Week 1 elite matchup predictions

[Brees#1]

Opener..........KC@NE, it would have been Atlanta had Atlanta not had to open SNF week 2 but NE's other options for the opener are Miami, Houston, and KC. Carolina likely is not playing SNF after a 6-10 year(they're not the bears and giants), and neither will Buffalo, NYJ, or LAC get it either. It's going to a playoff team as has been the case every year other than giants against cowboys in 2012. I personally think NFL will not risk having a blowout on NBC as part of the SNF package so NE will likely go to Miami.

CBS late afternoon(because we all know America's team is not playing at 4:30 after 13-3)....Pittsburgh@Indianapolis. Possibly could be steelers@texans or even seahawks@packers on Fox. But I tend to think Fox always wants the cowboys to be the first big showcase each season and I don't think CBS wants the texans for week 1. It makes sense that the steelers would be CBS's next best option with NE and KC taken. And this(Indy) appears to be the only other quality matchup for Pittsburgh beside NE. If CBS gets it, it's that one. If Fox, it's Seattle@GB.

SNF......this is tricky because the rangers are playing at home the first Sunday but in the afternoon so NFL could squeeze Dallas in for later that night, like in 2014. Dallas's home matchups likely are giants and Green Bay(but not week 1). If GB is not counted, then it is going to be Washington(who should get one) as KC has their plate full with NE, Pittsburgh, and likely Las vegas and Atlanta should be SNF week 2 for their new stadium opener. If Dallas however opens on the road, it has to Philadelphia or Las Vegas. I don't see Philadelphia getting snubbed from a Dallas SNF due to the last two SNF games between them. Most likely, Dallas's third game is between Vegas, GB, and Washington(aside from NYG and Philadelphia). So NFL could have the raiders open in their new city week 1 against Dallas as Fox probably is clamoring for that GB/Dallas game and anyway, GB is sure to be the team going to Atlanta week 2(Atlanta will get two SNF games and they obviously are GB and NE). I'll stay with the tradition.

MNF isn't elite matchups.

KC@NE
Pit@Ind
NYG@Dal

 

[Brees#1]

Oh the raiders are still in Oakland until 2020?

 

[USCDoom]

Green Bay at Tampa Bay

 

[Brees#1]

TB will be lucky to get a SNF. And GB is hosting TB this season not the other way around.

 

[USCDoom]

TB will be lucky to get a SNF. And GB is hosting TB this season not the other way around.

How So? They are the best young team in the NFL, and they are probably going to end up on Hard Knocks, so I see more than 1... Just look at who the Bucs play this year

New York Giants
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers
Atlanta Falcons

Add in games vs Carolina, New Orleans, and Miami and I am sure the Bucs get One, Two is more than likely.

 

[Tainthappening]

Whoever Packers play in Week 1, it will be at Lambeau. They have been on the road the last 4 years to open the season. I do not see it being 5 years.

 

[Brees#1]

How So? They are the best young team in the NFL, and they are probably going to end up on Hard Knocks, so I see more than 1... Just look at who the Bucs play this year

New York Giants
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers
Atlanta Falcons

Add in games vs Carolina, New Orleans, and Miami and I am sure the Bucs get One, Two is more than likely.

Because the giants have Dallas for one of their SNFs and one of them or Dallas will play Washington and one of them or Dallas will play Seattle. Dallas is also playing Philadelphia so that leaves Green Bay, Seattle, or Washington for them and if it's Green Bay the giants are stuck with both Washington and Seattle given Washington is not going to Seattle, KC, or hosting Denver for SNF.

The jets went 4-12 last year lmao.

The pats? Well, they have to play Miami or KC to open and I think it's KC since NE will likely go to Miami on SNF to prevent the home blowout with NE hosting. And then there's Atlanta since Fox is not gonna want that as a late game over the likes of GB@Pit, Sea@Dal, Sea@GB. If NE plays Miami, their third SNF is probably gonna be Oakland over TB.

