February 7, 2016 was the last time we saw a professional football game being played in the NFL. That was until tonight! The Hall of Fame Game kicks off the preseason slate tonight. The Indianapolis Colts take on the Green Bay Packers. FINALLY football is back!
This is going to be a big season for the NFL. It has already started off with the suspensions of many players. The biggest of those names, of course, QB Tom Brady. Aside from the league it is also going to be a big season for the two teams playing tonight. Let us take a look at those below.
Indianapolis Colts. The Colts come into the 2016 season after a tumultuous 2015 season. They finished second in the AFC South. There was speculation that their Head Coach, Chuck Pagano, would be fired. He ended up signing an extension. The star QB of the Colts, Andrew Luck, would miss several games due to injury. All of this makes 2016 a big year for the Indianapolis Colts. Can Andrew Luck return from injury to his 2014 form? Can the Colts return to AFC South Championship form? These questions and more will be answered throughout this 2016 season.
Green Bay Packers. The Packers are perennial playoff contenders. Well, as long as Aaron Rodgers is on the field. Last year Rodgers was phenomenal. He had 31 TDs with only 8 INTs. He did all of this without his star WR Jordy Nelson. Nelson missed the entire 2015 season with an ACL injury. The return of the Nelson should only make Rodgers even better. The Packers running game was also in question last season. Eddie Lacy beefed up and was not the same running back he had been years prior. Lacy has P90Xed his was to a slimmer self and hopefully can stay out of Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s doghouse. Can Jordy Nelson return healthy? Can Eddie Lacy return with power? These are just a couple of questions that will be answered in 2016.
Football is finally back in the NFL. The pads will crack and questions will be asked and answered. These questions will not all be answered tonight. Matter of fact, probably none of the above will get answered tonight. We will probably only see said starters for a select number of players, if we see them at all. The key to tonight is; FOOTBALL IS BACK!!! FINALLY!!!
Featured image courtesy of Getty Images.