NFL 2019 season start date, TV coverage, teams and players to watch

When does the 2019 NFL season start?

The season starts on the night of Thursday, September 5, 2019 when Green Bay Packers play Chicago Bears (1.20am kick-off). There are 13 Week One games on Sunday, September 8 and two on Monday, September 9.

It is the first time since 2003 that the Super Bowl champions have not played in the season-opener. Bears v Packers is the league's most-played fixture so the teams were instead chosen to mark the start of the NFL's 100th season.

Where can you watch it?

Sky Sports shows weekly coverage in the UK. Fans can also sign up to watch any game (except the live Sky Sports games) via the NFL Game Pass streaming service. The BBC will show the two Wembley NFL games in Weeks Five and Six.

Who won last time?

New England Patriots won Super Bowl LIII 13-3 against the Los Angeles Rams in February.

When and where is the Super Bowl this season?

Super Bowl LIV will be played on Sunday, February 2, 2020 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Who are the favourites this year?

Champions New England Patriots, who will be led by 42-year-old quarterback Tom Brady, are the 7-1 favourites to retain their title. Kansas City Chiefs are 9-1, with New Orleans Saints 10-1 and the Los Angeles Rams 11-1.

Which star players have changed teams?

The blockbuster move of the summer saw talented wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr traded from the New York Giants to the Cleveland Browns. Another top pass-catcher, Antonio Brown, was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Oakland Raiders, while the Arizona Cardinals traded their starting quarterback Josh Rosen to the Miami Dolphins to make room for top draft pick Kyler Murray.

Which teams have new coaches?

Arizona Cardinals (Kliff Kingsbury), Cincinnati Bengals (Zac Taylor), Cleveland Browns (Freddie Kitchens), Denver Broncos (Vic Fangio), Green Bay Packers (Matt LaFleur), Miami Dolphins (Brian Flores), New York Jets (Adam Gase) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bruce Arians) all have new head coaches this season.

Which teams should be improved this year?

The shortest-priced team in the Super Bowl betting who did not make the playoffs last season are the Cleveland Browns, who are 18-1 and as short as 14-1 with some bookmakers.

The Browns have the top overall picks from the 2016 (defensive end Myles Garrett) and 2017 (quarterback Baker Mayfield) drafts, plus summer recruits wide receiver Odell Beckham junior, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and running back Kareem Hunt.

The 2017 champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, reached only the divisional playoffs last season but they have a strong roster and should be challenging for a return to the Super Bowl.

Who are the rookies to look out for?

Top pick Kyler Murray is set to start at quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs should get an early chance to impress and the Detroit Lions' TJ Hockenson is one of the most highly-rated tight ends to join the league for years. Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White is favourite to win the defensive rookie of the year award.

What are the best games of Week One?

The Sunday night showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots tops the weekend bill. As well as the Packers-Bears clash, there are some other key divisional derbies including two in the NFC East as the Washington Redskins visit the Philadelphia Eagles before the New York Giants travel to the Dallas Cowboys.

The Monday night games see Houston Texans visit Super Bowl contenders the New Orleans Saints and an AFC West derby between Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders.

Don't miss Racing Post Sport's NFL betting guide to the 2019 season free with the Racing Post on September 5, and online at racingpost.com/sport

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