An NFL Game to Circle on Your Calendar for Every Week in the 2023-24 Season
A game for every type of fan.
Graphic from ESPN and NFL
In the middle of the NFL offseason, what better thing is there to do than to look ahead at the next season and see what matchups we can tune into for some good football? Here’s a matchup to look forward to each week, trying to get as many teams as possible exposed. Without any more delay, let’s get started!
Week 1: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday Night Football, Kickoff Game
When the schedule for the upcoming NFL season releases, all eyes usually fall first to the kickoff game, the first game of the season that the Super Bowl champion hosts on the first Thursday night of the season. This season, it’s a matchup between the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs, and the up and coming Detroit Lions, who look to make some noise all around the NFL this season. The last time Lions quarterback Jared Goff and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes clashed in a game, they put up a combined 105 points, with Goff’s Los Angeles Rams winning 54-51. This game will likely be an absolute shootout and have our hearts racing until the very last play.
Prediction: Lions 45, Chiefs 38
Week 2: New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys
Aaron Rodgers is a New York Jet. He has huge tests in his first two weeks, with the Jets facing the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, and then traveling to Dallas to take on the Cowboys. Both of these teams are brimming with young firepower, and this game should be extremely close, but decided more by defense than the previously mentioned Lions vs. Chiefs matchup. Expect Micah Parsons to get involved a lot against the Jets’ offensive line.
Prediction: Cowboys 29, Jets 20
Week 3: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers, Thursday Night Football
This week didn’t have many fantastic choices, but this game was a good option. The Giants have returned to being a contender in the NFC, and this is a major test against one of the best, if not the best team in their conference, the 49ers. The 49ers didn’t lose many pieces this offseason, and assuming quarterback Brock Purdy returns to the form he went undefeated in games he started and finished last season, these 49ers are a threat to run the table. The Giants, along with the entire NFC East, will give them a run for their money.
Prediction: 49ers 27, Giants 10
Week 4: Atlanta Falcons vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, London Game
The Atlanta Falcons had an impressive offseason. They used their abundant cap space to bolster their defense, which was ranked near the bottom of the league in all categories last season. Then, they used their draft picks to strengthen their already potent running attack, adding running back Bijan Robinson and offensive guard Matthew Bergeron to help that dimension of the offense thrive. While the Falcons look to be coming out of a rebuild here, they will travel to London in Week 4 to face a team who emerged from their rebuild last year, proving to be a true contender for the AFC crown in the Jacksonville Jaguars. All it took Jacksonville was a coach who knew the professional game, and they took off, improving tremendously on both sides of the ball last season under Head Coach Doug Pederson. This game will be interesting, a clash of two young teams looking to stake their claim in their respective conferences. Added on top of all of this is a wide receiver Calvin Ridley revenge game, and Falcons wide receiver Drake London playing in London.
Prediction: Falcons 30, Jaguars 28
Week 5: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
This list of games will (hopefully) have a game for every kind of football fan. This is the kind of game for the football fan that loves defensive playmaking and scheming. The Steelers and the Ravens rank as one of the best rivalries in the entire league, and the way their games are played define their entire division. The term “AFC North” football has come from the days of stingy, 17-10 contests between these two teams, where big sacks, turnovers, and exceptional special teams play was what won those games. This year, the Ravens and Steelers are set to go at it again, and more of the same should be expected.
Prediction: Ravens 13, Steelers 7
Week 6: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers, Monday Night Football
This game, along with the kickoff game, is for the fans who like to see explosive offensive play and a lot of points scored. This game also has an inherent storyline going into it, as the Cowboys fired now former Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore at the end of their last season for the Chargers to pick him up in the same position. Quarterback Justin Herbert leads a trio of explosive wide receivers in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and rookie Quentin Johnston into this game, supported by star running back Austin Ekeler, and their offensive line awaiting the return of star tackle Rashawn Slater. The Cowboys are headed up by quarterback Dak Prescott, with wide receiver Ceedee Lamb and running back Tony Pollard being the key players on the offensive side of the ball. Both defenses are formidable in their own right, but this game will take place after the 2022 Wild Card matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, where defense falls to the wayside at a certain point. Expect fireworks in this game, and a high scoring, overtime win for one of these teams.
