Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is officially HERE, and man, is it a wild start! We’re talking football spread across four different days, with a Super Bowl rematch already in the books from Wednesday and some Australia football action on Thursday. But for the full Sunday slate, our eyes are locked on the Los Angeles Chargers, who are set to unleash a new-look offense on the Arizona Cardinals.
Mike McDaniel’s Chargers Are Ready To Roll
Get ready for a statement game out in the 4:25 p.m. ET window this Sunday, streaming live on Paramount+! The experts are practically screaming “blowout” for the Chargers versus Cardinals matchup. CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco is totally bought in, picking the Chargers to cover that hefty -10.5 spread. He’s not just saying they’ll win, he’s saying their new offense under Mike McDaniel is gonna get UNLEASHED! Prisco sees a run-heavy attack designed to spring Justin Herbert for some massive play-action shots. That’s a combo that can absolutely shred defenses.
On the other side, the Cardinals are rolling with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. Prisco’s assessment is blunt: this game “has the look of a blowout.” The betting odds started with the Chargers at -11.5, showing just how much belief there is in them. Most of the CBS Sports crew, including Jared Dubin, Ryan Wilson, John Breech, Tyler Sullivan, and Jamey Eisenberg, are all backing the Chargers to cover that big number. Only Dave Richard is picking the Cardinals. When that many experts are lined up, you know something big is brewing for the Bolts in Week 1.
The NFC North’s Sneaky Sleeper Is Coming For The Packers
Shifting gears to an NFC North clash also kicking off at 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+, the Green Bay Packers are only favored by -1.5 against the Minnesota Vikings. But hold up, because Pete Prisco is absolutely NOT on the Packers hype train this year. In fact, he straight up called their offseason “one of the worst offseasons in the NFL.” Talk about a take!
He’s got solid reasons too: the Packers’ star running back is on the commissioner’s exempt list, their star pass rusher is on the PUP list, and they lost their most reliable wide receiver in free agency. Add in some serious concerns around Jordan Love’s offensive line, and you can see why Prisco’s hesitant. Meanwhile, Prisco is going back and forth on whether the Minnesota Vikings are actually a legitimate sleeper in the NFC. People are totally forgetting these guys went 9-8 last year with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback AND had a top-three defense! Now imagine Kyler Murray, in his first action as a Viking, playing “point guard” and running Kevin O’Connell’s system. He’s got a “great trio of wideouts to utilize, plus a nice one-two punch at running back” with Jordan Mason getting a lot of love.
Prisco isn’t saying Murray lights it up instantly, but he sees a low-scoring affair. With a spread this tight and that much skepticism around Green Bay, the Vikings could definitely shock some folks this Sunday.
Man, Week 1 is always wild, and with these kinds of matchups, we’re definitely in for some fireworks. The experts at SportsLine, whose model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times and is up almost $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception, are all over these games. Whether it’s a Chargers blowout or a Vikings upset, this is what early season football is all about. Get ready, because the rest of the Sunday slate and Monday Night Football are gonna be epic!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply