Projecting the first loss of every NFL team

Fans should be excited for the season opener with Kyler Murray under center and Kliff Kingsbury's new offense, but the Arizona Cardinals have some major issues to start the year on defense with Patrick Peterson's suspension and Robert Alford's injury. The Lions are expected to be a balanced offense, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Matthew Stafford threw early and often in Week 1.

Atlanta has plenty of offensive talent, but the question is whether the defense can rebound from last season. The Falcons enter the year healthy, which is a start, but a visit to Minnesota is a tough challenge. The Vikings can get ample pass rush, especially at home, and are expected to display a more balanced offense this season. Running back Dalvin Cook has looked impressive during the preseason, and Kirk Cousins has even better weapons than last year after the Vikings drafted tight end Irv Smith Jr.

Baltimore has a favorable schedule to open the year, at Miami and vs. Arizona, before heading out to K.C. for the Chiefs home opener. The Ravens nearly pulled out the upset at Kansas City late last season but have lost significant talent on defense since then. The Chiefs have also added significant talent in their front seven that should help stop a run-heavy Baltimore offense led by quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The Bills will try out the offensive toys they added in the offseason in Week 1 at New York. Of course, the Jets have added plenty of offensive firepower of their own, and head coach Adam Gase is looking to make a strong debut with his new team. Quarterback Josh Allen is difficult to defense with his great running ability and a big arm, but the Jets might have too many strong weapons at home with sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold, Le'Veon Bell and wideout Robby Anderson.

Cam Newton suffered a foot injury in the preseason that could already hinder him early in the year, and that's not a great sign in a game when the Panthers will need all the points they can get. L.A. was one of the league's most prolific offenses last year and is happy to have wideout Cooper Kupp back from knee surgery. Todd Gurley also enters the year healthy, albeit on a limited workload, and the Rams defense looks even better on paper after adding veterans Eric Weddle and Clay Matthews.

The Bears have a tough rivalry game in Week 1 when they face the Packers to start the year, but they shouldn't overlook Week 2 at Denver either. Denver has always been one of the toughest places in the NFL to play due to the altitude and crowd noise, and the Broncos will have extra motivation with head coach Vic Fangio trying to knock off his former team. The Broncos have plenty of talent on defense and could pull this one out if new quarterback Joe Flacco can take care of the ball against Chicago's star-studded defense.

It could be a long year for new head coach Zac Taylor, as the Cincinnati defense has a lot of the same personnel issues that it did last year. The Bengals allowed 4.7 yards per carry last season, which is a bad recipe against a potent, run-heavy Seahawks offense on the road. Cincinnati will also be without star wideout A.J. Green to start the year, making Andy Dalton's job even more difficult.

Cleveland has been the talk of the offseason, but the first half of its schedule is rough. If the Browns can get past Tennessee and the Jets in the first two weeks, they have the defending NFC champion Rams waiting for them. It could be a fun offensive matchup with stars like Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley flashing. Ultimately, the Rams defense could make the difference, particularly its strong secondary.

Will the Cowboys have Ezekiel Elliott to start the season? Will they really need him? Dallas has an easy opening schedule with division opponents New York and Washington before hosting the Dolphins. They're likely to be 3-0 when they visit New Orleans in a rough matchup. The Cowboys were able to take down the Saints last year in an offensive struggle, but playing at the Superdome could be different. Dak Prescott will need to be at his best, as stopping the run was New Orleans' biggest defensive strength last season.

The Broncos underwent some big changes in the offseason, including the addition of head coach Vic Fangio. They visit Oakland in a "Monday Night Football" tilt to start the year before hosting Chicago, and both of those games could be toss-ups. There's still a real chance Fangio could start his head coaching career 2-0 due to Denver's strong defense, but a win at Green Bay in Week 3 is probably asking for too much. New quarterback Joe Flacco has struggled in recent seasons with Baltimore and doesn't have the offensive line to hold off Green Bay's improved pass rush personnel.

