NFL Week 1 Capsules

NFL Week 1 Capsules
By Chris Goudey
Posted: 7:00 am PDT 2006-09-09

Falcons (0-0) at Panthers (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Panthers -5 (39).
Storyline: The Panthers dominated their NFC South foes last season, winning both games by a combined 68-17...Atlanta MLB Ed Hartwell, who did not play against the Panthers last season, will miss this game as well. That bodes well for Carolina RB DeShaun Foster, who averaged 148 yards against Atlanta in 2005...Carolina QB Jake Delhomme also has had plenty of success vs. the Falcons; with a passer rating of 106.1 and at least two TD passes in the past three games. However, he could be without star WR Steve Smith, who will be a game-day decision because of hamstring issues.
Best Bet: Even without Smith, the Panthers are a better team than the one that dominated Atlanta last season. Carolina, 24-13.

Eagles (0-0) at Texans (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Eagles -5.5 (37).
Storyline: This game marks the debut of Texans coach Gary Kubiak and No. 1 pick Mario Williams...The Eagles are healthy after an injury-decimated 2005 season, with QB Donovan McNabb back from a sports hernia. McNabb is the winningest active quarterback, at 60-28...The Eagles are 15-9 against the AFC since 2000.
Best Bet: The Texans are a work in progress, trying to improve a defense that ranked 31st and an offense that gave up a league-high 68 sacks last season. The Eagles are poised to contend for their division. Philadelphia, 23-10.

Seahawks (0-0) at Lions (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Seahawks -6 (45.5).
Storyline: The Seahawks return to the site of their controversial Super Bowl loss to face Rod Marinelli in his first game as coach of the Lions...The Detroit quarterback will look familiar to Coach Mike Holmgren: Jon Kitna led Holmgren's first Seahawks squad to the playoffs in 1999...The Detroit offense also will look familiar to Seattle defenders, who faced Mike Martz's Rams teams for years in the NFC West...Seattle running back Shaun Alexander has 100 career touchdowns - one shy of the team record held by Steve Largent.
Best Bet: The Seahawks will be eager to exorcise the Super Bowl demons in Detroit, but the Lions figure to make it tough. Seattle, 24-20.

Saints (0-0) at Browns (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Browns -3 (36).
Storyline: Coach Sean Payton, QB Drew Brees and RB Reggie Bush make their Saints debuts, and RB Deuce McAllister returns to the field for the first time since suffering a knee injury last October...The Browns upgraded their defense with LB Willie McGinest, DT Ted Washington and first-round OLB Kamerion Wimbley...This game also features two of the worst offensive lines in the league, and Brees and Cleveland's Charlie Frye figure to have a tough time.
Best Bet: Romeo Crennel's defense should be able to shut down the Saints' developing offense, while the Browns should be able to run against New Orleans' makeshift linebacker group. The under looks like a very good bet here. Cleveland, 13-10.

Jets (0-0) at Titans (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Titans -2.5 (35.5).
Storyline: Rookie coach Eric Mangini's Jets face the Titans in a game defined by the quarterback positions. The Jets will be led by Chad Pennington, who is coming back from two shoulder surgeries. The Titans, meanwhile, are expected to start Kerry Collins, who was signed just over a week ago...The Jets also feature a revamped defense and offensive line and a bunch of running backs not named Curtis Martin.
Best Bet: Yeah, the Jets look like they are a mess, but they are coached by a Bill Belichick disciple, which means they will be fundamentally sound. That is one thing Collins is not, and it would be a mistake to trust him to lead the Titans to victory without having played with any of his receivers. His mistakes will give the Jets the win. New York, 17-10.

Ravens (0-0) at Buccaneers (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Bucs -3 (34).
Storyline: It's the old man vs. the young upstart as Steve McNair plays his first game with the Ravens against Chris Simms, who enters the season as Tampa's full-time starter for the first time in his three years with the team...With Tennessee, McNair went 2-0 against Tampa Bay and 10-5 vs. the NFC. In Baltimore, he once again will be throwing to Derrick Mason, his longtime No. 1 receiver in Tennessee...Simms started the final 10 games of 2005 and won four of the last five to get the Bucs in the playoffs.
Best Bet: This game probably will hinge on the running games. Jamal Lewis (hip) is questionable, so Musa Smith likely will play for Baltimore. The Bucs, meanwhile, just need to get second-year RB Carnell Williams to 100 yards to get the win. They went 6-0 last season when Williams hit 100. Tampa Bay, 20-10.

Broncos (0-0) at Rams (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Broncos -3.5 (46).
Storyline: The Rams get going under new coach Scott Linehan, who has all the weapons he needs to run his multiple-look offense...Undrafted rookie RB Mike Bell will start for the Broncos, who have won 10 of 13 season openers under coach Mike Shanahan...QB Jake Plummer is 32-11 as Denver's starter, and he has a new target in Javon Walker.
Best Bet: The Broncos are essentially the same team that finished second in the AFC last season, while the Rams are rebuilding a defense that ranked 30th last season. Denver, 24-20.

Bills (0-0) at Patriots (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Patriots -10 (41).
Storyline: The Bills have a new coach, Dick Jauron, and a renewed quarterback, J.P. Losman. But that doesn't figure to help much against the Patriots, even though they are without top WR Deion Branch...New England coach Bill Belichick is 10-3 against Buffalo, and QB Tom Brady is 9-1 vs. the Bills, with 17 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
Best Bet: The Patriots have won the past five, including a 35-7 whooping in December. New England, 24-10.

