*Originally published on September 9th 2026 for RTÉ Sport https://www.rte.ie/sport/us-sport/2026/0909/1590910-nfl-preview-rams-head-field-but-unpredictability-reigns/
After a long seven months, the wait is finally over, football is back.
Since the 2020s began, NFL teams had really struggled to get over the Kansas City-shaped hump, but after the Philadelphia Eagles beat them in Super Bowl 59, parity has seemingly been restored.
Few could have foreseen the Seahawks emerging as champions when previewing last season, while the New England Patriots went from bottom of their division to Super Bowl finalists in the space of a year.
This season should be just as unpredictable. Ten teams have new head coaches; many of the league’s stars, like Patrick Mahomes, should be back from long-term injuries, and up-and-comers like Caleb Williams, Bijan Robinson and Drake Maye will look to build on breakout years.
The Los Angeles Rams head into the year as overwhelming favourites. They employ the reigning MVP, Matthew Stafford, and defensive player of the year, Myles Garrett. Throw in Aaron Donald, Trent McDuffie and Puka Nacua, and on paper, they are what can only be described as a ‘superteam’.
Plenty of teams are in the running, though; the Ravens, Lions and Chiefs will look to put their bad seasons behind them, while the Broncos, Bears and Patriots will look to continue their upward trajectory.
Enough table-setting and preseason hype, Week 1 has plenty of top games to sink your teeth into, so here are three games worth watching.
Seattle Seahawks vs New England Patriots
The NFL schedule makers pulled no punches, giving us a Super Bowl rematch to kick off the season.
Seattle’s vaunted ‘Dark Side’ defence was the star of the show last time around, but New England more than held their own by forcing five field goals in the Super Bowl.
It is on the offensive side of the ball where the major talking points begin. The Patriots didn’t score until the fourth quarter against Seattle last season, even with MVP runner-up Drake Maye at quarterback.
New England has moved to address that issue, adding AJ Brown as a genuine number-one target for Maye. The perennial 1,000-yard receiver gives the quarterback a proven weapon who can change a game on his own.
Seattle, meanwhile, will enter Thursday’s game without Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who was lured away to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks are hardly short on talent, though. Jaxon Smith-Njigba returns after being named offensive player of the year, while Sam Darnold remains under centre.
With so little change between the two teams, this should be a fascinating sequel. Essentially the same sides, with a few new weapons, meeting again on the biggest stage. It is some way to start the season.
Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers
An NFC West battle Down Under will be the focus of attention on Friday morning for those playing and attending the game in Melbourne.
The NFL’s first game in Australia is sure to be a cracker; the LA Rams come into the season as the overwhelming favourites to bring home the Lombardi Trophy, while their division rival the 49ers aim to put a dampener on all the early-season hype.
The Rams have an embarrassment of riches on both sides of the ball, with MVP Stafford at quarterback surrounded by some of the league’s best receivers and a defence headlined by two DPOY winners, Garrett and Donald. Calling them a ‘superteam’ may not even do it justice.
The 49ers are no pushovers, though. They beat the Rams with a backup quarterback last season, won six of their last seven games and made the play-offs without many of their stars such as George Kittle, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa. Those injuries have now cleared, and they are more than capable of making a Super Bowl run of their own.
The preparation battle is already underway, with the 49ers having been in Melbourne since last week, while the Rams are set to arrive only 24 hours before kick-off.
With the weapons both sides possess, the MCG should expect more than a few sixes.
Baltimore Ravens vs Indianapolis Colts
In the interest of those who can’t stay up for those late-night matchups, there’s the Ravens vs Colts on Sunday evening.
Last season could hardly have gone worse for Baltimore based on the expectations surrounding them. A 1-5 start and a barrage of injuries derailed their season, while the Colts suffered an equally spectacular collapse, going from 8-2 and in the driver’s seat for a first-round bye only to lose the final seven games and miss the play-offs entirely.
Simply put, both teams have plenty to prove.
For Baltimore, there is a new coach for the first time since 2008, with Jesse Minter replacing John Harbaugh. For Indianapolis, Shane Steichen remains in charge, but after last season’s collapse, the pressure is on to turn a talented roster into a play-off team.
Both sides will want to establish the run. Baltimore still boasts one of the league’s most dangerous combinations in two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, while Indianapolis have Jonathan Taylor, who led the NFL in touchdowns last season.
The biggest question for the Ravens will be how quickly Minter can put his stamp on the team. For the Colts, it is whether they can avoid another spectacular second-half collapse.