Top storyline for each Week 1 NFL game

Week 1 of the NFL season is upon us. Are you excited? It’s a time when all the league’s 32 teams and their fans are optimistic about the year to come. Rookies seeing their first regular season action. Veterans hoping this isn’t their last season in the league.

It’s an amazing time around the football world.

Then, in one instant, something happens — either good or bad — that sets the tone for the entire season.

It could come in the form of a youngster such as Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott breaking out in his debut game.

It could come in Philadelphia where Robert Griffin III leads his Cleveland Browns squad against his former divisional rivals.

In our first regular season installment of the 2016 season, here is a look at your top storyline for each Week 1 NFL game.

Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos: Super Bowl rematch

It’s not going to be Peyton going up against Cam again. Though, this game could potentially end up more entertaining than what was a boring Super Bowl 50 between these two teams.

The NFL did well to find a way to begin the season with a Super Bowl rematch. It’s not too often the league can do this with teams in different conferences playing just once every four years. To start the following season out with a game between two teams that ended the previous year is pretty darn nice.

In terms of what this potential blockbuster game could mean for each side, there’s a lot to look at there.

For the first time in the history of the game, a defending Super Bowl champion will start the season with a quarterback under center that has attempted zero regular season passes. That’s going to come in the form of second-year player Trevor Siemian.

Unfortunately for the Broncos, it’s not as if Siemian wowed onlookers during the preseason. Instead, he benefited from Mark Sanchez almost literally fumbling the job away (more on that here).

On the other side, Carolina enters this game with a huge chip on its shoulders. The team did not perform well against Denver in the Super Bowl. Cam Newton was horrendous on the field and childish off the field following the disheartening loss. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers respond here.

Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans: Life without Teddy

With Teddy Bridgewater lost for the season after he suffered a devastating knee injury in late August, veteran Shaun Hill or the newly acquired Sam Bradford will get the call here. Minnesota has yet to make its decision (more on that here).

This isn’t exactly what Minnesota — looking at itself as a Super Bowl contender — had envisioned heading into the season.

What we want to see is whether Minnesota will have a quick hook with Hill should he start. After all, the team did spend a first and fourth-round pick to acquire Sam Bradford from the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend.

You don’t exhaust a capital like that without expecting the player you acquired to make an impact immediately.

Bridgewater’s horrendous injury aside, it’s not like he lit the world on fire last season. Replacing him with Bradford or Hill likely won’t be too much of a downgrade on offense.

This just goes to show us how the Vikings’ success was not heavily dependent on the quarterback position last year. Whether that rings true in 2016 remains to be seen. Week 1 will surely tell us a lot.

Chicago Bears at Houston Texans: J.J. Watt’s performance

The league’s best defensive player missed all of training camp and the preseason after undergoing back surgery. What seemed to be a long-term injury at the time might not end up impacting Houston all that much.

Watt has now been cleared to play Week 1 against Chicago. It’s definitely not a good sign for Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Even if Watt isn’t at 100 percent after undergoing off-season back surgery, he’s still better than 90 percent of the defenders out there.

Likely lining up opposite Bears left tackle Charles Leno throughout the day, Watt should be able to put consistent pressure on Cutler. Should that happen, the new-look Texans will start the 2016 season with a win.

Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles: Robert Griffin III vs. former division foe

Griffin III will look to get his Cleveland career off to a solid start against an Eagles team he did battle against many times as a member of the Redskins.

This will come mere days after Griffin III was named one of the Browns’ team captains (more on that here).

It really is a dramatic turnabout for a player that was thrown out of D.C. like a plate of leftovers. And in reality, the Browns have a darn good chance to come out on top here.

First off, Philadelphia will be starting a rookie quarterback making his first appearance in a regular season game. Secondly, it will be doing so with what should be a substandard defense, especially in the secondary.

Should Griffin III have success through the air against his former division rival, it will help the Browns put up a much-needed early-season win.

Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens: Early-season playoff implications?

