With the hockey and basketball seasons nearing their conclusions, it is almost time to once again turn our attention to NFL training camps that will open next month. As the NFL season begins to approach, I have been able to take a deeper dive into the schedule, and after taking a look at some of the matchups we will get this fall, boy oh boy, we sure do have something to look forward to each week of the NFL season.
Here are the matchups I am most looking forward to each week of the 2024 NFL campaign.
Week 1: New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers (Monday Night Football)
Does this game have a potential 49ers blowout or Jets disaster written all over it? Of course, but that does not take the fascination out of this matchup.
Hopefully, not only for Jets fans but football fans across the world, we get a more accurate New York Jets debut for Aaron Rodgers after in 2023, as we all know, on the first Monday Night game of the year, the four-time MVP only lasted four snaps before he was gone for the year with a torn Achilles.
This time around, the Jets less than impressive offensive line will take on perhaps the best pass rusher in football in Nick Bosa, who will try to make Rodgers' return to football a long night.
We also get to see Robert Saleh take on his former boss Kyle Shannan when New York's so-called "elite" defence takes one of the most lethal offences in football as the Niners look to start the year off on a high note as they begin to avenge last year's Super Bowl loss.
Other Games I Considered: Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs (TNF/Season Opener), Green Bay Packers Vs Philadelphia Eagles (Brazil Game) Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Week 2: Cincinnati Bengals @ Kansas City Chiefs
There are always fireworks when Patrick Mahomes & Joe Burrow duel on the gridiron. As much as I believe the NFL would have preferred to schedule this game at a later date because of Burrow's health issues in the past, I respect the fact that the NFL put this game early on the schedule to give us our best possible shot at watching these two AFC contenders do battle at full strength. In addition, this early season matchup will likely decide where a potential post-season battle in January of 2025.
Other Games I Considered: Indianapolis Colts @ Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears @ Houston Texans (SNF)
Week 3: Chicago Bears @ Indianapolis Colts
During the early portion of last season, few players were more dynamic to watch than Colts first-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Sadly, Richardson's rookie campaign ended early when he required shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the rest of the season. Assuming he is healthy entering his sophomore year, we will get to see Richardson and his Colts take on another promising young quarterback in the number one pick of this year's draft, Caleb Williams who will lead the new-looked Chicago Bears into this battle of 2024 playoff hopeful squads.
Other Games I Considered: Miami Dolphins @ Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys
Week 4: Buffalo Bills @ Baltimore Ravens (Sunday Night Football)
Another battle of AFC contenders will be the Week 4 Sunday nightcap when two-time MVP Lamar Jackson's Ravens take on perennial MVP candidate Josh Allen and his Buffalo Bills in what will likely be a factor later in the year when these teams are battling for playoff positioning.
Other Games I Considered: Los Angeles Rams @ Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions (MNF)
Week 5: Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud Vs Josh Allen anyone? Of course, we will be watching. Now, add on Stefon Diggs taking on his former team for the first time. Emotions will be high in Houston for this matchup, which, once again, will likely help decide playoff seeding in the loaded AFC for this upcoming season
Other Game I Considered: Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Week 6: San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks (Thursday Night Football)
Remember on Christmas night last year when Mike Macdonald's Ravens defence embarrassed Brock Purdy and the 49ers offence where Purdy no doubt played the worst game of his career which all but ended his MVP case in 2023. Well, Macdonald will get his first taste of the 49ers-Seahawks rivalry when he and his new-look Seahawks coaching staff host their hated division rival on primetime in mid-October.
Other Games I Considered: Cleveland Browns @ Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars Vs Chicago Bears (London Game), Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets (MNF)
Week 7: Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers
Sneaky Super Bowl preview at Lambeau? Let's say I wouldn't be shocked if this is the first of two battles we get next season between two of the brightest stars of last season when Jordan Love & C.J. Stroud battle on October 20th in Wisconsin.
