NFL Power Rankings: Rating All 42 Prime Time Matcups by Enternainment Value

Every NFL team wants to have their team put on the biggest stage in NFL football—prime time. Players, coaches and fans have grown up watching Monday Night Football on television, and a new generation has been following the same path.

Some prime-time games have more sex appeal than other games. Whether it's on a Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday night, they have all been included in this power rankings of the 42 best prime-time television matchups of the 2011 season.

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42. Monday, Dec. 5: San Diego Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:30 p.m.

How the Jacksonville Jaguars scored two primetime home games baffles me.

They have advertising tarps covering parts of their upper level seats to make the stadium more compact and project the perception on television that they have a full stadium. Phillip Rivers versus David Gerrard has "boring" written all over it.

A sorry NFL market gets the full attention of the NFL in December. Someone’s head should roll for this. I’m officially going to write a letter to my state representative.

41. Monday, Sept. 12: Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos, 10:15 p.m.

One of the more bitter rivalries in the NFL takes place as the second game of a double header on the first Monday night of the season.

The Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton saga should be put to bed by this date. Unfortunately, both of these teams come into the 2011 season with average expectations.

The Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders maintain a legitimate hatred for one another, which makes great television no matter what their expectations for the season may be.

Either way, football is back and soaking up some average football on a Monday night is better than no football.

40. Monday, Dec. 19: Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m.

A fascinating matchup between two prestigious NFL franchises on Monday Night Football in late December.

The Pittsburgh Steelers take a trip out west to Northern California and the Bay area to face the San Francisco 49ers at Candle Stick Park.

Not too sure how competitive the San Francisco 49ers will be, but towards the end of the season, they should be starting to gel as a team under their new head coach.

For what it’s worth, these two teams have two of the best uniforms in the league.

39. Thursday, Dec. 1: Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks, 8:20 p.m.

The last time these two teams squared off, Donovan McNabb was starting in Philadelphia, Michael Vick was sitting incarcerated in jail and Pete Carroll was soaking up the rays in Los Angeles.

Who will win the battle of the birds? 

The real reason is to watch the “Vick experience” face an inferior team. Football fans should tune in to watch what could be the Washington Redskins' Round 2 from 2010.

The12th man might be a little quieter in the second half than usual.

38. Thursday, Dec. 8: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m.

Another Thursday primetime matchup towards the end of the season that could either be a snooze or surprisingly appealing game.

It is not very often the Cleveland Browns have the privilege of gracing our presence on national television.

Colt McCoy might as well get used to playing the tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense if he wants to play more primetime games in the future.

Wishful thinking here, but maybe the Browns will have something to play for still at this point in the season.

Maybe.

37. Monday, Dec. 12: St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 8:30 p.m.

This could be the decisive game for the NFC West division crown.

A mid-December matchup between the two rivals will inevitably decide one of these two team's fates.

Last season, the NFC West race came right down to the end and saw the Seattle Seahawks stretch far enough across the finish line.

Sam Bradford will be worth watching as he begins to bring his second season campaign to a close on the national stage that is Monday Night Football—all while trying to grab a playoff spot.

 

 

36. Monday, Sept. 12: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m.

The Miami Dolphins desperately want to show everyone they should be considered for contention in the AFC East division race.

The first Monday night game of the season would be a good place to start as they host the New England Patriots.

If this game had been scheduled a little later in the year, it would rank higher, but it’s not.

Tune in for this game because well, it’s the first Monday night matchup of the season. Should be an entertaining game, hopefully for all four quarters.

35. Sunday, Dec. 18: Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers, 8:20 p.m.

The NFL picked an interesting matchup between these two AFC teams on a Sunday night in the middle of December.

The Baltimore Ravens stout defense goes out west for some southern California weather in the heart of winter to face the San Diego Chargers.

How will Phillip Rivers attack the lockdown Ravens defense in this battle of elite quarterback versus great defense?  Will this be a December battle for pole position in the AFC playoff picture?

