The 10 Best NFL Games for Alabama Fans During 2023 Season: All Things CW

From Jonathan Allen to Byron Young, the NFL will again be loaded with former Crimson Tide players during the 2023 season.

Yes, the National Football League has turned the release of its annual schedule into a multi-day event. 

Let's all hope that the Southeastern Conference doesn't soon follow suit, although you have to believe the powers that be are probably thinking about it, especially if the league keeps expanding. 

Alabama football fans aren't exactly known for embracing the NFL, or just about any professional league for that matter, but they do like to follow former Crimson Tide athletes throughout their careers. So it might interest some to know that while the full 2023-24 schedule is being released Thursday night on the NFL Network (7 p.m.), NFL+ will be feature a "Players Only Schedule Release" that will include commentary and analysis from 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II.

With the opponents already determined, here are the top 10 NFL games for Crimson Tide fans this season, with the dates to be added: 

Top 10 NFL Games for Alabama Fans

Texans at Panthers, Oct. 29

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Not only could it be a matchup of the first two quarterbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, who went No. 1 and 2, but Will Anderson Jr. will finally get a chance to hit Young after practicing against him for years.

Here’s hoping we see wide receiver John Metchie III in that one as well after missing last season with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. 

The New York battle royale (Sept. 11, Oct. 15, Oct. 29, Nov. 19)

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Ok, we’re cheating a little on this one, but it’s sort of like the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in college football. Everyone pays attention to Army and Navy while Air Force may take home the hardware.

The Giants and Jets will play (in what’s really a New Jersey showdown), and they’ll both face the Bills as well this season. Former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Brian Daboll became the head coach of the Giants after helping turn Josh Allen into a top-notch quarterback with the Bills.  

Texans vs. Titans (2, Dec. 17 and Dec. 31)

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

We’re sad that the Titans and Raiders aren’t playing this season as it would have matched the two running backs who finished 1-2 in rushing last season, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs.

The Steelers and Raiders will play, giving us a fun matchup of Jacobs and Najee Harris, but we’re going the Texans and Titans in the AFC South because we want to see how new head coach DeMeco Ryans will try and slow Henry, who has topped 200 rushing yards in four of his last five games against Houston. 

Jets vs. Patriots (2, Sept. 24, Week 18 TBD)

Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Another division matchup, Mac Jones trying to move the ball against defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and linebacker C.J. Mosley should be even more interesting this season.

Throw in the fact that it’s basically Boston vs. New York, Bill Belichick loves to beat the Jets, and they have a new quarterback with Aaron Rodgers, and there are more good subplots than a good murder mystery.  

Patriots vs. Dolphins (2, Sept. 17, Oct. 29)

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Not only are two of Alabama’s four starting quarterbacks in the same division, but they play on the teams that have the biggest contrast in location with New England.

As long as they continue to face another, Jones vs. Tua Tagovailoa may never disappoint.  

Jaguars vs. Falcons, in London, Oct. 1

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Not only will the game kickoff off the international part of the schedule, but wide receiver Calvin Ridley will get to face his former team after being suspended all of last season.

You don’t think he’ll be extra motivated for that one, do you? Nah. 

Dolphins at Eagles, Oct. 22

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

How many times will the whole thing about Tua and Jalen Hurts replacing each other in key games at Alabama come up? The over/under is a billion, and that may be conservative.

It should be a great game, though. When they met in the preseason last year, Tagovailoa connected with Tyreek Hill for 51 yards on the first play from scrimmage en route to a 48-10 victory, as the Eagles set a franchise record for points in a preseason game. Hurts didn’t play. 

Super Bowl rematch, Nov. 20

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia’s reward for winning the conference title is a brutal schedule that will feature an NFC Championship game rematch with the 49ers at home (Dec. 3), and a visit to Kansas City for a Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs.

The Eagles will play 11 games against last season’s playoff teams. The opponents had a combined winning percentage of .566. The Dolphins have the second toughest schedule, with an opposing win percentage of .554.

Incidentally, the Steelers only face four playoff teams, and their opponents combined to finish 105-130-2 in 2022, so don’t be surprised if Minkah Fitzpatrick tops his six picks from last season).

Browns vs. Ravens (2, Oct. 1, Nov. 12)

Tommy Gilligan / USA Today Sports

There were three former Alabama receivers who topped 1,000 yards last season, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Amari Cooper (Jerry Jeudy just missed). Both Patrick Surtain II with the Dolphins and Marlon Humphrey with the Ravens will see Waddle, although there may not be too many one-on-one matchups.

The Broncos and Browns will also play this season, so Surtain will also square off against Cooper, but the Browns and Ravens get the nod here because they’ll play twice and it’s a strong rivalry since the Ravens used to be the Browns before moving to Baltimore.  

Cowboys vs. Eagles (2, Nov. 5, Dec. 10)

Eric Hartline / USA Today Sports

Smith vs. Trevon Diggs? Yes please.  

On Wednesday, the league announced the opponents, dates, and locations for the five international games to be played in London and and Frankfurt, Germany.

• The Jacksonville Jaguars will kick off the international schedule on Oct. 1, as they play the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium. It will be their 10th regular season home game in London.

• A week later on Oct. 8, the Buffalo Bills will face the Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It'll be the first time an NFL team will play two regular season games outside of the U.S.

• On Oct. 15, the Tennessee Titans will play the Baltimore Ravens, also at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

We asked people on Broadway to help us with our 2023 schedule release. 🤣

📺: 2023 Schedule Release on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/31LsUUDn3O

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) May 12, 2023

• The scene subsequently shifts to Germany on Nov. 5, with the Super Bowl LVII champion Kansas City Chiefs facing the Miami Dolphins at Frankfurt Stadium.

• The New England Patriots will face the Indianapolis Colts, also at Frankfurt Stadium, on Nov. 12. 

See Also: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by NFL Team