road to 272 column to explain why.

"The big question surrounding both of these teams this season is their quarterback play," Iain wrote. "Can Brock Purdy repeat the success he had last season as Mr. Irrelevant? Can Kenny Pickett take a step forward and be the QB of the future for the Steelers?

"With as many question marks on offense for both teams, there's a level of certainty around their defense. We know both units will be amongst the best in the NFL."

I'm of the belief that Purdy was more flash-in-the-pan than something sustainable. Meanwhile, Pickett appears to be on the ascension. For that reason, give me the Steelers, particularly at home, in a tight one.

The Arizona Cardinals are starting either Clayton Tune or Josh Dobbs at quarterback. There is no world in which I'm high on the Commanders long term, but it's going to get ugly right away for the Cards.