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Preview: Los Angeles at San Francisco

When: 10:20 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2016
Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Chip Kelly gets a second chance to find out if his revved-up offense can translate to the NFL when he guides the San Francisco 49ers into their season opener against the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. Kelly made a splashy entrance into the league with a pair of 10-win campaigns in Philadelphia but was released with one game left last season amid growing player discontent.

“I’m sure Chip’s heard the rumors,” 49ers veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman told reporters, “and I’m sure he’s made a few changes so he doesn’t have the same comments at the end of this year.” Ironically, one of Kelly's first big decisions was choosing a starting quarterback, but backup Colin Kaepernick has garnered much of the headlines following his decision not to stand for the national anthem, setting off a wave of discourse nationally. The Rams hardly have had a quiet offseason of their own, relocating to Los Angeles after a 21-year run in St. Louis. The franchise then swung for the fences by sending a boatload of draft picks to Tennessee for the No. 1 pick overall -- used to select Jared Goff, who begins the season as the third-string quarterback.

TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Rams -2.5. O/U: 43

ABOUT THE RAMS (2015: 7-9, third in the NFC West): Los Angeles has an emerging superstar in second-year running back Todd Gurley, who introduced himself to the NFL by rushing for at least 125 yards in each of his first four starts. A non-existent passing game allowed defenses to focus on Gurley as his rookie season progressed, leading to coach Jeff Fisher's decision to promote Case Keenum, who won three of his last four starts. There's still a dearth of talent at wide receiver for Los Angeles, which likes to line up former first-round pick Tavon Austin in the backfield with Gurley rather than stretch defenses with the deep ball. Tackle Aaron Donald is an unstoppable force on defense for the Rams, who must replace defensive end Chris Long and linebacker James Laurinaitis.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (2015: 5-11, fourth in the NFC West): Blaine Gabbert started to resurrect his career after he was elevated to starter midway through last season and won the quarterback job in the preseason while Kaepernick was slow to recover from multiple surgeries. "He's a good fit for what we want to get accomplished, and I have a lot of confidence in what he can do for us offensively," Kelly said of Gabbert, who threw for 354 yards in a 19-16 win over the Rams to finish 3-5 last season. Like the Rams, San Francisco will have to cobble together a group of wide receivers, with Torrey Smith the de facto No. 1 after grabbing only 33 receptions in his first season with the 49ers. San Francisco held opponents to 20 points or fewer in seven of eight home games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. San Francisco and Los Angeles ranked 31st and 32nd, respectively, in total offense last season.

2. The Rams averaged a league-worst 175.3 yards passing in 2015.

3. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde missed both games versus the Rams last season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot.

PREDICTION: Rams 20, 49ers 17

Preview: Los Angeles at San Francisco

When: 10:20 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2016
Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Chip Kelly gets a second chance to find out if his revved-up offense can translate to the NFL when he guides the San Francisco 49ers into their season opener against the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. Kelly made a splashy entrance into the league with a pair of 10-win campaigns in Philadelphia but was released with one game left last season amid growing player discontent.

“I’m sure Chip’s heard the rumors,” 49ers veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman told reporters, “and I’m sure he’s made a few changes so he doesn’t have the same comments at the end of this year.” Ironically, one of Kelly's first big decisions was choosing a starting quarterback, but backup Colin Kaepernick has garnered much of the headlines following his decision not to stand for the national anthem, setting off a wave of discourse nationally. The Rams hardly have had a quiet offseason of their own, relocating to Los Angeles after a 21-year run in St. Louis. The franchise then swung for the fences by sending a boatload of draft picks to Tennessee for the No. 1 pick overall -- used to select Jared Goff, who begins the season as the third-string quarterback.

TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Rams -2.5. O/U: 43

ABOUT THE RAMS (2015: 7-9, third in the NFC West): Los Angeles has an emerging superstar in second-year running back Todd Gurley, who introduced himself to the NFL by rushing for at least 125 yards in each of his first four starts. A non-existent passing game allowed defenses to focus on Gurley as his rookie season progressed, leading to coach Jeff Fisher's decision to promote Case Keenum, who won three of his last four starts. There's still a dearth of talent at wide receiver for Los Angeles, which likes to line up former first-round pick Tavon Austin in the backfield with Gurley rather than stretch defenses with the deep ball. Tackle Aaron Donald is an unstoppable force on defense for the Rams, who must replace defensive end Chris Long and linebacker James Laurinaitis.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (2015: 5-11, fourth in the NFC West): Blaine Gabbert started to resurrect his career after he was elevated to starter midway through last season and won the quarterback job in the preseason while Kaepernick was slow to recover from multiple surgeries. "He's a good fit for what we want to get accomplished, and I have a lot of confidence in what he can do for us offensively," Kelly said of Gabbert, who threw for 354 yards in a 19-16 win over the Rams to finish 3-5 last season. Like the Rams, San Francisco will have to cobble together a group of wide receivers, with Torrey Smith the de facto No. 1 after grabbing only 33 receptions in his first season with the 49ers. San Francisco held opponents to 20 points or fewer in seven of eight home games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. San Francisco and Los Angeles ranked 31st and 32nd, respectively, in total offense last season.

