Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) hands the ball off as coach Jim Harbaugh watches during organized team activities at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chargers begin Jim Harbaugh era, welcome Raiders to L.A.

Last season was good enough the Raiders asked Antonio Pierce to stay after the Los Angeles Chargers went to surprising means to secure Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach.

Pierce, the interim for the final two months last season, faces Harbaugh and the Chargers in the regular-season opener Sunday in a game each team hopes to use as a statement.

Pierce put his staff on the “Beat L.A.” assignment more than two weeks ago due to the unique situation of facing a team for the first time with a coach imported from the college ranks and myriad changes to the existing schemes.

“Just to keep pounding away on film and go back as far as we can. And you don’t want to chase ghosts, right? You don’t go back and look at the 2011 season with Harbaugh, but maybe you do,” Pierce said. “And those two gentlemen have been around each other, him and (offensive coordinator) Greg Roman. So, with any little tidbits we can do, we have a pretty good staff upstairs that does a great job of breaking down film. And then, listen, at the day, you have to make the adjustments, and the players have to be able to adapt to it.”

The Chargers enter the Harbaugh coaching era with franchise quarterback Justin Herbert returning as the centerpiece of the offense, after he recovered from recent plantar fasciitis issues. The cast of characters around him? There are changes everywhere.

Gone are offensive veterans like wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler. Wide receiver Joshua Palmer is Herbert’s go-to guy now, while 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston and rookie Ladd McConkey look to make their mark. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards take over at running back.

Wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. (hip), was the only Chargers player missing from practice Wednesday, while cornerback Tarheeb Still (hip) was limited.

Known for his quirks — already using birth, airplane takeoff and first-day-of school metaphors — Harbaugh simply wants the Chargers to focus on the basics.

“Just want to keep building,” Harbaugh said. “Just the idea of seeing if we can be better today than we were yesterday, better tomorrow than we were today. Just that so-simple-it-might-just-work approach. Keeping guys healthy, continuing to get bigger and stronger.”

Never one to show his hand — or his depth chart — Harbaugh gave away very little in the preseason. Fresh off a national championship at Michigan, he returns to the NFL after he guided the San Francisco 49ers to a 44-19-1 record and one Super Bowl berth from 2011-14. He accepted the offer, reportedly $16 million per year on a five-year deal valued at $80 million.

The Chargers will put pressure on opposing quarterbacks with a pair of elite edge rushers in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Bosa has struggled with injuries and broke his left hand just a month ago but is set to play Sunday. Mack enters off a 17-sack season, fourth best in the league.

“If anything, it was time off the body, less stress on my legs and let some things heal up,” Bosa said about missing nearly four weeks of practice time. “Now I’m feeling ready to go.”

The Raiders head into the opener with no playoff victories since playing in the Super Bowl following the 2002 season.

Pierce took over as head coach on an interim basis last season and guided the Raiders to a 5-4 finish. Pierce officially was anointed the position in the offseason and has named Gardner Minshew II as quarterback for the opener over Aidan O’Connell.

“Gardner gives us the best opportunity to get off to a fast start,” Pierce said.

Pierce said this game isn’t about him getting the job in Las Vegas or returning home to his Los Angeles roots this week.

“We’re trying to get our first divisional win against a really good opponent, who’s going to be motivated, well coached, physical, tough. I mean, we got to bring our hard hats,” he said.

The Raiders were one of seven teams in 2023 that averaged less than 300 yards per game at 289.5 and were 23rd with 19.5 points per game. On defense, a talented front four is led by defensive end Maxx Crosby (14.5 sacks in 2023).

Crosby is the player that Herbert is thinking about most when he breaks the huddle.

“We know how talented he is, we know how talented that team is. That defense really flies around, makes a lot of plays,” Herbert said of Crosby.

Under new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, the Raiders will look to improve on an average of 90.7 rushing yards per game that was 30th in the NFL last season. With Josh Jacobs now with the Green Bay Packers, Zamir White takes over as the lead back (451 yards, one TD in 2023).

“I always say, Week 1, the opening week of the playoffs and the Super Bowl, those are different speeds of football and that shows up with the younger guys,” said Pierce. “Hopefully, we have prepped them in the way we prepare and practice.”

