Are you excited yet? Now that the 2015 NFL regular season is officially here, all the predictions and handicapping that we have seen over the last several months can be thrown out the window. Teams will actually take to the field and decide what happens in live-game action. It’s what we have been waiting for since the Seattle Seahawks inexplicably passed from the one-yard line against the now defending champion New England Patriots back in February.
Week 1 may bring a ton of excitement for each team, but we already know that only a handful have a real shot at actually hoisting the Lombardi in Santa Clara at the end of the year. Two such teams will face off Thursday night.
Outside of that, John Fox begins his Chicago Bears tenure at home against the division-rival Green Bay Packers in what amounts to nothing less than a statement game for Fox’s squad. Meanwhile, Adrian Peterson takes to the field for the first time in a calendar year against a San Francisco 49ers team that’s coming off a disastrous offseason.
Those are just a couple of the top storylines heading into Week 1.
Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots: Tom Brady’s “return”
With Deflategate pretty much settled, we can now focus on the Patriots actually defending their Super Bowl title. Imagine that.
It starts Thursday at home against what will be a short-handed Pittsburgh Steelers squad that’s going to be missing running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Martavis Bryant, both to suspension.
We know Brady is going to want to make a statement on national television after having his name dragged through the mud over the past several months. We also know that the Patriots are a much different team than the one that defeated the Seattle Seahawks last February. Can the team overcome the losses of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner cornerback? That will most definitely be tested against Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton come Thursday night.
Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills: Tyrod Taylor’s and Rex Ryan’s debuts
Rex Ryan made his NFL coaching debut for the New York Jets back in 2009. That game saw Mark Sanchez also make his NFL debut as the team’s starting quarterback. Exactly six years later, Ryan will be making his Bills coaching debut with Tyrod Taylor under center as a starter for the first time in his career. Talk about a coincidence.
Much like his first season with the Jets, Ryan’s squad has playoff aspirations. With one of the most-talented defenses in the NFL and an improved skill-position group, the Bills are among the most overlooked squads in the league. It’s going to be all about quarterback play. If Taylor performs at an above-average clip, Buffalo will earn its first playoff trip since 1999. Going up against the AFC favorite Colts will be a great early-season test.
Cleveland Browns at New York Jets: Keeping an eye on the Browns quarterback situation
What happens when two teams without legit playoff hopes meet in Week 1? We are about to find out with two last place teams from a season ago battling it out in New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. All eyes should be on both team’s quarterback situation, but I mostly want to see how Josh McCown performs for the Browns against what should be a stellar Jets secondary.
The hook has to be pretty quick here, especially if Manziel is prepared to actually throw the football after being shut down back in August. Outside of quarterback, Cleveland boasts a pretty talented team. If it becomes apparent that McCown is holding the offense back, no one would be surprised to see Manziel get a chance. It just wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the team to continue throwing out a veteran backup that has proven he can’t lead a winning team. That’s only magnified with a much higher-upside signal caller riding the pine.
Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars: Any help for Cam Newton?
Without Kelvin Benjamin on the outside, Newton’s ability to up the level of play of his receivers will be severely tested in 2015. The likes of Philly Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, Ted Ginn Jr. and rookie Devin Funchess will be his primary targets at receiver. That’s one of the worst wide receiver groups in the entire NFL. Though, it likely means that Greg Olsen will be targeted a whole heck of a lot more than in the past.
The biggest issue here is going to be along the offensive line. Michael Oher, who graded out as one of the worst offensive linemen in the NFL last season, will be the team’s starting left tackle. Oher, a former first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens, has given up a staggering 23 sacks over the past three seasons. He will be joined by second-year player Andrew Norwell along the left side of the line. Needless to say, Newton is going to need his Superman skills to come in handy in order for the Panthers to repeat as NFC South champs.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears: John Fox’s debut in rivalry game
In the first of what Fox hopes will be many games against the division-rival Packers, the Bears look to get off to a hot start at home in a game that could set the tone for the remainder of the season. Sure coaching against the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders in the AFC West represented tremendous rivalries, but Fox has no idea what he’s getting himself into here. These teams just don’t like one another. After indicating that his team would kick “Chicago’s expletive” last week, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy backtracked a bit. However, he made sure we know just how important this rivalry game is:
“It’s the oldest rivalry in the National Football League. In my opinion, I think it’s the best rivalry game that I’ve played in,” McCarthy said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “So playing down there opening day, it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a big challenge.”
