Putting together a game plan for Week 1 in the NFL is always a difficult task. There’s a bigger level of uncertainty about what your opponent will dial up on gameday as every team undergoes changes in the offseason and most clubs keep their play calls pretty generic during the preseason.
Something that can help make the preparation easier is playing a divisional opponent seeing as those teams faced each other twice the year before and coaches can have a better idea of how the side will choose to attack them. While the Las Vegas Raiders did draw the Denver Broncos in the season opener, head coach Josh McDaniels still won’t have that luxury as he prepares his squad for a crucial AFC West matchup.