Football season is back, treating fans across the fall and winter en route to the Super Bowl in February next year. While the action in the NFL may not be quite as out of this world as Star Wars, the drama on the field can be just as epic.
While the NFL, like a Star Wars movie, tends to build up to a thunderous climax, there are plenty of brilliant games in the early part of the season that could go a long way to setting the tone for the season and NFL Playoffs. Below, we pick out five of those that aren’t to be missed:
Week 2 — Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills
Thursday, 17 September, 8:15 p.m. ET.
It’s a blockbuster to open Week 2 as two of the NFL’s most explosive offenses clash in Buffalo. The Bills are slightly favored in DraftKings’ Week 2 NFL odds for this one, but it looks like a toss-up to us. Both of these teams have Playoff ambitions, but the pressure is on as neither has truly delivered on the promise shown over the past few seasons.
Week 3 — Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, 27 September, 1:00 p.m. ET.
This one is a fairly intense AFC North game that could matter enormously in a tightly contested division. The Steelers are somewhat in transition, but they always somehow remain competitive. For us, the Bengals are one of the teams to look out for this season. A healthy Joe Burrow and a better-than-it-seems offense could go a long way.
Week 4 — Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, 4 October, 1:00 p.m. ET)
A major NFC measuring-stick game between two teams with genuine postseason ambitions. The Rams entered the season as red-hot favorites for the Super Bowl, though that will count for nothing should they fail to live up to the hype. The Eagles will likely bounce along nicely this season, turning up the heat as they enter the postseason. This is a real test for the Super Bowl credentials of the Rams.
Week 5 — San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, 11 October, 4:25 p.m. ET
It shows how tough the NFC West is as these two teams also have genuine Super Bowl hopes and will be hoping to beat the Rams to the divisional title. The Seahawks, as defending champions, will be favorites to take the win at home, but the 49ers seem vastly underrated this season. There is potential for an upset here in game that could scupper or enhance each team’s chances of being in the hunt for the NFC West title.
Week 6 — Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
Sunday, 18 October, 8:20 p.m. ET
Two teams whose fan bases will probably admit that they are not quite ready to be considered Super Bowl contenders. Yet, these are two of the most historic franchises in the league, both of which have massive followings at home and abroad. We will have to see how the first five weeks of the season pan out to judge the significance of this game in terms of postseason positioning, but the Packers and Cowboys are always premium viewing.