In three hours, the Houston Texans will open the 2020 NFL Season against the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Here are some of the preview notes, thanks to the National Football League:
SUPER STARTERS: History indicates that the best way for a team to start its drive toward a Super Bowl championship is to win in Week 1.
The 54 Super Bowl winners have a 44-9-1 record in the Kickoff Weekend games of their title seasons. The Super Bowl LIV champion KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, who host Houston in the NFL’s annual primetime kickoff game on Thursday (8:20 PM ET, NBC), have won their past five Kickoff Weekend games, the longest active streak in the AFC and tied for the longest active streak in the NFL (Green Bay).
Since 1978 when the NFL went to the 16-game schedule, and excluding the abbreviated season of 1982, teams that are victorious in their season-openers are more than twice as likely to reach the playoffs than losers of an opening game:
Of the 617 teams that won openers…322 went to the playoffs (196 won division titles).
Of the 616 teams that lost openers…148 went to the playoffs (86 won division titles).Note: There are a different number of winning and losing teams in season-opening games due to the fact the NFL had 31 teams in each season from 1999-2001, which creates an odd number for the total number of results.
In 2019, the 12 playoff teams compiled an 11-1 record on Kickoff Weekend and all four participants in the conference championships – Green Bay, Kansas City, San Francisco and Tennessee – were victorious in Week 1.
Matchup of expensive quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes vs Deshaun Watson
Patrick Mahomes has a $450 million contract extension (now $500 million) and Deshaun Watson has a $160 million contract extension. This marks the first time that the two highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL are black. At a time where “Black Lives Matter” is the rightful rallying cry, the NFL’s proving it: with money.
KC Chiefs Allowing 18,000 Fans In The Stadium
The Kansas City Chiefs are allowing 18,000 fans in Arrowhead Stadium. Also, the stadium manager say this:
In addition to staff, all guests are required to wear masks at Arrowhead Stadium at all times including while in your seating section except when actively eating or drinking.
Masks must completely and tightly cover the wearer’s nose and mouth.
Guests failing to adhere to this policy will be subject to disciplinary measures as outlined in the Fan Code of Conduct.
This is going to be fun to watch. Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs 34, Houston Texans 28.
Stay tuned.