For the Bears, it’s going to be interesting to see how they come out in this one. With the likes of Alshon Jeffery (questionable), Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett, the offense is in a good position to put points on the board. It will be up to first-year coordinator Vic Fangio to help improve what has been a disastrous defense over the past couple seasons. That will surely be tested against Aaron Rodgers and Co.
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans: Battle of two wild card hopefuls
Both Kansas City and Houston barely missed out on the postseason a year ago. Now with what appears to be rosters prepared to challenge for a playoff spot this year, this Week 1 matchup could be absolutely huge when all is said and done. That’s only magnified with other squads acting as strong favorites in their respective divisions.
If Houston can get above-average quarterback play from Brian Hoyer, it has a real chance of surprising folks this season. The team has a decent set of skill-position players, especially now that Arian Foster is slated to return at some point in the first six weeks. Treading water before his return will be the key. And that starts with reigning Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, who will be leading what should be a top-10 defense in the NFL. Though, it’s still all about getting good play from the guy under center. Week 1 against a stout Chiefs defense will tell us a lot about Houston’s ability to succeed in this area.
For the Chiefs, it’s mainly about two factors. Can Alex Smith push the ball down the field enough to keep opposing defenses honest? Will he have the protection from a reshuffled offensive line to even attempt doing this? Going up against Watt and Co. this week will tell us a lot about where the Chiefs are at in this category.
Miami Dolphins at Washington Redskins: Tale of three 2012 NFL draft picks
When the Dolphins selected Ryan Tannehill No. 8 overall back in 2012, he entered the NFL without much fanfare. After all, Andrew Luck had just gone first overall to the Indianapolis Colts and reigning Heisman winner Robert Griffin III went second overall. Both of those signal callers put up tremendous seasons to lead their teams to the playoffs as rookies. Heck, third-round pick Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn for the starting spot in Seattle, leading a previously fledgling Seahawks franchise to the second season.
Years removed from this generational draft class, Tannehill finds himself much closer to Wilson and Luck than RGIII does. That’s a dramatic turn from where we were just a couple dozen months ago.
With RGIII benched in favor of Kirk Cousins (another 2012 draft pick), he’s going to be watching a heavily favored Dolphins squad take to D.C. with playoff aspirations at the forefront. He will be watching from the bench as Cousins attempts to prove naysayers wrong in his first start since being benched by the current Redskins coaching staff last year. With potentially a quick hook, Cousins doesn’t necessarily have much margin for error here.
Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams: Early statement game for Jeff Fisher’s squad
Fisher has not led a team to a winning record since he was heading the Tennessee Titans back in 2008. Firmly on the hot seat entering his fourth season as the Rams head coach, Fisher knows the time is now for him to shed that label as the most overrated head coach in the NFL. Magnifying this further is a defense that promises to be among the best in the NFL. Going up against the two-time defending NFC champions at home to start the season, this is most definitely a statement game for Fisher and the Rams.
For the Rams, it has to be about finding some sort of identity in the passing game. Either Brian Quick or Kenny Britt is going to have to step up to become a true No. 1 receiver for Nick Foles. More than that, the team’s offensive line needs to find a way to give Foles a clean pocket. After all, we saw first hand how bad Foles looks when under pressure during a below-average 2014 campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles. Going up against the Legion of Boom wouldn’t normally be a remedy for this. Though, it’s important to note that Seattle will be without two of its four starters in the secondary from a season ago. Corner Byron Maxwell signed with Philadelphia back in March. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl strong safety Kam Chancellor remains a hold out. At the very least, this gives St. Louis a chance to expose what could be two weaknesses on an otherwise elite Seattle defense.
