Schedule top 10: It's not taxing to find most intriguing games

Give credit to the NFL suits in New York. They've come up with a great way to try to get more eyeballs to the NFL Network: Make schedule-release day a reprieve from tax-deadline day.

Buried in an avalanche of exemptions and deductions and W-2s, isn't it nice the NFL made tax day its holiday. After all, that's what schedule-release day has become, a national holiday.

Belichick and Mangini return to the scene of the 'crime' in Week 2 drama. (AP)

Go ahead and start planning your life away. What trips will you take? Who will go? What about family obligations that might interfere with a big game?

That's what the release of the NFL schedule does to all of us. It's fun to imagine the future, picturing what games might be big come the cold of December. It's not even warm yet, and you can already imagine bundling up for a game in Green Bay late in the season.

Who can't close their eyes and smell Thanksgiving dinner when imagining sitting down to see the Tennessee Titans and Vince Young playing at the Detroit Lions in a Turkey Day game? School will be out for Thanksgiving so Vince will be there for that one (OK, that's a cheap shot).

Who doesn't fast forward in their mind to late December and imagine those Salvation Army people ringing bells all over the city as we anticipate seeing the Philadelphia Eagles at the Washington Redskins?

That's what schedule day is all about for NFL fans, and this year it's even better because it's a respite from tax day.

Here are 10 intriguing games that I can't wait to see:

Week 1

Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns: This is a stiff road test to open the season for the Cowboys. It will also a good first gauge to see if the Browns are as good as everybody thinks they can be. Two high-scoring teams that throw it around should make for a fun game.

Week 2

New England Patriots at New York Jets: This is the scene where Spygate all started a year ago. And we know how much these two coaching staffs dislike each other. There's nothing better than seeing Bill Belichick matched against Eric "Sammy the Bull" Mangini, the man who ratted him out.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns: If the Browns are to take the next step, they have to beat the Steelers. Pittsburgh won both meetings last season, but the thinking is the Browns have done enough to pass them in 2008. Let's see it on the field first.

Week 3

Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers: These two played a monster regular-season game late in 2007, which gave the Cowboys home-field advantage in the playoffs. This one won't be that big, but it will be a great test to see where new quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in his first year as a starter. Rodgers came off the bench last year to play well in relief of an injured Brett Favre in that Dallas game.

Week 6

Oakland Raiders at New Orleans Saints: The reason this is on the list is because it's the return of Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell back to Louisiana. He starred at LSU and by this point in the season we should have an idea if he's legitimate or not.

New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers: The Patriots beat the Chargers the past two seasons in the playoffs, winning in the AFC Championship Game in January. The Chargers insist they are an elite team. But until the can prove they can beat the Patriots in a big game, that's up for debate.

Week 9

Tony Romo gets another shot at the Giants D that snuffed him. (AP)

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants: The Giants upset the Cowboys in the playoffs last season, ending their Super hopes. This will be the first meeting between division rivals since that game. The Giants won that game with good defense, limiting the Cowboys' high-scoring offense. Can they do it again?

New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts: No matter when or where these two get together it's a classic. Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. I'll take that in a parking lot somewhere. They are the two best quarterbacks in football, which is why these are the two best teams in football for much of the past six years. Can't wait for this one.

Week 13

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys (Thanksgiving Day): The last time these two met was in the 2006 playoffs when Tony Romo fumbled the snap on a potential game-winning field goal. This won't have that type of importance, and we hope no Romo crying, but it is a good one to watch as your stomach tries to digest the gluttonous feast in it.

Week 16

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars: At some point, the Jaguars have to take the division title from the Colts if they are to stake a claim as an elite team. Getting the Colts at home this late in the season could be that chance. The Colts are 5-1 against the Jaguars the past three seasons, but the gap might be closing. At least the Jaguars think it is.