Call it muscle memory.
Each year, immediately after the NFL schedule release, fans across all 32 teams discuss, debate and circle the games they’re most excited to see their favorite teams play.
But allow The Athletic’s NFL beat writers to do the heavy lifting for you. Our reporters have pinpointed the must-watch game(s) for each NFL team in 2024 and why those games are worthy of clearing the schedule for.
Some picks are obvious. Some more understated. Either way, these are the games that could make or break seasons.
Arizona Cardinals: vs. Commanders, Week 4
The Cardinals open at Buffalo, and then face the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions at home. They could be 1-2 or 0-3. The Commanders come to the desert at the right time. This matchup will command a lot of local attention. Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury was head coach of the Cardinals for four seasons. QB Jayden Daniels started his college career at nearby Arizona State. By Week 4, Kyler Murray and first-round draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr., should be on the same page. It’s the perfect week for the Cardinals to take a major step and show their improvement. — Doug Haller
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Atlanta Falcons: at Vikings, Week 14
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins makes return trips to both of his previous teams this season — at the Vikings and then at the Commanders in Week 17. The Vikings game is the most interesting because not only is Minnesota his most recent stop, but the game will provide an early verdict on the divergent strategies of the Falcons and Vikings. While Atlanta shelled out big bucks to lure Cousins, Minnesota let him walk and decided to go the rookie quarterback route. Whether that rookie quarterback — Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy — or stopgap signee Sam Darnold will be starting opposite Cousins remains to be seen. — Josh Kendall
Baltimore Ravens: at Chargers, Week 12
It would be easy to say the AFC championship rematch. However, brothers John and Jim Harbaugh haven’t coached against each other in a game of significance since Super Bowl XLVII, when John’s Ravens beat Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 34-31. There will be a ton of hype surrounding this matchup, but it goes beyond the head coaches. Jim’s staff features several former Ravens assistants, including offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who was much-maligned during his time in Baltimore despite directing an offense that set team records. The Chargers’ roster also has a host of former Ravens, including running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. — Jeff Zrebiec
Buffalo Bills: vs. Chiefs, Week 11
Such as when the Tom Brady Patriots repeatedly rematched the Peyton Manning Colts, this has become the annual inter-division blockbuster fans drool over. Bills-Chiefs always meets the hype and three of the past four seasons have produced a scorching playoff preview. Buffalo has yet to conquer Kansas City in the tournament, but in Sean McDermott’s tenure has won four of its five regular-season games. The aggregate score over eight games: Chiefs 200, Bills 199. — Tim Graham
Carolina Panthers: vs. Chiefs, Week 12
There’s a reason the NFL didn’t schedule this game in Munich. Or more to the point: There’s a reason the Panthers didn’t want to play the Chiefs in Germany. Having the two-time, defending Super Bowl champions in town doesn’t happen very often, and it should be a great atmosphere at Bank of America Stadium. The Chiefs haven’t played in Charlotte since 2016, when Patrick Mahomes was in his final year at Texas Tech and Cam Newton was coming off his MVP season. Devin Funchess, now playing pro basketball in Colombia, caught a touchdown that day. But the Chiefs won 20-17. — Joe Person
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Chicago Bears: at Texans, Week 2
It’ll be the biggest stage for rookie Caleb Williams, going against the quarterback who set the bar for rookies. The Bears defense gets a great test in Houston with C.J. Stroud and his collection of weapons, while Williams gets his first taste of “Sunday Night Football.” Usually, a Green Bay Packers game gets this designation, but we don’t know yet if Week 18 will have major implications, and the Week 11 matchup at Soldier Field doesn’t have the prime-time bells and whistles, so we’ll go with the early season battle of young quarterbacks. — Kevin Fishbain
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Cincinnati Bengals: at Chiefs, Week 2
Attention may have shifted away from the Bengals-Chiefs rivalry with Joe Burrow’s injury last season, but make no mistake, he is still the one quarterback to consistently have Mahomes and Kansas City’s number. He’s 3-1 against them. If the Bengals return to the level they expect with Burrow back, this should again be one of the premier games on the entire NFL slate even though some luster was lost with the early placement. Also, consider that if the Bengals could pull off this win, they would be favorites to start the season 4-0 as this game is surrounded by matchups against the New England Patriots, Washington Commanders and Panthers, all with new coaches, quarterbacks or both. — Paul Dehner Jr.
