This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you possibly can go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://www.si.com/nfl/ranking-all-16-nfl-week-1-games-worst-to-best-2026
and if you wish to take away this text from our website please contact us
Welcome to Week 1 of the 2026 common season.
Beginning with a Super Bowl LX rematch on Wednesday night time in Seattle and shutting with Patrick Mahomes’s (seemingly) return for the Chiefs on Monday in Kansas City, we’ve 16 video games—that truly matter, thoughts you, not like the preseason—to look at, dissect and overreact to over the subsequent six days.
Now, I might give a long-winded introduction right here, breaking down the ins and outs of the offseason that was throughout the league, however why bury the lede? Football’s again!
Here’s a snapshot preview of all 16 video games for Week 1, ranked from least to most watchable.
“This could be the greatest opening slate of games the NFL has ever seen.” 🔥@mikekadlick ranks the 5 greatest video games to kickoff the 2026 season 🏈 pic.twitter.com/z8LZzfBXVL
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 9, 2026
16. Dolphins at Raiders
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Fox
The Dolphins personal arguably the NFL’s weakest roster, high to backside, and so they’re headed to Sin City in Week 1 to tackle the Raiders, who completed final season with a 3–14 report—the worst within the league. The solely factor that will have made this matchup remotely attention-grabbing is that if rookie No. 1 choose Fernando Mendoza had been beginning at quarterback. Instead, Las Vegas will start the 12 months with veteran Kirk Cousins beneath middle.
15. Jets at Titans
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: CBS
It’ll be a Robert Saleh revenge sport this weekend because the Jets head to Nashville to tackle the Titans. New York added some much-needed reinforcements to its protection this offseason—signing DeMario Davis and buying and selling for Minkah Fitzpatrick—whereas Tennessee enters Year 2 of the Cam Ward period.
14. Falcons at Steelers
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Fox
The Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their beginning quarterback on Monday—that’s, at least for Week 1, whereas Michael Penix Jr. continues his restoration from the torn ACL he suffered final season. Atlanta will tackle the Steelers on Sunday afternoon as Pittsburgh begins its first season beneath new head coach Mike McCarthy.
13. Cardinals at Chargers
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to look at: CBS
The braintrust that’s Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel will get their first crack at calling an offense run by the newly engaged Justin Herbert once they welcome the Cardinals to SoFi Stadium on Sunday. For Arizona, it’s the debut of each head coach Mike LaFleur and (hopefully) operating again Jeremiyah Love.
12. Browns at Jaguars
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: CBS
The Jaguars exceeded expectations in 2025, going 14–3 and successful the AFC South in Liam Coen’s first season on the helm. Now, they’ll have dual-threat Travis Hunter again after he tore his LCL final November. As for the Browns? Well, they proceed to be the Browns. They traded Myles Garrett this offseason and can trot out Deshaun Watson beneath middle to start the marketing campaign.
11. Packers at Vikings
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to look at: CBS
The lowest-ranked in-division matchup of Week 1 belongs to the Packers and Vikings, just because a) there are solely 5 of them and b) Minnesota is such a thriller proper now. They’re set to open the season with their fourth completely different Week 1 beginning quarterback in as a few years, with Kyler Murray taking on after signing for the veteran minimal this offseason.
10. Ravens at Colts
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: CBS
Jesse Minter was handed the keys to one of many extra proficient rosters in soccer this offseason when he took over because the Ravens’ head coach. In his first sport in cost, Baltimore will tackle the Colts—who started the 2025 season 8–3 and with one of many higher offenses in NFL historical past earlier than quarterback Daniel Jones tore his ACL in Week 13.
9. Saints at Lions
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Ford Field, Detroit
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Fox
Despite going simply 6–11 in 2025, the Saints are one of many extra intriguing groups within the league this 12 months because of the play they received from quarterback Tyler Shough final season. The rookie second-round choose accomplished 67.6% of his passes for 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions whereas posting a passer ranking of 91.3. New Orleans heads to Detroit in Week 1 to play the Lions—who’re coming off a disappointing last-place end within the NFC North.