A great Sunday night matchup to warm you up in December.

34.Thursday, Dec. 15: Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m.

Thankfully, this game is on a Thursday. Otherwise the scheduling team for the NFL should seriously be questioned if this was on a Sunday or Monday.

It's a fabricated regional rivalry game, but the bottom line is that Jacksonville does not deserve to be on primetime television.

Not to hate on the Jacksonville Jaguars too much here, but they will have a hard time keeping up on the track against the speed demons of the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta will be looking to cruise into an extra long week and rest up for their final end of the season push.

33. Monday, Oct. 17: Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 8:30 p.m.

One of the more underrated rivalries speaking about the national perspective, this should be great television.

Given last year’s game at the Meadowlands consisted of some of the sloppiest play of the entire season, that does not make this game boring by any means.

These two teams legitimately hate each other. That has always proven to be a great ingredient for any good football game. Especially after the tripping incident last year in New York. The Miami Dolphins hope to show their division and the rest of the AFC that they are a team to watch out for.

What better way to make that point than on Monday Night Football?

32. Sunday, Nov. 27: Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m.

Kansas City follows up a Monday night matchup at Foxboro with a Sunday night game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is followed up by at Chicago and home versus Green Bay.

Yea…and you thought your team’s schedule was tough.

This could be a make or break game for the Kansas City Chiefs. They play in a very winnable division, but must maintain momentum when they play a tough Steelers team. 

Tune in to see if they sink or swim at the crucial point during the NFL season.

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31. Monday, Oct. 24: Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars, 8:30 p.m.

The Baltimore Ravens travel down I-95 to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in late October. This game should have an old school feel to it.

Jacksonville loves to pound the rock with Maurice Jones-Drew, while Ray Lewis and the Baltimore defense enjoy nothing more than to knock you on your behind.

Not the sexiest of matchups, that is for certain, but this should be a close contest that gets decided in the fourth quarter.

David Garrard facing off against Joe Flacco will be a blue collar matchup between the two quarterbacks. Jacksonville might actually be worth tuning in for.

30.Thursday, Nov. 17: New York Jets at Denver Broncos, 8:20 p.m.

The biggest question surrounding this game is a simple one. Will Tim Tebow be the starter by this point in the season?

Tebow hysteria has gotten beyond out of control at this point, and we haven't even kicked off Week 1 yet.

After the Denver Broncos offseason of quarterback introspection, Kyle Orton could be a victim of jaded fans wanting to see their cult hero in Tim Tebow lead their once proud franchise.

Personally, I fully expect to see the New York Jets pound the Broncos into the ground, but any given Sunday, err…Thursday, right?

29. Sunday, Nov. 13: New England Patriots at New York Jets, 8:20 p.m.

Do I even need to waste space explaining why this is a must watch?

This AFC East divisional rivalry has heated up to a boiling point since Rex Ryan took the helm in New York. The three games played last year made for outstanding television.

Bill Belichick and Rex Ryan are about as far apart as you could possibly get when it comes to coaching styles. One likes to dress as if he were suffering from the recession and stumbled upon thrown out Patriots gear as he quietly goes about his routine; the other likes to run his mouth every week until what he says turns out to be true.

These two teams are black and white in comparison of team cultures. Expect a lot of trash talk coming from the swamps of New Jersey as Tom Brady and company travel down to the Meadowland to try and silence their noisy rivals.

28. Sunday, Nov. 20: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants, 8:20 p.m.

This will be the game that New York Giants fans have cowardly circled since the schedule came out.

Their voice is so shaky you would think they just saw their dog get hit by a car. Giants fans are still asking why punt to Desean Jackson?

Not to mention they cannot wait to get a piece of their very own Benedict Arnold when he returns to the Meadowlands. 

One of the most thrilling comebacks in NFL history last year will provide plenty of storylines for another Eagles/Giants primetime matchup.

