NFL Schedule 2011: Picking the Game to Watch in Every Week of the Season

Now that we are guaranteed to have football in 2011, we need to know which games are the ones that we have to watch. Following are the best games of every week in the 2011-12 NFL season.

With the NFL lockout behind us, the football gods have given us reason to cheer. If you're looking for more, however, you need to watch each of these games.

These are going to be the games of the week, and they are sure to please the viewers. If you ever need to know which game to watch, just check back here.

Week 1: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week 1 of the 2011 NFL Season has a number of good games to watch. With the last two Super Bowl Champions playing on Thursday night (New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers) and the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans fighting for control of the AFC South, there are a lot of options.

The best game of the week, however, is a rematch from the playoffs last season, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens battling for control of the AFC North.

These two teams play hard-nosed football. They love to run the ball and play tight defense. This is going to be a low-scoring affair between two of the best teams in the NFL and it could potentially decide who wins the AFC North title.

Make sure you tune in for this one on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1 pm.

Week 2: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 2 does not have the same caliber of games as Week 1, but it does still hold one of the most important matchups concerning the NFC Playoff picture.

The Philadelphia Eagles will be travelling to Atlanta to take on the Falcons on Sunday Night Football. These are arguably the two best teams in the NFC, and this should have playoff implications, not to mention the fact that Michael Vick will be returning to Atlanta.

The potent offense of the Atlanta Falcons is highly successful at both passing the ball and running it. With Matt Ryan throwing to targets like Roddy White and Julio Jones, and Michael Turner running the ball extremely well, the Falcons are bound to put up some points.

However, the Eagles have made moves to land cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. They also have Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin coming in to help their defensive line. The Eagles have one of the best defenses in the NFL to go along with a powerful offense led by Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson.

Both of these teams are looking to win the Super Bowl and anything less would be devastating. This matchup could help decide who the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are in the NFC during the postseason. Home-field advantage will be crucial if these teams meet again in the playoffs, and this should help decide it.

This is easily the game of the week, and it may even end up being the game of the year.

Week 3: Houston Texans vs. New Orleans Saints

Week 3 has a few good games to watch for. You could watch the New York Giants play the Philadelphia Eagles, the Green Bay Packers play the Chicago Bears, or the Houston Texans play the New Orleans Saints.

Of those three big games, the best is probably the Texans and the Saints. Both of these teams have high-powered offenses, which will make this game a high-scoring affair.

This game has two of the best quarterback-receiver combos in the NFL: Matt Schuab-to-Andre Johnson and Drew Brees-to-Marques Colston.

We are all itching to see Mark Ingram take the field in the NFL, and this game could be a good one for him. The Texans have a decent run-stopping game, but Ingram may be able to find some holes.

This is going to be a good game, and it is going to be the one that I tune-in for at 1 pm on Sunday, Sept. 25.

Week 4: New York Jets vs. Baltimore Ravens

There are two big games in Week 4: the New York Jets vs. the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Houston Texans.

Of the games this week, the best will be the Jets versus the Ravens. These two teams are quickly building a rivalry, and the next edition of this "rivalry" will come in Week 4.

These teams play smashmouth football. They run the ball well, they play tight defense, and they love to hit hard. When teams like this play there is usually a lot of tension, which can lead to brawls.

Seeing the Jets try to regain their previous glory and avenge a 10-9 loss in Week 1 from last season will be interesting, but I predict that the Ravens will win this one.

Week 5: Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 5 showcases two games that we should all watch: the New York Jets vs. the New England Patriots at 4:15 pm, and the Green Bay Packers vs. the Atlanta Falcons at 8:20 pm.

The Jets and Patriots renew their rivalry for control of the AFC East, while the Packers and Falcons jockey for positioning in the playoffs. If you can only see one of these games, make sure that it is the Packers and the Falcons.

These two teams are the two best teams in the NFC not named he Philadelphia Eagles.

The Falcons have a potent offensive game, while the addition of defensive lineman Ray Edwards makes the Falcons' defense a complete, solid unit.

The Packers are the reigning Super Bowl champs, but their offensive line has been depleted, and they have not made any substantial moves to help it. This means that Edwards can tear up the offensive line of the Packers. They are still solid on offense and very good on defense, but they have a tough schedule that is not made easier by playing the Falcons.