Green Bay? Well one of their SNFs is division, also they are most likely the team going to Atlanta week 2(Miami, Buffalo, Minnesota? no. Dallas who will be playing it week 1? No.), and that means maybe TB is their third but it's likely between Dallas, Pittsburgh, or Seattle.

Atlanta I already gave you their two and NBC does not care for NFC South division games on SNF. For one the markets in the NFC South are not that big and TB@Atlanta is not gonna sell. There's a reason why it was a NFL network TNF game last year and in 2014 probably ended up on CBS because there was no room for NO@Carolina(Carolina had SNF week 3, NO had it week 4 on the road and there are certain weeks division rivalries play).

It doesn't matter what TB did. SNF first and foremost is about putting the biggest fanbases on stage three times a year. Dallas, Pittsburgh, NE, GB, Seattle, and NYG(they had winning season) are the only teams getting 3 games. Atlanta and KC get two. KC could get three because of Oakland, NE, and Pittsburgh(Oak, Pittsburgh would get rejected for 4:25 game of the week by CBS).

The problem with TB is that 1.they were a wild card team at one point in the season and then lost to Dallas and NO back to back, throwing away the division to Atlanta. They slipped to 9-7 and some os uf see that as a failure(esp since the saints beat you for nothing). 2.It also comes down to Indianapolis getting one or two SNFs. Houston, because they made playoffs), Denver(they just won a sb one year removed), Arizona(because they are playing Seattle regardless), Washington(because they're in the NFC East and bigger market with at least 7 wins), Miami(10 wins), Baltimore(because they are playing Pittsburgh regardless), and Indianapolis(they are still looked at as a AFC powerhouse despite back to back 8-8s) are all factoring before TB. I think Tennessee or TB get snubbed for SNF. If Indy plays a second, it's gonna be Tennessee. Otherwise, titans don't get in(whose 9-7 looked better beating teams like GB, Detroit, Denver and a healthier KC). If TB gets in it's gonna be someone like Minnesota as a late season scrap game that likely gets flexed(like bengals@49ers in 2015 and steelers@bengals 2016).

Now here is how I see the matchups
Dal.......NYG, @Phi, GB
NYG......@Dal, @Was, Sea
Atl.........@NE, GB
GB.........Det, @Dal, @Atl
Sea.......Ari, @NYG, Hou(or Ind)
*Det plays GB and second is optional, TB@Min is optional

AFC
NE........@Mia, KC(opener), Atl
Pit........Bal, @KC, @Det, Hou, or Ind
KC........@Oak, Pit, @NE(and no MNF again because of too much SNF)
Den......@Ind(there really is no other option)...No Manning and 9-7 means one game only
*Hou plays Pit or @Sea, Ind or Det optional for second games,

As you can see there are 17 games there(including opener and Thanksgiving night) and the 18th is one of these...........Ind@Ten, TB@Min. And it's maybe possible Denver plays Oakland again, which would keep Detroit at one game for certain. That's right, no Carolina(and there would be backlash if 6-10 panthers leapfrog 7-9 saints for a SNF), no NO, no Chicago(3 wins not cutting it, they've gotten them because of market), no Cincinatti(one SNF when even making playoffs, now a below .500 season)...........and for the bottom feeders NYJ, Buffalo, Cleveland, Jacksonville, SD, SF, and LA they were never even a factor.

Now suppose Dallas plays Washington or Seattle instead of GB, NYG then has a chance at TB, and GB ends up playing Pittsburgh. However, I think Dallas plays GB or Seattle because I see NYG, Seattle/GB, Atlanta or Arizona(Arizona could be TNF week 13), and Oakland as Fox games and four is the limit usually(pre-flexing).

Some bigger games like NE@Pit, Sea@GB, GB@Pit are not on this list and that's because CBS and Fox only want to have big markets regardless of postseason success representing their late afternoon games. They actually get the first choices.

We will see this Thursday.

 

[Brees#1]

Whoever Packers play in Week 1, it will be at Lambeau. They have been on the road the last 4 years to open the season. I do not see it being 5 years.

