With the never-ending hiatus the sports world has been put on, it does us all some good to remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The day will come where our beloved teams are returned to us, and that day may be as soon as September. The NFL released the full season’s schedule on Thursday in a 3-hour TV special, which gives us visions of normalcy as the 2020-2021 season may go ahead as planned. Here’s the best game of the week, for every week, all season long.
Week 1
Welcome, one and all, to the show. The NFL hit the nail on the head for the season opener but, without DeAndre Hopkins, KC-Houston will be overshadowed by Tom Brady’s Buccaneers debut against the New Orleans Saints. Does he have what it takes? Will the legend of Gronk continue? Can Tampa actually compete? Brady vs Brees is your Week 1 Game Of The Week. Buccaneers at Saints. Sunday, Sept 13th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: The season opener pits Kansas City against the visiting Houston Texans in a rematch of the heartbreaking playoff loss from January. Texans at Chiefs. Thursday, Sept 10th, 8:20 EST
Week 2
Lamar Jackson may be looking to repeat his unanimous MVP performance in Houston, who has an unfortunate opening slate on their season. Despite their woes, the Texans might just manage the Ravens as we get to find out whether Baltimore’s explosion was a fluke or the beginning of a new era of NFL football. Ravens at Texans. Sunday, Sept 20th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Big Ben vs Drew Lock: Two offenses that host powerful new WR talent and formidable defenses. Tune in. Broncos at Steelers. Sunday, Sept 20th, 1:00 EST
Week 3
Now, it’s hard to imagine finding a game better than Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers visiting Drew Brees’ New Orleans Saints, but here it is. Mahomes vs Jackson. The previous 2 MVPs (regular season and Super Bowl) face the stiffest competition they may have ever played: each other. Mahomes’ magic arm vs Lamar’s legs makes for an offensive-minded Monday night. The NFL’s point record stands at 113 for a single game. Remember that. Chiefs at Ravens. Monday, Sept 28th, 8:15 EST
Honorable Mention: Definitely don’t miss the Pack in the Big Easy, because these two QBs might give us one for the ages, to show the kids how it’s done. Packers at Saints. Sunday, Sept 27th, 8:20 EST
Week 4
This is a doozy. Can Jimmy G topple a difficult (if healthy) Eagles team? Can Carson Wentz prove he’s better than his new backup and work his way through one of the league’s most dominant defenses? Both tough questions, but “the truth will out”. This result will be more important in the long run than many may believe. Eagles at Niners. Sunday, Oct 4th, 8:20 EST
Honorable Mention: Maybe not the most exciting matchup, but both Baker’s Browns and Dak’s Cowboys have a lot to prove heading into this season. The stakes may be bigger than the game itself. Browns at Cowboys. Sunday, Oct 4th, 1:00 EST
Week 5
Kirk tossing it to his #1 WR Adam Thielen is going to look odd, but it’ll be even odder seeing how Justin Jefferson fills the looming shadow of Stefon Diggs. With a new-look defense, can they hold Wilson at bay long enough to figure out their offensive woes? Russell might not give them a chance. Expect a few fireworks on Sunday Night Football. Vikings at Seahawks. Sunday, Oct 11th, 8:20 EST
Honorable Mention: Tom Brady has become incredibly familiar with the Bears during his New England tenure. Can his new squad traverse a formidable foe in this offensive vs defensive showdown? Buccaneers at Bears. Thursday, Oct 8th, 8:20 EST
Week 6
Surprised to see the Bills here? A few seasons ago we would’ve been too. Instead, Buffalo lines up at home to host the Super Bowl champions and its back to the epic struggle of powerhouse QB against the top-tier secondary. Mahomes is all but guaranteed to score, but with the addition of Diggs, can Josh Allen put up enough points to match? It’s going to be quite the show as we find out. Chiefs at Bills. Thursday, Oct 15th, 8:20 EST
Honorable Mention: Potentially the last Brady vs. Rodgers meeting, expect nothing but begrudging respect and needle-point accuracy between these two stars. Packers at Buccaneers. Sunday, Oct 18th, 4:25 EST
Week 7
A divisional matchup like few others, Pittsburgh vs Baltimore is as good a place as any to decide who has what it takes to run the division. Big Ben can still sling it, but can he keep up with the fast-paced play of Lamar Jackson’s crew, or will they box Jackson in and force him to rely on his unproven arm against a nasty secondary, led by Minkah Fitzpatrick? Fearfully, both may fall short and leave us with a battle of defense and field position. Anything is possible here. Steelers at Ravens. Sunday, Oct 25th, 1:00 EST
Honorable Mention: Another divisional matchup, another potentially-stunning battle. Seattle has clearly been the better side in recent history but after a full season with Kyler Murray at the helm, Arizona has what it takes to compete for a division. They may prove it here. Seahawks at Cardinals. Sunday, Oct 25th, 4:05 EST
Week 8
