After a long offseason of speculation, a lot of wide receiver movement, and retirements, the NFL season has finally arrived (as well as un-retirements).

We can now focus on the regular season and the fight for the Lombardi Trophy since the preseason, which featured plenty of fighting, development, and cuts, has come to an end.
Welcome to Sportsmail’s Games of the Week, a series that will get you ready for the biggest NFL games of the season.

Compared to the college football games of the week piece, it won’t differ much.

An NFL week has a maximum of 16 games, whereas college football has many more than that. Consequently, we won’t have a section for honorable mentions.

In this manner, Sportsmail can jump right into the action and begin anticipating the games.

Geno Smith, who is now starting for Seattle, will oppose Russell Wilson, the new quarterback for the Broncos.

 

Game 1: Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks 

  • Monday @ 8:15 ET (ESPN/ABC) / Lumen Field, Seattle

The first of two games featuring a former quarterback playing against his former team is a friendly contest and a big improvement for a Super Bowl champion quarterback.

Russell Wilson was traded from Seattle, where he had lived for a long time and served as the franchise’s face, to Denver, where he is still a player of that caliber.

Even though they play in the NFL’s toughest division, the move immediately elevated the Broncos to the level of potential Super Bowl contender. Wilson could lead the Broncos back to success if he is surrounded by weapons like Cortland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy and is supported by a strong defense.

 

 

Seattle, meanwhile, is going through a complete rebuild. Behind a failing offensive line, the Seahawks appear to be starting Geno Smith.

 

The number of weapons Wilson had seemed to be less of a problem over the past few seasons than how much time he had back in the pocket to make plays.

 

 

Russ is currently preparing Broncos Country to ride into Washington State and record their first victory of the year.

 

For the first time, former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (R) plans to exact revenge on his former team.

 

Game 2: Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers

  • Sunday at 1:00 ET (CBS) / Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

The second matchup of quarterbacks facing their old team is not nearly as amicable as the first one.

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire a franchise quarterback who could lead Cleveland to the promised land and make them a team to be feared in the future was presented to them this offseason.

 

But before trading multiple first-round picks for him, the team claims to have looked into the quarterback’s appalling history of sexual misconduct.

Deshaun Watson’s suspension for more than half the season means that starting responsibilities will fall on former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett.

Baker Mayfield could have done this, and maybe even should have. The team, however, appeared to blame him for their shortcomings from the previous season. Carolina received Mayfield during the offseason.

Mayfield now has the chance to truly establish himself with a team that is all his own and isn’t as cursed as Cleveland is thanks to an injury to last year’s starter Sam Darnold.

Mayfield reacted negatively to the events of the offseason. When he led the team to the playoffs in 2020, their first appearance in the postseason in 18 seasons, he was elevated in Cleveland. After working with four head coaches in four seasons, he never seemed to find his footing while playing for the 216.
Although he denied reports that he intended to “f*** [Cleveland] up,” it is obvious that he feels let down by the company. He has the chance to vindicate himself at his new home for the first time on Sunday.

 

Kyler Murray of Arizona and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes are set to engage in an entertaining quarterback duel.

Game 3: Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Glendale, Arizona’s State Farm Stadium, Sunday at 4:25 ET (CBS)

It won’t be Patrick Mahomes’ top target from the previous campaign. Kyler Murray won’t have access to his main target either. Both are for various causes.

 

 

Tyreek Hill, a former Chiefs wide receiver, was traded to the Dolphins during the offseason to avoid what might have been a drawn-out contract negotiation. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Mecole Hardman will be Mahomes’ top targets at receiver if Hill is unavailable. Additionally, dependable TE Travis Kelce is still a choice.

 

In a much tougher division this year, Kansas City has high expectations. If they stay healthy, nobody expects them to miss the playoffs, but it won’t be as dominant a season as it would have been a year ago.

 

DeAndre Hopkins, a player for the Cardinals, has been given a six-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.

 

Trading for Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was wise, but it might appear much more cozy on paper if Hopkins were to take Hopkins’ place.

 

 

Instead, A.J., a 34-year-old veteran, With tight end Zach Ertz doubtful to start the first week, Green and second-year pass catcher Rondell Moore will be the options 2 and 3, respectively.

 

Given that both teams compete in challenging divisions, a victory could be essential when the playoffs begin. However, a victory that boosts your spirits like this one might mean more than just another triumph for your resume.

 

Tom Brady of the Buccaneers and Dak Prescott of the Cowboys square off in Dallas during Week 1.

 

Game 4: Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium on Sunday at 8:20 (NBC)

The emotions of Buccaneers supporters have been all over the place this offseason.

 

When Tom Brady retired, they initially believed they would be without a franchise quarterback. Then he came out of retirement. Then, head coach Bruce Arians and tight end Rob Gronkowski both announced their retirements.

 

Brady is back in the game under head coach Todd Bowles after serving as his offensive coordinator the previous year. Gronkowski, a trusted target and good friend, isn’t there, but the Bucs still have a strong enough receiving group to take the NFC South.

 

Dallas, meanwhile, has had a relatively quiet offseason, giving them time to reflect on what went wrong last season.

 

 

Poor time management and a slide by the Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott that left them with insufficient time to snap the ball caused the season to end.

 

Dallas didn’t make any high-profile free agent acquisitions, but did trade away Amari Cooper to the Browns. Although Cooper will be gone, Prescott will still have top targets like Ceedee Lamb and Dalton Schultz to throw to.

 

The Cowboys will face a formidable challenge from Philadelphia and will need all the momentum they can muster even though they are predicted to win the NFC East. A victory over Brady can be an excellent place to start.

 

Matt Stafford (L) and the Rams face Josh Allen and the Bills, the favorites this year.

 

 

Game of the Week: Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills

Thursday at 8:20 (NBC) in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium

This may be the first time we see these two teams play one another, though it won’t be the last.

 

The Rams defeated the Bengals at home in the Big Game to win the Super Bowl, giving Los Angeles its first championship since 1983 when the Raiders played there.

 

The Rams are still the second favorites to win the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season, despite the loss of some key players (Von Miller, Darious Williams), and the uncertainty surrounding the future of others (Odell Beckham Jr.).

 

 

Given how unpredictable and difficult the AFC West has made the playoff picture, they should also have a relatively easier path to get there.

 

Despite this, a reenergized defense led by players like Micah Hyde, Ed Oliver, and the aforementioned Miller has helped the Bills remain the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl this year.

 

Josh Allen is the offensive leader Western New York looks to for inspiration. When he decides to decide on his future, Beckham could join his arsenal of trusted weapons.

 

Buffalo believes that this is their best chance in Big 4 professional sports history to win a championship. They must begin the season with a victory in order to convince themselves that they are capable.

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