The Raiders were fully represented at Wednesday’s practice with tight end Brock Bowers (foot), linebacker Tommy Eichenberg (knee) and cornerback Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) all limited.

–Field Level Media

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Mike Macdonald debuts, Seahawks host Broncos, rookie Bo Nix

Two years ago, the Denver Broncos opened their season in Seattle with quarterback Russell Wilson making his debut in orange and blue after 10 seasons with the Seahawks.

The Broncos return to Lumen Field on Sunday for their 2024 opener, this time with rookie Bo Nix, their first-round pick out of Oregon, calling the signals.

Nix will become the 14th player to start at the position for the Broncos since Peyton Manning retired after winning the Super Bowl following the 2015 season.

And he’ll be the first rookie QB to start for Denver since John Elway in 1983.

“There’s a lot of pressure on (Bo’s) shoulders,” Broncos veteran offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey said. “Everyone wants him to succeed greatly here, but it doesn’t mean that he has to press and do something special every single day. He just has to do his job.”

While the Broncos are still paying Wilson ($85 million in dead money on the salary cap starting with a $53 million bill for 2024, then $32 million next year), the plan is to be playing Nix.

Nix started 61 games in college at Auburn and Oregon, an NCAA record for a quarterback. He was 23 of 30 for 205 yards and two touchdowns in two preseason appearances, leading the Broncos to scores on six of seven possessions.

That’s why he not only got the starting nod from coach Sean Payton, but was also named one of the Broncos’ captains by his teammates. He’ll be the first rookie captain for the franchise since Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little in 1967.

“It’s a privilege, an honor to be with this group,” Nix said. ” … I don’t take it lightly. I know it’s a big deal, hasn’t happened often, but I don’t take it for granted. I’ve got to come to work every single day and just prove you can be the captain.”

Despite some impressive performances, Nix has never defeated an opponent from Seattle, going 0-3 against the University of Washington in his two seasons with the Ducks.

“It’s going to be loud,” Payton said of the crowd Sunday at Lumen Field. “I would imagine there will be some similarities to when Oregon goes to Washington and they’re playing in front of however many thousand people.”

The Seahawks will also have a new look under Mike Macdonald, 37, as they go from the oldest coach in the NFL (Pete Carroll, age 72), to the youngest.

Macdonald coordinated Baltimore’s defense last season when it led the league in sacks (60) and fewest points allowed (16.5 per game) and was tied for first in takeaways (31, with the New York Giants). He’s been praised — and cursed — by peers for confounding even the most advanced minds in the game. It’s one of the things that drew Seahawks general manager John Schneider to Macdonald.

“We’re always trying to push the envelope. We want people chasing us,” Macdonald said. “So to kind of get to the mentality of we’re not copying anybody, it’s going to be our style of play, it’s going to be our team, our way of doing things, never satisfied with where we’re at, no complacency. Kind of a relentless pursuit of creating the vision that we want to create. I think that kind of paints a nice picture.”

The Seahawks overhauled their system on the offensive side of the ball, too. New coordinator Ryan Grubb helped guide the University of Washington to the national title game last season, and decided he belonged in the Pacific Northwest after initially packing to join head coach Kalen DeBoer in a move to replace Nick Saban at Alabama.

“I know we kept it pretty vanilla during the preseason on both sides of the ball,” Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf said. “But Grubb is known for his explosive plays down the field, so just looking forward to him opening up a playbook just so we can exploit defenses and push the ball down the field.”

The Broncos didn’t list anyone on their injury report Wednesday. The Seahawks only expect to be without linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (knee) and tight end Pharaoh Brown (foot) on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford makes a pass during the first half of the Lions' 24-23 win over the Rams in the playoffs at Ford Field on Sunday, Jan, 14, 2024.

Matthew Stafford, new-look Rams return to Lions’ den in prime-time opener

The Lions knocked the Los Angeles Rams out of the playoffs last season. The Rams will return to Detroit for the Sunday night opener eager to start another Super Bowl mission.

It could be viewed as a payback game for some of the Rams, but quarterback Matthew Stafford downplayed the revenge factor against his former team.

“To me, it’s the start of something brand new, something totally different,” Stafford said. “I’m excited to start this season off. It is, no doubt, a big challenge to go play their team in that environment. It’ll be a test for us and something to look forward to.”