This is a battle for the NFC West crown, no doubt about it. Two defensive teams with big-name QBs face off for a significant payoff. After last season’s year-long battle for the West, there was no way this game didn’t make the cut. 49ers at Seahawks. Sunday, Nov 1st, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Potentially the second-most important game of the season for the NFC East title, this is crucial. Cowboys at Eagles. Sunday, Nov 1st, 8:20 EST
Week 9
Aaron Rodgers gets to try his hand at the NFC’s boogieman. Rodgers has made short work of this caliber of a team before but he may not be so fortunate this time around. If Love is to get any playing time, Rodgers may lose it to him here. Jimmy G gets to play handoff all game, to his relief. Packers at Niners. Thursday, Nov 5th, 8:20 EST
Honorable Mention: Two mobile QBs. Two solid defenses. Two playoff competitors. Seahawks at Bills. Sunday, Nov 8th, 1:00 EST
Week 10
Unsurprisingly, what should’ve been the NFC Championship/Divisional game gets the top spot for this week. Two 13-win teams from last year can hardly be passed up as Brees gets to show us all why he deserved to go to the Superbowl in 2017. Or was it 2018? 2019? 49ers at Saints. Sunday, Nov 15th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Back to back honorable mentions with the exact same taglines. Expect the pocket to be escaped. Repeatedly. Bills at Cardinals. Sunday, Nov 15th, 4:05 EST
Week 11
This looks like the Lamar Jackson revenge game on paper, but the Titans sorted him out once, and they’re perfectly capable of doing so again. Playing spoiler is their ‘thing’, apparently, so this might hurt for people looking to fix Lamar Jackson’s almost-perfect MVP year. Titans at Ravens. Sunday, Nov 22nd, 1:00 EST
Honorable Mention: Genuine curiosity and the refusal to swap out QBs when things aren’t working puts this game as a must-see. Cowboys at Vikings. Sunday, Nov 22nd, 4:25 EST
Week 12
Thanksgiving week brings us all a treat. What’s not to love about Mahomes vs Brady? New school vs old school. Spectacular vs system. Perhaps we’ll learn something along the way. Chiefs at Bucs. Sunday, Nov 29th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Two master escapists try to escape the holidays with a ‘W’. Seahawks at Eagles. Monday, Nov 30th, 8:15 EST
Week 13
The best defenses in the NFL go head-to-head as the offenses hold on for dear life. If you like high-flying scores and endless touchdowns, this isn’t the game for you. There will be blood, so bring a bib and don’t sit in the splash zone. Bills at 49ers. Monday, Dec 7th, 8:15 EST
Honorable Mention: Dak and Zeke try to topple Lamar and Ingram. Say less. Cowboys at Ravens. Thursday, Dec 3rd, 8:20 EST
Week 14
Fortunes can change with the change of the ‘Brees’, so this could be as important a matchup as any at this point. With the NFC title race as competitive as ever this season, don’t expect either team to miss out on yet another opportunity to seize control. Can Wentz handle the pressure, or stay healthy enough to carry an offense past one of the most complete teams at the end of a Superbowl window? It’s anyone’s guess. Saints at Eagles. Sunday, Dec 13th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: In the Lamar haze, everyone forgot about Baker. Maybe he shines a spotlight on that. Ravens at Browns. Monday, Dec 14th, 8:15 EST
Week 15 (Game Of The Season)
This is probably the game to watch this year. After so many good ones, when are we finally satisfied? Honestly, it gets tiring watching all these Chiefs and Saints games. Perhaps it’s about time we found out who was best? These boys can sling that rock, that much was never in doubt. But who can sling it better? Is it in with the new and out with the old? Or do dinosaurs still roam? Chiefs at Saints. Sunday, Dec 20th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Imagine a team that spent all its cap on offense, and imagine a team that spent all its cap on defense. These two put their money where their mouths are. 49ers at Cowboys. Sunday, Dec 20th, 8:20 EST
Week 16
This may feel like the same game all over again, but this is likely the one to decide the division. Two different young franchise QBs still fighting for dominance in a competitive division, with Washington and Giants teams rebuilding hot on their tales. This season may be the one to push one of these squads over the top, but the other gets held underwater. Eagles at Cowboys. Sunday, Dec 27th, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Owners of the final wild-card spot up against a 13-win team doesn’t seem like the one to watch but these teams will both be in the heat of their respective playoff races. Titans at Packers. Sunday, Dec 27th, 8:20 EST
Week 17
Make no mistakes, this may be the decider for the NFC West. Two of the best teams in the NFL sharing a division make for unfriendly neighbors, but they’re all but locked in with the inclusion of a 7th playoff spot. The winner may be the proud owner of a playoff bye. Seahawks at 49ers. Sunday, Jan 3rd, 4:25 EST
Honorable Mention: Desperately important for one of these teams, this matchup could determine both the division and/or the wild card spot. Packers at Bears. Sunday, Jan 3rd, 1:00 EST