The NFC East could very well be a two team race between these two, and this game will launch the winner into the home stretch of the regular season.

27. Thursday, Nov. 10: Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers, 8:20 P.m.

Two teams that seem to be the front-runners for a move to Los Angeles face off in this AFC West divisional matchup.

The Oakland Raiders swept their division last season, and the San Diego Chargers are expected to win the division. Hopefully, the Chargers break out the powder blues for this primetime showcase.

The battle for California in this Thursday night game should supply football fans with a nice appetizer for the NFL weekend.

The Chargers typically play a gritty game against their neighbors to the north. This matchup does not get enough credit nationally for its rivalry status.

26. Monday, Sept. 26: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys, 8:30 p.m.

Seriously, who approved the Washington Redskins being allowed to play in a primetime game?

Did they not watch the embarrassment from last season against the Philadelphia Eagles? That was the biggest national embarrassment to come out of Washington D.C. since...well, we'll just stick to football.

This probably should be lower on the list, but it is the NFC East’s most historical rivalry. The Boys and the Skins usually provide some quality entertainment, despite what the records of either team may be.

At least this one does not take up a second-half primetime slot.

25. Monday, Nov. 14: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 8:30 p.m.

The NFL sure loves them some Wisconsin cheese.

Green Bay has a ton of primetime action this year but rightfully so—part of the perks of being a Super Bowl defending champion I guess. 

The Green Bay Packers will host the Minnesota Vikings for one of the better Monday night games in the month of November.

The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers tend to play entertaining games in this classic Midwest rivalry. Both teams contain a bunch of dynamic skill position players that should provide for an aesthetically pleasing Monday Night Football game.

Thankfully, we do not have to talk about Brett Favre for this game. And that is something we can all rally around.

24. Monday, Oct. 31: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:30 p.m.

Yawn. There really is no rhyme or reason to why this game does not get my juices flowing, but it just doesn’t.

Phillip Rivers is one of the NFL’s top five quarterbacks, certainly top 10, but that is not enough. Antonio Gates and Dwayne Bowe are exciting player to watch and have been quite important to past fantasy teams of mine, but either my coffee has warn off, or this game really does lack any kind of sex appeal.

I know, I know this is a division rivalry. However, I counter with the fact that a good majority of Monday night games are divisional rivalry games.

Kansas City has a team that people are severly underrating in my book, and San Diego has always been a regular season force to be reckoned with. Postseason is a different story.

Watch this game if for no other reason to see just how good Kansas City could be.

23. Monday, Nov. 7: Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:30 p.m.

The Philadelphia Eagles versus the Chicago Bears has been an entertaining matchup over the past few years.

For the first time in the last few years, the Eagles will be the home game for this fixture. Philadelphia drew ridiculously good ratings during their primetime games last season, and after their extremely active offseason this year, don’t expect that to change.

Chicago will try to make a statement in this game, as well as the Eagles, to the NFC that they are one of the true powers to be reckoned with in the conference. This game carries a ton of underlying status symobolism for the two teams in regards to the conference pecking order.

It probably should be a little higher on the list, but either way, you definitely do not want to miss this game.

22. Thursday, Nov. 24: San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m.

Ah, you knew this game would be on the schedule for a primetime matchup.

The Harbaugh brothers face off in this trans-continental contest between the two. Jim Harbaugh left his Stanford position to make the leap to the NFL. Nothing like playing your brother to show what you got.

Expect this game to become a featured game for the next several years. There certainly will be no shortage of storylines during this Thursday night as this matchup could quickly become a burgeoning rivalry. 

Not exactly sure how competitive of a game this will be, but it will be a lesson about one of the great NFL families.

21.Monday, Oct. 3: Indianapolis Colts at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:30 p.m.

The NFL has blessed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their 10-win season in 2010. Except the only problem with that is the NFL gifted them a certain Peyton Manning to deal with.

Tampa Bay looks to improve on their record from last year as third-year head coach Raheem Morris steers his team through a treacherous division.

