NFL Week 1 schedule rankings: High 5 Sunday video games to remind us why we love soccer

In the summary, professional soccer is a zero-sum sport. One NFL franchise lifts the Lombardi Trophy, and 31 don’t. Every participant, coach and government communicate of that very same final objective; at this level, it’s disarming to listen to somebody within the league not point out it.

In observe, although, such considering is tragically restricted. Several of the NFL’s runners-up nonetheless give us indelible joys and wanted diversions. Fans spend cash, journey the nation and reconfigure social lives to comply with their soccer groups.

All 18 weeks of the common season are a part of the entire journey, however every Sunday must also be appreciated by itself. This piece will type the NFL weekend choices by completely different standards. In future variations, we might rank video games by their potential to crash the scoreboard operator with high-flying offenses, or by uniform aesthetics, or by off-the-field animosities and revenge plotlines.

We’re maintaining it easy for Week 1, although: the highest 5 matchups that ought to remind us why we dedicate a lot to this hobby-turned-faith.

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Week 1 viewing information

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In-market CBS and Fox video games can be found at no cost over the air. Out-of-market video games can be found on NFL Sunday Ticket. “Sunday Night Football” is free over the air on NBC and streams on Peacock.

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5. Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets

This pairing units up for some inventive technique and tactical angling. Both offenses make use of new quarterbacks who’ve hyper-specific talent units, together with pronounced limitations. Each protection will isolate their prime choices with shutdown corners (Jalen Ramsey for Pittsburgh and Sauce Gardner for New York). T.J. Watt warps safety off the sting, like a whirring magnet in accelerated orbit; Quinnen Williams strikes stress into the center of the inside, like a large compression driver.

Of course, all that is background staging for Aaron Rodgers’ return to a manic Meadowlands. Through extended booing and unpublishable vulgarities, Jets followers will get temporary catharsis for such a slipshod collapse.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

We can not deny what was evidently written within the cosmos: These two groups are good for one another. Last 12 months’s conferences had been exhilarating and form of surreal. The first one was a marathon 36-30 additional time end, sealed by KhaDarel Hodge’s walk-off. The second one was a 31-26 thriller that ended with Baker Mayfield’s prayer heave … caught … with a foot out of bounds behind the top zone.

The Falcons swept the sequence and the Bucs gained the division. Football could be hilarious, and these opponents routinely decide to the bit. Mayfield ought to put up a enjoyable stat line indoors, and Bijan Robinson ought to start his bid as the highest earner in fantasy soccer. This is the Atlanta motion to get crunk to.

3. Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams

What an superior interconference draw to start out their respective schedules. Sean McVay can’t and won’t cease serious about offense. DeMeco Ryans loves protection the best way most individuals love their pets — and the best way some folks nonetheless love the film “Draft Day,” and the best way that possibly one particular person nonetheless loves the track “Draft Day.”

Both groups got here on sturdy to win a playoff sport final season. The Rams had been a assured good time down the stretch, beating the Bills in December (44-42) and pushing the Eagles within the postseason’s divisional spherical (28-22). The Texans, in the meantime, gained their division after which made the different Los Angeles quarterback appear like a bewildered cartoon frog. Every cross in opposition to the Houston secondary is delightfully suspenseful. Brilliant nook Derek Stingley Jr. will get high-leverage reps in opposition to Davante Adams and Puka Nacua to set the tone for 2025.

2. Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

Last 12 months’s Lions had been deliriously enjoyable (throughout the common season, at the least). They led the league in factors per sport, offensive effectivity, easy score and total brazen trickery. The 15-win core marches again Sunday, with Aidan Hutchinson absolutely out there and Jahmyr Gibbs considerably extra skilled. They now face a Packers group that stole the offseason through the Micah Parsons commerce … and that’s after ending prime 10 in factors for and factors allowed in 2024.

Two proficient offenses, two deep defenses, all improved by the passage of time and the maneuvers of their GMs. Lambeau needs to be so very loud as one of many sports activities’s oldest rivalries (steady since 1929) will really feel notably significant from the soar. It’d be our clear-cut sport of the week in any week with out Ravens-Bills in prime time.

1. Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills

Well, that is the plain best choice, by means of a flaming table. Josh Allen is reigning MVP, the quarterback equal of a human motorbike with a heat-seeking cannon and a brilliant pc. Lamar Jackson is the incumbent first-team All-Pro quarterback, although, and the two-time MVP has fairly presumably the best spotlight reel in soccer historical past.

The Ravens and Bills are each top-shelf, title-worthy skills. Their 2024 playoff assembly was an instantaneous basic and an endorphin scrambler. We will gladly oblige to any and all rematches, particularly these hosted on “Sunday Night Football.” NBC cutaways appear to be reserved for Fall Out Boy and associated enviornment rock bands; hopefully, there may be at the least one Griselda dedication saved for this Sunday.

Updated Week 1 odds

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(Photo of Josh Allen and Kyle Van Noy: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)