On May 15th, over the course of a day, the NFL strategically unveiled its 2024 season schedule. First, fans were treated to the delicious Primetime games, which, even four months before opening day kickoff, appeared as enticing as ever.
However, what truly excites me is the Week 1 slate. It's the schedule makers' only chance to deliver 16 matchups knowing everything there is to know going into a game, where football is yet to do the talking.
From marquee rivalries reigniting to intriguing showdowns between the league's rising stars, 2024’s Week 1 schedule promises a thrilling start to the next football season. In this article, I will offer some guttural reactions, comments, concerns, questions, and maybe even a prediction for half of the NFL's Week 1 slate, with the second half coming later this week.
Without further ado…
8:20pm TNF: Ravens vs Chiefs
It's the world against the Chiefs, who under Andy Reid's stewardship, have already offered up an 11-year stretch worth of the dynasty designation. Four Super Bowl appearances and three rings later, Reid may have just assembled his best Chiefs team to date this offseason.
Standing in their way in Week 1 is the Baltimore Ravens, a team whose only playoff win under electric quarterback Lamar Jackson came against the Titans back in 2021. Despite the Chiefs and Ravens competing for the AFC’s coveted 1st seed last year, only one of these rosters appears ready to do it again.
While the Chiefs actively sought to remedy their shallow offense this offseason, the Ravens failed to answer questions at wide receiver or replace two departed offensive line starters. The Chiefs averaged 350 yards per game last season while only posting >401 yards twice, a significant decrease from their 413, 396, and 415 averages during the prior Patrick Mahomes years.
In 2024’s first TNF affair, I predict a more 2021-inspired gunslinging Mahomes to lead the Chiefs offense past the 400-yard mark, resulting in a 10-plus point win over the Ravens.
8:15 pm International Friday: Packers vs Eagles
The NFL’s 2024 international agenda kicks off with a high-quality affair between the Eagles and Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The NFC outfits endured virtually opposite trajectories last season.
While the Eagles moved swiftly and directly towards internal implosion, the Packers surged towards the playoffs fueled on rich offensive juice. You can probably guess which team got upset and which team did the upsetting in the playoffs.
Despite losing Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce, the Eagles got stronger this offseason. Praised for their free agent addition of running back Saquon Barkley and first two draft picks cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and defensive back Cooper DeJean, the Eagles look poised to repeat as division winners.
Most importantly of all, Jalen Hurts has a full offseason to recover from his various 2023 nicks. After starting 2-5, Jordan Love led his team on a 7-3 run to end the year, putting up over 325 total yards in all ten games.
Offseason addition Josh Jacobs, who two years ago led the league in rushing yards, will give offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich another way to kill you. Brazil, you got a good one.
1pm: Steelers vs Falcons
It's not hard to get excited about this revenge game between new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and his former squad the Atlanta Falcons. Reports suggest Kirk Cousins is a full go for all team activity this offseason.
The former Viking quarterback is coming off a season where he parlayed his highest ever quality of play statistically/aesthetically, with a devastating ACL injury. Anyone who attempts to explain Michael Penix Jr.’s selection with the 8th overall pick, including the Falcons, has no idea what they’re talking about.
Instead of investing in a much-needed blue-chip defender - and they had their pick of the bunch - the Falcons drafted a quarterback safety net to protect them from their ACL-recovering 34-year-old free agent signing. Head scratching stuff.
Cousins' first chance to fend off Penix Jr. comes against the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose defense - returning almost every single one of its starters from last campaign - looks as menacing as ever. Mike Tomlin already named Russell Wilson the Week 1 starter, he’ll get the first crack over Justin Fields at directing a fascinating offensive cast.
While ridiculously dynamic, I’m not entirely convinced George Pickens is a wide receiver 1. My ear is trained for rumblings the team is looking to add a stud wide receiver via trade before the season kicks off. My personal favorite for this offense would be Deebo Samuel, but I think Brandon Aiyuk is more likely.
1pm: Titans vs Bears
Possibly the matchup I’m most excited for, the Titans and Bears should both feel like they have a shot at sneaking into the playoffs this coming season. ‘Quarterback whisperer’ Head Coach Brian Callahan did a fantastic job in his first offseason at assembling a legit offense for second-year quarterback Will Levis.
The last regime traded AJ Brown and drafted Treylon Burks to bear the entire weight of the passing game. Now, Burkes sits 4th on the depth chart behind DeAndre Hopkins and notable free agent additions Tyler Boyd and Calvin Ridley. Moreover, 8th overall pick tackle JC Latham and free agent Tony Pollard round out a promising unit.
I’ve written endlessly about the Bears this offseason, basically long story short Caleb Williams has a chance to outproduce CJ Stroud's historic rookie statistics in what is the best offense ever given to the first overall pick. I can’t remember a scarier three-headed backfield than DeAndre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Khalil Herbert, who should bear the load in Week 1 as Williams settles into things.
