Five matchups that will define NFL Week 1: Ice up for Steve Smith-Aqib Talib
Get your ice packs ready.
Steve Smith is one of the NFL's most explosive players, both in play and demeanor. And few opponents roil the Baltimore Ravens receiver as much as Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib.
The feud between the two boiled over in 2013, when Smith was a member of the Carolina Panthers and Talib was on the New England Patriots. A Monday night matchup full of tussling ended with Talib sidelined by a hip injury and Smith delivering a memorable postgame rant to cap the Panthers' victory.
"I don't know, you go ask him, 'cause he didn't finish the game," Smith said when asked how his matchup with Talib went. "Ice up, son, ice up."
Smith, now 36, has produced some of his best outings when he has had something to prove. He recorded 118 yards in his first game with the Ravens last season and 139 yards and two touchdowns against the Panthers in a rematch in which he promised there would be "blood and guts everywhere."
“Some may say he has the little-man complex. I don’t care what you call it. Don’t make him mad," NFL Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson told Paste BN Sports. "If you make Steve Smith mad, he’s going to play so much harder, so much more physical, and he’s going to try to break your will.”
Lined up across from the comparably brash Talib, Smith should have his emotions running high again. Is there any chance that it's a low-key matchup for the receiver and cornerback?
"I'm a hot head, so I'm not sure," Smith told the Denver Post about how he would handle his emotions.
Here are four other matchups that will define Week 1:
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson vs. St. Louis Rams' defensive line
Even after being given tight end Jimmy Graham in the offseason, Wilson still might find himself under pressure in the opener.
Nick Fairley's addition gives the Rams five former first-round draft picks along their defensive front. That could prove too much to handle for a Seattle offensive line that lost center Max Unger and guard James Carpenter in the offseason.
"Some people worried about Russell Wilson looking a little heavy," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah told Paste BN Sports. "I think he's going to have to have his escapability ready to roll on that one, because I don't think they'll be able to block the Rams up front."
Wilson will assist first-year center Drew Nowak on adjusting pass protections, and he should have the opportunity for big plays if he can evade the rush. Rookie wide receiver Tyler Lockett could figure prominently into the passing game after a standout preseason.
Detroit Lions WRs Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate vs. San Diego Chargers CBs Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett
Johnson's size coupled with Tate's ability to run after the catch make the Lions' receiving tandem one of the league's most formidable. But the Chargers might be one of the few teams equipped to take them on.
San Diego's fourth-ranked passing defense returns Flowers and safety Eric Weddle, both among the best at their respective positions. The key to Sunday, however, could be having Verrett, last year's first-round draft pick, fully healthy.
The 5-9 cornerback looked like an early standout as a rookie before he tore his labrum in Week 6 and was lost for the season. A strong training camp heightened expectations for Verrett, and the Lions receiving corps could be a good early test.
But for Verrett, who drew rave reviews from scouts in college for his performance against former LSU and current New York Giants standout Odell Beckham Jr., confidence shouldn't be a problem.
"Now you know that if he can go toe-to-toe with Beckham in college, he can go toe-to-toe with anybody," Jeremiah said.
Buffalo Bills' front seven vs. Colts' offensive line
In Buffalo, Rex Ryan inherited a group that ranked No 4 in sacks and total defense last season. He'll need the unit in top form from the outset to keep up with the likes of Andrew Luck and the AFC's best.
Edge rushers Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes and defensive tackle Kyle Williams appear to be a mismatch for the Colts offensive line, though Indianapolis won't see defensive tackle Marcell Dareus as he serves a one-game suspension.
But Buffalo will have to create pressure without bringing extra men, as Luck ranked as ProFootball Focus' best quarterback against the blitz last season. Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Ronald Darby is making his first start and won't be bailed out with defensive adjustments.
"To think we're just gonna roll our coverage to him every snap ... that's not gonna happen," Ryan told reporters this week, per the Democrat & Chronicle. "This kid can play, he gets a couple bogus pass interference calls, but this kid played well. Now, is every corner in the league gonna struggle against an Andre Johnson, a T.Y. Hilton? Yeah, I mean that's not like he's got a walk in the park this week.
Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt vs. Kansas City Chiefs offensive line
With former No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher struggling, the Chiefs flipped Donald Stephenson to left tackle. The shift might not make much of a difference in Week 1.
The Texans permit Watt to move around as he sees fit. If Fisher finds himself tasked with blocking Watt, he'll need to be hold up better than he did in their 2013 matchup. Watt recorded one sack and consistently disrupted the Chiefs' offense.
Fisher and whoever else has to block Watt should have help, but he still could prove a nuisance for quarterback Alex Smith and running back Jamaal Charles.
And it doesn't get much easier elsewhere for the Chiefs offensive line. Rookie center Mitch Morse begins his NFL career by facing Texans defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.
Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.
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