NFL 2024 Season Preview: New history, new stars, and the first NFL game on a new continent The second overall draft pick, Jayden Daniels, will be the Washington Commanders’ starting quarterback for their Week 1 game following his strong preseason performances. However, Drake Mae, the third pick, will have to wait for his starting opportunity as the New England Patriots chose seasoned quarterback Jacoby Brissett for their season opener.
Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall selection, will serve as the Atlanta Falcons’ backup due to the offseason acquisition of Kirk Cousins. Meanwhile, the tenth pick, JJ McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings, unfortunately, sustained a season-ending knee injury during his rookie season.
Bo Nix, the last quarterback chosen in the first round, taken 12th by the Denver Broncos, has arguably exceeded all expectations. His outstanding performance in the preseason has won him the starting role in Colorado, a feat not accomplished by a rookie quarterback in Denver since the legendary John Elway.
new territory
The NFL consistently seeks opportunities to broaden its reach, and this season is no exception.
The 2024 campaign will see the first regular season game played in South America when the Green Bay Packers face the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The Week 1 clash between two National Football Conference (NFC) playoff hopefuls will take place at the Corinthians Arena, home of Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians.
It was the first time in more than 50 years that the NFL played a game on the Friday night of opening weekend.
The game comes as part of the NFL’s growing international series, which will include five games overseas this season.
Three games will be played in London – two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium – the other will be played in Munich, Germany.
This means that NFL games will now be played on five of the world’s seven continents.
Full week 1 slate
Thursday, September 5
Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs – 8:20 PM ET
Friday, September 6
Packers face off against the Eagles at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
Sunday, September 8
The Carolina Panthers will face the New Orleans Saints at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants – 1 p.m. ET
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati or Bengals – 1 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. ET
The Houston Texans will play the Indianapolis Colts at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Arizona Cardinals @ Buffalo Bills – 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans @ Chicago Bears – 1 p.m. ET
The Jacksonville Jaguars will take on the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 PM Eastern Time.
Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks – 4:05 pm ET
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:05 pm ET
The Dallas Cowboys will face the Cleveland Browns at 4:25 pm Eastern Time.
Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Seniors – 4:25 pm ET
The Los Angeles Rams will be visiting the Detroit Lions for a game that kicks off at 8:20 pm Eastern Time.
Monday, September 9
New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers – 8:15 pm ET
Detailed discussion
Can Kansas City make new history?
The Kansas City Chiefs, the epitome of the NFL’s current golden age, have a chance to pull off an unprecedented feat this season. Winning three consecutive Super Bowls, a feat never accomplished by any team before. With Andy Reid’s coaching, Patrick Mahomes’ outstanding quarterbacking, and Travis Kelce’s reliable performance, the Chiefs are now at a unique height in the NFL based on these three pillars.
Last season the team mainly relied on their strong defense. But this season, new faces like Marquis Brown and Javier Vardy have been added to the team to sharpen up the attack. Expectations are now high on Mahomes and Reid, who will need to utilize this new addition to make the offense more dynamic.
The rise of rookie quarterbacks
The 2024 NFL Draft was a hotbed of quarterback talent. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., JJ McCarthy, and Bo Nix, six of these young talents stepped into the NFL this time.