As we know, the Chicago Bears will have a date with the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field at some point next season. If a recent report from Pro Football Talk is true, we might be a whole lot closer to seeing that date be Week 1 to open the season as the Seahawks raise their Super Bowl banner.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, it would appear that the Australia showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers is set to take place in Week 1. If that is indeed the case, arguably the top two contenders to take on the Seahawks on banner night can be crossed off the list. The NFL loves opening up the season with a playoff rematch for the defending Super Bowl champions. But if the Rams and Niners open the season in Australia, clearly, they would no longer be possible opponents for that slot.
So, if not the Rams or Niners, who could the league choose? One could argue that the Bears would be the most logical selection for the NFL. If we remove the two NFC West foes, the other options for Seattle in Week 1 would be the Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, and Arizona Cardinals. Let’s go through the potential choices for the league.
David Banks – Imagn ImagesChicago Bears
I think the case for the Bears is quite easy. Not many teams had more hype surrounding them throughout the postseason. Chicago figures to be scheduled for several primetime matchups next season, as well. The Bears will have a lot of preseason buzz, and the NFL capitalizing on that with a Week 1 matchup on banner night in Seattle wouldn’t be at all shocking. Throwing Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, and the Bears into the fire against the defending champs in Week 1 sure would be intriguing.
Dallas Cowboys
This one speaks for itself. Sure, the Cowboys haven’t been spectacular over the past few seasons. But they’ll have a lot of offensive talent again, and obviously, they’re a ratings monster. It wouldn’t be the most intriguing matchup, but this certainly would make sense for the league.
New York Giants
Let’s mark this one down as a dark horse. If the G-Men do some adding this spring and summer and are seen as a big offseason winner, they’ll have a lot of hype for the upcoming campaign with new head coach John Harbaugh and a young, exciting quarterback in Jaxon Dart. Plus, Mike Macdonald was Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens before leaving for the Seattle job. Pitting the defending Super Bowl champs against an up-and-coming contender from the Big Apple could be intriguing.
New England Patriots
This could easily be the choice, but the NFL doesn’t love Super Bowl rematches in Week 1. The last time they had one was a Super Bowl 50 rematch between the Broncos and Panthers 10 years ago. Could they opt for that again? Potentially. But that feels like one they’ll try and save for a midseason primetime slot.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee – Imagn ImagesKansas City Chiefs
While in a vacuum, this would make a lot of sense, I think Patrick Mahomes’ health will keep the league away from booking this in Week 1. Mahomes is coming off knee surgery, and while he could be ready for opening week, it’s not a certainty. I would have to think the league would want Mahomes healthy for this matchup to maximize ratings.
Los Angeles Chargers
I don’t think this one is likely, but it sure would be intriguing. The Chargers aren’t the ratings grabbers the Bears, Giants, or Cowboys are. But they’ll be a team with high expectations next season. Plus, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and Macdonald coached together at Michigan. The Seattle head coach was Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator when Michigan won its national championship. Again, this one doesn’t seem likely, but the storyline would be there.
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