Cleveland Browns: vs. Bengals, Week 7
For as good as Burrow has been in bringing the Bengals back to relevance and AFC contention, the Browns have had the quarterback’s number. That will need to continue for Cleveland to have a chance to win the division, and the season’s first Browns-Bengals meeting comes in Cleveland on Oct. 20. That leaves enough time for teams to make some adjustments and find themselves for what could be a huge game in the AFC North race. — Zac Jackson
Dallas Cowboys: at 49ers, Week 8; at Eagles, Week 17
The Week 8 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers is deep enough into the season that the Cowboys should be in a midseason groove and not dealing with rust or late-season fatigue. The 49ers ended the Cowboys’ 2021 and 2022 seasons in the postseason and served up a thick slice of humble pie in 2023 by delivering an embarrassing 42-10 loss. Because Week 17 in Philadelphia is the second-to-last game of the season, there are factors that could influence the importance of that game — if either team spirals or gets hit by the injury bug. If history is any indication, playoff seeding should be on the line, if not the division, and possibly the conference. — Saad Yousuf
Denver Broncos: vs. Steelers, Week 2
As soon as Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, this game became one of the league’s more intriguing matchups.The Steelers and Broncos may have a ceiling this season as fringe wild-card contenders, but that doesn’t lessen the drama surrounding Wilson’s return to Empower Field for a matchup with Sean Payton, the coach who benched him late last season and then set a new course at quarterback. Justin Fields’ talent may ultimately make him the better fit in Pittsburgh, so the league and network executives were wise to feature this game early in the season when Wilson, who Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said is in the “pole position” to become the Week 1 starter, is still in a starting role. — Nick Kosmider
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Detroit Lions: at 49ers, Week 17
Some compelling options on the Lions’ schedule, but let’s be honest: It’s the 49ers. The NFC’s two best teams last season will go at it again on “Monday Night Football.” If both teams are as good as we think they’ll be, this game could have seeding implications in the NFC, with a first-round bye potentially on the line. It has the potential to be one of the best regular-season matchups of the year. — Colton Pouncy
Green Bay Packers: vs. Dolphins, Week 13
This is the Thanksgiving night game at Lambeau Field. That alone is enough reason for this to be must-watch. Add in that it’s the high-powered Dolphins and this would be an intriguing game no matter where or when it takes place. So waddle (pun intended) on over to your couch after dinner and enjoy this one with a nice plate of pumpkin pie. — Matt Schneidman
Houston Texans: vs. Jaguars, Week 4
As the Texans aim to repeat as AFC South champs, this early-season matchup with Jacksonville will represent a good test. The Jaguars also are expected to contend for the division, and the face-off between C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence should make for an entertaining shootout. — Mike Jones
Indianapolis Colts: at Jets, Week 11
This is Indy’s only prime-time game, and at this stage of the year, it could have major postseason implications. Anthony Richardson has never played in a prime-time NFL game, so what better way to introduce himself to a national audience than against Aaron Rodgers? Richardson claimed to be chasing “greatness” before he ever took a snap in the NFL and wants to be remembered as a legend one day. Regardless of Rodgers’ off-field shenanigans, the four-time MVP and Super Bowl champion has already checked the “legendary” box on the gridiron, and his playing career is one Richardson can only hope to replicate. — James Boyd
Jacksonville Jaguars: at Texans, Week 4
The Jaguars’ schedule is a doozy, so there’s plenty to pick from, but the first matchup between the last two AFC South champs could set the tone for the division. This time last year, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars were in the Texans’ shoes. Now, they’ve got to wrangle back the division from Stroud and a team that yielded one of the best stories in the league in 2023. The Jags will be coming off a brutal opening stretch at the Dolphins, home for the Browns and then at the Bills for “Monday Night Football.” Worst case, they’re 0-3 and fighting like mad to keep pace in the division. Best case, they’ve got a couple of wins and will be trying to send a message to the Texans. — Jeff Howe
Kansas City Chiefs: at 49ers, Week 7
The Super Bowl rematch is the only answer. San Francisco fans know Mahomes has never lost to the 49ers. In four victories against them, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to average 34.5 points. The Chiefs are coming off their bye week, so they will have a rest advantage and should have a few schematic wrinkles for the 49ers. One strategy point to watch: Which star receiver will Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo have cornerback Trent McDuffie follow in man-to-man coverage more often — Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk? — Nate Taylor
