Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers
This is going to be a huge first test for a Panthers team looking to contend for a playoff spot in 2013. They will have to go up against one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the conference and be tasked with moving the ball against what has to be considered the most talented defense in the league.
Cam Newton will have to perform at a high level for Carolina to walk away with a win Week 1. The issue here is that the Panthers young quarterback has been inconsistent over the past season plus and needs to show that he can go up against elite defenses and come out on top.
Interestingly enough, Newton and the Panthers performed mildly better on the road than they did at home. Carolina lost five of its eight home games with its quarterback throwing just one more touchdown (nine) than interceptions (eight).
The good news here is that Seattle is 7-11 in its last 18 road games, postseason included. It simply isn't the same team away from the friendly confines of the Pacific Northwest.
Key Matchup: It's going to be intriguing to see how Steve Smith does against Seattle's elite set of starting cornerbacks. Richard Sherman will likely line up against Carolina's No. 1 receiver. If so, it's going to be important for Smith to provide at least a little production on the outside. The likes of Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards don't necessarily strike fear in the best defensive backfield in the game.
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
This one promises to be a high-scoring affair. All the indicators are there for Matt Ryan and Drew Brees to have big games. Ryan put up 576 yards with four touchdowns and one interception against the Saints last year, while Brees responded with 639 yards and three scores. He did, however, throw a career-high five interceptions in a Thursday Night Football game in Atlanta.
No one can reasonably expect either defense to stop their counterparts on the other side of the ball. Instead, turnovers are going to play a big role here. Can Asante Samuel force Brees into a mistake? Do the Saints have anybody to step up in the defensive secondary to force a turnover or two?
Either way, New Orleans can make a huge statement here. It is playing at home against the defending division champions and a team that many are predicting to run away with the division again this year. A win here will change that perception relatively quickly.
Key Matchup: Offensive lines vs defensive lines. Both the Saints and Falcons come into the season with major questions along the offensive line. Both are also going to struggle getting to the quarterback on a consistent basis in 2013. In a game filled with skill-position talent, the trenches may decide the outcome.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets
Does Darrelle Revis really need to give his new team secrets about how the Jets operate on offense? It's not like their operation is exactly the most sound in the NFL. Heck, send 10 Buccaneers' defenders into this game on a play-by-play basis and it will still be able to stop the Geno Smith-led Jets. At the very least, fans in New Jersey don't have to sit around for three hours booing one Mark Sanchez.
As it is, this game really shouldn't be that close. The level of talent that Tampa Bay will throw on to the field Sunday is going to far outweigh New York's home-field advantage. Expect major struggles from the Jets and their rookie quarterback against what promises to be a vastly improved Buccaneers' defense.
Key Matchup: The only way New York comes away with a win here is if Josh Freeman makes a ton of unforced mistakes and turns the ball over. In addition, Smith will have to play mistake-free football on offense for the Jets to come close. As odd as it might sound, the key matchup here is between these two quarterbacks.