NFL Opening game is going to be Eagles/Commanders, Right? (1 Viewer)

[Gatorman]

Seems like the most obvious. Daniels with another year under his belt vs the defending champs?

 

[Payne]

Eagles / Lions another option

 

[Gatorman]

Commanders, Lions, Denver, and Dallas (always going to put the cowboys here bc of Jerreh), but unless they simply don't want to schedule a division game the pickings are kind of Slim...

 

[Grahamburn]

They typically don't make them divisional matchups. Probably the Lions.

 

[Anarchy99]

They typically don't make them divisional matchups. Probably the Lions.

You are right that divisional matchups don't usually happen. That leaves the only remaining options as the Lions, Rams, Broncos, Bears, or Raiders (most likely in the order as listed).

 

[IHEARTFF]

95% chance it's Lions @ Eagles

 

[BobbyLayne]

Commanders, Lions, Denver, and Dallas (always going to put the cowboys here bc of Jerreh), but unless they simply don't want to schedule a division game the pickings are kind of Slim...

Hope it’s not DAL or WAS because they should leave divisional matchups for the final third of the season.

Curious why you think Denver is in the conversation?

 

[msudaisy26]

Commanders, Lions, Denver, and Dallas (always going to put the cowboys here bc of Jerreh), but unless they simply don't want to schedule a division game the pickings are kind of Slim...

Hope it’s not DAL or WAS because they should leave divisional matchups for the final third of the season.

Curious why you think Denver is in the conversation?

A playoff team with a young qb and maybe they make a splash in the offseason.

Lions or Rams probably take up 90 percent of the odds. Broncos with 5 percent and then everyone else.

 

[rockaction]

Hope it’s not DAL or WAS because they should leave divisional matchups for the final third of the season.

Tell that to the Jets this year. Or even last when they started Monday night against the Bills.

Actually, what you're saying won't work. Divisional matchups have to happen throughout the year.

 

[IHEARTFF]

last 5 years
Hou @ KC
Dal @ TB
Buf @ LA Rams
Det @ KC
Bal @ KC

Det @ Phi is by far the most logical based on a primetime important matchup. Might as well settle the NFC 1 seed week 1.

 

[Deamon]

would be shocked if it's not detroit/philly.

 

[dewmass]

It's the first game of the season everyone is watching, would be surprised if they waste the Lions game on a sure thing. Rams would be my guess

 

[Deamon]

It's the first game of the season everyone is watching, would be surprised if they waste the Lions game on a sure thing. Rams would be my guess

That's not how it works though, they almost always try to give the best matchup W1.

 

[Insein]

Hope it’s not DAL or WAS because they should leave divisional matchups for the final third of the season.

Tell that to the Jets this year. Or even last when they started Monday night against the Bills.

Actually, what you're saying won't work. Divisional matchups have to happen throughout the year.

Last 3 weeks of the year they try to get as many divisional matchups as possible but they can't fit all of them in there. They will naturally fit them where they can for all the others. Even if it's week 1.

 

[Anarchy99]

Last 3 weeks of the year they try to get as many divisional matchups as possible but they can't fit all of them in there. They will naturally fit them where they can for all the others. Even if it's week 1.

It's possible . . . but improbable . . . for the Eagles to start their schedule with an NFC East opponent.

The last time the NFL had a divisional game to launch the season was 2019, but that was a one-off to celebrate the 100th season of the NFL (GB-CHI . . . the teams that have faced off the most times in league history). The SB champion Patriots played the Sunday Night game instead that year.

The last time prior to that was in 2012 (DAL-NYG). That was the only time since the league started their official Kickoff Game program in 2002 that a SB champion faced a divisional foe to start the season (out of 23 seasons). There would most likely have to be a scheduling conflict for the Eagles to face a team in their division on opening night.

 

[renesauz]

If Lions-Eagles won't fit, Washington would be a good second choice. I think it will be the Lions, but I think the Commanders are easily the second best choice. There's usually one or two division games weekly even in the first half of the season. They can't pack ALL of them into the second half

 

[Anarchy99]

If Lions-Eagles won't fit, Washington would be a good second choice. I think it will be the Lions, but I think the Commanders are easily the second best choice. There's usually one or two division games weekly even in the first half of the season. They can't pack ALL of them into the second half

Week 1 divisional games the past 3 years:

2024 - HOU/IND, NOS/CAR, LAC/LV
2023 - CAR/ATL, CLE/CIN, JAC/IND, CHI/GB, LV/DEN, LAR/SEA, DAL/NYG, NYJ/BUF
2022 - NO/ATL, PIT/CIN, HOU/IND, MIA/NE, MIN/GB, LAC/LV

The issue isn't that the league won't schedule divisional games on Week 1 . . . they just rarely schedule divisional games as the first game of the first week.