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• Strength of schedule: .516 (T-6)
• Bye: Week 12

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 11: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Playoff foes ahead. The Bills play all four franchises that made the conference championship games last season, getting the two Super Bowl teams -- the Chiefs and 49ers -- at home in Weeks 11 and 13, respectively.
2. A tough stretch. There’s a lot of handwringing among the members of Bills Mafia that the Super Bowl window may be closing, and we’re going to learn a lot about that in an absolutely brutal stretch of games between Weeks 11 and 15. The Bills play, in order, the Chiefs, the Niners, at the Rams and at the Lions, with their bye squeezed in at Week 12. 
3. Prepare for the Stefon Diggs Bowl. It comes in Week 5, when the Bills travel to Houston. Diggs, whose playing time diminished in the second half of last season -- just as the Bills were surging -- was traded to the Texans this offseason. He will, no doubt, be looking to scorch the Bills’ rebuilt secondary. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .488 (T-24)
• Bye: Week 6

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 2: vs. Buffalo Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 13: at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Thanksgiving)
• Week 14: vs. Jets, 1 p.m. ET on CBS

Biggest takeaways:

1. Division quest begins with Buffalo. The overall scheduling formula helps the Dolphins this season -- their strength of schedule is tied for 24th, the easiest in the AFC East. But one of their biggest tests comes early, in Week 2 against the Bills. After limping to the end of last season, including the regular-season finale loss to the Bills that gave Buffalo the division title, the Dolphins will see early if they have gotten any closer to loosening the post-Brady stranglehold of the Bills on the AFC East. 
2. Escaping the heat. The people who sell the tickets may prefer not to have early-season 1 p.m. games in Miami’s stifling heat and humidity, but coaches know it is a real competitive advantage over opponents who are not acclimated. Alas, the ticket sellers mostly prevailed this season. The Dolphins host the similarly heat-comfortable Jaguars at 1 p.m. for the season-opener but lose the heat edge by playing the Bills at night the following week. Their next home game, Week 4 against the Titans, is also at night. They don’t play another 1 p.m. game at home until Week 8, Oct. 27, against the Arizona Cardinals. 
3. A very difficult end to the season. The Dolphins play at Green Bay on Thanksgiving night, then play the Jets, at Houston, host the 49ers, and finish with two straight on the road, at Cleveland and at the Jets, both with potentially frigid weather. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .512 (T-8)
• Bye: Week 14

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 16: at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET on CBS

Biggest takeaways:

1. Tested early. Yikes, what a way to start a new era for the Patriots. Jerod Mayo and, likely Drake Maye, will make their debuts against the Cincinnati Bengals, who are merely welcoming back Joe Burrow from an injury-riddled season. The scheduling formula does Mayo no favors in his first season as a head coach -- the Patriots are tied for eighth in strength of schedule, and two of their last three games are against the Bills, who have won the division every season since Tom Brady left town. 
2. The prime-time darlings are no more. The Patriots, in the throes of a rebuild, have just one game scheduled for prime time, the Week 3 game against the Jets on Prime Video. They also play the Jaguars in London on ߣÏÈÉúAV Network in Week 7. But they are currently slated for 12 starts at 1 p.m. ET. 
3. A familiar face. The Patriots will get to see up close the model of a very quick and effective rebuild in Week 6, when the Houston Texans visit. Every team that drafted a quarterback this year hopes for a C.J. Stroud-like impact. Ironically, the person leading that rebuild, Nick Caserio, once worked in Foxborough. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .505 (T-12)
• Bye: Week 12

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC (Monday)
• Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday)
• Week 9: vs. Houston Texans, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Rodgers’ return. Aaron Rodgers’ four-snap 2023 season didn’t scare the schedule-makers away from the drama of his move to the Jets. His return to action a year after that disaster of a Monday night opener is the first Monday night game of 2024. The Jets are slated for six prime-time games and are also in a standalone game against the Vikings in Week 5 in London.
2. A glimpse of the division’s newest QB. Even without Bill Belichick, the Jets-Patriots rivalry still has a little juice. Their first meeting of the season is Week 3, in prime time on Prime Video, giving the Jets -- and a national audience -- their first look at the next quarterback who hopes to lord over the Jets the way Tom Brady did. 
3. The tough stretch. The Jets' very real Super Bowl aspirations get an early test against the 49ers in Week 1, but the real gauntlet comes in October and November. The Jets play in London against the Vikings, then return for a Monday night game against the Bills, then go to Pittsburgh and New England before hosting the Texans and going on the road to the Cardinals. That’s a lot of mileage, and a lot of playoff teams. And the season finishes with games against the two teams the Jets will have to topple to win the division -- at Buffalo, in what will probably be bitter cold in Week 17, and at home against the Dolphins for the season finale. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .536 (2)
• Bye: Week 14

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Thursday)
• Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX (Saturday)
• Week 17: at Houston Texans, TBD on Netflix (Christmas Day)

Biggest takeaways:

1. The spotlight burns bright. Thanks to the Ravens' rise to the AFC's top seed in 2023, their surprising home loss in the AFC Championship Game and Lamar Jackson's second MVP season, all eyes are on Baltimore entering 2024. The schedule reflects this, starting with the kickoff game in Kansas City, where the Ravens will try to reprise the role of the 2023 Lions by knocking off the reigning champs in Arrowhead. (There's added bad blood there, too, considering Kansas City prevented Baltimore from reaching the Super Bowl.) Over the next six weeks, Baltimore heads to Dallas (Week 3, in the late Sunday window), Cincinnati (Week 5) and Tampa (Week 7, on Monday night), while hosting Buffalo -- another past AFC rival -- in Week 4 (on Sunday night). Prepare for a lot of Ravens football on your television screens.
2. Balance is beautiful. While they'll face a steady diet of 2023 playoff teams (eight) in 2024, the Ravens are never on the road for more than two weeks in a row (in Weeks 7-8 and Weeks 11-12). They'll also enjoy the benefit of a fairly balanced divisional schedule, which begins in Week 5 (at Cincinnati), continues in Week 8 (at Cleveland) and only stacks back-to-back AFC North opponents once: Weeks 10 (vs. Cincinnati) and 11 (at Pittsburgh). A December bye might make it difficult to sustain production through the first 13 weeks, but provided they stay relatively healthy, the Ravens can thank the scheduling gods for sparing them from a three-game road swing this season -- and for making their Thursday Night Football appearance (that Week 10 showdown against the Bengals) the second of consecutive home matchups.
3. A make-or-break closing month. Baltimore faces quite an interesting final few weeks after its Week 14 bye. The Ravens begin their last four-game stretch with a road game at the Giants (Week 15), then return home for a meeting with the hated Steelers (Week 16) just six days later, on Dec. 21. Four days after that, they'll take on the ascending Texans in a mid-week game in Houston on Christmas Day (Week 17). That means three games in 10 days, a brutal stretch for a team hoping to make a playoff run. If the Ravens find themselves on the cusp of securing a postseason bid, this could be the stretch that dooms them -- or proves their strength to the rest of the ߣÏÈÉúAV.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .502 (T-16)
• Bye: Week 12

