NFL schedule 2024: Six must-travel games in the new season

The German NFL community is used to turning night into day. Cheering for touchdowns while others sleep. Showing up at the office with big dark circles under our eyes after waiting for hours during the NFL Draft until our team is "on the clock." And have we talked about the NFL Schedule Release yet?

This refers to the night or day from which plans for NFL London trips or to one of the 256 other games of the NFL Regular Season can go full throttle. By now, the announcement of the NFL schedule has a certain event character. Comparable to the so-called "Deadline Day."

Instead of the colleagues from Sky Sport News HD, feverishly ushering in the last changes of the summer or winter transfer window, the social media managers of the 32 NFL teams take the stage here. They compete to present the 2024 NFL schedule and the 17 opponents to the public with humorous clips.

As a result, some of the 2024 NFL Schedule Release videos went viral. My personal winner: The “Sims” version by the Los Angeles Chargers. Filled with so many side gags (including Chiefs kicker and "housewife" Harrison Butker) that every fan has to watch the three-and-a-half-minute clip multiple times to find them all... Laughed heartily? Then we can search the schedule for the NFL Must-Watch Games 2024 afterward.

Week 2: Chicago Bears vs Houston Texans

Houston, we have Kick-Off! Led by last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud, the Texans will face the Bears on September 16th - with Stroud's legitimate successor for the said NFL award? The hype around the new number 18 in Chicago seems boundless, and the reference to Caleb Williams' jersey number is no coincidence. 

Even before his first NFL snap, the first overall pick broke the record for the most NFL jerseys sold the day after the draft. In terms of sports, the playmaker decorated with the Heisman Trophy for the best college player (2022) must measure himself against Stroud (4108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns in his rookie season).

Week 5: Minnesota Vikings vs New York Jets

Of the four games that require an NFL International Series trip to London, this match stands out the most. Accompanied by the question of what conclusion will be drawn at (soon) the end of Aaron Rodgers' career. Crash landing in the second year after switching to the Jets or a kind of "Last Dance" moment?

For the latter, the four-time MVP would need to end the 13-year playoff drought of "Gang Green." The path to that includes the Tottenham Stadium (for travel packages and tickets for Vikings vs Jets) with a duel against a former rival from his Packers days. Rodgers won 17 out of 29 duels against Minnesota. The Vikings, for their part, have a perfect London record (3-0).

Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers

As “One for the ages,” they still rave in the USA about Super Bowl LVIII. For only the second time ever, the final went into overtime, where Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs were the better team. Considering the overtime rules, I'd say: The smarter champions!

Exactly 252 days later, the "Gold Helmets" from the Bay Area seek revenge for the 22:25 defeat. This time in their home Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. Anyone planning a USA trip to the West Coast in mid-October can't miss a duel with so many All Pro players (Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle) on both sides.

Week 12: Baltimore Ravens vs. LA Chargers

A medium leap in the NFL schedule highlights takes us to Los Angeles in the last week of November. Here, where the LA Chargers live in the shadow of the Rams (Super Bowl champions 2021) who share the gigantic SoFi Stadium, the roles could change.

The home game against the Ravens stands out not just because of the QB matchup (Justin Herbert vs Lamar Jackson), but also because of the two head coaches on the sidelines in the primetime spot (Monday Night Football) on TV. Meet Harbaugh and Harbaugh. The new Chargers coach Jim faces his one-year older brother John. A replay of the "Harbowl," the legendary final from 2012. Back then, John narrowly triumphed with his Ravens over the 49ers coached by his brother (34:31).

Week 13: Miami Dolphins vs Green Bay Packers

On Thanksgiving, Americans celebrate a touchdown and turkey feast that caters to almost every taste. Even though the top football rule states that little to nothing goes without the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, my NFL travel tip for Week 13 leads to the US state of Wisconsin, known for beer and cheese.

In the tradition-rich Lambeau Field, the Packers and Dolphins, two playoff participants from last year's Divisional Round, meet. With their young rosters, they could take another step toward the Super Bowl. A fixed component in a Thanksgiving menu à la Miami: Tyreek Hill! As the most explosive receiver in the league - nickname "Cheetah" - he set a career high of 1799 receiving yards last year.

Week 17: Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers

Exhausted or a hot gauge with an eye on the NFL Playoffs in the last week of the regular season? In the case of Lions vs. Niners, much speaks for scenario number two. The 2023 NFC Championship Game serves as the thriller standard. With a score of 24:7 at halftime, the Lions, led by German receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, thought they were already in the Super Bowl, before the "Gold Helmets" pulled off an unprecedented 17-point comeback in the NFC final.

From the 2000-yard receiver duo Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel to Christian McCaffrey as a dual-threat weapon in the backfield, the defeated finalist kept their roster intact. Consequently, the celebrated coach Kyle Shanahan can make another run for the title with the best-balanced offense between running and passing.