By Cody Benjamin
Forecasting some of the biggest games on the NFL schedule ahead of Thursday’s expected release
The NFL’s big waves of offseason player movement have come and gone, and now the league is set to officially turn the page to the 2023 season, with expectations of releasing the full regular-season schedule on Thursday, May 11.
In total, the schedule release will account for 272 different matchups. Here, in anticipation of the unveiling, we decided to predict the games that will be featured on some of the NFL’s most anticipated calendar dates:
Season opener prediction: Chiefs vs. Eagles
Date: Thursday, Sept. 7
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The only thing guaranteed about the Week 1 kickoff right now is Kansas City as the host. There are other intriguing possibilities, such as high-octane playoff rematches with the Bengals and Bills. But fresh off a start-to-finish shootout with the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, the Chiefs would draw a sure audience by welcoming a motivated Jalen Hurts to Arrowhead.
‘SNF’ opener prediction: Jets vs. Patriots
Date: Sunday, Sept. 10
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Now that Aaron Rodgers is in New York, the NFL will be looking to throw Gang Green squarely into the spotlight. Rodgers is no stranger to “Sunday Night Football,” and what better way for him to make his Jets debut than against a scrappy Patriots team that’s beaten its divisional rivals in 14 consecutive matchups?
‘MNF’ opener prediction: Bengals vs. Bills / 49ers vs. Cowboys
Date: Monday, Sept. 11
If the Bengals and Bills, chief foes of the Chiefs in the AFC, don’t get top billing in the season opener, they stand to see prime-time lights elsewhere. The NFL would probably like nothing more than to open its “Monday Night Football” doubleheader by allowing the divisional round enemies to play the regular-season matchup they never finished in 2022, with a rightful Damar Hamlin tribute baked in for good measure. As for the late game, San Francisco will enter with some kind of quarterback intrigue, regardless of whether Brock Purdy or Trey Lance is active, and the Cowboys are always a prime-time draw.
Thanksgiving Day tripleheader prediction: Ravens vs. Steelers / Lions vs. Packers / Cowboys vs. Jets
Date: Thursday, Nov. 23
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Rivalries always do well on holidays, and Lamar Jackson will likely be trying to earn his late-season keep as the newly paid face of the Ravens, while the Steelers always provide an underrated late-year fight. Detroit is a given to host on Thanksgiving, but now the Lions are also playoff-caliber, and the Packers will be looking to remain relevant in a post-Aaron Rodgers world. Speaking of Rodgers, how fitting would it be for him to follow up his old team by guiding the Jets in the nightcap with a visit to Dallas?