The NFL schedules for 2024 are now formally available. While we were aware of each team’s opponents months in advance, the calendar itself provides a great deal of detail. Which team will face all of its most formidable opponents away from home? At the end of the season, will another team have to play a number of recurrent Super Bowl contenders? The season of your favorite team might be made or broken by these kinds of inquiries.
All of that, of course, is predicated on the notion that nothing will alter anytime soon. A team’s performance in the future season could be greatly impacted by trades that are still possible, injuries that could occur, and controversies that could come to light. However, as things are, a few teams definitely have clear advantages over others because of their scheduling.
Given that the Patriots would be playing the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets (who would likely have Aaron Rodgers back) six times this season, it goes without saying that they would have six difficult games on their schedule. They will, however, face more difficulties than they had anticipated.
Their division will have to play the whole AFC South next season, a division that saw three of its teams finish above.500, in addition to the Cincinnati Bengals, whom they will meet in the AFC East due to their fourth-place result. To make matters worse, the Patriots will also have to contend with the NFC West in 2024. That means they will face three teams that finished above.500, including the NFC’s top seed from
For 2024, the Las Vegas Raiders got a fairly strong stick. They will face the miserable NFC South in addition to the formidable AFC North, which includes all four of the league’s teams. Everything works out in the end, right?
The Raiders will, regrettably, still have to play the Chiefs twice. They will also have to contend with the Rams, who had an excellent season last year and just received their first-round draft pick since 2024. For a Raiders club that still doesn’t have a quarterback position straightened out, they will undoubtedly be difficult to win.Jacksonville’s schedule seems easier based on their opponents than their win % would imply. Ten of the Jaguars’ games will be against teams who did not make the playoffs, with just seven of those games being against postseason opponents from the previous season. The Jaguars will still have to play two teams that finished over.500 twice apiece, Indianapolis and Houston, because they play in the AFC South. Furthermore, the Jaguars’ lone NFC East game will be against the Philadelphia Eagles, who aren’t exactly the most straightforward opponent to draw at random.
As a Giants fan, this is the exact opposite of what you want to see. The team is currently in a state of great dismay. Star tight end Darren Waller may yet decide to step down. Daniel Jones has not yet demonstrated his ability to be a mainstay of the team. The Giants had what many view as a fairly mediocre selection class, while many believe that the Washington Commanders were among the biggest draft winners.
There was always going to be at least four challenging games for the Giants between their four games against the Cowboys and Eagles. But it gets worse: the Giants will also have to play every team in the AFC North, a division where all four teams finished above.500.