It seems a bit ridiculous to be talking playoffs heading into Week 1. We fully understand that. We also understand very well that tiebreakers matter a great deal in a sport with only 16 regular season games. It’s in this that focusing on the postseason is never a bad thing.

Buffalo heads into the season with a ton of question marks and a wide array of talent on both sides of the ball.

Can Tyrod Taylor repeat the performance we saw from him as a first-year starter in 2015? Will both LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins stay healthy? Are the widespread suspension issues a thing of the past? Those are some absolutely huge questions.

With Rex Ryan’s job on the line, Buffalo has to find a way to earn a playoff spot for the first time since 1999. If that doesn’t happen, his tenure in Western New York will be short lived.

On the other side, the key for Baltimore is simple. It just needs to remain healthy in order to have a chance in the AFC North. Here’s a team that saw the likes of Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett, Steve Smith, Breshad Perriman and Terrell Suggs miss a combined 52 games last season.

More so than getting out of Week 1 with a win, the Ravens simply need to avoid the early-season injury bug that bit them big time last season.

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs: Both teams looking for balance

Philip Rivers led the NFL in both completions (437) and attempts (661) last season. It’s not a coincidence that San Diego finished in last place in the AFC West with a 4-12 record.

The name of the game here has to be balance to start the season. It’s in this that former first-round pick Melvin Gordon — now entering his second season — must perform at a high level.

Unfortunately, the 2015 season starts out against a Chiefs defense that ranked eighth in the NFL against the run last season. If both sides stay true to their rankings from last season, San Diego will be in trouble.

On the other hand, the division-rival Chiefs finished with the third-fewest passing yards while ranking in the top six in rushing. For Andy Reid and Co., more balance could help the squad compete for a conference title.

There may be good news here for the Chiefs. They’ll be taking on a Chargers defense that was destroyed through the air last season.

In large part due to Brandon Flowers’ regression, San Diego yielded a 64.3 completion percentage and 93.8 quarterback rating a season ago. Now, with team leader Eric Weddle on the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers are facing a more uneven performance from this unit in 2016.

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: The year of the Raider?

Getting off to a good start has been somewhat of an issue for the Raiders during their current playoff dry spell. In fact, the team boasts an 11-26 record in September over the past decade.

This changed to an extent under then first-year head coach Jack Del Rio last season when the Raiders posted a 2-1 record in the opening month of the campaign.

In order for the Raiders to get out of their funk, it’s important for them to take care of less-talented teams early in the season. This starts Week 1 against the Saints in New Orleans.

And in reality, it seems to be a mismatch slanted in the road team’s favor. The Saints finished 31st in total defense, 31st against the pass, 31st against the run and yielded the most points in the NFL last season.

Adding to the mismatch, Pro Bowl signal caller Derek Carr has an opportunity to exploit a Saints defense that yielded an absurd 45 touchdowns and 116.2 passer rating to quarterbacks in 2015.

While everything surely seems tilted in Oakland’s favor here, we have to note recent history is working against this squad.

The franchise hasn’t made the playoffs since 2002 and has suffered some ugly early-season losses over the past several years. This cannot happen in 2016 if Oakland wants to contend for the AFC West title.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons: Early-season division game

Two different trajectories. One same result. Both Tampa Bay and Atlanta missed out on the playoffs a season ago.

And while the Falcons did finish with a better record, it was the Buccaneers that surprised the masses by remaining in playoff contention into December.

Both squads, much like the 30 other teams in the NFL, enter the 2016 season with playoff aspirations. They do so in a division that’s been more unpredictable than any in the NFL.

The biggest key here is going to be how each defense covers the other team’s top receivers. Falcons corner Desmond Trufant had his way with Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans a season ago holding the youngster to eight receptions and a 50 percent catch rate in two games.

On the other hand, Julio Jones has absolutely dominated the Buccaneers recently. He caught 20 passes for 255 yards on two games against the division rivals last season. It remains to be seen whether this will still be the case with former Pro Bowler Brent Grimes now in Tampa.

Either way you put it, this is a huge early-season game for both teams. Getting off to a slow start following fledgling 2015 campaigns would be seen as a statement of regression.

