Ten can't miss games: L.T.-Pats, Bush-Young just get it started

Week-by-week | Team-by-team | Judge

In its continuing quest to stay in the news year-round, the NFL released the 2007 schedule Wednesday.

Happy holiday, because that's what this day has become.

Ready for another Brett Favre farewell game? Well, maybe not. (Getty Images)

It means coaches griping about three-game road trips, players moaning about their lack of national-television games and guys like me planning out my life five months from now.

Schedule day has become a special day. In no other sport does the schedule coming out really matter, but it does in the NFL.

When was the last time you remember getting excited about the Major League schedule being unveiled? Man, who do the Yankees play on June 3? Or the NBA schedule? Or the NHL? Do they still play?

The NFL schedule is a different animal. It's news. People plan travel, delay weddings and postpone birthday parties. All to make sure they can see their favorite teams.

Go ahead and admit it. When you peek at the schedule, it's about you, not your team. You wonder if a big game interferes with an event. You try to figure out when and how you can get from Green Bay to Denver to see the Packers play. You rush your life away.

That's schedule day in the NFL, the third biggest holiday the league has. It's the Super Bowl first, the draft second and then schedule day.

Enjoy the holiday. Just don't ask your boss for the day off.

Now here's a look at 10 can't-miss games for 2007:

Week 2

San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots: Who can forget the playoff game between the two when the Patriots upset San Diego on their field. Plus, there's the bad blood between the teams stemming from LaDainian Tomlinson perceiving Patriots players showed up the Chargers after the game. Both teams are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. This will be a fun early season game. LT and Bill Belichick supposedly made up at the Pro Bowl. We'll see.

Week 3

Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (Monday night): This will feature the first game matching Reggie Bush against Vince Young. You don't suspect that's the reason the game is on in prime time, do you? The Saints will be good again and the Titans are a rising team. On that fast track in the Superdome, this should be explosive. It will be like a video game.

Week 4

Houston Texans at Atlanta Falcons: This is the return of Matt Schaub as quarterback of the Texans. They traded with the Falcons to get him, and there are some in Atlanta who think the Falcons made a mistake. One columnist wrote they traded the wrong quarterback. Can you imagine if Schaub has a big game and Mike Vick struggles? Vick will hear it. Count on that.

Week 5

New York Jets at New York Giants: This is a road game for the Jets, but they don't have to leave their stadium. Anytime these two teams get together, it's fun to watch. This will be like a Sopranos episode. Yoooze guys know what I mean?

Week 6

New England Patriots at Dallas Cowboys: The glamour-boy quarterback (Tom Brady), he of the Hollywood girlfriends, against the glamour-boy team. The Patriots haven't played in Dallas since Barry Switzer was coach in 1996. One other thing: Brady will be a daddy by this time. Wonder if it will affect his play?

Week 7

Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles: These two rugged NFC teams should be in the mix to be the Super Bowl representative from that conference. By this time of the season the Bears should know if Rex Grossman is any better and the Eagles fans should know if that horrid run defense from last season is fixed. The team that answers their question best could be going to Glendale, Ariz.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars (Monday night): The last time the Super Bowl champions took the Alltel Stadium field they were run over to the tune of 375 yards in a bad loss last December. These two teams seem to always play tough games, and this one should be no different.

Week 8

New York Giants at Miami Dolphins: This is the real-estate game -- location, location, location. It's being played in London, the first NFL regular season game in Europe. That makes it interesting. Wonder who the Queen likes? Oh, and keep those cheerleaders away from Princes William and Harry.

Week 11

Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks: The last two NFC champs get together in Seattle in a rematch of their playoff game last January, which was won by the Bears. It's a certainty that by this time the Bears will know what they have in Grossman, if he's still the guy.

Week 14

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens probably can't wait for this one after losing to the Colts in the playoffs last year on their home field. Want to bet Ray Lewis circles this one as soon as he sees the schedule? Plus, how many Baltimore fans hate seeing the Colts return as Super Bowl champs -- Indy Super Bowl champs?

Add-on game with an asterisk:

Week 17

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers: This could be it for Brett Favre. If it is, it's worth noting. He will go out at home in front of his adoring fans. Of course, two weeks later he'll announce he's going to play again.