This could be an interesting game due to the paradox of the new generation of quarterbacks (Josh Freeman) playing the old generation of quarterbacks (Peyton Manning). This game will be a great measuring stick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers versus one of the NFL elite teams of the past decade.

Peyton Manning will also face a tough test against an up-and-coming defense .

20. Monday, Nov. 21: Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots, 8:30 p.m

Matt Cassel returns to the place he used to call home to the team that groomed him into being a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL.

This should be an appealing matchup between two teams that could very easily be in the hunt for division titles in this late November Monday Night Football game.

Tune in for this one. Could be one of the better games of the season in primetime.

Jamaal Charles has put himself into the discussion as a top 10 running back in the league. A Patriots offense led by Tom Brady versus the Chiefs offense that includes Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe could make some television magic.

19. Sunday, Dec. 25: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m.

What could be better than Christmas at Lambeau Field? You know after Santa Claus finishes his route he’ll be eating bratwurst and shirtless 12 rows behind the Packers bench.

Not much compares to a December game in the "frozen tundra" with the "cheeseheads" versus the "monsters of midway." 

The oldest, and one of the best, rivalries in the NFL always provides something to talk about for the millions of Monday morning quarterbacks across America. Break out the reserve eggnog and tune in for this one.

There may not be a sexy offensive performance from either team, but you can count on a fantastic watch as you sit next to the fireplace and watch these guys freeze on Christmas night.

18. Saturday, Dec. 17: Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:20 p.m.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host “America’s team” on a Saturday night in the middle of December. This could be a make or break game for both teams. Or both these teams could be out of the playoff race at this point in the season. We just do not know.

Tony Romo versus Josh Freeman should provide a fun quarterback battle to watch if you don’t have anything better going on for a Saturday night.

The 'Boys will be looking to knock out a potential wild card spot competitor.

The head-coaching matchup should fancy those who love football tactics like myself.

17. Sunday, Oct. 16: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears, 8:20 P.m.

Donovan McNabb and the Minnesota Vikings have been cut back on their primetime games for the 2011 NFL season.

The NFC North could prove to be the toughest division in the NFC, possibly even all of football, with all four teams having reasonable shots at a playoff spot if they live up to potential.

The Chicago Bears and Jay Cutler will try to show everyone around the league that last season’s NFC Championship appearance was no fluke.

Minnesota on the other hand would like to bounce back from a disappointing season and show up one of their division rivals on national television in this October matchup at Soldier Field.

16. Monday, Nov. 28: New York Giants at New Orleans Saints, 8:30 p.m

An intriguing Monday night matchup that pits the New York Giants against the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees in the Super Dome. The Giants travel to ‘Nawlins in the second game of a crucial late season, three-game stretch that includes the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night the week before and the Green Bay Packers the week after.

Luckily for the Giants, they face the Eagles and Packers at home.

New Orleans plays tough at home with their crowd noise behind them, and the artificial turf that enhances their teams skill position players' abilities.

Another Monday Night Football game that could have a lot on the line between two conference heavy weights.  

15. Monday, Oct. 10: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 8:30 p.m.

The Detroit Lions do not grace the likes of primetime television all that often.

Usually, the only nationally broadcasted game that includes Detroit also includes some turkey and stuffing for entertainment.

The motor city is back in the spot light, or should I say headlight, once again.

The Detroit Lions showed enough promise and improvement to land a Monday Night Football game from their 2010 campaign.

This will be Detroit’s chance to show the country, and the Chicago Bears, that they are pushovers no longer.

Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley bearing down on Jay Cutler all night should be enough entertainment in itself to tune in for this one.

14. Sunday, Oct. 9: Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m.

Rest assured, Matt Ryan has had this game circled on his calendar since the schedules were released.

After the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers humiliated the Atlanta Falcons last season in Atlanta during the playoffs, he will be looking to exorcise some demons.