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets: Playoffs? Where talking playoffs?

It’s possible we’re putting too much stock into the first game of the season. But imagine the following scenario. Both Cincinnati and New York finish with 10-6 records and tied for the final playoff spot in the AFC. Whoever comes out on top in this game would end up earning that wild card spot.

This isn’t too far-fetched of an idea. The Bengals finished last season with 12 wins, earning the AFC North title in the process. Meanwhile, New York missed out on the playoffs with 10 wins after losing a tiebreaker with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The game within the game is interesting here. We’d normally find Darrelle Revis as an X-factor heading in, primarily due to his ability to shut down the opposition’s top receiver. Unfortunately for the Jets, that wasn’t the case last season.

Will A.J. Green continue this trend to start 2016?

On the other side, top Jets receiver Brandon Marshall also has a difficult matchup against a stacked Bengals corner group that allowed a 78.9 quarterback rating when targeted last season.

These are the one-on-one matchups within the game that could dictate the outcome of what might be an important early-season outing between two playoff contenders.

Green Bay Packers at Jacksonville Jaguars: Statement game for the Jags

Listen. There’s no doubt that Jacksonville has a reservoir of untapped talent few young teams in the NFL possess. That’s all nice and everything. But until the product puts it all together on the field, it’s all about projection.

Under Gus Bradley, the Jags have struggled a great deal out of the gate. They boast a 1-10 record in September under the fourth-year head coach. That simply can’t repeat itself if he wants to keep his job and the Jaguars want to compete for a playoff spot.

Unfortunately for Jacksonville, the 2016 season opens up against a talented Packers squad that’s back at full health after last season’s injury-plagued campaign. Can the Jaguars find a way to compete with the game’s elite in an early-season statement game?

The biggest key here for Jacksonville won’t be its high-powered offensive attack. No matter how good that unit is, it’s not going to beat Green Bay in a shootout.

Instead, it’s all about finding a way to slow down Aaron Rodgers and Co. That’s where the young trio of Myles Jack, Dante Fowler Jr. and Jalen Ramsey come into play.

Ramsey, a rookie top-five pick, will be tasked with covering Jordy Nelson here. If he’s able to shut down Rodgers’ favorite target, it will put the Packers in the same position as last season when Nelson was out to a knee injury. That’s likely going to be the biggest key here.

Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks: Life without Marshawn

Thomas Rawls is expected to play sparingly as he attempts to get back into game shape. The 2015 breakout star suffered a serious ankle injury towards the end of his rookie season and has been out since.

That’s going to leave the vast majority of the touches going to Christine Michael — a reality that should stun onlookers based on his less-than-stellar track record thus far.

This entire situation has become the biggest talking point in the Pacific Northwest since Marshawn Lynch announced his retirement on Twitter during the Super Bowl.

Sure Russell Wilson absolutely dominated the opposition with Lynch injured last season, but Seattle’s offense is still run-based. With the team’s issues on the offensive line, success on the ground is also going to be magnified even further here.

Until Rawls returns to 100 percent, it will be left up to Michael as well as rookies C.J. Prosise and Alex Collins to hold down the fort.

This trio should have an opportunity to do just that against a Dolphins defense that ranked in the bottom-five of the NFL against the run last season.

If Seattle can find success there, one of the team’s major question marks will be answered after just one game. If not, the loss of Lynch could play a huge role moving forward.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: It’s Dak’s world

Not to take anything away from what Tony Romo has meant to the Cowboys. This is simply about new blood and finding it intriguing as well as potentially entertaining.

With Romo shelved to start the regular year after breaking a bone in his back during the preseason, rookie fourth-round pick Dak Prescott will get the start against the division-rival Giants. He will do so after dominating the competition during the exhibition slate. We mean dominate (more on that here).

With Prescott and fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott slated to start in the backfield, a new era of Cowboys football could be at hand. What better way to begin this era against good old Eli Manning and the Giants? This should be fun, ladies and gents.