Stafford has a dynamic duo at wide receiver in Puka Nacau and Cooper Kupp. Kyren Williams emerged as the lead back last season and he’ll have a quality backup in former University of Michigan workhorse Blake Corum, who was drafted in the third round.

The Rams’ defense has a big hole to fill. Perennial All-Pro lineman Aaron Donald retired after the 24-23 loss to the Lions in January.

“You’re not ever replacing an Aaron Donald and that’s not what we’re asking of our guys,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “We were so fortunate and blessed to have such a special player in Aaron Donald. What I thought was cool was he set a great example for guys who saw him play.”

Despite Donald’s absence, Lions coach Dan Campbell believes the Rams present an even bigger challenge than last season.

“This to me is a better team than what we faced last year, just looking at their personnel coming in,” Campbell said. “I feel like this is a better offensive line, I feel like this is a better D-line. I understand they lost Donald, but what I think they gain is youth and collectively, that front is – I’ve said it before, they’re young, they’re hungry, they’re high motor. They’re going to push us.”

Detroit returns most of the same offensive starters from last season with one notable loss. Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson signed with the Rams as a free agent.

The Lions rely on the 1-2 punch of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in the running game, though Gibbs missed a good chunk of training camp with a hamstring injury. He said there is no injury concern and plans to play in the opener.

Jared Goff has an elite No. 1 receiver in All-Pro selection Amon Ra St. Brown with second-year tight end Sam LaPorta helping drive the passing attack. Third-year receiver Jameson Williams is expected to have a breakout season after scoring two touchdowns in the NFC Championship game against San Francisco.

Detroit made numerous changes on the defensive line and secondary to upgrade a defense that allowed the sixth-most passing yards (247.4 per game) in the NFL last season.

Cornerbacks Carlton Davis, acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay, and first-round draft pick Terrion Arnold will get tested in a big way in their debut with the Lions.

“I know Stafford’s got a lot of trust in both of those guys (Nacua and Kupp),” Campbell said. “I thought Puka had a hell of a game last year against us (nine receptions, 181 yards, TD). He really, he made plays all over the field. So, it’ll be a challenge, but I know this, our guys are looking forward to this. They really are. I know Arnold’s excited, first one. He’s ready to go. He does not lack confidence.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) walks off the field after losing in the 2024 NFC wild card game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys, Texans road favorites Week 1

More than three months before Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, the Cowboys and Texans are among the early-line favorites on the first Sunday of the regular season.

Dallas is a two-point favorite at Cleveland and the Texans are giving a point at Indianapolis.

Circa Sports published its Week 1 lines on Friday afternoon with the Cincinnati Bengals leading the way as the largest favorite — nine points over the New England Patriots. The Buffalo Bills (-7.5) are the only other team giving more than five points in the opener.

The first game of the regular season, Super Bowl ring night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, has the Chiefs set at 2.5-point favorites over the Baltimore Ravens.

A rematch of the NFC divisional playoffs in Detroit between the Lions and Rams features the highest projected point total at 50.5.

The full lineup for Week 1 with odds and point totals (over-under) from Circa Sports:

Thursday, Sept. 5
Baltimore at Kansas City (-2.5, 47.5)

Friday, Sept. 6 (Brazil)
Green Bay vs Philadelphia (-1, 48.5)

Sunday, Sept. 8
Jacksonville at Miami (-3, 49)
Pittsburgh at Atlanta (-2.5, 43)
Minnesota at NYG (-1.5, 41)
Carolina at New Orleans (-5, 40)
New England at Cincinnati (-9, 42.5)
Tennessee at Chicago (-4.5, 43.5)
Arizona at Buffalo (-7.5, 48)
Houston (-1, 48) at Indianapolis
Las Vegas at LA Chargers (-3.5, 43)
Washington at Tampa Bay (-4, 41.5)
Denver at Seattle (-5, 41)
Dallas (-2, 44) at Cleveland
LA Rams at Detroit (-3.5, 50.5)

Monday, Sept. 9
NY Jets at San Francisco (-5, 44.5)

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs with the ball during the second half of a 2024 NFC wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles to play in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday of Week 1

The Philadelphia Eagles will open the 2024 season where no NFL team has gone before: Brazil.

The Eagles will be the designated home team for the league’s first-ever game in South America on the Friday of Week 1, commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday.

Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo will host one of the league’s five international games in 2024. Three will be played in London and one will be in Munich, Germany.

Sao Paulo was chosen over Madrid as the league’s next new market, though an NFL official said in December that Madrid could host a game as early as 2025.

The Eagles’ opponent was not revealed. The game will be the second fixture of the new season, one day after the traditional Thursday night kickoff that usually features the Super Bowl champions.

The NFL has played only eight games on Friday since 1978, according to a Miami Herald story published before the Dolphins visited the New York Jets last November for the league’s first-ever Black Friday game.

There are plans for a Black Friday game streamed on Amazon Prime every year going forward.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) pressured by Houston Texans defensive end Dylan Horton (92) in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Lamar Jackson, Ravens run past Texans

Lamar Jackson passed for 169 yards in his first game with a new five-year contract, Justice Hill ran for two touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens opened the season with a 25-9 victory Sunday over the visiting Houston Texans.

Jackson completed 17 of 22 passes with one interception and ran for 38 more yards with a lost fumble. J.K. Dobbins had 22 yards and a touchdown on eight carries before departing early in the second half with a possible Achilles injury.

Baltimore’s Zay Flowers had nine catches for 78 yards in his first NFL game, while Odell Beckham Jr. had two catches for 37 yards in his Ravens debut.

In his first NFL game, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud passed for 242 yards and was sacked five times. The No. 2 overall draft pick out of Ohio State this past April was 28-of-44 passing and lost a fumble.

Dameon Pierce had 38 yards rushing on 11 carries for the Texans, while Nico Collins and Robert Woods each had six catches for a combined 137 yards.

Jackson was intercepted by Houston’s Steven Nelson on Baltimore’s second drive, but used the third drive to move the Ravens 58 yards in nine plays with Dobbins scoring on a 4-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead.

Stroud’s first taste of NFL play was rocky. He completed his first NFL pass to himself for no gain when his throw was batted out of the air and rebounded into his arms. Houston gained just 4 yards of total offense on its first three drives.

Stroud settled in to guide drives of 67 and 68 yards that ended in Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals of 35 and 38 yards in the final 4 minutes of the first half to trail 7-6.

On their first possession of the second half, the Ravens went 71 yards on eight plays with Hill scoring on a 4-yard run and Gus Edwards adding the 2-point conversion run for a 15-6 lead.

The Texans followed by turning the ball over on downs for the second time, and the Ravens worked a five-play, 42-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard score from Hill and a 22-6 lead with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter.

After the Texans’ M.J. Stewart recovered a Jackson fumble at the Ravens’ 32-yard line, Houston could only muster a 36-yard field goal to pull within 22-9 with 13:47 remaining. The Ravens added Justin Tucker’s 39-yard field goal with 4:10 remaining.

Baltimore offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Tyler Linderbaum departed in the fourth quarter with leg injuries.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) tackles ]Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) during the first half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023.

Lions stun champ Chiefs in prime-time season opener

David Montgomery’s 8-yard touchdown run with 7:06 left Thursday night propelled the visiting Detroit Lions to a season-opening, 21-20 win over the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL’s season-opening game.

Montgomery’s score and Riley Patterson’s point-after kick brought Detroit back from a 20-14 deficit created by Harrison Butker field goals of 35 and 39 yards late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter, respectively.

Jared Goff completed 22 of 35 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, who are a trendy pick to win the NFC Central and did nothing to slow down the hype with a solid performance. Detroit made few mistakes, committing only four penalties and one turnover.

The Lions’ defense came up big in the second half. Rookie Brian Branch’s 50-yard interception return of a Patrick Mahomes pass that caromed off open receiver Kadarius Toney tied the game at 14 just over four minutes into the third quarter. Detroit later stopped the Chiefs on their final two possessions after taking the lead.

Mahomes hit on 21 of 39 attempts for 226 yards with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for a team-high 45 yards but had a spate of passes dropped. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce (knee) was held out of the game.

Getting a rare non-Thanksgiving national TV shot after a strong finish to last year nearly produced a playoff berth, Detroit initiated the scoring on Goff’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown with 2:46 left in the first quarter. It capped a 14-play, 91-yard drive that lasted just over eight minutes, one that was sparked by a risky fake punt on fourht-and-2 from Detroit’s own 17.

