Pittsburgh starts under strength minus C Pouncey (ankle), RB Bell (suspension) and K Suisham (knee), lumping a ton on QB Roethlisberger to hit receivers alongside an inexperienced defence. Add early season bumbles against a Pats side commencing with a SB celebration and it'll surprise if they can turn over a fervent home crowd.
New England is also crocked with RB Blount (suspension) out, WRs Edelman and LaFell both queries, and QB Brady no cert. That leaves Garoppolo under centre and they're traditionally a slow starter. They're over-matched in the secondary and can't be banked for points if Brady misses (taking his 4 week suspension for deflategate to court), but with the Gronk a force, if the DL get to Big Ben they can edge a 2-2 split all grounds since '07 particularly given the visitor's win at Foxboro in '08 is the only success there from five this century.
New England by 17

Chicago has weapons when checked in via Forte and Jeffery but any chance rests with how QB Cutler fronts. He's capable of wiping out a defence but is inconsistent and can go dog. A new year and fresh coach might help but if he's chasing a total which is likely with Rodgers aiming up on the Bears secondary, don't hold your breath.
Green Bay begin minus top target Nelson but they've plenty of receiver depth and you wouldn't go against the scramble and bullet of QB Rodgers considering they've averaged 42 against this host the last three meetings. They've chalked an average of 42 the last three meetings and if Matthews and Peppers force turnovers out of Cutler they're set to extend on 9-1 the last half decade, 5-0 at Soldier Field that period.
Green Bay by 7

Houston starts without RB Foster (groin) sticking pressure on QBs Hoyer and Mallett to produce from the arm, and while WR Hopkins brings highlight plays you'd query the supply. It points to a grind with turnovers key but if with DT Wilfork stuffing the run and Watt and Clowney off the edge they might be up to gritting past this visitor.
It shapes tight though and while Kansas QB Smith looks limited, they can counter with RB Charles and WR Maclin even if DE Watt cracks their OL. Points will be hard to come by but if sack-bomber LB Houston can stop host drives early they're a chance to get their first here since '05 and edge a 3-3 all-time split.
Kansas by 1

Manziel is firming as the starting QB for Cleveland and that alone leans towards bust over bang. They're likely to be picked off with WR Hawkins shaded by CB Revis and a strong Jets secondary forcing the defence to bridge the gap. They match-up well deep but will also likely struggle to stop RB Ivory given their frailty at the first hit from the front-7.
NYJ has its own QB issues, Smith (broken jaw) clocked in the locker room and giving it to Fitzpatrick by default, but with WRs Decker and Marshall spreading the deck for their run game expect up-field march. It might not jam the scoreboard and they'll be without DL (Richardson – court charges), but the unit looks balanced enough against the pass or run to extend on a recent 2-0 tape including the last here in '13, notwithstanding the Browns were two from two in New Jersey prior.
New York Jets by 7

Indianapolis has a query over Mathis (achilles) lessening the edge rush and they've been monstered defending the run recently and will likely give up heavy metres, albeit they've the offence to match. RB Gore will ease the load on the pass and with boom receivers across the park QB Luck might pick it apart and lead them close.
Buffalo is coming together, unlikely to be fluid from the get go but certain to run RB McCoy down Indy's throat while sending a ton of pressure from the front-7 at Luck. It'll be a slugfest if they can keep it on their own terms but it'll turn sour if they lack composure from QB (likely Cassel), and are forced into a scramble covering the deadly Indy pass-threats. They've plenty of history to tip, 1-7 since the mid-2000s and 2-3 at the Ralph since '99.
Buffalo by 7

Washington has seen three starters wiped for the season before it starts (LBs Galette and Hayward, and TE Paul), cutting into an already light roster. They'll unlikely find enough cover for the Dolphins offence and it won't surprise if their own, led by QB Griffin and WR Jackson, is monstered into turnovers and short yards, and they're behind one-on-one most positions.
Expect Miami DTs Suh and Mosley to come down hard on RG3 looking to keep him scrambling with any throws-in-hope bringing DE Wake and CB Grimes into it. They'll unlikely allow much more than single digits lifting the pressure off their own offence and allowing QB Tannehill and RB Miller to manage the game. They're 2-2 this century, all with the home ad, and the Dolphins look set for a first in 30-odd years on a fifth visit into DC that period.
Miami by 3