2. The Rams averaged a league-worst 175.3 yards passing in 2015.

3. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde missed both games versus the Rams last season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot.

PREDICTION: Rams 20, 49ers 17

Preview: Pittsburgh at Washington

When: 7:10 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2016
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland

Following their surprise run to the NFC East title in 2015, expectations are heightened for the Washington Redskins as they prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night in the season opener for both teams. Washington is looking to build upon its closing run a year ago, when it finished the regular season with four consecutive victories.

"We have a great opportunity to go be effective and play well and that's exciting and something for our fans to be excited about," Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "But, we've got to go out and prove it." Washington made a bold move to bolster its defense by signing Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman, setting up a marquee matchup with Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh will be without a pair of key weapons as running back Le'Veon Bell is serving a three-game suspension and wide receiver Martavis Bryant is out for the year for violations of the league's substance abuse policy. The offense should still be potent behind the leadership of two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but there are concerns over a defense that ranked 30th against the pass last season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Steelers -3. O/U: 50

ABOUT THE STEELERS (2015: 10-6, second in the AFC North): Once renowned for its Steel Curtain defense, Pittsburgh has evolved into an offensive juggernaut, with Roethlisberger leading the league with an average of 328.2 yards per game last season and Brown hauling in a mind-boggling 375 receptions and 31 touchdown catches in the past three years. "It starts and it ends with him," Norman said of Brown. "That's going to be a tall task to take on." DeAngelo Williams was more than a capable replacement last season while subbing for a suspended and injured Bell, rushing for 11 TDs and 907 yards. Defensive ends Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward and linebacker Ryan Shazier are top talents but the secondary remains suspect after yielding an average of 271.9 yards in 2015.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (2015: 9-7, first in the NFC East): One knock against Washington last season, aside from being the only team to finish above .500 in its division, was not beating one opponent with a winning record. Nonetheless, Cousins thrived in his first full season as the starter, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for at least 4,000 yards (4,166) and 25 touchdowns (29), and has one of the league's top tight ends in Jordan Reed, who enjoyed a breakout season with 87 receptions and 11 scores. There are questions about a ground game headed by Matt Jones, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing much of the preseason with a shoulder injury, and a defense that ranked 28th last year despite 9.5 sacks from linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Pittsburgh's 41 wins on Kickoff Weekend are the most by any AFC team.

2. Redskins WR DeSean Jackson averages 17.7 yards per catch in his career, the most in the league since 2008.

3. Brown tied for the NFL lead with 136 receptions in 2015 and his 265 catches in the past two seasons are the most in any two-year span.

PREDICTION: Steelers 27, Redskins 23

NFL roundup: Garoppolo carries Patriots past Cardinals
By The Sports Xchange

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Even without their stars and other starters as well, the New England Patriots proved they're no pushovers when playing short-handed. Just ask the Arizona Cardinals, who fell 23-21 Sunday night in the season opener for both teams at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Playing without suspended quarterback Tom Brady, All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski, suspended defensive end Rob Ninkovich and two starting offensive linemen, the Patriots rode the arm of Jimmy Garoppolo and the leg of kicker Stephen Gostkowski to deal Arizona its first home loss in September since 2009.
The Cardinals rallied from a 10-0 first-quarter deficit and eventually took the lead with 9:46 left to play when Carson Palmer threw a 20-yard fade pass to Larry Fitzgerald in the corner of the left end zone.
But Garoppolo, charged with replacing Brady during the future Hall of Famer's four-game suspension for his alleged role in the Deflategate controversy, brought his team back and proved the Las Vegas odds makers, who had listed New England as 9-point underdogs, to be dead wrong.
The Cardinals had a chance to win it, driving to the Patriots' 29-yard line in the final minute of play. But Chandler Catanzaro was wide left on a 47-yard field-goal attempt.

Raiders 35, Saints 34
NEW ORLEANS -- Derek Carr threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Seth Roberts and a two-point conversion pass to Michael Crabtree with 47 seconds left as Oakland defeated New Orleans in the season opener.
The Saints had a chance to win on the final play, but Wil Lutz's 61-yard field-goal attempt was wide left.
Carr led the Raiders to 22 fourth-quarter points, upstaging Drew Brees' 14th 400-yard passing game, which tied Peyton Manning for the NFL record. Carr completed 24 of 38 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown and Brees completed 28 of 42 for 423 and four touchdowns.

Chiefs 33, Chargers 27 (OT)
KANSAS CITY, Mo -- Quarterback Alex Smith scored on 2-yard run five minutes into overtime to give Kansas City a remarkable come-from-behind victory over San Diego.
The Chiefs trailed 21-3 at halftime, but scored three touchdowns and a field goal in the second half. The Chiefs won the overtime coin toss and drove 70 yards on 10 plays before Smith ran right, dropped his head and blasted into the end zone.
A fourth-quarter decision by Chargers coach Mike McCoy helped spark the Kansas City comeback. With 11 minutes, 25 seconds to play, the Chargers had the ball at the Chiefs 36-yard line. They faced a fourth-and-2 while holding a 27-10 lead. Deciding against a punt that would have pinned the Chiefs deep in their own territory, McCoy tried a 54-yard field goal. Josh Lambo's kick sailed wide right and Kansas City took over at their own 44-yard line.

