If you’re anything like me, you spent the middle of May obsessively refreshing Twitter (X, whatever) waiting for the "schedule leak" accounts to stop posting cryptic emojis and finally give us the goods. The NFL regular season schedule 2024 isn't just a list of dates. It's basically a 17-week gauntlet that determines who’s going to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX and who’s going to be looking at mock drafts by November.
Honestly, the way people talk about the schedule is kinda weird. We look at "Strength of Schedule" (SOS) based on last year’s records, which is mostly useless. Teams change. Quarterbacks get healthy. Some 12-win team from last year might lose their offensive coordinator and fall off a cliff.
But looking at the actual 2024 slate? There’s a lot to dig into that goes way beyond just "who plays who."
The Kickoff and the Chaos of Week 1
The league didn't play around this year. They started things off with a literal bang on September 5th. We got the Baltimore Ravens heading into Arrowhead to face the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the AFC Championship rematch everyone wanted. If you remember that game, Lamar Jackson was basically trying to carry the entire city of Baltimore on his back while Patrick Mahomes did Mahomes things.
But the real curveball was the Friday night game. The NFL sent the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles to São Paulo, Brazil. This was the first time the league ever touched down in South America for a regular-season game. It was a Peacock exclusive, which had people grumbling, but let's be real—we all watched. Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts on a Friday night in Brazil? That’s peak 2024 NFL.
Then you had the "Revenge Bowl" on Sunday night. Matthew Stafford returning to Detroit... again. The Lions and Rams have this weird, intertwined destiny now because of the Jared Goff trade. Every time they meet, it feels personal.
Why the "Strength of Schedule" is Kinda a Lie
Every year, analysts point to the Cleveland Browns or the Pittsburgh Steelers and say, "Look at that SOS! They’re doomed!"
In 2024, the AFC North actually did have the toughest projected schedule. According to the numbers, the Browns, Ravens, and Steelers occupied three of the top four spots for hardest schedules based on 2023 opponent win percentages. The Browns' opponents had a combined .547 winning percentage.
But here’s the thing: SOS doesn't account for the "fatigue factor."
The San Francisco 49ers, for example, got hit with a league-high four "fatigue games." A fatigue game is basically when you have to play a team that’s coming off a bye or a long rest period (like a Thursday game) while you’re on a normal or short week. The Niners might have an "average" SOS on paper, but their actual path through the NFL regular season schedule 2024 was much more grueling because of that rest disparity.
On the flip side, the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints technically had the "easiest" schedules (.453). Does that mean they’re locks for the playoffs? Absolutely not. It just means their division, the NFC South, was a bit of a mess the year before.
The International Takeover
The NFL is basically trying to conquer the world at this point. Outside of the Brazil trip, the 2024 schedule was packed with London and Munich games.
- Week 5: Jets vs. Vikings (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
- Week 6: Jaguars vs. Bears (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
- Week 7: Patriots vs. Jaguars (Wembley Stadium)
- Week 10: Giants vs. Panthers (Allianz Arena, Munich)
The Jaguars are basically London’s unofficial team now. They stayed over there for two weeks straight. It’s a smart move for them, honestly. They get used to the time zone while their opponents are still trying to figure out which way to look when crossing the street.
Holiday Hoops... Wait, No, Holiday Football
The NFL finally admitted they own Christmas Day. Even though Christmas fell on a Wednesday in 2024, the league decided to schedule a doubleheader anyway.
They partnered with Netflix for this one. We saw the Chiefs at the Steelers and the Ravens at the Texans. To make this work, the league had to treat the previous week like a "mini-bye" for those teams, playing them on Saturday so they could have enough recovery time for Wednesday.
It’s a logistical nightmare for the players, but for us sitting on the couch with leftover turkey? It’s great.
The Netflix and Streaming Pivot
If you didn't have five different streaming subscriptions in 2024, you probably missed a lot of football. Between Amazon Prime Video owning Thursday Night Football, Peacock getting the Brazil opener, and Netflix snatching up Christmas, the "regular" TV schedule is becoming a bit of a relic.
💡 You might also like: Last Year NFL Playoff Bracket: What Really Happened with the 2024 Postseason
The most interesting part of the NFL regular season schedule 2024 wasn't just the matchups; it was the platforms.
Survival Tips for the 2024 Slate
If you’re trying to actually make sense of this schedule for your own sanity (or your fantasy team), you’ve gotta look at the bye weeks.
The "Bye Week Gauntlet" usually hits between Weeks 5 and 14. In 2024, the Browns and Ravens didn't get their break until Week 10 and Week 14 respectively. That is a long time to go without a week off. If you see a team start 6-1 and then suddenly start losing to bad teams in November, check their bye week. They’re probably just exhausted.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Check the "Rest Disparity": Before betting or setting a lineup, see if the opponent is coming off a Monday night game or a bye. It matters more than the point spread sometimes.
- Sync Your Calendar: The NFL’s flexible scheduling (Flexing) starts earlier now. Sunday night games can change starting in Week 5. Don't book a non-refundable flight to a game three months out without knowing it might move from 1 PM to 8 PM.
- The "Second Meeting" Rule: In divisional play, look at who gets the second game at home. For the AFC North, the Ravens got all three of their second divisional matchups at home this year. That’s a massive advantage in a tight race.
The 2024 season is a marathon, not a sprint. The schedule makers designed it to be a war of attrition, especially with the 17th game added. Pay attention to the travel miles—teams like the West Coast squads (Chargers, Seahawks) usually clock way more air miles, which starts to show in those late December games.
Stop looking at the opponent's 2023 record and start looking at the 2024 travel schedule. That’s where the real wins are found.
To get the most out of this season, map out your team's "clump" of road games. Usually, there’s a stretch of three out of four games on the road that defines a season. If your team survives that stretch at .500, they’re usually playoff-bound.