The schedule release is coming! The schedule release is coming!
Yep, between all of the free-agent signings, the trades, the Browns' makeover, the releases and the Andrew Luck news bites, you might have forgotten: The NFL typically drops its schedule on the football-starved masses in April, a week or so before the NFL draft. And hey, we're entering that period right now!
Of course, every team's list of opponents has been available online for months, as the league's annual matchup-making process is formulaic -- an ancillary component of the 2002 realignment. The catch is that so much personnel has changed hands since every organization's opponents were officially finalized way back on January 1. Alex Smith wasn't game-managing in Washington. Jon Gruden wasn't coaching the Raiders. Dez Bryant wasn't a spurned wideout, denouncing "Garrett guys."
Thus, a revisiting of 2018's itinerary reveals many, many enticing matchups. I've performed this exercise at NFL.com for seven years, and 2018 has more initial juice than any other year in memory. Thus, picking the choice 18 for '18 was not effortless.
There are a few random affairs to get us started, for reasons beyond merely how strong the involved teams are. (Side note: If we actually knew when Luck were suiting up again, his first start would've made this list.) Not making the roll: any division games. While 49ers at Rams is sure to be fun with Jimmy G, we left out the garden-variety matchups, no matter how alluring. After all, we see them every year.
Without further ado, check out the top 18 games of the 2018 season. Let me know what I left out: @HarrisonNFL is the place.
18) Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns
You read that right. Read it again. Browns. B-R-O-W-N-S. They kick off the top games of 2018 due to all the offseason changes -- moves that have created a genuine buzz around a franchise which, for quite some time, has been associated with something brown that has nothing to do with the nickname. Tyrod Taylor, Carlos Hyde and Jarvis Landry join the organization, refitting an offense that features new/old face Josh Gordon. And don't forget Myles Garrett, who shined in his rookie season when he wasn't hurt. So, can Cleveland take down a good team like the Chiefs? With my editor's input, we picked Kansas City as a highly intriguing Browns foe, because Patrick Mahomes was one of the quarterbacks Cleveland could've had. League observers cite Deshaun Watson in this regard. We've seen what he can do. We're about to find out about Mahomes. Sam Darnold vs. Mahomes would be darn interesting. As would Josh Allen vs. Mahomes. Baker Mayfield vs. Mahomes? Already was a spectacular watch (12 touchdown passes!). The Chiefs' newly minted starter was essentially a redshirt last year, so presuming Cleveland goes quarterback at the first or cleanup pick, we'll get to see what amounts to one rookie franchise QB against another.
17) Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins
While the anticipation of watching Alex Smith toil in Washington might not be as interesting as Luck suiting up again, thought this was the most intriguing of the Redskins' matchups on the 2018 schedule. Smith was the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, while Aaron Rodgers and his matted-gel-LA-Looks hair had to wait 23 more selections before going to the Packers. In some ways, no matter what Smith accomplishes in what has already been an impressive career, it will be overshadowed by Rodgers' production and theatrics. That said, it was Smith, not his more famous counterpart, who led the NFL in passer rating last year at 104.7. Can he continue to flip the old narrative that he won't go deep in 2018? Last year, Smith was top-flight at just that, contributing to a robust passing figure of 8.0 yards per attempt.
16) Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos
Rams at Broncos features the classic employee-takes-on-his-former-employer subplot, with Case Keenum seeking great vengeance against a team that discarded him. (Aqib Talib also fits this bill, while we're at it.) From Keenum's perspective, you see, the 2016 Rams were (loosely) in the playoff hunt before Jeff Fisher and Co. benched him to get a look at the rookie. (The rookie who just so happened to be the No. 1 overall pick, but I digress.) Oh, and don't forget that 2015 debacle in Baltimore, either, when everyone watching the game knew Keenum had sustained a head injury. Well, everyone except the Rams' staff, who apparently had their heads up their ... well, they left him out there. The Commish wasn't happy about it. Keenum rebounded with the Vikings last season, even producing a solid outing against his former team: 71 percent completions, 280 yards, 100.8 passer rating. Meanwhile, Keenum's former understudy in L.A., Jared Goff, has endured few starts on the road against stout defenses and rowdy crowds. He did fare very well in Seattle. We'll see about the Mile High City.
15) Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings
One thing to note right off the bat: I don't think the Cardinals are going to touch .500 this season. Yet, the money Arizona shelled out for Sam Bradford ($20 million for 2018, babe), juxtaposed with the fact the Vikings were more than willing to see him fly the coup with the Cards while they wooed Kirk Cousins, makes this matchup a wee bit sexy. Sans Tyrann Mathieu, will the Cardinals be able slow down a quarterback they allegedly were far more interested in than Bradford? That's right, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2010 wasn't exactly first choice in Arizona. He was that Bumble swipe that you find in your feed and say, "Yeah, my last few dates sucked -- why not?" One other reason to watch this game: a healthy David Johnson against that formidable Vikes defense.
14) Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams
The obvious storyline for this deal at the Coliseum is the battle for Los Angeles. Not to be confused with "Battle: Los Angeles," an Aaron Eckhart-driven film that didn't feature long hair and a motorcycle, but arguably was better than the much-ballyhooed football flick in which he played an assistant coach. Yes, "Any Given Sunday" was worse than that sci-fi movie nobody remembers from seven years ago. It's been over three times that long since these two franchises squared off in Los Angeles. In case you were wondering, Jeff Hostetler won the game at quarterback. This time around, it's the well-promoted Rams against the well ... well ... the Chargers. OK, no joke: These Bolts have legit potential, despite their lack of hype (at least compared to the Rams). Anthony Lynn's guys have the pieces to make a move in the West, a la their L.A. brethren last season. The Bolts were mostly quiet during free agency, until GM Tom Telesco made a big move for center Mike Pouncey. Think the Chargers win this sucker. Calling it now. Joey Bosa gets two sacks, while Andrew Whitworth contains Melvin Ingram.
13) Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Now that we've soared past some players pitted against their former teams -- and a little regional fare -- let's take our first dive into a game that should feature two bona fide Super Bowl contenders. Steelers at Jaguars is part of a handful of 2018's top-shelf games that harken back to last season. The Divisional Round bout was nothing if not riveting. No one really knew if the upstart Jags -- present because of their defense -- could hold on in a video game type of event, one which went markedly different from the regular-season meeting at Heinz Field. While you should not anticipate another 45-42 showing from these two teams, the relevance of this matchup can't be underestimated. The Jags are on the upswing, and usually play much better defensively in Jacksonville. On the other hand, the Steelers went an impressive 7-1 on the road last year, with hardly anyone noticing. There's a reason the Steelers are always in games, starting with No. 26 in the backfield and No. 84 out wide. It doesn't get any better than Antonio Brown vs. Jalen Ramsey. Like Schlitz Beer.
12) Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans
Only one Cowboys game makes this list. For good reason, too. Specifically, Dallas won't be all that good. Afraid Jason Garrett's group could be in for another meh 9-7 campaign. What makes this matchup stellar is that it features a rare intra-state meeting between these two organizations, combined with the fact that both should at least contend for the playoffs (though it will be an uphill battle for the team three hours north of Houston). While on the subject of the Texans, the return of J.J. Watt -- and what kind of player he'll be at this stage of his career -- has been lost in the underpass of Deshaun Watson's expressway to stardom. Of course, we don't know what to make of the latter's return from a serious injury of his own. Yet with Watt back in the fold, Whitney Mercilus' return and the Honey Badger's arrival, Houston looks formidable on all sides of the ball.
11) New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
Some folks might think Patriots at Steelers should be higher in this rundown. Yet, since we get this game nearly every year (because of how high both teams finish in the standings, which is to their credit), it fails to nab a loftier slot. Truthfully, most of the matchups between Bill Belichick's squad and Mike Tomlin's guys have been dull to mediocre. Last season's game was an exception, with Rob Gronkowski Winslow-ing the crap out of Pittsburgh's secondary from his tight end spot ... before the other, significantly-less-famous tight end made the most significant non-play in the NFL since #Dezcaughtit. Given Ben Roethlisberger's propensity to torch great teams at home (as opposed to playing down to the cruddy outfits on the road) and the not-surprising departure of Malcolm Butler from New England, we might see another fourth-quarter shootout. Home-field is always on the line when these two franchises link up.
10) Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars
This was the hardest matchup to place on the top 18 of '18. We know the Eagles will be
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