10 best games on 2018 NFL schedule

5. New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings

The New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings have a ton in common at this point. Both teams had successful 2017 seasons, both had solid chances to win Super Bowl LII, and both came up just short in the end. Now, both are dealing with big roster overhauls, and it’ll be interesting to see which team gets the upper hand when they face off.

This game arguably should’ve been what fans saw in Minnesota in February when Super Bowl LII came to town, and it was one everyone already had marked on their calendars before the Philadelphia Eagles’ magical run to Super Bowl stardom. Now, a year later, we’ll get a small glimpse at what could’ve been, albeit with some new faces to work with.

Rather than Case Keenum or Sam Bradford at quarterback, the Vikings will throw Kirk Cousins out under center for the 2018 season after making a splash in free agency this year. Their defense is still stellar, but it’ll be a big chance to deal with offensively if they want to return back to the NFC Championship game in January 2019.

Meanwhile, the Patriots are dealing with the “will he, won’t he” situation from Rob Gronkowski, and are making waves in the offseason with roster moves themselves. Between ridding themselves of Malcolm Butler, Danny Amendola, Brandin Cooks, Dion Lewis, Nate Solder, and even more names in their lineup, we’ll see a bunch of new faces on the Patriots when 2018 gets rolling.

This one may not have the same power as it would have last season, considering both teams were dominant in their respective regular seasons en route to conference title games. The Patriots will have something to prove after their Super Bowl 52 loss to the Eagles, the Vikings will want redemption after the NFC Championship loss to the Eagles, and these two twins will get to meet to add a key digit to their 2018 record.