One of America’s favorite and most beloved rituals starts Thursday and will resume Sunday as the NFL opens its season.

The Washington Redskins take on the defending world champions, the New York football Giants to get things started.

The last time we saw a professional football game that mattered, we were shocked as those same Giants defeated the then-undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

And it has been a fun offseason hasn’t it?

Adam isn’t Pacman, Chad’s not Johnson and No. 4 has a new shade of green. If the season resembles anything we’ve seen thus far, it should be another fun ride.

Expect the Dallas Cowboys to take the lead in the weaker NFC. They did this last season with a great team, and they’ve improved. We could discuss their secondary, mention quarterback Tony Romo and his possible, MVP run.

But, with the ‘Boys, it’s better to get to the point: Will they finally win that playoff game? Yes, and they’ll probably go to the Super Bowl, too.

Looking at the AFC, I like the Patriots again. If Tom Brady goes to another Super Bowl, people will start having to say “the” before his name.

There are some very good defenses in the AFC, but it’s nothing Brady hasn’t already handled. With Randy Moss to throw to, it could be mean trouble for everyone else — again.

I don’t bet against gods, so I’m going to handle the Brett Favre situation with care. The Jets will improve, in part because of offensive line changes made before Favre’s acquisition. Frankly though, what helped Favre so much last season was Ryan Grant’s explosive season, so the Jets had better find a comparable runner.

And, oh yes, the vaunted Cardinals. The 2008 season marks their third season since they opened their new stadium, and their second with coach Ken Whisenhunt.

The Cardinals are desperate for their first winning season since 1998, which was also their last playoff appearance.

They made the right choice by choosing quarterback Kurt Warner. And with wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin to run routes, the Cardinals have a chance in the three-horse race between Seattle and St. Louis that defines the NFC West.

The NFC East and the AFC South will be the toughest divisions, and you can certainly expect at least three NFC East teams in this year’s postseason yet again.

It’s going to be a good season. The NFL captivates us.

Led by phenomenal administration and superior business strategy, the NFL has lifted itself above most sports leagues in the world, especially here in America.

After all the bickering between fans of different teams in different cities, we need to realize that our teams are actually all the same. The NFL is full of parity. There are fewer differences between teams in the NFL than in any other league in history.

No matter where you are in the nation, your team will have an equal chance at making the Super Bowl. (In theory, Cardinals fans.)
Naturally this is because of revenue-sharing.

About 70 percent of all revenue generated throughout the league is shared amongst the teams. In fact, the leagues wealthiest team, the Dallas Cowboys, is worth an estimated $1.5 billion, whereas the least wealthy team, the Minnesota Vikings, is still worth a considerable $788 million.

It means everyone has a reason to get excited this weekend.

Because who doesn’t consider a Sunday with football better than a Sunday without?

Reach the reporter at joshua.spivack@asu.edu.