The last time the Eagles opened a season as NFL champions Justin Layne Jersey , it was 1960 and, well, who remembers what folks did then in Philadelphia?What they’ll certainly do Thursday night at the Linc when the Falcons come to town is roar with approval at the site of the Lombardi Trophy and the championship banner. Fans will sing many, many choruses of “Fly Eagles Fly.”And then the guys on the field will get down to business, defending the title they took away from New England last February.That defense will be difficult, particularly in the NFC, a stronger conference than the AFC.“Quite honestly, it’s going to be a great night from that standpoint,” coach Doug Pederson says of the season opener. “The fans that are in attendance are going to be crazy and they’re going to be excited. It’s going to be great for the banner to be dropped in Lincoln Financial (Field). It’s going to be a great atmosphere.“I think with this football team, though, they understand this is a different season, it’s a new team, new year. We’re sitting here 0-0 with a great opportunity against a great opponent — a playoff/Super Bowl-caliber team coming in here. Quite honestly http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore.com/benny-snell-jr.-jersey-cheap , that’s their focus.”It had better be, because the Falcons barely lost in Philly in the divisional round last winter, and they’ve upgraded on both sides of the ball. Atlanta, No. 8 in the AP Pro32, comes in as a 2½-point underdog to top-ranked Philadelphia.Pro Picks goes out on a limb early.UPSET SPECIAL: FALCONS, 22-20KNOCKOUT POOLWe didn’t stick around for too long last year, so consider that when we choose the SAINTS to win this weekend.No. 15 San Francisco (plus 6) at No. 3 MinnesotaJimmy Garoppolo is undefeated as a starting quarterback. Streak ends Sunday.BEST BET: VIKINGS, 27-16No. 5 Pittsburgh (minus 5 1-2) at No. 31 ClevelandThe Browns are defeated in 17 straight. That streak continues, even if Le’Veon Bell is a no-show.STEELERS, 23-20No. 29 Tampa Bay (plus 9 1-2) at No. 6 New OrleansAlmost went with this as BEST BET. Saints have Super Bowl-level talent.SAINTS, 33-16No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (minus 5) at No. 21 Oakland, Monday nightThe return of Jon Gruden to the Black Hole. Raiders could struggle after Chucky traded his best player.RAMS, 27-25No. 28 Chicago (plus 7 1-2) at No. 9 Green BayKhalil Mack surfaces in Chicago. More significant: Aaron Rodgers is back at QB for Packers.PACKERS 27-13No. 13 Kansas City (plus 3) at No. 10 Los Angeles ChargersLots of people like the Chargers in the AFC West. So do we.CHARGERS Zach Gentry Jersey , 21-13No. 12 Houston (plus 6 1-2) at No. 2 New EnglandIf healthy, the Texans could be ready for special season. But they rarely play well in Foxborough.PATRIOTS, 30-20No. 26 Buffalo (plus 7) at No. 14 BaltimoreSean McDermott didn’t want inexperienced Josh Allen at QB against this defense. Smart man.RAVENS, 18-7No. 24 (tie) Cincinnati (plus 3) at No. 30 IndianapolisAndrew Luck returns at last. He doesn’t have much surrounding him.BENGALS, 22-14No. 7 Jacksonville (minus 3) at No. 20 New York GiantsHow satisfying will this win be for Tom Coughlin?JAGUARS, 20-19No. 17 Tennessee (minus 1) at No. 27 MiamiNot feeling good vibes about the Titans right now.DOLPHINS, 21-20No. 16 Dallas (plus 2 1-2) at No. 11 CarolinaNot feeling good vibes about the Cowboys right now.PANTHERS, 30-24No. 22 Washington (pick-em) at No. 24 (tie) ArizonaTwo of the NFL’s most mysterious teams this year. Go with the hosts.CARDINALS, 24-20No. 18 Seattle (plus 3) at No. 23 DenverTwo more of the NFL’s most mysterious teams. Go with the … you get the drill.BRONCOS, 20-13No. 32 New York Jets (plus 6 1-2) at No. 19 Detroit, Monday nightSam Darnold’s debut gives this game some intrigue. So does Matt Patricia’s as Lions coach.LIONS, 23-19 Amari Cooper has seen reports that the Saints and Michael Thomas are close to a deal that will make Thomas the highest-paid receiver in the game at somewhere between $19 million and $20 million a season. In contract talks of his own with the Cowboys, Cooper shrugs.“I don’t even think about it. I think the media thinks about it more than I do Chris Lindstrom Jersey ,” Cooper said Saturday. “I just think its one of those things that’s going to come naturally whether it happens in this [training camp] or not. It’s not really that big of a deal to me honestly.”Oh, it will be a big deal as Cooper will become one of the highest-paid receivers in the game when it’s all signed and done. Unlike Thomas and his Cowboys teammate, running back Ezekiel Elliott, Cooper is with his teammates in training camp.“Different strokes for different folks,” Cooper said. “Their situations are different than mine. I have a fifth-year option coming up to where I get paid a significant amount of money if I play on that. But the running back position, you know Melvin [Gordon] is one of my good friends, and he tells me the contract he would play on this year, it’s nothing. It’s peanuts to an elephant. Everybody’s situation is different.”Cooper, who has a guaranteed salary of $13.924 million in 2019 on the fifth-year option, never considered sitting out. He showed up for all the voluntary work in addition to the mandatory minicamp and training camp.“I want to be here,” Cooper said. “I haven’t really been thinking about my contract situation because I don’t know. I don’t know why. I want to be here. I want to be out here running routes. I want to be out here catching balls from Dak [Prescott] because I think it’s necessary, and I think it’s going to help me achieve what I want to achieve this season.”Cooper already has said he wants a 2,000-yard season. His price tag likely is only going to rise the longer he remains without a long-term deal.Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday that Prescott http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-kaleb-mcgary-jersey , Cooper and Elliott all have “solid” offers. Cooper might not even know what the offer is.He has told his agent not to provide him with play-by-play of talks. Cooper said he has gotten two or three updates since negotiations began.“I guess I’m just optimistic about it, and it’s something that’s going to happen whether it’s today, tomorrow or whenever,” Cooper said. “I’m not worried about me getting hurt or something like that and it not happening. I just don’t think like that.”Cooper isn’t sweating the big stuff. If it doesn’t happen during training camp, he’s “fine with that.” If happens during the season, that’s OK with him, too.“I’m not even worried about it,” Cooper said. “Obviously, I’ve never been in that situation before where I was up for a contract, but I just look at it as one of those things that’s going to happen when it happens. I’m not worried about it at all to be honest.”