Here are quick-hit previews for all of today’s action in the NFL.

Dolphins at Falcons, 1:00PM
The Falcons have issues in their secondary that Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington can exploit. Atlanta had trouble getting off the field on third downs in preseason and the Dolphins excel at moving the ball methodically down the field. Conversely, Miami must keep up with Atlanta’s high-powered offense, which could be tough given how potent Matt Ryan and company looked in preseason.

Broncos at Bengals, 1:00PM
This game features the highly anticipated return of quarterback Carson Palmer, who will be without receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh this year. It’ll be interesting to see if Chad Ochocinco can rebound from a poor ’08 campaign and re-establish a rhythm with Palmer. For Denver, new head coach Josh McDaniels gets to unveil his offense, which should include receiver Brandon Marshall, although his playing status is still somewhat up in the air. The player I’m keeping an eye on today is rookie running back Knowshon Moreno, who could excel in McDainels’ pass-happy offense as a receiver out of the backfield.

Vikings at Browns, 1:00PM
Even though this will be Brett Favre’s Vikings debut, Adrian Peterson will remain the focal point for Minnesota’s offense. Rookie Percy Harvin is expected to see a ton of playing time and could be used as Brad Childress’s X-factor. The Browns will find it tough to move the ball on the ground today, as Minnesota will have their Williams Wall intact. Quarterback Brady Quinn will be counted on to make plays in the passing game and it’ll be interesting to see if Braylon Edwards can put his tumultuous offseason behind him. One player to watch for the Browns is Joshua Cribbs, who is coming off a great preseason and could be used in a variety of ways today.

Jaguars at Colts, 1:00PM
Jacksonville is looking to bounce back from a disastrous ’08 season, one in which they were supposed to contend for the Super Bowl and instead found themselves at the bottom of the AFC South. Jack Del Rio’s Jags have always played the Colts tough and they could take advantage of Indy not having safety Bob Sanders in their secondary. The most intriguing matchup today will be Colts receiver Reggie Wayne against Jaguars corner Rashean Mathis. If the now-healthy Jags can keep Peyton Manning and company contained, Jacksonville could sneak away with a win.

Lions at Saints, 1:00PM
Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford will make his pro debut today in New Orleans and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against the Saints’ secondary, which features newbies Darren Sharper, Jabari Greer and rookie Malcolm Jenkins. In all actuality, Stafford probably won’t have much of an impact either way on the outcome of this game as Saints’ QB Drew Brees should tear apart a Lions’ defense that is severely devoid of talent.

Cowboys at Bucs, 1:00PM
Now that T.O. is in Buffalo, the spotlight is on quarterback Tony Romo to take Dallas to the next level. The Cowboys are loaded with talent, but haven’t been able to get over the hump the past couple years. They’ll have a good chance to start the season on the right foot today in Tampa, while the Bus try to get adjusted to a new head coach and a new defensive coordinator. Dallas should feast on inconsistent quarterback Byron Leftwich, who often holds onto the ball too long in the pocket and is prone to making mitakes. How will Tampa’s defense fare without coordinator Monte Kiffin?

Eagles at Panthers, 1:00PM
Philadelphia has Super Bowl on its minds after stocking their roster with new talent this offseason. Jason Peters, LeSean “Shady” McCoy and Jeremy Maclin will all make their Eagle debuts today against a Panthers team that will provide a tough test. It’ll be interesting to see how Philadelphia’s defense does against one of the league’s top running games without middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, who was lost for the season after suffering an injury in practice. Will DeAngelo Williams have a field day for the Panthers? Can quarterback Jake Delhomme bounce back from the horrendous outing he had in last year’s playoffs?

Chiefs at Ravens, 1:00PM
Baltimore will unveil its new-look defense (one that will feature more 4-3 fronts instead of their standard 3-4), while the Chiefs will display its new offense under head coach Todd Haley, who replaced Herm Edwards in he offseason. Tyler Thigpen will start under center today for KC as Matt Cassel, who suffered an injury in preseason and could miss the first couple games. Thigpen has starting experience, although Baltimore’s defense has a way of making any quarterback look bad.

Jets at Texans, 1:00PM
Rookie Mark Sanchez will make his pro debut today on the road against a Houston team that feels as though it’s ready to make a playoff run. In order for the Texans to have success this season, quarterback Matt Schuab must stay healthy. Look for Houston to get running back Steve Slaton involved in the passing game early and for the Texan defense to fluster Sanchez with a variety of blitzes. If New York can run the ball against a Houston team that struggled last year stopping opponents’ ground games, Sanchez and the Jets will be fine.

Redskins at Giants, 4:15PM
The Redskins and Giants will meet at the Meadowlands on opening week for the second time in two years. Washington head coach Jim Zorn is expected to give quarterback Jason Campbell more opportunities to throw the ball vertically now that Campbell has one full season under his belt in the West Coast Offense. It’ll be interesting to see how he does against a Giants team that can bring a ton of pressure. Albert Haynesworth will make his Redskins debut today, so Giants QB Eli Manning better get the ball out of his hands quickly or else he could be in for a long day. The Giants need someone to step up in the passing game, and maybe it’ll be rookie first round pick Hakeem Nicks.

