NASHVILLE -- With the 2024 NFL schedule released and the start of training camp just weeks away, it's time to look at the upcoming matchups for the Tennessee Titans.
What does Tennessee's path the playoffs look like? What games are worth circling on your calendar? When will the Titans play their most essential stretch of football?
After looking at the Titans' upcoming schedule, I have reason to believe the most important month for Tennessee's 2024 success will begin right when the regular season kicks off in September.
The Titans do not have an especially difficult schedule in 2024. After all, Tennessee finished in last place in the AFC South last season and will therefore be matched up against the other AFC basement dwellers on the schedule.
Going off 2023 opponent win percentages, the Titans have the 7th easiest strength of schedule heading into 2024 and the easiest schedule of all AFC South teams.
With all that said, some of the Titans' most interesting and challenging matchups come right at the beginning of the season. Over the first four weeks of the regular season, Tennessee will take on the Chicago Bears on the road, host Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, host the Green Bay Packers, and travel to battle the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Those are four really intriguing opponents to open the season.
As things currently stand, many of the players and fans in Tennessee are all in on the Brian Callahan era of Titans football. I think having a competitive start to the season is essential in order to keep that morale high. Should the Titans go into Week 5 (bye week) with a winning record against this gauntlet of teams, they'll be feeling good, playing better, and entering a much easier stretch of the schedule. Tennessee would be well on their way to the playoffs.
Chicago
Chicago seems to be much better than their 7-10 record from last season. The Titans will be in town for the highly anticipated debut of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who is throwing to DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet. The Bears' defense, led by Montez Sweat, was one of the best in football down the stretch and looking to pick things up where they left off.
The Bears will also be featured on Hard Knocks during training camp. There hasn't been this much anticipation for a football season in Chicago, or this level of national attention on the Bears, in a very long time. The question: Are they legit?
New York
This time last year, the Jets were the most interesting team in football. With Aaron Rodgers under center, it felt like Robert Saleh's squad finally had the missing piece to turn them into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Rodgers' torn achilles just minutes into the season opener really spoiled the party for Jets fans, but I wouldn't sleep on the Jets in 2024 if Rodgers is back and healthy.
The Jets' defense was third in yards allowed per game in 2023. That carried them to a 7-10 record despite the combination of Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian, and Tim Boyle playing quarterback. This team is dangerous.
Green Bay
The Packers were one of the NFL's biggest surprises in 2023. Green Bay made the playoffs, upset the Dallas Cowboys on the road during wild card weekend, and watched Jordan Love emerge into...a Top 10 NFL quarterback?
In his first season as a starting quarterback, Love passed for over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns while adding four more scores on the ground. Love threw multiple touchdown passes and zero interceptions in nine different games last season, one of those was a playoff win in Dallas.
Green Bay got big steps forward from homegrown offensive players last year. That same core could be even better in 2024. They also made a big splash in free agency by adding running back Josh Jacobs to the offense. Matt LaFleur really knows what he's doing.
Miami
Not much needs to be said about this game. It's Miami for Monday Night Football. It's Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Calais Campbell, and Jalen Ramsey.
The Dolphins are a team that's built for primetime that will surely be in contention for the playoffs once again. The Titans are a team looking to prove they have what it takes to hang with the big dogs of the AFC.
In 2023, it was an epic comeback led by Will Levis that completely shocked the NFL world. But was that just a fluke? Or is Levis really the type of quarterback who can turn it on under the bright lights of primetime? This game caps off a very difficult stretch of the schedule in September. With a win, the Titans head into the bye week feeling on top of the world.
Related: The three most exciting games on the Titans 2024 schedule
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