National Football League

NFL Week 1: 5 best games of the weekend

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Dec 13, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first quarter at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL is finally back with real games, and there are five you can’t miss.

Any time there is real football on the television, you need to strap yourself down to the couch with an iron belt and frantically wave the kids away. Your time has come.

Week 1 of the NFL season is always especially fun. Teams are always ripe to surprise, while prized rookies are ready to explode onto the scene.

This weekend, here are five games you need to watch:

5. Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets

This is a sneaky-good game. New York won 10 games last season despite not making the playoffs, and may have upgraded in the backfield provided Matt Forte stays healthy. With Ryan Fitzpatrick back in the fold, the Jets should have a quality passing game with Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall on the outside.

Cincinnati, on the other hand, has some looming question marks after a tough offseason. The Bengals watched both Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu leave in free agency, leaving the onus on rookie receiver Tyler Boyd to fill a hole opposite A.J. Green. Cincinnati is also without Reggie Nelson in the secondary and a suspended Vontaze Burfict, but ample talent remains.

This could be a game that we look back on in December as a key tiebreaker. Cincinnati and New York figure to be in the playoff hunt late, and both could be staring down a wild card race. Getting a win here would be a nice first step.

Nov 15, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Redskins in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

4. Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints

This could be the most entertaining game on Sunday. New Orleans always knows how to put points on the board, especially in the raucous Superdome. Meanwhile, the Raiders are coming into the season with an incredible amount of hype behind them for the first time in over a decade.

This won’t be an easy game for Oakland. The Saints are still weak defensively but should have a better scheme under former Raiders head coach, Dennis Allen. New Orleans will need to put pressure on quarterback Derek Carr to keep him from exposing a poor secondary, something that won’t be easy with Oakland’ exceptional front.

On the other side, the Saints should be able to put up yardage and points on Oakland. The Raiders invested many millions this offseason on that side of the ball in Sean Smith, Bruce Irvin and Reggie Nelson, but it hasn’t come together yet. Oakland has been burned throughout the preseason and still lacks depth at the corner spot behind Smith.

One of these teams could easily put up 30 points and lose. For the Saints, getting off to a quick start at home is essential after such a miserable 2015. For the Raiders, a loss here against a team not expected to reach the postseason would put a damper on the rampant hype train.

3. Chicago Bears at Houston Texans

Brock Osweiler. With all due respect to John Fox and his team, this is all about Osweiler and the new-fangled Texans offense. Houston has been able to go 9-7 in each of the last two years, trotting out either Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer, Brandon Weeden or Tom Savage. Now that you have recovered from that horror-fest, let’s move on.

Houston is hoping that Osweiler can provide a steady hand at the sport’s most demanding and important position. General manager Rick Smith gave him help, signing guard Jeff Allen to replace the departed Brandon Brooks while also inking running back Lamar Miller. Add in receivers Braxton Miller and Will Fuller through the draft, and the Texans will have almost entirely different personnel at the skill positions.

Chicago has looked absolutely rancid throughout the preseason, so a loss to the Bears would be emotionally devastating. The Texans will have their challenges, though, even if Osweiler does play the part of a franchise quarterback. They could be without J.J. Watt and left tackle Duane Brown won’t play. Those are both critical pieces for a team with aspirations of making a deep run into January.

For the Bears, it’s about trying to steal a win. With the Minnesota Vikings suddenly wounded, Chicago should set its sights on second place in the NFC North. Even a record of 7-9 or 8-8 would be a nice step for this club.

Aug 11, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

2. Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Redskins

This is shockingly on Monday Night Football. Why shockingly, you ask? Because ESPN has never been about good games since taking over the MNF vehicle.

Washington surprised everyone outside of the Beltway (or maybe stunned those fine folks the most) by going 9-7 last season and winning the NFC East. The offseason treated the Redskins well, with their signing of All-Pro corner Josh Norman to a five-year deal. With Norman in tow, the secondary should be able to handle better passing attacks.

That notion will be tested Week 1. Pittsburgh has the best receiver in football with Antonio Brown, who has amassed at least 110 catches and more than 1,450 yards in each of his last three seasons. Brown may need to shoulder the bulk of the load early, with running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Martavis Bryant suspended for three games and the entire season, respectively.

For the Redskins, this is a chance to prove they aren’t a fluke on the national stage. Kirk Cousins is playing the season under the franchise tag, allowing him to prove his mettle one way or the other. It should be a fascinating game in the nation’s capital.

Oct 26, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald against the Baltimore Ravens at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Ravens 26-18. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

1. New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals

If Tom Brady was playing, this would have been one of the best games of the season. Instead, it is being replaced by one of the most intriguing.

Jimmy Garoppolo has never taken a meaningful snap in an NFL, but the fourth-year backup is going to be front and center on national television. The Patriots are also going to be facing outside linebacker Chandler Jones, their leading sack-master from a year ago whom they traded to the Cardinals.

For Arizona, it will be interesting to see how they come out of the gate. The Cardinals played brilliant football last season until getting hammered by the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. In the preseason, Carson Palmer and his mates looked flat and ugly, getting blown out for the most part.

Yet, in the end, some would argue this is a Super Bowl preview. Both of these teams could end up in Houston come February, but one will start out in an 0-1 hole. Considering the important of home-field advantage in the playoffs, nobody wants to be put behind the proverbial 8-ball.

If the Patriots win, Garoppolo will be hailed as a conquering hero in Beantown. If he loses, well, there are three more weeks until the return of Brady.

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