you better believe the Patriots released its schedule for its 100th season for all 32 teams on Wednesday, April 17th. Teams and players got to see what path they have to go through to make the playoffs in 2019. There are a lot of intriguing games this NFL season for all teams. No one’s path to the super bowl will be easy and these five games are just the beginning of what the NFL’s 100th season will bring.
Intriguing NFL Match-ups for the Upcoming Season
Packers @ Bears (Week 1 -TNF)
The oldest and greatest rivalry in sports will kickoff the NFL’s 100th season. The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears is always a great game no matter the situation on either side of the ball. The Packers will head into this game leading the all-time series between the two 97-95-6. This season will be interesting for both teams. The Packers got a first-year head coach in Matt LaFleur, they added some nice pieces on defense, and they have two first round picks. Last year was not a good season for Aaron Rodgers and company but they are looking for a big comeback.
With all that happening this off-season with the Packers, people are doubting Rodgers. All this talk should spark Rodgers and it should give him a chip on his shoulder to prove everyone wrong. He will have to face a really good Chicago Bears defense led by their star pass rusher Khalil Mack. The Bears ranked top three in defense last year and will have almost the same personnel. They lost cornerback Bryce Callahan and safety Adrian Amos but signed former Packers safety HaHa Clinton-Dix. These two rivals will be fighting for the division and it will be a fun ride for both.
Steelers @ Patriots (Week 1 – SNF)
The NFL has broken the tradition of the defending super bowl champions opening the NFL season. Instead, the defending champs will be opening up the season on Sunday Night Football. This match-up has been must watch for several years but two familiar faces will be missing. Wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell will no longer be suiting up for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The top players in their respective positions will be missed by the Steelers but not by the New England Patriots. The Steelers will instead send out wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner to take their positions.
On the other side of the field, the Patriots added wide receiver Demaryius Thomas after the departure of Chris Hogan. They also traded for defensive lineman Michael Bennett. The Patriots are still the same old Patriots. Nobody knows how much longer Tom Brady can play but as long as he is there, you better believe the Patriots will do whatever it takes to keep that team in contention. These two always are fighting for positioning and the Steelers are always the team mentioned to be the biggest threat to the Patriots.
Saints @ Rams (Week 2)
This will be one of the best match-ups for the 2019 season. It will be a rematch of the NFC Championship game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams but this time it’s in LA. The Saints are looking for revenge after an obvious missed call late in the conference championship game that would’ve sent the Saints to the super bowl. The Saints didn’t do a lot but they added a big offensive piece in tight end Jared Cook. He might be the biggest name but he has the size to get up that field and do some damage. The Rams added a couple of big names on defense as they added linebacker Clay Matthews and safety Eric Weddle. Them two adds to an already stacked defense will make them even tougher than last year. These two teams will build a little rivalry between each other and it will be a battle.
Browns @ Jets (Week 2 – MNF)
I know what your thinking, the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets? Yes, the Browns and Jets. These two teams have not performed well in the past and might not sound good if you just look at the team names but this will be a very good under the radar match-up. The Browns went 7-8-1 which was way more wins than they had in previous years. They have a stud second-year quarterback in Baker Mayfield, they added one of the best wide receivers in the league in Odell Beckham Jr. and defensive lineman Olivier Vernon from the New York Giants. They added defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson and safety Morgan Burnett as well on top of what they already had the year before. They added a lot more than this and it tells they are all in and they will be for a while.
The Jets added arguably the best running back in the league in Le’Veon Bell. They also signed linebacker C.J. Mosley and wide receiver Jamison Crowder to that team. They also have a second-year quarterback in Sam Darnold that will grow as a player. The Jets are getting better and it will be a matter of time before they become a team to beat. These two teams have a week two battle that will give us a glimpse of the future for both teams.
Packers @ Chiefs (Week 8 – SNF)
The Green Bay Packers will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in week eight on Sunday Night Football. This is a great match-up between a great veteran quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and a young star in Patrick Mahomes. Rodgers can make throws that no one else can but many question whether or not Mahomes can do the same and outperform Rodgers. Many want to see arguably the two most talented quarterbacks in the league dual in a prime time setting. We get to see what this new defense of the Packers will bring against one of the best offenses. We also get to see if the Chiefs defense can hold up against the Packers offensive led by Rodgers and if the defense can keep up with wide receiver Davante Adams. This game will likely be an offensive shootout and it will come down to which defense can step up and make that big play.
Last Word
The NFL’s 100th season is filled with great match-ups across the board throughout the whole season. Early in the season will give us some great games and they will tell us about how teams’ seasons will turn out. Some teams have tough schedules, some teams have “easy” schedules but at the end of the day, all 32 teams have one goal in mind and that is hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
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