We’re on the doorstep of one more season within the NFL and it is anticipated to be a doozy. Proper out of the shoot, we’ve 4 days of motion on deck with video games being performed on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday throughout the league. These video games function some must-see matchups between Super Bowl contenders, together with Ravens-Chiefs on Thursday night time.
Whereas these contests are intriguing merely due to how they might impression the general season, we’ll peel again the onion a bit right here on this area. Under, we’ll spotlight particular in-game matchups which can be price your time to hunt out as you sit again and watch the 2024 season take its first steps. Some shall be precise in-game duels between specific gamers and/or place teams (Ex. WR vs. CB) whereas others shall be extra of overarching matchups (Ex. QB vs. QB). So, get your pencil able to circle these marquee matchups which can be set to pop off in Week 1.
Lamar Jackson vs. Steve Spagnuolo’s blitzes
The primary storyline surrounding this sport is the sheer undeniable fact that the Ravens and Chiefs shall be duking it out for the primary time since Ok.C. knocked Baltimore out of the playoffs within the AFC Championship final season. If each franchises stay as much as their potential this season, this might show to be a sport that determines key seeding within the convention. That stated, we’re particularly one thing from that playoff showdown final winter that might rear its head on this matchup.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo deployed 20 completely different blitzes at Jackson within the AFC Championship and knocked the league MVP off-kilter. In these dropbacks, Jackson accomplished simply eight of his 18 go makes an attempt (44%) and averaged 6.9 yards per go try. When going through no blitz, he was 12 of 19 (63%) and had a 7.7 yards-per-pass-attempt common. When the Chiefs despatched six rushers, Jackson was 1 of 6 for five yards passing.
Particularly, we’ll be trying to see how typically Kansas Metropolis elects to ship a defensive again in after Jackson. Within the AFC Championship, they recorded a season-high 12 defensive again blitzes and Jackson accomplished simply three of his 10 throws for 21 yards below these situations.
If the Chiefs can discover comparable success in Week 1, it may dilute what’s projected to be a deadly Baltimore offense.
49ers third-down protection vs. Aaron Rodgers
In relation to a protection vs. offense matchup on this “Monday Night time Soccer” showdown between the 49ers and Jets, I believe most would say they’re particularly intrigued by how San Francisco’s offense fares in opposition to New York’s protection. I would not even fault you for it. In spite of everything, the Jets protection was No. 1 within the NFL in fewest yards allowed per play (4.6), whereas the Niners offense had the very best yards-per-play common (6.6) within the league.
Nonetheless, I am wanting on the reverse sides of this matchup. Whereas San Francisco is essentially lauded as a top-flight protection, they had been sneaky dangerous on third down in 2023. They allowed the sixth-most third-down conversions (5.5) per sport within the league and ranked twenty seventh within the NFL in opponent third-down conversion price, permitting opposing offenses to maneuver the chains 42.5% of the time. That reared its head within the Super Bowl when the protection allowed Kansas Metropolis to transform on 9 of their 19 third-down conditions (47.3%) and their lone fourth-down try.
Final season, the Jets had been the worst third-down offense within the league, posting a conversion price of 25.96%. In fact, we are able to throw that out due to a revamped offensive line and the return of Aaron Rodgers, who missed all of final season resulting from a torn Achilles simply 4 snaps into the 2023 opener. For what it is price, Rodgers has a 104.1 passer score on third down in his profession.
Nico Collins vs. Colts secondary
A variety of discuss has been made relating to the arrival of Stefon Diggs into Houston’s offense, however Nico Collins ought to nonetheless be checked out because the No. 1 possibility on this receiver room, particularly because it pertains to the opener in opposition to Indy. In 2023, Collins torched his AFC South rival, topping 100 yards receiving in every matchup.
In Week 2, Collins exploded for seven catches, 146 yards and a landing. He adopted that up throughout a pivotal Week 18 matchup the place the third-year receiver caught 9 balls for 195 yards and a landing. These 341 complete yards receiving on the most by anybody go catcher in opposition to the Colts in a season all time.
So, what does he have in retailer for an encore?
Micah Parsons vs. Myles Garrett
That is a kind of matchups that is not precisely a head-to-head on the sector, however extra of how two of the highest gamers on one aspect of the ball carry out in a single sport. On Sunday afternoon, we get two of one of the best go rushers within the sport wreaking havoc for his or her respective groups as Micah Parsons’ Cowboys roll into Cleveland to face Myles Garrett and the Browns.
Garrett is coming off a Defensive Participant of the 12 months-winning season and is at the moment checked out as one of the best defensive participant within the league, significantly following the retirement of Rams defensive sort out Aaron Donald this offseason. Nonetheless, Parsons is amongst these nipping at Garrett’s heels for that title and this Week 1 matchup ought to put that debate into additional view.
Parsons and Garrett had been prime two within the NFL in stress proportion final season with the Cowboys star coming in at a league-best 21.8% whereas Garrett was proper behind him with 18.3% (tied with Josh Hines-Allen). Parsons wrapped up his third season within the NFL in 2023 and has already compiled 40.5 sacks. Solely Reggie White, Derrick Thomas and Aldon Smith have had extra over that very same stretch to start a profession. As for Garrett, his 88.5 sacks inside his first 100 profession video games are the third-most since 1982 behind solely Reggie White and T.J. Watt.
If you wish to see premier go dashing, that is the sport to observe.
Trevor Lawrence vs. Tua Tagovailoa
We’ve got a ton of nice quarterback matchups in Week 1, together with Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes on Thursday and even Matthew Stafford vs. Jared Goff on Sunday. Nonetheless, I am curious to see how this quarterback duel between Trevor Lawrence and Tua Tagovailoa down in Miami.
These two signal-callers have historical past courting to their faculty days when Lawrence was at Clemson and Tagovailoa was at Alabama. On the collegiate degree, they squared off within the College Football Playoff Nationwide Championship to cap off the 2018 season. There, Lawrence bested Tagovailoa to steer the Tigers to a title. Lawrence additionally has the win within the lone matchup they’ve had within the NFL.
In these two video games mixed, Lawrence has averaged 333 yards passing to go together with 4 passing touchdowns and nil interceptions. As for Tagovailoa, he is averaged 312 yards passing in these head-to-heads whereas totaling 4 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Each of those quarterbacks inked large $50-plus million-per-season extensions this offseason and have but to really show themselves on the playoff stage. A win for both of them to start the 2024 season may go a great distance in constructing towards that elusive deep playoff run.
