While the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2021 NFL preseason with their Hall of Fame game matchup last week, preseason really kicks off this week, as all 32 teams will be in action for Week 1.
It starts Thursday night with two games, as the Washington Football Team heads to New England while the Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles have their usual preseason battle for Pennsylvania. Three more games take place Friday, with the Julio Jones bowl in Atlanta between the Tennessee Titans and Jones’ former team, the Atlanta Falcons, standing out. It’s highly unlikely Jones will play against his former teammates, but nevertheless.
Saturday is the big day this week, with 10 games. In the afternoon, the Denver Broncos will travel to play the Minnesota Vikings in a homecoming for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater, the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2014, played for the Vikings from 2014 to ’17 and is competing with Drew Lock to be the Broncos’ starting quarterback. The NFL’s two newest stadiums will also host their first games with fans, as the Las Vegas Raiders take on the Seattle Seahawks at Allegiant Stadium while the Los Angeles Chargers play the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
The slate concludes Sunday in Indianapolis, as the Colts host the Carolina Panthers. We’ll get our first glimpses at how the Colts plan to replace injured quarterback Carson Wentz and what Sam Darnold looks like in a Panthers uniform.
Quick links:
Full schedule | Depth charts | PickCenter
NFL preseason Week 1 schedule
Thursday’s games
Washington at New England, 7:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday’s games
Tennessee at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET
Buffalo at Detroit, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Dallas at Arizona, 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Saturday’s games
Miami at Chicago, 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Denver at Minnesota, 4 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Cleveland at Jacksonville, 7 p.m. ET, NFL Network
New Orleans at Baltimore, 7 p.m. ET
New York Jets at New York Giants, 7:30 p.m. ET
Cincinnati at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. ET
Houston at Green Bay, 8 p.m. ET
Kansas City at San Francisco, 8:30 p.m. ET
Seattle at Las Vegas, 9 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams, 10 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Sunday’s game
Carolina at Indianapolis, 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network
