As of today, the start of the NFL regular season is only one day away and football fans alike are ready to sit back and cheer their teams on for the next 17 weeks. The preseason is over and every team has their 53-man roster ready to go. With that being said, there are many games this week that are intriguing to the most knowledgeable football fans and casual fans alike. This article will discuss which out of the 16 games are the most intriguing due to the storylines that accompany each game and the quality of the matchups that each game possesses.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots: Might as well start the list off with the first game of the season, which will be played Thursday night in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Both of these teams won their divisions last season, so this game should not be a blowout by any sense. Quarterback Tom Brady will be under center for the Patriots in this game, which comes as a surprise to some seeing how the star quarterback was facing a four-game suspension for his supposed role in the “Deflategate” controversy after last year’s AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. However, last week Brady’s suspension was nullified and he is now eligible to start Thursday’s season opener in front of his home crowd.
The Steelers also are dealing with suspensions of their own, as their star running back Le’Veon Bell is not eligible to play the first two games. Wide receiver Martavis Bryant is also suspended the first four games of the season, so the Yellow and Black may have some offensive struggles in Thursday night’s game. This storyline along with the return of Brady makes this game a very intriguing one and a game that seems like a great choice to kickoff the regular season.
Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills: This game could be one of the best of the week, as both teams come into the season with high expectations. The Colts are led by perhaps the best young quarterback in the game in Andrew Luck, who had an amazing 2014 season. The Bills made some big offseason moves, as they acquired former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy in a trade and got a new coach in Rex Ryan, the former New York Jets head coach.
The Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999, but many are predicting them to get back to the playoffs this season. The Colts have made the playoffs every year that Luck has been in the league and it seems that this trend will continue this season in a weak AFC South division. This game may be the start of a great season for the Bills if they come out with a victory. If the Colts win, it may be the start of another great season for them, which most football fans are used to by now.
Tennessee Titans vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Although these teams were two of the worst in the league in 2014, their Week One matchup is a very intriguing one. In this year’s draft, the Bucs spent their first-round draft pick on quarterback Jameis Winston from Florida State, while the Titans took fellow quarterback Marcus Mariota out of Oregon. This game will be the first time that the top two draft picks have to face each other in the first game of the season.
Both of these quarterbacks had exceptional college careers, as Winston won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to win the National Championship in 2013, while Mariota won the Heisman last season. Each player is on a below average team, but they are not under pressure to produce right away. Look for this game to be an entertaining one, as both rookie quarterbacks try to carry on their great college careers into the big leagues.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Atlanta Falcons: Since there are two Monday Night Football games to start the season, you would think at least one of them will be a fun one to watch. This lies true in this matchup with two teams who come into the season with good teams, but no definite answer to how good they can be. The Eagles have a new quarterback in Sam Bradford, who performed very well in the preseason. They also have a new running back in DeMarco Murray, who had a outstanding 2014 season, when he led the league in rushing for the rival Dallas Cowboys.
The Falcons have most of the same faces from last season, but that is nothing to look down on. Quarterback Matt Ryan has one of the best wide receivers in the league, Julio Jones to throw to. He also has a young backfield behind him, with second-year running back Devonta Freeman and rookie Tevin Coleman looking to make some noise. They also have a new coach in Dan Quinn, who was previously with the Seattle Seahawks as their defensive coordinator. This game is hard to predict, which is one of the reasons why it is an intriguing one. Seeing how Bradford looks is also another reason, as he hasn’t played in a regular season game since 2013 due to injury.
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