The packers are not limited by baseball teams conflicting with the schedule. They will play week one anyway at home because they are on the road week 2. Unless it's like last season where they start out on the road first two weeks.

 

[Brees#1]

How So? They are the best young team in the NFL, and they are probably going to end up on Hard Knocks, so I see more than 1... Just look at who the Bucs play this year

New York Giants
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers
Atlanta Falcons

Add in games vs Carolina, New Orleans, and Miami and I am sure the Bucs get One, Two is more than likely.

You think they are getting two games?! The bengals made the playoffs five straight years and all five years have only gotten ONE. I just broke down the possibilities but I can assure you you are not getting two. You are not ahead of the big six(Dal, GB, NE, Pit, Sea, NYG), KC, Atl, the other teams that made the playoffs. I would say Indy and Denver are first non-playoff teams in line.

Did the 10-6 bucs in 2010 get two SNFs in 2011? No, they actually got ZERO. Did the 9-7 bucs in 2007/2008 get two games? Nope, they got one in 08 and NONE in 2009(because they fired Gruden). Even the 11-5 bucs of 2005 did not get a single SNF game for 2006. You will get maybe two MNFs.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Pretty weird being a team that can get the spotlight despite being a pretty tiny non-national market.

 

[USCDoom]

You think they are getting two games?! The bengals made the playoffs five straight years and all five years have only gotten ONE. I just broke down the possibilities but I can assure you you are not getting two. You are not ahead of the big six(Dal, GB, NE, Pit, Sea, NYG), KC, Atl, the other teams that made the playoffs. I would say Indy and Denver are first non-playoff teams in line.

Did the 10-6 bucs in 2010 get two SNFs in 2011? No, they actually got ZERO. Did the 9-7 bucs in 2007/2008 get two games? Nope, they got one in 08 and NONE in 2009(because they fired Gruden). Even the 11-5 bucs of 2005 did not get a single SNF game for 2006. You will get maybe two MNFs.

I am confused, the Bengals made the playoff 5 years in a row, yet only playoff teams get on?!?!?!

The Bucs are the best Young Team in the NFL, just finished with a Winning record, and beat 3 of the teams you listed as better than last year, 2 on the road.

 

[richig07]

TB will be lucky to get a SNF. And GB is hosting TB this season not the other way around.

Bucs went 9-7 last year, have a young star QB and a team of young stars, just in general.

They absolutely will get prime time games.

 

[richig07]

You think they are getting two games?! The bengals made the playoffs five straight years and all five years have only gotten ONE. I just broke down the possibilities but I can assure you you are not getting two. You are not ahead of the big six(Dal, GB, NE, Pit, Sea, NYG), KC, Atl, the other teams that made the playoffs. I would say Indy and Denver are first non-playoff teams in line.

Did the 10-6 bucs in 2010 get two SNFs in 2011? No, they actually got ZERO. Did the 9-7 bucs in 2007/2008 get two games? Nope, they got one in 08 and NONE in 2009(because they fired Gruden). Even the 11-5 bucs of 2005 did not get a single SNF game for 2006. You will get maybe two MNFs.

And the Bears haven't made the playoffs in years... yet they always a multitude of prime time matchups.

It's not just about how good you are, it's how marketable you are.

The difference with these Bucs, is that they have a young star QB.

 

[richig07]

Whoever Packers play in Week 1, it will be at Lambeau. They have been on the road the last 4 years to open the season. I do not see it being 5 years.

Bears and Pack have had a primetime game every year since 2004.

I wonder when the NFL will schedule it this season. It's been at Lambeau every time since 2010 as well... Possibly time they back to Soldier Field for it.

 

[Brees#1]

I am confused, the Bengals made the playoff 5 years in a row, yet only playoff teams get on?!?!?!

The Bucs are the best Young Team in the NFL, just finished with a Winning record, and beat 3 of the teams you listed as better than last year, 2 on the road.