Ravens 13, Bills 7
BALTIMORE -- Quarterback Joe Flacco appeared fully recovered from last year's season-ending knee injury and helped Baltimore escape with a victory over Buffalo.
Flacco was playing in his first regular-season game since Nov. 22 when he tore both his ACL and MCL against the then-St. Louis Rams. That surgically repaired left knee was tested often as Flacco dealt with pressure all afternoon and was sacked four times.
Flacco completed 23 of 34 passes for 258 yards with a touchdown. Newly signed wide receiver Mike Wallace caught three passes for 91 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown that provided a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.

Packers 27, Jaguars 23
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers broke out of an early rut to throw two touchdowns and run for another as Green Bay staved off a late Jacksonville rally.
The Jaguars had a shot to pull off the upset when they forced Green Bay to go three-and-out and regained possession with 3:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Blake Bortles led his offense to Green Bay's 14-yard line with 23 seconds remaining before a short pass to receiver Allen Hurns on fourth-and-1 went for a loss and ended the team's last gasp.

Bengals 23, Jets 22
NEW YORK -- Mike Nugent kicked a 47-yard field goal with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter as Cincinnati edged New York.
The Bengals, who are 23-26 in openers, have made the playoffs five straight years but are searching for their first postseason win since 1991. The Jets, who went 10-6 last year and are looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010, fell to 26-30 all-time in openers.
Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green had 12 catches for 180 yards and one touchdown. Despite being sacked seven times, quarterback Andy Dalton was 23 of 30 for 366 yards.

Buccaneers 31, Falcons 24
ATLANTA -- Jameis Winston threw four touchdowns passes to prevail in a passing duel with Matt Ryan and Tampa Bay defeated its NFC South rival.
Winston, getting his second season off in memorable fashion, completed 23 of 33 passes for 281, leading the Bucs to four long drives after a sluggish start that included a first-quarter interception.
Ryan was 27 of 39 passing for 334 yards and two touchdowns but couldn't bring the Falcons all the way back after they fell behind by 18 points in the third quarter.

Eagles 29, Browns 10
PHILADELPHIA -- The Carson Wentz era got off to a rousing start as the rookie quarterback led Philadelphia over Cleveland.
Wentz, the second overall pick in April's NFL draft, completed 22 of 37 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions -- a passer rating of 100.9 -- as he outplayed Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Cleveland has won only one opener since returning to the NFL in 1999.
The Browns had that No. 2 overall selection before they traded it to the Eagles, as they apparently didn't think Wentz was worth that high a pick. And Wentz's statistics would have been even more impressive, but at least five of his passes were dropped. Griffin completed 12 of 26 passes for 190 yards and one interception, with no TDs, for a passer rating of 54.9.

Texans 23, Bears 14
HOUSTON -- Brock Osweiler and Will Fuller produced memorable debuts as Houston claimed a win over Chicago.
Osweiler, a free agent signee previously with the Broncos, completed 22 of 35 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns. His 18-yard scoring pass to Fuller with 12:44 remaining in the fourth quarter provided the Texans the lead for good.
Fuller, a rookie out of Notre Dame, discovered a measure of redemption with his touchdown and another 35-yard reception that set up a 38-yard Nick Novak field goal with 6:10 remaining. Fuller dropped what potentially would have resulted in an 83-yard touchdown late in the first half yet finished with five catches for 107 yards.

Vikings 25, Titans 16
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Minnesota offense failed to score a touchdown and star running back Adrian Peterson was stifled all day. But the Vikings turned to their defense and kicking game to win their first game without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, rallying from a 10-0 halftime deficit to stop Tennessee.
Linebacker Eric Kendricks put the Vikings ahead for good with 1:24 left in the third quarter, picking off an ill-advised pass from Marcus Mariota and lugging it 77 yards down the right sideline for a 12-10 lead.
Minnesota's clinching score also came from the defense. After Mariota and DeMarco Murray botched a handoff, tackle Danielle Hunter picked it up and rumbled 24 yards at the 11:03 mark to set the final margin. Kicker Blair Walsh, who missed two field goals in the first half, fanned an extra point in the second half but was able to convert field goals of 50, 34, 45 and 30 yards.

Giants 20, Cowboys 19
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Eli Manning threw three touchdown passes to lead New York past Dallas.
Manning's final scoring pass -- a 3-yarder to Victor Cruz in the fourth quarter -- proved to be the difference. Manning shook off a third-quarter interception that led to Dallas' only touchdown to pass for 207 yards. He completed 19 of 28 attempts, using seven different receivers. The Giants also made a winner of first-year head coach Ben McAdoo.
The Cowboys have lost 15 of the past 16 games in which starting quarterback Tony Romo was not available. His replacement, rookie Dak Prescott, finished 25 of 45 for 227 yards

Lions 39, Colts 35
INDIANAPOLIS -- Matt Prater's 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining, and then a safety on the ensuing kickoff, gave the Detroit Lions a wild victory over Indianapolis.
Prater redeemed himself after missing what was a crucial extra point after a Lions' touchdown with 4:04 remaining. Detroit led 34-28 at that point.
Indianapolis took a 35-34 lead with 37 seconds to go on Andrew Luck's 6-yard touchdown pass to Jack Doyle and Adam Vinatieri's extra point. However, Matthew Stafford completed four passes for 50 yards, and then Prater nailed the game-winner. Indianapolis was called for an illegal forward pass in the end zone on the kickoff pushing the final margin to four points.