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 10: at Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 14: at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Cleared for takeoff. Cincinnati's first six weeks include meetings with just two teams that finished 2023 with winning records (the Chiefs in Week 2 and the Ravens in Week 5), and only one of those matchups (at Kansas City) comes on the road. New England (Week 1), Washington (Week 3) and Carolina (Week 4), owners of the top three picks in the 2024 ߣÏÈÉúAV Draft (though Carolina's pick went to Chicago), are all on tap in the first month, and logic holds that, with a healthy Joe Burrow, the Bengals should get off to a fast start. It gets tougher from there, but even so, the first truly grueling stretch won't hit until December (more on that later). That should produce a more encouraging opening to the 2024 season than 2023 (when Cincinnati started 1-3) did.
2. Primed for prime time. If you thought the league might be overlooking Cincinnati, you thought wrong. The Bengals currently have five prime-time games in 2024, plus three late-window Sunday games, making for nearly half of a season played in front of a large television audience. That's what happens when you feature one of the game's brightest young stars at quarterback, plus a roster that seems, well, primed for a return to the postseason. Expectations are high for these Bengals, even allowing for the fact that they're playing in arguably the toughest division in football.
3. Winter = winning time. We talked about that potentially favorable start for the Bengals, but given that the AFC North will likely come down to the wire, it's truly all about the finish for Cincinnati in 2024. The Bengals come out of the bye with a home game against Pittsburgh (Week 13), travel to Dallas (Week 14 on Monday night) and Tennessee (Week 15) in consecutive games, then host the Browns for a Week 16 Thursday night showdown that could carry massive implications. Those four games occur in an 18-day span. Oh, and the regular-season finale is a road game in Pittsburgh. If the Bengals are going to fulfill their potential, they're going to have to close out strong, and the schedule won't make it easy.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .547 (1)
• Bye: Week 10

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 17: vs. Miami Dolphins, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. No freebies. The Browns begin 2024 with a home game against the Cowboys, a matchup so notable that it will include Tom Brady's broadcasting debut. But the true test of the first six weeks comes with a three-game road swing that includes trips to Las Vegas (Week 4), Washington (Week 5) and Philadelphia (Week 6). And there will be no respite after that stretch, as the Browns face two straight division games against Cincinnati (Week 7) and Baltimore (Week 8) at home. With the combined difficulties of these first eight weeks, the Browns could find themselves in a deep hole entering their Week 10 bye -- or in a position of strength and notoriety, should they emerge victorious in most of those contests.
2. Keep your bags packed. Following the bye, Cleveland heads south to New Orleans (Week 11), returns to host Pittsburgh on a short week (Week 12), then flies west to the Mile High City for the team's only Monday night game of 2024 (Week 13). Then, a truly brutal final five weeks await: at Pittsburgh (Week 14), vs. Kansas City (Week 15), at Cincinnati (Week 16), vs. Miami (Week 17) and at Baltimore (Week 18). By the end of the season, the Browns will have racked up plenty of frequent flyer miles, and likely will have never settled into their homes for very long, considering they have just one legitimate homestand all season. This is going to be as much of a mental test as it is physical.
3. Making the playoffs means more exposure. After sprinting to an unlikely postseason berth in 2023, Cleveland enters 2024 with the toughest strength of schedule in the entire ߣÏÈÉúAV. The Browns play six teams that reached the playoffs, plus they'll face Jacksonville -- a team that would have made the playoffs in 2023 if it hadn't collapsed -- as well as Las Vegas and New Orleans, who could each take a step forward in 2024. And following the bye, the Browns will get well-acquainted with the national audience, playing four prime-time games in the final seven weeks, including two on Thursday night. If they're going to prove 2023 wasn't a fluke, the Browns will have to do so under the bright lights -- which will be the ultimate test for Deshaun Watson in a crucial season for the quarterback.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .533 (3)
• Bye: Week 9

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 5: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Week 7: vs. New York Jets, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, TBD on Netflix (Christmas Day)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Scheduling gods applying pressure. The Steelers have one of the more interesting schedules in the ߣÏÈÉúAV in 2024. In the four weeks preceding their Week 9 bye, they have three prime-time games: against the Cowboys (Week 5), Jets (Week 7) and Giants (Week 8), all in the comfortable confines of Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh fans are likely upset, though, at the thought of their team playing four straight divisional games in Weeks 11-14, including on a short week against Cleveland in Week 12 following a Week 11 date with Baltimore on Nov. 17, before a truly grueling three-game finale to the regular season: at Baltimore (Week 16), vs. Kansas City (four days later, on Christmas Day in Week 17) and vs. Cincinnati (Week 18). Oftentimes, the healthiest teams end up being the best in the final month or so of the season, which is exactly when the games will matter the most to the Steelers. We'll see if they can get there in one piece.
2. Earn it on the road. The Steelers will have to keep their luggage handy to start the year, since they hit the road for three of their first four games. Those should include a couple of early tests of their defense, with meetings against Kirk Cousins' Atlanta Falcons -- also a homecoming for new Steelers signal-caller Justin Fields -- in Week 1 and Anthony Richardson's Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. (And don't overlook the one home game in that stretch, against Justin Herbert and the Jim Harbaugh-coached Chargers.) Last year, the Steelers started the campaign by getting shellacked at home by the eventual NFC champion 49ers. We'll see if a start away from home helps them fare better, because they're going to spend a lot of time in hotels over the first month.
3. Setup for turmoil. It's always interesting to see how the league selects prime-time games for certain franchises. If Russell Wilson is indeed the starting QB out of camp, he'll have three prime-time games between Weeks 5 and 8 to prove doubters wrong as the leader of a hot team -- or he'll be facing questions about whether he'll still be QB1 come Thanksgiving. And right around that time, the Steelers get their final prime-time date of the season, a Thursday night affair on the shores of Lake Erie against the rival Browns in Week 12. Could that be the moment Justin Fields takes Wilson's place in the lineup, for an entire national audience to witness? Or are we getting ahead of ourselves?

