As the new NFL regular season kicks off, excitement is once again high across the league. However, by Tuesday morning, 16 teams will be reeling from a loss, leaving fans to ponder whether this early setback is a temporary issue or a sign that bigger adjustments are needed.

A rough start doesn’t have to trigger panic, however. Many championship hopefuls have begun their seasons poorly in recent years, including the defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost to the Detroit Lions last season in their opener, and the Buffalo Bills, who fell to the New York Jets in overtime. While rough openings don’t usually derail a season, they can place a team in a challenging position that’s hard to recover from.

With that thought in mind, we asked the YSL News Sports NFL team: Which NFL team might struggle right out of the gate? Here are their responses, with two writers selecting the same team:

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are at risk, and it’s not solely because they might still be disheartened after their playoff exit at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. Their schedule presents challenges as they have to play four of their first six games away from home against strong opponents like Miami, Baltimore, Houston, and the New York Jets, who have newly acquired Aaron Rodgers. Even their Week 3 home game versus Jacksonville isn’t guaranteed to be easy. The Bills will face some of the toughest tests early in the season. If they manage to get through this tough stretch, they could reestablish themselves as a premier team in the competitive AFC East. However, a poor start might hinder their aspirations to finally clinch a Super Bowl title as coach Sean McDermott has promised. While it’s too soon to label any game a must-win, the Bills should not underestimate their opener against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.

— Jarrett Bell

The Bills are set to face a rebuilding Arizona team in their opener and are expected to dominate. Josh Allen has a strong track record against NFC teams, boasting a 20-6 career record. However, they will soon enter a tough five-game stretch within the AFC, highlighted by four away games: at Miami, Jacksonville, at Ravens, at Texans, and at Jets, making it likely they will be underdogs in all of them. I foresee the Bills emerging from this early stretch with a record below .500. Complicating matters, the team has seen significant roster changes over the offseason, losing key players like wide receiver Stefon Diggs, center Mitch Morse, and safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. This initial phase of the season will likely be about adjustments, and they may very well struggle.

— Tyler Dragon

San Francisco 49ers

Finding a more talented team than the reigning NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, is a challenge. However, the real question is whether all this talent will align seamlessly from the start. The first-team offense appeared uncoordinated during their brief preseason outings, especially with “hold-in” wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk appearing in street clothes and absent left tackle Trent Williams not in action. Both players are now back with the contracts they were after but face the tough task of reintegrating after missing over a month of practices. Additionally, several others like S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw, G Jon Feliciano, and CB Ambry Thomas are all recovering from injuries. Despite their recent postseason success—only missing the NFC championship game once in the last five years—the 49ers might not be fully synchronized until October.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers are a popular pick for the Super Bowl in the NFC, and many expect them to compete for a championship by the end of the postseason. However, they will begin the season in a way that fans have grown accustomed to over the years. Last season, after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8, the Packers fell to a 2-5 record. Yet, quarterback Jordan Love stepped up in the second half, leading the team to the No. 7 seed and delivering a wild-card victory over the Dallas Cowboys, nearly pulling off another upset against the 49ers. The Packers’ initial schedule appears manageable, but they will face the Colts at home in Week 2 following an international opener against the Eagles in Brazil. Any early frustrations they experience will be overshadowed by success later in the season.

— Chris Bumbaca

Los Angeles Rams

Last season, Sean McVay’s team struggled to a 3-6 start but managed to win six out of their last seven games to secure a wild-card spot. That squad had fewer expectations as it was considered a transition year for the franchise. However, this year, there’s optimism that the Rams can bounce back and make another playoff run.

Nonetheless, there are a few issues that could lead to difficulties early in the season. Their offensive line is unstable, with starting left tackle Alaric Jackson serving a two-game suspension, right tackle Rob Havenstein dealing with an ankle injury, and players like Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson adjusting positions between left guard and center. Additionally, the team has a new defensive coordinator, Chris Shula, who is stepping into Raheem Morris’ former role and faces the challenge of managing a thin secondary and inside linebacker unit. Plus, they must navigate early setbacks.

The Rams are facing challenges without their three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald, whose exceptional pass rush skills are missed.

While they can work through these difficulties during the season, it might be a tall order for Matthew Stafford to deal with them right from the start. The Detroit Lions in Week 1 and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3 both possess the offensive strength and grit needed to disrupt the Rams’ rhythm. Additionally, the Arizona Cardinals could pose an upset risk between these two games. It wouldn’t be surprising if Los Angeles takes some time—perhaps a month—before hitting its stride.

— Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz