SAN FRANCISCO (8-8)
At SEATTLE (5-11)
4:15 p.m. today, Fox
SERIES RECORD - Seahawks lead 12-10
LAST MEETING - Seahawks beat 49ers 20-17, Dec. 6, 2009
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - San Francisco begins 2010 as favorite in NFC West. ... 49ers 2-6 on road in 2009 and 4-9 since Mike Singletary took over as coach. ... Three new starters on offensive line, including draft picks Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati... RB Frank Gore coming off four straight 1,000 yards seasons, longest streak in franchise history. ... Since 2006, Gore averaging nearly 150 yards rushing per game against Seattle. ... TE Vernon Davis, who signed a 5-year $53 million contract extension on Saturday, tied NFL record among tight ends with 13 TD catches in 2009. ... RB Brian Westbrook expected to play after spending eight seasons with Philadelphia. Was limited to eight games last year after suffering two concussions and an ankle injury. ... DT Justin Smith has started 139 consecutive games. ... LB Patrick Willis led NFL with 173 tackles in 2009, including 121 solos. ... 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari held same position with Seattle in 2008-09. ... Rookie RT Anthony Davis is just 20 years old, turns 21 next month. ... First NFL game for new Seattle coach Pete Carroll since end of 1999 season while with New England. ... Of the current 53-man roster only 26 were with Seattle a year ago. ... LB Lofa Tatupu will start after missing final 10 games of 2009 with a torn pectoral. Tatupu was Seattle's leading tackler in 2008. ... WR Mike Williams to start for Seattle after being out of the NFL the past two seasons. ... RB Justin Forsett to get the start, but Carroll says trio of Forsett, Leon Washington and Julius Jones will see action. ... LT Chester Pitts, coming off microfracture knee surgery, likely to start with rookie Russell Okung (ankle) out. ... QB Matt Hasselbeck threw for 3,029 yards and completed 60 percent of passes in 2009, but threw 17 TDs with 17 interceptions. ... Seattle was 26th in the NFL in turnover margin in 2009.
DETROIT (2-14)
at CHICAGO (7-9)
10 a.m. today, Fox
SERIES RECORD - Bears lead 91-64-5
LAST MEETING - Bears beat Lions 37-23, Jan. 3, 2010
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Bears taken four straight against Lions, running away with a 48-24 victory at Soldier Field after Johnny Knox started the second half with a 102-yard kickoff return. ... Closed out '09 with 37-23 win over Lions behind Jay Cutler's four touchdown passes. ... Detroit has lost 20 straight road games, the fourth longest streak in the NFL, since they won 16-7 at Chicago on Oct. 28, 2007.
MIAMI (7-9)
at BUFFALO (6-10)
10 a.m. today, CBS
SERIES RECORD - Dolphins lead 53-38-1
LAST MEETING - Bills beat Dolphins 31-14, Nov. 29, 2009.
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Eight time AFC East rivals have faced each other to open the season - first since Bills' 35-31 win in 1991. ... Dolphins have 4-3 edge, including 4-2 at Orchard Park. ... Dolphins have lost four straight season-openers, and are 1-6 in last seven. ... Miami's combined record six games into the season over the past six years is 7-29. Chad Henne becomes sixth quarterback to start a Dolphins season in seven years after going 7-6 in place of Chad Pennington. ... Chan Gailey makes debut as Bills coach after replacing Dick Jauron, who was fired in November. ... Bills have won five straight against Dolphins at Ralph Wilson Stadium
ATLANTA (9-7)
at PITTSBURGH (9-7)
10 a.m. today, Fox
SERIES RECORD - Steelers lead 11-2-1
LAST MEETING - Falcons beat Steelers, 41-38 (OT), Oct. 22, 2006
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Teams haven't played in Pittsburgh since 34-all tie in 2002. Falcons coach Mike Smith is 2-0 in openers; Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is 3-0. ... Falcons QB Matt Ryan has thrown for 6,356 yards in first two NFL seasons. ... With Ben Roethlisberger beginning four-game suspension, third-year Steelers QB Dennis Dixon makes second career start. He started 20-17 OT loss in Baltimore on Nov. 29, going 12 of 26 for 145 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He also ran 24 yards for a TD.
DENVER (8-8)
at JACKSONVILLE (7-9)
10 a.m. CBS
SERIES RECORD - Jaguars lead 5-4.
LAST MEETING - Jaguars 24, Broncos 17, Oct. 12, 2008.
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - All eyes are on Broncos QB Tim Tebow, the former Florida icon expected to make his NFL debut in his hometown. ... Broncos have won 16 of last 21 openers and own the best mark in AFC on opening weekend (32-17-1). ... After blacking out nine of 10 home games in 2009, Jaguars have sold enough tickets for opener to be on local TV. But franchise might not be able to sustain fan interest with a slow start, prompting several players to call the opener one of the most important games in team history.
INDIANAPOLIS (16-3)
At HOUSTON (9-7)
10 a.m. today, CBS
SERIES RECORD - Colts lead 15-1
LAST MEETING - Colts 35, Texans 27, Nov. 29, 2009
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Colts have won six straight and 15 of 16 overall against Houston. ... Indianapolis has best road winning percentage over past eight seasons (48-16, .750). ... QB Peyton Manning led NFL in fourth-quarter passing efficiency in 2009 with a 116.0 rating. ... Texans QB Matt Schaub led NFL with 4,770 yards passing in 2009. ... Houston WR Andre Johnson has led league in yards receiving past two seasons. Johnson has caught a pass in 66 consecutive games.