Las Vegas Raiders: vs. Chiefs, Week 13
First off, the Raiders should own Black Friday like the Cowboys and Lions do Thanksgiving. And it should always be in Las Vegas (because the Black Hole in Oakland is no longer available). Last year, the Raiders ruined Christmas for Taylor Swift and her Chiefies, so a revenge holiday-esque meeting in Kansas City sounds pretty good. That was the last game the Chiefs lost last season before going on another Super Bowl run, and Kansas City fans probably haven’t forgotten Jack Jones’ glorious pick-six interception where he talked trash to Patrick Mahomes as he ran it in or how he offered the football to a kid in the stands before pulling it back. The Raiders scored two defensive TDs in that game, and their defense is even better now. Yeah, Maxx Crosby and company can’t wait for this one, either. — Vic Tafur
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Los Angeles Chargers: vs. Ravens, Week 12
The Harbaugh Bowl is going to be appointment viewing. Jim Harbaugh has been pretty open about how the Super Bowl XLVII loss motivated his return to the NFL. He won a national title with Michigan in 2023, but he is still one-upped by his brother at the pro level. As Jim said at his introductory news conference in February: “I only have so many sands left in the hourglass and I want another shot. I want another shot to be simply known as world champions.” The family rivalry gets rekindled this season. — Daniel Popper
Los Angeles Rams: at 49ers, Week 15
If history is any indication, this game will likely have heavy playoff implications (possibly for both teams). Further, the Rams will still have two more NFC West games on their schedule at this time (Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks in Weeks 17 and 18) that will either help or hurt their positioning. Sean McVay against Kyle Shanahan is always a must-watch, even if historically lopsided in favor of Shanahan specifically during the regular season. — Jourdan Rodrigue
Miami Dolphins: at Packers, Week 13
The Dolphins and cold weather have not mixed well in recent years. In fact, the Dolphins have lost 11 straight games, including their wild-card clunker against Kansas City last season, when the kickoff temperature is 40 degrees or below. Well, it’s no guarantee it’ll be that cold in Green Bay on Thanksgiving, but it’s a decent bet. And if the Dolphins are ready to put this storyline to rest, what better way to do it than on national TV and on the frozen tundra known as Lambeau Field? — Jim Ayello
Minnesota Vikings: vs. Falcons, Week 14
Why? You know why.
Six topsy-turvy seasons. Unfulfilled expectations. After all of it, Kirk Cousins left and will be returning for the first time. What type of reaction will the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd give him? How will he perform against the team he feels did not believe in him enough? What will his interactions be like with former teammates like Justin Jefferson and coach Kevin O’Connell? This should be emotional, juicy and entertaining all at once. — Alec Lewis
New England Patriots: at Jets, Week 3
The Jets broke the Patriots’ streak of 15 straight wins in this rivalry last season, but this is going to be a fascinating prime-time test for Jerod Mayo’s group. The league probably put this game on Thursday night to showcase Rodgers. But between the Pats’ opener (against the Bengals) and this game, we’re going to know early whether Mayo can bring the kind of game-specific defensive setups for which Bill Belichick was known. Rodgers struggled (relatively speaking) against Belichick. Can the Pats play spoiler on national TV with Mayo picking up where Belichick left off? — Chad Graff
New Orleans Saints: vs. Broncos, Week 7
This would seem like an odd game to choose given it’s an AFC matchup in Week 7. But … it’s going to be the return of Sean Payton to New Orleans for the first time as an opposing head coach after leaving the team following the 2021 season and being traded to Denver leading up to last season. It’s the only real reason why this game would be in prime time. What will the reception be for the greatest Saints coach in team history? I would assume a mixture since I’m willing to bet there’s enough sensible people who understand it’s OK to pay homage, although brief, to Payton that night. — Larry Holder
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New York Giants: vs. Eagles, Week 7
Saquon Barkley’s homecoming. After thinking about the implications of Year 3 for this regime, there might be no bigger plot point than the Giants letting the running back depart to the division-rival Eagles. Yes, Barkley did what was best for his career, and you can’t fault a player for that, but losing a fan-favorite to your hated rival was the nightmare scenario for Giants fans. And maybe even for coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. They let him walk, and maybe that will end up being the right decision, but if Barkley goes berserk in Philadelphia and the Giants’ offense struggles to get off the ground again, it won’t be a good look for the coach and GM. — Charlotte Carroll
