Officially, the Week 1 schedule is one-for-one in division games (Cowboys at Eagles). Unofficially (for now), it’s two-for-two (Chargers vs. Chiefs in Brazil).
So here’s the question: Will division games predominate in Week 1?
Since 2010, the regular season has ended with a weekend of division games only. It was driven by competitive integrity concerns. Fifteen years later, it’s still not clear how or why that matters.
If teams with playoff berths clinched will be resting starters for the postseason, the Week 18 opponent won’t change that. And if someone is trying to tank, facing a division rival won’t tap into some reservoir of pride that will prevent it.
Going with division rivalries out of the gates would add some spice to the opening slate. A little contempt bred from familiarity.
Last year, three of the Week 1 games involved division rivalries. Maybe there will only be two this year. Regardless, the first two games — Thursday night and Friday night — will involve division rivalries.
If that trend continues for prime-time games, how about the Steelers (and Aaron Rodgers) against the Bengals or the Ravens on Sunday night? Packers-Lions on Monday night?
The only issue with sending division rivalries to prime time early means that the rematch can’t be flexed into a key evening spot later. By rule, the network traditionally affiliated with each conference (CBS for the AFC and Fox for the NFC) is required to televise at least one of the two games in each division rivalry.
Which means that, for now, Eagles-Cowboys definitely will be on Fox, and Chargers-Chiefs definitely will be on CBS.
