While the NFL schedule hopes to deliver memorable games each and every week throughout the 2024 season, some weekly slates look better than others.
Which weeks have the strongest set of games, and which might be forgettable? We’ve ranked all 18 weeks of the 2024 NFL schedule from worst to best.
Ranking All 18 Weeks on the 2024 NFL Schedule From Worst to Best
18) Week 4
We had to start somewhere, but it tells you how solid the NFL product is that this is the worst week on the 2024 schedule.
Week 4 still has plenty to offer, including a Bills-Ravens matchup, an Eagles revenge game against the Buccaneers, and a Monday Night Football doubleheader. But the depth of exciting matchups isn’t there.
17) Week 3
OK, so the NFL didn’t put its best foot forward at the end of September.
Week 3 is slightly better than Week 4, with Ravens-Cowboys, 49ers-Rams, and Jaguars-Bills (MNF) on the schedule. Even Chiefs vs. Falcons — ticketed for Sunday Night Football — has plenty of point-scoring potential.
16) Week 12
Week 12 will bring two potential NFC Championship Game previews: 49ers vs. Packers and Eagles vs. Rams. But we might have the most fun on Monday night when the Ravens and Chargers will stage the first Harbaugh Bowl since John and Jim squared off in Super Bowl XLVII.
The last Harbaugh Bowl was Super Bowl XLVII. The next one? November 25th. @Ravens at @Chargers on @ESPN. 🔈 @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/CPHGj50sJ8
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) May 16, 2024
15) Week 18
The regular-season finale should have plenty on the line. The Browns might be battling the Ravens for the AFC North title, while the Dolphins and Jets could be fighting for the AFC East crown. Week 18 is always a little difficult to judge because it’s entirely divisional matchups, and we don’t know the prime-time schedule.
14) Week 8
Speaking of those Browns and Ravens, they will play each other in a highlight of Week 8. But the most compelling games on this slate are Eagles vs. Bengals and Cowboys vs. 49ers, the latter of which will be on SNF. Can Dak Prescott get over the hump against San Francisco?
13) Week 5
Week 5 starts with a solid NFC South tilt between the Bucs and Falcons before shifting to the first of three 2024 England games with Jets vs. Vikings.
The 1 p.m. slate delivers Ravens vs. Bengals, Bills vs. Texans, and Colts vs. Jaguars. The 4 p.m. window will allow us to focus on Packers vs. Rams.
12) Week 11
While Week 11 lacks the depth of other slates, it contains two of the year’s best matchups.
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen will face each other for the eighth time in Chiefs vs. Bills before the Texans and Cowboys fight in an All-Texas battle on Monday Night Football.
11) Week 2
Week 2 could end up being monumental in the AFC standings, as Bills vs. Dolphins (TNF) and Bengals vs. Chiefs figure to have season-end implications.
Falcons vs. Eagles is a decent Monday night matchup, while Steelers vs. Broncos will feature Russell Wilson’s return to Denver.
The only problem with Week 2? A dreadful 10-3 early/late-window split. At least we’ll be able to focus our attention on Joe Burrow vs. Patrick Mahomes, Round 5.
10) Week 6
Week 6 kicks off on Thursday night with an NFC West matchup between the 49ers and Seahawks. The second London game boasts the Jaguars and Bears, while Browns vs. Eagles is the best game of the early window.
The real fun begins in the late slate with Lions vs. Cowboys before MNF brings Bills vs. Jets.
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9) Week 9
The halfway mark of the season is also at the midpoint of our list. Week 9 has an underrated prime-time schedule, with Texans vs. Jets (TNF), Jaguars vs. Eagles (SNF), and Bucs vs. Chiefs (MNF) on the docket.
Cowboys vs. Falcons, Dolphins vs. Bills, Lions vs. Packers, and Rams vs. Packers could also affect the playoff picture.
8) Week 7
Week 7 will be defined by Chiefs vs. 49ers, the rematch of Super Bowl LVIII. There are other good games on the slate, too.
Sean Payton will return to New Orleans, the Texans will play the Packers, and Ravens vs. Buccaneers will highlight an MNF doubleheader. But we’re all waiting for Kansas City vs. San Francisco.
