NFL Letdown Games for Every Team
What games are the ones each NFL team has to look out for? It’s a LONG season with plenty of lulls, so which games are set up to be a letdown moment for every team?
Predicting each outcome takes into account location, scheduling fatigue, matchup intensity, and much more. These are the games – including the sandwich battles between two giant opponents – that each team should probably win, but might have issues.
Arizona Cardinals
at Las Vegas Raiders, September 18
Having started hot in recent seasons, the Cardinals will be tested immediately by big home games against the Chiefs and Rams. Overlooking the solid Raiders as the sandwich in between those two clashes is a problem.
– Arizona 2022 Schedule
Atlanta Falcons
Pittsburgh Steelers, December 4
Atlanta probably won’t be favored too often, but against a retooling Pittsburgh team at home this is one of the winnable late games. There’s one small problem: this will be Atlanta’s 13th consecutive game to start the season, and it will be tough not to look ahead to a much-needed bye.
– Atlanta 2022 Schedule
Baltimore Ravens
Atlanta Falcons, December 24
The AFC Central should be competitive from top to bottom, and Baltimore will meet divisional foes in four of its final five weeks. Saddled in the midst of this divisional chaos, the Falcons could surprise on Christmas Eve.
– Baltimore 2022 Schedule
Buffalo Bills
at Detroit Lions, November 24
Buffalo has massive expectations but can’t expect to breeze by the newly energized Lions. It’s Thanksgiving Day – Detroit might take its game up a notch – the Thursday after playing a physical Cleveland team to make this even more dangerous.
– Buffalo 2022 Schedule
Carolina Panthers
at New York Giants, September 18: The pressure will be on Matt Rhule early, but between home games against good Cleveland and New Orleans teams, Carolina will go to New York for what might be a must-win for Rhule’s job security.
– Carolina 2022 Schedule
Chicago Bears
Houston Texans, September 25
During a road-heavy early season stretch that features Green Bay and Minnesota, Chicago gets a home reprieve against Houston. It’s early in the season but the Bears need this win – they can’t afford to take the Texans lightly.
– Chicago 2022 Schedule
Cincinnati Bengals
at New York Jets, September 25
Between matchups against playoff hopefuls in the Cowboys and Dolphins, Cincinnati will get New York on the road. The upstart Jets will likely bomb away in what should be a wild offensive fight.
– Cincinnati 2022 Schedule
Cleveland Browns
at Houston Texans, December 4
Cleveland should have more questions at this point than anyone, but its playoff fate should at least be settled during a late sequence of games against the Bills, Bucs, Bengals, and Ravens. Situated in the middle of that gauntlet are the Texans, who could take advantage of the Browns getting them at home at just the right time.
– Cleveland 2022 Schedule
Dallas Cowboys
Jacksonville Jaguars, December 4
Dallas will face Green Bay and Minnesota on the road prior to this short week battle. The schedule before all of this isn’t too bad, and Jacksonville should be starting to play well – at least, in theory – with this the potential showpiece game in the rebuild.
– Dallas 2022 Schedule
Denver Broncos
at Carolina Panthers, November 27
The Broncos are primed for a breakthrough season, but their post-bye schedule is brutal. Taking care of business away against Carolina will be tough between games with Las Vegas, Baltimore, and Kansas City.
– Denver 2022 Schedule
Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars, December 4
Dan Campbell has breathed some sorely-needed life into the Lions, but will they have enough positive moments in the first part of the season to be in for a fight come December? Against Jacksonville – the middle game of a three-week homestand with the Bills and Vikings – Detroit can’t be sloppy.
– Detroit 2022 Schedule
Green Bay Packers
at Detroit Lions, November 6
Lions fans will have this one circled on the calendar, while Packers fans assuredly won’t – outside of the division aspect. However, the high-powered battles against Buffalo and Dallas that sandwich this game could leave Green Bay vulnerable.
– Green Bay 2022 Schedule
Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars, January 1
Both teams may be playing out the string this late in the year, but given Houston’s late-season gauntlet — facing Dallas, Kansas City, Tennessee, then Indianapolis to finish the year after Jacksonville — the Jags should win the potential pillow fight.
– Houston 2022 Schedule
Indianapolis Colts
at Denver Broncos, October 6
The Colts will see two of last season’s top AFC teams in the Chiefs and Titans before heading to a vastly improved Denver squad. With short rest and in the altitude of Mile High Stadium, this is going to be a heavy lift.
– Indianapolis 2022 Schedule
Jacksonville Jaguars
at New York Jets, December 22
This game has its headline: Trevor Lawrence vs. Zach Wilson. For Jacksonville, while winnable, it comes right on the heels of tough outs against Tennessee and Dallas. For the Jets? Home versus Detroit. Advantage New York.