NO the bengals have only gotten one game under the SNF package preceding all five years of the playoffs they were in.

 

[Brees#1]

Bucs went 9-7 last year, have a young star QB and a team of young stars, just in general.

They absolutely will get prime time games.

Tell me the last time a 9-7 team who was not the packers, giants, cowboys, seahawks, steelers, patriots, and broncos who hasn't made the playoffs furthermore in a long time got two SNF games? I'll wait.

No one said they would not be on primetime, but SNF is for the big market teams and playoff teams. Teams that miss the playoffs but managed at least 10 wins have also gotten a SNF(cards and jets).

I have paid more attention to the Sunday night scheduling process than you have. NBC will not risk a team getting more than one primetime game until they prove that they can have a 9+ win season two years in a row. Last year the 9-7 Washington got one SNF last year? Is TB more popular than them?

NBC and ESPN don't just merge all the primetime games together. NBC gets the elite matchups and ESPN has to get the leftovers after SNF, Fox, CBS, and TNF games are decided. Again you're going to lose this argument by Thursday when you see ONE SNF scheduled game.

 

[Brees#1]

Pretty weird being a team that can get the spotlight despite being a pretty tiny non-national market.

KC is actually a decent market team. Their two or three SNF games have been also by being in conference with less SNF eligibility. If you didn't notice you got two SNFs last year and as a result of that, you got NO MNFs. Denver had to be a SNF game and Pittsburgh could not play the ravens because they went 6-10 and NFC East teams play very seldom in interconference games on SNF. Last time any of them was scheduled a SNF game against AFC was Dallas@NYJ in 2011. So Pittsburgh's options were NE again or KC. This year Oakland is a must-have game, and it looks like KC is going to NE in the opener. Pittsburgh is optional I just think NBC will take it up if CBS turns it down for a late afternoon game.

 

[Brees#1]

Bears and Pack have had a primetime game every year since 2004.

I wonder when the NFL will schedule it this season. It's been at Lambeau every time since 2010 as well... Possibly time they back to Soldier Field for it.

It's also rotated different packages, all in Lambeau
2011:SNF
2012:TNF
2013:MNF
2014:SNF
2015:SNF(kind of wierd situation because it was Thanksgiving and packers could not play lions in Lambeau)
2016:TNF


Given they went 3-13, the bears are finally getting snubbed from SNF. Anyways, it's MNF's turn.

And TB is not Chicago in any way, shape, or form.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

KC is actually a decent market team. Their two or three SNF games have been also by being in conference with less SNF eligibility. If you didn't notice you got two SNFs last year and as a result of that, you got NO MNFs. Denver had to be a SNF game and Pittsburgh could not play the ravens because they went 6-10 and NFC East teams play very seldom in interconference games on SNF. Last time any of them was scheduled a SNF game against AFC was Dallas@NYJ in 2011. So Pittsburgh's options were NE again or KC. This year Oakland is a must-have game, and it looks like KC is going to NE in the opener. Pittsburgh is optional I just think NBC will take it up if CBS turns it down for a late afternoon game.

The only smaller media markets are the Titans and Saints.

 

[soxfan1468927]

Tell me the last time a 9-7 team who was not the packers, giants, cowboys, seahawks, steelers, patriots, and broncos who hasn't made the playoffs furthermore in a long time got two SNF games? I'll wait.

No one said they would not be on primetime, but SNF is for the big market teams and playoff teams. Teams that miss the playoffs but managed at least 10 wins have also gotten a SNF(cards and jets).

I have paid more attention to the Sunday night scheduling process than you have. NBC will not risk a team getting more than one primetime game until they prove that they can have a 9+ win season two years in a row. Last year the 9-7 Washington got one SNF last year? Is TB more popular than them?

NBC and ESPN don't just merge all the primetime games together. NBC gets the elite matchups and ESPN has to get the leftovers after SNF, Fox, CBS, and TNF games are decided. Again you're going to lose this argument by Thursday when you see ONE SNF scheduled game.

2014 Bears?