Seahawks 12, Dolphins 10
SEATTLE -- Russell Wilson connected with wide receiver Doug Baldwin on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter as Seattle rallied for a win, spoiling Adam Gase's debut as Miami's head coach.
After the Dolphins scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over four minutes remaining, Wilson engineered a 14-play, 75-yard drive that included two fourth-down conversions. He connected with Baldwin in the left corner of the end zone on second-and-2, but kicker Steven Hauschka missed the extra point to give the Dolphins a chance at the game-winning field goal.
Miami's final drive resulted in an overthrown pass and a sack-and-fumble that saw the ball roll out of bounds before the clock ran out prior to the third-down snap.

Preview: Rams (0-0) at 49ers (0-0)

Date: September 12, 2016 10:20 PM EDT

When the Los Angeles Rams visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, there will be so many major narratives surrounding this game that the key one is often lost in translation.

The Rams are back in Southern California after a 21-year stay in St. Louis. One of the most storied rivalries in football has come full circle to renew a once torrid intra-state rivalry between teams that were once the strength of the NFC West.

Ultimately, the Rams would have loved to open at home, but due to a scheduling conflict with the University of Southern California, the game is in the Bay Area as the second half of a Monday Night Football doubleheader. Kickoff is 10:20 p.m. ET.

A few months ago, this game looked like it would feature 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Rams No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff. But both will be on the sidelines as controversial backups.

Kaepernick received significant publicity the last two weeks for his action of sitting during the national anthem. However, lost in all the hyperbole is the play of starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Even before all the national media attention, which had nothing to do with on-the-field play, Gabbert won over the San Francisco locker room and head coach Chip Kelly.

"The whole body of work from April until today," Kelly said when asked what impressed him about Gabbert. "He's a good fit for what we want to get accomplished, and I have a lot of confidence in what he can do for us offensively."

Kelly said Gabbert was "very matter of fact to him," about getting the news that he was named the opening-day starter, "and let's go to work."

Gabbert's best game of his NFL career came against many of the same defensive players he will face Monday night.

In the 2015 season finale, the 49ers signal-caller threw for 354 yards and helped beat the Rams, 19-16. The defensive backfield of cornerback Trumaine Johnson, cornerback E.J. Gaines, safety T.J. McDonald and safety Maurice Alexander will need to play sound techniques and limit the deep-ball opportunities of Gabbert to wideout Torrey Smith. Smith is a true deep threat and has the speed to get behind a nicked-up Gaines. Look for cornerback Lamarcus Joyner to play a significant role if Gaines struggles in coverage.

The Rams' front defensive seven is as good as there is in the NFL. The 49ers' offensive line is a middle-of-the-road unit. The Rams defense should be looking to control the 49ers rushing attack of Carlos Hyde and force Gabbert to make throws outside the pocket.

Rams defensive tackles Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers need to be able to control the interior of the offensive line. If this duo can get Hyde, who likes to run with vertical power, to play laterally, this will allow new middle linebacker Alec Olgetree to use his speed to stop the run game.

A key matchup in this game for the 49ers offense and the Rams defense is left tackle Joe Staley going against defensive end Robert Quinn. Five and half of Quinn's 50 career sacks have come against San Francisco. Most of those sacks have been against Staley, who is one of the most technically-sound players in the NFL and will need to play his best against the Rams.

The Rams' quarterback situation is another key to the game, but that narrative is a long way from being written. The Rams gave up six draft choices to select quarterback Jared Goff, who begins the season as a third stringer. Goff, the rookie from California, will spend the first game of his NFL career in street clothes.

"He's not ready, but he's really, really made significant progress," Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said of Goff.

While Goff seems upbeat and willing to learn, the Rams made the move to mortgage the franchise because they believed the signal-caller could start from Day 1. Instead that honor goes to veteran quarterback Case Keenum.

No matter who the Rams start at quarterback for the opener, or for the rest of the season, the offense begins and ends with running back Todd Gurley. The second-year man out of Georgia tore up NFL defenses in 2015 and will be looking to add to his career totals after being healthy all offseason. The Rams will look to pound the football off-tackle behind right tackle Rob Havenstein and left tackle Greg Robinson.

The 49ers' defensive front comes into the season with major question marks. The unit already lost starting nose tackle Ian Williams for the season with an ankle injury. Starting defensive end Arik Armstead and key backup at nose tackle Glenn Dorsey are currently nursing injuries. The Rams' offensive line needs to attack rookie defensive end DeForest Buckner and see if the young player can hold his own in the NFL.

Preview: Steelers (0-0) at Redskins (0-0)

Date: September 12, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Steelers have made the postseason 16 times in 24 seasons, played in four Super Bowls and won two of them since 1992. That was also the last time the Washington Redskins made the playoffs in consecutive years.

When the two teams meet at FedEx Field on Monday night, it will be a matchup of one of the NFL's most reliable franchises versus one trying to shed a circus image that has slowly begun to change under second-year general manager Scot McCloughan.