– Jacksonville 2022 Schedule
Kansas City Chiefs
at San Francisco 49ers, October 23
The much-hyped rematch with Buffalo comes the week prior to this one and concludes six games against playoff caliber teams to start Kansas City’s season. San Francisco is going to be fantastic, and it’ll be hyped up, but this comes right before the bye and when the Chiefs are ready to get a break.
– Kansas City 2022 Schedule
Las Vegas Raiders
at Seattle Seahawks, November 27
The AFC West could be the best division in the NFL this year. Las Vegas will get the Seahawks after taking on Denver and before key clashes with the Chargers and Rams – not divisional games, but equally intense.
– Las Vegas 2022 Schedule
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins, December 11
The season will boil down to how the Chargers handle the games they are favored in, which has been a serious issue in the past. After Kansas City, Arizona, and Las Vegas, the Dolphins will be a dangerous – likely – underdog in a what should be a firefight.
– Miami 2022 Schedule
Los Angeles Rams
at New Orleans Saints, November 20
Looking to repeat in 2022-23, the Rams will have a series of TV-worthy games in November. After taking on Tampa Bay and Arizona, and prior to a showdown in Kansas City, they’ll have to travel to take on what should be a nasty Saint defense.
– Los Angeles Rams 2022 Schedule
Miami Dolphins
at New York Jets, October 9
In order to fulfill its playoff hopes, Miami can’t afford to slip up in either matchup with the Jets. But after a three-game stretch against Baltimore, Buffalo, and Cincinnati, the Dolphins may struggle with the dangerous New York O.
– Miami 2022 Schedule
Minnesota Vikings
at Washington Commanders, November 6
Trying to break out of perpetual mediocrity, Minnesota will be looking hard at its November slate, which includes Buffalo, Dallas, and New England. but first comes a road date at Washington.
– Minnesota 2022 Schedule
New England Patriots
Detroit Lions, November 9
Wedged between road clashes with the Packers and Browns, this home game against Detroit falls at just the right time for a mid-season struggle.
– New England 2022 Schedule
New Orleans Saints
at San Francisco 49ers, November 27
There isn’t a letdown problem here, but New Orleans might be running on fumes in late November due to the dreaded Week 14 bye slot. The Saints get no favors with the teams on the schedule with games against the Rams and Buccaneers bookending this road matchup with the 49ers.
– New Orleans 2022 Schedule
New York Giants
Chicago Bears, October 2
The Bears won’t be the focal point during an early four game stretch which starts at home with the Cowboys and ends against Green Bay and Baltimore. Chicago may be considered the Giants’ break in the middle, yet could pull off the relative upset.
– New York Giants 2022 Schedule
New York Jets
Chicago Bears, November 27
New York comes out of the bye with three tough road games against the Patriots, Vikings, and Bills, as well as a home game with Chicago. This is the dangerous mid-to-late season spot to let off the gas.
– New York Jets 2022 Schedule
Philadelphia Eagles
Jacksonville Jaguars, October 2
Philadelphia – facing old friend Doug Pederson at home in between road contests against the Commanders and Cardinals – could struggle in the sandwich date even with all the hype and storylines.
– Philadelphia 2022 Schedule
Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Jets, October 2
After a rough opening against Cincinnati, New England, and Cleveland, the Steelers will host the Jets in what might be a must-win before more tough outs against Buffalo and Tampa Bay.
– Pittsburgh 2022 Schedule
San Francisco 49ers
at Carolina Panthers, October 9
After a game in Denver and a subsequent Monday night showdown with the Rams, it might be a tough long trip for San Francisco against a potentially more efficient Carolina team that will need this home win.
– Carolina 2022 Schedule
Seattle Seahawks
Carolina Panthers, December 11
In between matchups with the Rams, 49ers, and Chiefs, the Seahawks have a true letdown moment against a dangerous Carolina team late in the season.
– Seattle 2022 Schedule
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Atlanta Falcons, October 9
The Bucs start with a flurry of tough opponents in Dallas, New Orleans, Green Bay, and Kansas City. By the time Atlanta comes to town, Tampa Bay will need an easy week, and the Falcons should regroup and be dangerous enough to possibly spring a shocker.
– Tampa Bay 2022 Schedule
Tennessee Titans
at Washington Commanders, October 9
Tennessee and Indianapolis look to be the class of the AFC South, and both of their division-altering matchups are in October. For the Titans, the game in between these two clashes – and a bye – on the road against Washington is precarious.
– Washington 2022 Schedule
Washington Commanders
at Chicago Bears, October 13
Four days removed from a physical battle with the Titans, and ten days after a divisional rivalry with Dallas, the Commanders travel to Chicago. In what sets up to be a gritty game, Washington may run out of momentum.
– Washington 2022 Schedule
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