NFL is Back! Week1: Five Things To Watch For
The 2016 NFL season starts tomorrow. Here are five things I'll be watching for in this first week.
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Panthers come looking for revenge - how good are the post-Manning Broncos?
Panthers come back with a lineup that looks as strong as the one that took them to the Superbowl last year, with the notable departure of Josh Norman, after the Franchise Tag failure and subsequent trade to the Redskins.
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The Broncos, well, while their defense still seems to be one of the best of the NFL, even with the loss of Malik Jackson, there are serious question marks in their offense.
Mark Sanchez has come and gone, and Siemian got the starting job without ever throwing a pass in the NFL. His only action was taking a knee against the Steelers.
Is the Broncos defense still top notch? Can they keep going on it alone? Or are they somehow going to get their offense in order?
QB Musical Chairs - Who's got what it takes?
There are a several QBs starting this season with something to prove, with a lot of hype, or with a lot of weight on their shoulders. Either case is a great opportunity for entertainment.
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On the Texans, Brock Osweiler comes having to prove that he was worth his $75M contract. He started the preseason slow, but gained momentum and had a good show on preseason week 3. With DeAndre Hopkins now accompanied by Lamar Miller and Will Fuller, Brock's offense will be interesting to look at.
Starting as a backup on preseason, Dak Prescott surprised everyone with great numbers and an impressive showing. Now with Tony Romo injured he is on the spot to show that he does have what it takes when it counts. I'm rooting for him (and got him on the bench on my fantasy team waiting for his big break).
Teddy Bridgewater unfortunate injury mixed up the QB landscape for the Vikings and Eagles. Sam Bradford is likely not going to start for the Vikings in the first game, and Shaun Hill will have to lead the offense, but it should be interesting to see how the rookie Carson Wentz sudden move to the first team pans out. Is he ready?
Another one I'm eager to see in action is RGIII. Can he stay healthy and restart his career? The Browns will face Wentz-led Eagles which has the potential to be a great show or a big mess.
Patriots without Brady
Tom Brady's four-game suspension will serve to show what kind of team the Patriots are without him at the helm. He left big shoes for Jimmy Garoppolo to fill, if only for four games. The Patriots go to Arizona while everyone will be watching what kind of show they can put on.
Can they hold up against the strong Cardinals?
JJ Watt is back, with Clowney
Defensive MVP last season, JJ Watt didn't appear in any preseason games as he was recovering from back surgery he had in July. He is scheduled to come back week 1, alongside Clowney, whose single preseason appearance against the Saints was quite impressive.
Is he going to be ready to play with his full power? How much trouble is the Texans defense going to offer to opposing offenses this year? We should see this week.
Rookies Ezekiel Elliot and Joey Bosa
Finally, two rookies that I want to keep an eye on are Ezekiel Elliot and Joey Bosa.
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Ezekiel displayed a lot of energy and potential on the preseason facing off and surprising Kam Chancellor with his physicality. Can he keep up in the season opener?
Joey Bosa is going to have lots of eyeballs on him since he missed the whole preseason due to his contract dispute with the Chargers. People who sided either way will use anything of his performance to tell who was right. That is if he is able to make the first game, which is still not confirmed.
How about you? What are you looking for on this first week? Or are you just happy that NFL is finally back?
QB's are the thing to watch in week 1, with the bombshell eagles trade, Romo's replacement, Bradey being out for a few weeks. Its a great week