For the Redskins, this season is about proving that they are finally building a sustainable winner. For the Steelers, 2016 is about regaining their perch atop the NFL following last year's tight AFC divisional playoff loss to Denver, the eventual Super Bowl champion.

"More Super Bowl titles," Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said when asked his goals at age 34. "Having two is great, but I think every year every team should be striving to win it. I want to win as many as I can."

The Steelers and Redskins don't meet often. They haven't played at FedEx Field since 2008. But that night was an embarrassment for Washington - a 23-6 loss on "Monday Night Football" where Pittsburgh fans appeared to outnumber the home supporters.

In all, the Steelers have won five in a row in this series. But the Redskins are out to prove that last year's 9-7 season and playoff berth weren't flukes - even if some veteran players acknowledge they were products of a bad division in 2015.

"We have a great opportunity to go be effective and play well and that's exciting and something for our fans to be excited about," Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "But, we've got to go out and prove it. We've got to go out and play well and right now, it's just talk and it doesn't mean a whole lot."

Monday's game presents many intriguing matchups, however. None is bigger than Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, the league's highest-paid player at his position, and Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown, who tied for the NFL in receptions last season with 136.

"When you look at a wide receiver in the NFL, you don't have to stop nowhere other than Antonio Brown," Norman said. "It starts and it ends with him. That's going to be a tall task to take on."

Pittsburgh is without star running back La'Veon Bell (three-game suspension) and wide receiver Martavis Bryant (one-year suspension). Those are concerns. As is a relatively young secondary that will have to slow a Redskins passing offense featuring DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, tight end Jordan Reed and Jamison Crowder. That doesn't even include first-round pick Josh Doctson (left Achilles tendon), who returned to practice this week.

Steelers wide receiver Markus Wheaton also has been ruled out because of a shoulder injury. Pittsburgh will go to Washington with four receivers: Antonio Brown, Sammie Coates, Eli Rogers and Darrius Heyward-Bey. Either Coates or Heyward-Bey will replace Wheaton in the starting lineup.

"I think the first game is less about the people that you play and more about doing you," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "Us being detail-oriented from an assignment standpoint, playing hard and communicating well."

Washington made it through the regular season relatively unscathed., It lost outside linebacker Junior Galette (torn right Achilles tendon) before camp even began. But Doctson is back practicing and running back Matt Jones (separated left shoulder) is expected to play after practicing with full contact on Wednesday. Otherwise, the Redskins are healthy save for defensive end Kendall Reyes (groin).

But Washington didn't beat a single playoff team last season en route to nine wins.

No other NFC East team made it and two divisions rival (New York Giants, Philadelphia) fired their coaches. The Redskins were outclassed by Super Bowl contenders Carolina and New England in the second half of the season and decisively beaten by Green Bay in the NFC wild-card round at home.

The Steelers provide an opportunity to beat one of those reliable contenders early in the season. For Washington coach Gruden, it is a measuring stick.

"(Pittsburgh does) a great job in-house scouting and developing their guys and bringing guys into that building," Gruden said. "They've been good for a long time for a reason. They have a great scouting staff, a great coaching staff, and they're very dangerous all across the board - receiver, if a running back goes down, they've got another one coming up. They just keep refueling."

Preview: Pittsburgh at Washington

When: 7:10 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2016
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland

Following their surprise run to the NFC East title in 2015, expectations are heightened for the Washington Redskins as they prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night in the season opener for both teams. Washington is looking to build upon its closing run a year ago, when it finished the regular season with four consecutive victories.

"We have a great opportunity to go be effective and play well and that's exciting and something for our fans to be excited about," Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "But, we've got to go out and prove it." Washington made a bold move to bolster its defense by signing Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman, setting up a marquee matchup with Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh will be without a pair of key weapons as running back Le'Veon Bell is serving a three-game suspension and wide receiver Martavis Bryant is out for the year for violations of the league's substance abuse policy. The offense should still be potent behind the leadership of two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but there are concerns over a defense that ranked 30th against the pass last season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Steelers -3. O/U: 50

ABOUT THE STEELERS (2015: 10-6, second in the AFC North): Once renowned for its Steel Curtain defense, Pittsburgh has evolved into an offensive juggernaut, with Roethlisberger leading the league with an average of 328.2 yards per game last season and Brown hauling in a mind-boggling 375 receptions and 31 touchdown catches in the past three years. "It starts and it ends with him," Norman said of Brown. "That's going to be a tall task to take on." DeAngelo Williams was more than a capable replacement last season while subbing for a suspended and injured Bell, rushing for 11 TDs and 907 yards. Defensive ends Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward and linebacker Ryan Shazier are top talents but the secondary remains suspect after yielding an average of 271.9 yards in 2015.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (2015: 9-7, first in the NFC East): One knock against Washington last season, aside from being the only team to finish above .500 in its division, was not beating one opponent with a winning record. Nonetheless, Cousins thrived in his first full season as the starter, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for at least 4,000 yards (4,166) and 25 touchdowns (29), and has one of the league's top tight ends in Jordan Reed, who enjoyed a breakout season with 87 receptions and 11 scores. There are questions about a ground game headed by Matt Jones, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing much of the preseason with a shoulder injury, and a defense that ranked 28th last year despite 9.5 sacks from linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Pittsburgh's 41 wins on Kickoff Weekend are the most by any AFC team.

