Not only are the Packers, 49ers, Seahawks and Falcons among the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 48, they will also play a prominent role on the Week 1 NFL schedule. The season begins with Denver against Baltimore on Thursday night, September 5. The first full Sunday of the season begins September 8 with a full slate of games. However, it is unlikely that any of the games in that first week will top the Packers and 49ers encounter in San Francisco. It is a rematch of last year’s divisional playoff game that saw Green Bay suffer a 45-31 setback. If you wager on sports then circle September 8 on your schedule. You can bet Green Bay has the date etched in stone. It is a classic revenge play for the Pack.
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Another Week 1 clash is in the NFC South showdown between defending champion, Atlanta, and New Orleans. Now that, the Falcons have won a playoff game for the first time under Coach Mike Smith and QB Matt Ryan, maybe they can take that next step and get to a Super Bowl. Maybe the loss in the NFC Championship Game will strengthen the Falcons. They have not taken advantage of two top seeds in the past three years. It is not out of the question for the Saints to win the division and the Falcons to make it as a wild card. As we’ve seen from the Giants, Ravens, Packers, Steelers and others, Super Bowls can be won the hard way as wild cards.
Also in the first week, the Seattle Seahawks travel to Carolina to take on Cam Newton and the Panthers. Quarterback Russell Wilson is a rising star and head coach Pete Carroll has done wonders with the defense. That partnership has more than a few NFL pundits predicting that the Seahawks will provide the 49ers with a real challenge in the NFC West.
Scheduling Quirk
It is highly unusual to see two divisional games in the first week, but that is what the schedule maker has laid out.
In a pair of NFC East battles, the Giants face the Cowboys in Dallas and the Redskins host the Eagles. The game will mark the debut of Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly who left Oregon for the riches of the NFL. Your NFL wagering strategy should take into account that point spreads don’t matter when any combination of these four teams meet. These are emotional rivalries.
The highlight in Week 2 is the battle of the NFC West as San Francisco visits Seattle. It is an opportunity for the Seahawks to send a clear message to the 49ers that last year wasn’t a fluke. Honorable mention for the toughest game of the week goes to the Packers and Redskins who will meet at historic Lambeau Field. If RG3 plays he will go up against arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers.