With a little over 60 days until the start of the 2023-24 NFL season, each team is gearing up for their different opponents and what they’ve seen the season prior.
Each NFL team usually has a team that could be seen as an “easier” or “harder” opponent, so I’ve attempted to gather what each team’s hardest matchup will be on their schedule.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: Kansas City Chiefs
All-Time Record: Bills 28-24-1
Two of the top AFC teams going against each other is always a fantastic matchup. Where one of these teams might be weaker, the other is stronger. What will make the Chiefs the tougher opponent for the Bills is the home-field advantage.
Miami Dolphins: Philadelphia Eagles
All-Time Record: Dolphins 9-6
The Dolphins have some issues they need to address, one of them being their quarterback getting reacquainted with being on the field following the string of concussions. The Eagles defense is aggressive when they’re told to be, so the Dolphins will need to figure out a way to protect their quarterback to keep the chains moving.
New England Patriots: Kansas City Chiefs
All-Time Record: Chiefs 20-16-3
The Chiefs may have had a harder time before playing against Tom Brady and the Patriots, but now they have just one more advantage over the team. The Chiefs are going to be dominant this season no matter who they play against, especially Bill Belichick.
New York Jets: Philadelphia Eagles
All-Time Record: Eagles 12-0
The Philadelphia Eagles have never lost to the New York Jets, and I don’t believe it starts now just because Aaron Rodgers is on the team. Last season, the Eagles were able to make Rodgers struggle and I think it continues with him and the Jets.
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals: San Francisco 49ers
All-Time Record: Bengals 13-4
This matchup is going to be very interesting considering both teams have a young quarterback, a stacked roster and a head coach who knows how to call smart and aggressive plays. The Bengals might have a tough time with the offensive talent the 49ers possess, as that was one of the weaknesses the team has.
Baltimore Ravens: San Francisco 49ers
All-TIme Record: Ravens 5-2
The 49ers are also going to be a hard team for the Baltimore Ravens for quite the same reason as the Bengals. I think the Ravens will struggle a little more with the 49ers than the other opponents because San Francisco is stronger on both sides of the ball.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jacksonville Jaguars
All-TIme Record: Steelers 13-12
The Jaguars what I think the Steelers could be in another season or two. The head coach-quarterback duo in the Jaguars plus some other good offseason moves I think will be enough to make the Steelers struggle a bit with Jacksonville.
Cleveland Browns: Chicago Bears
All-Time Record: Browns 10-7
The Bears and Browns are not different from each other. Both teams have a quarterback they’re working on building around in order to contend. However, the difference lies in the fact that I think the Bears are more promising and able to win now than the Cleveland Browns.
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars: Buffalo Bills
ATR: Bills 9-7
Both the Jaguars and Bills are itching to get over the playoff slump they’ve been in the past few seasons. There is minimal room for error in the AFC and the Jaguars toughest team is the Bills. I feel more confident in the Bills in this matchup due to the playoff experience, but the Jaguars could be surprising.
Tennessee Titans: Cincinnati Bengals
ATR: Titans 40-37-1
The Cincinnati Bengals are a force to be reckoned with in the AFC trifecta (Bills-Bengals-Chiefs). The Titans are not a strong enough team to contend yet in the AFC, so the Bengals absolutely have the advantage in this matchup.
Indianapolis Colts: Cincinnati Bengals
ATR: Colts 20-12
The Colts string of struggles might continue next season due to another head coaching change. This change could make the team struggle at first before they find their footing, something the Bengals could use to their advantage being the more secure team.
Houston Texans: Cincinnati Bengals
ATR: Texans 8-5
Though the Texans made some promising offseason moves, those moves are not nearly enough to be able to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are stronger on both sides of the ball than the Texans, which gives them the upper hand in this matchup.
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs: Philadelphia Eagles
ATR: Chiefs 6-4
It’s safe to say the Chiefs will be one of the few dominating teams in the NFL next season en route to another postseason. Their toughest opponent will be the Eagles because they’ll be looking to win the Super Bowl rematch.
Los Angeles Chargers: Dallas Cowboys
ATR: Cowboys 7-5
I think the Chargers will see the most struggles with the Dallas Cowboys. Though the Cowboys lost a few good players that kept them being dominant, the Chargers haven’t made enough moves for them to make the leap and the Cowboys will capitalize off of it.
Las Vegas Raiders: Buffalo Bills
ATR: Series Tied 21-21
The Raiders do not feel like a fully secure team since Jimmy Garoppolo may or may not be ready to go for the team. The Bills outmatch the Raiders in experience and strength on both sides of the ball, which means they have the upper hand in this matchup.
Denver Broncos: Buffalo Bills
ATR: Bills 23-16-1
The Denver Broncos are still working out the issues they had from last season’s rocky start with Russell Wilson. Compared to their other opponents, the Bills defense will be challenging for the Broncos. The offense will also control the pace and outpace the Broncos.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles: Kansas City Chiefs
ATR: Chiefs 6-4
It’s safe to say the Eagles will not have as easy of a schedule as they did last season. One of those harder teams they have to face will be a Super Bowl rematch – and the Chiefs won’t play soft. The Eagles will have probably one of their toughest matches of the season in the Chiefs.
Washington Commanders: San Francisco 49ers
ATR: 49ers 22-12-1
The Commanders also have a few tough matches next season, but I think the 49ers will be much harder for them to compete with. The two teams are pretty much opposite, so it feels to me like the 49ers have a huge advantage over the Commanders.
Dallas Cowboys: Buffalo Bills
ATR: 8-5
The Cowboys lost a few key pieces that otherwise probably would help them compete against the Bills. Compared to their other opponents, I think the Cowboys will struggle the most with the Bills who are looking to get over the playoff slump and potentially make it to the Super Bowl.
New York Giants: San Francisco 49ers
ATR: Series Tied 21-21
Though the Giants are another NFC team that has a lot of positives from last season, they’re going to have a tough time competing against the 49ers. Both teams had a taste of the playoffs that got ripped away from them and want to get back there, but I’m more confident in the 49ers winning this matchup than the Giants.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: Kansas City Chiefs
ATR: Bears 7-6
If the Bears can put together all the pieces of what can make them a playoff-contending team, they should have no problem being dominant throughout the season. This pace would be good for them because they might have a tough time against the Kansas City Chiefs, who outmatch the Bears in all areas of the team.
Minnesota Vikings: San Francisco 49ers
ATR: Vikings 21-19-1
The Vikings will be a playoff contending team next season considering they have a lot of positives from the season prior. One team they’re going to have trouble with is the 49ers just because they are the stronger team on both sides of the ball.
Detroit Lions: Kansas City Chiefs
ATR: Chiefs 9-5
The Lions could look to make a leap this season as they continue to build young and talented players on their team. With this kind of team comes a lot of experience to which the Chiefs can use to their advantage.
Green Bay Packers: Kansas City Chiefs
ATR: Chiefs 8-5-1
Without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers are a little more shaky than normal as they’ll be trying to work through early season struggles with Jordan Love. The Chiefs are more experienced, especially at quarterback, so the Packers will have to keep up with the pace of one of their tougher rivals.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers: Dallas Cowboys
ATR: Cowboys 10-5
The Cowboys seem like the toughest opponent to the Panthers since the team has attempted to improve its offense, signing players like Miles Sanders to hopefully establish a better run game. The Cowboys defense is really good at stopping plays once they get in a groove.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Philadelphia Eagles
ATR: Buccaneers 11-10
Without a few of their key pieces on offense and on the coaching staff, the Buccaneers are going to look very different and potentially struggle this season. On the opposite side of the ball, the Eagles are the stronger team that could make the Bucs struggle to get momentum going.
New Orleans Saints: Chicago Bears
ATR: Saints 18-15
Where the Bears made moves that boosted their offense and defense, the Saints failed to make the same kind of moves. I think this team is going to struggle again this season, especially with the Bears who seem like their hardest competition on their schedule.
Atlanta Falcons: Chicago Bears
ATR: Bears 15-14
Not only will the Saints struggle, but I think the Falcons will also struggle against the Bears for the same reason. The Bears did enough to look like they can contend in the NFC, but I’m not confident that the Falcons can make a leap from last season.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: Philadelphia Eagles
ATR: Cardinals 60-57-5
The Cardinals will struggle against the Eagles. Even though Gannon was the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, the team is fired up and ready to take on their former coach – especially one who was interviewing for this job the week of the Super Bowl.
Los Angeles Rams: Dallas Cowboys
ATR: Cowboys 19-18
The Rams will likely struggle against the Cowboys since Dallas has a stellar defense. I think the Rams are a few seasons away from getting back to where they were, but the Cowboys are ready to get further in the playoffs and hopefully return to the Super Bowl for the first time in years.
San Francisco 49ers: Philadelphia Eagles
ATR: 49ers 20-15-1
The rematch of the NFC Championship is going to be challenging for both teams. The Eagles and 49ers are stacked with talent and are itching to get back to that late playoff position and battle for #1.
Seattle Seahawks: Dallas Cowboys
ATR: Cowboys 11-10
While the Seahawks are getting over the hump of the issues they had last season, another challenge lies in them facing a dominating Dallas Cowboys defense. No matter what play the Seahawks might try, they’re going to have to scheme to keep Micah Parsons away from Geno Smith.
Comment below what games you are most excited for and subscribe “First & Jenn” to never miss an article or podcast episode.
First & Jenn 
Leave a comment