The 2024 NFL schedule will be released later on Wednesday. While we have some information about who is playing who, the official release is going to give us a better understanding about how the season is going to turn out.
We’ll see a Friday game in Brazil. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will host the Baltimore Ravens to open the season. Here, we rank the top-20 games on the 2024 NFL schedule.
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20. Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears
There are so many juicy storylines to this matchup between two former bottom-feeders. But it really is all about the quarterback position. The Carolina Panthers traded up with Chicago ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft to select former Alabama signal caller Bryce Young. A year later, and the Bears used one of the selections they acquired in the Young blockbuster on former USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The two are going to be tied at the hip in the NFC moving forward. What a blast it will be to see the youngsters go up against one another.
19. Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints
A lot has changed since the Raiders moved on from Derek Carr following the 2022 season. They have a new general manager and head coach. The old regime that decided to throw Carr away like dirty laundry after nine seasons no longer exists. Even then, we’re pretty darn sure that Carr would like to stick it against his old team. This is certainly one of the “revenge” games on the 2024 NFL schedule.
18. San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills
Some have predicted this Super Bowl matchup over the years. That’s really no longer the case with the Buffalo Bills having taken a step back. But this will certainly be an opportunity for Josh Allen and Co. to prove that they still have an ability to hang with the big boys. Even without Stefon Diggs in the mix to electrify Western New York, we bet that Bills fans will be up for this game big time.
17. Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings
You like that? The 2024 NFL schedule includes Kirk Cousins taking on his former Minnesota Vikings team after bolting in free agency. Cousins played six seasons in Minnesota, accumulating 171 touchdowns compared to 55 interceptions. Statistically, he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks in franchise history. He now leads the upstart Falcons against a team that Cousins might actually be competing with for a bottom-end playoff spot in the NFC. Yeah, this one is going to be a blast.
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16. Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
Speaking of revenge games, Jared Goff led his Lions over the Los Angeles Rams in last season’s NFC Wild Card Game. It came nearly three years after Goff was traded as an add-on in the Matthew Stafford blockbuster. It came against Stafford in Detroit. Motor City was absolutely lit. Fast forward several months, and this game could end up dictating playoff seeding in the NFC.
15. Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams
Talk about an absolutely huge week of football in Southern California. Penn State will play at USC on October 12 with the Rams hosting Philadelphia the following day. For Sean McVay and the Rams, this is a rather early opportunity to prove their worth among the NFC’s elite. Obviously, Philadelphia wants to get back on track after how its season ended in 2023. This weekend is going to be absolutely elite, and the NFL schedule release made perfectly clear of that.
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14. Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers
The Harbaugh Bowl 2.0. This might not match up compared to when Jim Harbaugh led his then-San Francisco 49ers into Super Bowl XLVII against John Harbaugh and the Ravens back in February of 2013. But it’s going to be must-watch television. Jim taking over as the Chargers’ head coach after leading Michigan to the national championship was a major off-season storyline. As for the other Harbaugh, his Ravens are attempting to finally get out of the AFC after so many postseason failures. It’s an opportunity for both teams to prove they belong. Also, who doesn’t like a Lamar Jackson vs Justin Herbert matchup? How fun.
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13. Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We’re sure that Nick Sirianni and the Eagles don’t want to be reminded about what happened the last time these two teams played. It came during NFC Wild Card Weekend in January. Philadelphia limped into the playoffs after a 10-1 start to the season. It then fell on the road to Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay by the score of 32-9. It was a disastrous end to a campaign that started with Super Bowl aspirations. Revenge will certainly be on the mind of the birds here.
12. Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys
Who doesn’t like a cross-conference matchup between two Super Bowl hopefuls? While Baltimore and Dallas are not seen as favorites to play in the Super Bowl, it could ultimately be a harbinger of things to come. We’re mostly intrigued to see how Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott do against elite-level defenses. They finished first and second in the NFL MVP voting last season. Elite quarterback matchups. Two great defenses. Two teams with Lombardi aspirations. Sign us up.