The Lions have a shot to start the year with a win at Arizona, but their home opener against the Chargers is a tougher task. L.A. has Super Bowl hopes this season, as it continues to look strong on both sides of the ball. Detroit does have the offensive personnel to expose the absence of star safety Derwin James, but the defense might not have enough in the secondary to keep Philip Rivers down. Matthew Stafford will need to have a strong game after struggling for much of last year.

The Matt LaFleur era begins on national television at Chicago. The Packers had a tough time when they visited Soldier Field late last season, and most of Chicago's defensive personnel returns despite the loss of coordinator Vic Fangio. Aaron Rodgers will need to be at his best to pull out a road victory, as he was in an epic come-from-behind victory against the Bears at Lambeau Field in Week 1 last year.

Houston's Week 1 assignment can't get much tougher with a visit to the Saints. It's a nightmare scenario for a maligned offensive line in a loud dome, and the Texans also lost starting running back Lamar Miller for the year due to a knee injury. Deshaun Watson will certainly have his work cut out for him, as will Houston's defense against the talented Saints offense.

Vegas doesn't think too highly of the change at quarterback from Andrew Luck to Jacoby Brissett, and it won't take long to find out what Brissett has with a visit to the Chargers in Week 1. Brissett does have some impressive weapons and an outstanding offensive line, but he will need to be at his best early with a strong Chargers defense and Philip Rivers at home. This game could be closer than some expect, but a win in this matchup would be a lot to ask, even if Indy still had Luck.

Jaguars fans couldn't be more excited about the switch at quarterback from Blake Bortles to Nick Foles this season, and he could get a chance to expose a Chiefs defense that saw major offseason changes. However, the Jags saw significant offseason losses in the front seven on defense and were outsmarted by Andy Reid's game plan at Arrowhead Stadium last year. Reid and Patrick Mahomes should have more tricks up their sleeves this year.

Kansas City has a winnable early schedule against Jacksonville, Oakland, Baltimore, Detroit, Indy and Houston. The Chiefs would have lost at Denver last season if not for the late-game heroics of Patrick Mahomes. It's always a tough visit for any team given the altitude and crowd noise, and the Broncos still have elite defensive personnel. The key to stopping Mahomes has been pressure, and the Broncos are certainly capable with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. The question will be whether the running game and Joe Flacco have enough to keep up with K.C.'s offense, but the Mile High backdrop will certainly help.

The Chargers have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations and should be able to get off on the right foot with an opening five games against the Colts, Lions, Texans, Dolphins and Broncos. Hosting the Steelers in Week 6 presents a big challenge, with a team that matches up similarly. Pittsburgh is hoping it has fixed last year's defensive issues after drafting linebacker Devin Bush. The continued absence of Chargers safety Derwin James could finally be exposed against a Steelers team with a capable tight end in Vance McDonald, along with Ben Roethlisberger's ability to read defenses. 

The reigning NFC champs have some major challenges early in the schedule, which opens at Carolina, vs. New Orleans and then at Cleveland. It will be difficult to win all three of those contests, but if the team can survive, a visit to Seattle in Week 5 could be its downfall. The Seahawks played the Rams tough last season and have calmed the pass-rush fears by acquiring Jadeveon Clowney. An elite running attack can keep L.A. off the field enough to earn a close win.

Miami is in fire sale mode after trading Laremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills and Kiko Alonso one week before the season begins. Baltimore's defense is also in transition but should have enough talent to defeat a Dolphins squad that has sold off two major offensive pieces. Ryan Fitzpatrick is unlikely to have enough magic to do it all himself.

Minnesota is favored at home vs. Atlanta in Week 1, but that's unlikely to be the case at Lambeau Field in Week 2. The teams played to a 29-29 tie in the same week and location last year, but the Packers are hoping they've fixed their offense with new coaching. Aaron Rodgers has the potential to wreak havoc at home despite the Vikings great defensive talent.

New England's path to yet another AFC East title got a little easier with Miami's fire sale. The early schedule looks easy for the Patriots if they can get over Pittsburgh in their home opener. They then visit Miami, play the Jets at home and then go to Buffalo and Washington. That's followed by the Giants at home and then a visit to the Jets in Week 7. Adam Gase took down New England as Miami's head coach last year, albeit on a miracle play, but he's proved he can coach his team up to compete with the champs. The expectation is that the Jets will be improved with Sam Darnold in his second season.