Prediction: Chargers 52, Cowboys 46 (OT)
Week 7: Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday Night Football
This matchup is one to look forward to when looking into the future of coaching in the NFL. Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel and Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni are the two names that first come to mind when thinking about the top young coaches in the league, and the success they’ve had. Mike McDaniel was the key to unleashing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on the league last season, as Tagovailoa was 8-4 in games he started and finished, but played through multiple concussions in the later half of the season. Through the injury, Tagovailoa still averaged about 250 passing yards per game, and was the main reason the Dolphins stayed in contention and got a playoff spot. Sirianni and the Eagles made the Super Bowl last season thanks to a surge in statistics from quarterback Jalen Hurts. Assuming no injuries, this game will be a high-profile clash between two up-and-coming quarterbacks.
Prediction: Dolphins 34, Eagles 30
Week 8: Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions, Monday Night Football
Often on a team’s schedule, there is a game where they are matched up against a team of similar caliber, and both play tenaciously to prove that they are simply the better team than the other on that day. This is one of those games. If the Raiders were in any other division than the AFC West, they would likely have a chance to win it, given the combination of offensive and defensive pieces they have accumulated over the past few years. They and the Lions find themselves in the same spot at this point, a piece or two away from jumping from being a playoff contender to being a Super Bowl contender. This game will be an interesting one to see who comes out on top.
Prediction: Lions 24, Raiders 13
Week 9: Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers
This game is here for the people who love the NFL Draft, and seeing the prospects battle it out against each other on the field. This matchup will likely pit 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers against 2023 fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts in a quarterback duel. Additionally, this is a coaching revenge game, as Frank Reich, the current Head Coach of the Panthers, was hired after being let go by the Colts last season. This will be a battle of inches as two young teams try to prove that they’re ready to contend.
Prediction: Panthers 23, Colts 19
Week 10: San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars
This game isn’t for anyone in particular, but will rather just be a good game of football. Sometimes in a football game, two different play or coaching styles clash, and it just leads to an ugly, 12-6 in overtime affair (looking at you, Colts vs. Broncos in 2022). This is the kind of style clash that will make for a great game of football; a run-first but capable passing prowess team with a top five defense in the 49ers against an explosive pass-first team with a defense coming into their own in the Jaguars. This one will simply be fun to watch.
Prediction: 49ers 31, Jaguars 27
Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs, Monday Night Football
It’s the rematch from a Super Bowl that was a lot of fun to watch. Of course this is going to be the game of the week.
Prediction: Eagles 38, Chiefs 35
Week 12: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
There are four rivalry games that can’t be easily beaten for game of the week honors. Ravens vs. Steelers will likely end in a 13-10 game, but will always be a fun 13-10 game. Seahawks vs. 49ers is a game that can play out two ways, either being one of the biggest shootouts of the year, or a lopsided blowout for either side. Either way, football is chippy and emotional. Bears vs. Packers is a game that is always played close, no matter the circumstances, simply because the history that backs up the two teams and their eternal feud is so rich. The final rivalry game that can rarely be beaten is Saints vs. Falcons. The times of this showdown being Drew Brees vs. Matt Ryan twice a year have come and gone, but these two teams still always keep it close, and provide an exciting game. In Week 1 of last season, the Saints pulled off an insane comeback against the Falcons, and proved that even without Brees or Ryan, these teams still put on an impressive couple of rivalry games every season. Additionally, these teams are the two expected to be the front-runners for the NFC South’s division title this season, so this game happening at this point in the season will have major playoff implications.