Other Game I Considered: Kansas City Chiefs @ San Francisco 49ers
Week 8: Buffalo Bills @ Seattle Seahawks
I will fully acknowledge there are better games on the schedule during week 8, but because I plan on being in attendance with friends when the Bills travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seahawks, I by default need to go with this game.
Other Game I Considered: Philadelphia Eagles @ Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers (SNF)
Week 9: Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers
For years the Packers have broken the hearts of the Lions and their fans. Entering 2024, both teams are on an even playing field and for the first time in what seems like a lifetime, enter a football season as true Super Bowl contenders in the NFC. We will get our first taste of this longtime NFC North rivalry with the playoff race starting to heat up at the halfway point of the year.
Other Game I Considered: Houston Texans @ New York Jets (TNF), Chicago Bears @ Arizona Cardinals
Week 10: Miami Dolphins @ Los Angeles Rams (Monday Night Football)
Sean McVay and his Rams have always seemed to struggle against Kyle Shannan's offence in San Fransico. On Monday Night Football in Week 10, McVay will take on Shannan's protégé in Mike McDaniel his Dolphins travel to Hollywood to take on the Rams. It will also be the return of Jalen Ramsey and Odell Beckham Jr to LA, where the two champions face off against the team they hoisted a Lombardi Trophy by winning Super Bowl 56 in February of 2022.
Other Game I Considered: Buffalo Bills @ Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans (SNF)
Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills
Week 11 might be the best slate of the season as we get plenty of great matchups, but anytime Josh Allen takes on Patrick Mahomes, that will always be number one for that week. The two best quarterbacks in the NFL take each other once again when the Chiefs travel to Buffalo, where the Bills will look to defend their home field and avenge last season's heartbreaking playoff loss.
Other Games I Considered: Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals @ Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans @ Dallas Cowboys (MNF)
Week 12: Baltimore Ravens @ Los Angeles Chargers (MNF)
The Harbowl is back on when John and his Ravens take his brother Jim and his Chargers at Sofi in primetime. Not to mention, the both of them also have fairly decent quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson & Justin Herbert. This one will be electric with the post-season approaching.
Other Games I Considered: San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Rams (SNF)
Week 13: Seattle Seahawks @ New York Jets
Geno Smith makes his return to the Meadowlands when the Seahawks travel cross country to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Jets in a battle of teams who will likely be battling for Wildcard spots in their respective conferences.
Other Games I Considered: Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving), Philadelphia Eagles @ Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers @ Buffalo Bills (SNF)
Week 14: Cincinnati Bengals @ Dallas Cowboys (Monday Night Football)
I am always a sucker for late-season games between playoff hopefuls in opposite conferences, and that is what we will get when Micah Parsons will try to bully Joe Burrow and the Bengals' suspect offensive line when Cincinnati travels to Dallas in December to take on Dak Prescott in this primetime matchup.
Other Games I Considered: Buffalo Bills @ Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs (SNF)
Week 15: Buffalo Bills @ Detroit Lions
Expect a hostile environment when Bills Mafia gets to make the close trip to the Motor City for a potential Super Bowl preview when Buffalo takes on the Lions in this battle.
Other Games I Considered: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins @ Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks (SNF)
Week 16: Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday Game)
With the regular season nearing its end at this point, there is a good chance this game will be for the AFC's number one seed, home-field advantage, and possibly league MVP honours when C.J. Stroud and Patrick Mahomes take each other for the first time in their careers.
Other Game I Considered: San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins
Week 17: Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers (Monday Night Football)
Much like the Chiefs-Texans game in Week 16, there is a decent shot that in Week 17, the Lions and 49ers could be playing for the NFC's number one seed in a rematch of last season's NFC title game in the final NFL game of 2024 on December 30th.
Week 18: TBD/Whichever Game is for a Division Title or Playoff Spot
Because of the NFL's schedule, all we know right now is that these games will be in-division contests. Thus, this almost guarantees that at least one of these will be for a division championship or a final playoff spot in a conference. Therefore, I cannot give a clear answer at this point for the final week of the regular season, only time will tell.
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