Sky Live: Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia kicks off the NFL season on Sky Sports
Watch live on Sky Sports Action on Thursday night
Friday 7 September 2018 05:55, UK
The 2018 NFL season kicks off tonight with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Atlanta Falcons, exclusively live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 12.30am. Here's what you can expect...
Live NFL
Form guide
Atlanta head to Philadelphia seeking revenge after the last game they played was a 15-10 playoff loss to the Eagles.
They finished with a 10-6 record last season (after an 11-5 record and an infamous Super Bowl loss to the Patriots the year before) and head into 2018 with a lot of continuity.
Philadelphia finished with the best record in the NFC (13-3) and toppled Atlanta, Minnesota, and New England on the way to their first Super Bowl title.
The storyline of the offseason in Philly was quarterback Carson Wentz's recovery, in question until just this week, when head coach Doug Pederson announced playoff star and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles will kick off the season.
Stat Attack
The Eagles have won six of their last seven season openers, while the Falcons have won three of their last four.
Matt Ryan has passed for at least 4,000 yards in seven straight seasons, tying the second-long streak in NFL history.
Key battle
Falcons running game versus Eagles run defense: In the January matchup, the Eagles held Atlanta's running back duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman to 86 yards. Their starting linebackers on the day? Nigel Bradham, Mychal Kendricks, and Dannell Ellerbe.
With Bradham suspended and Kendricks and Ellerbe departing, they will begin the season with second-year college safety (Nate Gerry) and core special-teamer (Kamu Grugier-Hill) on either side of returning star Jordan Hicks.
Philadelphia had the best rushing defense in the league last year but a top-quality Falcons offensive line and these backs could exploit them at the second level.
Ones to watch
Falcons receiver Julio Jones ran riot against the Eagles in the playoffs, with nine catches for 101 yards, but Jim Schwartz's stingy defense did not allow him to find the end zone. Crucially, a Ryan pass in his direction fell incomplete with the team's final play of their season.
Jones, who has recorded four straight seasons with over 1,400 receiving yards, will look to start the season with a bang.
All eyes will be on Nick Foles in his encore after stepping in for Wentz last season. It was entirely expected he would return to the bench behind the Eagles' cornerstone QB, but he will instead have the chance to step out onto Lincoln Financial Field in front of the Philly faithful.
The question is: will we see good Nick, or bad Nick? Foles is one of the most high-variance passers in NFL history and the Eagles will go as he does.
Any other news?
As well as Wentz and Bradham, the Eagles will be without wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan.
Watch the first game of the new NFL season as reigning Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles host Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Action from 12.30am on Friday morning.
Follow the 2018-19 NFL season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/NFL also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL
