Five must-watch NFL games this season

The NFL will “Bling” in the 2015 regular season between the reigning and four-time Super Bowl champion Patriots and the six-time Super Bowl champion Steelers at Gillette Stadium. Both teams will play without starting running backs; the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell and the Patriots’ LeGarrette Blount, former teammates, were suspended after they were arrested together before last season on marijuana possession charges.

There’s just something about the Packers that brings out the best in Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers’ quarterback is 3-0 against Green Bay, passing for a combined 902 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 301 yards and two scores. Think Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews have this date circled on their schedule?

Philadelphia running back DeMarco Murray returns to AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The former Cowboy rushed for a franchise-record 1,845 yards and had 13 touchdowns for the Cowboys last season. We’ll soon find out if it was Murray’s running ability or Dallas’ massive line that made him so good last season.

Green Bay fans will be thankful on this Thanksgiving night with former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Brett Favre reuniting with the Packers, who will have his jersey No. 4 placed on the Ring of Honor at Lambeau Field. The Packers look to continue their domination over the Bears, who have lost 11 of their past 13 games against Green Bay.

Maybe we should call this a “how dare you watch” game, since many families will be deep into their Christmas Eve traditions. But it’s a prime-time game between AFC West rivals, and Raiders fans will watch it even if their team has been eliminated from the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season. Did the NFL schedule this as a preview for its two future Los Angeles teams?

Victor Contreras

This story was originally published April 21, 2015 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Five must-watch NFL games this season."