While hardcore fans should watch ALL THE GAMES, we’ve cherry-picked five of the best for you.
Oh lord, it’s finally here. The American Football season can start back up again. Enough of the dredging through the summer leagues and neatening of the teams, it’s time for some real football.
Are you really going to be doing anything else on this Thursday night? Arrowhead Stadium and the Kansas City Chiefs are typically good value for entertainment so there’s no reason to think why this will be any different. Of course, if you despise Andy Reid and his penchant for winning, then you can always cheer on the Detroit Lions. This is a handy team that went 9-8 in 2022 and could easily cause the Chiefs problems on their day.
There was a time when nobody would watch this game. The Ohio Derby in the NFL might have had limited interest, even in its state due to how poor these teams were in yesteryear. Now with the teams dramatically better, the AFC North is arguably one of the most competitive divisions throughout the entirety of the NFL. The two teams split the wins last season, both victorious on home soil. Could the Cincinnati Bengals upset the Cleveland Browns early on here?
Who wants to talk about the Super Bowl? It’s a sore subject for both these two teams. The Philadelphia Eagles lost it by three points last season and the New England Patriots…they’ve not looked like reaching it since Tom Brady left. Whether or not the Eagles have managed to offload their deadwood and become stronger is up for discussion but there’s no better acid test than a trip to Gilette Stadium. Bill Belichick will try his utmost to show that he’s still got it against elite franchises but ultimately could be running out of time if he doesn’t win this game.
Described by some as the biggest rivalry in the NFL (or at least one of them), when the Chicago Bears play the Green Bay Packers it’s seldom forgettable. Unfortunately, it’s been very one-sided recently with the Packers winning the last four games. Can Bears smell blood like sharks? There could be no better time to get a W over their rivals when they’re transitioning to life without Aaron Rodgers. Jordan Love, the new QB on the block could be the hero for the Packers if he manages a win on his first attempt or becomes the subject of countless memes if the Packers suddenly start to lose with his participation.
Aaron Rodgers is certainly making everyone wait. His New York Jets take on the Buffalo Bills in the final game of the opening round, on Monday night. Before Rodgers's move, the Bills won this game 999 times out of 1,000 – with the only exception being a draw. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Does Rodgers really make a killer difference in getting the Jets to win these top-tier fixtures? It’s hard to quantify his direct influence. He’ll be thinking that if Tom Brady can do it, why can’t he? For the Bulls, it’s all about blocking out the legend factor and just winning the game regardless of who is the starting QB for the opposition.
