The NFL will release its 2021 regular season schedule for all 32 teams on Wednesday night, but the League has already announced the opening week match-ups.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers will kick off the season and lift their banners against the Dallas Cowboys on NBC Thursday, September 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET. This game will mark the return of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott from the grueling knee injury that ended his 2020 season on October 11th.
The Chicago Bears will face the Los Angeles Rams on “Sunday Night Football.” To round out their week one schedule, the Las Vegas Raiders will face the Baltimore Ravens on “Monday Night Football.”
GRUDGE MATCHES: 13 of the best 2021 revenge games
CBS, the NFL’s broadcast partner, has announced the following Week 1 game schedule: The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Buffalo Bills, the New York Jets will play the Carolina Panthers, the Houston Texans will play the Titans, the Los Angeles Chargers will play the Washington Football Team, the Cleveland Browns will play the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Miami Dolphins will play the New England Patriots.
The Philadelphia Eagles were scheduled to play the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings were scheduled to play the Cincinnati Bengals, the San Francisco 49ers were scheduled to play the Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks were scheduled to play the Indianapolis Colts, the Green Bay Packers were scheduled to play the New Orleans Saints, and the Denver Giants.
Among the best games are:
- The Jets-Panthers game will be vengeance for quarterback Sam Darnold, who was traded to Carolina in order for New York to select Zach Wilson No. 2 overall.
Trevor Lawrence will make his NFL debut on the road against Houston, which is in disarray due to Deshaun Watson’s dissatisfaction with the franchise and his ongoing legal battle against 22 women who claim to have been sexually assaulted.- Drew Brees’ retirement heralds a new era for the Saints. Would they start Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill at quarterback? And will Aaron Rodgers be at the helm of their adversary, Green Bay?
- Matthew Stafford makes his debut as the Rams’ quarterback on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ while former Rams starter Jared Goff makes his Lions debut against San Francisco.
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