2024 NFL ‘Thursday Night Football’ schedule: Ranking matchups, dates, streaming, where to watch

Football is just around the corner. While we always knew the 2024 season was on the horizon, the NFL revealing its full regular season schedule on Wednesday night paints a clearer picture of the action to come. This includes the latest slate of “Thursday Night Football” games.

Amazon Prime Video is entering its third season as the NFL exclusive partner of the Thursday night window and will enjoy a juicy collection of games, starting on September 12th (Week 2), when the Buffalo Bills travel to Hard Rock Stadium to face their AFC East rival, the Miami Dolphins. Prime Video will also be home to another Black Friday matchup, where the Las Vegas Raiders will head to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs.

Here’s a breakdown of every “Thursday Night Football” matchup that’s on the docket for 2024 and a ranking of each head-to-head matchup (the Black Friday matchup will be listed in audacious):

16. Patriots at Jets (Week 3)

We will see Aaron Rodgers with the Jets in the Thursday night window. We could also see No. 3 overall draft pick Drake Maye for New England if he wins the starting job early in the year. While there is some intrigue about what the Patriots will look like in a post-Bill Belichick world, the game itself doesn’t appear to be particularly competitive.

15. Broncos at Santos (Week 7)

Sean Payton returns to New Orleans for the first time since being traded to the Broncos. That alone is worth the price of admission, as the head coach will likely receive a hero’s welcome in pregame ceremonies. Similar to the Pats-Jets game, however, the actual football element of this game may leave little to be desired. Neither New Orleans nor Denver are viewed as highly competitive teams in 2024, so it won’t be mistaken for a heavyweight matchup.

14. Seahawks at Bears (Week 17)

Since this game takes place later in the year, it may not carry enough weight to mean much. That said, Caleb Williams putting the finishing touches on his rookie season will be worth watching, as will this Seattle team that will close out Year 1 under Mike Macdonald.

13. Cowboys at Giants (Week 4)

An NFC East rivalry game is always good for some drama. Both teams will close out the first month of the year and it will be fascinating to see what kind of form they are in. If the Cowboys struggle through the first three weeks, any issues in this head-to-head matchup will only warm the seat under Mike McCarthy. On the other hand, Daniel Jones will be recovering from a torn ACL and trying to get into a rhythm with first-round receiver Malik Nabers.

12. Steelers at Browns (Week 12)

This has all the makings of an old-fashioned AFC North brawl. Both Pittsburgh and Cleveland have stellar defenses that should be on display in this midseason matchup. With this division being so competitive, this game could have major implications for how the AFC playoff picture plays out. While the defenses should draw a lot of attention, Deshaun Watson along with Russell Wilson/Justin Fields will also be the main storylines in this matchup.

11. Commanders in Eagles (Week 11)

It might be a little over the top in this game, but something about it intrigues me. At this point, Jayden Daniels should be Washington’s starting quarterback and begin to develop his potential as the No. 2 overall pick. If Daniels is as advertised, he is an electric talent who could cause problems for Philadelphia’s defense. Meanwhile, the Eagles have their own dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts, so this game could be a dynamic display from the signal-callers.

10. Raiders at Chiefs (Week 13, Black Friday)

The Black Friday game is an AFC West showdown between the Raiders and Chiefs, which has been a heated rivalry in recent seasons. Although Kansas City has accumulated Lombardi Trophies, Las Vegas has always played them hard and the chess match between Patrick Mahomes and Maxx Crosby should make you opt for Cyber ​​​​Monday.

9. Browns at Bengals (Week 16)

The AFC North division could very well be on the line in this clash. Joe Burrow and the Bengals have a Super Bowl-caliber ceiling, so whenever they hit primetime it’s time to watch. As for the Browns, they have a huge amount of variation this season, which really falls on Deshaun Watson. If he can somehow rekindle his magic from when he was with the Texans, this could be an epic matchup. Otherwise, the defense will have to win for Cleveland (something they are very capable of doing).

8. Vikings at Rams (Week 8)

Kevin O’Connell vs. Sean McVay is the early draw here for me. O’Connell worked with McVay before taking over as head coach of the Vikings, so we have a student versus master scenario on deck in Week 8. As for the game, Minnesota has a strong roster that will sink or swim depending on the play below the center. JJ McCarthy could be starting at this point and if so, he will face Matthew Stafford, who will have Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua at his disposal.

7. 49ers at Seahawks (Week 6)

Not only were the Seahawks defeated by the 49ers last season, but they also failed to score 20 points in either loss. While this doesn’t set the stage for an exciting NFC West game, I think Mike Macdonald can make a difference. As the Ravens’ defensive coordinator last year, he led a unit that stifled the 49ers’ offense, limiting them to 19 points and forcing Brock Purdy into four interceptions. Sure, people are different, but I wonder if his scheme continues to give the Niners fits.

6. Buccaneers at Falcons (Week 3)

I think this is a marquee game early in the season in the NFC South. Atlanta grabbed headlines for its offseason additions, headlined by the signing of Kirk Cousins. Now, they are seen as the team to beat in the division, but Tampa Bay can come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and remind them who the reigning NFC South champions are. After all, they brought back Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, so the same cast of characters are still on board. It could be a spicy matchup that sets the tone for the division for the rest of the season.

5. Accounts vs. Accounts Dolphins (Week 2)

The “Thursday Night Football” slate kicks off with a bang in Week 2 with this AFC East rivalry game. Buffalo has won the last four meetings with the Dolphins, which includes a Week 18 win last year that knocked Miami out of the division win. Tua Tagovailoa’s club is off to a good start with a 6-2 record to start the 2023 campaign, so it will be fascinating to see if they are on the rise again in 2024. As for the Bills, what does the offense look like without two of their best catchers? passes from a season ago on Stefon Diggs (traded to the Texans) and Gabe Davis (signed to the Jaguars) will also be a storyline worth following.

4. Texans at Jets (Week 9)

This is a rare, non-divisional matchup on the “Thursday Night Football” slate and it’s incredible. The Texans are one of the hottest young teams in the league led by CJ Stroud, while the Jets will finally see what they are like with Aaron Rodgers under center. This quarterback matchup should provide some fireworks and this game has the potential to factor into playoff seeding if both teams reach their 2024 ceiling.

3. Packers at Lions (Week 14)

Everyone was on the bandwagon for the Lions last season and they were in the NFC championship game. While Detroit was expected to make a leap, the Packers who made a strong playoff run in Jordan Love’s Year 1 largely came from left field. This year, neither the Lions nor Green Bay will attack anyone, especially each other. Where this game lands on the calendar is also interesting, as it could help swing the division in either team’s favor. A divisional rivalry game between two storied franchises that could very well be fighting for a deep playoff run in the NFC? Sign me up!

2. Rams to 49ers (Week 15)

Whenever Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan fight, it’s must-see television. The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a season in which they reached the Super Bowl, while the Rams also made the NFC playoffs. The talent is extraordinary on both sides of the ball on each team, especially at the skill positions. LA has Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, while the Niners have George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Oh, and Matthew Stafford vs. Brock Purdy isn’t too bad either.

1. Bengals at Ravens (Week 10)

Joe Burrow vs. Lamar Jackson is about as good as you can get in terms of a quarterback matchup. When right, Burrow is in the discussion for being the best quarterback in the league, while Jackson is coming off his second career MVP season. These teams not only have elite signal-callers, but also lineups that are ready to win at a high level right now. This clash is also the second and last of the season between them, so this could be a crucial head-to-head in terms of tiebreakers.