Let’s get this season began.
In Week 1 within the NFC, count on big video games from the defenses of the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, a powerful efficiency from a touted first-round rookie quarterback and not less than 100 yards receiving from a first-round rookie wideout.
Earlier than Thursday evening’s Baltimore Ravens-Kansas Metropolis Chiefs season opener, Yardbarker NFL writers provide a Week 1 prediction for each staff within the NFC.
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS | The protection will get seven sacks | Per StatMuse, Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson is the sixth-most sacked QB (211) since becoming a member of the NFL in 2017. Dallas recorded seven sacks in a recreation twice final season (together with the opener towards the Giants) and shouldn’t have any drawback attending to a QB who sat out the preseason after lacking 11 video games in every of the previous two years.
NEW YORK GIANTS | Devin Singletary will rush for not less than 62 yards | That’s barely over the quantity former Giants working again Saquon Barkley averaged in his final 4 opening video games with New York, who performs Minnesota in Week 1. For these nervous about New York’s new-look backfield, needless to say over the previous 4 seasons, Barkley averaged simply 2.8 extra yards per recreation than his alternative, Singletary. Barkley missed 23 video games throughout that span, however Singletary was a workhorse, lacking solely two video games and dashing for 373 extra yards than Barkley.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Darius Slay will get Eagles’ first interception of 2024 | Given the secondary’s poor efficiency in 2023 and a lot pleasure surrounding first-round CB Quinyon Mitchell, it’s simple to neglect that Slay is coming off his third straight Professional Bowl look. Search for the 33-year-old cornerback to spice issues up Friday evening in Brazil with a first-quarter interception of $220M Inexperienced Bay QB Jordan Love.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | Jayden Daniels runs for 2 touchdowns | The second total decide within the 2024 NFL Draft ran for 2 or extra TDs in a recreation seven instances throughout his faculty profession. New offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury gained’t hesitate to name his QB’s quantity towards a Tampa Bay protection that held opponents to 95.3 dashing yards per recreation final season, the fifth fewest within the NFL. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS | Marvin Harrison Jr. has 100 yards and a landing. | Regardless that the first-round decide didn’t play a lot within the preseason, he enters Week 1 because the staff’s prime vast receiver and will have an instantaneous affect. Quarterback Kyler Murray doesn’t have many dependable targets outdoors of Harrison and tight finish Trey McBride, and Harrison has the kind of big-play skill that ought to make him a star towards the Payments in his debut.
LOS ANGELES RAMS | Matthew Stafford throws for not less than 330 yards | In his two video games towards the Lions, his former staff, Stafford topped the 330-yard mark every time and threw for 5 touchdowns to zero interceptions. Anticipate one other big recreation on Sunday evening towards a Detroit secondary that was twenty ninth towards the move final season.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | The 49ers sack Aaron Rodgers 5 instances | The 49ers labored arduous this offseason to enhance their defensive position depth to take strain off star D-lineman Nick Bosa (53.5 sacks in 5 seasons). That work will repay in Week 1 because the Niners feast on a new-look Jets offensive line that shall be attempting to dam for 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who was sidelined for almost all of 2023.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Devon Witherspoon will get two interceptions | Witherspoon was an instantaneous affect participant within the secondary as a rookie in 2023 — check out this 97-yard pick-six — and now he’s beginning to emerge as a frontrunner of that group. He opens the season towards a rookie quarterback — Denver’s Bo Nix — who doesn’t have many weapons, which ought to give Witherspoon a number of alternatives for game-changing performs. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS | QB Caleb Williams has not less than one passing and one dashing TD | The rookie flashed nice playmaking abilities and the power to increase performs along with his legs through the preseason, and he’ll must do each towards a revamped Titans protection. With the WR trio of D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze, plus tight finish Cole Kmet, the Bears are one of many few groups that match up properly towards Tennessee’s new-look secondary, which added L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs.
DETROIT LIONS | RB Jahmyr Gibbs has 200+ mixed yards | Lions head coach Dan Campbell has made it clear Gibbs shall be extra closely concerned within the offense this season, and the second-year RB has set a lofty objective for himself of 1,000 yards dashing and receiving. The Rams’ move protection ranked within the backside third of the league final season. Now that he’s not a rookie, count on Gibbs to be within the 20-carry, five-to-eight-target vary per recreation.
GREEN BAY PACKERS | RB Josh Jacobs struggles in staff debut | The Eagles had a top-10 run protection final season, and Jacobs is getting adjusted to a brand new supporting solid. Inexperienced Bay’s offensive line is healthier than the one Jacobs ran behind in Las Vegas, however Week 1 will possible be a feeling-out course of for the 2.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS | WR Justin Jefferson has a 200-yard receiving day | With rookie J.J. McCarthy dominated out for the season due to a knee damage, the Vikings are banking on journeyman QB Sam Darnold discovering his USC kind. Which means Jefferson goes to get fed the ball rather a lot, and it ought to shock nobody if he goes off for an enormous recreation towards the Giants secondary.— Michael Gallagher
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS | Working again Bijan Robinson will get 20+ touches | Search for first-year Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to succeed the place former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith failed: getting the ball in Robinson’s arms early and sometimes. His inconsistent utilization annoyed followers a season in the past, and with Smith on the other sideline in Week 1 as Steelers offensive coordinator, Atlanta will present him what may have been.
CAROLINA PANTHERS | Panthers snap scoring drought | By the point Carolina kicks off Week 1 in New Orleans, it is going to be 259 days because the offense final scored within the common season. The Panthers have been shut out of their remaining two video games of 2023, however they’ll take a child step and put a crooked quantity on the scoreboard towards the Saints.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | DE Chase Younger information a number of sacks | Younger represents the most important splash the Saints made in 2024 free company. He gained’t take lengthy to make an affect, harassing Panthers QB Bryce Younger all recreation and ending with a number of takedowns.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Mike Evans has two receiving touchdowns | Final season, Tampa Bay’s Week 1 opponent, the Commanders, allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers. The unit ought to enhance below first-year Washington head coach Dan Quinn, however this can be a tough matchup for the Commanders and one Bucs vast receiver Mike Evans ought to exploit. — Eric Smithling