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .526 (T-4)
• Bye: Week 14

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 16: at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET on NBC (Saturday)
• Week 17: vs. Baltimore Ravens, TBD on Netflix (Christmas Day)

Biggest takeaways:

1. No longer the sleeper. Houston transformed from an also-ran to a contender in 2023, and this year's schedule reflects that evolution. Last season, the Texans' slate was filled with 1 p.m. ET starts (save for a Week 18 game flexed into prime time). In 2024, the Texans are playing in prime time four times in 2024, including three straight in a crucial stretch starting on Halloween. That's clearly the range in which the league expects them to either make a leap or fall back into the pack. And they'll play every week with a massive target on their backs, especially after acquiring Stefon Diggs in the offseason.
2. A measuring-stick slate. Houston's turnaround was a truly wonderful story in 2023, but those vibes can evaporate in the blink of an eye if the Texans don't build upon their success. Starting with a Week 1 rematch of their Week 18 division-clinching win over the Colts is good for ratings, but the Texans won't encounter their first tough stretch until the end of September, when a two-game homestand against Jacksonville (Week 4) and Buffalo (Week 5) kicks off. The real test comes much later, though, with prime-time games against Detroit (Week 10) and Dallas (Week 11), a pair of made-for-TV contests that will tell us who the Texans are. Add in a final month that includes dates with Miami (Week 15), Kansas City (Week 16) and Baltimore (Week 17) -- all played in an 11-day window -- and we'll learn whether last year was a fluke or the start of something great.
3. Challenges abound for C.J. Stroud. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year will enter 2024 with the spotlight trained on him as the leading face of one of the ߣÏÈÉúAV's new darlings, but the going won't be easy. Stroud and the Texans will face seven of the ߣÏÈÉúAV's top 10 defenses from last season (Bills, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens), and they'll also have to match wits with seven of the top 10 offenses from 2023 (Vikings, Bills, Lions, Cowboys, Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens). Offseason turnover will produce some variation in those rankings, but at this point in May, it's easy to see why Houston spent the past few months upgrading both sides of the ball.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .491 (T-21)
• Bye: Week 14

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 3: vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 11: at New York Jets, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Plenty of big-time QB showdowns. 2024 is the year of Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis after he missed most of his rookie campaign, and he won't have to wait long to resume his anticipated rivalry with Houston's C.J. Stroud, which was shortened by injury in Week 2 last season. They'll square off in Week 1, then the Colts will head to Green Bay to face the Packers and rising passer Jordan Love. Add in a date with Caleb Williams and Chicago in Week 3, plus meetings with Russell Wilson (and/or Justin Fields) and the Steelers in Week 4 and Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars in Week 5, and there's plenty of matchups that count as must-see TV in today's pass-first ߣÏÈÉúAV. Oh, and Tua Tagovailoa's Miami Dolphins are on the schedule before Halloween (Week 7), too. 
2. Point to prove. Indianapolis currently has just one prime-time game in 2024, a meeting with the Jets in Week 11 that will undoubtedly be built around the rematch of Super Bowl III, with a famous quarterback again leading New York. That gives the Colts plenty of reason to feel slighted -- and to prove to the world that the return of Richardson makes them a sneakily dangerous team. They'll get plenty of chances in the 1 p.m. window, especially against a host of teams that will carry more attention into 2024: AFC South darling Houston, Green Bay, Chicago and Pittsburgh to start the season. That's a tough first month. If the Colts are going to make a statement, they won't have to wait long to do so.
3. A chance to finish strong. Indianapolis' heartbreak in 2023 centered on two details: the loss of Richardson after Week 5 and the crushing Week 18 defeat against Houston. The Texans went on to win a playoff game and create a tidal wave of optimism to ride into 2024, while most everyone ended up glossing over Indy. This time around, the Colts close out the season with dates against Denver (Week 15), Tennessee (Week 16) and the New York Giants (Week 17) before hosting Jacksonville in this year's Week 18 divisional showdown. On paper, as of now, those are all winnable games -- which might be exactly what is required to get the Colts over the hump and into the playoffs.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .512 (T-8)
• Bye: Week 12

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 4: at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 6: vs. Chicago Bears, 9:30 a.m. ET on ߣÏÈÉúAV Network (London)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Jags slide back into the pack. A disappointing finish to the most recent season often spells less prime-time dates for a team, and that held true for the Jaguars. Coming off a 9-8 finish, Jacksonville gets two prime-time slots in 2024 after being slated for three in 2023. That's not the worst thing; there's still the opportunity to be flexed into prime time late in the season. Still, this seems like a sign that expectations have fallen for this team. It will be on the Jaguars to change that in 2024.
2. Back-to-back in London again. The most frequent participant in London games is once again starring in an overseas double feature in 2024, with two matchups against teams of varying strengths. Trevor Lawrence will begin his two-week stay in London with a showdown against fellow former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears in Week 6, then follow that up with a date with No. 3 pick Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in Week 7. If history is an indicator, the Jaguars -- who swept their two London games in 2023 -- should emerge victorious from both. Success there will be doubly important this time around, as the Jaguars face Green Bay in Week 8 and Philadelphia in Week 9, without the benefit of a post-trip bye to readjust. If anyone can do it, though, it's the Jaguars.
3. Can they keep it together? Last year, the Jaguars were on pace to win the AFC South and make a second straight playoff appearance -- until the wheels flew off the car and the tremors of multiple earthquakes crumbled the entire operation to the ground. They must avoid a similar scenario in 2024. The stakes will remain high down the stretch, with four of the Jaguars' last six games coming against AFC South opponents, including two meetings with Tennessee (Weeks 14 and 17). It's better to backload games against the Titans than games against the Texans and Colts, but that doesn't mean things will be easy. Neither will a Week 15 contest against the Jets. If Doug Pederson and Co. want to prove last season's meltdown was a fluke, they'll have to take care of business in the division, especially in that stretch.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .491 (T-21)
• Bye: Week 5

