The schedule for the 2024 NFL season has been unveiled in all its glory and the 32 teams now know who they will be playing and when on what they hope will be a march all the way to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans in February.
There are so many mouth-watering contests spread across the whole regular season. Too many to list here, that’s for sure. You will have your own personal favourites, of course. But here are 20 games that I cannot wait to watch when everything gets going again in September.
Week 1 Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs Thursday September 5, 2024
This rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game offers Baltimore an early shot at revenge. More importantly, given how good these teams were last year, this could go a long way to deciding homefield advantage in the AFC playoffs many months later. Patrick Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson! As good as it gets.
Week 1 Philadelphia Eagles vs Green Bay Packers Friday September 6, 2024
The first regular season game to be played in Brazil – in Sao Paolo – is a mouth-watering affair between two NFC playoff contenders in the Eagles and the Packers. In Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and Green Bay’s Jordan Love, this contest features two of the NFL’s most dynamic and entertaining young quarterbacks.
Week 2 Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs Sunday September 15, 2024
With Joe Burrow back to full fitness for the Bengals, this resumption of AFC challengers and elite quarterbacks will take place in Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs face some stern early tests and this is certainly one of them. Again, this early-season game could have major implications come January.
Week 3 San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams Sunday September 22, 2024
These two NFC West rivals have enjoyed fierce battles in recent seasons and split their two games in 2023 – a year in which both made the NFC playoffs. The 49ers remain loaded with talent as they mount another Super Bowl challenge, but Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp will challenge their defense.
Week 5 Minnesota Vikings vs New York Jets Sunday October 6, 2024
The first of three successive London weekends kicks off with a fascinating showdown at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Vikings’ passing attack featuring rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy and receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will look to out-score one of the greatest of all time in Aaron Rodgers.
Week 6 Chicago Bears vs Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday October 13, 2024
The second of three London games sees the Jaguars return to London for another pair of back-to-back contests. Trevor Lawrence has played well at quarterback for Jacksonville when in the UK, but there will also be great excitement surrounding the other passer in this game, Bears’ rookie Caleb Williams.
Week 6 Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys Sunday October 13, 2024
These NFC playoff contenders met in Dallas in Week 17 last season with the Cowboys hanging on for a 20-19 win after a tackle-eligible two-point conversion catch for the Lions was ruled out by a penalty. If the Lions are to mount another Super Bowl challenge, this is the kind of huge game they have to win.
Week 7 Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers Sunday October 20, 2024
The Super Bowl re-match we’ve all been waiting for will take place in Santa Clara in Week 7. There was very little between the teams in Las Vegas as Super Bowl 58 required almost a full extra quarter before the Chiefs were crowned as repeat NFL champions. Revenge here would be nice for San Francisco, but what they do in January and February is ultimately what matters.
Week 8 Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers Sunday October 27, 2024
What a couple of weeks for the 49ers as seven days after their clash with the Chiefs, they take on the Cowboys. Interestingly, both games will see San Francisco’s opponents play having been well rested coming off their bye weeks. What impact will that have on Kyle Shanahan and his team of stars?
Week 9 Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills Sunday November 3, 2024
The second meeting of these two rivals could prove pivotal in the race to the AFC East crown. While the Buffalo weather will be turning in the Bills’ favour by early November, it shouldn’t impact too heavily and this promises to be a high-scoring affair between two offenses capable of scoring a lot of points.
Week 10 Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens Thursday November 7, 2024
The AFC North sent three teams to the playoffs last season and now the Bengals are expecting to be back in the mix with a fully-fit Joe Burrow under center. So, every team in the division will fancy their chances. And that will make November contests like this one absolutely huge. Expect a playoff atmosphere in Baltimore.
Week 10 San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday November 10, 2024
The NFC South may have its critics, but the Buccaneers have star power and pedigree as winners of their division in each of the last three seasons. Baker Mayfield is coming off a career year in 2023 and Mike Evans is back at receiver. Expect Tampa to mount a playoff challenge that will still be alive in November.
Week 11 Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills Sunday November 17, 2024
Fasten your seat belts! The latest rollercoaster ride between the Chiefs and Bills will take place in Buffalo in mid-November. The Bills have had the upper hand in recent regular season meetings, but the Chiefs have ended Buffalo’s season in the playoffs in three of the past four years. Patrick Mahomes against Josh Allen is always Box Office!
Week 12 Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers Monday November 25, 2024
The Harbaugh Bowl is back in our NFL lives. The brothers who clashed in Super Bowl 47 at the end of the 2012 season will now go head-to-head once more as the Ravens – led by John - head west to take on a Chargers team being shaped by younger brother and former NFL quarterback, Jim. Bragging rights and playoff seedings could be on the line.
Week 13 Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions Thursday November 28, 2024
The first Thanksgiving Day offering on America’s favourite sporting holiday will be a fascinating NFC North clash. And the reason it will be so massive is because the Lions are now one of the best teams in the league and the Bears have the offensive firepower to mount a serious challenge in the coming season and beyond.
Week 14 Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys Monday December 9, 2024
The Dallas Cowboys have their doubters heading into the new season, but the reality is that they have the offensive firepower in Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to be well in the playoff mix come December. Cowboys’ superstar Micah Parsons trying to contain Joe Burrow? It’s worth tuning in for that matchup alone.
Week 16 San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins Sunday December 22, 2024
The Miami Dolphins were victorious in the games they were supposed to win in 2023, but they lost the really big contests which would have shown that they are now operating among the NFL’s elite teams. This Holiday Season showdown with the 49ers is exactly the kind of game Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins have to start winning.
Week 17 Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans Wednesday December 25, 2024
Happy Holidays indeed! After watching the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, we can turn our attention to another playoff rematch as Lamar Jackson’s Ravens take on C.J. Stroud and a Houston Texans team that has become even stronger during this offseason. An AFC Championship Game dress rehearsal, perhaps?
Week 17 Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles Sunday December 29, 2024
There is never any love lost between the Cowboys and Eagles and late-season meetings between these playoff contenders tends to add even more spice to an already-tasty dish. The Christmas decorations will still be up, but the Cowboys can forget about getting a warm, seasonal welcome from the Philly faithful.
Week 18 Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers TBD Sat January 4/Sun January 5, 2025
The first thing I do when the schedule comes out is look for a possible winner-takes-all clash in Week 18. There tends to be one every year. These two teams are ready to make some serious noise in a tough division featuring four dangerous outfits. This could be a very meaningful game in early January.