Ranking the NFL's Week 1 Games from Worst to First

Don't look now, but the 2011 NFL regular season is almost here.

The anticipation continues to build as the preseason comes to an end and the real games get underway next weekend. What are your must-watch games of the weekend? Glad you asked.

The NFL's decision to make the opening weekend a matchup of division rivals was brilliant, until the offseason was marred with a lockout and teams were robbed of offseason training and mini camps. Instead we will see 16 very important division games played by teams that are most likely not ready for the regular season. Who's ready for sloppy football!?

With 16 games on the schedule for the NFL's opening weekend, here is a look at the best games, and the worst games to spend your NFL weekend with.

16. Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

Wake me up when this one is over.

For those fans campaigning for a "Suck for Luck" season in both Seattle and San Francisco, this game may carry some weight. We may be seven months away from the 2012 NFL Draft and the potential to draft Andrew Luck (QB-Stanford), but this game could decide who gets that first pick.

No, seriously. What two teams in the NFL are worse? Maybe the Bengals, but even they have a solid running game and stingy front seven on defense.

What to Watch:

The best part of this game may be watching the quarterbacks struggle. With Alex Smith and Tarvaris Jackson under center there will be no shortage of bone-head plays, interceptions, sacks, fumbles and otherwise poor attempts at playing quarterback.

Outside of the horrible quarterback play, keep an eye on the wide receivers. Both teams are loaded with talent, as San Francisco lines up Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards and Seattle rolls out Sidney Rice and Mike Williams.

If you love good safety play, keep an eye on Seattle's Earl Thomas.

Key Players:

San Francisco- Frank Gore, Crabtree, Edwards, Vernon Davis, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith

Seattle- Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Rice, Williams, Red Bryant, Earl Thomas

15. Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns

If you have an obsession with the West Coast offense, this is the game for you.

Both the Cleveland Browns, under Pat Shurmur, and the Cincinnati Bengals under Jay Gruden, are now running the famous West Coast system. You can expect a ton of short, timely passes and spread sets when both teams have the ball.

This shouldn't be a high-scoring affair, but it will be an interesting game to watch the continued development of Colt McCoy and Andy Dalton at quarterback.

What to Watch:

The major storyline will be the play of the two young quarterbacks, but there are also two dominant left tackles in this game (Joe Thomas and Andrew Whitworth) as well as promising young defensive players.

Key Players:

Cleveland- Colt McCoy, Peyton Hillis, Greg Little, Joe Thomas, Phil Taylor

Cincinnati- Andy Dalton, Cedric Benson, A.J. Green, Carlos Dunlap, Leon Hall

14. Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars

This game could be so much more exciting if only both the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars would play their rookie first-round draft picks—Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert.

Instead we'll see an aging Matt Hasselbeck take on an inconsistent David Garrard. Yay...

What to Watch:

The play of the quarterbacks might be boring, but it will be interesting to see if either player struggles. Each quarterback is on a short leash, and if they struggle the noise from the fans to insert the rookie quarterback will get louder.

Oh, and two of the best running backs in football will be playing. That alone is worth watching.

Key Players:

Tennessee- Hasselbeck, Chris Johnson, Akeem Ayers, Barrett Ruud

Jacksonville- Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, Paul Posluszny, Clint Ingram

13. Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

After a dismal preseason showing, the Kansas City Chiefs get a bit of a warm-up game against the Buffalo Bills in one of the few non-division games on opening weekend.

The Chiefs are expected to have one of the best offenses in the NFL, while the Bills are widely expected to be one of the worst teams in the league. The game may not spell out excitement, but Chiefs fans will be watching closely to see if the preseason woes were an illusion or the real deal.

What to Watch:

The Chiefs are hoping to find a pass-rusher opposite Tamba Hali in their primary 3-4 defensive alignment. It's possible that either rookie Justin Houston or Andy Studebaker will see the majority of the snaps there.