Atlanta was undefeated at home in the regular season before the 42-14 beatdown. This game should be a midterm test to see just how these two teams stack up in the grand scheme of things.

Atlanta desperately want to show that last year was not a fluke. This should be a track meet that makes you break out the popcorn. A shootout could be in store for this one, which includes two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for several years to come.

13. Sunday, Dec. 4: Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots, 8:20 p.m.

What was seemingly the rivalry of the decade during the 2000s continues with an early December matchup at Foxboro.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been the two best quarterbacks of the last 10 years, and there might not be too many games left between these two.

Both Brady and Manning have signed what should be their last contracts as an NFL quarterback.

Soak it up for all it’s worth because these two quarterbacks will put on a show. Not to mention that these two could be duking it out for a bye week in the playoffs in the first week of December. 

Brady and Manning never fail to entertain as they go head to head.  

12. Sunday, Dec. 11: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m.

Back to another NFC East game in the primetime power rankings.  

The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys square off in Jerry Jones' gaudy football palace for this Sunday night matchup.

Last season's Sunday night matchup with a dismal Cowboys team traveling to the new Meadowlands made for intriguing football.  

This should live up to the usual Cowboys/Giants games. A lot will be on the line in December for both of these teams who expect to be in the playoffs. Neither team can afford to lose a divisional game so late in the season.

Both teams will more than likely be vying for a playoff spot hoping to improve on disappointing seasons in 2010.

11. Sunday, Oct. 23: Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints, 8:20 p.m.

A rematch of Super Bowl XLIV, this should be a great matchup for football fans who enjoy watching two quarterbacks command their offense and spread the ball around.

Two of the preseason favorites to win the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints Sunday night matchup will provide plenty of storylines to follow.

Anyone who enjoys watching quality football will enjoy this primetime feature. Two of the league's top five quarterbacks square off in the Superdome.

Peyton Manning versus Drew Brees on a artificial turf with their potent offenses, sign me up. Definitely a must watch for any self-respecting football fan.

 

10. Sunday, Oct. 30: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m.

Seriously, who doesn’t love NFC East primetime games?  

They always seem to be the most enthralling games of the season. The Dallas Cowboys head into the city of brotherly love to face the revamped Philadelphia Eagles in this midseason matchup.

Philadelphia and Dallas are the two favorites expected to compete for the NFC East division title, and this game could foreshadow who ends the season atop the division standings.

This heated rivalry will have the Philadelphia faithful coming out in full voice to show their displeasure for the "cowgirls" on national television. Both offenses have big-play abilities making this game a must watch.

9. Thursday, Dec. 22: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts, 8:20 p.m.

Personally, not the biggest fan of Thursday night games, but this will be a good one.

The Houston Texans look poised to replace the Indianapolis Colts as the team to beat in the AFC south. Houston has fallen short of expectations throughout the past couple of seasons.

This late-season matchup could seal up a division title and much more for one of these two teams on a Thursday night. Both of these teams hope to be playing in Indianapolis come February making this game a must-win for both teams.

Houston made some key upgrades on defense over the offseason. Watching Peyton Manning work and Houston's defense scheme for the All-Pro quarteback will be more than worth watching on a Thursday evening.

8. Monday, Sept. 19: St. Louis Rams at New York Giants, 8:30 p.m.

Sam Bradford and the rising St. Louis Rams head to the Meadowlands on Monday Night Football to show the country they are ready to take that next step.

The New York Giants have other plans during this early season matchup that has a lot of intrigue. A win for Bradford could signify the changing of the guard of NFC powers.

Bradford will get a taste of a true hostile environment away from the NFC West. This is an early season showcase that could be a warning signal to teams around the league that this team is for real.

There is something I cannot put my finger on about this game that catipulted it into the top 10. I guess we'll all have to watch and see.

7. Sunday, Nov. 6: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m

This NFC North rivalry has become one of the staple games in the NFL. When these two teams meet, you know how the game will be played. It will be a smashmouth, bruising and low-scoring type of game in Pittsburgh.

