With just over a week remaining until pre-season begins, it’s fair to say that fans are ready to ride into the 2017 season with no fear and high expectations – well, most of them are. As is always the case with the NFL there are several mouth watering clashes for us to digest on Gameweek 1, and we’re here to run down five of the best that you should definitely be keeping your eye on.
That’s not to say that all 32 teams don’t deserve a chance, but as we’ve learned over the last few years there’s a handful of sides that simply don’t deserve the air time that multiple media outlets give them. Of course that sounds harsh on the face of it, but go back and analyse the consistency of the NFL’s worst franchises – it’s truly frightening.
But back onto the positives now as we look ahead to what could be, arguably, the most unpredictable year in well over a decade for the National Football League. Sure that may seem like a bold statement given that Tom Brady and company will be gunning for ring number six, but we’d rather not entertain the idea of that being a possibility.
Kansas City Chiefs @ New England Patriots
Chiefs kick off the new season by beating the Patriots!
Cannot wait... đ
There will be a festive-like atmosphere at Foxborough when the Patriots host the Chiefs in the season opener, but Kansas City aren’t likely to be in the best of moods. After all they completely dropped the ball in the post-season against Pittsburgh, and they’ll be out to prove a point against a Pats side who want to prove that Brady is more than capable of leading them to title number six.
Arizona Cardinals @ Detroit Lions
What happens when you put two teams waiting to burst into the top tier of the NFL’s elite against one another? You get one hell of a showdown. The Cards and the Lions possess two of the league’s longest championship droughts, and both are looking to make a big statement heading into what could be an extremely profitable season.
Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers
Nobody can say that Aaron Rodgers isn’t an elite quarterback, but as the years go in it’s becoming clear that Green Bay can’t quite get it done when it comes to getting back to the Super Bowl. On the other side of the coin you’ve got the Seahawks, who are being seen as the champions elect of the NFC West before a ball has been thrown.
Atlanta Falcons @ Chicago Bears
The Atlanta Falcons won’t escape the nightmare of Super Bowl 51 for quite some time, with many fans choosing to erase the memory of that fateful night. Still, many eyes will be watching them to see if they can bounce back and they’ve got the perfect opportunity against a Bears side in complete disarray: but will they crumble under the pressure once again?
Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos
The Chargers are leaving San Diego and heading 120 miles north to Los Angeles, where a more fruitful and successful future is expected. Still the weight on their shoulders will be massive as they attempt to compete with city rivals the Rams, meanwhile, the Broncos are looking to prove their many doubters wrong.
