Week No. 1 of the 2014 NFL season is here and what better way to get prepared to watch 12 hours of nonstop football than by previewing the biggest games for the fans of those perspective teams.
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Saints vs Falcons
Sunday, September 7, 2014 – 1:00 pm ET
TV: FOX
One of the NFL’s nastiest rivalry’s will get renewed to start the season for both teams. The Saints and Falcons have a genuine hate for each other that should have the Georgia Dome rocking. You can expect a high scoring affair with both offenses being as healthy as you’ll see them all year.
New Orleans returns the nucleus of one of the NFL’s most potent attacks, with the addition of the speedy and explosive Brandin Cooks added with Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston. The Saints of course will go as Brees takes them.
Brees led the NFC with a 68.6 completion percentage, 5,162 passing yards and 39 touchdowns in 2013, while throwing only 12 interceptions.
The Falcons hope to be much improved on defense, as they ranked near the bottom of the NFL with 27.7 points and 379.4 yards allowed per game last year. After losing only 12 games the previous three seasons, the Falcons were imploded by injuries and went 4-12 last season.
Ryan threw a career-worst 17 interceptions and was sacked a career-high 44 times while missing star wideouts Julio Jones and Roddy White for most of the season.
Cincinnati vs Baltimore
Sunday, September 7, 2014 – 1:00 pm ET
TV: CBS
The Bengals are looking to make the playoffs for the fourth straight season, while the Ravens would like to regain their strangle hold on the AFC North. For all their success the past few years, the Bengals have lost five straight on the road at Baltimore.
Andy Dalton got paid this summer, and despite what critics may think, he was deserving of a payday. Dalton’s passing yards and touchdown totals have increased in each of his first three seasons. His 33 touchdowns in 2013 trailed only Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, and his 4,293 yards ranked seventh.
The two-headed running back monster of Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill must produce dividends for the Bengals to take the next step. Defensively, Vontaze Burfict earned an extension after recording a league-high 171 tackles.
For the Ravens to get back to the playoffs, Joe Flacco must earn his keep. Former Houston coach Gary Kubiak hopes to improve on the passing numbers for Flacco, who only completed 59.0 percent of his passes while throwing 19 touchdowns and a career-high 22 interceptions – 10 more than in any of his previous five seasons.
Cleveland vs Pittsburgh
Sunday, September 7, 2014 – 1:00 pm ET
TV: CBS
It’s a huge game for the Browns who need to get a win in Pittsburgh to have any shot at ever staking claim to the AFC North. It will also be the regular season debut for Johnny Manziel, albeit a few small packages. Brian Hoyer will get the start but all eyes will be on Manziel on Sunday at Heinz Field. Cleveland will be without star wide receiver Josh Gordon who is serving a year long suspension. The Browns are also counting on former Texan Ben Tate to step up in his first chance as a full-time starter.
Cleveland has spent the entire offseason in the spotlight for one reason or another, and it will be interesting to see if the offense can keep up with a ultra talented defense.
In a total contrast from the Browns, the Steelers return a coach and quarterback who’ve been together for almost a decade. After going 12-4 and making it to two Super Bowls from 2008-11, Pittsburgh has been out of the playoffs the last two seasons after a pair of 8-8 finishes.
Ben Roethlisberger is reportedly in the best shape of his career. Pittsburgh will employ a two-headed monster at running back that as good as any in the league with LeVeon Bell and LeGarrett Blount. There’s another rookie weapon in the 5-8 Dri Archer, a running back who clocked a 4.26-second 40 at the NFL combine.
Rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier will start for a Dick LeBeau defense and that’s all you need to know about how good the kid is.
San Francisco vs Dallas
Sunday, September 7, 2014 – 4:25 pm ET
TV: FOX
The San Francisco 49ers have been to three straight NFC title games but enter this years season opener embattled amid controversies and suspensions. The Dallas Cowboys have finished 8-8 in three straight seasons, and need a victory over the 49ers to buoy them towards success.
The 49ers will roll into Dallas without the suspended Aldon Smith, injured NaVorro Bowman and a domestic violence accusation hanging over Ray McDonald’s head. At that to the report of Jim Harbaugh losing the locker room, and you have a recipe for disaster.
The good news for the 49ers is that they’l face a Cowboys defense that is arguably one of the worst in history based off last season. Dallas allowed a league-worst 415.3 yards per game for the NFL’s third-worst mark since the merger in 1970.
Dallas will again go as Tony Romo goes. Romo, who was fifth in the NFL in touchdown passes with 31 a year ago, will start the regular season off with uncertaintity after having back surgery this offseason.
The 49ers were third in the NFL in rushing with 137.6 yards per game last season and will lean heavily on that against Dallas.