With the 2021 NFL season roughly three and a half months away from kickoff, fans now have an idea of how the season will start with the NFL rolling out some high-profile Week 1 matchups.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion—a.k.a. THE G.O.A.T.—Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers open the season in primetime against the Dallas Cowboys and their newly-minted $140 million man in QB Dak Prescott, in what will surely be one of the highest-rated TNF season openers ever.
Ring night. Tom Brady. Dallas Cowboys.
Say no more.
Other notable matchups include:
Browns at Chiefs (4:25 p.m.) – After coming the closest to knocking off the then-Super Bowl champions in a narrow 22-17 loss in the AFC Divisional Round matchup, thanks to a controversial helmet-to-helmet hit by S Daniel Sorensen on WR Rashard Higgins, the Browns get a shot at redemption against the Ketchup Kid, as Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes renew their burgeoning rivalry.
Jets at Panthers (1 p.m.) – Call this the Sam Darnold Bowl, as the Jets fly down to Charlotte to tangle with the quarterback they tossed aside for their new toy under center in rookie Zach Wilson, in what may be either a boring Sunday snorefest, or a thrilling back-and-forth AFL matchup out of Madden!
Jaguars at Texans (1 p.m.) – Top overall pick Trevor Lawrence makes his NFL debut on the road in Houston vs. a Texans team and franchise in freefall with journeyman QB Tyrod Taylor under center.
Packers at Saints (4:25 p.m.) – No more Drew Brees in the 504, and with the growing possibility of no more Aaron Rodgers in the green and gold, this game may be more about who’s NOT under center than who is in Jordan Love vs. Jameis Winston.
Dolphins at Patriots (4:25 p.m.) – Always a doozy, and one of the few teams that seems to give Bill Belichick trouble, the up-and-coming Dolphins swim north to Foxboro with an underrated defense, a maturing second-year QB in Tua tagovailoa and a coach in Brian Flores who is turning things around down in South Florida.
Ravens vs. Raiders (MNF) – The defending AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens fly to Sin City to tangle with Derek Carr and the Raiders in The Death Star, in what is sure to be an early-season litmus test for both clubs.
The full NFL schedule will be officially released tonight at 8pm.