2. Redskins WR DeSean Jackson averages 17.7 yards per catch in his career, the most in the league since 2008.

3. Brown tied for the NFL lead with 136 receptions in 2015 and his 265 catches in the past two seasons are the most in any two-year span.

PREDICTION: Steelers 27, Redskins 23

NFL

Week 1

Pittsburgh @ Washington– Steelers lost last five road openers (0-4-1 vs spread), all by 7+ points; they lost four of last five season openers (0-4-1 vs spread), but won last five games vs Washington, last four all by 9+ points. This is only third visit here for Steelers since ’68; they split last two. Pitt is 11-20-1 as road favorite last eight years, 6-14 in non-divisional games. Under is 10-5 in their road games last two years. Redskins are 5-4 as home dog under Gruden; since ’08, they’re 12-24-2 vs spread in non-divisional home games. Skins lost last three season openers, three of last four home openers. Under is 7-2 in Steelers’ last nine road openers, 1-4 in Washington’s last five home openers.

Los Angeles @ San Francisco– Rams are favored despite being 1-13 in last 14 road openers, with only win 19-17 (-4) at Tampa Bay couple years ago. LA is 1-3 as road fave in Fisher era. Keenum is 5-2 in last seven starts. Since 2000, Rams are 3-13 vs spread in Week 1. 49ers are 7-3-1 as home underdog since ’09, 1-3 in last four home openers, losing in Week 1 last three years. Niners are 4-2-1 in last seven series games; Rams are 1-6-1 in last eight visits here, with three of last four visits decided by 3 or less points; it is much shorter road trip now than it was in those eight trips. LA outrushed 49ers 330-146 in two meetings LY; wraps will get taken off Gurley here after he hardly played in preseason. Under is 7-3 in Rams’ last 10 road openers, 9-5-1 in 49ers’ last 15 HOs, 18-6 in 49ers home games the last three years.

NFL

Week 1

Pittsburgh @ Washington– Steelers lost last five road openers (0-4-1 vs spread), all by 7+ points; they lost four of last five season openers (0-4-1 vs spread), but won last five games vs Washington, last four all by 9+ points. This is only third visit here for Steelers since ’68; they split last two. Pitt is 11-20-1 as road favorite last eight years, 6-14 in non-divisional games. Under is 10-5 in their road games last two years. Redskins are 5-4 as home dog under Gruden; since ’08, they’re 12-24-2 vs spread in non-divisional home games. Skins lost last three season openers, three of last four home openers. Under is 7-2 in Steelers’ last nine road openers, 1-4 in Washington’s last five home openers.

Los Angeles @ San Francisco– Rams are favored despite being 1-13 in last 14 road openers, with only win 19-17 (-4) at Tampa Bay couple years ago. LA is 1-3 as road fave in Fisher era. Keenum is 5-2 in last seven starts. Since 2000, Rams are 3-13 vs spread in Week 1. 49ers are 7-3-1 as home underdog since ’09, 1-3 in last four home openers, losing in Week 1 last three years. Niners are 4-2-1 in last seven series games; Rams are 1-6-1 in last eight visits here, with three of last four visits decided by 3 or less points; it is much shorter road trip now than it was in those eight trips. LA outrushed 49ers 330-146 in two meetings LY; wraps will get taken off Gurley here after he hardly played in preseason. Under is 7-3 in Rams’ last 10 road openers, 9-5-1 in 49ers’ last 15 HOs, 18-6 in 49ers home games the last three years.

Preview: Los Angeles at San Francisco

When: 10:20 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2016
Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Chip Kelly gets a second chance to find out if his revved-up offense can translate to the NFL when he guides the San Francisco 49ers into their season opener against the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. Kelly made a splashy entrance into the league with a pair of 10-win campaigns in Philadelphia but was released with one game left last season amid growing player discontent.

“I’m sure Chip’s heard the rumors,” 49ers veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman told reporters, “and I’m sure he’s made a few changes so he doesn’t have the same comments at the end of this year.” Ironically, one of Kelly's first big decisions was choosing a starting quarterback, but backup Colin Kaepernick has garnered much of the headlines following his decision not to stand for the national anthem, setting off a wave of discourse nationally. The Rams hardly have had a quiet offseason of their own, relocating to Los Angeles after a 21-year run in St. Louis. The franchise then swung for the fences by sending a boatload of draft picks to Tennessee for the No. 1 pick overall -- used to select Jared Goff, who begins the season as the third-string quarterback.

