Five of the most exciting NFL prime-time games in 2024

Thursday, September 5: Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs

Let's start at the very beginning- the first game of the 2024 season, in which the Chiefs will begin their quest for a three-peat, something that has yet to be accomplished by any NFL team in the Super Bowl era. There's a reason the NFL chose this game to start the season, as it's a rematch of last year's intense AFC Championship Game, and once again should be a matchup between two of the league's truly elite squads.

Sunday, November 10: Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans

After years spent largely as an afterthought, the Detroit Lions are front and center these days, and the focus is certainly on them with plenty of prime-time matchups. This one is particularly fascinating, as it pits them against an AFC foe, thus one they don't see all that often, and is a clash between two of 2023's biggest breakout teams. We'll see how both teams fare when favored over the field more often than not, rather than as surprise contenders, and in this matchup we'll get a look at how each one handles the spotlight with elevated expectations.

Monday, November 25: Baltimore Ravens @ Los Angeles Chargers

This will be the first coaching matchup between the Harbaugh brothers, Jim and John, since younger brother Jim returned to the NFL in the wake of winning a college football national championship with Michigan, and the first since Super Bowl XLVII, other than a preseason matchup in 2014. Moreover, the Ravens are set to be a juggernaut once again, while the Chargers could be an up-and-coming power with the pairing of Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert leading the way.

Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving): Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

This iteration of a twice-annual divisional rivalry should be particularly special, as it will kick off the NFL's Thanksgiving slate this season. The level of competition should also be higher than ever- the Lions won the NFC North for the first time under the current alignment last season, while the Bears took massive in-season positive strides and spent the offseason loading up around No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

Sunday, December 1: San Francisco 49ers @ Buffalo Bills

This Sunday Night Football clash is between a pair of teams who have consistently been among their conference's top contenders over the past half-decade or so, but neither has been able to break through and get a Super Bowl ring. The Bills might be down a bit this year after contract issues forced them to move off of some veteran players, but some classic December Buffalo weather and a raucous crowd should pull them right back into this hard-nosed matchup as playoff races intensify.