Three one-on-one NFL matchups that could decide Week 1 showdowns

NFL games are not just matchups of two complete teams. They are also a series of individual one-on-one matchups that can ultimately help decide the outcome.

So let's take a look at three potentially significant individual matchups that will be taking place in Sunday's Week 1 action. 

Danielle Hunter (edge, Houston Texans) vs. Dion Dawkins (tackle, Buffalo Bills)

There might not be a bigger game on the Sunday schedule than Buffalo vs. Houston, featuring two of the NFL's best teams and Super Bowl contenders.

While the quarterbacks (Josh Allen and C.J. Stroud) will get most of the headlines and attention, there are some elite pass-rushers on the Houston side of the ball who have the potential to take things over. It is going to be imperative that Buffalo's offensive line do everything in its power slow them down to give Allen enough time to make plays.

There might not be a more important matchup on the line than Buffalo tackle Dion Dawkins going up against Texans edge-rusher Danielle Hunter. 

Houston's defensive line made life miserable for Allen and the Bills offense in their 2025 regular-season meeting, with Hunter beating Dawkins for a pair of sacks and several more pressures. That cannot happen again if Buffalo is going to have a chance, especially on the road in one of the NFL's most hostile environments. 

Hunter and Dawkins are both Pro Bowl players and among the best in the league at their position, and the winner of that one-on-one matchup is going to go a long way toward deciding the winner of the game. 

Ja'Marr Chase (WR, Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Jacob Parrish (CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

After losing Jamel Dean in free agency this offseason, the Buccaneers have some big questions at cornerback. Parrish was a third-round pick in 2025, and after spending most of his rookie season on the inside as a slot corner, he is getting a significantly bigger responsibility in 2026 as an outside corner.

He is likely to see a heavy dose of Chase in Week 1, and it's not going to be an easy task.

Chase is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and is coming off a 2025 season that saw him catch 125 passes for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns. He is two years removed from a triple-crown season at wide receiver where he led the league in receptions, yards and touchdowns. 

Expectations are high for the Bengals, especially with a healthy Joe Burrow ready for the start of the season. Expect them to give Parrish and Tampa Bay's secondary a serious challenge. 

George Pickens (WR, Dallas Cowboys) vs. Greg Newsome (CB, New York Giants)

The last time we saw Pickens and Newsome go head-to-head, they were brawling in the end zone at the end of a Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns game. They might be playing on different teams now, but you can probably expect the two of them to have some unresolved beef (even if they have tried to downplay it). 

Pickens is always going to be a special kind of chaotic when he takes the field, and you never really know what you are going to get from him. Add in a potentially volatile matchup with a corner he has some history with and things could really pop off between them. Newsome is going to have his hands full trying to slow down Pickens, but he might be able to get under his skin a little and force him off his game. That potential alone makes them worth keeping an eye on.