The NFL will open its 2022 season the place the ultimate sport of final season kicked off — in SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, because the Tremendous Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Payments on Sept. 8, the groups introduced on Thursday.
The Payments-Rams matchup options elite quarterback play between Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen, who has guided the Payments to back-to-back playoff appearances. This sport highlights a difficult schedule for the Rams, whose opponents have the league’s highest successful share from final season (56.7%). NBC will broadcast the sport.
The Monday Evening Soccer opener gives a intriguing storyline — Russell Wilson making his Denver Broncos debut towards his outdated crew, the Seattle Seahawks, in Lumen Subject. Wilson guided the Seahawks to 2 Tremendous Bowl appearances and 9 successful seasons over 10 years. Seattle traded Wilson to Denver in March for a number of draft picks and veteran gamers. The sport airs Sept. 12 on ESPN.
Different key Week 1 matchups embody the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday evening, a rematch of final season’s Thursday evening opener; the Los Angeles Chargers internet hosting the Las Vegas Raiders, reigniting a dramatic 2021 regular-season finale with playoff implications; the Cincinnati Bengals on the Pittsburgh Steelers, a conflict of fierce AFC North rivals; and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs making the journey west to play the Arizona Cardinals, two high-powered offenses within the desert.
The Buccaneers will face critical firepower within the first month of the season, with a Sept. 25 dwelling opener towards Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers and a conflict with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs the next week.
Different Week 1 matchups embody the Jacksonville Jaguars, with new coach Doug Pederson, on the Washington Commanders, with new quarterback Carson Wentz. Pederson coached Wentz in Philadelphia and received a Tremendous Bowl with the Eagles, though Nick Foles was behind heart with Wentz injured.
A number of different veteran quarterbacks will debut with new groups. When the Cleveland Browns open the season on the Carolina Panthers, Deshaun Watson may be part of them after his commerce from the Houston Texans this offseason, although a possible suspension over alleged sexual misconduct looms giant.
New Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan faces Houston in a Week 1 division matchup. A number of different key division matchups, in the meantime, are additionally on faucet for Sept. 11: the New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins (with newly acquired receiver Tyreek Hill beginning the method of maximizing Tua Tagovailoa’s potential) and the Packers at Minnesota Vikings.
“Anticipating to have an unbelievable crowd there,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell informed the membership’s web site. “I’ve talked so much about being on that customer’s sideline, so I do know what the Packers will likely be in retailer for on opening weekend. I anticipate to see a stadium stuffed with purple. It is a fantastic alternative for us and a problem.
“What a technique to begin your season — a problem but in addition an effective way to kick-start what’s hopefully going to be a fantastic 2022.”
Additionally, it will likely be the Browns on the Panthers, San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears, Eagles at Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets and New York Giants at Tennessee Titans.
The Jets, one of many greatest wild playing cards of the early season schedule, open the season with 4 straight video games towards the AFC North — vs. Baltimore, at Cleveland, vs. Cincinnati and at Pittsburgh.
Week 1 video games function 10 dwelling underdogs, essentially the most in NFL historical past for a primary week of the season, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data.
Groups that can open on the highway and will likely be dwelling in Week 2 embody Kansas Metropolis internet hosting the Chargers within the first Amazon Prime Online game on Thursday evening.
The schedule-makers can have the Falcons jet-lagged early within the yr with video games at Los Angeles (Rams) and Seattle in Weeks 2 and three.
Beforehand revealed was that one of many Christmas Day tripleheader video games, Denver on the Rams, will likely be televised by Nickelodeon in addition to CBS. The opposite Christmas video games are Inexperienced Bay at Miami within the 1 p.m. slot, then Tampa Bay at Arizona at evening.
Christmas Eve may also have a contest, with the Raiders on the Steelers.
The normal Thanksgiving video games can have Detroit internet hosting Buffalo, Dallas at dwelling for the Giants and New England at Minnesota at evening.
Extra vacation fare: 14 video games on New Yr’s Day, which is able to pressure some bowl video games to regulate away from Jan. 1. The seemingly prime matchups to start 2023 embody San Francisco at Las Vegas, Miami at New England and Denver at Kansas Metropolis.
13 NFL groups — the 49ers, Bengals, Payments, Broncos, Buccaneers, Chargers, Chiefs, Cowboys, Eagles, Packers, Patriots, Rams and Steelers — have 5 prime-time video games. The Lions are the one crew presently with out a prime-time slot, whereas the Patriots have 4 straight — from Nov. 24 to Dec. 18, three on the highway and a house sport towards Buffalo.
Additionally beforehand introduced had been the worldwide video games. The Bucs and Seahawks will take part within the first regular-season NFL sport in Germany on Nov. 13 in Munich. Inexperienced Bay will turn into the ultimate crew to play in Europe, going through the Giants on Oct. 9 on the dwelling of Premier League soccer crew Tottenham in London. The identical web site additionally hosts the Vikings and Saints the earlier week.
Different worldwide video games embody the Broncos vs. the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London on Oct. 30 and the 49ers and Cardinals squaring off in Mexico Metropolis on Nov. 21.
Week 15 contains a tripleheader on Saturday, Dec. 17, although which of 5 matches will likely be switched from Sunday will not be determined till nearer to that weekend. The chances are Miami at Buffalo, Baltimore at Cleveland, Indianapolis at Minnesota, Atlanta at New Orleans and the Giants at Washington.
The ultimate weekend, Jan. 7-8, 2023 — all intradivision matchups — may also have two video games moved to Saturday. These will likely be decided early in Week 18.
“For months, we have identified who we’re enjoying and the place,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned, “however to see the way it unfolds, the place our bye week is and the place our division opponents are is enjoyable for our coaches. That first opponent is one thing you have a look at so you can begin to work on their coordinators, perceive what they’ve carried out and attempt to get a head begin on that sport.”
9 groups will take pleasure in three-game homestands: the Cowboys, Giants, Bears, Lions, Vikings, Panthers, Buccaneers, Rams and 49ers. 4 should endure three-game highway journeys: Kansas Metropolis, Miami, Inexperienced Bay and Philadelphia.
Byes start in Week 6.
Groups have identified their opponents because the finish of final season, however the NFL builds drama across the schedule launch, saying the order, kickoff occasions and broadcast networks for all 272 video games on one evening every Might. This would be the second NFL season that follows a 17-game schedule, as agreed upon by the NFL and gamers union throughout current labor negotiations.
The common season runs by means of Jan. 8, with the Tremendous Bowl set for kickoff Feb. 12.
The Related Press contributed to this report.