NFL 2024: Which Teams Have the Toughest Test on Week One?
Looking Ahead to Week One of the 2024 NFL Season
The NFL schedule for the 2024 season has been released - and there are already plenty of talking points!
Three months before the start of the season, The Sporting Blog takes a look at two teams that may struggle on week one. Everything you need to know…
Lamar Jackson will be looking for revenge this year
As reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs will kick the action off as they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Arrowhead on September 5th 2024.
The Chiefs beat the Ravens in the AFC Championship game last season - and the Ravens will be hoping they fare better than they did in last year's opening game!
Last term, Patrick Mahomes and Co. welcomed the Detroit Lions to Missouri in the hopes of kicking off their Lombardi defence in winning fashion.
Unfortunately for them, however, the eventual NFC North champions walked out of KC with a narrow one-point victory.
This year, they will be up against it again as Lamar Jackson seeks revenge for last season's playoff heartbreak.
One of the current topics of conversation centres around the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The black-and-yellow have two quarterbacks who will both be fighting it out for a starting berth under centre in the form of former Chicago Bear Justin Fields, as well as former Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson.
The Steel City outfit has one of the toughest schedules of anybody in 2024 - and in the final eight weeks of the season, they will have to twice face off against the Bengals, Browns and Ravens, as well as battle it out with the Chiefs and the Eagles.
But while their difficulties begin in the second half of the season, plenty of teams will be struggling on week one. Let's find out more!
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots enter the 2024 season with the lowest of expectations. The curtain raiser this year will be the first game of the post-Bill Belichick era, and it couldn't be a more difficult start as they head to Paycor Stadium to face the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Patriots have undergone considerable changes in the offseason, particularly with the addition of new head coach Jerod Mayo to revitalise their attack after a disastrous 2023 campaign.
Last season, the Pats finished with a paltry record of just four wins and 13 losses, the worst in their conference and the second worst in the entire league.
That saw them part ways with below-par QB Mac Jones, instead opting to bring in Drake Maye with the third overall pick of the draft.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel was in scintillating form in the NCAA last season, but his professional debut was tough.
Cincy is spearheaded by the one and only Joe Burrow, a man who has single-handedly transformed the fortunes of his team.
He was drafted with the first overall pick of the 2019 draft and in just his second campaign, led the Ohio side to the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years.
They then followed that up with another trip to the AFC Championship game in 2022. However, an injury to the former Heisman winner curtailed the Bengals’ playoff hopes last term.
This year, with Burrow back and firing on all cylinders, expect them to bring the heat in the opening game week.
The latest NFL week 1 odds make the hosts a mighty -420 favourite for the clash at Paycor, and the Mayo-Maye combo will be put to the test right away.
Philadelphia Eagles
Lincoln Financial Field will be buzzing as the Philadelphia Eagles host the Green Bay Packers in a clash of NFC heavyweights.
Last season, Philly was considered one of the favourites for the championship. However, a disastrous run of form throughout the second half of the season saw them fall out of contention.
They did still squeeze into the playoffs, but there they were thumped 31-9 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Packers, however, were one of the stars of the show in the playoffs, as they always seem to be.
Their regular season wasn't much to shout about and as such they were the lowest-ranked side in the entire NFC once the postseason got underway.
That left them in the firing line of the second-seed Dallas Cowboys, but a Jordan Love masterclass saw them walk away victorious and punch their ticket to the divisional round.
The former Utah State standout Love received plenty of plaudits last term for how he stepped into the void left by Aaron Rodgers, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time.
He threw 36 touchdowns throughout the course of the regular season, the most of anybody, and he will be heading to Pennsylvania looking to spoil another party, just as the Packers did at AT&T Stadium back in the winter.
The Eagles’ defensive front, anchored by Fletcher Cox and Haason Reddick, is known for its relentless pressure. Love's ability to handle the blitz and make quick, accurate decisions will be critical to the Packers’ success.
On offence, the hosts will rely heavily on quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has developed into one of the league's most versatile threats.
The former Oklahoma Sooner, paired with dynamic playmakers like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, creates a formidable challenge for any defence, but one the Cheeseheads will be confident of handling.
What are your predictions for week one of the 2024 NFL season? Can the Patriots and Eagles overcome their difficulties and surprise the world? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Featured image credit: Philly Voice
Read all the latest news on our NFL blog
