NFL Schedule 2018: Patriots, Steelers, Packers, Bears Highlight Best Week 2 Games

There are plenty of interesting games on the schedule for Week 2 of the 2018 NFL season. A couple of important divisional matchups are set for Sunday afternoon, as well as a rematch from last season’s AFC Championship Game.

Here’s a look at the five best games on the Week 2 schedule:

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons

This is one of two Week 2 matchups that features a pair of teams that made last year’s playoffs. With the New Orleans Saints suffering a loss in the season opener, the winner could put themselves in the very early driver’s seat in the NFC South. It’ll be interesting to see how both offenses perform after they combined to score just 28 points in Week 1. Atlanta needs to figure out their red-zone issues if they want to be a Super Bowl contender like they were projected to be. Carolina seemed like they might regress this season, but a victory would put them at 2-0 to start the year.

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

This game should probably have an asterisk next to it. If Aaron Rodgers plays, this is arguably the best contest on the schedule since it features two division rivals that are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The quarterback’s knee injury has his status up in the air heading into the weekend, and it’ll be ugly if it’s DeShone Kizer taking snaps against the NFC’s best defense. Rodgers looked like the league’s best quarterback, even on one leg, in Week 1, and the matchup at Lambeau Field will be a must-watch if the two-time MVP suits up.

Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers

A quarterback injury could also change the complexion of this game, though it’s much more likely that Ben Roethlisberger will play for Pittsburgh. The Steelers entered the season considered to be the biggest threat to the Patriots, but the Chiefs’ Week 1 performance suggests that maybe they should be in the conversation. Patrick Mahomes looked like the real deal, and Kansas City has a chance to have an offense that’s as explosive as Pittsburgh’s. Let’s see what they can do in a tough spot on the road.

New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars nearly beat the Patriots in last season’s AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Can Jacksonville pull off the upset now that they're home? Their league-leading defense looked just as good in their Week 1 win over the New York Giants. New England is still the AFC’s best team with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady at the helm. The quarterback doesn’t exactly have a standout crop of receivers, potentially giving Jacksonville’s defense the edge over the Patriots’ high-powered offense.

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears

We might learn a lot about the Bears on “Monday Night Football.” Will they look like the team that dominated the Packers in the first half last week or will they crumble after blowing a potential win over their NFC North rivals? Seattle has something to prove, as well. The Seahawks entered the season with fairly low expectations after losing a bunch of key defensive players, and they got off to a poor start by allowing 27 points in a loss to the Denver Broncos.