Detroit Lions at San Diego Chargers: Consistency, consistency and more consistency
Don’t look now, but these are among the 10-most talented teams in the NFL. For both the Lions and Chargers, it’s all going to be about a level of consistency we haven’t seen from either club over the past several seasons.
The major issue holding Detroit back from contending with the big boys in the NFC is the fact that it continually struggles on the road against good competition. Over the course of his career, Matthew Stafford boasts an 0-18 road record against teams with a winning record, postseason included. Overall, the Lions are 3-32 against winning squads during Stafford’s tenure. That’s simply not acceptable.
For Rivers and the Chargers, it’s all about getting back to basics. With rookie first-round pick Melvin Gordon in the fold at running back, San Diego’s offense should have more balance than we have seen in previous seasons. This will enable Rivers to show more consistency through the air. Going up against a stout Lions defense will be a tremendous first test of the season.
New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer’s return
Two things became readily apparent for the Cardinals during the preseason. First off, the team is going to go only as far as Palmer’s health provides. Secondly, Palmer’s health is going to be reliant on a below-average offensive line to get the job done in pass protection up front. If Palmer isn’t able to play a full season in 2015, the Cardinals’ championship aspirations will take a major hit.
With starting right tackle Bobby Massie (suspended) and starting guard Mike Iupati (injured) out of action in this one, the Cardinals should be counting their blessings that they are playing a lackluster Saints defense. Though, if Rob Ryan’s unit is able to put consistent pressure on Palmer, it could tell us a lot about what direction the Cardinals are headed early in the season.
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos: Gary Kubiak’s debut vs. former team
It was just a year ago that Kubiak was manning Baltimore’s sideline as the team’s offensive coordinator after being fired from his post as the Houston Texans head coach. Kubiak parlayed a tremendously successful one season with the Ravens into a head coaching stint with the Broncos — the very same team he suited up for as John Elway’s primary backup for nine years. And the situations are not all too dissimilar.
Kubiak comes to Denver with a veteran quarterback under center, all the while attempting to instill a run-first mentality to help said signal caller out. He does so with an unheralded running back in C.J. Anderson, much like what he had with Justin Forsett in Baltimore. He also does so with championship aspirations at the ready.
Elway, who we mentioned above played in front of Kubiak, is bringing in his former teammate to win that elusive Super Bowl championship. In this, the pressure is most definitely on the Broncos first-year head coach. Going up against his former team in a difficult season-opening matchup, Kubiak will have his hands full.
Cincinnati Bengals at Oakland Raiders: New era for the Raiders?
There’s not a single Raiders fan out there that shouldn’t be excited about this team’s future. That’s a dramatic change of tune from just 10 months ago when the team was in the midst of a 16-game losing streak. Enter into the equation first-year head coach Jack Del Rio, and the Raiders future looks to be its brightest since the Jon Gruden days.
Starting out his tenure against a Bengals team that has earned four consecutive playoff appearances, Del Rio wants to instill that winning mentality into his team immediately. That right there is both a blessing and a disguise for the head man. Oakland is nowhere near as talented as its counterpart in the AFC North. In fact, there is a good chance the Bengals come to Oakland and blow out Del Rio’s squad. Though, an upset win with second-year quarterback Derek Carr under center would go a long way to changing the culture of losing that’s been all too prevalent in Oakland over the past decade. That’s a task we all know Del Rio is up for.
Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Battle of this year’s top draft picks
This is one game I am most definitely going to be studying tape of. The idea of this year’s top two picks going up against one another in their regular season debuts. Heck, the NFL surely got it right here. That’s something we haven’t said much over the past year-plus.
