(Photo: GiveMeSport)
– Run It Back: The 2025 season ended in Santa Clara, California, in February with the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks. Kenneth Walker III ran circles around a solid Patriots defense in that game, and the Seattle defense was just too much for New England to overcome. The Seahawks won the game and captured their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. For the first time since then, these two teams will open the regular season in a Week 1 Super Bowl rematch. I can see this Seattle defense once again testing New England’s offensive line. The Seahawks will also raise their Super Bowl banner before beginning their title defense.
– Welcome to NYC: The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants have battled for years, and some legendary players have suited up for both franchises. The Cowboys’ season was up and down last year, primarily because of their defense, while the Giants were in so many games only to blow leads late. For the first time since 2023, these NFC East rivals will battle under the lights to open the season. Dak Prescott has played well against the Giants throughout his career and will look to continue that trend. This game will also mark the debut of John Harbaugh as the Giants’ head coach. There’s nothing like the NFC East.
– Best of the West: The AFC West has been dominated by two teams since 2011: the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs had their worst season by far with Patrick Mahomes under center, while the Broncos won the division for the first time since 2015 — the same season they last won the Super Bowl. Denver also secured the top seed in the AFC playoffs. I have a feeling it’ll come down to these two once again, and they’ll meet to wrap up Week 1 in Kansas City. The big question is whether both starting quarterbacks will be ready for this one. Bo Nix broke his foot in the playoffs last season, and Mahomes tore his ACL last December.
– Hurt Me Soul: The Chicago Bears faced the Philadelphia Eagles in South Philly last year on Black Friday, and I walked away from that game thinking it was the Bears’ best performance of the season. They punched the Eagles in the mouth, and I think that game made people take Chicago more seriously. On the Eagles’ side, they were never close to the team they were in 2024 when they won the Super Bowl. This season, the Eagles and Bears will meet again, this time at Soldier Field in Chicago, marking the second matchup between Jalen Hurts and Caleb Williams.
– Maye the Lord Watch: The New England Patriots took the AFC East crown from the Buffalo Bills last year, winning the division for the first time since the 2019 season — Tom Brady’s final year in Foxborough. The teams split their matchups last year, with the Patriots winning in Orchard Park before the Bills needed a huge comeback months later in December to beat New England in Foxborough. It’s no secret the division could come down to these two once again, and they’ll battle twice this upcoming season. Drake Maye vs. Josh Allen is quickly becoming a matchup to watch.
– Trophies: The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams have seen plenty of each other in recent years. In 2022, they kicked off the regular season against one another, and the Bills stunned the Rams at SoFi Stadium. Two seasons later, the Rams got their revenge in a shootout, a game in which Josh Allen accounted for six total touchdowns. For the third time in four seasons, these two teams will meet under the lights on Monday Night Football. This game will also feature the last two MVP winners in Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen.
– Walk Out: Kenneth Walker III was the biggest reason the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl. I was shocked to find out they weren’t negotiating an extension with him because he was such an important piece of their offense. In March, the Kansas City Chiefs made a move and signed the reigning Super Bowl MVP in free agency. The Chiefs will face the Seahawks this year, giving Kenneth a chance at revenge against his former team. This will be must-see TV and also a matchup between two of the last three Super Bowl champions.
– R&B: I’ll never get tired of watching the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills face each other. Derrick Henry ran circles around Buffalo in their regular-season meeting in 2024 as Baltimore dominated the Bills. Months later, the teams met in the Divisional Round, where Buffalo won a thriller. That was also the game in which Mark Andrews dropped the potential game-tying two-point conversion. Last season, they met in Week 1, and Baltimore held a double-digit lead until Buffalo stormed back to win by one point. For the third consecutive season, these two teams will meet in the regular season, featuring two of the best quarterbacks in football: Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
– I’m Thankful: It’s not Thanksgiving without the Dallas Cowboys, right? One of the NFL’s best rivalries features the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, and it’s everything you could want in a rivalry. The fan bases can’t stand each other, and something always seems to be on the line when they meet. Around dinner time on Thanksgiving Day, they’ll battle once again, and I can see the winner taking control of the NFC East race. This matchup always feels personal when these teams line up against each other.
– Night Cap: Whenever schedules come out, one matchup everyone circles is Chiefs vs. Bills. The Josh Allen–Patrick Mahomes rivalry truly has that Peyton Manning–Tom Brady feel because they play every season and somehow always seem to meet again in the playoffs. On Thanksgiving night, these AFC rivals will face off once again. I knew they’d play each other again, but getting this matchup on Thanksgiving makes it even better. It’ll be another chapter between Josh and Patrick, and by this point in the season, who knows where these teams will stand in the AFC race?
– I Remember: The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams played one of the most memorable games in recent NFL history back in 2018 on Monday Night Football. Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff traded blow for blow in a shootout, with the Rams ultimately winning a thriller. These two teams will meet again in 2026 on Thursday night in what could be a potential Super Bowl preview. MVP quarterback matchups are always fun, and we’ll get another one here with Mahomes and Stafford. I expect the ball to fly around all night in this game.
– Real Love: The Seattle Seahawks always seem to play the Philadelphia Eagles tough and somehow find ways to beat them. This matchup will feature the last two Super Bowl champions, and by this point in the season, playoff seeding could be on the line. Two Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks — Sam Darnold and Jalen Hurts — will battle in this NFC showdown between two bird teams.
– The Next Episode: The last matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers was the best game I saw all last season. It was a Week 18 showdown with the AFC North title on the line, and it came down to a missed field goal by Baltimore. The Steelers won the game, and it also marked the final matchup between Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh. For the first time since 2006, different head coaches will patrol the sidelines for both Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
– Christmas at the Lakeshore: The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears are two of the NFL’s most iconic franchises, and this remains the league’s oldest rivalry. Last year, these teams gave us three of the season’s best games, including two close regular-season battles and an epic playoff matchup in which the Bears erased a double-digit Packers lead in the Wild Card Round. I believe the league is better when these two franchises are relevant. On Christmas Day, they’ll meet again with the NFC North title potentially on the line. If this game is anything like last year’s battles, we’re in for a treat.
– Wake Up Mr. West: The NFC West was arguably the best division in football last season, with three teams making the playoffs and two reaching the NFC Championship Game: the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. What a game that was. To wrap up Christmas Day, these two teams will battle in Seattle, and I’m expecting another closely contested showdown. The Rams will be looking for revenge after Seattle sent them home last postseason, while the Seahawks could be trying to build momentum heading into the playoffs.
