The 2018 NFL season kicks off tonight as the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles face off against the Atlanta Falcons. An exciting season lies ahead as almost every team has a serviceable to elite type of quarterback. Some teams have a more complete roster like the Eagles and Rams while other teams like the Browns are finally moving away from the title of laughing stock.
2018 could possibly be the most exciting NFL season in year. The AFC looks set it stone with the Steelers, Patriots, Chargers, and Jaguars as division winners but the entire NFC could go down to the wire. The NFC West will return to the "Wild West" with San Francisco and Los Angeles battling it out atop the division. The NFC South and NFC East will be three team races culminating in the final week of the season. While the NFC North has the returning Aaron Rodgers locked in in a fight to the finish with Kirk Cousins and the Vikings defense.
Only one more questions to ask, Are you ready for some football?
ATLANTA FALCONS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Falcons travel to Philadelphia to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in what is the NFL's 99th season opener. The last time the Eagles and Falcons met was the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs. The game ended in an Eagles 15-10 victory when the Falcons offense stalled on the 2-yard line. Fans should be ready for the same kind of game.
Carson Wentz is still rehabbing a torn ACL meaning Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles remains under center for Philadelphia.
Foles has struggled in the preseason completing only 55 percent of his passes and throwing two interceptions. He has not looked like the season saving Nick Foles from 2017 which could be detrimental if Matt Ryan and the Falcons are in mid-season form.
The Eagles did not add much this offseason but Alshon Jeffery and Zach Ertz return as staples on offense which could help the Eagles score early while dominating the time of possession. The defense, on the other hand, brought over one of the best pass rushers in all of football in the form Michael Bennett.
Bennett joins Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett on the defensive line that combined for 38 sacks last season and should give Matt Ryan and the Falcons some trouble.
Atlanta comes into Philly with the odds against them. Away teams are 3-13 on Thursday Week 1 games but do have hopes as only three of the last six prime-time kickoff games have been won by the defending champion. Even better news for Atlanta, the Eagles have looked vulnerable.
Matt Ryan and the Falcons had a tough time without offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan but did show flashes of the team that made it to Super Bowl LI. The offense remains intact with top three receiver Julio Jones on the outside with Devonta Freeman and Telvin Coleman in the backfield. Atlanta even added another offensive weapon by drafting Alabama wideout Calvin Ridley 26th overall who will fill the slot, no pun intended, that Justin Gabriel left.
The offseason was not kind to Atlanta as two of their top defensive linemen signed elsewhere. Adrian Clayborn, the teams single game sack leader,left for New England and veteran Dontari Poe was cap casualty for Matt Ryan's contract extension. This could lead Philadelphia to target the run game more often.
In short, the Atlanta's offense will be at peak form to start the season and could be a dangerous threat to unseat Philadelphia atop the NFL this season but the Eagles defense will even out the score during week 1. The season opener will be a battle till the end but the offenses will be the biggest factor in the final score and Atlanta has the better quarterback and receiving core.
Final Score: Falcons 24, Eagles 17
Rest of the NFL:
Bengals at Colts: Bengals 20, Colts 17
Bills at Ravens: Ravens 28, Bills 9
Buccaneers at Saints: Saints 31, Buccaneers 10
Texans at Patriots: Patriots 27, Texans 20
49ers at Vikings: Vikings 24, 49ers 21
Titans at Dolphins: Titans 17, Dolphins 13
Jaguars at Giants: Giants 24, Jaguars 14
Steelers at Browns: Steelers 24, Browns 20
Chiefs at Chargers: Chargers 24, Chiefs 20
Cowboys at Panthers: Panthers 17, Cowboys 14
Redskins at Cardinals: Redskins 21, Cardinals 10
Seahawks at Broncos: Seahawks 16, Broncos 13
Bears at Packers: Packers 31, Bears 10
Jets at Lions: Lions 20, Jets 14
Rams at Raiders: Rams 30, Raiders 13
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