The 2022 NFL preseason has come to an end, now all eyes are looking to the future. With teams deciding on their final 53-man rosters this week, we are one step closer to meaningful football. When does the 2022 NFL season start, and what are some of the matchups we can look forward to during Week 1?
When does the 2022 NFL season start?
The 2022 NFL season starts on Thursday, Sept. 8, as the Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Bills in SoFi Stadium. In what could potentially be a very early Super Bowl 57 preview, Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford will look to kick off the season with wins. Allen is already one of the top betting favorites for Offensive Player of the Year, and a strong showing against a dominant Rams defense could be a good sign for things to come.
After that first game, we have just three days to wait for more NFL action. There are 14 games spread between the three windows on Sunday, Sept. 11.
When the 2022 NFL season starts, Sunday will be packed with interesting storylines, one of which includes Baker Mayfield returning to take on the Cleveland Browns as the new starting QB for the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield beat out Sam Darnold in camp for the starting job and has been reportedly been quite vocal about his desire to exact revenge on his former squad.
Later on in the afternoon, there’s a huge matchup in the AFC West when the Las Vegas Raiders take on the Los Angeles Chargers. This division is considered one of the toughest in the NFL with all four teams making significant strides forward throughout the offseason. The new-look Raiders with a new head coach and a new WR1 in Davante Adams can make a statement right out of the gate against the Chargers and Justin Herbert.
The first Sunday of the NFL season concludes with the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a repeat of the 2021 NFL season opener. The Buccaneers managed to squeak out a victory in that matchup, but things might be a bit different this time around with Tampa Bay struggling due to offensive line injuries in the offseason. There are also questions surrounding Tom Brady and his motivation coming into the season at 45 years old.
There is then a single Monday Night Football game in Week 1, and it should certainly make for an interesting watch. Seattle will take on Denver and their new quarterback, Russell Wilson. Following the preseason finale, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll announced Geno Smith as the starting QB ahead of Drew Lock.
Week 1 NFL schedule
Thursday, Sept. 8 | 8:20 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams
SoFi Stadium
Sunday, Sept. 11 | 1 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Detroit Lions
Ford Field
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Washington Commanders
FedEx Field
San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Cleveland Browns vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins
Hard Rock Stadium
Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Jets
MetLife Stadium
Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans
NRG Stadium
Sunday, Sept. 11 | 4:25 p.m. ET
New York Giants vs. Tennessee Titans
Nissan Stadium
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers
SoFi Stadium
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Arizona Cardinals
State Farm Stadium
San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears
U.S. Bank Stadium
Sunday, Sept. 11 | 8:20 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Dallas Cowboys
AT&T Stadium
Monday, Sept. 12 | 8:15 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks
Lumen Field