What’s your prediction for the game tonight?

Prediction? …. Pain.

Yes, pain is just one of many outcomes in the first Monday Night Football match up of the NFL season between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. If the Eagles much improved, but still untested, secondary can put the clamps down on Falcons wide receiving corps, than it could be a long night for Atlanta Quarterback Matt Ryan, who enters the seasons with a career 91.1 overall QB rating. Ryan has to improve on the 14 interceptions he tossed last year, especially as he will be without a clear cut first rate running back tonight with hobbled Devonta Freeman still nursing a strained hamstring. Reports from Atlanta are claiming he will play, but if not at 100% it could be a long night for any runner going up against the front seven of the Eagles defense.The Falcons will certainly be facing an uphill battle against the Eagles, whom many are predicting may make a long run into the playoffs this season and will certainly figure in as one of the premier NFC talents in this young season.

But really, if I can be serious for a moment, there have been far too many injuries in this early NFL season and the prevalence of concussion risk will always cast its dour shadow over the game. So tonight, I urge all participants to play hard and practice the fundamentals of heads up tackling that should be the cornerstone of every professional football players skill set. So lets have fun out there, keep it clean, and just remember that you will have a life after football and you don’t want it to be ruined by chronic traumatic encephalopathy. There’s more to life than just a silly game. Take it from me, Clubber Lang.