NFL kicks off new season with full weekend of games

Tampa Bay at Atlanta

Noon, DirecTV/709

Line: Falcons by 2  1/2

Bucs look to crawl out of the NFC South basement in quarterback Jameis Winston’s second year and Dirk Koetter’s first as head coach. The Falcons and QB Matt Ryan, who had his lowest touchdown total (21) since his rookie year, hope to get a home division win against the team that has finished fourth in the South for five consecutive seasons.

Buffalo at Baltimore

Noon, DirecTV/705

Line: Ravens by 3

Rex Ryan takes his No. 1-ranked rushing attack from last year (152 yards per game) to Baltimore, which is coming off its worst year since coach John Harbaugh and QB Joe Flacco arrived in 2008. The Ravens boast the eighth-ranked defense from 2015 and will have Flacco and wide receiver Steve Smith back from season-ending injuries.

Chicago at Houston

Noon, DirecTV/710

Line: Texans by 5 1/2

Despite a less-than-stellar 6-10 record, the Bears won five of eight contests on the road a season ago. They will travel to Houston minus running back Matt Forte, who accounted for 29 percent of their offense over the past eight years. The Texans roll out their new offense, equipped with $72 million QB Brock Osweiler and $26 million RB Lamar Miller.

Green Bay at Jacksonville

Noon, KDFW/4

Line: Packers by 5

The Jags haven’t won an opener since 2011 or amassed more than five wins since 2010. However, hopes are high behind an explosive offense led by QB Blake Bortles, who threw for 35 TDs in 2015. Their legitimacy as a playoff contender will be tested early against the Packers, who are getting WR Jordy Nelson back from a year-long injury.

San Diego at Kansas City

Noon, DirecTV/706

Line: Chiefs by 6 1/2

Important AFC South matchup in a division that appears to be up for grabs. The Chargers were only able to muster six total points against the Chiefs in two 2015 matchups. A win against a division foe would certainly help the Chiefs, whose next three opponents all had winning records in 2015.

Oakland at New Orleans

Noon, DirecTV/712

Line: Saints by 1 1/2

Saints QB Drew Brees remains at the helm for the league’s second-ranked offense from a year ago. However, the Saints’ 31st- ranked defense will have their hands full with a young Raiders offense led by Derek Carr who passed for 32 TDs and 3,987 yards in 2015 and hopes to lead Oakland to its first winning season since 2002.

Cincinnati at New York Jets

Noon, DirecTV/707

Line: Bengals by 2 1/2

Matchup of two teams that ranked in the top half of the league on offense and defense in 2015 before both seasons ended in major disappointment. Bengals QB Andy Dalton is coming back from a season-ending right thumb injury. Jets will start the season with five of six games against 2015 playoff teams.

Cleveland at Philadelphia

Noon, KTVT/11

Line: Eagles by 3 1/2

Both teams have a new head coach and starting QB. Former No. 2 pick QB Robert Griffin III begins his Browns career after not taking a snap last season in Washington. Current No. 2 pick Carson Wentz will start the opener against the team that traded the No. 2 pick to the Eagles, who then used the pick to draft him.

Minnesota at Tennessee

Noon, DirecTV/713

Line: Vikings by 3

The Vikings will start journeyman Shaun Hill at quarterback, despite giving up a first- and fourth-round pick for QB Sam Bradford eight days before the opening contest. No matter who handles the snaps, running back Adrian Peterson will shoulder the load against the Titans. Tennessee has put a lot of stock in second-year QB Marcus Mariota and newly acquired RB DeMarco Murray.

Miami at Seattle

3:05 p.m., DirecTV/714

Line: Seahawks by 10 1/2

Adam Gase makes his debut as the Dolphins’ head coach. QB Ryan Tannehill looks to reach the playoffs for the first time in his five-year career. Russell Wilson flexes a 27-5 career record at home as the Seahawks look to replace the production of Super Bowl-winning and Pro Bowl RB Marshawn Lynch, who retired in the off-season.

NY Giants at Dallas

3:25 P.M. , KDFW/4

Line: Push

Rookie QB Dak Prescott and rookie RB Ezekiel Elliot look to provide a spark against a Giants defense that boasts a host of improved starters from a year ago. This contest marks four out of five years that the ’Boys will open the season against the Giants, with Dallas taking the past three contests.

Detroit at Indianapolis

3:25 p.m., DirecTV/716

Line: Colts by 3

Two playoff teams in 2014 are now looking to rebound after missing the postseason last year. Detroit comes with the ninth-ranked passing attack against Indy’s 24th-ranked pass defense. But Detroit will be without retired WR Calvin Johnson while Indy will have QB Andrew Luck back after missing the last seven games of 2015 with abdominal injuries.

New England at Arizona

7:30 p.m., KXAS/5

Line: Cardinals by 6

For the first time since 2001, someone other than Tom Brady will start at quarterback in a Patriots season opener. Jimmy Garoppolo steps into a matchup of two teams that lost their respective conference championship games last season. Arizona returns key starters that helped to achieve a top-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense last season.

This story was originally published September 10, 2016 at 7:19 PM with the headline "NFL kicks off new season with full weekend of games."