TV: 10:20 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Rams -2.5. O/U: 43

ABOUT THE RAMS (2015: 7-9, third in the NFC West): Los Angeles has an emerging superstar in second-year running back Todd Gurley, who introduced himself to the NFL by rushing for at least 125 yards in each of his first four starts. A non-existent passing game allowed defenses to focus on Gurley as his rookie season progressed, leading to coach Jeff Fisher's decision to promote Case Keenum, who won three of his last four starts. There's still a dearth of talent at wide receiver for Los Angeles, which likes to line up former first-round pick Tavon Austin in the backfield with Gurley rather than stretch defenses with the deep ball. Tackle Aaron Donald is an unstoppable force on defense for the Rams, who must replace defensive end Chris Long and linebacker James Laurinaitis.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (2015: 5-11, fourth in the NFC West): Blaine Gabbert started to resurrect his career after he was elevated to starter midway through last season and won the quarterback job in the preseason while Kaepernick was slow to recover from multiple surgeries. "He's a good fit for what we want to get accomplished, and I have a lot of confidence in what he can do for us offensively," Kelly said of Gabbert, who threw for 354 yards in a 19-16 win over the Rams to finish 3-5 last season. Like the Rams, San Francisco will have to cobble together a group of wide receivers, with Torrey Smith the de facto No. 1 after grabbing only 33 receptions in his first season with the 49ers. San Francisco held opponents to 20 points or fewer in seven of eight home games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. San Francisco and Los Angeles ranked 31st and 32nd, respectively, in total offense last season.

2. The Rams averaged a league-worst 175.3 yards passing in 2015.

3. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde missed both games versus the Rams last season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot.

PREDICTION: Rams 20, 49ers 17

NFL

Week 1

Trend Report

Monday, September 12

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh is 2-3-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Pittsburgh's last 11 games on the road
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

10:20 PM
LOS ANGELES vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Los Angeles is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Francisco's last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing at home against Los Angeles

NFL Injury Report for Monday games
By The Sports Xchange

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at WASHINGTON REDSKINS on Monday night
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
-- Out: WR Markus Wheaton (shoulder), FB Roosevelt Nix (back), OL Cody Wallace (knee), CB Senquez Golson (foot).

WASHINGTON REDSKINS
--Questionable: RB Matt Jones (shoulder), WR Josh Doctson (Achilles), DE Kendall Reyes (groin), G Spencer Long (ankle), T Ty Nsekhe (illness), NT Kedric Gholston (back).

LOS ANGELES RAMS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS on Monday night
LOS ANGELES RAMS
-- Out: WR Pharoh Cooper (shoulder), WR Nelson Spruce (knee), CB EJ Gaines (thigh).
--Questionable: OL Rob Havenstein (foot), OL Bryce Hager (concussion).

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
--Doubtful: CB Chris Davis (hamstring).
--Questionable: DL Arik Armstead (shoulder), DL Glenn Dorsey (knee), LB Nick Bellore (knee), DT Quinton Dial (knee), CB Keith Reaser (ankle), T Anthony Davis (not injury related).

Gridiron Angles - Week 1
By Vince Akins

NFL O/U UNDER TREND:

-- The 49ers are 0-11 O/U since Dec 04, 2005 at home when the line is within 3 of pick and vs a divisional opponent.

NFL
Long Sheet

Week 1

PITTSBURGH (11 - 7) at WASHINGTON (9 - 8) - 9/12/2016, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 79-108 ATS (-39.8 Units) in home games since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 79-108 ATS (-39.8 Units) in home lined games since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in home games when playing on Monday night since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 79-108 ATS (-39.8 Units) in home games in games played on a grass field since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) in home games in September games since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LA RAMS (7 - 9) at SAN FRANCISCO (5 - 11) - 9/12/2016, 10:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA RAMS is 171-214 ATS (-64.4 Units) in all games since 1992.
LA RAMS is 171-214 ATS (-64.4 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
LA RAMS is 79-109 ATS (-40.9 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points since 1992.
LA RAMS is 123-169 ATS (-62.9 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
LA RAMS is 55-83 ATS (-36.3 Units) in games played on a grass field since 1992.
LA RAMS is 31-51 ATS (-25.1 Units) in September games since 1992.
SAN FRANCISCO is 30-10 ATS (+19.0 Units) when playing on Monday night since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-2 against the spread versus LA RAMS over the last 3 seasons
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-2 straight up against LA RAMS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

Steelers head to D.C.

NFL Week 1 MNF Betting Preview

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Washington Redskins

Lines: Pittsburgh (-3.5); Total Set at 50.5

Two playoff teams from the 2015 season meet in the first game of the annual Week 1 MNF double header and the perception of these two teams is very different coming into 2016. On one hand we've got the Pittsburgh Steelers and a WR in Antonio Brown who fantasy gurus have been raving about all summer. Brown is even being mentioned as a potential NFL MVP candidate – a rarity for WR's – and he's just one of the many weapons the Steelers have. There are plenty of bettors out there who've also got Super Bowl futures tickets in their pocket on the Steelers as they expect this organization to go all the way in 2016.

On the other hand we've got a Washington team who won their division a season ago and almost everyone believes it was a bit of a fluke. They did catch an enormous amount of breaks in that Tony Romo went down for Dallas, the Eagles absolutely stunk and hated their head coach, and the Giants couldn't get out of their own way and cost themselves multiple games late. But you've still got to be a quality team to win your division in this league and Washington could surprise many this season by proving 2015 wasn't as “fluky” as some are led to believe.

So based on those two underlying perceptions, is this -3.5 spread a trap game for Pittsburgh backers? Is the number way too low? Or is their value in the total?

