RAVENS at BRONCOS, 4:25 p.m.

Outlook: Denver is a really good home team and is 41-13-1 (.759) in home openers, best in the league. That alone makes this a risky upset call, one that has me wondering. But the Ravens also rise up strong in big road games under John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco, and Gary Kubiak is 1-5 as a head coach vs. Baltimore. Call it a gut-level hunch.

Television: CBS

Prediction: Ravens, 27-24

PANTHERS at JAGUARS, 1 p.m.

Outlook: These teams haven’t met since 2011, providing an added layer of unpredictability, at least. Cam Newton doesn’t have a lot of threats to work with, but his defense will keep him out of a lot of shootouts. Jacksonville is piling up a fair amount of young talent but still is a ways from being competitive.

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Prediction: Panthers, 21-16

DOLPHINS at WASHINGTON, 1 p.m.,

Outlook: I think the Dolphins could be really good, and I haven’t thought that in a long while. Washington fans, on the other hand, have more concerns than just a racist team nickname. They also have a bad team. They have no idea what to do with Robert Griffin III, so Kirk Cousins, who is 2-7 as a starting QB, gets the call. That’s too bad for him, because Miami’s Ndamukong Suh-infused pass rush will crush him.

Prediction: Dolphins, 34-13

PACKERS at BEARS, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Chicago is one of the seven teams with a new coach, but I wouldn’t want to be John Fox in this opener. Jay Cutler is 1-10 in his career vs. Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers’ defense seems to bring out all the interception-proneness in Cutler.

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Television: FOX

Prediction: Packers, 31-20

CHIEFS at TEXANS, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Like the Chiefs in a small upset. They were the NFL’s only unbeaten team in preseason, Jeremy Maclin adds a needed pop to the offense, and Andy Reid is 5-0 vs. the Texans. Houston still has J.J. Watt and that big defense, but it also has Brian Hoyer at quarterback and is missing Arian Foster (groin).

Prediction: Chiefs, 19-17

BROWNS at JETS, 1 p.m.

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Outlook: Todd Bowles makes his Jets coaching debut in a game that should be short on points, courtesy of two weak offenses piloted by Browns QB Josh McCown and Jets journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Prediction: Jets, 17-13

COLTS at BILLS, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Buffalo is a trendy upset pick as a new coach, blowhard Rex Ryan, and a new running back, LeSean McCoy, take on the Bills’ NFL-worst 15-year playoff drought. Buffalo’s big defense makes for a tempting pick, but I keep getting back to this: A fully blossomed Andrew Luck vs. the first career start of Tyrod Taylor.

Television: CBS

Prediction: Colts, 24-20

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SEAHAWKS at RAMS, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Seattle has won four of the last five in this division series, though the teams split last year. A winless St. Louis preseason did not inspire upset hopes.

Prediction: Seahawks, 24-16

SAINTS at CARDINALS, 4:05 p.m.

Outlook: Carson Palmer is 10-2 in home starts for Arizona, and New Orleans gave up 121 points in an 0-4 preseason, its defensive problems obviously not fixed.

Prediction: Cardinals, 27-23

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LIONS at CHARGERS, 4:05 p.m.

Outlook: Chargers recommitted to QB Philip Rivers, whose biggest concern is that rookie Melvin Gordon gives him the ground complement he recently lacked. Detroit will suffer the loss of Ndamukong Suh. Rivers will take advantage.

Prediction: Chargers, 24-20

TITANS at BUCCANEERS, 4:25 p.m.

Outlook: The rookie QB duel of Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota alone makes it compelling. I’d watch. The draft’s Nos. 1-2 picks and past two Heisman winners will be compared all their careers, and it starts here. Mariota had the more encouraging preseason, but Winston has the slight edge in surrounding talent, and he’s home.

Prediction: Buccaneers, 21-17

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BENGALS at RAIDERS, 4:25 p.m.

Outlook: I give new Raiders coach Jack Del Rio a fair upset shot. But remember, Cincinnati is a solid regular-season team that doesn’t start its choking until the playoffs.

Prediction: Bengals, 28-21

GIANTS at COWBOYS, 8:30 p.m.

Outlook: You don’t get many better division rivalries in Week 1. Dallas won the NFC East last year, and no team has repeated in that division since 2004. The Cowboys have beaten the Giants four straight, but both were competitive last year.

Prediction: Cowboys, 30-27

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MONDAY’S GAMES

EAGLES at FALCONS, 7:10 p.m.

Outlook: Chip Kelly’s goosed-up Philly offense, now run by Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray, scored 133 points in four exhibition games. Meanwhile, the Falcons again figure to be better with the ball than they are stopping it as they debut under new coach Dan Quinn.

Television: ESPN

Prediction: Eagles, 34-27

VIKINGS at 49ERS, 10:20 p.m.

Outlook: Minnesota looked good in August and has Adrian Peterson back. And San Francisco has lightweight coach Jim Tomsula replacing Jim Harbaugh after a chaotic offseason wrought with unexpected retirements and legal calamities. But I have a strong hunch that a Monday home opener will be the perfect stage for Colin Kaepernick and crew to declare they aren’t done yet.

Television: ESPN

Prediction: 49ers, 23-20


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