NFL Week 1 Primer

What’s up, GF2 fans! The NFL regular season is drawing closer by the day and I couldn’t be any more excited. I don’t care what team you root for, the fact that football is just over three weeks away has to put a smile on your face. In this article, we’re going to take a look at some key things to watch for in our Week 1 games. From the Super Bowl rematch in the first game of the season to life without Tom Brady for the Patriots, I’ll cover it all for you guys here.

So, here are just a few things that I’m looking forward to for Week 1:

1. Panthers @ Broncos, Thursday, September 8th, 8:30 P.M. ET

I know that this game doesn’t have quite the luster that it did during last season’s Super Bowl but it is still intriguing to me. Denver is coming off of the high of winning another championship and Carolina still has the stinging sensation of losing the big game. How is this Broncos offense going to look without one of the all-time greats in Peyton Manning? Will a rookie in Paxton Lynch be the Week 1 starter for Denver? Can Cam Newton lead this Panthers squad to another big-time season? All of these questions will begin to be answered after the first game of the new season.

2. Bills @ Ravens, Sunday, September 11th, 1:00 P.M. ET

There are a couple of fun nuggets to keep your eye on for this game. First of all, Tyrod Taylor will be returning back to Baltimore to face off against his old teammates. Taylor made his way to Buffalo last season and took the league by storm with his dual-threat abilities at quarterback. I feel like this is sort of a revenge game for Tyrod, so it could very well be an interesting one to watch out for. Also, on the other side of the field, we have Joe Flacco who is returning from a knee injury at the end of last season. After ten games last year, Flacco tore his ACL in a game versus the Rams and will be looking to bounce back.

Also, on the other side of the field, we have Joe Flacco who is returning from a knee injury at the end of last season. After ten games last year, Flacco tore his ACL in a game versus the Rams and will be looking to bounce back. Another key guy to watch out for returning from injury will be long time veteran wideout Steve Smith. Smith was sidelined in 2015 with two blown Achilles tendons.

3. Packers @ Jaguars, Sunday, September 11th, 1:00 P.M. ET

I’m very intrigued by this game because it has the potential to be an offensive explosion. You’ll see the young Blake Bortles taking on the crafty old veteran in Aaron Rodgers. Luckily for Rodgers, he’ll finally get Jordy Nelson back at wideout, who tore his ACL during the 2015 preseason. Nelson is easily one of my favorite players in the league and will be making his triumphant return to regular season action. Also for Green Bay, how will Eddie Lacy look? It’s being said around camp that he’s looking in much better shape, so hopefully, he’ll be a much better option for the Packers in 2016.

You also have to wonder just how good this Jacksonville team will be on both sides of the ball. Can they repeat their offensive performance from their 2015 campaign with guys such as Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns? How will Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon split snaps within the running game? Also, can this improved defense really push the Jaguars over the top? All of these questions will begin to be answered after this one.

4. Giants @ Cowboys, Sunday, September 11th, 4:25 P.M. ET

As a Cowboys fan, it doesn’t get much better than this! Starting the year off versus a divisional rival like the Giants is intriguing  enough for me. This game will be all about the rookies for both teams. On one side, Dallas has what could be the next Adrian Peterson caliber of running back in Ezekiel Elliott, who they drafted with the 4th overall pick in this year’s draft. Can Elliott live up to the fans lofty expectations or will the Cowboys go with more of a committee approach with guys such as Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden? The Giants have one spectacular young rookie in Sterling Shepard who I’m excited about as well.

The Cowboys also have the returns of both Tony Romo and Dez Bryant to their lineups, so we have that to look forward to as well. Giants fans have to wonder if Week 1 will be the start of their rise back to the top of the NFC East behind Eli Manning. This game will without a doubt be one of the most exciting ones from the whole weekend, so get your popcorn ready.

5. Patriots @ Cardinals, Sunday, September 11th, 8:30 P.M. ET

This could very well realistically be an ugly game to watch for New England fans. Obviously, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever take the field in Tom Brady won’t be available for the first four games of the 2016 season for the Patriots, so that’ll be an issue. So, the question is how will this team manage to win games without their fearless leader? Also, the recent news of Dion Lewis being out due to another knee injury is another big blow to this New England squad to start the year. So, the first Sunday Night Football game could be a lopsided but enticing game to be a part of.

In my opinion, it won’t be about if the Patriots are going to lose this game but how bad it will be. The Cardinals are expected to once again be one of the NFL’s elite teams and will be chomping at the bit to take out one of America’s most hated teams. An interesting player to watch for on Arizona’s side of the field is young running back sensation David Johnson. In five games started last year, Johnson rushed the ball 125 times for 581 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cardinals. He also caught 36 passes on 57 targets for 457 yards and four scores last season. Hopefully, for Cardinals fans, Johnson is the real deal and this will be the beginning of another fantastic season.

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