Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
We see what you’re doing, NFL. At the time of publication, one Aaron Rodgers had not officially agreed to join Pittsburgh for its upcoming campaign, despite weeks of rumblings and rumored sightings. But if — capital I, capital F — the four-time MVP were to sign with the Steelers, this midseason matchup between Pittsburgh’s presumptive starting quarterback and his former team would jump all the way to the top of this list. The 41-year-old signal-caller has never played against the Packers, who drafted him all the way back in 2005 and with whom he won Super Bowl XLV against … the Steelers. In what could be Rodgers’ last season, his showdown with Green Bay and Matt LaFleur would rival Tom Brady vs. the Patriots for the most anticipated player-team matchup in NFL history. (If Rodgers instead spends the season in Malibu, Peru or elsewhere, the league should seek to extract the Mason Rudolph-led Steelers from this slot with record pace.)
Other honorable mentions: Chiefs vs. Chargers (Week 1, Friday in São Paulo, Brazil); Lions at Ravens (Week 3, Monday); Patriots at Bills (Week 5, Sunday); Lions at Chiefs (Week 6, Sunday); Buccaneers at Lions (Week 7, Monday); Bengals at Ravens (Week 13, Thanksgiving night).