Kicking off the regular season is a highly anticipated game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Photo courtesy of Getty Images, taken by Emilee Chinn.
After nearly seven months, the NFL is kicking off its regular season in Philadelphia with the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles facing the Dallas Cowboys.
Despite the chaos in the offseason, every notable situation resolved itself before the season commenced.
So what notable games are happening in Week 1 and how will teams set the tone for the year?
Starting with the aforementioned first game, both the Eagles and the Cowboys have a lot riding on the season opener.
For the Eagles, they need to start the year off hot. After a dominant victory in the Super Bowl, they lost a few key players to free agency. If they secure an overwhelming win — with additions like first-round draft pick Jihaad Campbell putting on standout performances — they’ll continue to be favorites to win the Super Bowl.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, are in crisis mode. The team looked solid — as long as it signed Micah Parsons.
Instead, they traded Parsons for possible players to be drafted in the future. This move left them with a depleted defense in the present. It would take a miracle for them to upset the Eagles. Otherwise a blowout Week 1 loss may be indicative of misery to come for Cowboys fans.
The next day, two more teams are having an important bout in Brazil.
The Kansas City Chiefs looked dominant in the preseason. Questions still linger about their offense's ability to continue operating without star receiver Rashee Rice — who is suspended until Week 7.
If their offense can continue to click against a stout Chargers defense, a win against a tough division rival is one of the best ways to start the year.
The Los Angeles Chargers need this win badly. Their star offensive lineman Rashawn Slater is out for the season and their only threatening receiver on paper is Ladd McConkey.
While their defense looks to continue their strong play from last year, how this offense will come together to overcome a juggernaut like the Chiefs will be a test of its ability to perform against great teams this season.
The Washington Commanders are facing off against the New York Giants during the morning slate of Sunday games. All eyes are on the Commanders’ receivers. After Terry McLaurin, the team lacks depth and looks to be one injury away from a lost season.
However, a solid performance against the Giants’ ferocious defensive unit could help ease fans' fears.
Facing the Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals might need every win they can get. Despite a five-game win streak to close out the season last year, the team missed the playoffs.
Almost nothing about the team has changed, since the majority of its cap space is tied up with four players on the roster. While those four players — Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson — are superstars, it’s going to take everything they have to even sneak into the playoffs.
Finally, all four NFC North teams have something to prove as they square off against one another.
The Detroit Lions need to make it to the top — plain and simple. Losing before the Super Bowl isn’t enough — and neither is losing in the Super Bowl. This team has all the talent in the world, but the window in which they can win the Super Bowl is shutting fast.
If they beat the Green Bay Packers to start the season, they’re taking a big step toward achieving that lofty goal.
The Packers are in the same boat. Their roster may be young, but they can only sustain this performance for so long before players start getting expensive. Signing Parsons is an indication that the team is all in on winning right now.
A win against the Lions would give them a meaningful tally in the win column come tiebreaker time at the end of the season.
The Minnesota Vikings need to show that J.J. McCarthy is the real deal. If they had a dominant season last year just to flop after letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency, they are going to be the laughingstock of the league. Beating the upstart Chicago Bears puts them in great position to prevent that outcome from happening.
The Bears need to finally win in the regular season — not just the offseason. They keep having solid years from February to September, but it needs to be the other way around.
Winning in Week 1 is a good start down the path of being competitive to January and beyond for rookie head coach Ben Johnson and his talented team.
Between these games as well as the others being played, Week 1 is going to be must-see NFL football. Block out your weekend, and get ready to settle in for moments of bliss frequently interrupted by shouting at the TV.
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