AFC East and NFC North feature key early-season matchups

Key matchups in AFC East, NFC North

It’s way too early to proclaim any NFL team any sort of champion, of course. Still, this weekend will provide a strong indication who will control the NFC North and AFC East.

The unbeaten Packers and Bears meet in Chicago on Monday night, one day after the winless Vikings and Lions square off in Minnesota. And the first-place Dolphins face the Jets hours after the Patriots and Bills play in New England on Sunday.

Juicy material for Week 3.

“It’s never too early to talk about stuff like that,” Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “We need to treat this football game like we always do, understand all that’s riding on the game, but at the same time, not get caught up in it.”

Elsewhere Sunday, it’s Atlanta at New Orleans; Dallas at Houston; Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay; Indianapolis at Denver; Tennessee at the New York Giants; Philadelphia at Jacksonville; San Diego at Seattle; Oakland at Arizona; Cleveland at Baltimore; Cincinnati at Carolina; San Francisco at Kansas City; and Washington at St. Louis.