Everyone – well just about everyone – has his or her favorite team to watch on Sunday. But Sunday is a not merely meant to be a day to set aside three hours to watch a single game, it is a day to dedicate to football. This means you have to choose other games to watch and I have the five best games to see below.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) at Raymond James Stadium, 1:00 PM ET
Sure, the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing with whatever quarterback they can find off the street, but they have been able to win two close games. They play a Tampa Bay team that has surprised many and built some buzz in the first two weeks. Particularly, football fans are starting to want to know more about Bucs QB Josh Freeman. He leads a passing attack ranked just 25th, but he is also making huge plays to put games away. I want to see this guy play to see if he is for real or whether he simply benefited from playing the Browns and Panthers (two of the worst teams in the league) in the first two weeks. What better team than the Steelers and their number six ranked defense to qualify Freeman as the real thing?
Dallas Cowboys (0-2) at Houston Texans (2-0) at Reliant Stadium, 1:00 PM ET
Sure one team is 0-2, but this is the battle for football bragging rights in Texas. This has to be on top of everyone’s list. The Cowboys were supposed to be Super Bowl contenders two weeks ago but now have been exposed as a deeply flawed team. The Texans pulled out the surprise win in Week 1 against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts and then pulled out an overtime victory in Week 2 versus the Redskins. This is going to be a big game and I have a feeling, given each team’s defensive deficiency (Dallas and Houston can be thrown on by a good quarterback), this is going to be a barnburner.
San Francisco 49ers (0-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Arrowhead Stadium, 1:00 PM ET
Ok, so the only reason this game makes the list is because I want to know more about the 49ers Alex Smith and if the Chiefs actually have a shot at winning the AFC West. Smith had a brilliant drive inside of the final two minutes on this past Monday night despite the loss. The Chiefs beat the Chargers in Week 1 and the Browns in Week 2. While the win against the Chargers surprised most people, the win in Cleveland should have been much bigger than two points. Basically, this game is a reality check for both teams. Especially since if there is a division a team can come back in after a 0-2 start, it is the NFC West.
Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at New Orleans Saints (2-0) at the Superdome, 4:15 PM ET
The Falcons have one of the most talented offensive starting lineups in football. They have an up-and-coming quarterback in Matt Ryan, a Pro Bowl running back in Michael Turner, a Pro Bowl wide receiver in Roddy White, and one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Saints may have just lost Reggie Bush for six weeks, but they still have Drew Brees a good offensive line and an armory of weapons at Brees disposal. These were supposed to be the teams competing for the NFC South title for a reason and I want to see it live or on television.
Green Bay Packers (2-0) at Chicago Bears (2-0) at Soldier Field, 8:30 PM ET (Monday)
This is simply one of the most storied rivalries in the NFL, and now it helps that both teams are 2-0. The winner takes control of the NFC North and bragging rights until at least Week 17. The Packers third best pass defense will attempt to shut down the Bears third best pass offense. The Bears top ranked run defense will attempt to shut down the Packers 14th ranked run offense. It is Jay Cutler vs. Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers vs. Brian Urlacher. It is the Packers trying to establish dominance once again and the Bears trying to move from a relatively even series in the past five seasons to its own era of sovereignty. It is a fitting game to end the week on Monday night.