The wait is finally over. Honestly, the gap between the Super Bowl and the start of nfl season 2024 always feels like an eternity, but this time, the tension was different. We weren’t just waiting for games; we were waiting to see if a literal dynasty could do the unthinkable. When the Kansas City Chiefs took the field against the Baltimore Ravens on September 5, 2024, it wasn't just a kickoff. It was the beginning of a historic pursuit of a "3-peat"—something no team in the Super Bowl era has ever actually pulled off.
It's wild.
Think about the pressure on Patrick Mahomes. People talk about him like he’s already reached the Brady level of inevitability. Maybe he has. But the 2024 opener showed us that the margin for error in this league is basically zero. If Isaiah Likely’s toe is an inch to the left in the back of the end zone, we’re talking about a completely different narrative right now. That’s the beauty of the NFL. It’s a game of millimeters that defines seasons before the leaves even start to turn brown.
The Opening Act and the Brazil Experiment
The league didn't just stop with a Thursday night thriller. They went global immediately.
Usually, the first Friday of September is for high school football and local rivalries. Not this year. The NFL decided to colonize Friday night by sending the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles down to São Paulo, Brazil. It was the first time the league played in South America, and yeah, it was a bit of a mess but also fascinating. The field at Arena Corinthians looked more like a skating rink than a gridiron. Players were slipping everywhere.
Saquon Barkley didn't seem to mind, though.
Watching Barkley score three touchdowns in his Eagles debut was a gut punch for Giants fans. It’s one of those moves that defines the start of nfl season 2024. You take a franchise pillar from a division rival and he immediately looks like the missing piece of a championship puzzle. Meanwhile, Jordan Love went down with an injury late in that game, sending Packers fans into a collective spiral of despair. It reminded everyone that the NFL is incredibly fragile. You're one awkward hit away from your entire season changing.
Rookie QBs and the Reality Check
We came into this season with massive hype surrounding the 2024 draft class. Caleb Williams. Jayden Daniels. Bo Nix.
Everyone wants the next C.J. Stroud. They want the rookie who steps in and looks like a ten-year vet by Week 2. But the start of nfl season 2024 gave us a reality check. Caleb Williams found out real fast that the Chicago Bears' offensive line isn't quite the same as what he had at USC. Winning your debut without throwing a touchdown pass is a weird stat, but a win is a win.
Jayden Daniels looked like a track star for the Commanders, which is cool until you realize he's taking hits that make coaches wince. The learning curve is steep. These guys are playing against defensive coordinators like Lou Anarumo or Brian Flores who spend all summer dreaming up ways to make a 22-year-old’s life miserable. It's not just about arm talent anymore; it's about whether you can process a disguised blitz in 1.8 seconds while a 300-pound man tries to erase you from existence.
The Kickoff Rule That Changed Everything
If you watched the games and felt like something was "off" during special teams, you weren't alone. The new kickoff rule is probably the biggest structural change we've seen in decades.
Basically, the NFL was tired of the kickoff being a dead play where everyone just kicked it out of the end zone. So, they moved everyone up. Now, the kicker is on his own 35, and the rest of the kicking team is lined up at the receiving team's 40-yard line. It looks like a standoff in a Western.
- No one can move until the ball is touched or hits the ground.
- The "landing zone" is between the goal line and the 20.
- Touchbacks now go to the 30 (or 20 if it's kicked out of the end zone).
It's been polarizing. Some coaches love the strategy. Others think it looks like a glitch in Madden. But what it actually did at the start of nfl season 2024 was bring back the return man. We’re seeing more returns, more hidden yardage, and more opportunities for guys like Xavier Worthy to show off that 4.21 speed in space. It’s a work in progress, but it beats watching a kicker boot the ball through the uprights five times a game.
Storylines Nobody Predicted
The Mike Macdonald era in Seattle started with a bang. People forgot about the Seahawks because they aren't "flashy," but that defense is playing with a chip on its shoulder. Then you have the New Orleans Saints, who came out of the gate looking like the 2007 Patriots for about two weeks. Derek Carr was suddenly the MVP frontrunner in September? Who had that on their bingo card?
Then there’s the AFC North. Everyone called it the "Death Valley" of divisions. But the Ravens and Bengals stumbled out of the gate, proving that preseason rankings are mostly just educated guesses. Joe Burrow’s wrist was the most talked-about joint in America for three weeks.
It’s the nuance of the league that gets you. It’s not just about the superstars. It’s about the Sam Darnolds of the world getting a second (or third) chance and actually looking like a legitimate NFL starter under Kevin O'Connell. It's about the Jim Harbaugh effect in Los Angeles, where the Chargers suddenly decided that running the ball down people's throats was more fun than passing 50 times a game.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Season
If you're trying to keep up with the chaos of the start of nfl season 2024, you need to look past the box scores. The early weeks are often a lie. Teams are still "finding themselves" because nobody plays their starters in the preseason anymore.
Watch the Trenches
The most successful teams right now aren't necessarily the ones with the best QBs; they are the ones with cohesive offensive lines. The Lions and Eagles are prime examples. If the pocket holds, the offense flows. If you see a QB running for his life in Week 1, expect that to continue through November unless a trade happens.
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Monitor the Injury Report (Properly)
Don't just look at the names. Look at the "Limited Participant" tags on Thursdays. That’s usually the best indicator of whether a star player is actually going to be effective on Sunday or just acting as a decoy.
Bet on Coaching Consistency
Teams with new coordinators often struggle for the first month. By the time we hit the mid-season mark, those systems start to click. Keep an eye on the Falcons; Kirk Cousins and Zac Robinson needed time to get on the same page after that Achilles injury, and the early season was always going to be a "preseason" for them.
The start of nfl season 2024 reminded us why we obsess over this sport. It’s unpredictable, violent, and incredibly strategic. Whether it’s the Chiefs chasing history or a rookie trying to survive his first Sunday in the rain, the stakes never feel lower than "everything."
Go back and look at the snap counts for the first three weeks. You’ll see exactly which players the coaches actually trust when the game is on the line. That’s your real roadmap for how the rest of this year plays out. No more guessing. The data is finally on the field.
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