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Yesterday, the Giants unveiled an alternate uniform to commemorate their 100th season, called Century Red. Some fans reacted better than I expected.
Comments on the site included “it’s ugly, but in a cool way” and “go Habs go.” Inside today’s newsletter:
- 🗓 Schedule winners, losers
- 🏆 Billsin the Super Bowl?
- 📺 Primetime games,rated
- 👀UDFA WR to watch
NFL Schedule Analysis: Winners and Losers
Yesterday,The Athletic’sJeff Howe shared his list of theNFL schedule’s winners and losers, noting that Chicago’s Caleb Williams has a chance to thrive right away, while Aaron Rodgers and the Jets face a treacherous slate. Let’s look at how this week’s schedule announcement changes things, and you can click each team name for a full takeaway:
Thewinners, alongside BetMGM’swin total expectations:
- Atlanta Falcons (9.5):After three consecutive 7-10 records, expect Atlanta to make a jump with Kirk Cousins drawing 2024’s easiest schedule based on opponent 2023 recordsandexpectedopponent2024win totals. They’ll be tested early, though, opening with the Steelers, Eagles and Chiefs.
- Chicago Bears (8.5): After an impressive 5-3 finish, the Bears have the third-easiest schedule according to both of those metrics. They also have three games in prime time.
- Fans of the Dallas Cowboys (10.5):Tied with the 49ers and Jets with a league-high six prime-time games, Dak Prescott and Co. will see plenty of prime time, as always. They’ve also got five games in that marquee 4:25 p.m. ET time slot. (Based on expected win totals, their schedule is the 11th-most difficult.)
- Fantasy football fans:Thanks to Gary Davenport, you canreview the schedule from a fantasy perspective. Be careful with QB Jordan Love; before Green Bay’s Week 10 bye, he faces only one opponent that ranked outside 2023’s top 20 in fantasy points surrendered to QBs. On the flipside, Bengals RB Zack Moss starts with three of four matchups against defenses that were bottom-10 against the run.
The losers:
- German NFL fans:In Brazil, they get the Eagles and Packers, two teams with Super Bowl aspirations. London gets big names like Caleb Williams, Justin Jefferson and honorary local Trevor Lawrence. But Germany, who had to watchthat 10-6 Patriots-Colts monstrositylast year? Get pumped for Daniel Jones and the Giants (6.5 wins expected) against Bryce Young and the Panthers (4.5).
- New York Jets (9.5):This line from Jeff says it all: “The Jets’ Achilles’ heel in 2024 may be their early-season schedule. (Too soon?)”They start with three games in 11 days, including road tripsagainst the 49ers and revamped Titans before opening at home against the Patriots. But it’s not all bad: Based on expected win totals, the Jets have the fourth-easiest schedule.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7.5):The league’s toughest schedule based on expectations ends with a brutal eight-game stretch, including all six AFC North contests and a five-week span with four road games. AsMark Kaboly notes, the Steelers have had difficult stretches before, but nothing compares to what they could face this year.
- San Francisco 49ers (11.5):A middle-of-the-pack schedule (18th) per expectations, the 49ers play the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys and Seahawks all coming off byes. They also have two Thursday games, at Seattle and at home vs. the Rams.
- New England Patriots (5.5):Their projected win total ties the Broncos for second-lowest, ahead of only the Panthers. The Pats have the second-toughest schedule, one loaded with talented quarterbacks: Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson, plus two tilts each against Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers and Tua Tagovailoa. Watch and learn, Drake Maye.
Your Questions, Our Answers: Optimism in Buffalo
Q: Given all the offseason moves, what are the chances that Buffalo can win a Super Bowl (or, at least, overcome the Chiefs)?
To answer, I brought inTim Graham, a senior writer forThe Athleticcovering Buffalo sports. Here’s what he said:
“I don’t think they’ve slipped too much despite the loss of so many veteran leaders. They’ve gotten younger at positions that were aging out. The nagging question will be how Josh Allen handles life without Stefon Diggs, but the Bills proved they didn’t need him as they kept winning while Diggs’ production plummeted down the homestretch.”
