N.F.L. Week 1 Predictions: Our Picks Against the Spread

Cardinals at 49ers, 4:25 p.m., Fox

Line: 49ers -7 | Total: 47

The Cardinals were inconsistent last season, but they played their best in two games against the 49ers, giving the eventual N.F.C. champions a run for their money in both meetings. And that was before Arizona added wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who joins the aging Larry Fitzgerald in one of the more intimidating tandems in the N.F.L.

The 49ers, with center Weston Richburg expected to miss the first few weeks and wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk both working their way back from injuries, are less predictable than usual. Those absences, combined with a Super Bowl hangover, make a full touchdown point spread seem a bit generous, even in a game they should be expected to win. Pick: Cardinals +7

Cowboys at Rams, 8:20 p.m., NBC

Line: Cowboys -3 | Total: 51.5

Two of the most disappointing teams in the N.F.L. last season will square off in prime time, with the vultures circling around both to pick apart their performances. Can Coach Mike McCarthy do more with Dallas’s loaded offense? Can Coach Sean McVay rebound from a 9-7 season that took a lot of the shine off his star?

The biggest problem for Los Angeles is roster turnover. Running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Brandin Cooks are gone, and the team’s defense, even after adding cornerback Jalen Ramsey last season, has never seemed to click. With Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott motivated to make up for last season’s disaster, the Cowboys should be able to start the McCarthy era off with a road win. Pick: Cowboys -3

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/sports/football/nfl-picks-week-1.html