Week 1: Finally

Baseball is winding down. The NBA season is over. This just isn't Tiger's year. NASCAR is preparing for its 31st Spring Cup race this season, but then again who's counting. Hockey has...wait...is the NHL still in existence?

This can only mean one thing: It's time for another NFL season.

Finally.

I have had September 10 marked on my calendar for 213 days. That's how long its been since Super Bowl XLIII when Santonio Holmes laid out and caught the winning TD catch with his shoes mere inches from the sidelines.

Since then, we have had free agency, the NFL draft, mini-camps, OTA's, the Vick Chronicles, Punter-gate in Big D, and Brett's escapades slap us in the face and tease our appetite. Now, the wait is over.

Let's dig in and get this thing started. (Predictions in BOLD)

• Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers: NBC, 8:30pm EST, Thursday Night - In Week 16 last season, Pittsburgh was trounced 31-14 in Tennessee. After the game, several Titans stomped on some unwelcome Terrible Towels. For Steeler fans, that's like using the American flag to dry your car. You better believe emotions will be high.

• Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons: CBS, 1pm EST - Remarkable stories poured out of both franchises last year. Rookie QB Matt Ryan stunned the league with this veteran ways while Miami had the greatest turnaround in history by going 11-6 one year after going 1-15. This was due much in part to the red-hot Wildcat offense which is spreading around the league. Atlanta's secondary is inexperienced.

• Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens: CBS, 1pm EST - Whoever handles NFL scheduling wasn't very friendly in welcoming Todd Haley to the coaching ranks. KC begins a new era in a city that excels in smashmouth football on both sides of the ball. KC is 3-0 in Baltimore while the Ravens have won five straight home games in September.

• Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals: CBS, 1pm EST - All the offseason drama for both teams pretty much sealed the fact that this matchup would be a candidate for aiding sleep study patients get through the night. This is coach McDaniels first chance to silence all his critics. Good luck with that.

• NY Jets at Houston Texans: CBS, 1pm EST - Expectations are sky high for this young Texans team as they have the potential to display the league's most powerful offense. Their defense is steadily becoming a unit that you can't ignore. The Jets have a new coach and scheme, and this simply isn't the place to get off the ground.

• Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts: CBS, 1pm EST - It's going to be very strange not seeing Tony Dungy command the sidelines this season. The Jim Caldwell era begins at home vs. a divisional opponent who Indy has beat 12 out of 16 times. J-town's defense will have their hands full vs. Manning and Co.

• Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers: FOX, 1pm EST - If you look on both sides of the ball, these two teams are quite similar. They both possess offenses that are capable of leaving burn marks, and their defenses have gone through transition this year but remain stable, if not dangerous, units. Philly has only lost once to Carolina.

• Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns: FOX, 1pm EST - The forecast in Cleveland is expected to be dreary, dark, and stormy...I'm not sure what the weather is going to do. All eyes will be on Brett Favre and his former boss, ex-Jets coach Eric Mangini, to see how they adapt to their new surroundings. Expect the Vikings to pillage.

• Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints: FOX, 1pm EST - With a brand new defensive scheme that emphasizes aggression, the Saints can't wait to get their hands on rookie QB Matthew Stafford. This new Detroit team from top to bottom will have a brand new look, but expect Drew Brees and the Gang to keep them humbled.

• Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: FOX, 1pm EST - Naturally, when you turn over a new leaf in life, its normal to struggle out of the gate. Tampa has also gone through a thorough transition, but there are weak links still to replace. Dallas shouldn't have any trouble exposing them as they look to continue their reputation of starting strong in September.

• San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals: FOX, 4:15pm EST - The NFC Champions begin the quest to defend their title vs. a Niners team that is slowly creeping onto everyone's radar. They still have some inexperience in areas that need maturity, but some key components seem to be in place. An upset win is not out of the question here, but I think the home crowd will make the difference.

• Washington Redskins at NY Giants: FOX, 4:15pm EST - It just wouldn't be an appropriate opening week without an NFC East battle, and I don't think this one will disappoint. The Redskins have a chip on their shoulder, especially on the throwing arm of Jason Campbell who would love to prove his worth in Week 1. This deep Giants defense probably has other ideas.
  

• St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks: FOX, 4:15pm EST - If there's a team this season that is equipped to match Detroit's dubious winless record last season, then it's the Rams. Their offense seems to always fall victim to key injuries, and the defense will be its usual susceptible self.The Seahawks are itching to show that Holmgren's absence won't affect them and Matt Hasselbeck's return will help that.
  

• Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: NBC, 8:20pm EST - It makes you salivate, doesn't it? Such a great matchup to open the post-Madden Sunday Night Football season. Packer fans would love nothing more to show Cutler he should have stayed in Denver. Both teams have effective offenses and stout defenses so it should be an exciting battle. This will be their 177th meeting -- the most meetings by two teams in history.
  

• Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: ESPN, 7pm EST, MNF - The drama continues during prime time football as the national spotlight will be on Terrell Owens in Bill Belichick territory. He will be right at home on the big stage, but we are talking about the Patriots...at home...with Brady. New England has also won 11 straight vs. the Bills.
  

• San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders: ESPN, 10:15pm EST, MNF - I don't know what to say. San Diego has a deep, full-throttle offense and a decent defense. They face an Oakland team that has neither and is in total disarray.