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NFL expectations are at an all-time high heading into the 2022 season. The Los Angeles Rams are the defending NFC and Superbowl champions. If they plan on repeating, they are going to have to battle through a conference that may not have the elite talent of the AFC, but does have some interesting depth.
The NFL announced their 2022 schedule, and fans are scouring through their favorite teams' matchups to figure out if they are more likely to make the playoffs or draft in the top ten.
Here is a breakdown of the top three games for every NFC team this regular season.
Arizona Cardinals
Week 1: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 10: @ Los Angeles Rams
Week 16: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Cardinals get an early test against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. With all the offseason uncertainty with the Cardinals, if they come out strong in week 1, perhaps a lot of questions will be answered. A division game against the Rams is always a marquee event and a late-season battle with Tom Brady's Buccaneers should clear up the NFC playoff picture.
Atlanta Falcons
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 15: @ New Orleans Saints
Week 16: @ Baltimore Ravens
The Falcons seem like a team destined for a top 5 pick. A matchup in week 4 against the Browns should give us a pretty good idea if Marcus Mariota is anything besides a back-up quarterback. Week 15 against the Saints could be the debut of Desmond Ridder, coming off of a bye, though we are likely to see him before that.
Carolina Panthers
Week 8: @Atlanta Falcons
Week 15: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions
The Panthers might be the team with the most question marks heading into the season. Matt Rhule's time in Carolina seems to be coming to an end, but if the team can stay healthy, i.e. Christian McCaffery, the Panthers might be a sneaky playoff contender. Their Week 15 matchup could be a rookie vs. rookie quarterback duel with Kenny Pickett taking on Matt Corral.
Chicago Bears
Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 3: vs. Houston Texans
Week 13: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 1 of the season will see two of the top young quarterbacks from the 2021 class clash in a Trey Lance vs. Justin Fields battle. Week 3 will have some sentimental value to it, as Lovie Smith makes his return to Chicago. Aaron Rodgers owns the Chicago Bears if you haven't heard, and if the new regime in Chicago wants to make a statement, they cannot let Rodgers win in Chicago again.
Dallas Cowboys
Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 10: @ Green Bay Packers
Week 16: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Are the Cowboys NFC contenders or pretenders? We will find out early when they battle the Buccaneers in the week 1 opener. Going into Green Bay is a problem for any team, but if the Cowboys do see themselves as NFC champs, they're going to have to beat the Packers. The Cowboys have always been a focal point of NFL fans, but if they don't start truly winning, there will be problems in Dallas.
Detroit Lions
Week 5: @New England Patriots
Week 8: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 12: vs. Buffalo Bills (Thanksgiving)
The Lions have some exciting young talent and the most unexciting decent starting quarterback in the NFL. Week 5's matchup against the Patriots will see the Lions battling former head coach Matt Patricia (now an assistant back with the Patriots). The annual Thanksgiving game is always a marquee game for the Lions, and we will see just how far Dan Campbell has come against one of the NFL's best.
Green Bay Packers
Week 3: @Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 8: @Buffalo Bills
Week 15: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Anytime you look at Green Bay's schedule, you focus on the quarterback's head-to-head matchup between Aaron Rodgers and whoever the Packers are playing. Rodgers vs. Brady, perhaps for the last time in a NFL game, is the highlight of week 3. Week 8 will test the Packers defense against the high-powered Bills offense and a late-season game against the Rams will tell us a lot about the shifts of power in the NFC.
Los Angeles Rams
Week 1: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 8: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 12: @Kansas City Chiefs
When you are the defending NFL Superbowl champion, everyone is coming for you. The Bills will be on week-one watch, trying to prove themselves as the best team in the NFL right from the outset. A rivalry game at home against the 49ers could be a battle for the division lead. We were close to a Rams/Chiefs Superbowl last year, so the week 12 game should be a highlight of the NFL season.
Minnesota Vikings
Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week 12: vs. New England Patriots
Week 17: @ Green Bay Packers
Are the Vikings good? Are the Vikings bad? We really have no idea. They should be solid enough that the mid-season games against the Cowboys and Patriots will mean something for their future. If the division breaks out like most experts believe, the week 17 battle in Green Bay could be for the North division crown.
New Orleans Saints
Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 16: @Cleveland Browns
Week 17: @Philadelphia Eagles
The Saints are another mysterious team heading into the 2022 NFL season. They definitely think they're a good team. We should get some quick information on how the team will fare without Sean Payton in week 2 against division rivals Tampa Bay.
New York Giants
Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week 10: vs. Houston Texans
Week 18: @Philadelphia Eagles
The New York Giants probably won't be any better in the 2022 NFL season, which is why a week 10 game against the Texans that looks like an absolute dog is on the list. This could be the game that decides Daniel Jones' future with the team. If he's not able to lead the Giants to an impressive win here, it doesn't matter what he does in week 18 against the Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles
Week 5: @ Arizona Cardinals
Week 13: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 16: @Dallas Cowboys
The Eagles seem like a team ready to take the next step in the NFL. Jalen Hurts vs. Kyler Murray in a battle of former Oklahoma quarterbacks will be one to watch for fantasy football players. Week 13 sees AJ Brown battle his former teammates. That matchup should be full of emotion.
San Franscisco 49ers
Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 11: @Arizona Cardinals (In Mexico)
Week 14: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trey Lance should be under center for the 49ers against the Chiefs in week 7, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts with Patrick Mahomes on the other NFL sideline. A week 11 game in Mexico versus the Cardinals might also be a battle for a playoff spot. There was some talk that Tom Brady might make his way to the 49ers in the offeason. That never materialized, but seeing Brady vs. the Niners defense is always fun.
Seattle Seahawks
Week 1: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 13: @Los Angeles Rams
Week 18: @Kansas City Chiefs
Has there ever been a more emotional and history-laden game than Seattle hosting the Denver Broncos in Week 1 of Monday Night Football? Russell Wilson's return to Seattle will be the talk of the NFL in week one, and emotions will be high. The games against the Rams and Chiefs are significantly more for their opponents than for the Drew Lock or Geno Smith-led Seahawks.
Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Week 1: @Dallas Cowboys
Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 15: vs. Cincinnatti Bengals
This could be Tom Brady's final year in the NFL. If it is, every game is significant for the best player to ever throw the ball. Going into Dallas in week one and picking up a victory will be a great way to start the season in what should be a tight race in the NFC. Brady vs. Rodgers and Brady vs. Burrow are two epic matchups.
Washington Commanders
Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 7: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 16: @ San Francisco 49ers
Who knows what the Commanders NFL season will be like? If their defense jumps back a level, they could surprise some teams. Then again, they do have Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback. Wentz battles his old, old team in the Eagles in week 3 which should get plenty of people talking. The week 7 matchup will test the defensive progress made by the Commanders.
