The 2021 NFL schedule has dropped and here are the 15 most anticipated games

The first "Monday Night Football" game of the 2021 season will see a packed house in Las Vegas for the first time in NFL history.

While the Raiders opened their stadium in Vegas last season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Allegiant Stadium has yet to host an NFL crowd. That changes Week 1, with the Baltimore Ravens coming to Sin City to truly break in the new arena.

Josh Allen was an MVP contender last year, and this year is hoping to take the Buffalo Bills to the Super Bowl. Their matchup against the reigning champions late in the season is a potential Super Bowl preview.

The top two picks of the 2021 NFL Draft will face off in Week 16, with first overall pick Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars traveling north to take on second overall pick Zach Wilson and the New York Jets.

Even if these teams are not in the playoff mix late in the season, watching the two rookies go head-to-head for the first time should be a blast.

The biggest star in football makes his debut at one of two stadiums hosting its first season with fans in the stands. SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles is a big deal and will host the Super Bowl in February.

Chances are Brady and the Buccaneers will want to get comfortable with the building they hope to defend their title in come playoff time.

Cam Newton returns to Carolina for the first time since joining the Patriots last season. While it's unclear if Newton will be starting for New England in Week 9, given that the team drafted Mac Jones in the first round this year, let's hope that Newton gets his shot to take on his former team.

Assuming Aaron Rodgers and the Packers can put aside their differences before the season, Green Bay's trip to San Francisco this fall should be one to watch.

Rodgers has a history with San Francisco, as he had hoped they'd be the team to draft him out of college back in 2005. They didn't, and Rodgers has been making them regret that decision ever since.

Tom Brady does not like the New York Giants, recently saying that he would have given up two of his Super Bowl rings if it meant besting the Giants back in 2007 to complete the Patriots' perfect season.

The Giants have been one of the few thorns in Brady's side during his career, with a 2-0 Super Bowl record against the GOAT. Brady is never one to hold back on the field, but don't be surprised if he has a little extra heat coming off him in Week 11.

The Sam Darnold Bowl!

Darnold was traded to the Panthers by the Jets in the offseason so that New York could make way for their new quarterback of the future, Zach Wilson. In a bit of scheduling magic, Wilson's first NFL start will likely come against the man he replaced in New York.

This game is a gift to sports radio hosts in the greater New York area, who should get a solid three weeks of content out of debating whether the Jets made the right move.

Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson might be the two most exciting players in the NFL right now, and football fans will only have to wait until Week 2 to see them face off.

Jackson has yet to beat Mahomes in three career meetings, but it could be time for a breakthrough in front of the home crowd in Baltimore.

The last time Cleveland traveled to Pittsburgh, the Browns ran the Steelers out of the building in a playoff shellacking decades in the making.

This Week 17 divisional clash could have huge playoff implications for both teams, and there is no doubt Steelers fans are eager to boo Baker Mayfield and company.

This Week 5 contest could give an early hint as to who the team to beat in the AFC is this year.

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes both bring plenty of star power, and under the lights of "Sunday Night Football," they should be ready to put on a show.

This game is the Super Bowl that could have been if the Packers had been smart enough to go for it on fourth down in the NFC Championship game last year. Instead, Green Bay gifted the Buccaneers a trip to the Super Bowl.

But fans hoping to see Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes go toe-to-toe will get their wish this year in Week 9.

The biggest deal of the NFL offseason was a quarterback swap between the Rams and Lions, which sent Jared Goff to Detroit and Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles.

In Week 7, the two teams will meet to see which side got the better end of the deal.

What a season opener! As the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the first game of the 2021 NFL season on Thursday, September 9.

Coming to meet them in Tampa will be the Dallas Cowboys, who should be led by returning starting quarterback Dak Prescott. Barring a setback, this will be Prescott's first game back since suffering a devastating injury in October 2020.

Welcome back, Dak, and welcome back football.

The prodigal sons return!

After serving as the cornerstone of the most dominant dynasty in NFL history, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. They then added yet another Super Bowl ring to their trophy cases.

Week 4 will be the duo's first trip back to New England since leaving the franchise, making this edition of "Sunday Night Football" can't-miss television.