8. Commanders at Eagles
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Fox
It’s been a curler coaster of an offseason for the Eagles, who lastly traded star huge receiver A.J. Brown to the Patriots after what gave the impression to be years of hypothesis. Now, Jalen Hurts will throw to the likes of Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon—in addition to DeVonta Smith, who’s been with Philadelphia since 2021 and can now be the No. 1 goal—as he will get settled beneath new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. On the opposite facet of this Week 1 matchup would be the Commanders, who enter 2026 with a wholesome Jayden Daniels as they give the impression of being to return to the postseason.
7. Bears at Panthers
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Fox
The Bears are coming into 2026 with excessive expectations as head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams enter their second season collectively. They’ll open up the 12 months on the street towards the Panthers—who’re additionally anticipated to be aggressive after successful the NFC South (regardless of an 8–9 report) final season and practically knocking off the Rams within the wild-card spherical final January. Notably, that is the third matchup between Chicago and Carolina since their blockbuster 2023 commerce that landed the Panthers the No. 1 choose within the draft—which they changed into Bryce Young.
6. Cowboys at Giants
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to look at: NBC
It’s been a curler coaster of an offseason for the Eagles, who lastly traded star huge receiver A.J. Brown to the Patriots after what gave the impression to be years of hypothesis. Now, Jalen Hurts will throw to the likes of Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon—in addition to DeVonta Smith, who’s been with Philadelphia since 2021 and can now be the No. 1 goal—as he will get settled beneath new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. On the opposite facet of this Week 1 matchup would be the Commanders, who enter 2026 with a wholesome Jayden Daniels as they give the impression of being to return to the postseason.
5. Buccaneers at Bengals
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Fox
We might be in for a high-scoring affair when the Buccaneers go to the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday. Both offenses are geared up with dynamic huge receivers duos—Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in Cincinnati, and Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka in Tampa Bay—in addition to quarterbacks in Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield who like to sling the rock.
4. Bills at Texans
Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to look at: CBS
Voted by of us across the league to be the greatest quarterback within the NFL on the finish of 2026, Josh Allen and the Bills are headed to Houston this Sunday to tackle the Texans—who simply so occur to boast one of many league’s high defenses. That chess match apart, this one additionally options head coach Joe Brady’s debut as Buffalo’s head coach and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud trying to bounce again after an abysmal efficiency in final season’s playoff loss to the Patriots.
3. Patriots at Seahawks
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to look at: NBC
The 2026 season will start with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seahawks and the Patriots. Their final bout—a 29–13 win for Seattle—was far much less aggressive than what the ultimate rating indicated, however New England enters this one with a new-look offense because of offseason additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs and has an opportunity to right away show in the event that they’ve closed the hole on the defending champions.
2. Broncos at Chiefs
Date: Monday, Sept. 14
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to look at: ABC/ESPN
After successful 9 consecutive AFC West titles from 2016 to ’24, the Chiefs went simply 6–11 final season and misplaced the division to the Broncos—who additionally completed with the convention’s No. 1 seed. This week-closing Monday Night Football matchup goes to be a should watch—that’s, as long as Patrick Mahomes returns from the knee damage that prematurely ended his 2025 marketing campaign.
1. 49ers at Rams
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Location: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia
Time: 8:35 p.m. ET
Where to look at: Netflix
The first of the NFL’s 9(!) International Series video games in 2026 additionally occurs to be the perfect one, because the Rams and 49ers will sq. off in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday night time. No two coaches know one another fairly like Los Angeles’s Sean McVay and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan, who, after working collectively beneath Mike Shanahan in Washington from 2010 to ’13, made the bounce to the NFC West as head coaches in ’17. Since then, the 49ers personal an 11–8 report towards the Rams, with their twentieth matchup approaching a prime-time stage.
Add us as a most popular supply on Google
This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you possibly can go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://www.si.com/nfl/ranking-all-16-nfl-week-1-games-worst-to-best-2026
and if you wish to take away this text from our website please contact us