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11. San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers
Noticing a theme when it comes to the NFL schedule release? These two teams took one one another in the divisional playoffs this past January. Jordan Love and Co. played the homestanding 49ers tight. But they are not able to come out on top. We’re sure the upstart Packers want to make a point in this home date against the defending NFC champions. It will certainly be a litmus test.
10. Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs
DeMeco Ryans and the Texans have positioned themselves well to compete in the AFC this coming season. Adding Pro Bowlers Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs to team up with stud young quarterback C.J. Stroud adds another layer to that. We’re sure Houston is going to want to make a statement on the road against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and Co. face a difficult schedule. This is among the tops.
9. Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions
Josh Allen vs Jared Goff. A Bills team that many expect to take a step back against a Lions squad that many have as a top-end Super Bowl contender. Buffalo will want to go into Detroit and prove the naysayers wrong. Meanwhile, Detroit has several big games on the 2024 NFL schedule. This is among them.
8. Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans
There is a major theme here. We’re expecting the Houston Texans to turn into conference title contenders in 2024. As for the Miami Dolphins, they have fancied themselves in that manner over the past couple seasons. It just has not come to fruition in the playoffs. There is a good chance that this game could be for home-field advantage to start the NFL postseason. Can Miami go into Houston and come away with a win?
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7. Detroit Lions at Houston Texans
The average football fan was hoping for these two teams to play in last season’s Super Bowl. Houston advanced to the AFC Divisional Playoffs while Detroit made a surprise trip to the NFC Championship Game. Both are expected to compete for a spot in the big game this coming February. Could we be looking at a potential Super Bowl preview in this one?
6. Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions thought they had it in the bag against the San Francisco 49ers in last season’s NFC Championship Game. They were up 24-7 at the half as fans inside Levi’s Stadium were concerned. That’s when Brock Purdy led San Francisco to an improbable 34-31 win with 27 second-half points. For Detroit, this is the ultimate revenge game on the 2024 NFL schedule.
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5. Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
Stefon Diggs playing against his former Bills team. That’s already a popcorn-worthy time on the NFL schedule. Add in the fact that his tenure in Western New York ended in a bitter manner, and this is magnified further. With Houston on the upswing and Buffalo seemingly set to take a step back, we’re very intrigued about seeing how this one turns out.
4. Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers
The ultimate rivalry of the 1980s and 1990s. San Francisco eliminating Dallas in the 2022 and 2023 NFL Playoffs. The 49ers absolutely dominating “America’s Team” at home last season by the score of 42-10. San Francisco as the Super Bowl favorite with Dallas trying to get there for the first time since January of 1996. This is always a drama-filled game. With what’s on the line during the 2024 season, that’s magnified even further.
3. Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
Detroit was going for a potential first-round bye last season when it went into Dallas in Week 17. It was a primetime matchup on Saturday night. This represented an opportunity for the Lions to further announce their presence on the grandest of stages. Instead, Dallas came out on top by the score of 20-19. A repeat matchup in Dallas this coming season could very well dictate who gets home-field advantage in the first round or a bye to open the NFL Playoffs. It’ll be a blast.
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2. Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs
This will open the 2024 NFL schedule. It makes perfect sense with Kansas City having disposed of Baltimore in last season’s AFC Championship Game. Lamar Jackson put up a stinker of a performance against Patrick Mahomes and Co. It led to a second consecutive Super Bowl title for the Chiefs. Will Baltimore be up to the task as it looks to make a major statement to open the season on Thursday Night Football? We’ll see soon enough.
1. Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers
Would winning this game with Tom Brady on the call be revenge for San Francisco? No. It has lost two of the past four Super Bowls to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Would it give the 49ers confidence that they can defeat Kansas City if the two played in the big game again? Sure. San Francisco was an overtime away from defeating the Chiefs in Las Vegas this past February. We could be headed for a third big game between these teams. This will be a must-watch matchup on the 2024 NFL schedule.