Week 1 Preview

Five Big Games

- 49ers vs. Packers: Opening Week features two of the best NFC teams matched up. Alex Smith was one of the biggest breakout players last year and the 49ers made some improvements on offense around him. The Green Bay receiving corps suffered some injuries this preseason, namely concussions sustained by Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley. It won’t get better against one of the league’s strongest defenses. I believe Rodgers will pull this one off, but if not, the 49ers can stake their claim as the team to beat in the NFC.

- Steelers vs. Broncos: Peyton Manning gets his first test with his new team after missing a year against the Pittsburgh Steelers and their stout defense. Dick Lebeau placed a renewed emphasis on creating turnovers, and the Steelers defense really responded this preseason after a mediocre 2011. The Broncos defense was probably the most underrated last year, taking a back seat to all the Tim Tebow hype but doing all the dirty work. Can Wallace shake off the holdout rust to make a big show?

- Bills vs. Jets: It’s only Week 1 but this game is a biggie: both teams have playoff aspirations but it will be very hard for the losing team to win the Wild Card. The Jets kept their secret offensive packages well hidden this preseason, which means the cat comes out of the bag on Sunday. The Bills were able to come out of the gate running last year, averaging about 38 points the first three weeks. Mario Williams is salivating with the thought of taking on the Jets o-line. It will take some mistakes by Buffalo for the Jets to pull this one out. I’m bullish on the Bills this year.

- Cowboys vs. Giants: Defending Super Bowl Champs have won their last 8 openers. The GMen swept Dallas right out of the playoffs last year with two late season wins, including the last game when Romo got sacked six times. The Cowboys have had this game circled for months, looking for revenge. Jerry Jones talked trash this summer while Tom Coughlin calmly spoke on building the bridge.

- Bengals vs. Ravens: Divisional rivals that both made the playoffs last year and each looking to get a leg up in the race now. Ravens swept the division in 2011. Andy Dalton gets his gumption tested right away as he hopes to avoid the sophomore slump. Ravens are the better team, especially as Joe Flacco has a full complement of receivers now to lighten the dependence on Ray Rice.

Upset Alert

Chiefs over Falcons
Bucs over Panthers

Miller’s Fearless Picks

- Giants over Cowboys. Champs always open with a win. JPP has another Romo feast. 35-24

- Bills over Jets. The Wildcat gets out of the bag, but the Bills start the Jets tailspin anyway. 20-16

- Chiefs over Falcons. Matt Ryan struggles on the road, and Kansas City is a rough place to start. Charles and Hillis run wild. 20-17

- Saints over Redskins. Drew Brees is still here and the Superdome is a bad place for RG3 to start his career. 38-24

The Rest of the Games

Bears 35, Colts 17
Eagles 28, Browns 10
Patriots 31, Titans 28
Vikings 24, Jaguars 16
Lions 37, Rams 20
Texans 38, Dolphins 13
Packers 31, 49ers 27
Seahawks 20, Cardinals 14
Buccaneers 26, Panthers 23
Broncos 21, Steelers 20
Ravens 28, Bengals 14
Raiders 24, Chargers 21