The matchups are set.
The NFL on Thursday released its 2020 schedule to the world to give fans a look at the road ahead for their favorite teams. And while we don’t know if or when the games will be played amid the COVID-19 pandemic, at least we can get excited about the hypothetical.
The New England Patriots certainly have their work cut out for them next year, and naturally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their new shiny toys, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, will be all over primetime television.
There are already lot of storylines ahead of the season, and here are some of the games we’re most excited about.
Tampa Buccaneers at Saints — Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13
One of our first glimpses at the competitive NFC South will be a treat early on. The new-look Buccaneers have to travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints, and this game checks a lot of boxes. Tom Brady versus Drew Brees. Two NFC South rivals. And we’ll get to see if the Buccaneers offense lives up to the hype of what they look like on paper. Not to mention, it will be our first time seeing Brady and Gronkowski in a jersey that isn’t Patriots colors, and we’ll see a peak of how old age will treat the two quarterback legends.
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens — Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 28
This was the ACF championship we all wanted to see, but we’re robbed of. There’s always this year though, and maybe this early season matchup will foreshadow the team with home-field advantage in the AFC this season. We can’t wait to watch the NFL’s two most recent MVPs, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, go at it.
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills — Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 1
For the first time in about two decades, the AFC East is there for the taking. Previously, you could essentially write-in the Pats, in permanent marker, to come out on top of the division. But since the departure of Tom Brady, and with the Bills’ recent success, Buffalo may have the best shot. This game will give us an idea of how New England stands against its toughest division rival.
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Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Week 13: Sunday, Nov. 29
Arguably two of the most offensively stacked teams, this might be the most highly anticipated matchups on the entire NFL schedule. You have the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs, returning basically everyone that got them there this year, against Tom Brady and his new star-studded cast of weapons, including his favorite and the best tight end of all time, Rob Gronkowski. We know Brady is familiar with playing the Chiefs from his time in New England, but we’ll see if he’s built up enough chemistry with his new teammates by then to take down Mahomes. Circle this one on the calendar.
Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins — Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 6
What does the future of the NFL look like? At least in terms of quarterbacks, it might look like the Cincinnati Bengals traveling to play the Miami Dolphins. The Bengals recently drafted LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick, while the Dolphins picked up Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa in the first round. The two most highly anticipated rookie quarterbacks face off in December, granted that they both actually start.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns — Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3
There’s one reason why this game makes the list, and that’s the time Myles Garrett hit Mason Rudolph over the head with his own helmet. Yeah, maybe Ben Roethlisberger will be starting again. But with his age and injury history, maybe it will be Rudolph. And if so, we’d love to see if there’s still any bad blood.
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers — Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3
The NFC West has produced its conference’s champion the last two years, and a lot of focus will be on the always-competitive division. A season finale against two of the division’s rivals will very likely have some playoff implications, and we’ll also be paying attention to how both of these teams fare against the Los Angeles Rams, too.
