2021 NFL Schedule: 5 biggest matchups in the regular season

The 2021 NFL season’s schedule is packed with epic matchups that fans can’t wait to see. The return of crowds to stadiums will only enhance the atmosphere at these games.

From Tom Brady's return to Foxboro to a repeat of last year's AFC Championship Game, here are the 5 biggest matchups on the 2021 NFL schedule.

The biggest games of the 2021 NFL regular season

#1 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots

All eyes are on the Week 4 contest between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots. Tom Brady will be returning to Gillette Stadium for the first time since leaving the Patriots in 2020.

The historic matchup between Brady and Bill Belichick will be a must-watch affair. There’s also the possibility that Brady could break Drew Brees' NFL passing yards record during this game, which only adds to the fanfare.

Tom Brady is 1,154 passing yards short of the all-time record held by Drew Brees.Brady averaged 289.6 passing yards per game in 2020.That same pace would have him breaking the record in his return to Foxboro vs the Patriots in Week 4. pic.twitter.com/SKwetqMq17

— Sharp Football Analysis (@SharpFBAnalysis) May 13, 2021

The Bucs will want to win this one for their veteran quarterback, while the Patriots will want to show that they have moved on from the Brady era and can win without him.

#2 - Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 9 of the 2021 NFL season will see Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead Stadium. This will be the first meeting between arguably the two best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Both teams boast high octane offenses and the game promises to be a high-scoring affair. Watching the two best quarterbacks go head-to-head is a treat that all NFL fans deserve. Let’s hope both signal-callers can stay healthy during the 2021 season and face off in Week 9.

#3 - Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams

You wouldn’t normally see the Detroit Lions mentioned in a list of the NFL season’s biggest matchups but this year they made the cut.

After swapping quarterbacks in the offseason, the Detroit vs LA game in Week 7 promises to be a compelling clash.

Jarred Goff, who was traded to the Lions along with a bunch of draft picks for Stafford, will want nothing more than to prove his former employers wrong. The storyline of the two quarterbacks facing their former teams for the first time should make this game an intense and emotional battle.

Can Matthew Stafford show Rams fans that he is the missing link to a championship run or will Jarred Goff return to haunt his former franchise with a road win? The Lions at the Rams is a must-watch matchup.

#4 - New York Jets at Carolina Panthers

The Week 1 game between the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers would not have jumped off the page in previous seasons. But quarterback Sam Darnold facing his former team in his first game for his new franchise makes this a compelling watch.

Rookie Jets quarterback Zach Wilson would’ve never envisaged that his first NFL start would be against the quarterback whose job he took. Both play-callers will be under immense pressure to get the win, and their teammates will have no shortage of motivation.

#5 - Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

Which primetime game are you most excited for?📺: NFLN | @EllicottDev

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 13, 2021

The Buffalo Bills will get a chance to avenge their AFC Championship Game defeat from last season in Week 5 of this upcoming campaign. They will travel to Kansas City aiming to show that they have what it takes to usurp the Chiefs as the team to beat in the AFC.

The Bills barely tested the Chiefs in the championship game with Patrick Mahomes and his offense proving too much for them to handle.

Josh Allen will be gunning to prove that he can beat Mahomes and gain a crucial mental advantage before the playoffs. The two AFC title challengers should have a tough back-and-forth battle in Week 5.