NFL Week 1 kickoff times, TV info and betting lines
USA TODAY Sports' inside look at the rest of the Week 1 NFL schedule:
Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TV: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker, Steve Beuerlein)
Line: Buccaneers by 3
Story lines: The Bucs' Jameis Winston and Titans' Marcus Mariota – the quarterbacks went one and two, respectively, in the draft after winning the past two Heisman Trophies – oppose each other in their highly anticipated debut, eight months after Mariota's Oregon Ducks downed Winston's Florida State Seminoles in the Rose Bowl. Unlike Mariota, Winston struggled with accuracy in the preseason and was slowed by a sprained ankle.
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The best way to ensure Mariota and Winston have smooth debuts is to keep them upright. Neither the Titans nor the Buccaneers had a good track record in that area in 2014. But with several new additions in key roles, both teams are hoping to give their quarterbacks plenty of time to make the right decisions and keep the turnovers to a minimum.
After both team went 2-14 in 2014, starting off this season 1-0 would be huge.
USA TODAY Sports' Week 1 NFL picks
Miami Dolphins at Washington Redskins
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn)
Line: Dolphins by 3½
Story lines: Miami made a concerted push to make a playoff run after last finishing above .500 in 2008. Those hopes have a lot to do with the addition of powerful DT Ndamukong Suh – he'll match up opposite Washington first-round OL Brandon Scherff – and even more to do with the continued progress of QB Ryan Tannehill. … The reality show that is the Redskins never seems to end, reaching the boiling point (again) as coach Jay Gruden anointed QB Kirk Cousins (19 career INTs against 18 TDs) as the starter over face-of-the-dysfunctional-franchise Robert Griffin III. … Keep an eye on the edge rushers, Cameron Wake for Miami and Ryan Kerrigan for Washington.
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots)
Line: Colts by 2½
Story lines: How Indianapolis fares will say a lot about its chances of winning the Super Bowl. QB Andrew Luck led the NFL in touchdown passes (40) last season but also led the league in times hit. Coach Chuck Pagano thinks the addition of veteran RB Frank Gore will bolster the team's 24th-ranked rushing attack and result in fewer hits on Luck. … After a momentous offseason in which Rex Ryan became coach and big-name players in RB LeSean McCoy, WR Percy Harvin and TE Charles Clay were added, expectations in Buffalo are soaring. The Bills' fate will be determined by QB Tyrod Taylor, who will make his first NFL start in his fifth season.
NFL Week 1 power rankings: Which teams are trending up, down?
Cleveland Browns at New York Jets
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl)
Line: Jets by 3
Story lines: It's another season with another new quarterback, Josh McCown, for Cleveland. Rookie NT Danny Shelton should give the run defense an immediate boost if he can hold his own against Jets Pro Bowl C Nick Mangold. … The Jets have a new coach in Todd Bowles and a new quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, but not by choice. Geno Smith probably is a few weeks away after suffering a broken jaw when he was punched in the locker room by a now-former teammate. The Jets expect to be strong on defense, even without suspended DT Sheldon Richardson. … The Browns don't have a true No. 1 receiver for Jets CB Darrelle Revis to shadow in his homecoming game.
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS (Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon)
Line: Texans by 1
Story lines: Kansas City's formidable defense could be better with S Eric Berry back after beating cancer while DE Mike DeVito and LB Derrick Johnson return from Achilles injuries. RB Jamaal Charles is also injury-free, and the team expects the offense to be more productive with WR Jeremy Maclin in the fold. … New Texans QB Brian Hoyer will be at the controls of an offense missing RB Arian Foster (groin). WR DeAndre Hopkins will be expected to carry the load. Defensively, the Texans are strong, and they have more than all-world DE J.J. Watt, including revitalized LB Brian Cushing, former Patriots NT Vince Wilfork and a secondary led by CBs Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph. … Watt could have a field day now that Donald Stephenson is Kansas City's left tackle.
USA TODAY Sports NFL experts' 2015 NFL predictions
Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox (Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale)
Line: Panthers by 3
Story lines: Despite a 3-1 preseason record in the preseason, Panthers coach Ron Rivera's tone throughout August was one of discontent and unhappiness with his team's performances. QB Cam's Newton supporting cast certainly looks depleted. … Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell has sprinkled in playmakers and upgraded a previously horrendous offensive line with hopes that second-year QB Blake Bortles could guide them back to postseason play for the first time since 2007. … Rookie RB T.J. Yeldon is the Jags' new workhorse.
Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox (Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnson, Laura Okmin)
Line: Seahawks by 4
Story lines: Will Seattle's defense perform at its customary level given the offseason surgery of Pro Bowl FS Earl Thomas and holdout of SS Kam Chancellor? The offense also looked pretty shaky in the preseason, especially up front. If the defensive stars shake off the rust and RB Marshawn Lynch hits the ground running while new TE Jimmy Graham makes a few plays, Seattle should be OK. … Nobody really knows what to expect from the rebuilt Rams. The offense has a new quarterback in Nick Foles and is still waiting for first-round pick Todd Gurley to recover after knee surgery. But the defense should give this underdog a chance.
