After the Seattle Seahawks decimated the Green Bay Packers, 36-16, the NFL had officially returned. Though it wasn't much of a game following halftime, the matchup set the stage for the first full slate of games on Sunday afternoon.
Several contests this weekend promise to be intriguing for NFL fans. Whether it's a divisional clash or the prime-time showdown, there truly is no reason to look away from the TV on Sunday or Monday night.
For fantasy owners and traditional fans alike, the Sunday slate offers plenty to look forward to. The Sunday schedule caps off with Peyton Manning facing the Indianapolis Colts, so there are also myriad storylines.
Ahead of the first full slate, here's a look at the full schedule and a breakdown of the Week 1 games.
Breakdown of Week 1 NFL GamesThat hunger for football was somewhat subsided on Thursday night, but Sunday is like a buffet for NFL fans.
Fantasy owners will be watching nearly every game, but two of the most entertaining early matchups are divisional clashes. Whether it's the Cincinnati Bengals traveling to take on the Baltimore Ravens or New Orleans Saints facing the Atlanta Falcons, there is plenty to salivate over.
One player everyone will be watching during the 1 p.m. ET games will be Jimmy Graham. Following a monster 2013 season, Graham debated whether he was a wide receiver or tight end. Ultimately, it was ruled he was a tight end, and he's one who comes in with huge expectations.
Looking to meet those predictions, there is no better opponent for Graham than the Falcons. Pete Prisco of CBS Sports explains how dominant Graham has been against Atlanta:
In his last seven games against the Falcons, Graham has been targeted 54 times, has 35 catches for 500 yards and seven touchdowns.
As one Falcons staffer recently said to me, 'We have big matchup problems with Graham.'
... They can double him, but Brees will kill them with his outside receivers if that happens, and he has more speed now than in recent years. Even so, I would take my chances with that.
While the Falcons are hoping to turn things around after a horrid 4-12 season in 2013, they face one of the most explosive offenses in the NFC. But if Julio Jones and Matt Ryan have anything to say about it, this will still be a tight contest.
As for the midday games, it doesn't get much bigger than the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. With all due respect to the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers-I live in North Carolina-the other two franchises have nine more Super Bowl wins between them.
Whoever wins the game on Sunday takes the upper hand in the series, as the Cowboys' account notes:
The Cowboys and @49ers have squared off 33 times, with the series tied at 16-16-1. #DALvsSF- Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 5, 2014
The game is also a meaningful one for Michael Crabtree. The Niners' No. 1 receiver was born in Dallas and attended Texas Tech before being drafted by San Francisco at 10th overall in the 2009 NFL draft.
Following a injury-riddled season in 2013, Crabtree is ready to go for the season opener, per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. In a great feature about Crabtree by Taylor Price of 49ers.com, the wideout explains his expectations coming into the season:
In football you always get a chance to come back and show people what the real deal is. You always get a chance. You live to see another down.
I'm definitely going to give the people what they want. Put it like this: I've been doing this, I've been the man on the field since middle school. It's nothing new to me. I'm in my prime right now. I don't really have time to be playing. I'm all business.
Last but certainly not least, on Sunday the Denver Broncos will host the Colts on NBC. On the heels of a record-setting season, Manning faces his former team for the second time in his career.
Only this time it's at home.
Andrew Luck defeated his predecessor in 2013 but will be facing off with a much tougher defense. The Broncos added the likes of T.J. Ward and DeMarcus Ware, improving a team that came up short of a Super Bowl last season.
SNF on NBC provides a look at the statistics Manning has put up during his historic career:
Sunday Night Spotlight: Peyton Manning and the @Broncos take on the @Colts this Sunday! #SNF http://ift.tt/1Bl1JBN SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 5, 2014
Both franchises have Super Bowl aspirations again this season, but the Broncos come in with firepower on both sides of the ball. Wes Welker will miss the game, but Denver still has Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas and Montee Ball surrounding Manning.
All three will be clashes worth watching, but the prime-time game should provide the most punch. Manning vs. Luck will be the storyline, but it might not be the last time these two teams face each other this season. Follow R. Cory Smith on Twitter:
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