Caleb Harris
2024 NFL Schedule was released on Wednesday night after days of leaked clashes and rumors. There were many changes in the NFL this offseason, from blockbuster trades to free agency frenzy and a run-heavy offense NFL Draft.
With many rookie quarterbacks, veteran signal-callers like Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins returning from injuries, and coaches in new roles, it may be difficult to predict what the season will look like without seeing some photos from the regular season, but we’ll predict it anyway.
For some teams, Week 18 is a time to sit down as a starter and start preparing for the playoffs, but for other teams, this week is do or die. Every season, the final week of the regular season is filled with complicated scenarios of how teams may or may not clinch their division and/or a spot in the playoffs.
Let’s dive into the games that it could end up having meaning at the end of the regular season:
The Chargers have consistently failed to live up to expectations, thanks to coaching issues and defensive struggles. Now that they have signed Jim Harbaugh, they must finally take the next step with quarterback Justin Herbert, who has the potential to be a winner in this league.
The Raiders finished last season with an 8-9 record, compared to the Chargers’ 5-12. The defending champion Chiefs will likely win the division, but LA can still make the playoffs and could cruise to a divisional win in Week 18. We’ll see if Antonio Pierce’s Raiders thwart that plan.
Last season, the Ravens secured first place in the AFC and were without some of their starters, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, in the final game of the regular season. The Browns likely won’t be playing for a division title but rather a playoff spot, so if the Ravens have their postseason seeding secured, it would work out well for Cleveland.
The Browns were #5 last year and I can see a win in Week 18 determining whether they make or miss the playoffs, or determining where they finish in the AFC.
The Jags and Colts finished 9-8 last season and both teams missed the playoffs. With a full season from Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis could be a team in the playoff conversation and the outcome of Week 18 could be huge. The Texans won the division in 2023, and if CJ Stroud stays healthy, I expect more of the same next season, but one of those extra playoff spots up for grabs could go to Indy.
Before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, Richardson totaled 577 yards with three touchdowns through the air, one interception, 136 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. He showed promise in his rookie year.
The NFC South is not the most competitive division. Last season, the Bucs and Saints went 9-8, the Falcons finished 7-10 and the Panthers finished an NFC-worst 2-15. The Falcons have a new quarterback in Kirk Cousins, but he is recovering from an injury and will turn 36 before the season starts.
The Buccaneers were the most surprising last season with a playoff run that raised expectations for this season. Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans are back and have a new offensive coordinator, Liam Coen, who has worked with the quarterback before.
In a division that has been in crisis recently, it is not a leap to predict that it will be in crisis again this year.