New Orleans is heavily favored in Week 1 vs. Houston, but a visit to the Rams in Week 2 will be far more challenging. The Saints have revenge in mind after a no-call ended their season in the NFC championship, but it's easier said than done on the road against a Rams squad that should be healthy early in the year. Exposing the Rams secondary will be more difficult following the addition of Eric Weddle, and operating without Sheldon Rankins at defensive tackle early in the year will hurt the Saints run defense.

It could be a long year for the Giants, who open the season at Dallas. They've lost significant talent on both sides of the ball during the offseason, and it seems like only a matter of time before the team benches Eli Manning for rookie Daniel Jones. The Cowboys run defense was among the best in the league last year and could give Saquon Barkley trouble, especially now that Dallas doesn't have to worry about a Giants deep threat.

Adam Gase opens his Jets tenure at home against Buffalo. If he can get past that division rivalry, Week 2 will be even more challenging. Cleveland was the talk of the offseason after several notable personnel moves, including adding Odell Beckham Jr., and the Browns have a ferocious pass rush led by Myles Garrett. Sam Darnold and Le'Veon Bell should have some good days this season, but their second game of the season will be one of their toughest.

Vegas sees the opener between Oakland and Denver as a pick'em. It's worth noting how many young players the Raiders will be rolling out in Week 1, led by first-round picks Josh Jacobs, Clelin Ferrell and Johnathan Abram. Youthful teams like the Raiders usually get better as the year progresses, and the Broncos still have a strong defense led by Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. The Broncos running game should be able to provide enough offense against a talented but raw front seven.

Philadelphia's opener vs. Washington looks like a gimme given the Redskins offensive personnel issues, but Week 2 will be the opposite. The Eagles have to go on the road to face a talented Falcons offense led by Matt Ryan and Julio Jones. Philadelphia's secondary was regularly exposed last year, albeit partially due to injuries, but its defensive line is also in transition. The team could need a heroic performance from Carson Wentz to reach 2-0.

Pittsburgh has high hopes for 2019, but its opening assignment couldn't be much tougher. New England is beatable at home, especially with the issues it has at receiver entering the season, but it certainly won't be easy. Ben Roethlisberger has proved over the years that he can carry his team, and he might have to do that early on without Antonio Brown.

San Francisco has a bright outlook for 2019 and a dream opening schedule. The Niners face cellar dwellers Tampa Bay and Cincinnati in the first two weeks, albeit on the road. If Jimmy Garoppolo can avoid turnovers, the 49ers should have a good shot at going 2-0 to start the year. Week 3 won't be nearly as easy when San Francisco hosts Pittsburgh in its home opener. The Steelers offense is capable of testing the new faces on the 49ers defense and also creating takeaways from Garoppolo, who has shown some inconsistency in the preseason.

Seattle is heavily favored in Week 1 vs. Cincinnati, but that probably won't be the case on the road at Pittsburgh in Week 2. The Seahawks were just 3-5 on the road last season and will be without star defensive tackle Jarran Reed for the first six games of the year. They'll need to get a significant pass rush against a strong Steelers offensive line on the road. The Seahawks also have a shortage at receiver for Russell Wilson after losing Doug Baldwin to retirement.

The Bucs start the Bruce Arians era against San Francisco. It could be Jameis Winston's final chance, but Week 1 won't be easy with new acquisition Dee Ford coming off the edge for the 49ers. Once again, Tampa Bay's running back picture looks murky, and the team still has some major personnel issues on defense.

Tennessee dominated on the ground late last season and has given Marcus Mariota more weapons this year with Adam Humphries, A.J. Brown and a healthy Delanie Walker. Unfortunately, left tackle Taylor Lewan is suspended, and it's poor timing against the Browns elite defensive line. Cleveland won the offseason and leads this matchup, on paper.

Washington could be in for a long year, with Case Keenum opening the season at quarterback and rookie Dwayne Haskins likely replacing him at some point. The Redskins are likely to be without left tackle Trent Williams due to a holdout, making matters worse. They enter Philadelphia as heavy underdogs against an explosive offense.