After four weeks of meaningless games, rosters are set, fantasy teams have been selected and the NFL finally kicks things off for real this weekend.
Starting with tonight's Super Bowl rematch between the Broncos and Panthers and running through the Monday Night Football doubleheader there are 16 games on the NFL slate and we are all better off for it.
Here's a quick primer for the week one games.
PANTHERS (-3) AT BRONCOS - Thursday 7:30 p.m.
Pick: Broncos
I think Cam Newton could repeat as NFL MVP this year and the Panthers are headed for a better year than the Broncos, but this is opening night in front of what figures to be an electric crowd in the thin air of Denver. I think the emotions of the night will help carry Denver and Trevor Siemien, who's taken one career snap at quarterback, to the win.
PACKERS (-5.5) AT JAGUARS - Sunday noon
Pick: Packers
Aaron Rodgers could be another good pick for MVP in 2016. He's still the QB I would most want to build my team around and he has his favorite weapon back in Jordy Nelson. Insiders also believe the Green Bay defense led by Clay Matthews will be closer to the dominant unit that it was during the team's last Super Bowl run than it has been in recent years.
BILLS AT RAVENS (-3) - Sunday noon
Pick: Bills
I don't know why, maybe it's the absence of Tom Brady for the first four games in New England, but I think the Bills can compete in the AFC East this year. Tyrod Taylor is an underrated quarterback and I think Rex Ryan's defense makes a big impact in year two, starting with a slight surprise win in Baltimore in week one.
BEARS AT TEXANS (-6) - Sunday noon
Pick: Texans
I'm still not sold on Brock Osweiler as the answer to the Texans quarterback problems, but I'm also not sold on Jay Cutler and the Bears. J.J. Watt and the Houston defense wrecks havoc against that Bears offensive line and opens the season with a win.
BROWNS AT EAGLES (-3.5) - Sunday noon
Pick: Eagles
Philadelphia is going with rookie Carson Wentz as its starter in week one and may feel better about him than Cleveland does with Robert Griffin III. I like Hue Jackson and think he may actually be able to turn the Browns around, but not this year. The Eagles, finally free of Chip Kelly's suffocating personality, come out of the gate strong and get a win in Doug Pederson's first game.
Buccaneers at Falcons (-3.0) - Sunday noon
Pick: Falcons
I could see this week one NFC South divisional matchup going either way, but I'm a big Dan Quinn fan. After the Falcons finished last year in a tailspin, I think they get off to a good start at home in the Georgia dome thanks to a big day from a healthy Julio Jones catching passes from Matt Ryan.
VIKINGS (-2.5) AT TITANS - Sunday noon
Pick: Titans
I really liked the Vikings coming into the year, but the injury to Teddy Bridgewater all of a sudden gives them a huge question mark at quarterback. Will it be journeyman Shaun Hill or Sam Bradford, whom the Vikes traded for last weekend, starting Sunday at Tennessee? I think that allows a pretty good front seven of the Titans to force their attention on slowing down Adrian Peterson and the new run first Titans offense will do enough to pull out the win.
BENGALS (-2.5) AT JETS - Sunday noon
Pick: Bengals
Cincinnati is coming off one of the most excruciating playoff exits in NFL history and I'm going to assume they are more than ready to put that behind them. Andy Dalton and the offense get going in a big way and Vontaze Burfict and company make amends for their January performance with a road win.
RAIDERS AT SAINTS (-1.5) - Sunday noon
Pick: Raiders
This is an easy pick for me because I think the Raiders are going to push for a playoff berth and I don't think the Saints are very good. Derek Carr is the best quarterback no one talks about in the NFL and he will carve up a Saints defense that ranked last in the league last season. The Raiders defense is also young, fast and impressive, and I think they will be able to harass Drew Brees.
CHARGERS AT CHIEFS (-6.5) Sunday noon
Pick: Chiefs
Jamaal Charles still isn't healthy, but Spencer Ware isn't a bad backup and Arrowhead Stadium will be rocking as Kansas City gets the best of San Diego in this AFC West matchup.
DOLPHINS AT SEAHAWKS (-10.0) Sunday 3 p.m.
Pick: Seahawks
Russell Wilson was on fire towards the end of last season. If his offensive line is better, the nifty QB could put up MVP-type numbers, especially without Marshawn Lynch in the backfield now. The Legion of Boom defense figures to make it a long day for Ryan Tannehill as well.
LIONS AT COLTS (-3.5) - Sunday 3:25 p.m.
Pick: Colts
I'm not sure the Colts offensive line is good enough, even with the addition of Ryan Kelly, to protect Andrew Luck all season. But Luck goes into game one healthy and he will have a big day against the Lions' secondary.
GIANTS AT COWBOYS - Sunday 3:25 p.m.
Pick: Giants
The Giants won their first four appearances at AT&T Stadium and should've improved to 5-2 at Jerry's World last year if not for a botched series at the goalline at the end of the game. They haven't forgotten. Eli Manning is poised to have a big year with his old offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo taking over for Tom Caughlin as head coach, and he will outduel rookie Dak Prescott Sunday.
PATRIOTS AT CARDINALS (-6.0) - Sunday 7:30 p.m.
Pick: Cardinals
Finally Deflategate is over. The long awaited resolution means Tom Brady is suspended for the first four games of the season and Jimmy Garoppolo will start. The Pats are high on Garoppolo, but the Cardinals defense will make it hard on him all night while Carson Palmer and Arizona's offense will look to build on the impressive numbers they put up last year.
STEELERS (-3.0) AT REDSKINS - Monday 6:10 p.m.
Pick: Steelers
Pittsburgh is my pick to win the Super Bowl because I think it's offense is close to impossible to stop with a strong running game and the league's most dangerous weapon, Antonio Brown, catching passes from Ben Roethlisberger. Kirk Cousins was much improved last year. The Redskins quarterback will need to be perfect for them to beat the Steelers.
RAMS (-2.5) AT 49ERS - Monday 9:20 p.m.
Pick: Rams
Los Angeles enters its first NFL game in more than two decades without the star quarterback it wanted. Case Keenum will start while no. 1 overall pick Jared Goff will likely be inactive for the opener. But the rest of the Rams roster is playoff-caliber, starting with star running back Todd Gurley. He'll have a big night to ruin Chip Kelly's San Francisco debut.
