NFL Week 1 Pick ‘Em: Will Cowboys spoil Giants optimism?

The 2026-27 NFL season is off to the races, and while the Super Bowl favourite Los Angeles Rams may have stumbled out of the gate, we’re back to help keep your picks up and running throughout the season.

Week 1 is jam-packed with divisional matchups, head-coaching debuts and franchises that have done serious remodelling.

Here is everything to note in your predictions as football returns for another 18-week marathon.

Josh Allen rolls into Houston looking to exorcise some demons. He is 1-4 all-time against the Texans, with the lone win coming at home.

That said, with the addition of wide receiver DJ Moore and offensive coordinator Joe Brady taking over as head coach, the Bills' offence is taking steps in a positive direction.

But the real changes came on defence after former head coach Sean McDermott was ousted along with defensive coordinator Bobby Babich. Enter Jim Leonhard, who has flipped the scheme on its head in hopes of creating a more explosive and unpredictable group.

Caleb Williams and the Bears surprised many last season when they captured the NFC North and lost by a field goal to the Rams in the divisional round. Now they're reloaded and ready for another run in 2026.

Bryce Young and the Panthers also shocked many last year when they rebounded mid-season to claim the NFC South and lost by a field goal to the Rams in the wild-card round. They've also retooled and are ready for another push in 2026.

Sneakily one of the best matchups of Week 1, this will be a closer game than many expect. But the Bears will be fighting for a hot start to their much tougher path as they aim to defend their division title.

Baker Mayfield was reportedly just as surprised as the rest of the league that his new three-year, $165-million deal was inching closer to reality. With those distractions now aside the Buccaneers can return their focus to the field, where the loss of future hall-of-famer Mike Evans is set to sting.

But the Bengals defence was among the worst in the NFL in a lot of categories in 2025-26, which will not surprise Mayfield or his new offensive coordinator Zach Robinson who will be ready to take shots at will.

Bengals head coach Zach Taylor is well aware that his seat is one of the hottest in the league and has more than enough power on offence to win games but can the Bengals rebound enough on the defensive side to support a healthy Joe Burrow?

The hook is sitting in Tampa Bay’s favour in what is sure to be a high-scoring game.

A new era begins in Baltimore as head coach Jesse Minter will lead the Ravens onto the field for the first time. But all eyes will be on Lamar Jackson, who is coming off an injury-riddled season. With a freshly signed Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry showing no signs of losing horsepower in the backfield and an able-bodied Jackson, the Ravens are still the betting favourites to win an evolving AFC North.