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 4: at Miami Dolphins, 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday)
• Week 6: vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET on CBS

Biggest takeaways:

1. Opening with a daunting gauntlet. Tennessee is embarking on a new era under rookie coach Brian Callahan in 2024, but they aren't getting any favors from the league's masters of logistics. The Titans open the season on the road in Chicago, then host the Jets and Packers before heading to Miami for a Week 4 meeting on Monday Night Football. Tennessee very well could emerge from the first month at 0-4 or 1-3. Woof. Things should get a little easier in November and December, which should set up for a nice momentum boost entering 2025. But this season might require some patience from Titans fans.
2. Another Monday night in Miami. Look, if we learned anything from the Titans' tough 2023, it's that they're not just going to jump back into the ranks of the elite in the AFC. But last year did include a moment of beauty fit for a national audience, when then-rookie QB Will Levis led Tennessee to an upset win over the Dolphins in Miami on Monday Night Football in Week 14. It should be no surprise that the same matchup will again be given the MNF treatment. This time, though, it's in Week 4, before the potential struggles of a long season could truly set it. That's not to say we believe the Titans will stink in 2024; it's simply an acknowledgement that we can trust the schedule makers know what they're doing when picking prime-time matchups.
3. Levis vs. ... Levis' rookie season went better than most expected, and the league appears to be capitalizing on his potential by spreading out his matchups with teams featuring similarly green but exciting passers. It starts in Chicago with Caleb Williams, then continues against Jordan Love's Packers, Tua Tagovailoa's Dolphins, and, after a Week 5 bye, Indianapolis' Anthony Richardson in Week 6. As we progress through the season, we'll also see Levis face New England's Drake Maye (Week 9), Minnesota's J.J. McCarthy (Week 11), Houston's C.J. Stroud (Weeks 12 and 18), Washington's Jayden Daniels and Richardson's Colts again (Week 16). If the season doesn't produce a bunch of wins, it will at least produce storylines.

-- Nick Shook

• Strength of schedule: .495 (20)
• Bye: Week 14

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 2: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 7: at New Orleans Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET on CBS

Biggest takeaways:

1. Russell Wilson returns to Denver. Schedule makers get the revenge game for Wilson out of the way early, dropping the Broncos' matchup against the Steelers in Week 2. Wilson is expected to enter training camp with a leg up on the starting gig. Assuming Justin Fields doesn't pass him by before the start of the campaign, slotting Wilson's return to Denver in mid-September provides a greater chance he'll still be in the starting lineup for the grudge match. 
2. Sean Payton returns to New Orleans in prime time. The ߣÏÈÉúAV is celebrating Payton's first game back in the city where he helped win a Lombardi Trophy by giving it a Thursday night spotlight. Emotions are sure to be high as Payton faces a Dennis Allen-led squad that still contains some of Payton's former high-profile players. Payton put his stamp on the Broncos this offseason with moves that included the selection of quarterback Bo Nix in the first round of the draft. Plopping the Payton reunion in the middle of the campaign, in Week 10, means it should provide a good look at how far the coach has come in terms of developing Nix into his next Drew Brees. 
3. Late bye follows gauntlet stretch. The Broncos' bye doesn't come until Week 14, which makes for a looooooong opening stretch of the season. Making matters more difficult is the competition they'll face at the end of that run. Denver travels to Baltimore and Kansas City in Weeks 9 and 10, has a home game against Kirk Cousins' Falcons in Week 11, visits the rival Raiders in Week 12 and then returns home to face the Browns -- who won a wild-card berth in 2023 -- on a Monday night in Week 13. It could be a rough period if Payton's club is trying to get healthy deep in the season. 

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .502 (T-16)
• Bye: Week 6

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (ߣÏÈÉúAV Kickoff Game)
• Week 2: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS 
• Week 16: vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET on NBC (Saturday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Double trouble. The two teams that have been the toughest challenges for Kansas City over the last two seasons come to Arrowhead in consecutive weeks to start the season. It’s one thing to face the reigning MVP in Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and a Ravens defense that will be hungry to avenge a loss in the AFC title game. But the Bengals have enjoyed more success over Kansas City recently. The Chiefs have lost three of four games to Cincinnati when Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been healthy. He should be fired up for this one after injuries ruined most of his 2023 season.
2. Super Bowl LVIII rematch. The 49ers are another team that took a painful postseason loss to Kansas City, this one coming in the Super Bowl. They will see the Chiefs on Oct. 20 at Levi’s Stadium, but Kansas City has to love the setup for that one. Head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes haven’t lost many games after bye weeks. They’ll get one right before that rematch shows up on the schedule.
3. Christmas kickoff. The Chiefs will play on Christmas Day for the second consecutive season, this time on a road trip to Pittsburgh. That day wasn’t kind to Kansas City last year, as the Raiders pulled an upset in Arrowhead. This one will be even more challenging, as the Chiefs will be playing on a Wednesday after facing Houston and Cleveland in the two prior weeks. That’s three games in a 10-day span against physical teams. Ouch!

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .512 (T-8)
• Bye: Week 10

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 9: at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 13: at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Friday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Northern exposure. The AFC North is one of the toughest divisions in football, and the Raiders will see plenty of it in the first half of the season. Las Vegas will face every team in that division -- starting with the Ravens in Week 2 -- before reaching its bye in week 10. Given how physical all those opponents are, the Raiders will be more than ready to take a break. 
2. Familiar face. The Week 17 road trip to New Orleans will have special meaning for an obvious reason: Saints quarterback Derek Carr will be looking forward to facing the team that he spent most of his career leading. Sure, the coach and general manager who ran him out of town a couple years ago are no longer in place. That doesn't mean this contest still won't mean a lot to one of the best quarterbacks in Raiders history.
3. Holiday hopes. The Raiders ruined the Chiefs' Christmas last year with an in Arrowhead. Las Vegas now gets a shot at creating some misery for Kansas City on Thanksgiving weekend, as those teams will face off on Black Friday. It will be the second chance to see if the "Patrick Mahomes Rules" that Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce discussed earlier this offseason can have an impact.

