The first week of the 2011 NFL regular season is upon us and the nation is elated to be preparing to watch a full slate of games. The NFL Lockout truly scared us, but all we missed was a few weeks of training camp. True, the coaches and players wish they had those back, but that only means the upstarts will have a far more difficult time upending the established upper echelon of the league.
Now, apart from your favorite team, you must be looking for the best games to watch and celebrate this upcoming lazy Sunday. The top five games follow.
New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers, Thursday 8:30 PM ET at Lambeau Field
This is the first game of the regular season and will be one of the few Thursday games available for a national audience. Those with Packers tickets are ready to see if the Super Bowl champions are ready to start a new dynasty in the 21st century. Saints fans are hoping to see an explosive offense minus the interceptions. This is the perfect game to start the season with two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks taking the field, a perfect representation of the modern game.
Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears, Sunday 1:00 PM ET at Soldier Field
This may seem an odd choice; however, the Falcons have a band of supporters and an army of doubters. The same can be said for the Bears, only those with Bears tickets have been preparing themselves for an 8-8 season. Atlanta appears solid and this will be an interesting test to see if Matt Ryan has made a leap and is ready to make the Falcons a consistent contender.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, Sunday 1:00 PM ET at M&T Bank Stadium
This has become one of the fiercest division rivalries in the NFL and should be on everyone’s radar. The experts may favor the Steelers to win the AFC North, but they are careful to mention the Ravens, their defense, and the development of Joe Flacco as potential spoilers. This should be the hardest hitting of the first week of games and will quickly get the fans acclimated for the rest of the 2011 season.
New York Giants at Washington Redskins, Sunday 4:15 PM ET at FedEx Field
Another division rivalry is on the slate here. Yes, the Redskins have hardly blown anyone away, especially after they announced Rex Grossman would be the starting quarterback. However, this game is much more about the Giants and just how good they are going to be this season. Will Eli Manning begin another underappreciated campaign? Will the battered defense be able to stop anyone on third and short? Is this team actually in contention in the topsy-turvy NFC East?
Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets, Sunday 8:20 PM ET at MetLife Stadium
Which team is for real here? The Cowboys have plenty of talent but have made a habit of coming up short. The Jets have a third year quarterback under fire despite going 4-2 in the playoffs. This is one of those litmus tests that every NFL fan should see, whether you have Jets tickets for MetLife Stadium or you have plans to watch the game from the couch.