Bengals (0-0) at Chiefs (0-0), 1 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Chiefs -2 (46.5).
Storyline: Carson Palmer will start for the Bengals just eight months after suffering a torn ACL. Assuming T.J. Houshmandzadeh's heel is OK (he's questionable), Palmer will have all of his weapons at his disposal...The Chiefs' main weapon is Larry Johnson, who has nine straight 100-yard games but is running behind a line that lost its two starting tackles to retirement...The Chiefs also lost Coach Dick Vermeil to retirement, and Herman Edwards will make his Chiefs debut in this game.
Best Bet: The Bengals have won seven of their past nine road games, but one of the losses was a 37-3 blowout in Kansas City in the final game last season. Johnson ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns in that game, which didn't mean anything to the playoff-bound Bengals. Cincy will be ready this time. Cincinnati, 27-20.

Cowboys (0-0) at Jaguars (0-0), 4:15 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Jaguars -2 (36.5).
Storyline: Terrell Owens makes his anticipated debut with the Cowboys, an event that will be even more interesting because he has yet to play with QB Drew Bledsoe because of a hamstring injury...This game features the NFL's top two season-opening teams: Dallas is 31-14-1 (.689), Jacksonville 8-3 (.727). The Cowboys also are the league's best road team in the first week, with a 29-17 record (.630)...The Jaguars might be without MLB Mike Peterson (knee), and DT Marcus Stroud (ankle) also is questionable.
Best Bet: In what figures to be a defensive battle, Dallas should be able to shut down the Jaguars' passing game, which lacks a go-to receiver since Jimmy Smith retired. Dallas, 17-13.

Bears (0-0) at Packers (0-0), 4:15 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Bears -3.5 (35).
Storyline: Lovie Smith's Bears swept the Packers last season for the first time since 1991...Led by Defensive Player of the Year Brian Urlacher, the Bears boast the league's best defense, and the Packers and new coach Mike McCarthy will see it up close...Even the return of Ahman Green from a quadriceps injury probably won't help the Packers, who are starting two rookies in the interior line...QB Brett Favre is back for the Pack and will make his NFL-record 222nd consecutive start, but his only tested target is Donald Driver.
Best Bet: The Bears have questions at quarterback and running back, but the defense has the answers. And that makes the under a good bet in this game. Chicago, 17-13.

49ers (0-0) at Cardinals (0-0), 4:15 p.m. ET
WagerWeb.com line: Cardinals -7.5 (42).
Storyline: Edgerrin James makes his debut with the Cardinals on the same day they open their new stadium, and they hope to show the home fans they can run the ball.
Alex Smith enters his second season as the 49ers' full-time starter and will go to new No. 1 WR Antonio Bryant often. The 49ers also have a new No. 1 in second-year RB Frank Gore...The Cardinals have two No. 1 receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who each surpassed 100 catches and 1,400 yards last season...Arizona QB Kurt Warner is 6-0 against the 49ers, with 14 TD passes and a 98.9 rating.
Best Bet: The 49ers had the league's worst defense in 2005 and don't look much improved. And the Cardinals will be pumped up for their first regular-season game in their new home. Arizona, 31-17.

Colts (0-0) at Giants (0-0), 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC
WagerWeb.com line: Colts -3 (48).
Storyline: It's Manning vs. Manning. No. 1 pick vs. No. 1 pick. Peyton vs. Eli. It's the first time in NFL history that starting QB brothers will face each other. It's also a very good matchup featuring 2005 playoff teams and 2006 Super Bowl contenders. ... Both offenses are explosive - they were No. 2 in their conferences last season....Eli Manning has won eight of the past nine starts at home, but his brother's team has won 22 of the past 25 overall.
Best Bet: The Giants reconstructed their secondary this offseason, which could lead to early problems against the league's best passing trio (Peyton, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne). Indianapolis, 31-20.

Vikings (0-0) at Redskins (0-0), 7 p.m. ET Monday, ESPN
WagerWeb.com line: Redskins -4.5 (35).
Storyline: Brad Childress will coach in his first game for the Vikings, who enter the season with 38-year-old Brad Johnson as their quarterback. Childress went 6-2 against Washington when he was the Eagles' offensive coordinator the past four years...Washington running back Clinton Portis is questionable with a shoulder injury, and Ladell Betts will start if Portis can't. On defense, CB Shawn Springs (abdomen) is doubtful...Joe Gibbs is 8-0 vs. the Vikings in his career, including a 21-18 win two seasons ago when Betts rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown. Washington also has won its season opener in each of the past four seasons.
Best Bet: Washington's offensive players have not adjusted to the new scheme brought in by Al Saunders, and the defense has a lot of walking wounded. This is an upset special. Minnesota, 17-13.

Chargers (0-0) at Raiders (0-0), 10:15 p.m. ET Monday, ESPN
WagerWeb.com line: Chargers -3 (43).
Storyline: Art Shell returns as the Raiders' coach 12 years after he was fired by owner Al Davis. His new quarterback is Aaron Brooks, who will be looking for a healthy Randy Moss...Philip Rivers takes over as San Diego's starting QB two years after the Chargers obtained him in the first round of the draft...The Chargers will be without LB Steve Foley, who is out for the season after being shot by a cop last week.
Best Bet: The Chargers have won the past five in the series, including a 61-24 sweep last season. Coach Marty Schottenheimer is 25-7 vs. the Raiders - his most wins against any team. Based on the Chargers starting a first-year QB and the Raiders running a new offense against an excellent defense, this game should be good for an under bet. San Diego, 20-13.

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