The Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions started their NFL campaigns with a blockbuster opening game – but there are still 30 other teams waiting to get their seasons underway in what promises to be a thrilling first weekend of the season.
Detroit stunned the reigning champions on Thursday night, and on Sunday there could be more surprises.
How to watch
The action begins at 1 p.m. ET as eight games kick off, with seven more following over the rest of the day and on Monday.
In the United States, coverage of games all season will be shown on the NFL’s ‘NFL+’ platform, with games also being shown on ESPN, FOX, NBC and CBS across the year.
Sunday’s prime time game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants will be shown nationally on NBC, while Monday’s clash of the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets is broadcasted by ESPN.
Fans outside of the US can also follow the action via the NFL’s Game Pass on DAZN.
Bengals @ Browns
An Ohio derby on the opening weekend of the new season is a treat for all NFL fans, especially with expectations for both teams so high.
For the Cincinnati Bengals, with their star quarterback Joe Burrow tied down to a new long-term deal and surrounded by an explosive offensive core, another deep playoff run is the benchmark for success.
Burrow’s arrival in the city has brought about a period of unmatched success for the traditionally down-on-its-luck franchise, losing in the Super Bowl in 2021 and the AFC Championship last year.
The window for teams to win a title is typically not a long one, so the Bengals will be looking to capitalize on theirs with Burrow, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and head coach Zac Taylor at the peak of their powers.
The Cleveland Browns also have high hopes for this coming season.
The trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson was meant to be the final piece of the puzzle, but he was suspended for the first 11 games of last season after he was accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women.
Watson has previously settled all but one of the sexual misconduct civil lawsuits against him. He has denied wrongdoing in those cases, and two grand juries have separately declined to indict him on criminal charges.
His form is expected to improve this season with a full preseason of training. And with some canny offseason acquisitions, there is a lot of pressure on head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The AFC North division, in which both teams reside, looks a competitive one and a win in week 1 would act as a perfect springboard for the rest of the season.
Cowboys @ Giants
NFL traditionalists have been rewarded on the opening weekend with this historic match-up picked to be broadcast nationally.
The Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants have had many battles for the ages over the years and is one of the most heated rivalries across the league.
They have a lot in common – both ended last season disappointingly, both have undergone big changes and both have high expectations.
The Cowboys will be taking to the field for the first time without former running back, Ezekiel Elliott, on the roster and have also lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to the Los Angeles Chargers. Both these moves increases the pressure on head coach Mike McCarthy.
The addition of wide receiver Brandin Cooks adds another weapon to quarterback Dak Prescott’s arsenal. The spotlight is certainly on Prescott after a difficult time in Texas.
For the Giants, it is a case of building on last season’s growth.
The team showed remarkable improvements in Brian Daboll’s first season as head coach, with quarterback Daniel Jones elevating his game significantly – earning himself a big-money contract extension as a result – and running back Saquon Barkley looking like his old, dynamic self.
There are still improvements needed, in particular on defense, but with the trade for tight end Darren Waller the Giants look well-placed to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2007 and 2008.
Bills @ Jets
Arguably the game of the first week is its final one, with the Buffalo Bills traveling to face the New York Jets.
It is the clash of establish superpower against the upstart team looking to make an impression.
The Bills, full of star power in the form of quarterback Josh Allen, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and linebacker Von Miller, are aiming to improve on a disappointing season last time out.
The team will also be bolstered by the return of safety Damar Hamlin after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field in January.
The Jets are the team with perhaps the most intrigue surrounding them.
It looked just a quarterback away from being a serious contender last season and the arrival of Aaron Rodgers from Green Bay caps off a top-heavy roster.
With a combination of young talent – Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson – and veterans Rodgers, C.J. Mosley and D.J. Reed, the Jets look well-placed to make a deep playoff run.
Schedule
Sunday
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings
Tennessee Titans @ New Orleans Saints
San Francisco 49ers @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Arizona Cardinals @ Washington Commanders
Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears
Las Vegas Raiders @ Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins @ Los Angeles Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles @ New England Patriots
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Monday
Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets
