Prediction: It's unpredictable

Wake up, NFL fans. The league's 89th season began Thursday night. For real. That's right, no more John David Booty for 12 more months. We promise.

This is the good stuff. The unpredictable stuff. The stuff that saw 47 percent of all 2007 games decided by eight points or fewer. The stuff that last year saw at least five new playoff teams for the 12th consecutive season.

Two rookies -- Joe Flacco in Baltimore and Matt Ryan in Atlanta -- will start. There are four head-coaching debuts -- John Harbaugh in Baltimore, Mike Smith in Atlanta, Tony Sparano in Miami and Jim Zorn in Washington -- and new faces in new places all over the land, from the Meadowlands (Brett Favre) to the Big Easy (Jeremy Shockey) to the Bay Area (Isaac Bruce and DeAngelo Hall) to the Great Northwest (Julius Jones).

CIN -1 1/2 at BAL: Bengals by 7

Ravens are 11-4 at home against AFC North foes since 2003. But no wins were posted by a rookie QB from, ah, Delaware.

KC +15 1/2 at NE: Patriots by 10

No fair. Tom Brady is rich, famous, gets whatever girl he wants ... and now he gets to skip the preseason, too?

Pittsburgh has won four consecutive games on what the NFL keeps trying to get all of us to call "Kickoff Weekend." Why does Week 1 have to have a catchy phrase that isn't catchy?

JAC -3 at TEN: Jaguars by 7

The Jaguars put out notice to the rest of the NFL this offseason: "Bring us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of underachieving receivers."

DET -3 at ATL: Lions by 6

Man, it must be September. The Lions are favored by three points on the road. (Note to self: Do not write the Lions-have-turned-it-around story, even if they start 6-2.)

Seattle has won its division four consecutive years. Seattle plays in the NFC West. Hence, whoop-de-doo.

TB +3 at NO: Saints by 7

Drew Brees completed an NFL-record 440 passes last year and adds TE Jeremy Shockey to his arsenal. Drew hasn't felt this invincible since he played on Saturdays at the Metrodome.

STL +7 1/2 at PHI: Eagles by 3

The Eagles are 36-1 when Donovan McNabb has a passer rating of 100 or better. They're 37-38 when he doesn't. No wonder the guy wants better receivers.

The nation gets its first of many looks at the Browns this season. If the preseason debacle against the Giants is any indication, the nation will rake a lot of leaves this year.

CAR +9 at SD: Chargers by 6

LaDainian Tomlinson could tie Eric Dickerson for most 1,200-yard seasons to start a career (7). How has he done it while skipping meaningless, er, I mean vital preseason games?

ARI -2 1/2 at SF: Cardinals by 6

J.T. O'Sullivan. Good Lord. How bad must Alex Smith be feeling right about now?

No fair. Peyton Manning is rich, famous, gets whatever cool commercial he wants ... and now he gets to skip the preseason, too?

MN +2 1/2 at GB: Packers by 3

Eight months ago, Bart Starr hugged Brett Favre on the sideline before the NFC title game. No word on whether Monday night's game will include an Aaron Rodgers-Scott Hunter embrace beforehand.

DEN -3 at OAK: Broncos by 6

The second game on Monday also will be the first game of the end of Lane Kiffin's Raiders career.