The 2020 NFL Schedule has officially been released. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing and our country desperate for sports, the release was transformed into a three-hour television special.
That’s just to talk about the NFL schedule and what the regular season could look like. Heck, we don’t even know when or if the games will take place. Then again, what else do we have to do?
Perhaps we could use that time shopping for masks? Speaking of which, Fanatics has National Football League face coverings available. So, if you are a fan of the NFL and a fan of The Wife Hates Sports, you can help support the site by ordering these (or anything from there, for that matter).
Side note: These are standard face coverings and good for when you go out (e.g. grocery shopping). These are not recommended for medical professionals.
Translation: they’re perfect for the die-hard sports fan that’s performing some general tasks “out in the wild”. That and anything purchased through the link also supports The Wife Hates Sports.
Win-win.
But getting back to the 2020 NFL schedule release, I figured I might as well join the party.
I start with a quick glance of each week that leads to my most intriguing matchup, while also attempting to include as many different teams in the list as I can. This turned out to be easier said than done. In the end, here are my most intriguing games for Weeks 9 through 17:
2020 NFL Schedule: Most Intriguing Matchup for Weeks 9-17 (Part 2 of 2)
Week 9: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There are a lot of high-profile matchups during this week, but I ignored Bucs-Saints to open the season and can’t ignore it twice. The Brady vs Brees game in Tampa Bay is sure to be a dandy. It’ll be interesting to see where the Bucs are at this point in the season. Will Gronk still be playing (and effective)? Will the Saints be rolling like in recent years? How will Brady be in the Arians system?
Week 10: Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans
The back-end of this week has some big-time games, but I’m going with the Thursday night opener. This division is known for tight races. Let’s not forget the run the Titans went on with Tannehill. Throw in a talented Colts team that has since added Philip Rivers, among others. We all know Rivers by now. His teams play in nail-biters. He makes big plays and also throws picks. This one is certain to be a grudge match that will go down to the wire.
Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Redskins
Again, let’s go a bit unconventional here. Also, let’s keep in mind I’m trying to use as many teams as I can. While there likely will be more important Week 11 games, let’s not ignore this matchup, which features the top two picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. Aren’t you curious to see what could happen when Joe Burrow (Bengals) faces Chase Young and the Redskins? I sure am.
Week 12: Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We open this week with Redskins-Cowboys and Ravens-Steelers on Thanksgiving. Talk about rivalries! Then we shift into the weekend with the young superstar and reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes taking on future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. As much as other games entice me during this week, it’s hard to ignore this one.
Week 13: Dallas Cowboys at Baltimore Ravens
The week opens with this game and if you like offense, you’re in for a treat. That is, considering these two teams featured the top two offenses of the 2019 regular season – and have since added pieces to make them better. It will be interesting to see if Dak and his contract situation are resolved or if Andy Dalton is more in the picture. Also, will Lamar Jackson grow from last year’s monster season? How about J.K. Dobbins? To what extent will he be involved (if at all)?
Week 14: Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants
Again, many will consider this an odd pick. For one, I wanted to include the Cardinals at least once, considering the sophomore campaign for Kyler Murray and inclusion of DeAndre Hopkins into the offense. In addition, this game features the last two offensive rookies of the year (Murray and Saquon Barkley). That means explosive plays could happen in bunches. This could be a sneaky fun game to watch.
Week 15: Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints
Fine, so I said I would try to spread this out to as many teams as I could. I’m straying away from that and for good reason. Seriously, how can you not take Chiefs at Saints this week? Talk about offense on top of offense on top of offense. If everyone is healthy by the time this game arrives, it’ll be a must watch.
Week 16: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
I originally had the Christmas Day Vikings-Saints matchup plugged in here. Stefon Diggs is gone but tension is still present from a few years ago. However, it’s possible the COVID-19 pandemic could throw a wrench in that timeline, and the Saints have received enough love. I’m instead taking Bills-Patriots, a game that is likely to have a defensive focus. In 2019, New England was first in total defense and the Bills were third. A Monday Night Football game this late in the season could also feature an extreme weather element. Let’s not forget there’s a possibility this could help decide the AFC East.
Week 17: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
The regular season ends with Cards-Rams and Seahawks-Niners. But that’s not the only intriguing divisional rivalry in Week 17. There’s just something about Packers-Bears. Fight for every yard. Knock your teeth in. Toss in a potential divisional impact and a January game in the elements. Sure, there are question marks with the Bears, but we can’t forget Chicago’s talent and the fact that Mitch Trubisky is no longer the key puzzle piece. The history of this rivalry will be center stage, as it should be.
In case you missed it…
Part 1: Weeks 1-8
Which game(s) are you most looking forward in the upcoming season? Are there any bold predictions that you want to make? Let’s talk football via the comments section below.
As always, thank you for visiting The Wife Hates Sports!