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .478 (T-27)
• Bye: Week 5

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 12: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN+ (Monday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. The Harbaugh Bowl is positioned as an appetizer for Thanksgiving week. The first Harbaugh Bro matchup took place way back in 2011 on Thanksgiving night, when John Harbaugh's Ravens beat Jim Harbaugh's 49ers. This time around, the ߣÏÈÉúAV is using the brotherly bout as a precursor to Turkey Week. The Monday night before the holiday, deep in November, is an ideal setting for a matchup with familial ties. Not only is there the Harbaugh factor, but the connections between the clubs run deep, with the likes of GM Joe Hortiz, OC Greg Roman, RB Gus Edwards, RB J.K. Dobbins and others defecting from Baltimore to L.A. 
2. AFC West matchups bookend campaign. The Chargers open and close the season against the Raiders. In fact, the league placed half of L.A.'s division games in the first six weeks, then bookended the schedule with the other half in the final five weeks. The split leaves open the middle of the schedule, where Harbaugh's club could make hay with several games that look winnable (on paper). The Week 14 game in Kansas City, on the night of Dec. 8, could be a weather game for the Southern California club, as could a Week 17 trip to Foxborough. Harbaugh wants to build a gritty team in plush L.A., and the schedule makers provided a chance to prove he has accomplished his goal late in the season. 
3. Road warriors in the early going. The ߣÏÈÉúAV didn't do Harbaugh any favors in his return to the ߣÏÈÉúAV, giving the former 49ers coach a Week 5 bye, setting up 13 straight weeks of games to close his first campaign in L.A. The Chargers are also on the road early in Harbaugh's tenure, traveling to Carolina and Pittsburgh in Weeks 2 and 3 and to Denver and Arizona in Weeks 6 and 7. L.A. has five road games in its first eight matchups. If Harbaugh's Chargers get off to a hot start, they'll have earned it.  

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .505 (T-12)
• Bye: Week 7

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 17: at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. Proving grounds. This schedule is a big test of "all-in." The Cowboys have nine games against 2023 playoff teams, including a road game in San Francisco (where the 49ers blew out Dallas last season) and the season opener in Cleveland (the timing of which is a bit of a break for the Cowboys, who were spared a late-season cold-weather game there). Each of the playoff-team opponents should tell us a little more about whether the Cowboys did enough this offseason to contend for a Super Bowl.
2. Late-season gifts? Coach Mike McCarthy is working in the final year of his contract -- but the late-season schedule offers some relief. In December, there are games against the Bengals, Bucs and Eagles, but there are also games against the Panthers and Commanders, both rebuilding teams with young quarterbacks. 
3. Tough post-bye gauntlet. The Cowboys avoid the dreaded three-game road trip, but they have a sneaky-tough stretch coming out of their Week 7 bye. They play at San Francisco on Sunday night and play the following Sunday in Atlanta (with Kirk Cousins) at 1 p.m. Then they go home to face the Eagles and Texans back-to-back. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .516 (T-6)
• Bye: Week 11

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 4: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 10: vs. Carolina Panthers, 9:30 a.m. ET on ߣÏÈÉúAV Network (Munich)
• Week 18: at Philadelphia Eagles, TBD

Biggest takeaways:

1. No cakewalk for Jones. If Daniel Jones is playing for his job this year -- and surely he is -- he has a very tough slate of opponents to prove himself against. The Giants are tied for sixth in strength of schedule, with games against the AFC North as part of the rotation. That means Jones and the offense have to keep pace with the likes of Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson. And the final game of the regular season is at Philadelphia. The Eagles have routinely been a nightmare for the Giants, winning eight of the last 11 meetings, including in the playoffs. 
2. No rest for the weary. The Giants are part of a cohort they would probably prefer not to be in -- they are one of 14 teams playing multiple short-week games this season. In the Giants’ case, both of their games against the Cowboys will be played on Thursday nights, the first in Week 4 and the second, in Dallas, on Thanksgiving. 
3. Revenge is just the beginning. Saquon Barkley will return to MetLife Stadium as a member of the Eagles in Week 7, the first time he will face his former team. That game is part of a very difficult, very high-profile early stretch, in which the Giants host the Cowboys, visit the Seahawks, host the Bengals on Sunday night, host the Eagles, then visit the Steelers on Monday night. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .491 (T-21)
• Bye: Week 5

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 8:15 p.m. ET on Peacock (Friday)
• Week 12: at Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 17: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. Beginning in Brazil. The opener is a very long trip for what will likely be a very telling game against a team on the rise about how the Eagles rebound from last season’s collapse. One of their biggest offseason moves was signing running back Saquon Barkley, and we could see an early demonstration of how the Eagles plan to use him when they face a Packers run defense that was among the worst in the league last season. 
2. Avenging the most recent playoff exit? A Week 4 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wouldn’t usually attract much attention -- and in fact, it is a 1 p.m. game on FOX -- but given the humiliation the Eagles suffered at the hands of the Bucs in their 32-9 loss on Super Wild Card Weekend, this game will have special meaning and could wind up having significance in the NFC wild-card picture. 
3. A host of prime-time tilts. The schedule-makers have a lot of confidence that last year’s swoon was an aberration, and the Eagles will be compelling and competitive again. They put the Eagles in prime time five times, including the first ever game in Brazil and the second Monday night game of the season. They also have five appearances in the late Sunday afternoon national broadcast window. They have a schedule oddity -- on three different occasions, they play back-to-back road games. The toughest of them comes in Week 12, when the Eagles play Sunday night in Los Angeles against the Rams, and then fly back east to play in Baltimore in Week 13. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .502 (T-16)
• Bye: Week 14

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 8: vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 11: at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 12: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. Early road trip. Commanders fans aren’t going to get too much quality time with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels early on. The Commanders are on the road for three of their first four games and four of their first six. In that stretch are games in Tampa, Cincinnati and Baltimore, but only one divisional opponent -- at home against the Giants in Week 2. 
2. Heisman Trophy winners face off. Daniels, the second overall draft pick, and Caleb Williams, the first, are going to be compared for their entire careers, and in Week 8, the former Heisman Trophy winners will go head-to-head for the first time at FedEx Field. Daniels should probably keep an eye out for Montez Sweat, the former Commanders edge rusher whose trade to the Bears last season spurred Chicago’s defensive turnaround, including 19 takeaways in the last seven games of the season. 
3. Big late-season opportunity. If the Commanders are going to make waves in Dan Quinn’s first season as the head coach, they have a perfect opportunity in the closing weeks of the regular season. They play four straight NFC teams to close out the season, giving them an opportunity to insert themselves into the playoff picture or disrupt it. The final few weeks -- with games against the Eagles, Falcons (the team for which Quinn was a head coach for the first time) and at the Cowboys -- will be particularly telling if Daniels and the Commanders are on the right rebuilding track. 