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts: The running backs

Really. The running back situation these two teams are dealing could very well be their downfalls in 2016.

First, let’s start with the home-standing Colts. Sure Frank Gore has put up Hall of Fame-caliber numbers throughout his career. He’s also proven himself to be on of the rare running backs that can perform while on the verge of hitting his mid-30’s. That’s all fine and dandy.

Unfortunately, Gore is 33 years old and has over 3,100 career touches under his belt. Coming off the worst statistical season of his career, there’s no telling whether Gore will hold up this year.

What is behind Gore on the Colts’ depth chart? Well, that’s the most obvious issue here.

Veteran Robert Turbin will begin the season as Indy’s primary backup followed in line by Jordan Todman. The two combined for 221 rushing yards a season ago.

Un-drafted rookie free agent Josh Ferguson rounds out the depth chart. He put up 15 yards on 19 rush attempts during the preseason. Ouch!

Gore may be able to hold up throughout the season if he doesn’t get pounded into the ground early. That’s where it’s going to be important for one of these backups to step up in Week 1.

On the other side, Detroit finished last season with the worst rushing attack in the NFL. How bad was it? The Lions averaged 83.4 rushing yards and had as many fumbles as touchdowns on the ground. Think about that for a bit.

Second-year running back Ameer Abdullah will be the lead back with Theo Riddick acting as the third-down back. Yes folks, Detroit did nothing of substance to upgrade this position during the spring.

Taking on a Colts defense that ranked in the bottom eight of the NFL against the run last season, it will be interesting to see if Detroit can have any sort of success here.

New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals: Jimmy G’s tough first test

Jimmy Garoppolo will be tasked with making his first NFL start on the road on Sunday Night Football. He will be doing so with the suspended Tom Brady sitting at home watching.

He’ll also be doing so against a top-10 ranked Cardinals pass defense from a season ago — a pass defense that yielded an incredibly low 80.9 quarterback rating.

Welcome to the world of starting quarterbacks in today’s NFL.

The task is going to be difficult. Not only is this third-year quarterback subbing in for one of the greatest to play this position. That’s hard in and of itself. He’s going to have to keep the Patriots afloat for the first quarter of the season. It’s not one game. It’s not garbage-time action.

That’s where those quarterbacks able to perform on the grand stage step up. If Garoppolo is able to do this, it will be huge for the Patriots this season and into the future. The first test is his most difficult. And the entire football world, including Mr. Brady himself, will be watching.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins: Big Ben, minus the weapons

No Martavis Bryant. No Le’Veon Bell. With both of these talented players suspended, Pittsburgh is missing out on about 185 total yards per game.

That’s hard for any team to overcome, even one that boasts Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback and Antonio Brown at receiver.

There’s still talent here. DeAngelo Williams did a tremendous job filling in for Bell last season, putting up nearly 1,300 total yards with 11 scores. Meanwhile, Markus Wheaton seems more than capable of filling in for Bryant, who is suspended for the entire year.

Instead of having to take on a physical defense in the new black and blue division that is the AFC North, Pittsburgh lucked out in its season opener.

Sure Washington’s defense is nothing to sneeze at. It might be the best unit in the NFC East. But that’s not saying a whole heck of a lot.

It’s going to be interesting to see how a previously high-powered Steelers offense performs against lesser competition come Monday night. That should tell us something about the team’s ability to succeed this year.

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers: A rivalry renewed

Some of you might be too young to remember the great Rams-49ers rivalries of yesteryear. Heck, this one scribe caught the latter end of it prior to the Rams moving to St. Louis 20-plus years ago.

While the NFL screwed the pooch by not opening the Rams debut season in Southern California, this is still going to be a lot of fun.

Neither San Francisco or Los Angeles is going to contend for a playoff spot this season. This isn’t the same rivalry that featured Eric Dickerson, Jack Youngblood, Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. We get it.

It’s still Southern California against Northern California. It’s still the Rams against the 49ers. That means something to football purists. It means something to these teams. It surely means something to the players. And you don’t need us to tell you what it means to the fans.