This is going to be a great game, but the fact that the Falcons are more complete gives them an edge.

Week 6: Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens

This is not the first appearance on this list for either team, but the Houston Texans travelling to Baltimore to play the Ravens is going to produce a high-quality matchup.

Week 5 of the 2011 NFL season does not have many top-notch games, but this is one.

The Texans will take their high-powered offense and improved defense to take on the Ravens. The Ravens will rely on their stingy defense because their offense has lost key members like Derrick Mason and Todd Heap.

The Texans will look to utilize their well-rounded offense consisting of Matt Schuab, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster to try to outmatch the Ravens and their defense, but this is going to be one of the most interesting matchups we will see.

Week 7: Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints

Week 7 of the 2011 NFL season has two big games: the Chicago Bears vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a rematch of the 2010 Super Bowl, the Indianapolis Colts vs. the New Orleans Saints.

The Colts and Saints were in the Super Bowl less than two years ago, and they will still provide an exciting matchup.

With Peyton Manning re-signing with the Colts like we knew he would, they still have a chance to contend. However, Manning has had problems with his neck, including offseason surgery.

The Colts did not make any moves to improve besides re-signing their players from last season. The Colts went 10-6 last season, and they could do even worse this season.

The reason that this is a game to watch is because if the Colts win this game they will gain a lot of confidence, but if they lose like I expect, the wheels could come off and this team could flop.

Week 8: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 8 of the 2011 NFL season provides us with two games to watch, one at 4:15 pm and the other at 8:20 pm.

The Dallas Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 pm, but if you can only see one game, make sure that it's the New England Patriots vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.

While the Cowboys and Eagles have a rivalry, the two are not even close to evenly matched, with the Eagles being much better. The Patriots and Steelers is an interesting matchup because it features the two best teams in the AFC, and the games does have playoff implications.

The Patriots, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, will easily win 10+ games again. They have signed veteran players like Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco, and returned players like Matt Light. The team has lost very few players from last season when they went 14-2.

The Steelers are relying on a stingy defense, a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, and a better running game. They have a talented team who will be going for a No. 1 seed in the playoffs, but that will only come with a win against New England.

This is going to be a game featuring two teams that are very good on both sides of the ball, and it may be the most important regular season game in the AFC.

Week 9: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 9 of the 2011 NFL season has three big games: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the New Orleans Saints, the Atlanta Falcons vs. the Indianapolis Colts, and the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The best game of the week is once again a rematch from the playoffs lat season, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens battling for control of the AFC North.

These two teams absolutely hate each other. They always play each other tough, and that is because their anger fuels them. There is never a dull moment in a Ravens-Steelers match-up.

This is the second time that these two teams play each other for the game of the week, and that is because anytime two playoff teams with a bitter rivalry meet, it's going to be an exciting game.

Week 10: New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 10 of the 2011 NFL season brings three big games with it. The Houston Texans play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New England Patriots play the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints play the Atlanta Falcons.

The Texans and Buccaneers are both good teams playing for a trip to the playoffs, but that is not enough. The Patriots and Jets have a rivalry and are playing for control of the AFC East, but the Patriots will win the game easily. The Saints and Falcons are reasonably well-matched, and they play for the NFC South title.

The Saints managed to keep the key components of their team while letting others go (Reggie Bush). They have done well in free agency, and they are looking to overtake the Falcons for the lead in the NFC South.

The Falcons are led by a potent offense, and they will try to pick at the Saints' defense, which remains their weak point.

This is going to be a fast, exciting game with major playoff implications.

Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants

Week 11 is a bye week for four top teams: the New Orleans Saints, the Houston Texans, the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers. With that, there are only two big games during that week.

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to New England to take on the Patriots on Monday Night Football with the Chiefs trying to prove that they're legit, but they will be slaughtered. The other big game is the Sunday Night Football matchup of the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the New York Giants.

With the eagles returning to the Meadowlands for the first time since their ridiculous comeback against the Giants last season, there is going to be more bad blood between these teams than usual.

This game could be revenge for the Giants, who will try to topple football's best team, or it could be a wasted opportunity during a disappointing season. Either way, this is the game you want to watch in Week 11.

Week 12: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 12 brings the Game of the Year with it. While I would have liked to have picked a game on Thanksgiving, no game comes close to this one. While there are other good games this week, they are not even worth mentioning compared to this one.

