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It's not too difficult to get excited about the NFL pre-season. You only have to look at the right things to worry about: young quarterbacks, roster battles and undrafted players giving their best to make a career in the league.
If you look beyond scores and records, there's a lot of key stuff to see in the NFL pre-season. Last year, undrafted players didn't have as many chances to impress coaches,s as the COVID-19 pandemic halted all pre-season games. In 2021, NFL pre-season games are back, though, although the new CBA helped reduce them from the usual four to three games.
On that note, here's a look at our list of the five best games during the 2021 NFL pre-season and what to watch for in every game:
#1 Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears, 14/08
Quarterbacks will be the tone of this game, albeit in different ways.
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For the Dolphins, all eyes will be on Tua Tagovailoa's snaps, as he's now the unquestioned starter for the franchise following a tough rookie year. Miami had the chance to pick a new quarterback with a top-3 pick in the draft, but they decided to stick with Tagovailoa, so he will be under pressure to perform.
For the Bears, while Andy Dalton remains the starter for now, Justin Fields is having an impressive training camp. Maybe some good performances in the NFL pre-season could force Matt Nagy to reconsider which of the two starts.
#2 Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers, 14/08
Again, two offenses to watch in this Super Bowl LIV rematch, but Patrick Mahomes will not be the headline this time.
How will the new Chiefs' offensive line look after such a dysmal performance in the Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? There have been a lot of changes and resources spent on improving Mahomes' protection. Even though he will only see the field in one or two drives, the front five will be in the spotlight.
For the 49ers, the main story is obviously Trey Lance. Kyle Shanahan keeps saying there's no quarterback battle between the rookie and Jimmy Garoppolo. But Lance has been impressive during camp and, and with a good performance against a different defense, he could maybe steal the starting spot.
#3 Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams, 14/08
The Los Angeles pre-season NFL showdown will be between two strong-armed quarterbacks and the first public appearance for Sean McVay's new offense with a better quarterback under center. Matthew Stafford had a problem with his finger, but he should be fine by August 14, and should play a few drives for the Rams.
Meanwhile, Brandon Staley's first appearance as head coach is coincidentally against the team he just left. The Chargers are one of the hottest teams in the 2021NFL season, and the Rams are one of the strongest teams in the NFC, so this should make for a good game, even in the pre-season.
#4 San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Chargers, 22/08
The reasons why you should pay attention to both these teams during the NFL pre-season are listed above. But it's once again worth mentioning the quarterback battle in San Francisco. It's going to be another chance for Trey Lance to showcase his skills and make Shanahan's decision for week 1 even harder.
#5 Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints, 23/08
The last game is probably the best to watch from a preseason standpoint.
Monday night's NFL pre-season game will be live on ESPN, where Trevor Lawrence will probably get his biggest time on the field before the regular NFL season kicks off. As for the Saints, it is another Winston vs Hill showdown.
The battle for the starting job is on in New Orleans, and this will be the most important game to determine the week 1 starter.
