During my team management career, one of my favorite days on the NFL calendar was opening day (or night). Training camp, meaningless preseason games and major roster cuts were over.
The next few days are refreshing and intriguing for the general managers and coaches who have had a tough past couple weeks. They are finally about to find out how the teams they built will perform when it counts.
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It's truly a joy for team execs to come to work this week and see the team enter regular-season mode — everything ramps up. It begins with Wednesday meetings and practice for those playing on Sunday, even though coaches began preparation for their opening day opponents when the schedule came out in April. Now, though, the atmosphere at the team's facility transforms to a high level excitement and anticipation.
Starters, most of whom played a quarter or less per preseason game, now face at least four quarters. For stars like Adrian Peterson, who didn't play at all in five Vikings preseason games, or Peyton Manning, who barely broke a sweat in limited preseason action, it's time to get down to serious on-field business.
The intensity level significantly increases. Concentration, focus, attention to detail — all are at a much higher level among players, coaches and staff.
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They know that more often than not, Week 1 (as opposed to preseason) serves as a great indicator.
I have many great memories from my 28 opening days. The first came in New Orleans during my rookie season with the Vikings in 1976. The result was a 40-9 thrashing of the Saints and coach Hank Stram, who had beaten our Vikings and coach Bud Grant in Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs six years earlier. It often seemed that a strong opening-day performance set the stage for an excellent season, and sure enough, 1976 ended with the Vikings' last Super Bowl appearance.
Our 1982 opener against Tampa Bay — the first regular-season game at the Metrodome — was memorable. A Vikings franchise that had built its reputation as a tough, cold-weather team at Met Stadium had moved to a climate-controlled environment with artificial turf. Being the great, Hall of Fame coach that he was, Grant adjusted the Vikes to be built more on speed and skill players compared to the Purple People Eaters of yore. We beat the Bucs 17-10 and became a playoff team once again.
In 1992, Dennis Green came in as Minnesota's new coach and wanted to instill a winning attitude immediately (after two non-playoff seasons). He played our starters more than normal in the preseason and put an emphasis on winning ... and winning big. We outscored our four preseason opponents 140-6 and went undefeated. But in our regular season opener in Green Bay, we found ourselves in overtime. I remember thinking I'd trade all four of those blowout wins to get a victory that day. We prevailed 23-20, but it was another lesson that preseason records mean nothing.
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The 1998 season in Minnesota was special — a 15-1 team that set an NFL record for points scored. Our 31-7 triumph over Tampa Bay on opening day that season was highlighted by two long touchdown passes (48 and 32 yards) from Brad Johnson to first-round draft choice Randy Moss, who would catch a rookie record 17 touchdown passes in a season that ended in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Atlanta in the NFC title game. But that opening day performance by Moss, Cris Carter (two touchdown receptions) and the Vikings was electric — just like the season.
After that '98 campaign, I moved to Nashville as president of the Titans. We opened the new Coliseum and the 1999 regular season in a gut-grinding game with the Bengals. Quarterback Steve McNair fought through a back injury and led a late rally to overcome a nine point deficit in a 36-35 Tennessee victory. The win launched us toward a tremendous season that ended one foot short of the Rams' goal line on the final play of our 23-16 loss in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Conversely, from the excitement of so many opening-day victories came a disappointing, 23-21 loss in our opener in Miami on Sept. 9, 2001. Two days later, however, the loss was put in perspective by the horror of the 9/11 attacks. The following weekend's NFL games were postponed as the nation mourned.
While good and bad memories will come from this week's season openers, there's a positive for everybody: They're all 0-0.
That goes for bottom-feeders Tampa Bay and Tennessee, too. The NFL raised their opening day profile when it scheduled a 4:25 p.m. ET matchup. Thanks to dueling rookie Heisman winners Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, it's probably the first time a pair of 2-14 teams from the preceding season have played with such a high TV profile.
But nobody is more interested in seeing how they (and their supporting casts) perform than Buccaneers GM Jason Licht/coach Lovie Smith and Titans GM Ruston Webster/coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Real football is back — thank goodness — and I know team execs, along with players, coaches and fans, are beyond excited to kick off the 2015 regular season.
Jeff Diamond is former president of the Titans, and former vice president/general manager of the Vikings. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. Diamond is currently a business and sports consultant who also does broadcast and online media work. He is former chairman and CEO of The Ingram Group. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffdiamondNFL.
