The 2026 NFL season is finally here. The long wait is finally over, and meaningful football is back. It’s been a grueling offseason, so let’s not waste any time. Here are my full predictions for NFL Week 1.
The 2026 NFL season kicks off with a Super Bowl LX rematch. The Seahawks will host the Patriots on Wednesday, September 9th. The Super Bowl champions lost running back Kenneth Walker, along with Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen in free agency.
New England acquired wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in June. They largely upgraded, but they have a tougher schedule this season. This may not be the beatdown it was in February, but it’s hard to bet against the champs.
Score Prediction: Seahawks 24-Patriots 20
The 49ers have had a tumultuous offseason. Whether it’s WR Brandon Aiyuk or the team owner Jed York, 2026 has not been kind to the Niner Gang. On the other side, the Rams have become juggernauts.
Los Angeles acquired Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, along with Aaron Donald coming out of retirement. They’re the runaway Super Bowl favorites right now, and they’ll stay that way until someone proves otherwise.
Score Prediction: Rams 30-49ers 24
The Caleb Williams hype train is speeding from the station. The “Iceman” is entering his second year with head coach Ben Johnson. Chicago won the NFC North last year and improved the roster this offseason.
The Panthers are steadily climbing, but it’s been a slow crawl. They impressed late last year, but there’s still room for improvement. This is the best Bears team we’ve seen in years, and they’ll likely have another great season.
Score Prediction: Bears 35-Panthers 21
Last season, the Bengals finally broke a four-year streak of losing in Week 1. They defeated the Cleveland Browns 17-16, and what followed was a season-long mess. They missed the playoffs for the third year in a row.
The Buccaneers started last season hot, but were quickly derailed by injuries. Now without Mike Evans in the offense, they could look much different. If Cincy is healthy, and it seems they are, they’re a playoff contender this year.
Score Prediction: Bengals 31-Buccaneers 28
The Saints are building around second-year QB Tyler Shough, and they may be better than advertised this year. They are, however, missing rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson for at least the first four weeks of the season.
The Lions are largely the same team they were a year ago, and that’s a good thing. Their 2025 failure was in the offensive play calling. With a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing, they need to utilize their weapons properly.
Score Prediction: Lions 17-Saints 14
The Ravens are another team with a new coach, and after missing the playoffs, they want to right the ship. Lamar Jackson is still one of the best QBs in the NFL, but they’ve lost a plethora of starters in the offseason.
The Colts’ success hinges on whether or not Daniel Jones can return to his 2025 form. If he’s not 100% healthy and ready to ball out, Indy will be off to a rough start in 2026.
Score Prediction: Ravens 35-Colts 24
Game of the Week watch. The Bills have a new head coach and a new WR1 for Josh Allen in DJ Moore. The Texans have a dominant defense that led that allowed a league-minimum 277.2 total offensive yards per game in 2025.
Allen put on the Superman cape in a Week 1 thriller last year against the Baltimore Ravens. If Houston’s offense can muster up even average play, this will be a close game. That’s unfortunately a huge “if”.
Score Prediction: Bills 20-Texans 14
Call this one the lock of the week. The Jaguars ascended last season under new head coach Liam Coen. They lost Travis Etienne, but have a strong RB committee in his place.
The Browns have talented weapons, but Deshaun Watson’s under center. The veteran hasn’t proven himself to be a winning QB in Cleveland. Jacksonville has too much upside this year to start with a loss here.
Score Prediction: Jaguars 31-Browns 10
Similar to the Browns, the Falcons’ QB situation is uninspiring. Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are unlikely to turn things around, regardless of who starts.
The Steelers are all in on a Super Bowl chase this season. It’s hard to imagine they’ll achieve it, but they’ll show promise early on. This should be a win to open the year in Pittsburgh.
Score Prediction: Steelers 20-Falcons 10
The Jets are vying for the first overall pick in 2027, and it’s not unrealistic to think they’ll get it. The Titans are building around a talented second-year QB with new weapons at his disposal. This will be closer than it should be, but the outcome won’t be surprising.
Score Prediction: Tians 21-Jets 13
The Packers will likely be without RB Josh Jacobs for this game, and possibly several weeks. They do, however, have Marshawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson in the backfield. While the two likely won’t replicate Jacobs’ production, the offense can still function with them.
The Vikings are rolling with Kyler Murray as their QB1. While he’s an upgrade over last year’s carousel, he’s inconsistent. There will be growing pains in Minnesota, and they’ll start against a division rival.
Score Prediction: Packers 28-Vikings 24
The Cardinals are another team with a shot at the first overall pick in 2027’s draft. In fact, they’re the current favorite. We’ve seen what a healthy Chargers team looks like, and there’s no reason to doubt them in their home opener.
Score Prediction: Chargers 28-Cardinals 7
Miami is putting its hope in first-year head coach Jeff Hafley and QB Malik Willis under center. The rest of the roster, save for RB De’Von Achane, leaves a lot to be desired.
The Raiders made terrific offseason moves, and they have a veteran in Kirk Cousins under center. Now it’s simply a matter of putting it all together. They’ll be surprisingly good this year, relatively speaking, of course.
Score Prediction: Raiders 17-Dolphins 7
The Commanders are less than two years removed from an NFC Championship appearance, where they were eliminated by a division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. 2025 saw injuries and age tear them down. Despite making big moves in the offseason, their current roster is still lacking at several positions.
After a horrible collapse last season, the Eagles are without WR A.J. Brown, but they drafted Makai Lemon 20th overall. Their new OC, Sean Mannion, is taking over and will bring a return to form. With reports that Washington’s offensive line is less than stellar, Philly’s defense should run through them.
Score Prediction: Eagles 27-Commanders 13
Barring any significant injuries, the Cowboys might be a real contender in 2026. They have one of the best WR duos in the NFL, and they’ve heavily improved the defense.
The Giants are set for a turnaround this season, but it won’t happen yet. Between this game and a Week 2 matchup against the Rams, they’ll struggle before a favorable four-week stretch.
Score Prediction: Cowboys 24-Giants 17
The Chiefs are expecting Patrick Mahomes to be ready for Week 1, and they’ve added Kenneth Walker to the backfield. They have an uphill battle to revive the dynasty, and it’s off to a difficult start.
The Broncos’ defense is arguably the best in the NFL. On the offensive side, they’ve added WR Jaylen Waddle to Bo Nix’s arsenal, and the QB is expected to be 100%.
Nix may be slow to start after a broken ankle in the AFC Championship Game, but the same can be said for Mahomes and his ACL injury. Supporting casts will be important here, and recent history shows that Denver’s is better.
Score Prediction: Broncos 17-Chiefs 14
The offseason is over, and football is back. Every team is 0-0 right now, and every fanbase can be delusionally excited if they choose. This week will temper or inflate expectations for everyone. Regardless of the Week 1 outcomes, we can rejoice once again.
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