Prediction: Falcons 34, Saints 28 (OT)
Week 13: Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday Night Football
The Seahawks are an enigma. Their team is built to the point where they can contend, and have young players at key positions, but they can’t seem to overcome big challenges when faced with them. They crumpled against the 49ers in their playoff contest last season, went 9-8 overall. While they will be better than last season, this is a big “prove it” game for them, if not really for Dallas.
Prediction: Cowboys 27, Seahawks 17
Week 14: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
These two teams’ matchup in the 2022 Divisional Round was the greatest game of football that many young fans have ever seen. With Buffalo and Kansas City consistently winning their divisions, these meetings in the regular season hold major playoff implications while also being simply fun to watch every year. Simple must-see football.
Prediction: Bills 24, Chiefs 21
Week 15: Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday Game
This is another game that is here for the people who love to see points scored in football games. The Bengals and Vikings have two of the highest ceilings on offense in the entire league, with either team having multiple high caliber weapons to equip their quarterback with. The main reason for Kirk Cousins’ success last season was having Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson, perennially good receiver Adam Thielen, and a healthy Dalvin Cook. The Bengals have what many have called one of the best receiver trios in NFL history with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. Adding the running production of Joe Mixon to add to the talent Joe Burrow has, makes for a nightmare offensive front, one that no defense wants to go up against. Another thing to note about this game is that it is a late season matchup between teams that will be in a dogfight for their respective division titles and a home playoff game, just adding to the tension and passion going into this game.
Prediction: Bengals 42, Vikings 21
Week 16: Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers, Christmas Monday Night Football
There’s something about football on holidays that hits different. There was a streak of Thanksgiving night games that ended a few years ago that were all rivalry games (Falcons/Saints in 2019 and 2018, Cowboys/Washington in 2020, and Washington Giants in 2017. Bears/Packers was the game in 2015), and always over-performed what the expectation for the game was. There’s a 49ers-Seahawks game that is scheduled to restart this year, but a Falcons/Saints game is too good to pass up in Week 12 this season. With the recent advent of Christmas games, there have been the memorable gems of Alvin Kamara dropping 60 fantasy points on the Vikings while in red and green cleats on Christmas Day in 2020, and an overtime matchup in 2022 between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Trace McSorley-led Arizona Cardinals. This game is one of the most exciting in the entire season, and it happening on a holiday and it being a matchup between two contenders for the top seeds of their respective conferences, in a matchup with two comparable teams to their 2013 Super Bowl teams in certain respects, this will be the most anticipated game of the entire season.
Prediction: 49ers 34, Ravens 31
Week 17: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, New Year’s Eve Sunday Night Football
This game is for the fans of football history. The Green Bay Packers usually get a Sunday Night Football game or two every year for simply being the Packers and as a showcase of their history. The team has undergone a massive change this season. This matchup against the Vikings will prove to be a test of the team under new quarterback Jordan Love, and how their future looks, nearly one full season in.
Prediction: Packers 23, Vikings 20
Week 18: Dealer’s Choice on Rivalry Weekend!
Rivalry football is the best kind of football, and the schedule has many good rivalry games on the docket for Week 18, and the final push to the playoffs.
Predictions:
Jets 34, Patriots 17
Dolphins 20, Bills 13
Steelers 21, Ravens 18
Bengals 33, Browns 27
Colts 28, Texans 27
Jaguars 34, Titans 12
Chargers 45, Chiefs 38
Raiders 23, Broncos 10
Buccaneers 16, Panthers 7
Cowboys 37, Commanders 14
Eagles 23, Giants 21
Lions 47, Vikings 13
Packers 31, Bears 28
Falcons 26, Saints 25
Seahawks 27, Cardinals 3
49ers 56, Rams 23
There you have it, 17 must-see games, and a week full of fun games. Take nothing else from this list than to just have fun watching your kind of football, this league has a game or two for every type of fan.