Don't go to sleep on Jacksonville , the addition of TE Thomas boosting red-zone threat, the issue, getting there without turnovers. The absence of WR Lee (hamstring) is a blow given their soft run game but expect them to stack the box against this one-dimensional offence, likely to take it to the wire in a low scorer.
Carolina is down to bones for receivers, the loss of both Benjamin and Hill likely forcing C Kalil (knee) to suit for protection, and they'll come run heavy via QB Newton and RB Stewart. It's no lock for points but the defence should mop this up, any query over DT Lotulelei (leg) covered by elite bodies right through the D. That's enough clamp to square up on 2-3 all-time in the rare meetings and get a first ever in Florida (0-2).
Carolina by 6

Defensive strength and the division rivalry will likely make points hard to come by here, St Louis likely crunching the line of scrimmage for sacks via DE Quinn while looking to stop RB Lynch early. Still offensive questions over new QB Foles and rookie RB Gurley mean turnovers to the house will be their best chance of taking out an early season lottery against this monster D.
Seattle has two injuries in the secondary (FS Thomas and CB Lane), which could see them vulnerable against the pass, but they'll start CB Sherman, DE Bennett and a hard-head LB group that can eat a flimsy offensive line. That should allow QB Wilson field position and with a match-up advantage to TE Graham they can extend on 4-1 of late including the last in Missouri.
Seattle by 3

New Orleans has the roster talent but the way they fumbled '14 makes them a wait-and-see, the loss of TE Graham leaving QB Brees searching behind a sturdier line. He'll be more upright but has no trusted bail out option and with a query over RB Spiller (knee), 50-50, the run game will likely struggle against this blanket defence, the trip into Phoenix enough to wear them down first up.
Arizona has its own offensive issues with OL Massie out (suspended), OL Iupati (knee) and WR Floyd (hand) both queries, and QB Palmer off a knee reco. Expect them to lockdown defensively through the front-7 while sending RB Ellington into the teeth, the resultant heavy carries and punch both sides of the ball their edge in a low-scorer. They're only 1-3 this century but the win was the only one of those here (2010), and they're 13-3 in the desert the last two seasons.
Arizona by 10

Don't bank the Detroit D in this given they've shipped DLs Suh, Fairley, and Mosley, and now have an issue with DT Ngata (hamstring). They'll look thin if QB Rivers finds any touch deep and while WRs Johnson and Tate arm them with plenty of threat, that's reliant on QB Stafford performing straight out of the blocks.
San Diego will start without its safest hands, TE Gates (suspended - 4), leaving Rivers without his bail-out and WR Allen and rookie RB Gordon his likely next best. It might mean turnovers and that could swing this given they're vulnerable on D without LB Williams, but the probably safer QB and a 4-0 record at the Q since '81 favours them.
San Diego by 7

Both these sides bottomed out in '14, spending their top-two draft picks on franchise QBs. Tennessee QB Mariota has probably shown more in the pre-season but he won't see much offensive support and don't expect them to light-up downfield if they're chasing. They're without CBs McCourty (groin) and Wreh-Wilson (ankle) and while DE Casey can apply plenty of trouble on the opponent QB it won't surprise to see them come up short in Florida.
Tampa Bay will likely look to ease QB Winston in by throwing to the mismatch of WR Evans off the foil of WR Jackson and it could be lethal if it sticks. RB Martin is no cert to deliver run-action but with lynchpin defenders DE McCoy, LB David, and CB Verner all fit, they look to have an edge one-on-one across the field, notwithstanding they're 1-3 this century, 1-1 all-time here.
Tampa Bay by 14

