Sure, Sundays have long been devoid of football games, but the NFL is omnipresent. Ever since the Philadelphia Eagles shocked the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, the machine has churned on.
Free agency? You don’t even have to wait for the official start now, with the legal tampering period paving the way for reporters to break news of impending moves.
The NFL draft? That, too, is covered ad nauseam. Every college athlete is dissected, magnified and laid bare for the world to see. The draft doesn’t even arrive until next weekend, but the league whetted the appetites of its football-starved fans with the official release of the 2018 schedule on Thursday.
The 17-week slate is chock-full of intriguing storylines and matchups, and that’s before the draft adds gasoline to the fire. Here are our favorite games, week-by-week:
Week 1
Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles (Thursday, 8.20pm ET)
The Eagles will begin their Super Bowl title defense, but there will be a different man under center. Carson Wentz will resume his role as starting QB after an MVP-caliber campaign that was cut short by a catastrophic knee injury (torn ACL, LCL).
How will Wentz, a QB who loves to use his legs, respond? If he struggles out of the gate, the Philadelphia faithful will bang the drums for Nick Foles, fresh off his Super Bowl-winning performance. The Eagles ran roughshod over the postseason competition with Foles at the helm.
Can they replicate their success? The Falcons are coming off a divisional round loss (also in South Philly) and figure to present an early test.
Week 2
Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (Sunday, 4.25pm ET)
Welcome back, Jon Gruden.
The former and once-again coach of the Raiders will resume his rivalry with the Broncos after 17 seasons away from the organization.
Gruden last coached the Raiders in 2001, and the season after, he was manning the sideline for Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers beat his former squad in Super Bowl XXXVII.
He’s been away from coaching since he was fired by the Bucs following the 2008 season, but he stayed close to the game as an analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
It’s also an early-season look at Case Keenum, who shocked with his play in Minnesota, as the leader of the Broncos.
Week 3
San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 1pm ET)
Two young guns square off: Jimmy Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes. Garoppolo set the league on fire after he was acquired mid-season from the Patriots.
Did Jimmy G catch lightning in a bottle, or is he simply that good? There’s similar intrigue surrounding Mahomes in KK. The Chiefs drafted him 10th overall, and he showed off a rocket arm that’s must-see TV in a Week 17 win.
The Chiefs traded Alex Smith to Washington, and now, it’s Mahomes’ team.
Week 4
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Rams (Thursday, 8.20pm ET)
Two NFC playoff squads that both ostensibly improved in the offseason. The Vikes picked up Kirk Cousins, and the Rams ... well, whom didn’t the Rams add?
Los Angeles swung trades for All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters and speedy playmaking receiver Brandin Cooks.
They also signed Aqib Talib, and now boast perhaps the best cornerback duo in the league.
The Rams plucked Ndamukong Suh in free agency, and along with Aaron Donald, it figures to be next-to-impossible to run against this squad.
Week 5
Washington at New Orleans Saints (Monday, 8.15pm ET)
The Saints seemed headed to the NFC championship game until then-Vikes QB Case Keenum somehow found Stefon Diggs in the closing seconds of their wild playoff game.
The core of the Saints returns, and another run appears in the cards.
Washington played well at times in 2017, and ho-hum at others before sputtering to the finish line. Now Kirk Cousins is gone, and Alex Smith is in. Under the bright lights, this will be the first look for many at the team’s new-look offense.
Week 6
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (Thursday, 8.20pm ET)
The Eagles and Giants renew their rivalry, but this time, Philly can boast a Lombardi trophy.
The Giants were abysmal in 2017, one season after they made the playoffs, and a shakeup ensued. Gone are coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese, replaced by Pat Shurmur and Dave Gettleman.
New York holds the draft’s No2 selection, and in light of Eli Manning’s repeated struggles, a QB pick seems certain. Manning figures to start the season, but by Week 6, the heir apparent could be in the mix.
Week 7
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 1pm ET)
The Texans were humming along until DeShaun Watson was lost for the season with a knee injury. Their AFC South rivals, of course, prospered all the way to the AFC title game.
Even though the Texans finished 4-12, they should be much-improved with Watson back in the fold and another offseason for him to build rapport with DeAndre Hopkins.
Usually an afterthought, this contest could prove pivotal in the divisional race.
