Football is back, baby! Week 1 of the NFL season begins with the Lions & the Chiefs. That’s not all though, as there are several other great games on the Week 1 docket. For instance, the other primetime games (Giants-Cowboys, Jets-Bills) are appealing. Personally, I’m excited for the Falcons vs. Panthers game as I will be in attendance. Without further ado, let’s dive into the beginning of an exciting new NFL season.
Lions at Chiefs on NBC (Thursday Night Football)
The Lions are back in the national spotlight for the first time in what feels like eons. After a 9-8 season that saw the team barely miss the playoffs, the Lions are on the rise & facing off against the reigning Super Bowl Champions at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are vulnerable with the pre-game news that All Pro tight end Travis Kelce will miss this game due to a knee injury he suffered in practice recently. Regardless, this game should deliver plenty of fireworks as two of the top offenses in the league square off in what could be a shootout that comes down to the wire.
Cowboys at Giants on NBC (Sunday Night Football)
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has owned the Giants in recent years, posting a 10-2 overall record against them; plus, he has a 10-0 record against the G-Men since 2017. Despite these daunting statistics, the Giants have a renewed sense of optimism after finishing 9-7 last season & winning a Wild Card playoff matchup over the Vikings. Week 1 is unpredictable, especially for two divisional foes in a primetime affair. Get your popcorn ready & watch the action unfold in a Sunday night game for the ages.
Bills at Jets on ESPN (Monday Night Football)
This game certainly won’t be lacking in intrigue as Aaron Rodgers makes his Jets debut in primetime against the reigning AFC East division champion Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, this Week 1 tilt will mark the, “first time the Bills have their entire secondary healthy and playing together since Thanksgiving of the 2021 [season].” Also for the Bills, Damar Hamlin makes his triumphant return to the football field for the first time since suffering a medical scare in a game vs the Bengals last year. An epic showdown awaits as there is no shortage of storylines to follow in this one.
49ers at Steelers on FOX (1:00 P.M. ET)
Two of the league’s best defensive lines square off in this rare non-conference affair. Speaking of which, the 49ers backed up the Brinks truck in the final hour of negotiations in order to pay star DE Nick Bosa before the beginning of the season. It’s unclear exactly how much playing time he will receive; however, some Bosa is definitely better than no Bosa for the 49ers franchise & their loyal fans worldwide. Opposing Bosa will be TJ Watt, who battled several injuries in a down 2022 season. When healthy & playing at their best, these guys are the creme of the crop at DE. It will be interesting to see which of these guys leads their team to victory on Sunday.
Dolphins at Chargers on CBS (4:25 P.M. ET)
Man, you would be hard pressed to find a matchup of more evenly matched teams. Both teams finished with similar records (10-7 for the Chargers, 9-8 for the Dolphins) and got bounced in the AFC’s Wild Card round of the playoffs last season. These two teams will forever be linked after the Dolphins chose Tua Tagovailoa with the 5th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft right before the Chargers selected Justin Herbert. The Chargers paid Justin Herbert, while the ‘Fins picked up Tua’s fifth-year option. Both guys have plenty of offensive firepower to work with including WR Tyreek Hill, RB Austin Ekeler, WR Jaylen Waddle, WR Keenan Allen, & a few other playmakers. There will be plenty of highlights in this contest featuring two of the AFC’s best QBs.
The Sports Beacon 