-- Judy Battista

• Strength of schedule: .467 (T-29)
• Bye: Week 7

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 2: at Houston Texans, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 13: at Detroit Lions, 12:30 p.m. ET on CBS (Thanksgiving)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Caleb Williams takes on the Class of 2023. Schedule makers get the No. 1 overall pick in front of a national audience early in his rookie season when the Bears head to Houston in Week 2 to face C.J. Stroud. That gives Williams his first look at the pressures of playing in prime time against the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year. Chicago's 2024 slate allows fans to see Williams against the top quarterbacks from the 2023 draft immediately. The Bears take on Will Levis' Titans in Week 1, Stroud and the Texans in Week 2, Anthony Richardson's Colts in Week 3 and Bryce Young's Panthers in Week 5. We'll see how the 2024 No. 1 pick compares to his peers right off the bat.  
2. The division schedule is backloaded. The Bears don't play their first NFC North opponent until Week 11, when the Green Bay Packers travel to Chicago for their first matchup of the Williams Era. Thus, six of Chicago's final eight games will be against division foes. That could be a blessing or a curse for a club with a 2-10 NFC North record under coach Matt Eberflus. A hot pre-division start would give the club confidence, allowing the Bears to ride into December with plenty of confidence. But if things fell apart down the stretch, that could be bad news for Eberflus' future. Closing with the Packers in Green Bay could have massive implications for the current season and beyond.
3. Caleb faces fellow top draftees in consecutive weeks. Williams and the Bears take on Jayden Daniels (No. 2 overall pick) and the Commanders in Week 8, Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4 overall) and the Cardinals in Week 9 and Drake Maye (No. 3 overall) and the Patriots in Week 10. The streak of games versus the rest of the top four of the 2024 ߣÏÈÉúAV Draft in the middle of the schedule offers a chance to directly compare how the rookies are developing. Williams vs. Daniels will be the sixth meeting between rookie QBs selected Nos. 1 and 2 overall in the common draft era (since 1967). The QB drafted second overall has won three of the previous five such games.

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .509 (11)
• Bye: Week 5

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Los Angeles Rams, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 14: vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video (Thursday)
• Week 17: at San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC (Monday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Early bye, early playoff rematches. Detroit opens with back-to-back playoff rematches at Ford Field, facing the Rams (whom the Lions defeated in the Wild-Card Round last season) in prime time and the Buccaneers (vanquished in the Divisional Round) in Week 2. Three of their first five games come against 2023 postseason clubs, and they eventually play all but one of the NFC's playoff teams from last season (with the exception of the Eagles). To make the tough slate more difficult, the Lions have a Week 5 bye. The early week off means Dan Campbell's club will play 13 consecutive weeks to close the campaign. Brad Holmes has built the deepest Lions roster in generations. That depth will be tested in 2024.
2. Going national. The ߣÏÈÉúAV clearly believes in Detroit's staying power. Last season, schedule makers gave the upstart Lions more prime-time glow, and Campbell's club didn't disappoint. For Round 2, the league upped Detroit's profile further. The Lions have six standalone games (five prime-time affairs, including the first Sunday night game of the season, and their annual Thanksgiving slot), underscoring the league's faith in Detroit's ability to garner eyeballs. The Lions also play four tilts in the 4:25 p.m. ET slot, generally seen by bigger audiences. The Lions currently are slated to play just six 1 p.m. ET games. For a club that perennially was banished to the early Sunday window before, it's clearly a new era in Detroit. 
3. Long wait for NFC Championship Game revenge. The Lions were 30 minutes from a Super Bowl before their season imploded in the NFC title game, when they lost a 17-point halftime lead in a single quarter in San Francisco. We already knew the reigning division champions would face off. Now we know it won't happen until Week 17. The bout will be the season's final Monday Night Football game, a prized time slot. But it's an awfully long time for Detroit to stew over last year's failure to make their first Super Bowl in franchise history. 

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .526 (T-4)
• Bye: Week 10

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET on Peacock (Friday in Sao Paulo, Brazil)
• Week 7: vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 12: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. Prime-time payoff. Green Bay’s rapid maturation in the second half of last season clearly impressed some folks in the schedule-making department. That Friday night game in Brazil is the first chance for this year’s Packers to let us know how much they grew up in the offseason. The Detroit Lions made their intentions known in last year’s season-opener with a win over Kansas City; Green Bay could make a similar impression against a Philadelphia team that should be eager to prove itself as well.
2. Young guns. The Oct. 20 meeting with Houston will be exciting for obvious reasons: It will be a chance for two of the rising star quarterbacks to face off against one another. Houston’s C.J. Stroud blossomed quickly last season to earn ߣÏÈÉúAV Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Green Bay’s Jordan Love found his stride in the second half of the season and in the postseason. He’s proven that the Packers made the right call in moving on from Aaron Rodgers and giving him the keys to the car. This one will be fun.
3. Division decisions. The NFC North could end up being the best division in football. That also means Green Bay’s Thursday night trip to Detroit on Dec. 5 will go a long way toward deciding who ends up in first place. The Lions are defending NFC North champs and they knocked Green Bay out of the postseason at the end of the 2022 season. They’re should be some bad blood in this one, for sure.

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .502 (T-16)
• Bye: Week 6

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 2: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 3: vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 5: vs. New York Jets, 8:30 a.m. ET on ߣÏÈÉúAV Network (London)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Rough road. The Vikings easily have one of the toughest starts to their season. After traveling to play the Giants in the season-opener, they will play six straight games against playoff contenders: the 49ers, Texans, Packers, Jets, Lions and Rams. It already will be interesting to see how long Minnesota keeps rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy on the bench. With a slate like that, it’s probably best to allow him to watch Sam Darnold under fire.
2. Kirk’s comeback. Mark Dec. 8 on the calendar, because that’s when former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins returns to Minnesota with the Atlanta Falcons. There wasn’t any bad blood when he left to join Atlanta -- especially not after the Falcons gave him $100 million in guaranteed money -- but the narrative around this game will still be compelling. The Falcons also drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection in April. If Cousins is struggling for some reason, maybe we see the rookie on the field much earlier than expected.
3. Familiar endings. The Vikings won’t be the most hyped team in the NFC North, but they will have talent. The question will be whether they can do enough earlier in this season to control their fate late. Minnesota finishes with three division games in the final four weeks of the season, hosting Chicago and Green Bay before traveling to Detroit in the finale. If the Vikings can linger around .500 until then, that will be their chance to make a run at a playoff spot.

