By Darnell "Playmaker" Sallins
The 2023 NFL Schedule have been released and we are excited to watch football once again in September. Besides looking at your own team schedule for difficulty, most fans look for the primetime games to watch. The games that make you stay up late at night because you don't want to miss anything spectacular on the gridiron.
Here we have our TOP INTRIGUING Primetime games for the 2023 NFL season:
Kansas City Chiefs at New York Jets (Week 4-SNF)
Normally this matchup will be a snoozer because of the recent history of the New York Jets being bad and the Kansas City Chiefs being Super Bowl Champions and having the Best QB in the game. However, this Sunday Night Football matchup is must-see because it's Patrick Mahomes visiting Aaron Rodgers in the Rodgers's new home MetLife Stadium.
This will be the third head-to-head matchup between the QBs as it is 1-1. Rodgers bested Mahomes in 2019 with a score 31-24 and Mahomes paid Rodgers back winning 13-7 in 2021. Aaron Rodgers would have three games under his belt as the new Jets QB before the Super Bowl Champs coming crushing MetLife Stadium.
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals (Week 9-SNF)
This game in Week 9 of the NFL season writes itself. You can begin with the Monday Night Football game in Cincinnati last season where Damar Hamlin laid emotionless on the field after collapsing from a collision with Bengals' WR Tee Higgins in the first quarter. The game would be eventually suspended then overall cancelled all together. It is good to say after months and months that Mr. Hamlin is medically clear to play football again.
Then we can go to the AFC Divisional Round in Buffalo where the Bengals beat the Bills 27-10 to the AFC Championship game for the second consecutive season. Josh Allen had arguably his worst game for the season that game. Only throwing for 264 yards with an interception on 42 passes, completing 25. Joe Burrown on the other side, didn't much of a bigger game statistically, throwing for 242 yards with two touchdown passes.
Now they will meet again in Cincinnati for another primetime showdown in The Jungle. At the midpoint of the season, this game will prove to be bigger for both teams.
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens (Week 11-TNF)
Sticking with the Cincinnati Bengals because two weeks later it will be an AFC North clash in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. This will be the second meeting between the two teams as this will kick off Week 11 of the season. The first meeting would have taken place in Week 2 in Cincinnati which makes this game even more important for divisional purposes.
The Bengals will look to win the AFC North for a third consecutive season and the Ravens will look to recapture the AFC North from the Bengals.
Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs (Week 11-MNF)
With the Bengals-Ravens kicking off Week 11, the Super Bowl rematch will end Week 11 on Monday Night Football. The Philadelphia Eagles visiting the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium is the most anticipated matchup this NFL season.
Jalen Hurts proved himself last season for the Eagles, guiding them to the Super Bowl, but Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs was a touch better in Arizona to win their second Super Bowl in four years.
Now we will get Round II between Hurts and Mahomes.
Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 13-MNF)
The Cincinnati Bengals have made the list of a third time. This time on Monday Night Football with a trip to Jacksonville, Florida. DUVVVAALLL! Trevor Lawarence and the Jacksonville Jaguars will be waiting for Joe Burrow and the Bengals in their own Jungle Stadium of TIAA Bank Field.
This will be the second NFL meeting and third overall between Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. Their first meeting took place in college where Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers defeated Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers in the National Championship game in 2019.
They would see each other again in 2021 where Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars went up to Cincinnati for Thursday Night Football where Joe Burrow and the Bengals won 24-21 in Week 4.
Joe Burrow has been to two AFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance since that colligate meeting. Trevor Lawrence, on the other hand had a terrible rookie season under Urban Myers and then rebounded last second under Doug Pederson as the Jaguars unexpectedly won the AFC South.
Other Intriguing Matchups
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (Week 14-SNF)
Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 15-SNF)
Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Chargers (Week 16-SNF)
Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers (Week 16-MNF)