The New England Patriots will be taking on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, November 27 at 4:15 pm EST. These are easily the two best teams in the NFL, and it could be a preview of the Super Bowl.

The Philadelphia Eagles are arguably the best team in the NFL. With the additions of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to Asante Samuel, the Eagles have the best cornerbacks in the league. They also signed two excellent defensive linemen in Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins.

Michael Vick is the most explosive player in the NFL, and he can pass to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin or hand the ball off to LeSean McCoy. The Eagles already had a stacked offense and they added tight end Donald Lee to the mix. They could be the best offense in the NFL this season, rivaled only by the Patriots.

The Pats have an offense to rival the Eagles. With MVP Tom Brady at quarterback, they are well-led. They have Brady throwing to Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Chad Ochocinco, or handing off to BenJarvus Green-Ellis or Danny Woodhead. Their offense is still one of the best in the league, and if anything, got better since they went 14-2 a year ago.

New England's defense is still stingy, and with the addition of Albert Haynesworth, it could be one of the best in the league.

The Patriots have not lost many players and they have gained a good amount of talent. They are going to be even better than last season, which is hard to do, considering they went 14-2.

These two teams could very well be undefeated coming into this game, and it is definitely going to be the best of the year.

Week 13: Atlanta Falcons vs. Houston Texans

Week 13 does not have a lot of big matchups and it is bound to be a disappointment after Week 12, but it does have one.

The Atlanta Falcons will be travelling to Houston to take on the Texans and this game is bound to have some fireworks.

The Falcons' offense is led by Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Michael Turner, while the Texans are led by Matt Schuab, Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. These are both the cores of incredible offenses, and they will be the names heard most often during Week 13.

This game is bound to be high scoring, and it is going to be the game of the week because these two teams will both put up big numbers.

Week 14: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week 14 gives us two more premier matchups, one between the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts and one between NFC East foes, the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

The Giants and Cowboys will be the better of the two matchups because they are divisional rivals.

The Giants and Cowboys have both fallen from the top-10 best teams in the league, and one could argue that they have fallen out of the top half of teams. Nevertheless, they are bound to put on a show in their matchup in Week 14.

These two teams absolutely abhor each other, and that hatred always produces a good game of football. I could've picked a game between better teams, but these two teams are evenly matched and hate each other. In short, they have everything needed for an instant classic.

Week 15: Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Week 15 gives us yet another good matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs at 1:00 pm, and if you're looking for more, the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles play at 4:15 pm.

The Packers and Chiefs are going to give us the game of the week, however, because they are both top-notch teams.

The Chiefs added DT Kelly Gregg and WR Steve Breaston to an already good team and they greatly improved their chances of making the playoffs. Behind Jamaal Charles' running game, this team could be a big surprise.

The Packers have been in a game of the week, and being such, you already know that they have a good defense and an even better offense. Aaron Rodgers deserved his title belt from last season by winning the Super Bowl, but don't expect a repeat.

These two teams are pretty evenly matched, and they will provide us with a good game for sure.

Week 16: Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week 16 gives us another week full of action after a few weeks that were relatively dull. It gives us matchups between the New York Giants vs. the New York Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Dallas Cowboys, the Chicago Bears vs. the Green Bay Packers, the Atlanta Falcons vs. the New Orleans Saints and the Houston Texans vs. the Indianapolis Colts.

All of these are good matchups, and most of them are between divisional rivals, but the Texans and Colts will be the best game.

The Texans and Colts both have high-powered offenses, and shaky defenses. The Texans have made moves to improve their defense and they are about even with the Colts.

In a game featuring Peyton Manning, Matt Schuab, Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Joseph Addai and Arian Foster, there is going to be a lot of action. This is going to be a game that pleases just about everyone.

Week 17: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants

Week 17 is usually not a very good week for football. The top teams are in and aren't playing anyone good, while the worst teams are out and secretly hoping to lose to get a better draft pick. The best games usually come between Wild Cards teams, but the 2011 NFL schedule does not give us many of those games.

The game to watch in a depressing Week 17 is the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.

These teams could still be fighting for a Wild Card spot, and the most we can hope for is that the winner will take the final spot in the playoffs.

These two teams have a rivalry, so this game is going to mean something to both teams even if they are already out of the playoffs.

With so few good games to choose from this week, the Cowboys and Giants stand out.