Week 1: 5 Matchups to Watch For
Here are the games to watch from this weekend's NFL slate.
Texans vs. Colts
The battle for the AFC South will start early with an interesting quarterback matchup in Week 1. CJ Stroud proved last year that he can be one of the better signal-callers in the league and should have marked improvement heading into the '24 season. He was elite against zone coverage last year (especially Cover 3), which is a staple of Gus Bradley's defense in Indianapolis. The Texans WR corp is loaded as well. Nico Collins, Stephon Diggs, and Tank Dell are all explosive. Houston is primed to capitalize on a rookie QB contract. The Colts drafted UCLA's Laiatu Latu in the first round to support Deforrest Bucker and Kwity Paye. If the rush can disrupt Stroud, the Colts have enough to steal one early from last year's division winner.
Anthony Richardson showed flashes early in the season last year before he was injured. The jury is still out on how good he can be, but his ceiling is extremely high, and he has the potential to be even more dangerous running the ball. He's a perfect fit in Shane Steichen's RPO/Run-based offense. Houston's defense will be breaking two rookie starters in the secondary, but that may be fine if the D-line, which saw the addition of Minnesota's Danielle Hunter, gets home versus Richardson. Plus, the Texans moved Jalen Pitre back to his best position as a Slot defender, and Derek Stingley Jr. looks primed to ascend to the elite level at CB. This one has all the makings to be one of the better matchups in Week 1.
Cowboys vs. Browns
This is a matchup of the best offenses in the NFL versus one of the best defenses in the NFL. Cleveland consistently has one of the best rosters in the NFL, but it cannot figure out the quarterback spot. Deshaun Watson is a shell of himself, and the likely backup is Jameis Winston. Last year, Joe Flacco had a resurgence and led the Browns to the playoffs, where the offense sputtered, and Houston's motion offense exposed the defense. Jim Schwartz brought an aggressive style of play on defense that featured the highest rates of man coverage in the NFL. His secondary is loaded with elite man-coverage defenders, which buys time for the All-Pro Edge Myles Garrett to hit home.
Dak is still without a contract, but that shouldn't be a distraction, and barring injury should be a production monster this year. CeeDee Lamb did get paid, and rightfully so. Along with Dak, he's one of the best production threats in the NFL. He also destroys man coverage. One issue to keep an eye on is the run game. Zeke Elliot was brought back to Dallas as the primary back and will be paired with the promising Rico Dowdel.
Defensively, Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy decided to run it back with former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. The talent in Dallas is still there, with Micah Parsons and Tank Lawrence up front, but the injury to DaRon Bland has to sting. This is a classic matchup of who will blink first as both teams go strength-on-strength in Week 1.
Jaguars vs. Dolphins
Which Jaguars team is going to show up in Week 1? The one that started hot and looked like they might push the Chiefs and the Bills for the #1 seed, or the team that fell apart at the end of the year? One of the main culprits of the collapse was the defense, which head coach Doug Pederson brought in Ryan Neilsen to fix. Neilsen was the DC in Atlanta last year and did a decent job. He will be tasked with getting a front seven with the elite talent to play at an elite level. Questions abound, from how good Trevor Lawrence is to whether the secondary holds up.
In Miami, the questions are present too, but more centered around: can this team win in January? Mike McDaniels got an extension, and the organization is doubling down on his talent to get this franchise back into Super Bowl contention. His offenses have started hot in the past two seasons but have stagnated. Miami has a ton of talent at the skill positions, but the O-line remains a black eye.
Defensively, Vic Fangio departed, and Baltimore's Anthony Weaver was brought in. The organization brought in plenty of talent as well. Jacksonville will be an early test to see where this iteration of the Dolphins fits in the power dynamic of the AFC.
Rams vs. Lions
The game between the Rams and Lions has the potential to be an early season shootout as both defenses try to establish an identity. Last year, Detroit came out and shocked the Chiefs by ditching their typical Cover 1 defense to run more Quarters. The Lions reshuffled their secondary this offseason and brought in two new CBs, the Buccaneers Carlton Davis and Alabama's Terrion Arnold. Both excel at man coverage, which is what DC Aaron Glenn favors. Detroit also beefed up an already excellent front with Cincinnati's DJ Reader.
Offensively, the most significant offseason pick-up was keeping OC Ben Johnson. The Lions have a unique and explosive offense that is propelled by the excellent play of Jared Goff.
In LA, the Rams' offense is also primed for early success. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are healthy. Last year, Puka Nacua exploded onto the scene and should have another productive year. The matchup with Detroit is intriguing as the Lions want to run man coverage, yet the Rams are elite at beating it. Between Kupp and Nacua it can be pick your poison. Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson are also explosive down the field.
Defensively, newly appointed DC Chris Shula must break in a relatively new unit. The draft's first two rounds added two additions to the front line from Florida State: ED Jared Verse and iDL Braden Fiske. The Rams also traded breakout star Earnest Jones to the Titans. In the secondary, Darious Williams (Jaguars), Kam Curl (Commanders), and Tre'Davious White (Bills) will all be new faces.
Jets vs. 49ers
Defensively, both teams are looking into a mirror. Offensively, these teams are worlds apart. San Fransisco has arguably the most diverse and talented skill positions in the NFL. From RB Christian McCaffery to WR Branden Ayuik, each spot on the field can be game-breaking. Head coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch have curated a group that allows Shanahan's offense to be explosive. Ayuik is a true WR, while Deebo Samuel is a 'joker,' being able to line up at RB or catch shallow routes and access throws while breaking tackles from smaller DBs. TE George Kittle is the best true 'Y' in the game and is just as valuable blocking as he is receiving.
On defense, Shanahan has a particular way he wants to run things, and last year, he felt Steve Wilkes wasn't getting the job done. Turning to Nick Sorensen, he ensures the system runs how he wants it to. The front line still has punching power from Nick Bosa, but the depth is gone. Dre Greenlaw is also unavailable and a great complement to one of the best coverage LBs in Fred Warner. The secondary could be very good with Deommodre Lenior moving to Ni full-time and Safety Talanoa Hufunga back from injury. Last year, Charvarious Ward established himself as one of the best CBs in the NFL.
The Jets will go as far as Aaron Rodgers can carry them. Offensively, the unit has talent, with Mike Willimas and Garrett Wilson outside. RB Breece Hall is a potential superstar and production monster. But everything comes down to Rodgers and his ability to stay healthy and play at a high level, something he has not done for several years.
On defense, the Jets have one of the most talented rosters in football. CBs Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed can be the best CB duo in the NFL. The D-line is talented, but the holdout of Haason Reddick has put a damper on the outlook of the overall defense. Still, the ability of Quinnen Williams inside the progress of Jermain Johnson allows the Jets to pack a punch. At LB, the Jets have two players who are extremely complementary, with CJ Mosley being a top talent.
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