NFL Rankings: The Best Game from Each Week on the Schedule

Ladies and Gentlemen, the NFL is here. After weeks of waiting for professional football, we now will have entertainment week in and week out for the next five months or so.

While many football fans only enjoy watching their team every week, there is no denying that there is a marquee game in the NFL every week.

Sometimes the game of the week comes from two talented teams going at it, sometimes two powerful offenses, sometimes two powerful defenses and sometimes it comes simply from two teams that make a great matchup. Here is a week by week analysis of the best games in the upcoming NFL season.

Week 1: Saints at Packers

First game of the NFL season.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Drew Brees.

The past two NFL Champions.

Do I really need to say any more?

Week 2: Eagles at Falcons

Week 2 marks the first time that Michael Vick and the new look Philadelphia Eagles play on national television and it has all of the makings to be a great one.

This game is a huge one in the NFC as the Eagles travel down to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. The Falcons had the best record in the NFC last season, while many are predicting the same for the Eagles this season.

The game features two great teams who expect to be playing late into the year, but let's not fool anyone: the headline of this game is Michael Vick returning to Atlanta. It should be interesting to see how the fans in Atlanta treat their former quarterback who just signed a $100 million deal in Philly.

Week 3: Packers at Bears

In a rematch of the NFC Championship, the Bears look for revenge on the Super Bowl champions as they welcome the Packers to Soldier Field.

Jay Cutler is back to prove his critics wrong that called him soft after leaving the NFC Championship game early last season due to a knee injury.

Look for a low scoring game in which 2 strong defenses battle. The vicious and storied rivalry will be renewed in 2011 and should be as competitive as ever.

Week 4: Steelers at Texans

The Houston Texans have been knocking on the door in the AFC for the past few seasons, and this may be the year that they get over the hump. An explosive offense featuring Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson will keep the Texans in the mix all season long.

The Texans will have their hands full with perennial contender in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are coming off a season in which they made it to the Super Bowl, but fell shot.

This will be a great opportunity to see an explosive offense go head first into one of the stingiest defenses in the league.

Week 5: Jets at Patriots

If you like trash talking, then get ready for this one. In a playoff rematch from last season, the Patriots will host the Jets in a game that will play a huge role in the AFC East race.

After going 14-2 and an early exit in the playoffs last season, the Patriots are back for revenge and are a popular preseason choice to win the Super Bowl. The Jets know this and they aren't the type that like to back down.

If this doesn't get you excited for the game that just stay tuned because Jets coach Rex Ryan will surely make a few comments in the directions of the Patriots in the upcoming weeks.

Week 6: Saints at Buccaneers

The NFC South emerged last season as one of the toughest divisions in football and it should be once again this season.

With much of the coverage going towards the Saints and Falcons, the Buccaneers are hoping for this season to be their break out season and get back to the playoffs. The Buccaneers were one of the quietest 10 win teams that the NFL has seen in quite some time.

Drew Brees will be great once again and the Saints offense will most likely be clicking on all cylinders at this point in the season. Look for a lot of points in this battle between two quality teams.

Week 7: Chargers at Jets

In week 7 the Chargers go to visit the Jets in a game that should be very exciting. The Jets have been on the national radio for the past few seasons with back to back AFC Championship appearances, and the Chargers have been a preseason favorite that hasn't quite panned out.

Philip Rivers leads the high powered Charger offense that also features stud receivers Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd. The Chargers do also have the best tight end in the game in Antonio Gates, if he can stay healthy.

This will be a great battle between offense and defense and it should be fun to see who wins out.

Week 8: Patriots at Steelers

If you have watched football for the past ten years, you would know that these two teams have been in the mix to win the AFC almost every season.

As a matter of fact in the past 10 seasons, the Steelers and Patriots have represented the AFC in the Superbowl 7 times. Simply put, these guys are good.

Week 9: Packers at Chargers

By winning the Super Bowl last season, the Packers are the team to beat this season, which means that week 8 marks the third game of the week that they will be playing in.

This match up features two of the best quarterbacks in the game in Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers and should be a great dual to watch.

With San Diego being optimistic about having a stronger running game this year with a healthy Ryan Mathews and a bowling ball in Mike Tolbert, all aspects of the Chargers offense will be tested against the talented defense of the Packers.

Week 10: Lions at Bears

At first this game doesn't jump off the schedule, but when you think about what happened last year you'll know why.

Remember when Calvin Johnson got robbed of that touchdown catch last season against the Bears in week 1? Well I'm sure he does and this is his opportunity to get revenge.

The Lions are sure to be a contender this year in the NFC North and in week 10 they can prove this against the reigning NFC North champs.

Week 11: Eagles at Giants

Eagles fans and Giants fans just really don't like each other. With all of this preseason talk about the "Dream Team," I'm sure Giants fans can't wait to play the Eagles.

Week 11 features a great inter-division battle where we get to see the Eagles head to New York City and try to steal a win from the Giants on their home field. The NFC East is expected to be just as competitive as ever, and this game may be a huge game to decide who wins the division.

Week 12: Packers at Lions

Who doesn't love eating turkey while watching football?

Every year football fans get to watch the Lions play on Thanksgiving Day and most of the time expect them to lose, but this year it may be different. The much improved Lions take on the Packers, in a match up that may prove to be a huge game every year for many years to come.

Week 13: Falcons at Texans

This match up features two teams that have something to prove.

The Falcons had a great regular season last year, in which they went 13-3, but an early exit from the playoffs erased that. On the other hand the Texans looked like a team that was destined for the postseason for the first time, but things didn't go their way at end of games and they went 6-10.

Alright fine, I really just put this game on here because of two guys: Andre Johnson and Roddy White. Both of the guys are freaks and it should be fun to get to see one of them every possession of the game.

Week 14: Rams at Seahawks

It may not be the most exciting game on the schedule, but it is very important for a few reasons. The Seahawks have been the perennial favorite in the disappointing NFC West, but the Rams feel like they have what it takes to challenge for a division championship.

Last season the Seahawks ended the Rams chances for the postseason on Sunday Night Football, and that feeling has stuck with the Rams all summer long.

The Rams feature one of the best young quarterbacks in football, in Sam Bradford, and it will be an opportunity for many to see how much he has developed in year 2 on Monday Night Football.

Week 15: Cowboys at Buccaneers

This game will turn out to be a great battle. The Buccaneers were a team last season that greatly over-achieved, and the Cowboys greatly under-achieved in one of their more disappointing seasons in recent history.

The quarterback battle in this game is what really makes it fun to watch. Tony Romo is back from injury and ready to lead the Cowboys back into the playoffs, while the Buccaneers have their young franchise quarterback in Josh Freeman.

Week 16: Bears at Packers

In a rematch of the week 3 game of the week, the Bears will head over to take on the Packers. This game will be looked forward to by both sides for weeks leading up to it, due to the fact that it will be the only game played on Christmas day.

Even though every other team will play on either Thursday or Saturday of that week, lets be honest: the NFL is played on Sundays. Football fans want to watch football on Sunday and this is the only game that fans can watch this week.

Week 17: Cowboys at Giants

An NFC East matchup closes out the season with a bang, when the Cowboys travel to take on the Giants. It's a rivalry game at it's finest and a great way to take the NFL season into the playoffs.

With both teams having high expectations this season, this may be a match up with extreme playoff implications on the line. Eli Manning and the Giants look to slow Tony Romo and the Cowboys in, what is sure to be, an intense finale.