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It’s finally here. The 2024 NFL regular season is upon us, and it kicks off with an exciting slate of Week 1 matchups.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs get the ball rolling when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, September 5. Then, a day later on the 6th, the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles square off at at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil.
In addition to those two star-studded matchups, there are loads of intriguing games coming our way. Let’s dive into it.
NFC East
🤠 Cowboys: The Cowboys locked down superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb to a four-year extension worth $136 million, securing one of their top playmakers heading into the regular season. Dallas won the East last year, but got bounced in the playoffs in the Wild Card round. With nothing short of multiple postseason wins the goal, the Cowboys head to FirstEnergy Stadium to face the Cleveland Browns in what should be a winnable game Week 1.
🦅 Eagles: The Eagles added to their WR corps heading into the regular season, trading for wideout Jahan Dotson. With All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith also in the offensive lineup, the Eagles have the makings of an offensive juggernaut. Philadelphia kicks its regular season off in Brazil against the Green Bay Packers in a rare Friday game on September.
🗽 Giants: The Giants have their work cut out for them in what promises to be an extremely competitive division. Still, there’s reason for hope. New York has made the playoffs just once in the last decade — in head coach Brian Daboll’s first season. That was in 2022. The Giants play host to the Minnesota Vikings Week 1.
🫡 Commanders: Jayden Daniels will kick his first-ever regular season off against the Buccaneers on Sunday, September 8, while Dan Quinn begins his second stint as a head coach. Quinn built a hyper-dominant defense as the Cowboys’ DC over the last three years. How he vibes with Daniels and new OC Kliff Kingsbury should be interesting to watch.
NFC West
☀️ Cardinals: Led by second-year coach Jonathan Gannon and two-time Pro Bowl QB Kyler Murray, 2024 will be an important year for the Cardinals, who finished with a 4-13 mark last season. The Cards head to a notoriously raucous Bills Stadium on September 8 to kick off their regular season. Can rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. make his mark early against Buffalo and help facilitate an upset?
🐏 Rams: The Rams don’t have an easy go of it Week 1, as they head to Detroit to face the Lions for a Sunday night showdown. This will be the third time these two teams have met since swapping QBs Jared Goff and Matt Stafford. Each squad has won once, so whoever takes home the ‘W’ here also gets a few more bragging rights.
⛏️ 49ers: With the Brandon Aiyuk saga finally over, the 49ers can now turn their full attention to All-Pro tackle Trent Williams, who is still holding out hoping for a new contract. San Francisco will open its 2024 season on September 9 against the Jets. Will Williams be there to help protect Brock Purdy? That’s something worth monitoring if you’re a Niners fan.
☕ Seahawks: Currently the youngest coach in the NFL, defensive-minded Mike Macdonald begins his head coaching career when Seattle hosts the Denver Broncos on September 8. New Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will be another name to watch, as he makes his coaching debut in the NFL after working in the collegiate level since 2005.
NFC North
🐻 Bears: It’s finally Caleb Williams time in Chicago, and he’ll have a bevy of playmakers Bears fans aren’t used to seeing. Not everyone is sold on new running back D’Andre Swift, however. Swift played minimally in the preseason, but he did flash, catching a pass for 42 yards. It’ll be interesting to see how Williams and the offense respond if and when their run game is challenged.
🦁 Lions: After winning the North in 2023, many have the Lions pegged to do it again this year — ESPN even has them winning it all in one recent projection. The Lions lost in the NFC Championship by just three points, and they know it’s not going to be easy to repeat that success. Week 1, Detroit will square off against the Rams on Sunday Night Football in a matchup that has Game of the Week potential.
🧀 Packers: The Packers head to Brazil to face the Eagles in what promises to be one of Week 1’s better matchups. Expectations are high for Jordan Love, who is set to kick off his second season as Green Bay’s starter. New in town is defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who says he plans on letting it rip against the Eagles. We’ll know what he means — and whether or not he’s successful — very soon.
🗡️ Vikings: The Vikings visit a Giants team with a ton of question marks Week 1. It remains to be seen whether head coach Kevin O’Connell can work some playcalling magic with Sam Darnold leading the way on offense, but blitz-happy defensive coordinator Brian Flores should help keep the team competitive in most games. How Flores will compensate for the loss of top pass rusher Danielle Hunter will be interesting to watch.
NFC South
🐦 Falcons: The Falcons finalized their roster by making a few significant tweaks, which included trading backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke to the Chargers. Atlanta begins its 2024 regular season against the Steelers, and it’ll be a big game for QB Kirk Cousins. With rookie Michael Penix waiting in the wings with an itch to play, Kirko Chainz needs to perform at an extremely high level.
🐾 Panthers: There’s nowhere to go but up after a 2-15 season, right? Second-year quarterback Bryce Young has a few new promising options at wide receiver in Diontae Johnson and first-rounder Xavier Legette, and new head coach Dave Canalesis is fresh from helping Baker Mayfield reach new heights. The Panthers visit the Saints Week 1 — could an upset be in the cards?
⚜️ Saints: Saints head coach Dennis Allen enters record of 16-18 as the team’s head coach. Can New Orleans improve over the 9-8 mark they finished with in 2023? They host the lowly Panthers Week 1, so getting off to a good start is a definite possibility.
🏴☠️ Bucs: The Buccaneers are looking to lay claim to their fourth straight divisional title. Starting quarterback Baker Mayfield is coming off an impressive campaign that saw him finish with career bests in passing yards (4,044) and passing TDs (28). The Bucs square off against the Commanders Week 1.
AFC North
🐦⬛ Ravens: Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have the second-most difficult schedule in the league this year. It starts off with a bang, as they have to go to Arrowhead on Thursday to face Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. A statement win to start the season would speak volumes, as Baltimore is 1-4 in its last five games against Kansas City.
🐅 Bengals: The Bengals went 9-8 despite quarterback Joe Burrow missing the final seven games of the regular season. How Will Cincy fare with a healthy Burrow in tow? The ol’ Magic 8 Ball would probably say: Outlook good. The Bengals host the Patriots on September 8.
🟫 Browns: The Browns have some huge questions swirling around them, which doesn’t always happen with a team that won 11 games the previous season. Most of those center around the health of starting QB Deshaun Watson. Cleveland hosts the Cowboys on September 8 to start their regular season. How Watson performs will be telling.
⚒️ Steelers: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is rolling with veteran Russell Wilson over Justin Fields at quarterback. Wilson has since been named one of the team’s captains — although Mitch Trubisky was also voted a team captain in 2022 a month before getting benched. Wilson and company head to Atlanta to face the Falcons to start the regular season in what could be a must-win game Week 1.
AFC South
🐮 Texans: C.J. Stroud and the Texans kick their 2024 campaign off against the Colts on the road. The Texans added key players on both sides of the ball this offseason, including wideout Stefon Diggs and four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter. Houston made the playoffs for the seventh time in franchise history last year. Can they make it eight in 2024?
🐎 Colts: The Colts have franchise QB Anthony Richardson back after the 22-year-old signal-caller played just two full games in 2023. He started a total of four games as a rookie last year, but finishing them was the issue. Will he fare better this year? He’ll be challenged out of the gate against a rough Texans defense.
🐆 Jaguars: It’ll be interesting to see how new receivers Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. vibe with QB Trevor Lawrence, who is entering Year 4. Jacksonville missed the playoffs last season after going 1-1 in the postseason the year before. With a road game against the high-flying Dolphins Week 1, Lawrence will need to get ready for a shootout.
🇹 Titans: Per Nashville Scene, just nine of the 22 players who began the 2023 season on Tennessee’s roster will be with the team when the 2024 season kicks off. That’s some serious turnover. Quarterback Will Levis and the offense will face a tough test Week 1 when they head to Chicago to face a Bears defense that finished 2023 as a top 10 unit.
AFC East
🦬 Bills: ESPN’s Mike Clay predicted the Bills will miss the playoffs this season. Considering Buffalo has made it to the postseason five years in a row, that would be a surprise. Will Josh Allen miss Stefon Diggs that much? We’ll see. Buffalo hosts the Cardinals Week 1.
🐬 Dolphins: Once the home of multiple Super Bowl-winning squads, the Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game in 24 years. Head coach Mike McDaniel has led Miami to the postseason each of his first two seasons, but has yet to win in the playoffs. It feels like crunch time for Tua Tagovailoa and company. Miami kicks it’s regular season off against the Jaguars at home on September 8.
🇺🇸 Patriots: Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo announced the team will be starting veteran QB Jacoby Brissett over rookie Drake Maye. Fans and analysts are divided on the idea, as there are still questions about the quality of the offensive line. Things won’t be easy for Brissett to start the season, as a road game against the Cincinnati Bengals awaits.
✈️ Jets: The Jets won seven games last year, which could be considered a victory in and of itself considering they lost starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers after just four plays. Rodgers is back, and he has a new 1,000-yard WR in vet Mike Williams. The Jets face the 49ers Week 1 on Monday Night Football.
AFC West
🐴 Broncos: Sean Payton may have finally found his guy in Bo Nix. Denver heads to Seattle to face the Seahawks Week 1. Payton isn’t alone in his admiration for the rookie QB — former NFL QBs have also noticed Nix’s composure. He’ll need it when Seattle’s 12th man starts roaring.
🏹 Chiefs: Three-peat is the word in Kansas City. The Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes and All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, haven’t seen a legit challenger emerge in the West over the last few seasons. Will that change this year? Kansas City hosts the Ravens to kick off the 2024 NFL season on Thursday, September 5.
☠️ Raiders: The Raiders open their season with an AFC West matchup against the Chargers. New starting quarterback Gardner Minshew begins Year 6 as the team’s front man after throwing for over 3,300 yards in 13 starts for the Colts last year. Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa will be on his heels Week 1, so Minshew could get tested early.
⚡ Chargers: Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL, and all eyes will be on how QB Justin Herbert and the rest of the team respond to their new leader. It will be the first time Harbaugh has coached in the league since the 2014 season. The Chargers will play host to the Raiders Week 1, so Harbaugh’s squad can make a statement in the division early.
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