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Q: How important will second-round S Cole Bishop be for the Bills? – James N.
“Cole Bishop is a legit candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Safeties are critical to Sean McDermott’s defense, and with Jordan Poyer already gone and Micah Hyde contemplating retirement, the Bills wanted Bishop badly. They were visibly thrilled Bishop was on the board when they picked in the second round. GM Brandon Beane said they even tried to trade up to make sure they got him, and felt blessed Bishop was still there.”
For more on the Bills, Tim shared his thoughts on their schedule, which includes a road stretch from Weeks 4 through 6 against the Ravens, Texans and Jets. It should be a fascinating year for a team with the fifth-best betting odds to win the Super Bowl. BetMGM has projected them for 10.5 wins.
Games to Watch: Prime-time matchups, reviewed
This morning, our Mike Jones sharedthe best and worst prime-time matchupsand other schedule takeaways. My notes on some of his choices:
Best Thursday night matchup:Ravens-Chiefs to kick off the NFL season Sept. 5 on NBC. We are spoiled. A close second is the Week 10 matchup between the Bengals and Ravens.Worst TNF matchup:Broncos at Saints, Week 7. Sean Payton’s return does not salvage this.
Best Sunday night matchup:Bills at Ravens in Week 4. If it weren’t for the neither team being able to overcome the Chiefs, this could be an AFC Championship Game preview.Worst SNF matchup:Bengals at Giants, Week 6. Huh?
Best Monday night matchup:Lions at 49ers in Week 17. It’s a long wait, but should be worth it.Worst MNF matchup:Mike’s torn between Week 3’s Commanders-Bengals or Week 5’s Saints-Chiefs. I’ll go with Week 8’s Giants-Steelers.
The craziest season stretch:As Mike notes, “From Weeks 14-17, the defending champion Chiefs will host the Chargers in prime time, travel to Cleveland, host C.J. Stroud and the Texans six days later and then, on four days’ rest, travel to Pittsburgh for a Christmas Day game.”
Mike has more on thebiggest post-schedule takeaways.
Around the NFL
Amid the controversy surroundingHarrison Butker’s commencement speech,the NFL distanced itselffrom the ideas expressed by the Chiefs kicker, saying the league doesn’t share those stances.
Jared Goff, the $212 million man,spoke to reportersThursday about his new deal: “It was the security and the no-trade clause and all that stuff, knowing all that was in there.” The hundreds of millions didn’t hurt, either.
Austin Mock’sprojection modelrevealed the teams with thebest odds to make the playoffs and win the Super Bowl: “A big five has emerged with five teams winning the Super Bowl in more than 50% of my model’s simulations: the 49ers, Chiefs, Ravens, Eagles and Cowboys.”
Odell Beckham Jr.understands his role asthe WR3 in Miami, he told reporters on Wednesday. “I feel like I used to carry a lot of anger or resentment or whatever it was. Now I just feel at peace.”
As Joe Person noted in histakeaways from rookie minicamp,PanthersHC Dave Canales had an unusually detailed scouting report ready when asked about undrafted Holy Cross WR Jalen co*ker:
“‘Size, instincts, top-of-route ability to separate. He’s really crafty in zones. He knows how to find the open spaces. Has a little cool run after catch, too. He can break some tackles because of the size that he brings. Attacks the ball at the high point,’ Canales said of co*ker, who averaged 17.6 yards a catch in college and should be on your radar.”
Jacob’s Picks
📕A touching tribute.Joe Person’s feature on second-round Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks, who lost his father two years ago, explains the story behind a special tattoo.(The Athletic)
📺The best schedule releases.Yes, the videos have their own highlight video.(YouTube)
🎙Questioning the NFC East.Cowboys expert Bob Sturm joins Robert Mays to dive deep into the NFC East. (The Athletic Football Show)
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(Photo:Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Jacob Robinson is a staff writer for The Athletic’s NFL football newsletter. Prior to The Athletic, he worked full time as a corporate lawyer at a multi-national law firm. While in law school, Jacob started a fantasy football-focused newsletter, Morning Huddle, and has since sent millions of emails to football fans.
