Interesting Storylines Following the NFL Schedule Release Part III
The NFL officially released their schedule for the 2019 season and there will be some highly anticipated rematches from the 2018 regular and postseasons, players on new teams looking exact revenge on their former teams, some new head coaches that will face off with against their former employers, must-watch games, intriguing matchups and some Week 17 games that can decide division winners and dictate playoff seeding. Must watch games: • Patriots vs Eagles, Week 10: This will be the first time that the two teams have in a meaningful game since their shootout in Superbowl 52 when Philadelphia came out on top 41-33 and captured their first championship in franchise history. • Jets vs Ravens, Week 15: This Thursday night matchup has the potential to be one of the most entertaining games of the season when its all said and done because there are plenty of interesting storylines to follow. Four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker CJ Mosley will be making his first appearance at M&T Bank Stadium not wearing purple and black, a pair of first-round quarterbacks from the 2018 draft will face off for the first time in Lamar Jackson of the Ravens and Sam Darnold of the Jets, a pair of talented backfields will be trying to grind out a win and two young defenses will want to show out for a national audience. • Seahawks vs Panthers, Week 16: This matchup has become a seemingly annual occurrence over the last decade and it usually makes for a highly competitive and entertaining game. It may not break any scoring records but will likely feature several highlight-reel plays like the one Seattle’s Chris Carson made when he was flipped over a defender and stuck the landing when they played the Panthers in Week 12 last season. • Browns vs Jets, Week 2: This game is a rematch of a thrilling Thursday Week 3 bout from last season in which Baker Mayfield made his regular season debut and the Cleveland won their first game in nearly two years. The contest could also be viewed as a revenge game for New York’s defensive coordinator Greg Williams who was at the helm of the Browns as they made their strong surge over the second half of last season as the interim head coach but was not selected for permanent replacement for Hugh Jackson when the team opted to promote offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to that role instead. • Ravens vs Chiefs, Week 3: This was one of the most exciting games towards the end of last season and it took two incredible and improbable fourth down conversions from the eventual league MVP Pat Mahomes to derail a Lamar Jackson led Ravens team that was one of the hottest teams down the stretch. Jackson will be looking to avenge his only regular-season loss as Baltimore’s starter in his young career with this early season matchup. • Rams vs Browns, Week 3: This will be Cleveland’s game in the Sunday night primetime slot in over a decade since the 2008 season and their second straight nationally televised game following a short week after facing off with the Jets on Monday night in Week 2. They will be looking to pick up a huge win early in the season by taking down the reigning NFC champions in what will be a battle of brilliant and loaded offenses. Intriguing matchups: • Ravens vs Rams, Week 12: Baltimore will travel to the golden coast to face off with Los Angeles for a Monday Night Football matchup and even though both teams will be coming off the Thanksgiving holiday, they will both be hungry for a victory over a quality opponent. Some matchups to watch will be how Aaron Donald and the rest of the Rams defense, which includes former Raven Eric Weddle at safety, will try to contain or at least limit the electrifying Lamar Jackson and what will be a bruising Baltimore backfield. • Jets vs Patriots, Week 7: The new-look New York Jets will get their first crack at taking on the defending champions and prove that their stranglehold on the AFC East is beginning to loosen in front of the entire country on Monday Night Football. • Colts vs Saints, Week 15: This Monday night interconference matchup between these two playoff teams from a year ago will feature a duel of elite quarterbacks when Andrew Luck takes his team to the Superdome to face Drew Brees in New Orleans. • Browns vs Patriots, Week 8: Cleveland has been the hottest team this offseason with all of the notable additions that they made but rosters on paper won’t beat the consistent rock that is the New England Patriots. Watching young polarizing Baker Mayfield face off against the ageless wonder that is Tom Brady will be must-see TV. • Ravens vs Patriots, Week 9: Every time these two teams meet their bouts become instant classics and while many of the familiar faces of their rivalry have changed, Baltimore always gives them a run for their money. The Ravens are usually the ones traveling up to Foxboro to face the juggernauts of the AFC, but now the Patriots will make their way to Charm City for a primetime game on Sunday night.
