14 more NFL Week 1 games, 14 matchup previews: We have predictions, picks and wild stats — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season features 14 matchups — two already played (NE-SEA and SF-LAR) — and concludes with a Monday Night Football game between Denver and Kansas City on ESPN.
- Josh Allen and the Bills (-1.5) visit the Texans at 1 PM ET on CBS, where Buffalo debuts a defense under first-time coordinator Jim Leonhard against a Houston offense that added David Montgomery and Foster Moreau; Allen has gone 13-of-34 for 201 yards with two INTs and nine sacks in two matchups when holding the ball longer than 2.5 seconds vs. Houston, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
- Lamar Jackson's Ravens (-3.5) face the Colts in his first game with new OC Declan Doyle, drawing Colts DC Lou Anarumo — under whom Jackson has thrown 10 TDs and 2 INTs while averaging 258.5 passing yards across four career meetings.
- Joe Burrow's Bengals (-3.5) host the Buccaneers, with Burrow owning a 12-3 record against NFC teams since losing Super Bowl LVI — third among QBs since 2022 behind Jalen Hurts and Jackson — against a Tampa pass rush headlined by first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. and Vita Vea.
- The Buccaneers went 0-9 ATS over their final nine games last season and now face a Cincinnati offense with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins while missing cornerback Jamel Dean.
- Analyst picks diverge on Bills-Texans — Maldonado (20-17) and Moody (23-20) take Houston, while Walder takes Buffalo (24-17) — though FPI gives the Bills just a 54.5% edge; all three pick the Ravens over the Colts with BAL at 59.8% by FPI.
- Bold predictions from Seth Walder: Bills DJ Moore held to two or fewer receptions by Derek Stingley Jr. or Kamari Lassiter, Colts RB Jonathan Taylor recording 4+ receptions against Baltimore's zone-heavy scheme under new DC Jesse Minter, and Bucs WR Chris Godwin Jr. targeted 10+ times with Mike Evans gone and Emeka Egbuka hurt.
Why it matters: Week 1 immediately tests three new coordinator pairings — Buffalo's Jim Leonhard on defense, Baltimore's Declan Doyle on offense, and Cincinnati's diversified scheme under Dan Pitcher — against quality opponents, while the Buccaneers carry a 0-9 ATS slide and the Colts a 3-14-1 ATS Week 1 mark since 2008 into games that will start defining early-season trajectories for teams with playoff aspirations.
Ask SkimNews
