Football is back! Expert NFL picks, fantasy advice and all the Week 1 essentials you need
And, the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs still look like title contenders, easily dispatching the Houston Texans, 34-20, in Thursday night's NFL season opener.
Patrick Mahomes -- two months after signing a record contract extension -- threw for three touchdowns. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a breakout game in his NFL debut.
(Raise your hand if you chose Edwards-Helaire in your fantasy football draft and are now feeling some sense of joy. ✋)
About last night: Chiefs 34, Texans 20 -- Mahomes and the Chiefs' high-octane offense delivered as Kansas City looked every bit like a team preparing for another run at the Super Bowl.
Game of the week: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints -- For the first time in NFL history, both starting quarterbacks are 40 years old or older. New Buccaneers QB Tom Brady is 43; Saints QB Drew Brees is 41. Brees and Brady are also 1-2 in career passing yards and touchdowns. Both are vying for one last shot at Super Bowl glory. So both teams will strive to get off to a strong start.
Sneaky-Good Game of the Week: Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons -- While the Seahawks have their sights on Super Bowl LV, the Falcons -- who had a strong 6-2 second half in 2019 -- are looking to contend in the NFC South. These teams sure know each other well, too, for this is the fifth meeting in five seasons between the two.
Suicide Pool Game of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants -- Ben Roethlisberger is back after missing nearly all of the 2019 season and his return has Pittsburgh thinking Super Bowl. The Giants are debuting a new head coach -- Joe Judge -- and a new opening week starting quarterback -- Daniel Jones -- after the retirement of Eli Manning, who was drafted in the same year (2004) as Big Ben. This sure seems like a big win for Pittsburgh.
- PHOTOS: Chiefs-Texans kick off 2020 season
- OPINION: Season opener was bigger than just football
- Winners and losers from the NFL season opener
- Texans don't take field for national anthem
- PHOTOS: Fans attend season opener at Arrowhead Stadium
Dak Prescott opens up on depression
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott opened up about seeking help for anxiety and depression following the suicide of his brother.
Prescott also explained why he decided to go public about his mental health issues.
"Before I can lead, I have to make sure my mind is in the right place to do that and lead people to where they want to be," Prescott said. "I think that it’s important to be vulnerable, to be genuine and to be transparent."
Prescott going public with his mental health struggles drew criticism from television loudmouth Skip Bayless, who said he didn't have sympathy for the Cowboys QB.
Week 1: Pigskin prognostications
- Week 1 picks: USA TODAY Sports' panel of experts has provided fans with the great public service of making prognostications for every game this weekend.
- Lorenzo's Locks: USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes has the three best bets to consider this weekend.
- 2020 season predictions: USA TODAY Sports experts weigh in with their choices for Super Bowl LV champion, playoff teams and individual award winners.
- Why your favorite team can -- and can't -- win the Super Bowl: In a league with as much parity as the NFL, every team has a chance.
- Coaches on the hot seat: As the 2020 season commences, these five head coaches are already on the hot seat.
- Power rankings: See how all 32 teams stack up heading into the new season.
Fantasy football: Get your lineup right
Of course you want to start the fresh season off with a win. We're here to help. Our fantasy football experts have valuable advice to get the most out of your lineup.
- 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 Ben Roethlisberger fall into after missing almost all of last season?
- Breakout players for 2020: Count Broncos QB Drew Lock and Bills RB Devin Singletary among those poised for big fantasy seasons.
Week 1 schedule
(All times Eastern)
Thursday
Sunday
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Football Team, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Las Vegas Raiders at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (CBS)
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. (FOX)
Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints, 4:25 p.m. (FOX)
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants, 7:10 p.m. (ESPN)
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos, 10:20 p.m. (ESPN)
NFL Facebook group: Join now!
Football season is back! And, 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. Sign up now!
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.