With Labor Day weekend behind us, the NFL season has finally arrived and hope abounds around the league, as teams believe this will be their year coming out of camp. The opening weekend brings plenty of excitement and four days of NFL football, starting Thursday and ending Monday, as the league has stretched things out to include a Friday game (in Brazil). The best part of the season starting is that the conversation can finally shift to the games themselves and actual football happening, rather than simply pontificating about what’s to come.
In this space, we will be taking a weekly look at games we’re most excited for, from the biggest primetime game to Sunday’s best and an under the radar matchup that could be extremely fun, as well as handing out our best bet for the week to come in the NFL.
Primetime Game of the Week: Ravens at Chiefs (Thursday 9/5, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
The primetime slate this week is loaded, unsurprisingly, as the NFL made sure to put its four biggest matchups in their four primetime windows. However, for all the intrigue of the other three games, the opener on Thursday in Kansas City is the unquestioned headliner of Week 1. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs begin their quest for a three-peat and take on a team many consider their biggest challenger in the AFC, as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens come to town. There are storylines in abundance going in, and we’ll get some important answers to questions that will define this season’s race for a championship in the first game. Will the Chiefs passing attack be more dynamic with Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown? Will the Ravens rushing attack be as terrifying with Derrick Henry as expected? Which defense can assert itself against two dynamic QBs and offenses? The truth is, fans would be excited about the season opener if they put the Panthers and Titans head-to-head, but with the Ravens and Chiefs, the league ensured plenty of hype and fanfare for the kickoff game.
Sunday Funday Game of the Week: Cowboys at Browns (Sunday 9/8, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX)
The Cowboys never have a shortage of headlines, but with CeeDee Lamb finally signed, they at least have everyone on the field going into Cleveland. Dak Prescott’s future hangs over everything in Dallas this season, but that shouldn’t be a huge factor in his play (aside from maybe taking fewer risks with his legs). On the other side, Cleveland boasts an incredibly strong defense led by Myles Garrett, but it’s on the offense to prove it has taken some strides, namely Deshaun Watson who has been mediocre at best since arriving in Cleveland. This should be a good measuring stick game for both teams, and, as a secondary interest, it will also be our first game with Tom Brady on the call in the lead booth on FOX.
Under the Radar Banger: Cardinals at Bills (Sunday 9/8, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS)
The Bills have some questions to answer on the offensive side of the ball, namely who will emerge as Josh Allen’s top target. The likely answer is rookie Keon Coleman, but consistency wasn’t a hallmark of his time at Florida State (or Michigan State). On the other side, the Cardinals will debut the Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. duo for the first time, and hope to make a big leap back into the conversation for an NFC playoff position after a couple lean years. Both teams offensive hopes require big contributions from their rookie receivers, but if they can hit the ground running, we could be in for a fun one in Buffalo.
Best Bet: Rams (+3.5) at Lions
As always, we have a full five-game winners slate from the incomparable Brad Rowland, but here I want to give out a little pick of my own. Everyone loves the Lions coming into this season, and for good reason! They are a phenomenal example of how to turn around a franchise and build a winning culture from, effectively, nothing. They are rightfully among the favorites to win the NFC this season. That said, laying more than a field goal against a good Rams team (who, some view as a sleeper pick to be a contender) is a bit strong for me in the opener. These two teams met in the Wild Card round and Detroit got a 1-point win, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the opening Sunday Night game is similarly tight.