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .453 (T-31)
• Bye: Week 12

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 14: at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. Rough opening slate. Atlanta enters the season tied for the easiest strength of schedule, but the schedule overlords did them no favors off the bat. The first three games of the season -- and four of the first five -- come against 2023 playoff teams. The fifth is at home against rival New Orleans, in Week 4. That's a difficult test for Raheem Morris' return to ATL. On paper, the Falcons face five of the better defenses in the league to start the season, beginning with T.J. Watt's Pittsburgh Steelers. The Week 1 matchup also brings former coach Arthur Smith (now Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator) back to Atlanta after he was dismissed as the Falcons' head coach this offseason. That's a fun little tweak: How will Smith attack his former club? And let's not forget Atlanta bypassed bringing in current Steelers QBs Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in favor of giving Kirk Cousins $100 million guaranteed during free agency. Those storylines are sure to be hyped up heading into the opener. 
2. Kirk Cousins in the prime-time spotlight early on. Facing five tough defenses to start the season will put added pressure on the highly paid quarterback. Add in the selection of rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall, and the veteran could be looking over his shoulder early in the campaign. Atlanta has three prime-time games in the first five weeks of the season, including a Sunday night showdown with the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Week 3. Cousins' prime-time struggles are well documented (though overblown). If he bombs in the early stages in ATL, things could get uber interesting in the QB room. As for Cousins' return to Minnesota, the ߣÏÈÉúAV pretty much buried it, placing it in a 1 p.m. ET slot in Week 14. 
3. Division games frontloaded. In addition to facing playoff clubs early, the Falcons also knock out most of their division games before Thanksgiving. Five of their six NFC South matchups happen in the first 10 weeks of the season. Atlanta faces each of their division rivals in successive games in Weeks 4-6 (vs. New Orleans, vs. Tampa Bay, at Carolina). If the Falcons come out on top of that string, it could give Morris' club a leg up on a wide-open division. ATL closes the season against three clubs who finished the 2023 season in the bottom six of the ߣÏÈÉúAV (vs. Giants, at Commanders, vs. Panthers). 

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .467 (T-29)
• Bye: Week 11

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 5: at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 10: vs. New York Giants, 9:30 a.m. ET on ߣÏÈÉúAV Network (Munich)
• Week 12: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET on CBS

Biggest takeaways:

1. Bryce Young takes on Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix within four weeks. The ߣÏÈÉúAV clumped together the rookie quarterbacks on the Panthers' slate in 2024. Young takes on the Bears' Williams in Week 5, the Commanders' Daniels in Week 7 and the Broncos' Nix in Week 8, giving us an on-field comparison of where the 2023 No. 1 overall pick stands in his development versus some of this year's crop. Heck, if something happens in Atlanta and Michael Penix is in the saddle by Week 6, Young could square off against four consecutive rookie QBs. Not only does the stretch give us a chance to see Young against his peers, but it also gives the Panthers a chance to make some hay against other rebuilding clubs, potentially. 
2. Brutal stretch to close the season. New coach Dave Canales' club had better get off to a hot start, because the end of the campaign looks rough on paper. Coming out of a Week 11 bye, the Panthers play five of their final seven games against 2023 playoff teams, starting with Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Dallas in consecutive weeks. That's a ruthless stretch for a young team hoping to gain momentum looking toward 2025 and Year 2 of a new regime. But if the Panthers come out with positive results, it will be clear that Canales has built a solid foundation.
3. Shut out of prime time. The Panthers are the lone club without a single prime-time game on the docket for 2024. Carolina's one standalone match comes against the New York Giants in Germany, where they'll meet former Panther Brian Burns, a first-round pick in 2019 who was traded away this offseason. It's a bummer not to have any prime-time games, but we can spin this positively. Canales' young bunch has the opportunity to grow outside the limelight and pressure that comes with those night tilts. Learning to win is a big part of developing in the ߣÏÈÉúAV. If Carolina can string together a bunch of Sunday afternoon victories, there will always be flex options for the league later in the campaign. 

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .453 (T-31)
• Bye: Week 12

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 5: at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday)
• Week 16: at Green Bay Packers, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday)
• Week 17: vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. A hot start could lead to a big finish. The Saints enter the season tied with Atlanta for the easiest strength of schedule. As with their division rival, though, things aren't so light early on. After Week 1 against Carolina, the Saints travel to Dallas, face Philly at home, then go to Atlanta and Kansas City. It's critical for Dennis Allen's club to come out of that stretch over .500. It will help that those teams will have less film on the new offense under Klint Kubiak early in the season. If the Saints get through the first month and a half with a winning record, the schedule sets up for a postseason run. Five of the Saints' six division games come in the first 10 weeks. 
2. Derek Carr's revenge will have to wait. Carr won't see his former Raiders teammates until after Christmas, with the Saints hosting Vegas in Week 17. Carr famously was dropped by the previous regime after nine seasons with the Raiders before finding his way to New Orleans. The QB battled through injury in his first season with the Saints, and his 228.1 passing yards per game was the lowest since his rookie season in 2014. New Orleans expects a bounce-back season from Carr. With Jameis Winston gone, there is inexperience behind Carr -- 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener, 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler and perennial No. 3 Nathan Peterman. None will push for Carr's job early, but it will be interesting to see if the Saints give Rattler a shot if things go sideways. 
3. Sean Payton returns to The Bayou in prime time. The ߣÏÈÉúAV plopped Payton's return to New Orleans with the Broncos in the middle of October on a Thursday night, in Week 7. The aura surrounding Payton's time with the Saints has hardly dissipated, with much of his former coaching staff guiding the club the past two seasons. Dennis Allen, who took over for Payton in 2022, enters a pivotal season for his future. The Saints have disappointed the past two years, failing to take advantage of a soft division. With a veteran roster, similar failures could spell doom for Payton's replacement. Expect Payton's return to be met with cacophonous praise at the Caesars Superdome -- the din will be particularly hearty if the Saints get off to a shaky start. 

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .478 (T-27)
• Bye: Week 11

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 4: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 9: at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN (Monday)
• Week 10: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m. ET on FOX

Biggest takeaways:

1. Back-to-back Super Bowl opponents. Todd Bowles' club will need the exhale provided by a Week 11 bye. Ahead of that midseason break, the Bucs play back-to-back games against last season's Super Bowl participants. Tampa heads to Kansas City for a Week 9 Monday Night Football affair against Patrick Mahomes and the Lombardi-winning Chiefs. Then, on a short week, the Bucs host Christian McCaffrey and the star-studded NFC-champion 49ers. That's as rough a one-two punch as any club faces this season -- particularly deep into its pre-bye run. 
2. Five 2023 playoff opponents in the first 10 weeks. Tampa's early slate is nothing to sneeze at. In addition to K.C. and San Francisco, the Bucs face three other playoff teams within the first 10 games of the season. They head to Detroit in Week 2, have a rubber match with the Eagles in Week 4 after splitting the series last year, and take on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in Week 7 on Monday night. Toss in three division bouts, and that portion of the schedule isn't easy for a Bucs squad looking to win its fourth consecutive division title. 
3. Close with back-to-back divisional foes. Bowles' club finished the 2023 season strong, winning five of its final six games to secure the division title. Last season, the Bucs ended the campaign with a home game against New Orleans (loss) and at Carolina (win). In 2024, Tampa finishes with the same two division rivals, hosting the Panthers and Saints in Weeks 17 and 18, respectively. Once again, the NFC South could come down to how these final two games shake out. 

-- Kevin Patra

• Strength of schedule: .488 (T-24)
• Bye: Week 11

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+ (Monday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Thanks for nothing. The Cardinals had better be ready to play when this season starts, because they are going to face all types of challenges from the jump. Arizona has to travel to Buffalo for the opener, then play the Rams and the Lions in consecutive weeks after that. This is still a young team trying to build a competitive roster. There are going to be a ton of growing pains in those first three games.
2. Divisional delay: Arizona also has one of the quirkier schedules when it comes to divisional play. The Cardinals will play four NFC West games in the final seven weeks of the season, including matchups with Seattle in Weeks 12 and 14. The good news is that there will be familiarity. The bad news is that all those teams figure to be fighting for playoff spots.
3. Feels like the first time: Arizona might be able to capitalize on an underrated part of its schedule: the lack of experience in some of the opposing head coaches. The Cardinals will play six games against teams that hired new coaches this offseason (Commanders, Chargers, Seahawks, Patriots and Panthers). Even if you discount the two teams in that group led by seasoned coaches (Washington's Dan Quinn and the Chargers' Jim Harbaugh), that still gives Arizona a decent chance against the others. You gotta start somewhere, right?

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .505 (T-12)
• Bye: Week 6

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: at Detroit Lions, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)
• Week 3: vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX 
• Week 12: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Another homecoming. The Lions had their chance to see Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford return to Detroit in the playoffs last year. They’ll get another shot at him in the season-opener, although the stakes won’t be as high now that Detroit has beaten the quarterback it traded to the Rams for Jared Goff. Things have worked out for both players in their new homes -- Stafford won a Super Bowl, while Goff has led the resurrection of the Lions -- but games like this will always excite fans in Michigan.
2. Start fast. The Rams won’t find anything easy about the first five weeks of this season. They have three road trips in the first four games. After the Lions, they travel to Arizona before hosting the 49ers, playing at the Bears and returning home vs. the Packers. There’s a lot to like about all the young talent in Los Angeles these days. We’ll find out just how good they are in the first month.
3. December difficulty. That last month of the season won’t be any easier for the Rams. They travel to New Orleans on Dec. 1, before matching up with Buffalo and then taking road trips to San Francisco and the Jets. All those teams should be hunting playoff spots at that time of the year.

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .505 (T-12)
• Bye: Week 9

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 1: vs. New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC (Monday)
• Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET on NBC
• Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC (Monday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Home, sweet home. The 49ers have a predictably tough schedule for a reigning conference champion. They also have the good fortune to face some their toughest opponents inside the cozy confines of Levi's Stadium. Four teams with real championship aspirations -- the Jets in Week 1, Chiefs in Week 7, Cowboys in Week 8 and Lions in Week 17 -- have to travel to the Bay to meet San Francisco. That's a heck of a nice setup for a team that desperately wants to return to the Super Bowl.
2. A couple of chilly receptions. The 49ers won't play as many challenging games on the road, but they will face a brutal back-to-back stretch just as winter kicks off. They have to play the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 (Nov. 24) and then head over to Buffalo in Week 13 (on Dec. 1). Those are always hard places to find wins, but they become even more threatening venues as the temperatures start falling and snowstorms are real possibilities. 
3. Suspenseful showdown. The top seed in the NFC playoffs could be on the line when San Francisco hosts Detroit in Week 17. These two teams played in , and the Lions surely still feel the sting of that defeat. The 49ers trailed by 17 points at halftime before rallying for a 34-31 win. The rematch should be even better, and critical to determining postseason opportunities.

-- Jeffri Chadiha

• Strength of schedule: .488 (T-24)
• Bye: Week 10

Three marquee matchups:

• Week 3: vs. Miami Dolphins, 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS
• Week 8: vs. Buffalo Bills, 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX
• Week 15: vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (Sunday)

Biggest takeaways:

1. Take it easy. New head coach Mike Macdonald has a chance to get his revamped defense going early. The Seahawks open with Denver (Week 1) and New England (Week 2), which means they'll probably be dealing with two rookie starting quarterbacks (if the Broncos go with Bo Nix and the Patriots throw Drake Maye into the fire). Macdonald was hired largely because he's one of the brightest defensive minds in the game. He should look pretty sharp at the outset.
2. Home cooking. Macdonald should also be pleased by how the schedule works when it comes to tougher opponents. There are only two scary non-divisional games on the road: at Detroit in Week 4 and at the Jets in Week 13. In contrast, the Seahawks will see the Dolphins (Week 3), Bills (Week 8) and Packers (Week 15) all in Seattle. That's a nice deal.
3. Playoff possibilities. Don't be surprised if the Seahawks catch fire late in the season. The end of the year looks favorable to them, as they'll see Arizona (Week 14), Minnesota (Week 16) and Chicago (Week 17) within the last five weeks. Those are all winnable games for a team that just missed the playoffs in 2023.

-- Jeffri Chadiha