For the Bills, keep an eye pinned on the right defensive end position, where rookie Marcell Dareus has been impressive this preseason.

Key Players:

Kansas City- Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston, Tony Moeaki

Buffalo- Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller, Stevie Johnson, Dareus, Kyle Williams

12. Minnesota Vikings at San Diego Chargers

Donovan McNabb handing off to Adrian Peterson. Jared Allen pressuring Philip Rivers. Antonio Gates catching touchdowns in the red zone. Thank God, good football is back.

The matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and San Diego Chargers may not be a premier game, but it does bring some excitement levels to two cities where there are at least some playoff hopes—more so in San Diego than Minneapolis.

What to Watch:

Seeing how well Donovan McNabb plays against 2010's No. 1 defense will be worth watching. The Minnesota offensive line has taken its share of lumps this preseason. How well they hold up against the Chargers is a huge point of concern.

For San Diego you have to wonder if this is the year they get off to a hot start and build a lead in the AFC West playoff race. A win versus Minnesota would certainly help ease concerns.

Key Players:

Minnesota: McNabb, Peterson, Percy Harvin, Jared Allen, Brian Robison, Chad Greenway

San Diego: Rivers, Gates, Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, Shaun Phillips

11. Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

Watching the high-octane passing attack of the Denver Broncos against one of the NFL's best defensive lines will make for a fun Sunday afternoon.

The Oakland Raiders may not demand the respect of the entire league, but they are much better than many realize. With a powerful defensive line and a running game that can control the clock and break down defenses, you have to respect the Raiders this year.

What to Watch:

The Raiders and Broncos are long-time rivals, and this game always produces hard hits and tough play. This year will be no different. Kyle Orton will look to further secure his hold on the starting quarterback job, while the Raiders hope to get off to a hot start.

Watching rookie linebacker Von Miller and a healthy Elvis Dumervil at defensive end will be one of my own personal joys this season.

Key Players:

Oakland- Jason Campbell, Darren McFadden, Kevin Boss, LaMarr Houston, Richard Seymour

Denver- Orton, Brandon Lloyd, Ryan Clady, Dumervil, Miller

10. Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals

This one is all about the quarterbacks. Cam Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, will most likely line up under-center for the Carolina Panthers. Starting opposite him will be the Arizona Cardinals' big offseason acquisition, Kevin Kolb.

Neither the Panthers nor the Cardinals are expected to make much noise this year, but both teams are fun to watch. Each features aggressive, fast defenses and offenses loaded with talent at wide receiver at tight end.

This game might not rank on the radar of the most important this week, but it will be a fun watch.

What to Watch:

I'll be keeping a close eye on Cam Newton's progress as a quarterback, and how well he gets the ball to Steve Smith, Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen. Also, how will DeAngelo Williams and Charles Johnson play coming off huge new contracts?

For the Cardinals it will be important to see how Kolb looks getting the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, Todd Heap and Co. With Ryan Williams out for the year, it's also going to be interesting to see what the Cardinals run game looks like.

Key Players:

Carolina- Newton, Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Jordan Gross, Smith, Johnson, Jon Beason

Arizona- Kolb, Chris Wells, Fitzgerald, Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson, Patrick Peterson

9. New York Giants at Washington Redskins

On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, the NFL will pay homage to those who gave and lost their lives on arguably the worst day in American history. Whether you think the NFL should permanently cancel games on September 11 or pay tribute on the field, there shouldn't be many dry eyes when the National Anthem is played before this game.

What to Watch:

Once the football game starts (and after I dry my eyes), expect a game dominated by the run. Both the New York Giants and Washington Redskins are run-heavy teams that like to control the clock.

Both teams feature defensive players who have an ability to get to the quarterback in a hurry, so if you love watching a good pass-rush, this will be a fun game to see.

Key Players:

New York Giants- Eli Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw, Hakeem Nicks, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul

Washington- John Beck, Tim Hightower, Santana Moss, Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan

8. New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots take the field to kick off a 2011 season where they are once again expected to compete for a Super Bowl ring. Will this be the year the streak ends?

