Seahawks fall in St. Louis
Perhaps this isn't that bold. The Seahawks have lost in St. Louis two of the last three years, and won an ugly game by five points in 2013 over a Kellen Clemens-led Rams team. The Rams' starting quarterback last season in the special-teams infused win was Austin Davis. Nick Foles might not be a huge upgrade, but he'll help.
The Rams give the Seahawks problems because their incredibly talented front seven overwhelms Seattle's shaky offensive line. The Seattle offense struggled badly in the preseason and is used to getting off to slow starts. They started 4-4 in 2012 and 3-3 last season before making strong late season runs. Look for another uneven September this year. -- Gregg Rosenthal
Rex goes typically bold following win over Colts
Minutes after a surprisingly easy victory over the Colts in front of a delirious sellout crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium, a beaming Rex Ryan will stride up to the podium and be completely incapable of controlling himself. Ryan will praise Bills fans for their raucous nature, hint that Tyrod Taylor could go to the Pro Bowl, and call his defense, "the best I've ever had." When a reporter asks a slightly leading question about his team's playoff chances, Ryan's confidence will explode with a proclamation that the Bills are the team to beat in the AFC East. As someone who observed Rex closely in New York, I am almost certain all of this will happen. -- Dan Hanzus
Odell Beckham goes off in Giants' loss
The league has spent the offseason watching tape on and preparing for Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. after his breakthrough rookie season. Unfortunately, it does them no good. Beckham scores all three of the Giants' touchdowns on Sunday night against the Cowboys in a 35-21 loss. Though it's a major disappointment for Giants' fans, the fact that the Manning-Beckham connection stays strong will ease the pain. -- Conor Orr
Darren McFadden will rush for more than 100 yards
McFadden won't get the start and the Cowboys plan to use a rotation at running back. However, finally healthy and behind a beastly offensive line, McFadden will burst out of the gate. The Cowboys will stick with the hot-hand approach and the tailback will overpower a leaky Giants defense. McFadden hasn't rushed for over the century mark since Week 2 of 2013. His health might be a factor long-term this season, but out of the gate a healthy McFadden will show early flashes of his once-dominating self. -- Kevin Patra
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Blake Bortles sizzles in win over Panthers
Blake Bortles was far from perfect last season, but he showed fundamental progress in August and gives Jacksonville a big-bodied quarterback who looks the part. This won't be a game-by-game trend, but the Jaguars passer will take the Panthers to town in Week 1, throwing for three touchdowns and 300-plus yards. With tight end Julius Thomas out of the mix, look for second-year wideout Allen Robinson to come out of the opener with plenty of hype after scorching Carolina's secondary for 150-plus yards and two scores. Will it last for the Jaguars? No, but what a nice start. -- Marc Sessler
Kirk Cousins proves his worth vs. Dolphins
Kirk Cousins throws for 350 yards and three touchdowns in a shootout with the Dolphins. Miami plays an uptempo style, which will result in more pass attempts for the opposition as well. Cousins averaged nearly 100 more passing yards per game than Robert Griffin III last season and threw more touchdown passes in six games (10) than RGIII and McCoy combined to toss in 14 games (eight). For all of the hand-wringing over his ill-timed interceptions, Cousins has proven capable of moving the chains in Jay Gruden's offense. -- Chris Wesseling