Predictably, Kansas City answered with a touchdown march of nearly six minutes. Mahomes connected with rookie Rashee Rice on a 1-yard laser that capped a 13-play drive with 11:50 to go in the second quarter.

The Chiefs then took a 14-7 lead with 34 seconds remaining in the half as Mahomes found backup tight end Blake Bell for a 4-yard score. Mahomes converted a third-and-17 with a 34-yard strike to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to key the drive.

–Field Level Media

Dec 4, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) stands over center in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Old rivalry at Soldier Field anchors Week 1 betting plays

A classic NFL rivalry attracts our spotlight as the 2023 regular season begins.

The Green Bay Packers visit the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field and stand out as our top target of Week 1.

We also take a closer look at two other games grabbing our attention with intriguing betting angles.

THE HEADLINER

Packers at Bears, 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday

The line: Bears (-1)

One popular perception about the Packers is that the team will suffer from the departure of Aaron Rodgers, which resulted in an unproven QB1 to begin the 2023 season.

But a closer look shows that Rodgers was merely mortal in 2022, and that Jordan Love doesn’t have to play like an All-Pro to be useful.

Love has a young and improving receiving corps led by Christian Watson, and a reliable rushing attack with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon returning.

Perhaps best of all, Love is intimately familiar with adversity.

A first-round pick by Green Bay in 2020, Love watched future Hall of Famer (Rodgers) conduct his business, and has been praised for his approach leading into this season.

“He always come across as kind of a cool customer. … Through all the ups and downs that he’s had, he’s maintained a very steady, even keeled approach,” Packers general manager Brian Gutenkust said during training camp.

Love hopes to keep Green Bay’s dominance over Chicago alive – the Packers have won eight consecutive games against the Bears, including the past four in Chicago.

Chicago and Green Bay are both pegged at 7.5 wins on the Vegas regular-season over/under, but the Bears appear to have more questions than answers.

Quarterback Justin Fields had a breakout season, though his team finished 3-14 and the “breakout” didn’t really involve the passing attack.

Fields surprised everyone with the volume of rushing success but surprised no one with his relative lack of passing success. Bears backers point to the arrival of star wideout DJ Moore, but Moore will need to provide some serious yards-after-catch stats because Fields will lean on the short passing game.

The Bears lost running back David Montgomery and now rely on Khalil Herbert to carry the load. Already, though, there is talk about rookie fourth-round pick Roschan Johnson moving ahead of D’Onte Foreman and making a case for playing time.

BETTING TRENDS

According to Action Network stats, Chicago is 12-28-1 against the spread over the past 20 years vs. Green Bay. The Bears lost seven home games in a row to close the 2022 season and 10 straight games overall.

KEY MATCHUP

Fields vs. Packers DBs: If Fields can succeed with more than just the short-pass, checkdown game, the Packers could be in trouble.

Green Bay’s defensive game plan will have a key focus on stopping the run – including Fields – and daring Fields to beat them deep a few times. That means Moore will have to find success against two-time Pro Bowl corner Jaire Alexander.

Not an easy task.

The pick: Packers 23-17.

BONUS COMBO

A pair of Sunday games that have trends to track.

Panthers at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET, Sunday

The line: Falcons (-3.5)

The number opened at Falcons -2 but has steadily risen during the week and now sits above the magic 3-point mark at 3.5.

The pick: Falcons -3.5.

The big reasons: No. 1 overall draft pick QBs in their first NFL game. Major talent disparity.

Carolina’s Bryce Young fits the profile. He’s the 18th No. 1 overall pick to start at QB Week 1 of his draft year since the AFL-NFL merger.

The previous 17 went 3-13-1 straight up and 5-12 against the spread in their debut.

As for the talent issue? Wide receiver DJ Moore is gone from Carolina, and the favorite to win NFL Rookie of the Year, running back Bijan Robinson, leads the Atlanta rushing attack.

Last season, the Falcons rushed for 159.9 yards per game; the Panthers could manage an average of only 306.2 yards of total offense, 28th in the NFL.

Give the points or play it safe and take Atlanta straight up (-185 at BetMGM as of Thursday).

Buccaneers at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET, Sunday

The line: Vikings (-5.5)

So many factors lead to one team here, as Minnesota has a new defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, and Tampa Bay has a coach who’s historically inept as an underdog.

The pick: Vikings -5.5

The big reasons: Coaching and quarterback advantage.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles is 12-36 straight up as an underdog and 18-27-2 against the spread.

The Vikings don’t lack for motivation, given their over/under win total of 8.5 is a full 4.5 games below what they accomplished in 2022.

Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins has top target Justin Jefferson and rookie Jordan Addison. Tampa has Baker Mayfield trying for career reboot No. 3.

–Field Level Media

Aug 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA;  Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Week 1 NFL Capsules

Week 1
NFL preview capsules for Sunday’s games

Texans at Ravens: First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie QB C.J. Stroud lead Houston into Baltimore eyeing a turnaround for a franchise with 11 wins the past three seasons. The Ravens loaded up at wide receiver after signing QB Lamar Jackson to a five-year contract, adding Odell Beckham and first-round pick Zay Flowers. Baltimore won 10 games last season for the ninth time during the John Harbaugh era and even without Pro Bowl CB Marlon Humphrey (foot) brings a veteran-laden defense to this fight.

49ers at Steelers: Second-year QB Kenny Pickett put up a brilliant preseason and graduates to a stern test from a San Francisco defense likely to have DE Nick Bosa in the fold. Bosa signed a monster contract on Wednesday and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year joined the team for the first time since minicamp. The 49ers reached the NFC title game behind rookie QB Brock Purdy, whose elbow injury in that game led to offseason ligament surgery. He threw multiple TD passes in each of the final six games (five starts) in 2022 as defenses locked down on RB Christian McCaffrey. With at least two TDs and a win this week, Purdy would become the only QB in NFL history to go 6-0 with multiple TD passes in his first six career starts.

Packers at Bears: Welcome Jordan Love to the stage. The Packers intercepted the torch from Aaron Rodgers, trading him to the Jets and inserting Love into the starting lineup. A rivalry game at Soldier Field pits two solid defenses and unproven quarterbacks. Justin Fields rushed for 1,143 yards last season, but the Bears want him to prove he’s a pro passer with new weapon D.J. Moore matched up with Packers CB Jaire Alexander in a popcorn-worthy pairing.

Eagles at Patriots: A coach for twice the lifetime of Jalen Hurts, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick appreciates the unique challenge the running quarterback presents as the engine of the Eagles’ multi-faceted offense. New England changed offensive coordinators, bringing back Bill O’Brien, who is tasked with getting greatness out of QB Mac Jones while matching wits this week with former co-worker Matt Patricia, an assistant with Philadelphia. The Patriots invested their top three picks on defense, including CB Christian Gonzalez, and expect big things out of other rookies (DE Keion White, LB Marte Mapu, WR Kayshon Boutte).

Panthers at Falcons: Panthers OLB Brian Burns’ “hold-in” is a fancy way of saying he wants more money but plans to play as Carolina chases Atlanta first-round RB Bijan Robinson and QB Desmond Ridder around the dome Sunday afternoon. The Falcons put up a season-high 37 points and beat Carolina on Oct. 30 last season but lost 25-15 in Charlotte. No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young makes his first career start for the Panthers, who went 7-10 last season and hired Frank Reich as head coach in January. Carolina’s new look spans the roster. Active building the roster in the offseason, the Panthers added versatile RB Miles Sanders and veteran WR Adam Thielen and brought in SS Vonn Bell to anchor the back end of the defense.

Jaguars at Colts: A playoff team in 2022 with a 9-8 record, the Jaguars are widely expected to be the best in the AFC South. They split a pair of games with the Colts last season with a 34-27 loss at Indianapolis, then ended the season with a six-game winning streak, including the wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, before falling at Kansas City in the divisional playoffs. Indianapolis hit the reset button following a 4-12-1 season, hiring Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and drafting Anthony Richardson No. 4 overall to end a run of musical chairs at QB. The Colts won’t have RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle), who was inactive for the 2022 home date with Jacksonville.