The Patriots won 14 games last year but could not overcome the New York Jets in the playoffs. The pressure will be on this season for them to do more than win regular season games.

The Miami Dolphins enter the season with zero expectations, which makes them dangerous. If Chad Henne can improve at all this year, the Dolphins may surprise people.

What to Watch:

Henne versus Brady is the most compelling matchup, but also keep an eye on the Patriots defense. Bill Belichick's team does a great job of showing multiple fronts. How he uses Shaun Ellis and Albert Haynesworth is worth watching.

When Miami has the ball, my eyes will be on Reggie Bush. Word is that Bush looks amazing in practice. We'll see how he does come game time.

Key Players:

New England- Brady, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Chad Ochocinco, Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork

Miami- Henne, Bush, Brandon Marshall, Jake Long, Karlos Dansby, Vontae Davis

7. Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets

The Dallas Cowboys start the season off with a tough one against the New York Jets. Mark Sanchez and the Jets have played in the last two AFC Championship games, leading many to think this is their year.

Dallas is hoping a healthy Tony Romo and the improvements on the offensive line will be enough to win more than six games this year.

What to Watch:

Dez Bryant might just be the most electric player on the field. Bryant and Miles Austin are two of the best wideouts in the game, watching them square off against Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie will be can't-miss TV.

Key Players:

Dallas: Romo, Bryant, Austin, Jason Witten, Doug Free, DeMarcus Ware

New York: Sanchez, Santonio Holmes, Bart Scott, Revis, Cromartie

6. Philadelphia Eagles at St. Louis Rams

There is something wrong with you if you won't be tuning in to watch Michael Vick and the "Dream Team" Philadelphia Eagles take on the promising St. Louis Rams.

If you like offense, this is perhaps the game of the week. Watching Rams quarterback Sam Bradford work against a dangerous trio of cornerbacks on the Philly defense could set the pace for the rest of the season.

The Rams defense is underrated, but do they have enough speed to contain Vick, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Steve Smith and LeSean McCoy?

What to Watch:

The Philly offensive line has been horrid during the preseason, and the Rams defensive line is well coached and athletic enough to cause problems. If the Eagles are going to struggle up front this year, we'll know it once this game gets underway.

For the Rams, all eyes will be on Bradford. This game is a huge test for the sophomore quarterback.

Key Players:

Philadelphia: Vick, McCoy, Jackson, Maclin, Trent Cole, Jason Babin, Nnamdi Asomugha

St. Louis: Bradford, Steven Jackson, Mike Sims-Walker, Chris Long, Ron Bartell, Quintin Mikell

5. Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears

In a game featuring two teams heavily favored to play in the NFC Championship Game, the Atlanta Falcons will meet the Chicago Bears in Week 1 of the NFL regular season.

Good things are guaranteed.

The Falcons are led by stud quarterback Matt Ryan, and they return nine starters on offense after winning 13 games last season. They also got better on defense by adding pass-rusher Ray Edwards at left end.

The Bears are also largely the same. The team added Gabe Carimi at tackle through the draft and picked up wide receiver Roy Williams in free agency. Outside of those moves, these are the same Bears who played for the NFC title last year.

What to Watch:

How Ryan gels with rookie wideout Julio Jones is important to note early in the Falcons season. Also, how well has the team replaced Harvey Dahl at right guard? The talent is there for Atlanta to win a Super Bowl, it all comes down to how well they play as a team now.

Chicago, like Atlanta, is incredibly talented. The last time we saw Jay Cutler, Maurice Jones-Drew and other NFL players were accusing him of quitting on his team. He needs to prove to the public that this is his team.

Key Players:

Atlanta: Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, John Abraham, Edwards, Dunta Robinson

Chicago: Cutler, Matt Forte, Williams, Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs

4. Detroit Lions at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This is the game I'm actually looking forward to most.

