There are those who believe anything can be found on the Internet — but a search of seven prominent national sites seemed to be putting that theory to the test on Friday night, because one thing couldn’t seem to be found:

Someone picking the Titans to beat the Patriots in today’s season opener.

Eventually it turned up. One of the four prognosticators at The Tennessean picked the hometown team to win. A guy in Chicago did, too. But among the 47 experts offering predictions via those seven national outlets, not a single one expects New England to leave Nashville as a loser, and most of those offering scores don’t anticipate the Titans will even cover with a 5 1/2-point spread.

So chock it up. For the ninth straight season the Patriots will start the year with a victory, this one of the easy and obvious variety. Right?

Not so fast.

While it may be difficult to envision Jake Locker beating Tom Brady in his first career start, and it may be hard to envision Mike Munchak outfoxing Bill Belichick with months to prepare. But it’s not as impossible as the unanimity among the soothsayers would suggest, considering the Titans were practically a playoff team a year ago, carried that momentum through the offseason and aren’t without talent on either side of scrimmage.

“A real good football team that does things well in all three phases of the game,” Belichick said this week. “Well-coached, very disruptive on defense, fast defensive team. Offensively they have a lot of firepower at quarterback, running back, tight end, receiver; veteran offensive line, good specialists, good return game.

“They’re a real solid football team.”

The coach typically speaks of his upcoming foe in similar terms, but last year suggests there’s truth in those words when he talks of Tennessee. Had they not blown a 10-point, second-half lead to Cincinnati early in the year, they would’ve made the playoffs. As it was, they finished 9-7 and were left out by a tiebreaker.

Now they infuse their quarterback of the future in Locker, the eighth overall selection of last year’s draft, and not only did he have a year to learn behind Matt Hasselbeck, but he’s got a decent core around him — even with top receiver Kenny Britt out due to a league-issued suspension.

Most notable among the group is running back Chris Johnson — who ran for 2,006 yard in 2009, and has topped the 1,000-yard mark in each of his four pro seasons — though tight end Jared Cook is a quality target, receiver Nate Washington is coming off a 1,000-yard season, and fellow wideout Kendall Wright was the Titans’ first-round choice in April. With Locker’s speed at quarterback, it’s an athletic unit.

“They’re very explosive,” New England cornerback Devin McCourty told reporters this week. “I think everyone knows what Chris Johnson is capable of doing, and now going against Jake Locker, he’s a mobile guy and he has a very strong arm. For us it’s a big awareness game. We’ve got to know where all those guys are at.”

The Patriots would ideally like to put pressure on Locker and limit Johnson’s usefulness by getting out to an early lead — though, again, that’s simpler said than done. Tennessee’s defense finished last season as the NFL’s eighth-toughest to score against, and returns most of the same group (with the noteworthy exception of departed corner Cortland Finnegan).

Brady’s isn’t the average attack, of course, so that’s not to say they won’t find their way to the end zone against a defense that did give up yards and was susceptible on third down a year ago. It’s merely a reminder that it may not be as easy as many expect.

And, of course, that just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true.

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UNDERRATED: The difficulty of the Patriots’ early schedule. Until they go to London in Week 8, New England faces just two foes that finished last season worse than .500. Those are the Bills (who are expected to be much improved this year) and the Seahawks (who are also projected to improve from 7-9). Additionally, the slate features the Cardinals (8-8 in 2011), Ravens (12-4), Peyton Manning’s Broncos (8-8) and Jets (8-8) — so an 0-1 start could leave the Pats playing catch-up in a tough stretch.

“Obviously we want to start fast and rebound from last season,” linebacker Jerod Mayo said. “Put our best foot forward.”

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OVERRATED: Johnson’s decline. His 1,047 yards were a career low after holding out for a new deal, as were his four touchdowns. But he still averaged 4 yards per carry, and without the distractions of his contract he says he’s been more attentive to football this offseason. If not a focal point of the defense, he’s still capable of being a game-breaker.

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KEEP AN EYE ON...: Brandon Lloyd. The Patriots’ prized wideout didn’t play in two of the four exhibition tilts, which might suggest that the coaches considered him comfortable enough with the offense that he didn’t need the extra practice. But it won’t be known whether his assimilation is on the Randy Moss or the Chad Johnson side of the scale until the real games begin. That starts today.

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KEY MATCHUP: Kamerion Wimbley vs. Nate Solder. The Titans signed Wimbley away from Oakland to help their pass rush, and he fulfilled that role well in the preseason — but otherwise Tennessee’s starting front seven are all returnees from the 2011 unit that registered the second-fewest sacks in the NFL. If Solder (maybe with some help from Logan Mankins) can control Wimbley, Brady should have time to throw.

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STAT OF THE WEEK: Only six AFC teams have scored more points than it has allowed in each of the past two seasons. The Titans are one of them, joining the Patriots, Jets, Steelers, Ravens and Chargers.

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Dave D’Onofrio covers Boston sports for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. His e-mail address is ddonof13@gmail.com. Twitter: @davedonofrio