Buccaneers at Vikings: No Tom Brady means something new, or at least not as old, at quarterback for the Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield won the job over Kyle Trask and has a star-studded receiving corps, provided Mike Evans puts his contract rift with the club to bed. He’ll be operating behind a young offensive line. Both teams made difficult roster moves to work from under a growing salary-cap burden since they last played a game that counted. The Bucs also made a switch at offensive coordinator, hiring Dave Canales (Seahawks) to replace Bryon Leftwich and shuffling Rachaad White into the featured running back role. Minnesota, a winner of two of the past three meetings with its former NFC Central rival, has a new lead back, too. Dalvin Cook was released after four straight 1,000-yard seasons and replaced by understudy Alexander Mattison.

Titans at Saints: Tennessee tries to find its way back to a winning path on the heels of a season wrecked by injuries that ended with a seven-game losing streak. Two constants remain for the Titans: Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill, who is attempting to bring balance to the offense after Tennessee ranked 30th in passing last season. DeAndre Hopkins joined Tennessee to make a trio of weapons and could help the new-look scheme establish balance. New is fitting for the Saints. They signed QB Derek Carr, RB Jamaal Williams and TE Foster Moreau and must cope with the three-game suspension of RB Alvin Kamara. Carr could be busy considering the Titans ranked No. 1 against the run in 2022.

Cardinals at Commanders: Arizona plans to contend, but likely down the road after a cleaning house in January and starting over from the top, down. The Cardinals are keeping Washington guessing as to who’ll start at quarterback with Kyler Murray (knee) shelved for at least a month. It could be Josh Dobbs, the journeyman with two career starts, or rookie fifth-rounder Clayton Tune staring across at a Commanders’ defense drenched with first-round draft selections. If Dobbs starts, it will be after just five practices since he was acquired Aug. 24 from the Browns. Washington put its chips behind QB Sam Howell, a second-year quarterback making his second career start with new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy planning to spice up the attack to highlight WRs Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin. McLaurin (toe) is expected to play.

Bengals at Browns: Perhaps the Bengals pulled the appropriate levers in the offseason and the offensive line woes exposing QB Joe Burrow to 100-plus hits the past two seasons are in the past. Nothing like a face-to-face with Myles Garrett to test that theory. Garrett had 16 sacks in 2022, 3.5 of them in two games against Cincinnati. Burrow’s lead receiver, Ja’Marr Chase (2,501 receiving yards, 29 games), can pass Hall of Famer Randy Moss (2,527) for the third-most receiving yards in a player’s first 30 games on Sunday. Cleveland turned the defense over to spicy veteran coordinator Jim Schwartz, who emphasizes pressure.

Raiders at Broncos: The Raiders (6-11 last season) have beaten the Broncos six straight times and aim to extend the streak under new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Denver is putting past history to bed, or at least that’s the plan under new head coach Sean Payton. The former boss of the Saints sat out last season and arrived with ideas on how to resurrect Russell Wilson from a serious downturn in 2022, his first with the Broncos. Injuries hit at wide receiver in preseason, but Wilson gets a reprieve thanks to a rebuilt offensive line and the return of RB Javonte Williams from an ACL injury. Garoppolo has two big-time playmakers to work with: RB Josh Jacobs and WR Davante Adams. Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards last season while Adams had an NFL-leading 14 scoring receptions.

Dolphins at Chargers: AFC wild-card playoff teams last season, the Chargers and Dolphins are connected by their 2020 draft decisions, when Tua Tagovailoa went to Miami ahead of Justin Herbert landing with L.A. Tagovailoa showed brilliance in moments but also experienced multiple frightening ones with two documented concussions. Tagovailoa was 10 of 28 for 145 yards in a loss to Herbert and the Chargers last season. Chargers RB Austin Ekeler needs one TD reception for 30 in his career, an achievement only five others at his position have accomplished. Marshall Faulk holds the all-time record for RBs with 36 TD catches.

Rams at Seahawks: Eastern Washington product Cooper Kupp was looking forward to returning home to play the Seahawks in Week 1. That won’t happen due to a hamstring injury in camp, putting the Rams in a hole after a 5-12 season and roster rebuild during the offseason. Gone are CB Jalen Ramsey, WR Allen Robinson, LB Bobby Wagner and DE Leonard Floyd. Wagner makes his homecoming by returning to the Seahawks and facing the Rams in the opener. Seattle re-upped with QB Geno Smith after his Pro Bowl campaign in 2022 helped make the Seahawks a surprise playoff entry. Seattle won two games by a combined seven points over the Rams last season. Smith was sacked seven times.

