2010 NFL Schedule: Rating the Primetime Games

With the release of any NFL schedule, the fans look right towards who will be playing the night games each week. The primetime games are usually chosen on what game is the best matchup of the week (at least that is what most people assume). So, here are my ratings (1 to 10 scale) on the primetime games this season.

Week 1

Vikings at Saints (Thursday): 10

Cowboys at Redskins(Sunday): 6

Ravens at Jets(Monday): 10

Chargers at Chiefs(Monday): 7

The NFL hit a home run with the Vikings-Saints and Ravens-Jets games but the Boys-Skins game is just there because of Donovan McNabb and the obligatory west coast game on the first Monday is not even on the west coast this year.

Week 2

Giants at Colts (Sunday): 10

Saints at 49ers (Monday): 7

Eli vs. Peyton will generate tons of early-season hype.

The 49ers better be good this season because the NFL gave them a handful of primetime games, two at home against playoff teams from last season.

Week 3

Jets at Dolphins (Sunday): 9

Packers at Bears (Monday): 6

The Jets and Dolphins always play entertaining games in primetime no matter where they are in the standings.

I feel like Packers-Bears is always on once in primetime per season because it is Packers-Bears. I'm tired of it.

Week 4

Bears at Giants (Sunday): 6

Patriots at Dolphins (Monday): 9

Seeing the Bears in primetime in two straight weeks could be painful depending on how good or bad Jay Cutler plays.

The AFC East is a very competitive division and it will still be hot in Miami at this time in season, we will see how the Pats deal with that.

Week 5

Eagles at 49ers (Sunday): 7 

Vikings at Jets (Monday): 10

This will be Kevin Kolb's first chance to prove to America why the Eagles traded McNabb and the 49ers chance to beat a NFC power.

Vikings-Jets has tons of potential to be a great game, if Brett Favre comes back.

Week 6

Colts at Redskins: (Sunday): 5

Titans at Jaguars: (Monday): 6

The McNabb overkill continues as the Colts should take this game easily.

The Titans could also win their game easily, but Jacksonville will get a chance to play on national television and could pull an upset.

Week 7

Vikings at Packers (Sunday): 10

Giants at Cowboys (Monday): 9

One of the better rivalries in football, this game is a 10 based on Favre coming back, which I think he will, if not the Packers have an advantage at quarterback.

The obligatory Giants-Cowboys primetime game will be exciting. A huge upgrade from the Week 6 games.

Week 8

Steelers at Saints (Sunday): 9

Texans at Colts (Monday): 10

The NFL hit a homerun in Week 8. The Steelers should be better this season and Roethlisberger could be extra motivated for this season, trying to regain the trust of the Steeler organization.

The Texans are the team to watch out for the AFC. It is their time to finally make the playoffs and this game has already been circled on Gary Kubiak's calendar.

Week 9

Cowboys at Packers (Sunday): 8

Steelers at Bengals (Monday): 7

Cowboys-Packers has potential to be a good game, but I said that last year and we all know what happened then.

The Bengals will not be as successful as 2009 and the Steelers with Big Ben should win easily.

Week 10

Ravens at Falcons (Thursday): 8

Patriots at Steelers (Sunday): 8       

Eagles at Redskins (Monday): 8

Thursday Night Football begins with Flacco vs. Ryan, a battle of QBs that could be even bigger in three years.

The Steelers overkill continues with the Pats coming into town.

The Eagles-Skins game should have been the game in Philly in Week 4, but the drama will still be there, especially if T.O. gets added to the mix.

Week 11

Bears at Dolphins (Thursday): 7

Giants at Eagles (Sunday): 8          

Broncos at Chargers (Monday): 8

Bears-Dolphins is an okay game, it all depends on how the Bears are faring by Week 11.

Giants-Eagles is always a good game and will most likely have some type of storyline that develops during the season.

The AFC West finally gets some love in a game that should help determine the division race.

Week 12

Bengals at Jets (Thursday): 6

Chargers at Colts (Sunday): 8

49ers @ Cardinals (Monday): 10

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!!! in the Thanksgiving nightcap.

The obligatory Chargers-Colts primetime game will go the way of Peyton and company who could still be undefeated at this time.

49ers-Cardinals could decide the NFC West and could be a passing of the torch to the 49ers.

Week 13

Texans at Eagles (Thursday): 10 

Steelers at Ravens (Sunday): 10      

Jets at Patriots (Monday): 10

A great week of primetime games begins with Texans going into Philly in December, a good test in the cold for a potential playoff team in Houston.

Steelers-Ravens is a great division rivalry that good mean a lot in December.

Jets-Patriots has the same as Steelers-Ravens but has Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick, enough said.

Week 14

Colts at Titans (Thursday): 7

Eagles at Cowboys (Sunday): 10

Ravens at Texans (Monday): 10

The Colts could have the AFC South locked up by Week 14, if not a win over the Titans could do it.

Eagles-Cowboys Game 1 should mean a lot but the second matchup in Philly in Week 17 will mean more.

Ravens-Texans could be a battle for a playoff spot if the Ravens do not win the AFC North.

Week 15

49ers at Chargers (Thursday): 8

Packers at Patriots (Sunday): 9        

Bears at Vikings (Monday): 6

49ers-Chargers is an intriguing matchup in December because both could be playoff teams.

Packers-Pats has great game written all over it with both being potential playoff teams as well.

And then there's the Bears. Why the NFL thinks the Bears will be in playoff contention at this point is stupid. Vikings win an easy game with Favre leading them to a possible division title.

Week 16

Panthers at Steelers (Thursday): 6

Cowboys at Cardinals (Saturday): 7

Chargers at Bengals (Sunday): 7

Saints at Falcons (Monday): 10

The last week of primetime games sees the Panthers getting their one national television game in Pittsburgh, or to make it simple a loss.

Remember how exciting Cowboys-Cardinals was in 2008? It won't be this season.

Remember how good the Bengals were last season? They won't be this season.

Thank God for Saints-Falcons to salvage this horrendous Week 16 primetime lineup on Christmas weekend. The present comes two days late but better late than never.

Week 17

No Primetime Games

With all division games and no one having to wait until midnight to find out their playoff fate, the NFL did it right here.