CAROLINA (8-8)
at NEW YORK GIANTS (8-8)
10 a.m. today, Fox
SERIES RECORD - Carolina leads series 4-2
LAST MEETING - Panthers beat Giants 41-9, Dec. 27, 2009
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Panthers embarrassed New York in its final game at Giants Stadium last season and get a chance to spoil the opening of the Giants' new $1.6 billion facility. ... Panthers QB Matt Moore, who has replaced seven-year starter Jake Delhomme, threw three TD passes and is 6-2 as a starter. ... Giants lost 8 of final 11 in missing playoffs for first time since 2005. ... QB Eli Manning coming off career season, throwing for 4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns.
CINCINNATI (10-7)
at NEW ENGLAND (10-7)
10 a.m. today, CBS
SERIES RECORD - Patriots lead 13-8
LAST MEETING - Patriots beat Bengals 34-13, Oct. 1, 2007
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Game matches two of the most dangerous receiver combinations in NFL: Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens of Cincinnati and Randy Moss and Wes Welker of New England. ... Both teams won their divisions last season with 10-6 records but lost in first round of playoffs. ... Patriots are 6-1 in their last seven games against Bengals. ... RB Cedric Benson missed 3 games last year but still rushed for 1,251 yards. ... Tom Brady goes into his second straight opener after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the first game of 2008. On Thursday, he was unhurt in a two-car accident near his home in Boston's Back Bay. ... Two-time Pro Bowl LG Logan Mankins, an unrestricted free agent, has not reported in a contract dispute.
CLEVELAND (5-11)
at TAMPA BAY (3-13)
10 a.m. today, CBS
SERIES RECORD - Browns lead 5-2
LAST MEETING - Buccaneers beat Browns 22-7, Dec. 24, 2006
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Teams finished 2009 on encouraging notes, with Browns winning their final four games to finish 5-11 and Bucs winning two of last three to go 3-13. ... New Cleveland QB Jake Delhomme has a 9-2 career record against Tampa Bay. ... Bucs second-year QB Josh Freeman started nine games as a rookie, going 3-6. ... Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris serves as his own defensive coordinator, taking over following a 1-9 start last season.
ARIZONA (10-6)
at ST. LOUIS (1-15)
1:15 p.m. today, Fox
SERIES RECORD - Rams lead 31-30-2
LAST MEETING - Cardinals beat Rams 31-10, Dec. 27, 2009
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Cardinals are two-time defending NFC West champions. ... Cardinals have won seven in a row in series and five in a row in St. Louis, their former home, and are 13-5 vs. NFC West since 2007. ... QB Derek Anderson starred in lone prior start in St. Louis, throwing three TD passes with no interceptions for Browns on Oct. 28, 2007. ... Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford completed 60 percent of his passes in preseason with 3 TDs and no interceptions heading into opening day start.
GREEN BAY (11-6)
at PHILADELPHIA (11-6)
4:15 p.m. today, Fox
SERIES RECORD - Packers lead 24-15
LAST MEETING - Packers beat Eagles 16-13, Sept. 9, 2007
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Packers won last meeting but lost previous five against Eagles. ... Packers QB Aaron Rodgers coming off a Pro Bowl season in which he threw for 4,434 yards, 30 TDs and only seven interceptions. ... Eagles QB Kevin Kolb makes third career start, taking over for departed Donovan McNabb. ... Rookies Brandon Graham (DE) and Nate Allen (FS) will start for Philadelphia. ... Eagles coach Andy Reid is 4-0 at home vs. Green Bay, where he was an assistant under Mike Holmgren.
DALLAS (11-5)
at WASHINGTON (4-12)
5:20 p.m. today, NBC
SERIES RECORD - Cowboys lead 59-39-2
LAST MEETING - Cowboys beat Redskins 17-0, Dec. 27, 2009
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Game features familiar NFC East QB foes Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb, with McNabb making his Redskins debut. Romo led 5-2 in head-to-head meetings when McNabb was with Eagles. ... Mike Shanahan makes debut as Redskins coach, looking for first win since Dec. 7, 2008, when his Broncos beat Kansas City. ... Shanahan is 12-4 in openers - the 12 wins are most among active coaches. ... Redskins went 0-6 vs. NFC East last year. ...... Redskins unveil new 3-4 defense under coordinator Jim Haslett after team finished last in NFL in takeaways last year (17).
BALTIMORE (9-7)
at NEW YORK JETS (9-7)
4 p.m. Monday, ESPN
SERIES RECORD - Ravens lead 5-1
LAST MEETING - Ravens beat Jets 20-13, Sept. 16, 2007
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Ravens have won last five meetings vs. Jets, and are 2-0 in season openers under Harbaugh. ... Matchup features two of league's toughest defenses: Jets allowed season-low 26 TDs, while Ravens gave up 27. ... New Ravens WR Anquan Boldin has played in 95 games, and with 14 more catches will reach 600 - likely surpassing Marvin Harrison's record for quickest (102 games). ... CB Darrelle Revis signed 4-year deal, ending 36-day holdout a week before opener, and will play vs. Ravens.
SAN DIEGO (13-4)
at KANSAS CITY (4-12)
7:15 p.m. Monday, ESPN
SERIES RECORD - Chiefs lead 50-49-1
LAST MEETING - Chargers beat Chiefs 43-14, Nov. 29, 2009
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Chiefs haven't hosted Monday night game since 2006 but lobbied for this one to show off what they're calling "New Arrowhead." A $375 million makeover has given 38-year-old facility different look on inside, including a museum tracing history of franchise and AFL. ... Chiefs will not miss former Chargers' RB LaDainian Tomlinson, who had some of his best games and plays against them, including an 85-yard TD run. ... Rookie RB Ryan Matthews makes his NFL debut.