Editor’s note: Each week, Bryan will reveal his National Football League picks for the upcoming weekend, as well as a brief preview of some featured games.

Thursday

Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers –

With the Pittsburgh Steelers powerful defense, expect Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu to be all over the field. To be honest, I wasn’t very impressed with Dolphins new quarterback Daunte Culpepper during the preseason. It appears as if the knee injury he suffered last season against the Carolina Panthers still lurks in the back of his mind. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had terrible luck over the summer, and it continued when he underwent an emergency appendectomy Sunday, which will hold him out of week one. Steelers head coach Bill Cowher shouldn’t be too worried, since he has veteran backup QB Charlie Batch to step in. Batch took a number of snaps with the first-string in the preseason and looked very sharp despite the Steelers losing all four games.

My pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots –

Patriots QB Tom Brady will be without his two favorite targets for the season opener, David Givens and Deion Branch. Givens went to the Tennessee Titans as a free agent and Branch, former Super Bowl MVP, has been holding out most of the preseason because of a contract dispute. No matter what offseason turmoil has taken place, the football genius of Bill Belichick will be able to scrounge something together, as the Patriots try to reclaim the Super Bowl Championship.

My pick: New England Patriots

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs –

This game features the Bengals amazing passing game against one of the league’s most prolific rushing attacks in the Chiefs. Bengals QB Carson Palmer has proven throughout the preseason that his knee injury isn’t holding him back. On the other hand, the Chiefs, who have no real deep threat, are able to run over opponents with their running back Larry Johnson. If these two offenses get rolling, the game will be close. However, I failed to mention the one “X” factor that may break the game open for the Bengals – RB Rudi Johnson.

My pick: Cincinnati Bengals

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers –

Well, the question is, will the “Pack” win more than three games this year? They have acquired defensive star cornerback Charles Woodson through free agency. However, when you’re going up against a team with a minimal passing attack like the Bears, you need to have a strong corps of linebackers to stuff the run. The Packers answer that bill with players such as linebackers AJ Hawk and Nick Barnett, who are capable of stuffing the run. If the Packers do stop the Bears weak offense, the Packers offense will still have to square off against last year’s top scoring-defense, led by linebacker Brian Urlacher. Don’t expect much offense in this game, as Packers QB Brett Favre tries to find a new go-to target after losing Javon Walker to the Broncos. The Bears defense will dominate and control the tempo of this game in a very lopsided victory for Chicago.

My pick: Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys at Jacksonville Jaguars –

This game features two teams with outstanding players at running back: Fred Taylor for the Jaguars and Julius Jones for the Cowboys. The Jaguars have versatile QB Byron Leftwich, but because of the retirement of receiver Jimmy Smith after the 2005 season, Leftwich has been forced to hand the ball off to Taylor or pass it to tight end Kyle Brady. The Cowboys have a poised quarterback in Drew Bledsoe who can make quick and accurate decisions on a whim. Now honestly, if you had the receiving duo of Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens, you wouldn’t get too rattled in the pocket either.

My pick: Dallas Cowboys

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals –

In my mind, ever since the retirement of quarterback Steve Young and the loss of wide receiver Jerry Rice, the 49ers have been lost at sea. However, they have a great receiver/run blocker in tight end Vernon Davis to build around, as well as young QB Alex Smith. Both teams’ defenses are pretty pathetic, so if the Cardinals want a chance to win this opener, they should bench injury-prone QB Kurt Warner, and put in rookie QB Matt Leinart. It’ll prove to be this young quarterback’s easiest win of his career.

My pick: Arizona Cardinals

Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants –

Now who in his or her right mind hasn’t been looking forward to this classic case of sibling rivalry, as the Manning brothers square off at quarterback to try and lead their respective teams to an early victory. Both sides are equally matched, almost pound for pound: DE Michael Strahan of the Giants, DE Dwight Freeney of the Colts. TE Jeremy Shockey for the Giants, TE Dallas Clark for the Colts. And then receivers – Marvin Harrison for the Colts and Plaxico Burress for the Giants. If you ask me the “X” factor in this game will not be the experience that older brother and Colts QB Peyton brings to the game, but rather the loss of Edgerrin James at running back to the Cardinals via free agency. Where Giants RB Tiki Barber will be able to help the Giants establish a nice pass/rush style of offense, I fear Colts RB Dominic Rhodes will have a difficult time filling James’ big shoes.

My pick: New York Giants

Monday

Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins –

Don’t expect Redskins QB Mark Brunell to try and thread the needle against the likes of cornerback Antoine Winfield and free safety Darren Sharper. Redskins running back Clinton Portis will find it very difficult to run it past that beefy yet quick defensive line of the Vikings. Despite the cut of Vikings star receiver Koren Robinson after his suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy on Aug. 18, expect Vikings QB Brad Johnson to execute the run often with newly acquired RB Chester Taylor. They will be passing for short gains to WR Marcus Robinson and TE Jermaine Wiggins. Yet Minnesota knows the short game may get predictable after too long, and it hopes this will be the year that its first-round draft pick shines. The Vikings pray wide receiver Troy Williamson will be the answer to the absence of Randy Moss.

My pick: Minnesota Vikings