Last week I wrote about College Football getting started and this week it will be all about the NFL getting started! The season officially starts next Thursday with the defending champion, Philadelphia Eagles, hosting the Falcons. That is a great game to get the season started and the rest of the weekend is full of other great match ups. I wanted to take a look at a few of them and some other games throughout the season that could end up being very important. I also wanted to look at some of the players that could have great seasons possibly leading to MVP honors. What rookies will make an impact for their teams? What teams have the most talent “on paper”? Finally, what teams should end up on top at the end of the season?
As mentioned before the Eagles open the season on Thursday. On Sunday there are some great regional games with the Steelers playing the new look Browns. New England is opeing with a tough game against the Texans. The night game features the storied rivalry of the Bears vs. the Packers and we will finish on Monday with 2 more games. One of the games will feature the Rams vs the Raiders. Opening week should prove to be very entertaining. Thanksgiving day will bring us three divisional games that could decide the fate of some teams. Christmas Eve we will be treated to a Broncos vs. Raiders divisional showdown.
When playing any sport, especially football, your health plays an extremely important role in your performance. Aaron Rodgers is coming back healthy this year so he will have a leg up on being the MVP. He is the best QB in the league and QB’s usually win MVP awards. He also was recently paid very handsomely! Check out this article to see what other players will have a say in the MVP race. You will see many of the familiar names like Brady and Brees but there are a few new names on this list like Zeke Elliott and Deshaun Watson. Some great defensive players that you could see on this list would be Aaron Donald and Joey Bosa. Rookies also play an important role on teams. Here are a few that should make their mark: Barkley, Chubb, Smith, and maybe even Sam Darnold! I would like to think that a few guys named Luck, Watt, and Rodgers will come back strong this season after their injury woes from last year, so they will be competing for comeback player of the year honors.
One great thing about football is that almost every year a team makes a surprising run and ends up in the playoffs. What teams can do that this year? On paper, many of the usual suspects are predicted to finish the season strong. In the AFC, those teams are the Patriots and Steelers. I think the rest of the playoff spots will be up for grabs. A lot of things will need have to go a team’s way for them to end up on top. I think the NFC is not as wide open. There are some very strong teams like the Vikings, Falcons, Packers, Rams, and Saints. One injury could derail a season and one rookie making an impact could propel a team to greatness. I can’t even guess who will win it all, but Sports Illustrated thinks that the Falcons will.
The NFL is always entertaining for many reasons. You can follow the traditionally strong teams and you can also bet that an upstart will join the teams at the top. The league is full of great players that do phenomenal things. The season is full of ups and downs and that can create plenty of excitement. When you add up all of these ingredients you end up with one great season. I can’t wait!
—Victor Mandalawi