Oakland has the individuals to put up a challenge but lacks the confidence, timid rush and a potentially lethal air-game between QB Carr and WR Cooper probably the wrong combo against a Begals side solid in the secondary but poor defending the run. It'll put the onus on the host to pound the rock but they're no cert to make headway unless they can get the jitters into Cincinnati QB Dalton.
That said, the regular season is Dalton's bread and butter and he can spread this behind WR Green and dual RB threats Hill and Bernard. When it clicks they're dangerous, in fact both sides are up to riding the wave, but with the likes DL Atkins, Peko, and Johnson on deck Cincy bring the raw talent to build a strong defensive unit. They won the last in '12 and against a host offence still teething they can end a recent 0-3 run at the Coliseum.
Cincinnati by 3

Baltimore brings a ton of injury queries with TE Pitta (hip) out and all of WR Perriman, RB Taliaferro (both knee), OG Osmele, and CB Webb (hamstring) uncertain, and for a traditional slow starter it wouldn't surprise to see them flat. The elite front-7 will dominate the line of scrimmage alongside the grind of RB Forsett but issues in the secondary against a future HoF passer at altitude is enough to caution.
Denver is off another playoff choke with QB Manning winding down and without premier guard Clady (knee) and TE Thomas (Jags), while WR Sanders (hamstring) is a query. They're reverting to a heavier run-punch behind RBs Anderson and Ball, and have the stops in DE Miller and CB Harris to contain an inconsistent Ravens offence but with DL Wolfe (suspension), also out it's not as cut-and-dry as first look. They're 2-3 since '08 and just 1-1 on the rocky mountain the last two years after the Ravens won a playoff tie there in '13.
Denver by 14

Both sides have claims to NFC-East though injuries may limit them. NYG is down LB Beason (knee) and DE Pierre-Paul (hand) weakening an already sketchy defence and lumping it on QB Manning to fire deep to WRs Cruz and Beckham. Those two have the speed and skill to split the Boys but the latter has points in it and might prove sturdier first up.
That doesn't mean there aren't serious questions about Dallas …the health of QB Romo, the value of RB McFadden, and the absence of four defensive cogs; DE Hardy, LB McClain, and CBs Carr and Scandrick. Still, they'll run out the league's strongest OL and with WR Bryant a mismatch for most they'll find points in a shootout. They'll need them given the lack of CBs to run with the Giants, but they're four straight, two of those here, since the visitor last won at Jerryworld in '12.
Dallas by 14

Atlanta brings points between QB Ryan and WR Jones but look to lack starch along the OL with OT Holmes (foot) out. They'll be under pressure at the throw and if Jones is checked often as you'd expect by Eagles CB Maxwell that connection might falter. Without it they look dry and you wouldn't bank the defence to hold strong enough.
Philadelphia has fresh QB Bradford under centre but workhorse RB Murray will ensure balance as they ride HC Kelly's up-tempo offence to tire the host. They should see consistent ball if the strong DL disrupts any Falcons rhythm forcing quick sets and, although they'll miss TE Ertz (groin), they're favoured to stretch a recent 4-2 strip and grab a first under the Dome since '09 where it's 2-2 the past decade or so.
Philadelphia by 1

Minnesota is shaping as the sleeper for '15, balanced throughout, an improving defence likely to shut down options while forcing QB Kaepernick to scramble for everything. They'll be without LB Matthews (hip) and CB Price (suspension), along with OTs Loadholt (achilles) and Bykowski (shoulder), but they'll still force turnovers, and with proven game-winners QB Bridgewater and RB Peterson running the offence it wouldn't surprise to see them tip this.
San Francisco starts very fresh after cleaning the roster and the office but staying with hot-and-cold QB Kaepernick. On paper he lacks a strong bail-out RB and with LB Brooks (legal), unlikely, they're a chance to see serious defensive issues. Add that they're 1-4 the past decade including the Vikings last trip to California in '07 and the forecast margin is at risk.
San Francisco by 10