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New York Jets: at Vikings (in London), Week 5
This game is across the pond, which always adds a certain level of intrigue. And while these games tend to be sloppy, the UK has a large contingent of Jets fans, so the crowd should favor New York and Rodgers. Other storylines: Minnesota’s Sam Darnold could get to face his old team, if he beats out J.J. McCarthy to start at quarterback, and the Jets’ offensive line will be tested by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. — Zack Rosenblatt
Philadelphia Eagles: vs. Packers (in Brazil), Week 1
The setting for this game makes it a must-watch altogether. The football portion also presents an intriguing crossroads. The Eagles are attempting to stabilize themselves as a perennial playoff contender, and the Packers are attempting to continue their climb into the upper echelon of NFC powerhouses. Jordan Love looked like the NFL’s next star quarterback in Green Bay’s stunning beatdown of the Cowboys in last season’s NFC wild-card round, and the Packers subsequently almost prevented the 49ers from reaching Super Bowl LVIII. This game’s a toss-up that could create important momentum for either team. — Brooks Kubena
The first-ever regular season game IN BRAZIL is SET! 🇧🇷 @NFLBrasil
And for the first time in more than 50 years, an NFL game will be played on Friday night of opening weekend. pic.twitter.com/9T4HGqXdkd
— NFL (@NFL) April 10, 2024
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ravens (Weeks 11 and 16)
Some say the Ravens-Steelers rivalry is no longer one of the best in the game. They just must not be watching. In recent years, the Ravens have had greater success overall, but the Steelers have owned them head-to-head. Pittsburgh has won seven of the last eight meetings dating to 2020 — the best stretch for either side in the head-to-head history (since 1996). Make no mistake about it: The Steelers and Ravens are still a big deal. That’s not about to change with the two playing each other twice in six weeks during the stretch run. — Mark Kaboly
San Francisco 49ers: vs. Chiefs, Week 7
Entering the 1994 season, the 49ers had lost two straight NFC Championship games to the Cowboys. They ultimately vanquished Dallas in the NFC title game, but their Week 11 regular-season win over the Cowboys at Candlestick Park should not be discounted. That gave the 49ers the confidence to slay the dragon when it mattered. They might need a similar boost to get over the Kansas City hump. That opportunity will come in October at Levi’s Stadium. The Super Bowl rematch, then, will truly be must-watch TV — with Tom Brady on the call. — David Lombardi
Seattle Seahawks: at Lions, Week 4
The last two Seahawks-Lions games, both in Detroit, have been electric. Seattle needed 48 points to win a shootout in 2022 and 37 points to win the rematch in 2023 on a walk-off touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Tyler Lockett in overtime. Both teams hope to be better on defense in 2024, but even if they are, the offenses on each side are still stacked, so Round 3 should be another thriller that comes down to the wire, this time on Monday night. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at Lions, Week 2
If the Bucs are a better team than they were last season, they need to show it against the team that sent them home last January. The Lions beat the Bucs 31-23 in the postseason after beating them 20-6 in the regular season. The next step for Tampa is to compete with the elite in the NFC. They’ll have a chance later in the season against the 49ers, but this is an early opportunity to set the tone. Beating the Lions would be a confidence builder for a team that believes it is ready to ascend. — Dan Pompei
Tennessee Titans: vs. Bengals, Week 15
Brian Callahan gets a visit from mentor Zac Taylor and prized pupil Joe Burrow, marking the fourth meeting between these teams since 2020. The Bengals won three of those but only averaged 14 points per game in the past three meetings against the defenses of Callahan’s Nashville predecessor, Mike Vrabel. A banged-up Burrow could only muster a field goal last season at Nissan Stadium. He and Callahan prevailed in the biggest of those games, in January 2022 in the divisional round of the playoffs, despite the Titans sacking Burrow nine times. Ryan Tannehill’s three interceptions that day started the process that saw Will Levis replace him last season. — Joe Rexrode
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Washington Commanders: vs. Bears, Week 8
This matchup features the quarterbacks selected first and second overall in this year’s draft. The visiting passer, Caleb Williams, returns to his hometown. If all goes right, Jayden Daniels and Williams will be among the NFC’s brighter stars for years to come. Then there’s Bears defensive end Montez Sweat facing his former team for the first time since last year’s in-season trade. Chicago hammered Washington by 20 points in 2023, though both teams have transitioned significantly since that Thursday night game. — Ben Standig
(Top photos of Caleb Williams, Sean Payton and Kirk Cousins: Michael Reaves, Candice Ward and Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)