Week 8
Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 4.25pm ET)
Aaron Rodgers no longer has Jordy Nelson in tow, but Jimmy Graham’s addition should make the Packers even more formidable in the red zone.
The All-Pro QB broke his collarbone last season, and with it, the Packers’ playoff hopes disappeared.
The Packers should once again contend with Rodgers healthy, but they face a Rams’ defense that could be the best in the NFL (along with a high-powered offense led by Jared Goff).
Week 9
Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots (Sunday, 8.20pm ET)
Another imposing opponent for the Pack, and this time, it’s the Patriots in prime time.
Rodgers and Tom Brady have somehow faced off only once before, a 2014 matchup that the Packers won.
The Patriots have reached the Super Bowl three times in the past four seasons, and there’s no reason to believe they won’t be powering their way to another one.
The two best quarterbacks in the NFL and perhaps the two greatest ever, period? Yeah, circle this one on the calendar.
Week 10
Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers (Thursday, 8.20pm ET)
Cam Newton v Ben Roethlisberger and an interconference game between 2017 playoff squads.
When the teams faced off in 2014, Big Ben led the Steelers to a 37-19 victory and Cam Newton was forced to leave the game with an injury.
Roethlisberger and Newton remain among the ranks of the NFL’s elite, and they should be shooting for the playoffs by this juncture.
Both clubs boast physical defenses, and Julius Peppers is back for another run.
Week 11
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 8.20pm ET)
A rematch of their divisional round playoff game which the Jags won with punishing hits and impressive play from Blake Bortles.
By Week 11, we’ll know if Bortles’ playoff run was simply a matter of the former No3 overall pick catching fire at the right time, or if he’s turned the corner.
And after the Jags’ playoff victory, the Steelers surely are licking their chops for revenge.
Week 12
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints (Thursday, 8.20pm ET)
Both NFC South rivals reached the postseason in 2017, and this Thanksgiving Day game could separate the squads in another tight race.
They split their meetings last season, and both clubs were knocked out in the divisional round. Matt Ryan and Drew Brees, plenty familiar with each other at this point, lock horns in another game that’s likely to have playoff implications.
Week 13
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (Thursday, 8.20pm ET)
If Jimmy Garoppolo can continue his winning ways deep into the season, this divisional game could shape up as a key one.
The Seahawks narrowly missed the postseason with a 9-7 record, the first time they haven’t played playoff football since 2011. The Legion of Boom is now dismantled. Is their playoff window closing too?
Richard Sherman is now wearing red and gold, and this will be the loquacious corner’s first game against his former squad.
Week 14
Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders (Sunday, 8.20pm ET)
Gruden returns to the Raiders-Steelers rivalry, which features so many classic games. Who could forget the Immaculate Reception?
The teams haven’t played each other since 2015, when the Steelers topped the Raiders, 38-35.
Since then, much has changed. Derek Carr was excellent in 2016, but fell off last season. He’ll be looking to rebound under the guidance of Gruden, a noted QB tutor.
Week 15
Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, 8.20pm ET)
A late-season, prime-time contest between two Super Bowl favorites. The Eagles bested the Rams in a Week 14 thriller last season, but it’s also the game where Carson Wentz went down, and Nick Foles began his improbable march to the Super Bowl.
This time, Wentz will have to contend with Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib on the outside, and Brandin Cooks will have another crack at the squad he faced in the Super Bowl as a member of the Pats.
He was forced to leave the championship game in the second quarter – and didn’t return – after absorbing a massive hit from Malcolm Jenkins.
Week 16
Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, 4:25pm ET)
Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees haven’t met since 2014, when the Saints topped the Steelers, 35-32.
Big Ben passed for 435 yards and the Steelers rallied with 19 points in the fourth quarter, but they came up short against Brees’ five touchdowns.
With both future hall of famers advancing in age, this could be the last time they square off. Unless, of course, both clubs reach the Super Bowl.
Week 17
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos (Sunday, 4.25pm ET)
The Bolts are steadily improving, and they’re looking to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2013, when the Broncos knocked them out in the divisional round.
Joey Bosa is a force to be reckoned with, and Philip Rivers remains a threat at QB.
The Broncos, of course, fell flat in 2017 with just five wins. The AFC West is now wide open, and this game could decide the fate of each squad.
Comments (…)
Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion