Week 1 of the NFL season is a scene-setter. It’s the trailer for the entire year. But it’s also the first impression, and absolutely no sane person or entity wants to leave a disappointing first impression. Prime-time games are usually locks for the best NFL games, but Week 1 got extra juice from the schedule makers.
What Are the Best Games of the Week 1 NFL Schedule?
There are intriguing matchups up and down the NFL schedule. The unknown of what’s to come makes games against two underwhelming teams interesting. And while Lions at Chiefs, Cowboys at Giants, and Bills at Jets are all incredibly appetizing matchups, they already have a spotlight shining on them in prime time.
So, how should we choose what to watch, should we be given the opportunity to fork over enough money to (insert media company here — like FuboTV) to watch whatever game we want?
A divisional game off the bat is a decent start. And a game against QBs from the first round of the same draft class makes sense, too.
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET)
What to watch: Browns pass rush vs. Bengals new-look OL, Browns secondary vs. Bengals WRs, and Deshaun Watson
Za’Darius Smith is on the same defense as Myles Garrett now. But the Cincinnati Bengals have countered this move by adding Orlando Brown Jr. to play left tackle and moving Jonah Williams to the right side.
Cincinnati wants to get the ball out of Burrow’s hands quickly. They have assembled an OL of glass-eaters to hold steady for 2-2.5 seconds, so their whip-smart QB can deliver passes to the receiver he deems open based on the coverage.
But Burrow is special not because of his ability to facilitate but to make plays. He will hold onto the ball and try to Houdini his way away from pressure. There’s no denying his prowess in that arena, but can he slip away from two of the 10 or so best pass rushers in the league?
Burrow could also take some time to adjust to Jim Schwartz’s defense, which will see its first action in Cleveland and its first action since he stopped calling plays for Philadelphia in 2020.
The Browns’ secondary is supremely talented, but the group has grossly underachieved over the past few seasons. The new defense should be simpler, which in turn will allow these outstanding athletes to play faster. Against Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, speed is imperative.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Watson. He was terrible a season ago, but he was coming off an over 700-day hiatus from the professional game. But rust is only an excuse, or a reason, for so long before patience runs thin. There are 230 million reasons to make things work, but if it doesn’t, the Dawg Pound will be incredulous.
Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers (4:25 p.m. ET)
What to watch: Kellen Moore vs. Vic Fangio, between the hashes, and Justin vs. Tua
Coordinator battles aren’t discussed often enough. The Cowboys’ offenses that Moore commanded always tended to struggle against Fangio-inspired defenses. And while many defenses take principles from Fangio, Dallas has struggled more against the units that go farther into the philosophical side of things.
Moore’s offenses in Dallas liked to work from the inside-out in the passing game. Meanwhile, Fangio’s base Cover 6 philosophy oftentimes takes away the exact areas Moore wants to attack in a defense. This brings us to our next point.
Whoever best defends between the hashes (college width) likely wins the football game. Mike McDaniel’s offense also attacks the middle of the field, but they do so differently than any other team in the league, including the one in which the offense takes inspiration from.
“We’re not kids,” Derwin James told the LA Times. “We’re not little boys. When a bunch of grown men make up their minds and they’re tired of something, that’s when things change.”
It better, because they won’t be getting any relief against the Dolphins. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will be streaking across James’ area of operation on many a down, and they’ll be doing so 10-15 yards downfield.
MORE: NFL Offense Rankings 2023
If the Chargers can’t jump a passing lane or two and create a turnover against Tua, their defensive goose will be as good as cooked.
Watching Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa on the same football field is like watching an American muscle car with a 500-cubic-inch engine and a supercharger the size of a carry-on suitcase versus a built drift car. One is shock and awe, and the other plays a game of precision while steering nerve-wrackingly close to every wall on the track.
Herbert is the physical gift, but he doesn’t get the credit he deserves for what he’s built above the shoulders since coming to the NFL, either. But he will have his work cut out against what should be a talented and well-coached Miami defense. But even Tua watches in awe of Herbert at times.
Tua: “Sometimes you can’t help but fan over those, those plays. But we’re just different in our styles and who we are as football players. Got a tremendous amount of respect for him. And yeah, it’s him going against our defense and, you know, our offense going against their defense.”
Tagovailoa was an assassin a season ago when healthy, and he wasn’t dinking and dunking his way around the field. He was pushing the ball downfield, and that same aggression will be a treat to watch again in 2023.