Expert NFL picks, fresh fantasy advice and all the Week 1 essentials you need
Welcome to football season, sports fans!
The NFL's 100th anniversary season kicked off with the league's most storied rivalry, Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears. While the game didn't exactly live up to expectations, there's plenty of action to look forward to on Sunday (and Monday!).
About last night: Packers 10, Bears 3 -- The Bears did little to back up those Super Bowl-sized ambitions, losing to their longtime arch-nemesis in a sloppy season opener. Defense ruled the night at Soldier Field. Surprisingly, it was the Packers' revamped defense — and not last season's top-ranked defense — that put forth the more impressive performance.
Game of the week: Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots — Count the Steelers among those on the short list of AFC teams capable of preventing the Patriots from reaching a 10th Super Bowl in 19 seasons. The defending Super Bowl champions didn't get their customary Thursday night Kickoff Game slot (sad!) and will settle for the Sunday night spotlight instead. Tom Brady has done well against the Steelers, going 11-3 (including playoff games) against Pittsburgh, though one of those setbacks came late last season. That was the last time the Patriots lost.
Sneaky-Good Game of the Week: Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Chiefs — who fell a game short of reaching the Super Bowl last season — bring their high-octane offense into Jacksonville, where the Jaguars — who were one game short of the Super Bowl two seasons ago and totally dropped off last season — feature one of the league's best defenses. A loss last season in Kansas City started a seven-game losing streak for the Jaguars.
Sunday Ticket Game of the Week: Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns — Your Sunday 1 p.m. ET game that most likely won't be available locally, but that you will be thankful to be able to click back-and-forth from, will be taking place at Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns' hype train will either pick up more steam or go off the rails. Six of seven Paste BN Sports experts picked the Browns — who haven't reached the postseason since 2002 — to either win the AFC North or be an AFC wild-card team. The Browns are just 1-18-1 in season openers since coming off hiatus in 1999. The Titans, meanwhile, have lost three straight season openers.
Suicide Pool Game of the Week: Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins — Jettisoning a premier left tackle and playmaking wide receiver for future draft picks showed fans and pundits alike that the team isn't interested in winning now. Miami's opening opponent is coming off an AFC North crown and figures to have an improved Lamar Jackson in his second NFL season. Perhaps Miami believes in FitzMagic.
TOP PICS: Packers-Bears | Cheerleaders | NFL at 100
Antonio Brown: The drama never ends
Antonio Brown, welcome to Crazytown. Population: You.
Just when you thought things might return to normal in Oakland for Brown, things went haywire on Wednesday when the mercurial receiver posted to Instagram a disciplinary letter he received for skipping team activities. Also on Wednesday, Brown got into a nasty exchange with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock. This could lead to a suspension.
Forget playing in Week 1, Brown's future with the team seems uncertain at best.
Week 1: Pigskin prognostications
- Week 1 picks: Paste BN Sports' panel of experts has provided fans with the great public service of making prognostications for every NFL game this weekend.
- Coaches on the hot seat: As the 2019 season commences, these six head coaches are already on the hot seat.
- New rule could flummox coaches: NFL coaches still are trying to get a feel for the league's new pass interference challenge rule.
- Power rankings: See how every team stacks up entering Week 1. Recent events in the AFC South have the Jaguars rising. Also, don't forget to check out the Fan Rankings and how they compare to our experts.
- 2019 season predictions: Paste BN Sports experts weigh in with their choices for Super Bowl LIV champion, playoff teams and individual award winners.
Fantasy football: Get your lineup right
Everybody wants to start the season with a win. You've come to the right place. Our panel of fantasy football experts is here to help you make the most of your lineup this week.
- Fantasy rankings for Week 1: For your convenience, these position-by-position rankings were updated for this week's games.
- Studs, duds and sleepers: Here are some names to know going into Week 1. Which category does new Jaguars QB Nick Foles fall into?
- Week 1 deep sleepers: Fantasy teams looking for low-cost additions in Week 1 should consider San Francisco's leading rusher from last season and the Colts' new starting QB.
- Fantasy sizzlers and fizzlers: While rookie running backs are on the rise, a former fantasy top pick is on the decline.
Week 1 schedule
Click on team name to get updated news on your team from our NFL wire sites.
(All times Eastern)
Thursday
Sunday
Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Cincinnati Bengals at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday
Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints, 7:10 p.m. (ESPN)
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders, 10:20 p.m. (ESPN)
#NFL100
As the NFL celebrates its 100th season, we are unveiling our all-time 100 lists:
- Greatest players ever for every team: The Paste BN Sports Network unveils the best players for each NFL team.
- 100 greatest teams in league history: 1972 Miami Dolphins. 1985 Chicago Bears. 2007 New England Patriots. 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers. 1996 Green Bay Packers. 1989 San Francisco 49ers. 1920 Akron Pros. Which is the greatest ever?
- Greatest players ever by jersey number: From No. 00 Jim Otto to No. 99 J.J. Watt, these are the best players at 100 different uniform numbers.
- Greatest players from HBCU programs: The HBCU schools have a storied history and have produced many Pro Football Hall of Famers. These are the 100 greatest NFL players from HBCU programs.
- 100 biggest draft busts ever: The NFL draft has an extensive history of top picks who would only be remembered as busts.
- NFL's best and worst uniforms ever: Throughout the NFL's history, there have been some fantastic uniforms, and there are some that have been widely scorned.
NFL Facebook group: Join now!
If you love talking football (and who doesn't, amirite?), we have the perfect spot for you. Join our Facebook Group, The Ruling Off the Field, to engage in friendly debate and conversation with fellow football fans and our NFL insiders.
Want to keep this conversation going? Head to Facebook, and/or give a Twitter follow to your friendly neighborhood football guy who put together this newsletter, @jimreineking.