Being that the game takes place in the second half of the season, there could be more than divisional pride on the line for this Sunday night matchup.

Joe Flacco has the perfect opportunity to back up his gusto-driven statement claiming "I'm pretty damn good."

This may not be the sexiest of game, but who doesn't love a good old fashion slugfest?

6. Sunday, Sept. 11: Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets, 8:20 p.m.

The opening weekend will bring a lot of joy to many Americans throughout this great country of ours.

Quite possibly the most important game will be this Sunday night matchup at the New Meadowlands. The 10th anniversary of September 11 will certainly create quite the palpable atmosphere in New Jersey.

The NFL will pay its respects to the fallen heroes and victims from the tragic events of that day. It shall be a spectacular display of patriotism and tribute that will captivate football fans all over America.

The game itself should be wildly entertaining as well. Rex Ryan faces off against his brother Rob Ryan. The two provided media gold last year when they faced each other.

If for nothing else, you should be watching this game for highlights of the Ryan brothers' antics.

5. Thursday, Sept. 8: New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers, 8:30 p.m.

The NFL season opener may not mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things as far as standings, but it does mean one very, very important thing—football is back!

The day we all feared might never come this year during the lockout was the NFL’s opening game. This will be a sexy matchup to kick off the 2011 NFL season.

As Terrell Owens once said, “break out the popcorn."

Normally, I would not put a game from the first week of the season as a top five must-watch game. This game has made me re-tool my selection process.

Defending Super Bowl champion Aaron Rodgers versus Drew Brees on the opening night of the season. Need I say more?

4. Sunday, Sept. 25: Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts, 8:20 P.m.

Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts play an early-season Sunday night game, this should be a great matchup to watch.

How do the Pittsburgh Steelers bounce back off of their Super Bowl defeat in the first month of the season? How healthy is Peyton Manning by the end of September?

This game could be an early preview of the AFC Championship game. Both teams took similar approaches to the free-agency period. Both decided to make minor pickups and largely keep their previous roster intact.

The Sunday night matchup showcases two top 10 quarterbacks with championship aspirations in Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.

3. Sunday Oct. 2: New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m.

This game could prove to be a pivotal game later in the season.

Both teams will certainly be looking to win their division or settle for a wild card spot. Each team will be in a tough divisional fight down the stretch, and every conference game counts. Derrick Mason returning to Baltimore with his new team will be an intriguing storyline.

Picked higher than most would think for this list, this game provides a lot of fun. Anyone who loves to watch two excellent defensive units coached by some of the best defensive-minded coaches in football will love this Sunday night game.

Mark Sanchez and Joe Flacco will be hard pressed to move the chains against either of these two nasty defenses.

2. Sunday, Sept. 18: Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m.

America only has to wait one week for what could be the most potent offensive display of any game this season.

Two of the handful or so favorites square off as Michael Vick makes his homecoming back to Atlanta for the first time as a starting quarterback. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin versus Roddy White and Julio Jones will be a showcase of wide receiving talent.

What will surely be one of the most-hyped NFL games of the season will not disappoint on a Sunday night in September at the Georgia Dome. Both of these teams could fill out an Olympic track team with their skill position players.

The buzz that will surround this game leading up to September 18th will feel like a playoff game. You do not want to miss this fireworks display.

1. Monday, Dec. 26: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints, 8:30 p.m

Christmas has been extended an extra day for NFL fans this year.

This matchup should have all the ingredients to be a tantalizing watch. The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints could be vying for a division title and fighting to stay in the NFC wild card race. Two explosive offenses should provide a holiday season spectacle.

I cannot think of a better late Christmas present than to watch this audacious display of offensive power. These two teams are both favorites to make a deep run in the playoffs, and nothing would be sweeter than to knock of your divisional rival in the last month of the season to send you into January on a high note.

Fasten your seat belts, this game will be a wild ride.