It’s almost time to put my Sunday mood in the hands of the Chicago Bears. Other fans know the feeling well, but that’s what makes football season fun. Week One begins Wednesday, September 9, with a Super Bowl LX rematch on NBC and Peacock.
So let’s get into the matchups I think will be too good to miss. I could be wrong, but let’s have fun anyway.
New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks (8:20 p.m. ET/7:20 p.m. CT)
The last time these two teams met, Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks became Super Bowl champs, so it’s time for New England to show them the outcome won’t be a repeat of earlier this year.
Who did the Patriots add? The most notable addition is former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. Former Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs signed a four-year contract, and safety Kevin Byard, who had 8 interceptions in Chicago (seven in 2025), also joined the team.
Can the Seahawks win back-to-back Super Bowls? Anything is possible, but seasons never go as we expect. Could they win another one? Possibly, but as a Bears fan, I don’t want them to because it’s time for Chicago to bring another one home!
Seattle also lost running back Kenneth Walker III, who was the Super Bowl LX MVP and had over 1,000 rushing yards during the regular season, in free agency to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (4:25 p.m. ET/3:25 p.m. CT)
The Commanders and Eagles are starting their season with an NFC East rivalry battle.
Eagles offense: Everyone will have eyes on how Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia’s offense perform since Brown is no longer on the team. I think they’ll play at the same level that got them to two Super Bowls (winning one) and four playoff appearances from 2020-2025.
Welcome back, Jayden Daniels: The Commanders’ 2025 season was unexpected. After a great rookie year and reaching the NFC Championship Game, I thought Daniels would be better his sophomore year. However, injuries kept the team from building on that success. Now they supposedly have their quarterback fully healthy and have added receiver Stefon Diggs to the team on a one-year deal.
Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans (1:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. CT)
It’s the No. 2 ranked player of 2026 (Josh Allen just got his highest ranking in the Top 100) vs. a dominant Texans defense.
Is this the Bills’ year? To fans, every year is their year. The Bills haven’t had a losing season in a while and won’t anytime soon with Josh Allen as quarterback. Getting into the playoffs is easy for Buffalo, but reaching the Super Bowl is a different story.
A defense you can’t play around with. Every time I watch a Texans game, their defense is tough. That alone makes their games interesting. With defensive end Will Anderson Jr. signing a record-breaking three-year contract extension in April, they’ll be that way for a while.
Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers (1:00 p.m. ET/ 12:00p.m. CT)
It’s Da Bears vs. a rising Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers.
Do your thing, Ice Man. I don’t think Caleb Williams has the keys to the city yet, but there’s a mural and every Chicagoan supports him for saving the team. The reigning NFC North champions are looking to take over the division again with an offense I think is stellar: Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Jahdae Walker, Colston Loveland, D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Cole Kmet, rookie Zavion Thomas, and more.
Bryce on the rise. People were so loud about Young’s tough rookie and sophomore years in the league, but those same critics changed their tune in his third. From making Panthers history to coming in clutch during close games, and his first playoff appearance, this is a year for Bryce to show why he’s the guy for Carolina for the long run.
Header image credit: skynesher from Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro