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals, 4:15PM
The defending NFC Champion Cardinals will look to start the 2009 season off on the right foot when they host division rival San Francisco. The 49ers are also looking for a fast start under head coach Mike Singletary, while quarterback Shaun Hill will get the opportunity to show that he can lead this team after winning the job over Alex Smith in the preseason. That said, San Fran will still try and keep the ball moving on the ground with Frank Gore and rookie Glen Coffee after leading the league in rushing yards this preseason. This is an intriguing matchup because while the Cards have a dynamic passing game, the Niners have a solid secondary that might be able to somewhat neutralize receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Rams at Seahawks, 4:15PM
Two teams with new head coaches square off in Seattle, as Steve Spagnuolo’s Rams will take on Jim Mora’s Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck is now healthy, which benefits Seattle in its quest to get back on top in the NFC West. The Seahawks must find a running game though, or else they can continue to struggle all season. Receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh and rookie linebacker Aaron Curry make their debuts for the Seahawks today, while the Rams will start rookie tackle Jason Smith, who was the second overall player taken in April’s draft.

Game Preview:
Dallas enters the season as the perennial favorite to represent the NFC in the 2009 Super Bowl. QB Tony Romo, RB Marion Barber III, WR Terrell Owens and TE Jason Witten form one of the more explosive offenses in the league. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett proved last year that he’s an outstanding play caller and the Cowboys shouldn’t have issues putting points on the board on a weekly basis. The defense is also stacked and head coach Wade Phillips is one of the better 3-4 schemers in league.

Cleveland has high expectations after winning 10 games last season, but QB Derek Anderson has to prove that he wasn’t a one-year fluke and the offseason additions have to gel quickly on defense. Anderson certainly has enough playmakers around him to succeed, from TE Kellen Winslow Jr. to WR Braylon Edwards and RB Jamal Lewis. Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams were acquired in the offseason to help boost the defensive pass rush and hopefully take the pressure off a talented, but inexperienced secondary.

Outlook:
The Browns must get pressure on Romo like the Giants did in last year’s NFC Divisional Playoffs or else Garrett will keep Cleveland’s defense off balance all game. Stopping Barber and the Dallas’ run game will also be vital, but perhaps more important for the Browns is that they need to win the turnover and field position battles. They should be able to score points (even against a tough Dallas defense), but they don’t stand a chance if they can’t force a turnover or two without turning the ball over themselves. Lewis and returner Joshua Cribbs will be game-time decisions and if they can’t go, Cleveland’s defense will have to step up even more because the offense might struggle to stay balanced. Expect the Browns to double up Owens and take their chances with Patrick Crayton in one-on-one coverage. Keeping Witten from running down the seams will also be imperative, so safety Sean Jones might have a busy afternoon.

Prediction: Cowboys 30, Browns 21. The Cowboys have depth concerns, but they still have so many weapons that are healthy. Cleveland wasn’t particularly sharp in preseason either, although that rarely is a telltale sign on how a team will do in the regular season.

2. Ricky Williams. The Dolphins host the Jets on Sunday, a team that didn’t play well against the run last year. Williams looked good in preseason and might be a candidate to win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year.

3. Tom Brady’s foot. Does he have a broken bone in his foot or not? The Patriots won’t tell, but it should be obvious if Brady looks hampered. He practiced all week and was taken off New England’s injury report so all indications are that he’s healthy. The Chiefs’ secondary is weak, but they do have a decent pass rush and could give Brady and the Pats some trouble.

4. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco’s debuts. Forget about previous history – the Falcons and Ravens don’t care. They’re starting rookie quarterbacks and they’re ready to sink or swim with their young signal callers. Neither rookie QB plays a tough defense on Sunday (Ryan and the Falcons host Detroit, while Flacco and the Ravens host the Bengals) so maybe they could build some confidence in their first career starts.

5. Shawne Merriman’s knee. Merriman will play with a brace for most, if not all of the season because of ligament damage in one of his knees. One hit could end his season (and possibly his career), but assuming he stays upright it’ll be interesting to see how well he moves with a brace on.

Upset Watch: Texans at Steelers, 1:00pm ET
The Steelers have been one of the toughest teams to beat at home over the years. But their offensive line is a huge question mark this season and the Texans have built one of the better pass-rushing lines in the AFC. If the front seven can stop Willie Parker and the rest of the Steelers’ running game, youngsters Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye might be able to get a good push and put pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh defense will still be tough to score on (especially if Houston has no running game), but Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are healthy and they could strike for some big plays. Even if they don’t win the Texans should be able to keep the game close throughout. Pittsburgh is a 6.5-point favorite.

Intriguing Matchup: Jets at Dolphins, 1:00pm ET
Brett Favre makes his Jets’ debut while Chad Pennington looks to exact revenge on his former team. The Jets are legitimate playoff contenders now with Favre under center, but it’ll be interesting to see if all the offseason shenanigans took their toll on the former Packer great. The Dolphins are void of talent on defense and if Jets’ RB Thomas Jones can get going in the running game and keep New York balanced offensively, Favre might torch Miami’s secondary. The Jets are currently 3-point road favorites.

Other Notable Games:
Jaguars at Titans, 1:00pm ET
Can the Jaguars put their recent off field troubles behind them and prove that they’re Super Bowl contenders?

Bears at Colts, 8:15pm ET
It’s a Super Bowl rematch as the Colts open up their new home digs. Is Peyton Manning healthy?

Bucs at Saints, 1:00pm ET
These two teams might battle it out all season for the NFC South crown.