2021 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 1

Cleveland Browns (0-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-0)

Sunday, September 12, 4:25PM ET

Tired of seeing the Kansas City Chiefs atop the NFL hierarchy? Too bad. That’s not changing in 2021. I’m sure plenty are hoping to see the Chiefs toppled by the Cleveland Browns to start the season, but that’s unlikely to happen.

Why? Well for starters, the Chiefs may actually be better this season than they were last year. They’ve still got Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and a bevy of other offensive playmakers to rely upon. To make matters worse for opponents, they’ve also got one of the better defenses in the league.

The Browns are no slouch either — I’ll give them that. They’ve got one of the best ground games in the NFL, and Baker Mayfield has proven to be an above-average starting quarterback. The talent is there in the receiving department as well, although it doesn’t shine as brightly as it probably should. Still, there’s no denying Cleveland is a team worth taking seriously.

That won’t matter in Week 1, though. The Chiefs welcome the Browns into town, give them a good ol’ fashioned beatdown, and send them back to Ohio with their tails between their legs.

Prediction: Chiefs win 36-14