I think the Bears will rush for 200+ against the Titans in Week 1.
1pm: Patriots vs Bengals
After losing the Super Bowl in his second season, everyone expected Joe Burrow to have a ring and maybe even an MVP by the start of the 2024 season. Instead, two injury-plagued campaigns later and Burrow and the Bengals have nothing to show for it but a real chip on their shoulder.
The schedule makers gave them a layup in Week 1 in the form of the New England Patriots, a team rid of Brady and Belichick for the first time in a quarter century. You can’t deny Drake Maye's ceiling, but taking a ‘project’ quarterback second overall is questionable considering the team's dearth offensive depth.
Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is known to make even the savviest quarterbacks sweat in the pocket, so I expect the Patriots will fail to eclipse 10 points in this matchup. If the Patriots do have one thing going for them, it's their defense.
Expect a healthy Burrow to struggle in his first game back, throwing an interception, but leading his team to a low-scoring Week 1 victory.
1pm: Texans vs Colts
What CJ Stroud did in 2023 cannot be overstated. We're talking about a guy who a year ago was taken AFTER Bryce Young, and who was entirely written off by a sector of NFL general managers and media based on his low S2 cognitive test. Well, you can scrap the S2 test, ‘cause Stroud’s play has already opened up a Super Bowl window for the Texans.
Adding Stefon Diggs on a one-year deal is a battle cry for the team to go even deeper into the playoffs in Stroud's sophomore season. While Diggs was a huge disappointment and general non-contributor last year, I think he’ll be a great distraction for Nico Collins or Tank Dell.
I rate Dell and Collins incredibly highly as a duo, and with Stroud throwing them passes I think they have the potential to both be considered unquestioned top 15 WRs a year from now. Anthony Richardson hasn’t started more than 20 football games between high school, college, AND the NFL, yet looked as game-breaking and composed as Stroud in much more limited action.
When the two dueled in the first quarter of Week 2, Stroud completed just one pass for eight yards, while Richardson accounted for 56 passing yards, 33 rushing yards, and two rushing TDs. At 6’4 245 pounds, the 21-year-old is an inch taller and just as heavy as Derrick Henry.
Richardson has yet to prove he can remain healthy, I’ll be praying for him to make it out of Week 1 unscathed. Richardson is the exact prospect and talent that people want to see in Drake Maye, a wrecking ball in the run game with a cannon for an arm.
I think the former Gator has MVP potential, and I think a Week 1 upset vs Stroud and Texans will quickly wake people up to this fact.
1pm: Jags vs Dolphins
After a sneaky successful second season, once labeled ‘can’t miss’ draft prospect Trevor Lawrence plummeted down to par in year three. His Jaguars team lost five out of the last six, dramatically fumbling a playoff spot which appeared locked up after an 8-3 start.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has also experienced a bumpy start to his career; despite improving his yardage and touchdown totals each season of his first four seasons, in addition to posting a career-high 70% completion rate last year, Tagovailoa is still one of the most heavily criticized quarterbacks in the league.
Incidentally, both guys are due for mega extensions from their rookie deals. Thankfully for them, both their teams were aggressive in adding offensive talent through the draft and free agency, likely compensating for a lack of talent on defense.
On paper these are two of the top offensive units in football, so I’m expecting shootouts in most of their games, including this one. With everyone healthy in Week 1, I expect both quarterbacks to start the season strongly posting 275+ yards and two TDs apiece.
1pm: Panthers vs Saints
The biggest snooze fest of Week 1, let's be honest, you're not watching this game unless you’re a fan of these teams or you drafted Xavier Legette way too high in fantasy. I’ve never been convinced of Dennis Allen's ability to lead a team, and I don’t think this year will be any different.
Alvin Kamara hasn’t topped 4.0 yards per carry in 4 years and has still never rushed for over 950 yards. If this offense is gonna have any juice, it's gonna have to come from either WR2 Rashid Shaheed or RB3 Kendre Miller.
If there's any hope for diminutive second-year Bryce Young, it's new Panthers coach Dave Canales. Like Titan's coach Brian Callahan, Canales has a history of fixing broken quarterback mechanics.
Hopefully, Young has enough substance for Canales to mold into a franchise quarterback. The first step for Canales was revamping the offense through the draft and free agency: the team used their first, second, and fourth-round picks on skill position players, as well as trading for wide receiver Diontae Johnson.
The ball is in Young's court to show why he was the first player drafted a year ago, and I think he comes good in Week 1 against Derek Carr and the Saints. Expect the tandem of running back Chuba Hubbard and rookie Jonathon Brooks to combine for 150 yards on the ground and 50 yards through the air as the Panthers win a low-scoring affair.
