The three most exciting weeks on the 2024 NFL calendar

With the 2024 NFL schedule here, let's take a look at the three most exciting weeks on the calendar this season.

Note: Games are on Sunday unless otherwise specified.

Week 17 (Dec. 25-31)

HEADLINER: Lions at 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET • ESPN (Monday)

The penultimate week of the NFL regular season is chock full of enticing games. The headliner is a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game, a 34-31 49ers win. Lions head coach Dan Campbell created weeks worth of discourse with his fourth-down decisions, and he'll likely take more bold actions in a game that could have massive stakes in the race for home-field advantage.

UNDERCARD: Chiefs at Steelers, 1 p.m. ET • Netflix (Wednesday) | Ravens at Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET • Netflix (Wednesday) | Cowboys at Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET • Fox | Dolphins at Browns, 8:20 p.m. ET • NBC

The NFL expands its streaming footprint with its first Netflix games on Christmas day, which features Mahomes making just his second road start in Pittsburgh—he was excellent in his first, throwing for more touchdowns (six) than incompletions (five)—and a 2023 AFC divisional round rematch between the Ravens and Texans. The NFC East showdown between the Cowboys and Eagles is always worth watching, especially with both teams coming off disappointing 2023 finishes. Dolphins-Browns is an excellent battle of contrasting styles, and Miami's ability to perform in cold weather will be a storyline all week.

OTHER GAMES OF NOTE: Falcons at Commanders, TBD | Jets at Bills, 1 p.m. ET, CBS | Packers at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET • Fox | Raiders at Saints, 1 p.m. ET • Fox

Kirk Cousins returns to Washington, where Commanders head coach Dan Quinn takes on his former team for the first time. Saints quarterback Derek Carr gets his revenge game, too, with the Raiders travelling to New Orleans. If quarterback Aaron Rodgers has the effect on the Jets the team expects, then their game against the Bills could be huge in the AFC East race. Will J.J. McCarthy be starting at quarterback for the Vikings by the time they host the rival Packers? His potential matchup with Packers quarterback Jordan Love would certainly demand our interest.

Week 7 (Oct. 16-22)

HEADLINER: Chiefs at 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET • Fox

The Super Bowl LVIII rematch takes center stage midway through the season. In 2023, the Eagles avenged a 38-35 loss to Kansas City in the previous season's Super Bowl with a 21-17 road win against the Chiefs, something the 49ers will no doubt want to repeat.

UNDERCARD: Texans at Packers, 1 p.m. ET • CBS | Ravens at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET • ESPN (Monday)

Love and and Houston's C.J. Stroud are two of the best young quarterbacks in the league and meet for the first time when the Texans travel to Lambeau Field. Both teams outperformed expectations last season in reaching the divisional round. They also took big swings in free agency, with Green Bay adding running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney, while Houston signed edge-rusher Danielle Hunter and traded for former Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

OTHER GAMES OF NOTE: Broncos at Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET • Prime Video (Thursday) | Patriots at Jaguars, 9:30 a.m. ET • NFL Network | Bengals at Browns, 1 p.m. ET • CBS | Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m. ET • Fox

Sean Payton returns to New Orleans, Jacksonville "hosts" New England in older England, Myles Garrett and Joe Burrow renew their rivalry, and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley makes his first trip back to the Meadowlands to play the Giants.

Week 1 (Sept. 4-10)

HEADLINER: Ravens at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET • NBC (Thursday)

The NFL wastes no time heating up as the season begins with a rematch of the 2023 AFC title game. The battle between two two-time MVPs in quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson is a heck of an opener and just one of many fascinating games on the Week 1 slate. 

UNDERCARD: Packers at Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET • Peacock (Friday) | Cowboys at Browns, 4:25 p.m. ET • Fox | Rams at Lions, 8:20 p.m. ET • NBC

Packers-Eagles in Brazil will be worth watching for the atmosphere alone, and it should also be an excellent game as Green Bay builds on last season and Philadelphia puts its disappointing end behind it. The Cowboys and Browns are coming off ugly wild-card losses, and one's misery will extend to Week 2, while the Rams begin the season where their last one ended.

OTHER GAMES OF NOTE: Steelers at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET • Fox | Jets at 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET • ESPN (Monday)

Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will be back in Atlanta just nine months after the Falcons fired him and might have a trick (or two) up his sleeve. Including the playoffs, the 49ers have owned Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has a brutal challenge in his first game back from a torn Achilles.