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The upcoming NFL season has plenty of juicy matchups that has fans salivating for the games to start. This year's schedule has given us plenty of contests where a player or team could exact retribution of some form for a few disappointing results last season.
As a famous saying goes:
"Revenge is a dish best served… on a football field, any given Sunday."
There’s a famous homecoming, a battle of traded quarterbacks and two franchises who have the opportunity to avenge painful postseason defeats.
On that note, let's have a look at the top five revenge games in the NFL this season:
#1 Sunday, October 3, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots, 8.20 PM ET (NBC)
Tom Brady’s homecoming to Foxborough is the definition of an NFL revenge game. The long-time Patriots quarterback won six NFL championships during his time in New England. He was then allowed to leave unceremoniously by head coach Bill Belichick and the Pats front office after the 2019 season.
Brady went on to win his seventh Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Belichick’s Patriots struggled to a 7-9 record and missed the playoffs. This NFL season, there will be an intriguing week 4 matchup between the coach and his former star play-caller.
Both teams will be determined to win this epic game on a national stage - Sunday Night Football. It remains to be seen who emerges with a victory - the hoodie-wearing coach or the veteran poster boy quarterback.
#2 Sunday, October 24, Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams, 4.05 PM ET (FOX)
The 'Trade Bowl' will be up for grabs in week 7 of the NFL season when Jarred Goff and the Detroit Lions visit the Los Angeles Rams with Matthew Stafford.
The Rams traded their former starting QB Goff for Lions veteran starter Stafford this off-season. LA head coach Sean McVay had clearly seen enough of Jarred Goff under center to convince the Rams management to make a bold move for Stafford.
Jarred Goff will arrive at SoFi Stadium with all the motivation in the world to show McVay and the NFL that they made a big mistake in letting him go. Meanwhile, his ex-Rams teammates may not want to lose against the discarded play-caller, though.
#3 Sunday, October 10, Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs, 8.20 PM ET (NBC)
Facing the team that knocked you out of the NFL playoffs and ended your Super Bowl dreams is always going to be a big game.
The Buffalo Bills will return to Kansas City with revenge on their minds when they arrive for an AFC Championship rematch in week 5 of the NFL season. Last postseason, the Chiefs proved too good, beating the Bills 38-24, with Patrick Mahomes throwing for 325 yards and three touchdowns.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen will be determined to put on a better showing and prove to the Chiefs that his team could be a real threat in 2021. Whoever wins this massive rematch will likely be the odds-on favorites to be the number one seed in the AFC.
#4 Sunday, September 12, New York Jets at Carolina Panthers, 12.00 PM ET (CBS)
Every ex-employee would love the opportunity to stick it to their former boss. New Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold will get that chance in week 1 of the NFL season. The man who replaced Darnold, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson will lead the New York Jets into Carolina for a tough first-up matchup.
Neither of the Jets’ first-round draft picks will want to lose to the other. It remains to be seen if Sam Darnold turn his NFL career around and gain some revenge, or Zach Wilson has a dream NFL debut and gets his team to a massive road win.
#5 Sunday, October 3, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints, 15.25 PM ET (FOX)
Last season, the Bucs went into the Superdome in New Orleans and ruined Saints QB Drew Brees’s final home NFL playoff game.
The NFC South rivals have another added ingredient to this year's matchup. Ex-Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston is likely to be the new Saints play-caller and gunning to get some long-awaited revenge on his former franchise.
The Saints have plenty of ammunition heading into this week 8 clash, and a win in front of their home fans could help ease the pain from last season.