It's tough to consider any Week 1 game a “trap game” as every player across the league is amped up to get a new season started. But while some will lean that way because the Steelers have a rematch with Cincinnati on deck (after how the Wildcard game between those two rivals finished), I wouldn't be so quick to subscribe to that belief. Pittsburgh will be a very good team this year and while they could have an eye on the Bengals, there is no way they want to enter that Week 2 game with an 0-1 record.

That being said, running to the betting window and laying the points with Pittsburgh is something I'm not looking to do either, as the spread was set at this number for a reason and that nasty hook on -3 could very well come into play. Washington's got their own team to worry about and clearly they are eager to prove all their doubters wrong this year.

Therefore, it's the total I'm looking at here as the bulk of the action so far has come in on the high side of this number, yet it's moved down off the key number of 51. That's a pretty big sign to me that while everyone in the NFL betting or fantasy worlds believe Pittsburgh's offense will be one of the best in 2016, it might take them a week or two to fully get going and reach their potential. Remember, most of these starters had limited snaps over the preseason and conditioning and being in “football shape” will still take some time. It's not like Washington's defense is atrocious either and all that time to prepare for Antonio Brown and Big Ben has to help out Washington's defense here.

So rather than wrestle with the idea of this being a short spread or some type of trap game, I'm going to go ahead and follow the move here on the total and take the 'under' 50.5 points. Both of these teams will be working out the cobwebs early on, and with Pittsburgh on a 0-4 O/U run on the road and Washington on a 0-4 O/U under the Monday night lights, this game won't surpass that number.

Take Under 50.5 points.

Steelers head to D.C.

NFL Week 1 MNF Betting Preview

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Washington Redskins

Lines: Pittsburgh (-3.5); Total Set at 50.5

Two playoff teams from the 2015 season meet in the first game of the annual Week 1 MNF double header and the perception of these two teams is very different coming into 2016. On one hand we've got the Pittsburgh Steelers and a WR in Antonio Brown who fantasy gurus have been raving about all summer. Brown is even being mentioned as a potential NFL MVP candidate – a rarity for WR's – and he's just one of the many weapons the Steelers have. There are plenty of bettors out there who've also got Super Bowl futures tickets in their pocket on the Steelers as they expect this organization to go all the way in 2016.

On the other hand we've got a Washington team who won their division a season ago and almost everyone believes it was a bit of a fluke. They did catch an enormous amount of breaks in that Tony Romo went down for Dallas, the Eagles absolutely stunk and hated their head coach, and the Giants couldn't get out of their own way and cost themselves multiple games late. But you've still got to be a quality team to win your division in this league and Washington could surprise many this season by proving 2015 wasn't as “fluky” as some are led to believe.

So based on those two underlying perceptions, is this -3.5 spread a trap game for Pittsburgh backers? Is the number way too low? Or is their value in the total?

It's tough to consider any Week 1 game a “trap game” as every player across the league is amped up to get a new season started. But while some will lean that way because the Steelers have a rematch with Cincinnati on deck (after how the Wildcard game between those two rivals finished), I wouldn't be so quick to subscribe to that belief. Pittsburgh will be a very good team this year and while they could have an eye on the Bengals, there is no way they want to enter that Week 2 game with an 0-1 record.

That being said, running to the betting window and laying the points with Pittsburgh is something I'm not looking to do either, as the spread was set at this number for a reason and that nasty hook on -3 could very well come into play. Washington's got their own team to worry about and clearly they are eager to prove all their doubters wrong this year.

Therefore, it's the total I'm looking at here as the bulk of the action so far has come in on the high side of this number, yet it's moved down off the key number of 51. That's a pretty big sign to me that while everyone in the NFL betting or fantasy worlds believe Pittsburgh's offense will be one of the best in 2016, it might take them a week or two to fully get going and reach their potential. Remember, most of these starters had limited snaps over the preseason and conditioning and being in “football shape” will still take some time. It's not like Washington's defense is atrocious either and all that time to prepare for Antonio Brown and Big Ben has to help out Washington's defense here.

So rather than wrestle with the idea of this being a short spread or some type of trap game, I'm going to go ahead and follow the move here on the total and take the 'under' 50.5 points. Both of these teams will be working out the cobwebs early on, and with Pittsburgh on a 0-4 O/U run on the road and Washington on a 0-4 O/U under the Monday night lights, this game won't surpass that number.

Take Under 50.5 points.

Tech Trends - Week 1
By Bruce Marshall

Monday, Sept. 12

PITTSBURGH at WASHINGTON (ESPN, 7:10 p.m. ET)

Tomlin 0-4-1 vs. line last five openers and 4-8 as road chalk since 2012. Skins "over" 7-2 last nine in 2015. Skins now "over" 12-7 last 19 since late 2014. Jay Gruden 4-1 as home dog LY.
Tech Edge: "Over" and Redskins, based on "totals" and team trends.



LOS ANGELES at SAN FRANCISCO (ESPN, 10:20 p.m. ET)

Chip 2-1 vs. line in openers with Eagles. Niners 4-2 SU and vs. line last six vs. Rams (though 2-0 of that when SF was good in 2013). "Unders" 5-2 last seven in series. Fisher 1-2 as road chalk with Rams since 2012, also "under" 14-5-1 last 20 since late 2014.
Tech Edge: "Under" and 49ers, based on "totals" and team trends.