NFL Junkies podcast: Looking forward to the first week of the regular season
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews)
Line: Packers by 7
Story lines: This will be not only the Packers' first glimpse of life without injured WR Jordy Nelson but also life after the crushing NFC title game loss in Seattle. Yet they've dominated the NFL's oldest rivalry of late, taking 11 of 13 games. … The game plan under Bears coach John Fox and his new staff has quickly crystallized: They intend to ride a deep running back corps, led by Matt Forte, and ramp up defensive aggression under coordinator Vic Fangio, whose former team, the San Francisco 49ers, won the past four meetings against coach Mike McCarthy's Packers. Newcomers in LB Pernell McPhee and S Antrel Rolle are vital to reversing the Packers' recent dominance. … The Packers have averaged 27.7 points in their 11 wins against Chicago dating to 2009.
Detroit Lions at San Diego Chargers
TV: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox (Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Tony Siragusa)
Line: Chargers by 3
Story lines: Detroit's No. 1 run defense from 2014 and No. 3 unit in points allowed from a season ago begins a new era without its top four defensive tackles. But with growing pains expected, the early onus shifts to stalwarts in QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson and an upgraded offensive line and run game as the Lions seek consecutive postseason bids for the first time in 20 years. … Chargers QB Philip Rivers won't have TE Antonio Gates (suspended), meaning WR Stevie Johnson, a newcomer, and backup TE Ladarius Green, who is questionable Sunday, must help pick up the slack. On defense, the belief is that OLB Melvin Ingram is poised to emerge. … Chargers rookie RB Melvin Gordon starts against a defense that allowed one 100-yard rusher in 2014.
Week 1 fantasy football rankings
New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals
TV: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox (Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, Pam Oliver)
Line: Cardinals by 2½
Story lines: New Orleans starting defensive backs (S Jairus Byrd, CB Brandon Browner, CB Keenan Lewis and S Kenny Vaccaro) never shared the field during the preseason because of injuries. That's not a good sign for a unit that finished 31st in total defense last season. QB Drew Brees appears to have regained his Pro Bowl form after dealing with a troublesome injury to his side last season. … Cardinals QB Carson Palmer proclaims to be physically fit after missing much of last season with shoulder and knee injuries and seems to have his velocity back. Look for him to work more out of the shotgun behind a shaky line.
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos
TV: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS (Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson)
Line: Broncos by 4½
Story lines: Denver will try to take Ravens WR Steve Smith out of the game since he lacks complementary help. Baltimore RB Justin Forsett will have to be as good as he was last season, when he gained 1,266 yards. A defense led by OLB Terrell Suggs will look to set the tone for the Ravens' physical presence. … An offense implemented by new coach Gary Kubiak has created intrigue around a team led by 39-year-old QB Peyton Manning. Kubiak's plan will be to seek balance on offense given the array of new players, especially on the line. Defensively, the linebackers should be outstanding, led by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, but the defensive line could be challenged to show it can be stout against the run. … Ravens CBs Lardarius Webb and Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders are both coming off hamstring issues.
Week 1 Start/Sit: Put Bucs' Doug Martin in your lineup
Cincinnati Bengals at Oakland Raiders
TV: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS (Tom McCarthy, Chris Simms)
Line: Bengals by 3
Story lines: The Bengals return the core of the roster and have higher expectations, although until coach Marvin Lewis and QB Andy Dalton prove they're ready for the game's biggest stage, it will be hard to believe they are. An experienced defense should be led by DT Geno Atkins and DE Carlos Dunlap, and the offense should run through powerful second-year RB Jeremy Hill. … The Raiders are young and very much still rebuilding, but there's hope this season will be better than most of their recent seasons. QB Derek Carr isn't flashy, but the addition of rookie WR Amari Cooper and WR Michael Crabtree give him a chance to put up numbers.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
TV: Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)
Line: Cowboys by 6
Story lines: The preseason ended not a moment too soon for the Giants offense, which sputtered to one touchdown and 10 total points in 12 possessions with the starters. The defense, especially the secondary, has been bitten by the injury bug. … The knee injury that ended CB Orlando Scandrick's season forces the the Cowboys to count on Morris Claiborne. The 2009 first-round draft choice has been a colossal disappointment, but he's also the likely starter opposite often-shaky Brandon Carr. They figure to be tested right away even though Giants WR Victor Cruz (calf) won't play.
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Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons
TV: Monday, 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN (Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters)
Line: Eagles by 3
Story lines: We finally learn if new Eagles QB Sam Bradford and LB Kiko Alonso can stay healthy, if RBs DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews can hit the ground running and whether ex-Seahawks CB Byron Maxwell and S Walter Thurmond can soar. If those moves get the Eagles to Super Bowl 50, coach Chip Kelly will be hailed. If not, trouble could loom in light of Kelly's offseason power play. … Maxwell and Falcons WR Julio Jones will match up after landing contracts worth more than $130 million collectively. … New Atlanta coach Dan Quinn is charged with turning around a defense that finished last in the league a year ago.
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers
TV: Monday, 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN (Chris Berman, Trent Dilfer, Lindsay Czarniak)
Line: Vikings by 2½
Story lines: The Vikings could be on the cusp of something special. They have a young, talented defense featuring six first-round draft picks, an emerging offense that gets back all-pro RB Adrian Peterson to join QB Teddy Bridgewater and two of the most experienced coaches in the league in coach Mike Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner. A relatively soft schedule out of the gate could help. … The familiar names who remain in San Francisco are either aging (TE Vernon Davis) or trying to rebound from down years (QB Colin Kaepernick). … Peterson and 49ers LB NaVorro Bowman will square off in their return from extended absences.
PHOTOS: Best of NFL Week 1