The last time we heard from @PatrickMahomes, he was on top of the world.
Again.
Circle October 20 for the Super Bowl rematch — @Chiefs at @49ers.
(🔊 @NFLFilms) pic.twitter.com/o2S0KBPWkO
— NFL Football Operations (@NFLFootballOps) May 16, 2024
7) Week 16
Teams will be jockeying for playoff position in Week 16, and the NFL delivered with an outstanding slate. We’ll begin with Browns vs. Bengals on Thursday before two excellent Saturday games hit the screen: Texans vs. Chiefs and Steelers vs. Ravens.
Rams vs. Jets is the best game of the early Sunday window, while games like Lions vs. Bears and Titans vs. Colts could theoretically have postseason implications. 49ers vs. Dolphins is the highlight of the 4 p.m. slate, while Buccaneers vs. Cowboys could be an underrated SNF matchup.
6) Week 13
Week 13 gets a bump for bringing us football on five different days, but there are plus matchups on the schedule, too.
The NFL saved the best for last on Thanksgiving by placing the Dolphins and Packers in the evening slot. Eagles vs. Ravens and 49ers vs. Bills (SNF) could be two of the season’s best games.
Jalen Hurts & Saquon Barkley vs. Lamar Jackson & Derrick Henry. Which duo will walk out of that game with more rushing yards? ✍️ pic.twitter.com/UcdzRAL4MA
— NFL (@NFL) May 16, 2024
5) Week 15
Rams vs. 49ers will start Week 15 on the right foot on TNF, but our favorite games on this slate are Dolphins vs. Texans at 1 p.m. and Bills vs. Lions at 4:25 p.m.
Packers vs. Seahawks on Sunday night may affect the NFC Wild Card standings, while MNF’s doubleheader will feature Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy in Bears vs. Vikings.
4) Week 14
In Week 14, games like Packers vs. Lions (Thursday), Jets vs. Dolphins, and Browns vs. Steelers will change late-season divisional pictures. Bills vs. Rams could be a race to 35 points, while Bengals vs. Cowboys rounds out the week on Monday Night Football.
3) Week 17
Week 17, the penultimate week of the regular season, will begin with rare Wednesday action. The NFL’s Christmas Day schedule starts with Chiefs vs. Steelers and finishes strong with Ravens vs. Texans.
On Sunday, Jets vs. Bills could decide the AFC East title, while Cowboys vs. Eagles could do the same in the NFC East. SNF has an elite offense (Dolphins) facing a dominant defense (Browns), while a Lions vs. 49ers NFC title game rematch awaits on Monday night.
The rematch we’ve been waiting for. Week 17 🔥 pic.twitter.com/szNRIZxXEY
— NFL (@NFL) May 16, 2024
2) Week 10
Week 10 will have just about everything you could ask for in an NFL slate. Bengals vs. Ravens will get things started on TNF, while the 2024 International Series will conclude with Giants vs. Panthers in Germany on Sunday morning.
The early Sunday window has some intriguing matchups like Bills vs. Colts, Vikings vs. Jaguars, and 49ers vs. Buccaneers, while we’ll spend the late slate watching Eagles vs. Cowboys. Lions vs. Texans (Sunday night) and Dolphins vs. Rams (Monday night) round out a perfect football weekend.
1) Week 1
The NFL saved the best for … first?
That’s right, the best week of the 2024 NFL campaign is Week 1.
The league nailed it with its season-opening set of games, including an AFC title game rematch between the Ravens and Chiefs to begin the year on Thursday night. Friday brings the NFL’s first-ever South American game, a Packers vs. Eagles contest in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
But we’re just getting started. Texans vs. Colts and Jaguars vs. Dolphins highlight the early Sunday window before Cowboys vs. Browns dominate the 4 p.m. window.
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We’ll get playoff memories on Sunday night, when Matthew Stafford and the Rams travel back to Detroit to face Jared Goff and the Lions.
Finally, Week 1 concludes with Aaron Rodgers’ return as the Jets play the 49ers in a Monday night barnburner.