In what will be the first of many Sundays in which Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are compared with one another, they just so happen to be playing one another. Coming off a combined four wins a season ago, both the Titans and Buccaneers are going to want to get off to a good start this season. And in reality, these two quarterbacks will go a long way in deciding who is left standing after Week 1.
For his part, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston looked much better than his counterpart in Tennessee during the preseason. He also seems to have a much better supporting cast on offense with a rejuvenated Doug Martin at running back as well as two towering wide receivers, Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans, on the outside. In a wide open NFC South, Tampa Bay could make an early-season statement by taking a bad Tennessee team behind the woodshed here.
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: Early-season rivalry game
Two teams seemingly headed in different directions taking on one another in an important early-season divisional matchup. What is there not to like about this game? Eli Manning, coming off the best regular season of his career, will look to turn that individual success into team-wide success against the defending NFC champs. Meanwhile, Tony Romo and company are looking to go from playoff contender to Super Bowl contender after a tremendously successful 2014 campaign.
Both teams have some major questions heading into this one. Who will replace DeMarco Murray at running back in Dallas? Joseph Randle might be given the first shot, but the likes of Darren McFadden and new addition Christine Michael will be waiting in the wings. In order for the Cowboys to build off their strong 2014 season, one of these running backs will have to step up and create balance on offense.
For the Giants, the issues are vast. Both Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz are going to need to play big roles in the passing game. Beckham Jr., a dominating performance as a rookie last season, got off to a slow start this summer due to a hamstring injury. However, he seems near 100 percent heading into the opener. Meanwhile, Cruz is still recovering from a strained calf he suffered during camp. That came on the heels of a gruesome knee injury last season. If he’s nowhere near 100 percent early in the season, the Giants passing game will suffer.
Then again, it won’t matter all too much unless this team gets better play from its defense. That’s where the Giants chances of competing in the NFC East will be won or lost. Going up against the defending champs will give Tom Coughlin’s squad a good early test.
Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons: Sam Bradford’s Eagles debut
We all saw what Bradford did in his first preseason under center in Chip Kelly’s offense. If that doesn’t get the average NFL fan excited, I am not too sure what will. Simply put, the injury-plagued former No. 1 overall pick was dynamic in his brief exhibition stint — leading the Eagles offense to touchdowns in all four of his possessions. Whether that will translate to the regular season against a Falcons squad primed for a division title run under first-year head coach Dan Quinn. Well, that remains to be seen.
The most interesting storyline for this game has to be a high-powered Eagles offense going up against a revamped Falcons defense under Quinn. While it seems Philadelphia has the major advantage here, Atlanta’s new scheme and young talent could cause some major issues for Kelly’s squad. Desmond Trufant will be trailing Jordan Matthews all game long. Meanwhile, rookie top-10 pick Vic Beasley will be looking to eat against an Eagles offensive line that is without two of its best offensive linemen from the past half decade, Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis. If Beasley is able to put some nice pressure on Bradford, it will force the injury-plagued signal caller to face the demons that come with two torn ACL’s in as many years.
Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers: Adrian Peterson’s return
There is a whole heck of a lot going on here. One could say that the top storyline for this game is Jim Tomsula’s regular season debut as the 49ers head coach. Heck, there could even be some thought given to two teams seemingly headed in different directions. Though, any talk of this season opener has to start and end with a running back in Adrian Peterson making his first on-field appearance in pretty much a full calendar year.
Looking in the best shape of his life, Peterson has the Vikings thinking playoffs. He also has a solid young quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater to help him out on offense. And while San Francisco lost a ton of talent on defense, it has a tremendous amount of athleticism and young talent on that side of the ball. The likes of NaVorro Bowman, Aaron Lynch and rookie third-round pick Eli Harold could give Bridgewater fits in front of a talent-stricken offensive line. It will be a nice initial test for the new backfield tandem in Minnesota.
Check out Vincent’s other work on eDraft.com and follow him on Twitter @VincentFrankNFL.