Tom Brady is fired up as the NFL season gets back into action. Photo / Getty
Tom Brady is fired up as the NFL season gets back into action. Photo / Getty
The NFL gets underway for most teams tomorrow morning, and that means early Monday starts are on the cards for fans of America's most beloved and popular sport.
After the New England Patriots' 28-21 first-up win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday afternoon, the remaining 30 teams start their seasons over the next two days, with 13 games on show tomorrow, and two on Tuesday.
Seven of tomorrow's games start at 5.00am, with NFL RedZone a must to keep track of all the key outcomes, close finishes and top fantasy football performers.
As a tumultuous offseason finally comes to a close, it's time to evaluate eight storylines to keep track of this NFL season.
The reputation of the New England Patriots continues to be dragged through the mud, and they are fired up to defend their Super Bowl title. Although Tom Brady was cleared in the "Deflategate" case after tortuous months of tedious arguing about air pressure and deflated footballs, other reports have labelled the Patriots with accusations of further cheating after the Spygate fiasco in the mid-2000s.
While Patriots fans can clash with angry opponents all day on this issue, what isn't up for debate is the power of the Patriots offence - with a pissed off Brady linking up with superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski for three touchdowns in the season opener. Many are tipping the Miami Dolphins to cause them problems in the AFC East, but it's hard to look past the forever-consistent Brady and the Patriots.
It feels like more superstars were on the move this offseason than usual, with some high-profile players making a change of scenery.
One of the best defensive players in football, Ndamukong Suh left the Detroit Lions to sign a monster deal with the Dolphins, while freak tight end Jimmy Graham's trade was probably the most stunning offseason moment, being shipped from the New Orleans Saints to last season's Super Bowl losers, the Seattle Seahawks.
Add star cornerback Darrelle Revis heading back to the New York Jets, LeSean McCoy being traded to the Buffalo Bills and the troubled but talented Greg Hardy set to link up with the Dallas Cowboys, and there could be some big power shifts coming this season.
The Philadelphia Eagles' plan
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. Photo / Getty
When it came to offseason moves, the Eagles were the kings of confusion, making an array of big-name transactions.
Eagles coach Chip Kelly was accused of racism after trading away several black players who didn't fit with his plans, including McCoy and Brandon Boykin, while receiver Jeremy Maclin left in free agency. The Eagles also lost crucial guard Evan Mathis after he also had a disagreement with Kelly.
However, the Eagles brought in some notable talent too, with Kiko Alonso (the return from the McCoy trade), DeMarco Murray and Ryan Matthews (free agency) and Nelson Agholor (draft) all joining the team. They also made a change at quarterback, with former number one pick Sam Bradford replacing Nick Foles.
In Bradford and Murray, the Eagles are relying on two injury prone offensive linchpins, but also two players who have high ceilings and could put up impressive numbers under Kelly. Heck, even much-maligned former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez had high output in Kelly's system.
They probably won't be great, nor terrible, but the Eagles will undoubtedly be interesting.
Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning has a new head coach this year, and with it comes a new offence.
New Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak had a fantastic year as offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens last season, with his shotgun offence and zone blocking schemes resulting in a strong year from quarterback Joe Flacco and vastly improving a running game which was one of the worst in NFL history the year before.
However, with Kubiak's offence comes a requirement for more mobility - potentially an issue for the 39 year old Manning. Add in the loss of end-zone target Julius Thomas to Jacksonville and several departures from his offensive line, and Manning could be in for his toughest season to date.
Jarryd Hayne
It wouldn't be an NFL preview without mentioning Hayne, who has taken the media down under by storm with his impressive preseason feats. Now with his spot on the San Francisco 49ers secured, the question remains of how effective he will be, and how much playing time he will receive.
Reports suggest he will function largely as the team's punt returner, and is unlikely to see much time at the running back position behind impressive sophomore Carlos Hyde and veteran Reggie Bush.
However, if he pulls off a punt return touchdown or makes a vital third down catch, the story will continue to grow. In fact, Hayne's story could be the best one of the year for the 49ers, who have had an array of stars depart, leaving their roster lacking depth at key positions.
Jarryd Hayne in action for the San Francisco 49ers. Photo / Getty
Injuries and Concussions
Let's not glorify the NFL too much - this is still a league where moral quandaries are forefront of the viewing experience. The are increasing links to how playing football can cause major post-playing career health problems, and concussions are at the forefront of it.
Although the big collisions and huge hits are great for the viewing experience, player welfare is becoming more and more of a serious issue. It won't stop people watching, but as the recent retirements of Chris Borland and Anthony Davis has shown, it may stop people playing.
Injuries can cause chaos to any predictions, with the quarterback position often plagued by injuries which can end a team's season. Last year, 70 quarterbacks attempted a pass, with the most egregious example of QB injuries ruining a season being the Arizona Cardinals, who had to start Ryan Lindley in a playoff game after losing Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. Lindley had two picks and just 82 yards, and down went Arizona.
Two rookie quarterbacks have been entrusted with turning around the fortunes of their franchise - Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.
With good quarterbacks becoming harder to find (I recommend reading this from the Wall Street Journal), Winston and Mariota went first and second in this year's NFL draft, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pinning their hopes on the more traditional Winston, while the Tennessee Titans are backing the athletic Mariota.
It's rare for a rookie quarterback to make an instant difference to a side, and neither side are expected to make the playoffs. But after running out the likes of Josh McCown and Charlie Whitehurst at quarterback last season, there is now renewed hope for the two fanbases.
Sleeper teams
Two teams have been tagged as the popular outside contenders for this season - the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins have recruited Suh to improve their already impressive defensive line, and are banking on continued growth from the steadily-improving Ryan Tannehill, who has new offensive weapons in Kenny Stills, Jordan Cameron, Greg Jennings and DeVante Parker.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are the trendy sleeper, with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (whose slide in the 2014 NFL draft looks worse every day) coming into his second season, and being re-joined by star running back Adrian Peterson, who missed the whole of last season after being indicted on child abuse charges.
With a quality defence led Anthony Barr, the versatile Everson Griffen and Harrison Smith, the Vikings are tipped to follow the Green Bay Packers out of the NFC North, but the loss of offensive linemen John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt is enough to temper expectations for the time being.