Cowboys at Giants: New York crashed the playoffs thanks to a 7-2 start last season. But the Giants have only one win in the past 12 meetings with Dallas. The Cowboys roll with Dak Prescott, who faced criticism after throwing 15 interceptions last season, and expected the revamped offense with head coach Mike McCarthy taking over play-calling to be a boost. Tony Pollard replaces Ezekiel Elliott as the RB1 and adds a big-play dimension. Dallas relies heavily on defense and revealed plans to move pass rusher Micah Parsons into a more traditional defensive end role. He has nine career games with two or more sacks.

–Field Level Media

All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner intercepted a Josh Allen pass in the second half during a NY Jets 20-17 win over the Buffalo Bills as the two teams met in an AFC East game played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on November 6 2022.

The New York Jets Host The Buffalo Bills In An Afc East Game Played At Metlife Stadium In East Rutherford Nj On November 6 2022

Josh Allen duels idol Aaron Rodgers in high-stakes opener

Even as quarterbacks are driving primary plot lines for the “Monday Night Football” opener, don’t rule out Sauce becoming more than a side dish when the New York Jets welcome the Buffalo Bills for the high-stakes Week 1 finale.

Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner, a rare All-Pro selection at cornerback in his first season, and the Jets’ defense are positioned to be headliners and already have an established track record of mortalizing Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

“They’re a pretty good group — really good group for that matter,” Allen said. “They’ve got rushers that have motors, they sub those guys in and out so they’re fresh. Their DBs are smart. They game-planned pretty well for us the last couple times we’ve played them and we’ll have our hands full come Monday night.”

Gardner made sure Allen’s favorite target, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, didn’t have his hands full in their two matchups in 2022. Allen had 147 passing yards in the Bills’ 20-12 win on Dec. 11 — when Diggs was held to three receptions for 37 yards — and New York’s defense sacked him eight times with two picks in those two games. Allen had three rushing TDs.

In the Nov. 6 meeting, Gardner intercepted Allen and broke up a late pass on fourth-and-21 that ended Buffalo’s final drive and preserved the Jets’ 20-17 win.

Diggs said the Bills are geared up to turn the page and test themselves against a rising AFC East challenger.

“That first game, I feel like it’s also finding yourself, what kind of team you’ve got, figuring out your identity,” Diggs said.

Allen was 9 years old when Aaron Rodgers was drafted by Green Bay. Allen said he’s mimicked a lot of Rodgers’ movements and looks up to him. Rodgers wants the Bills looking up at the Jets in the standings when the dust settles Monday.

At 39, Rodgers relocated for the first time in his career following a prolific run with the Packers. Unpacking Super Bowl and MVP credentials in New Jersey, Rodgers said he’s grown comfortable in a new shade of green in part because of the level of talent around him.

“I think we’re ready,” Rodgers said. “I played in a great spot for 18 years. We had a great homefield advantage, place was always sold out. I’m expecting big crowd, a loud crowd. It’s going to be electric — ‘Monday Night Football’ — last game of the first week. It will be a pretty special moment to take the field against a division rival and a great quarterback, really good football team. It will be a special environment to start off my career with the Jets.”

Wide receiver Garrett Wilson was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and created a quick connection with Rodgers, who compared his new No. 17 — Wilson — to former Packers teammate and All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. The Jets also signed free agent Dalvin Cook to a one-year deal and added familiar Rodgers cronies Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. There’s depth here, too. New York wants to co-feature running back Breece Hall with Cook and brought in wide receiver Mecole Hardman from the Chiefs.

Expectations for the Jets haven’t been this high since Joe Namath’s guarantee.

“Having a guy like Aaron come in, the type of caliber player and person he is, he elevates everyone,” left tackle Duane Brown said. “You have to elevate your standards and your level of play. And across the board, we have so much talent. It is probably the most talented team I have been on and a great mixture of youth and veteran leadership.”

With safety Micah Hyde dealing with a back injury, the Bills might mark the Monday night return to the field of Damar Hamlin by pairing him with Jordan Poyer in the starting secondary. Hamlin, 25, made the 53-man roster as the latest awe-inspiring mile marker of his progress returning from on-field cardiac arrest at Cincinnati in January.

–Field Level Media