The No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks from the 2011 NFL Draft take the field at the same time when Ndamukong Suh and the Detroit Lions face Gerald McCoy and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There's something here for everyone.

Love defense? This game features the NFL's most disruptive defensive tackle in Suh and a damn good defensive front four in Tampa.

Love offense? Matthew Stafford is healthy now and throwing bombs to Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew. In Tampa there is a well-rounded attack featuring young stars Josh Freeman, LeGarrette Blount and Mike Williams.

What to Watch:

The young players are the stars of this game. Players like Stafford, Suh, Freeman and Johnson are all ready to carry the torch for the next generation of NFL superstars. Each has the talent to replace the Tom Bradys and Peyton Mannings as the elite names of the NFL.

Watching the Detroit offensive line, which has struggled in the past, against the Tampa defensive line, will be a key aspect of this game. Whomever wins that battle up front will win the game.

Key Players:

Detroit: Stafford, Johnson, Suh, Cliff Avril, Nick Fairley, Stephen Tulloch

Tampa Bay: Freeman, Blount, Williams, McCoy, Adrian Clayborn, Da'Quan Bowers

3. Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

Looking for a little mystery in Week 1 of the season? This game has some, and more.

The big question marks surround the status of Peyton Manning and Arian Foster. If Manning cannot play, the Indianapolis Colts cannot win—it's that simple. The Houston Texans need Foster, but they have reliable backups in Ben Tate and Steve Slaton.

What to Watch:

The Texans are expected to make a run at the Colts' reign at the top of the AFC South this year. For Houston to do so, they'll need to beat the Colts this week, and then again on the road in Indianapolis.

Watching the Texans' new 3-4 defensive alignment, and how well Mario Williams plays at outside linebacker, will be a huge factor in the game and the season. Houston added free-agent cornerback Jonathan Joseph primarily for their two games versus Indianapolis. He needs to earn his money here.

Key Players:

Indianapolis: Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, Anthony Castonzo

Houston: Schaub, Foster, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Williams, Johnathan Joseph

2. New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

The official kickoff to the 2011 NFL season features the last two Super Bowl winners, as the New Orleans Saints travel to Green Bay to face the Packers.

This game will not only feature two previous Super Bowl winners, but two teams heavily favored to win another ring this season.

What to Watch:

The Packers have almost every starter back from their Super Bowl run. We know the talent is there, but can the offensive line hold up this season? New Orleans has a very good defensive line, and complex blitz packages thanks to Gregg Williams. How well the Pack protect Aaron Rodgers will go a long way toward predicting their 2011 success.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has struggles of his own in 2010. Brees has a full stock of wide receivers and running backs to get the ball to this year. If he fails this season, there are no excuses.

Key Players:

New Orleans: Brees, Mark Ingram, Marques Colston, Jimmy Graham, Sedrick Ellis, Jonathan Vilma

Green Bay: Rodgers, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, B.J. Raji, Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson

1. Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

The best game of the weekend will feature hard hits, tough runners and winning quarterbacks on both sides of the field when the Pittsburgh Steelers meet their division rival Baltimore Ravens.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has led his team to the playoffs the last three seasons, but he's never beaten a Pittsburgh team quarterbacked by Ben Roethlisberger. He'll have his chance in our Game of the Week.

What to Watch:

The Steelers have issues on the offensive line and at cornerback. How well their front five can hold up against a suffocating Baltimore pass-rush will be a key for this game. With the Ravens adding Lee Evans and Torrey Smith at wide receiver, expect more pressure on the Pittsburgh cornerbacks.

Pittsburgh has the defense and team speed to punish the Ravens, who are still trying to find a right tackle to protect Flacco. The offensive-line play for both teams could be the deciding factor.

Take a quick peek at the two rosters and you'll see some of the NFL's best players. This will be a fun game to watch.

Key Players:

Pittsburgh: Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall, Heath Miller, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Troy Polamalu

Baltimore: Flacco, Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin, Michael Oher, Haloti Ngata, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed