NFL Schedule: Ranking the 7 Best Monday Night Football Games

In the words of Hank Williams, Jr., "Are you ready for some football?!"  

Monday Night Football is a nationally televised game that is supposed to be one of that week's marquee matchups.  They are set to launch the 41st year of this prime-time weekly event.

However, in recent years, it appears Monday Night Football has given way to Sunday Night Football.  If you were to compare the games that will be on Monday night versus the games slated to be played on Sunday night, you'll notice a vast difference in marquee matchups.

The edge definitely goes to the Sunday night schedule.

The main reason for this is simply the television networks that air the games.  ESPN airs the Monday night games whereas NBC airs the Sunday night contests.

NBC is the larger network and therefore is able to pay more money to get the better games.

Nonetheless, there will still be some intriguing Monday night games this season.  Here's a look at my top seven for 2011.

7. Washington at Dallas, Sept. 26th

Cowboys and Indians! 

I realize that isn't exactly a "politically correct" phrase anymore these days, but it is what this matchup signifies in some ways.

The teams are division rivals and are probably each other's most hated rival (at least by the fans).

Sports Illustrated once rated the Cowboys and Redskins as the best rivalry of all time. 

It probably reached its apex back in the 1980s and 1990s.  However, the rivalry has lost some luster in recent years due to one—if not both—being on the down-swing.

Dallas leads the all-time series, 60-38-2

But with Mike Shanahan in his second year as head coach of the Redskins and a Dallas team with a good amount of talent, this year they could re-ignite the old flame.

I'll be looking for a very competitive and physical NFC East-style game.  Since the Cowboys have tons of national appeal, this will surely be a ratings hit that week.

6. Chicago at Detroit, Oct. 10th

The NFC North division is extremely competitive between the Packers, Vikings, Bears—and Lions?

Yes, the Lions will be in the mix this year. 

After being the only team in NFL history to ever go 0-16 in a season just three years ago, the Lions are slowly turning themselves around.

This year, they look primed to have one of the best—if not the best—defensive lines in the league. 

They also have some offensive firepower now with the likes of Calvin Johnson, Jahvid Best, Brandon Pettigrew and Mathew Stafford.

If Stafford and Best can remain healthy, I'm looking for good things from this young Lions team this year.

Going against the Bears in a Week 5 matchup will be a good early-season test to see where they stand.  A win here will go a long way toward their confidence for the 2011 season.

The Lions have an opportunity to make a statement for the entire world to see if they can beat a good Bears team on Monday Night Football.

5. Chicago at Philadelphia, Nov. 7th

The Eagles and Bears have played some very close games over the course of the last four seasons. 

Three out of the four have been won by the Bears, but each game has been decided by five or fewer points.

These two teams played each other last season. At the time they played, they were trying to position themselves for the playoffs.

The winner would have the edge in a tiebreaking scenario for a possible second-seed and a first-round bye.

Though it's not as late in the season this time around, this could still be a game that helps decide a potential tie-breaker for playoff seeding later on.

These two teams get after each other.  They're both physical, and both defenses love to hit.  And as their recent history suggests, the game will likely come down to the wire.

4. Minnesota at Green Bay, Nov. 14th

Another NFC North division matchup here. 

The Vikings are only two seasons removed from their magical journey with Brett Favre that almost led them to the Super Bowl.

After a down season last year, the Vikings are looking to recapture some magic with another aging QB in Donovan McNabb.

McNabb himself will be looking to rebound this year after having a disastrous 2010 season in Washington. 

He'll be looking for redemption, and what better way to make a statement than to beat the defending Super Bowl champions on their home field on Monday Night Football?

Even with the loss of Sidney Rice, the Vikings should be legitimate contenders for the division this year.  The Packers are the team to beat.

Each team has swept the other in the past two seasons.  Their games are almost always close and decided by one score or less.

It should be more of the same this season between these two Monsters of the Midway.

3. St. Louis at Seattle, Dec. 12th

The Rams and the Seahawks? 

Two teams from arguably the weakest division in football?

Yes, that's correct.

Both teams finished with a lowly 7-9 record last season, and one had to make the playoffs because they were a division winner.

But we're talking about competitive Monday night games here.  The Rams and Seahawks finished with the same record last season and in their two head-to-head matchups, they each won once.

It came down to the last game of the season last year, when the 6-9 Seahawks played the 7-8 Rams.  The winner would be the division champ. 

The Seahawks, of course, won the game and subsequently the division by way of having a better division record.

These two teams meet again late in the season this year in Week 14.  It could very likely have serious implications for the loser of this game.

Expect a hard-fought, close game even if their records may indicate otherwise.

2. New York at New Orleans, Nov. 28th

The Saints and Giants game will be one to watch just because it will be a matchup of two good teams. 

Both teams play in a tough division and both will be jockeying for position.

This game could easily have conference tiebreaker ramifications for the loser.

The last time these two teams met was in 2009, when the Saints handed the Giants a butt-whooping, 48-27.  However, I don't foresee a lop-sided game this year.

This promises to be a competitive and probably a high-scoring game.  Each team possesses an offense that can move the football and put points on the board.

It could come down to whoever has the ball last.  And who doesn't like to watch that kind of game?

1. Atlanta at New Orleans

The matchup between the Saints and Falcons on the last Monday night game of the year promises to be the most compelling of the entire season.

These are the two heavyweights in the NFC South division. 

Each team has won the division in the past two years.  Last season, they split their head-to-head matchups, and each game was decided by three points.

Even though the Panthers and Buccaneers are teams who look to be on the rise, NFC South supremacy will come down to the Falcons and Saints.

The Falcons, believing all they need is more offensive firepower in order to hang with the Saints, made a blockbuster trade on draft day when they moved into the top 10 and snagged top WR Julio Jones.

Will that prove to be the difference-maker this year?  The Falcons sure hope so. 

The Saints decided to part ways with Reggie Bush but seem to have adequately replaced him with Darren Sproles. They also added a good defensive tackle in Aubrayo Franklin and added another offensive weapon in rookie RB Mark Ingram.

By scheduling these two teams to meet in the regular season finale, the NFL schedule-makers are hoping that it will be a game with playoff implications. 

And at this point, it would be an upset if it doesn't.