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It’s another big week in the world of the NFL, as we will see the 2024 schedule released on Wednesday night.

It will be interesting to see if the odds change at all once we know all the matchups, although, truth be told, I don’t think we are going to see much movement at all.

My Analysis

One thing we do know is that the season opener is an absolute beauty. The NFL announced on Monday that the opening game of the upcoming season, which is set for Thursday, Sept 5, will see the Kansas City Chiefs lock horns with the Baltimore Ravens. These are a pair of teams expected to make deep runs in the playoffs this year. As we all know, though, there are zero guarantees, no matter how good a team looks on paper. For the purposes of this piece, we are going to take a look at a few teams with the potential to rise above expectations this season, although these picks might change once we get the schedule and the NFL full picture.

Chicago Bears NFC North Winner Pick +265

When you’ve spent some time on the bottom, the only way you can really go is up. At least, that is what the Chicago Bears will be hoping happens this coming season. Despite all their flaws, the Bears did still manage to win 7 games last season, although that record still meant that they were dead last in the division. They had the benefit of the #1 pick in the draft this offseason, using it to land QB Caleb Williams, a player that many believe is a can’t miss prospect. We have seen and heard that type of talk before, so there is always the risk of Williams being a bust. I don’t think that will happen, though, as I think this young man can have the same type of effect on the Bears that CJ Stroud had on the Texans last season.

Atlanta Falcons NFC South Winner Pick -131

We are going to see something of a common theme in these picks in that the majority of the teams being discussed here will have made some sort of upgrade at the QB position. The Falcons, who have had issues at that position since moving on from Matt Ryan, made an offseason splash by landing the services of Kirk Cousins, a veteran QB who should deliver some much-needed stability under center. It certainly helps that the NFC Sout looks to be very much up for grabs, with any one of three teams in with a shot at winning it. The Falcons are in that conversation, and while a deep playoff run seems unlikely, they are more than good enough to win the South and get into the postseason.

Indianapolis Colts AFC South Winner Pick +340

I was a little on the fence about putting the Colts in this conversation but eventually decided that they deserve to be here, even if it is a risky proposition. Indianapolis looked to have secured their QB of the future when they picked Anthony Richardson in the draft last season, and while the young man looked good in the early going, his season was derailed by a shoulder injury that put him out for the year. He is back and throwing now, with the Colts saying all the right things about his recovery and progress. If he is fully fit and ready to go, Richardson could be the difference maker in what is sure to be another tight divisional battle in the AFC South.

Pittsburgh Steelers AFC North Winner Pick +850

The Steelers ended last year at 10-7, barely missing out on the postseason despite juggling 3 QBs, none of whom looked up to the task of being a legitimate starter. They now have a totally new QB room, as well as a new offensive coordinator, and made some offseason moves that should immediately make them better. The big question here, though, is whether the move to land Russell Wilson is going to be an inspired one. Can the veteran QB turn back the clock and deliver the goods that made him a Super Bowl winner? Realistically, he doesn’t have to reach those levels to make this team better than it was last season. Yes, the AFC North is going to be tough, but I think we could see 3 teams from this division make the playoffs. There is no reason why the Steelers can’t be one of them.

New York Jets AFC East Winner Pick +200

Much like the Colts, the New York Jets had high hopes of a massive season in 2023 with their new QB in town. Things actually went south a whole lot quicker than they did in Indianapolis, though, with Aaron Rodgers going down for the season during the first offensive series of the year. It was all downhill for the Jets from there, but hope springs eternal in the Big Apple, with Rodgers healthy and ready to take another run this season. The problem that the Jets still have, though, is that they are in a tough division, with the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins both expected to be very good again this season. Realistically, the Wild Card seems the best bet for the Jets, which they can achieve if Rodgers stays healthy and recovers his MVP form sooner rather than later.

Green Bay Packers NFC North Winner Pick +210

Getting rid of an MVP QB and handing the reins to a new guy is a move that doesn’t aways go as well as hoped. For a large portion of the season, it did not seem as though things were going to end well, but everything seemed to click into place for the Packers in the final month of the season, with Jordan Love leading his team to 2 straight wins and a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. They then went on to beat the Dallas Cowboys before falling to the 49ers in a game that was a whole lot closer than expected. The way the season ended has a lot of folk feeling that the Packers might be looking at a big year this season, and I am very much in that camp. It could be a 2-horse race between Green Bay and the Detroit Lions for the NFC North.

2024 NFL SCHEDULE RELEASE.

WEDNESDAY MAY 15. 8PM ET. pic.twitter.com/CbhebndAVw

— NFL (@NFL) May 13, 2024

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