It is finally here! The start of a new NFL season is finally upon us. Although Patriots fans might not be as excited as they usually are this time of year, seeing as a certain star quarterback has been suspended the first four games.
That being said, there is a lot to still be excited for with the dawn of a new football year. For instance, we’ll be able to devote our time to nothing but games on Sundays. That’s always fun. Also, this season will have no shortage of highly intense games. The Panthers and Broncos are scheduled for a rematch on opening night, Thursday Sept. 8, and the Tom Brady-less Patriots are visiting Arizona to play the Cardinals for Sunday Night Football on NBC on Sept. 11. With excitement this high, here are some of the biggest stories we have entering the season.
The question on everyone’s mind in New England is: how will the New England Patriots fair in their first four games without Brady? Jimmy Garoppolo will be center man for the Patriots in Brady’s place, or at least we expect him to be. But you never know, because it all depends on how he plays.
Judging on how he looked in training camp and in the pre season, he seems to be a competent stand-in for Brady. In the Patriots’ first four games, Garoppolo will be playing against the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Buffalo Bills. Buffalo and Miami are both division rivals for the Pats, so if Garoppolo can win those two games, at the very least the Pats will be in good shape for Brady’s return. Anything more will be well exceeding expectations.
The other big story is how the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Denver Broncos, will do without Peyton Manning. They will also be going into the season without Brock Osweiler, after he played exceptionally well the second half of the season in relief of Peyton Manning. Osweiler decided to take his talents to Houston, leaving the Denver Broncos to start from scratch, trying to figure out who will play quarterback. The Broncos signed Mark Sanchez hoping he could be a great bridge QB, but they ultimately cut him.
As of right now, the Broncos are going with a non-rookie quarterback that has never taken a single snap in the NFL, Trevor Siemian. The situation is not ideal for Denver. But with the defense they boast, a successful season is not out of the question, even if the quarterback position is in flux.
The start of this season certainly isn’t without its controversy and exciting stories. From Brady’s suspension, to life without Manning, to another injury for Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys, and even to seeing rookies like Ezekiel Elliot take the field for the Cowboys. The start of a new NFL season is always a great time of year for sports fans, and this year is no different, bringing in a new crop of drama and high hopes for each and every team. Now all there is to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.