NFL Week 1 TV Schedule: Steelers vs. Ravens and 3 Games Made for Prime Time

The first week of the NFL season will give us four prime time games. The Saints and Packers kick the season off on Thursday at Lambeau Field. On Sunday night, the Jets will host the Cowboys. Monday night will give us an ESPN double header of the Patriots in Miami against the Dolphins, and the Raiders in Denver against the Broncos.

In between all of those night games, 12 games will be played at their regular Sunday afternoon time.

There's nothing really wrong with the choices that were made for prime time. The Raiders vs. Broncos doesn't appear to be much of a game, but that has to be a game between two western teams, so options are limited.

Still, there are some other games that would be just fine for a National Television audience.

Steelers @ Ravens

This is a divisional playoff rematch of last season. The two teams put on a classic game, which was preceded by two classic regular season games.

This is a bitter rivalry and the two teams are so similar to each other. They are both normally playoff teams and Super Bowl contenders, although the Ravens haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 2000-2001 season.

We'll get these two on prime time when they play on NBC's Sunday Night Football in week nine on November 6. But for now, we'll be stuck watching these two play at the normal Sunday afternoon time.

Falcons @ Bears

These are the two teams that were the best in the NFC during the regular season last year. Both have fallen under the radar during the offseason. It makes some sense as they haven't been as active as other top NFC teams, but this is still a potential playoff preview.

We weren’t dangerously far from this being the Thursday Night Football opener and having the Saints and Packers play on Sunday afternoon.

Time will tell if these two can follow up on their success in 2011. But in terms of what we saw in 2010, this is a marquee matchup of week one.

Lions @ Buccaneers

At this time in 2010, if I was looking ahead to the opening week of the 2011 season, I would never have guessed that this would be a game that I would be hyping.

But I see the winner of this game having a nice inside track to the playoffs. Tampa Bay had a sleeper season in 2010, going 10-6. The Lions were only 6-10, but have grown significantly since their winless 2008 season.

The winner of this game will get what works out to a two game lead over the other. The one game in the standings, and then a second in a tiebreaker. I like their chances at making the playoffs.

Day/Date/Game	Time ET	Network
Thursday, September 8
Saints @ Packers	8:30 PM	NBC
Sunday, September 11
Falcons @ Bears	1:00 PM	FOX
Bengals @ Browns	1:00 PM	CBS
Bills @ Chiefs	1:00 PM	CBS
Eagles @ Rams	1:00 PM	FOX
Lions @ Buccaneers	1:00 PM	FOX
Titans @ Jaguars	1:00 PM	CBS
Steelers @ Ravens	1:00 PM	CBS
Colts @ Texans	1:00 PM	CBS
NY Giants @ Redskins	4:15 PM	FOX
Seahawks @ 49ers	4:15 PM	FOX
Vikings @ Chargers	4:15 PM	FOX
Panthers @ Cardinals	4:15 PM	FOX
Cowboys @ NY Jets	8:20 PM	NBC
Monday, September 12
Patriots @ Dolphins	7:00 PM	ESPN
Raiders @ Broncos	10:15 pm	ESPN