Posted 15 hours ago | By Chris Mueller
There was no guarantee it would get here, much less on time, but the 2020 NFL season will start as planned Thursday night when the Chiefs open their defense of last year’s title against the Texans. There will be minimal or no fans in the stands, at least to start the season, and the absence of preseason games makes it likely that the early weeks are filled with sloppy play and miscues aplenty. Teams returning the largest percentage of their rosters from last season figure to have an advantage over those with lots of turnover, at least early on. With all that in mind, let’s take a look at the games.
Weekly point spreads are from BetOnline.ag, and are current as of 10 p.m. ET Thursday.
NOTE: Pick with spread is in bold.1 of 16
HOUSTON AT KANSAS CITY (Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
TV: NBC Line: Kansas City – 9
What you need to know: The Chiefs are the reigning Super Bowl champions, and they may have gotten even better this off-season. Patrick Mahomes‘ contract was record-setting, but also team-friendly enough to allow Kansas City to keep stars like Chris Jones on long-term contracts. Kansas City also grabbed a running back tailor-made for their offense, LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire, with the final pick of the first round. The Texans took care of their quarterback too, with Deshaun Watson signing an extension this past weekend, but Watson no longer has DeAndre Hopkins on the receiving end of so many of his passes.
On the spot: Texans RB David Johnson . Hopkins’ personality clash with head coach Bill O’Brien resulted in a trade that most observers felt was massively lopsided against Houston. The only way that won’t be true is if Johnson can stay healthy and regain his 2016 form. If he doesn’t, Houston is in trouble.
Chiefs G Andrew Wylie: Wylie, an undrafted free agent in 2017, ended up winning the starting job at right guard after Laurent Duvernay-Tardif chose to opt out of this season because of COVID-19 concerns. The Texans may be inclined to work J.J. Watt inside on Wylie to test him early.
The pick: Chiefs 38 Texans 23
SEATTLE AT ATLANTA (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
TV: FOX Line: Seattle -2
What you need to know: Russell Wilson still doesn’t have an MVP vote in his career, somehow. Despite that, there is a strong case to be made that he’s the best quarterback in the NFL (non-Patrick Mahomes category). Seattle’s success or failure is predicated on what Wilson does, but their offense could take flight if D.K. Metcalf can build on his very solid (58 receptions, 900 yards, seven touchdowns) rookie season. Atlanta begins the year with Dan Quinn very much on the hot seat, as a 6-2 finish is the only reason he kept his job after a 7-9 campaign.
On the spot: Seahawks S Jamal Adams . Adams came over from the Jets in a blockbuster trade, and he’ll have to get to work immediately against an offense that can light things up in the passing game if Matt Ryan gets hot. The Seahawks paid a heavy price for Adams, so an immediate return on investment would be a welcome sign.
Falcons LB Dante Fowler: Fowler was brought in to shore up a pass rush that was non-existent in 2019, as Atlanta’s 28 sacks were second-worst in the NFL. Fowler had a career-best 11.5 sacks with the Rams last year, and he’ll need to be at least that good in a division that features Tom Brady and Drew Brees.
The pick: Seahawks 31 Falcons 27
NY JETS AT BUFFALO (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
TV: CBS Line: Buffalo -6.5
What you need to know: Are the Jets finally going to take some steps forward this season? The off-season provided little encouragement in that regard, with Jamal Adams being traded – though that could work out long-term for New York – and Adam Gase dealing with rumors that his job could be in jeopardy, particularly if the Jets stumble out of the gate. Buffalo has the most complete roster in the AFC East, and one of the most complete in the NFL. The million-dollar question in Buffalo is whether or not Josh Allen can improve enough as a passer to make the Bills truly dangerous.
On the spot: Jets RB Le’Veon Bell . Gase brought in Frank Gore this offseason, and is evidently a big fan of his. Bell is still the best running back on the roster by a wide margin, and after a miserable 2019, has plenty to prove this year.
Bills QB Josh Allen: It’s pretty simple for Buffalo; if Allen can continue some positive trends that emerged in year two (touchdowns doubled from 10 to 20, interceptions dropped from 12 to 9) the Bills should win the AFC East. If he regresses, they’re in big trouble.
The pick: Bills 23 Jets 17
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