The 2021-22 NFL schedule regular season was released on Wednesday and to no one’s surprise, there are a lot of layers to unveil.
First, this season will have an extra week, meaning they’ll be 17 games for each team. The season will now be 18 weeks instead of 17.
Here are some takeaways from the schedule release. These matchups are sure to intrigue fans in what the NFL is calling the “Greatest Season Ever.”
Bragging Rights: Brady vs. Belichick
Tom Brady returns to Foxboro in Week 4. Brady left via free agency after the 2019-20 season and signed with the Buccaneers and led them to the Super Bowl victory in year one in Tampa. Now he’ll face his former longtime coach Bill Belichick.
They won six Super Bowls together while playing in nine. You know Sunday Night Football is chomping at the bit for this one.
Unfortunately, the London games are back after a year of no travel abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not a fan of games being played in the UK. Teams just look so lethargic and disinterested in those games. Seems like the travel saps the energy of the teams in most of these abroad games.
Can Cleveland Close The Gap On KC & Mahomes?
Chiefs start off the season with a bang as they’ll face the Browns at home on Week 1. These two teams played an epic AFC Divisional game there in January, a game won by the Chiefs (22-17) with Mahomes banged up and knocked out early in the second half.
https://youtu.be/-he9RImCRSM
They travel to Baltimore in Week 2 for their annual beatdown of the Ravens. Then face the Bills at Arrowhead in a Week 5 rematch of this past season’s AFC Championship. That game is on Sunday Night Football.
Andy Reid has won 85% of his games in September, including 10-0 with Mahomes at quarterback. Mahomes has 32 TD flips (and get this) 0 picks in his career in September.
The Saga of Aaron Rodgers & Green Bay
Will he or won’t he be suiting up in Green Bay?
Yup, that’s the magical question going around the league as reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers has said he wants out of the “Frozen Tundra.”
But the franchise has been reluctant to grant his trade request and for good reason. If anything, this is an issue that the NFL wants resolved quickly and with Rodgers remaining in Green Bay.
And you know why?
The Cheeseheads are slated to play in a league-high five prime-time games. Without “Mr Discount Double Check” at the helm, those five games instantly become a ratings disaster, something the league doesn’t need following a year where no fans were allowed in the stadiums during the regular season due to COVID-19.
NFC Wild West
The NFC West is currently the league’s best division with all four teams being real playoff contenders this season.
The Rams, Niners and Seahawks are each scheduled to play in five prime-time games, which is tied for the league-high. The Cardinals have an exciting team led by the diminutive but dynamic Kyler Murray.
Couple all of that with the Rams adding Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford, plus the Hawks and Russell Wilson working things out for now, and you peep why this is the best division and most intriguing.
Also, the Niners get a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo back and he’ll be asked to mentor rookie Trey Lance, the surprise 3rd overall pick in this year’s draft. Sets up for an exciting division race which should give us many enthralling matchups.
With things somewhat back to normal, this should be a very wild and intriguing season
P.S. I miss tailgating more than the actual games.
