NFL schedule 2024: Best Sunday Night Football matchups to watch | FNIA | NFL on NBC

we have a great schedule I'm fired up about it but I need to ask you Rodney what is the one game on our schedule that you can't wait to see well it has to be um I think it has to start in week one it's the Rams versus the Lions and when you look at the Rams and what they've been able to do this off season they really put a focus and emphasis on the defensive side of the ball Aaron Donald he retired you still have Kobe Turner who was outstanding last year he had nine sacks drafted Braden fist they went out and drafted Jared ver they went out and got a big run stopper and Tyler Davis I mean I just thought I I I love the way they really put attention on the defensive side of the ball where they were really weak at coach and you know we were there when Detroit knocked the Rams out of the playoffs last year and so when that happens to you you always have that sense that I want to get back at that team I'd love to play them week one and and that's the way it's set up absolutely and you get to a point too where you start to look and say you know what we we can beat this team we can beat this team and you know you add a couple pieces on the defensive side of the ball like I said emphasis on the defensive line especially when Aaron Donald retired well speaking of you saying we can beat this team we can beat this team I was looking at opening night uh Kansas City and Baltimore and Baltimore has had their hands full with the Chiefs uh for a couple of years now in the playoffs and they've got to say this is a target game for us and you know what it reminds me of when we used to go against you guys and you were be I was with Indianapolis you were with New England you were beating us in the playoffs and now we got to go up there and somehow we got to win this game so we can get the game at home if we lose opening night we're gonna be chasing you guys all year and that's how Baltimore has to approach this game I think absolutely and for me all eyes will be on offensive coordinator Todd mon I know that Lamar was the MVP and he wanted in the playoffs to have the emphasis and focus on Lamar but at the end of the day you brought in Derrick Henry for a reason he's gonna be your main cow you got to run this guy you didn't do it in the playoff he didn't run the football in the playoffs you go out and you get Derrick Henry and maybe he's the missing piece I believe he's the missing piece to their offense that gets them over the hump and of course they have to do a couple things with that offensive line yeah you're right control line of scrimmage control the time of possession keep the ball away from momes and play Ravens football don't get into a throwing scoring up and down with the Chiefs uh they're going to have some new receivers and they're going to have some things they've got to work with but and you got to pound that ball at Kansas City and I'm sure that's what Baltimore is gonna be thinking and Coach I got to give props to the Chiefs because I know for the last two or three years you've been kind of questioning how good their defense is and kind of been up and down and I think that's been one of the main stage one of the most impressive things about the Chiefs is how well their defense has played and even at times when they kind of get relaxed and they get a little lazy they still come back and they know how to turn it off and turn it on and that's due to their off um their defensive coordinator Steve Spagnola who I think is probably the best in the NFL so underrated and he he did it in the playoffs for them when they had to go on the road and win those tight low-scoring games when the offense wasn't putting up 30 points uh they did it and and you got to give him credit I agree well Rodney there's one more game I've got my eye on in in this uh our schedule and that is uh week 13 San Francisco at Buffalo because to me this is going to be two really really good teams that we think are going to be there at the end playing each other it's not the AFC versus AFC or I mean it's the same thing we saw last year San Francisco was kind of dominating things and then uh Baltimore went in there and took it to them and we said whoa well I think San Francisco is gonna have a chance to make a statement going into Buffalo late in the year with two teams that really have a lot riding on it yeah I got a chance to see Kyle Shanahan down at the roast and just talk to him and you know I really feel bad for him because he's a really outstanding young coach and it just seems like time and time they get so close and they just keep coming up short but I believe that Kyle this this could be potentially the year I think Brock P another year in the system add some pieces on the defensive side of the ball you get some guys healthy in the secondary um I think this could potentially be the year that they take it to that next level one game that really um intrigues me is the game the following week week 14 I think it said Kansas City versus the Chargers and this is why I wanted coach far ball so bad for the Chargers I think he's going to push Justin Herbert I think he's going to elevate him and challenge him and take him to the next level but I also think he's going to get that physicality back into the Chargers the Chargers they couldn't win and go far in the playoffs because they were a soft mentally mentally soft team with hard Baugh in there they they got two they're gonna have two of the best offensive tackles in all of football they're going to run the football down your throat and they got some big play receivers you know lad Muni he's going to be a good player for them in the slot I was going to ask you do you think Coach Harbaugh was making a statement when he picked Joe Al with his first pick an offensive tackle and saying you know what this is what we're gonna be all about absolutely coach and what made you guys at Indianapolis so tough was the fact that if we kept two safeties deep you could run the ball you had the ability with the Hall of Famer to run the ball in an outstanding offensive line you had if I came up in the box now you have the ability to pass it just you know when you're able to run and pass and do things like that you got a smart quarterback that can read all those things and that's the thing about your you guys team you guys teams were so smart and you did a great job of communicating well I thank you for that and and I do think Coach Harbaugh is trying to get that same philosophy and yes we've got Justin Herbert yes we're talented we can throw the football but you know what if we're going to win we're going to have to have times when we we have to run the football we have to be able to run it and we got to be tougher than you are and he is going to get that across to the team no doubt in my mind well i' I've got to ask you the most important question about the schedule though th and this this is this is the number one question when do you think the first time we're gonna have to put on a big coat at at the game okay so I'm gonna go with week I would say I would say week 11 coach with the Jets I think we're going to be fine um well Pittsburgh is week seven I'll say week 11 week 11 that's when we have to start getting prepared a couple weeks couple months into the season you said week 11 I'm thinking you're a lot tougher than I am week nine in November in Philadelphia you know I'll I'll have a Cod out I don't know if you will I will definitely have a cat on well I I think I think Jacksonville is probably a little bit more concerned about the weather than we are okay you know that it uh I used to not worry about it all that much but that Kansas City Miami game last year in Kansas City that I still have memories of us being out there uh in the fourth quarter but you know what coach it was fun and it really we had a chance to see up close and personal how the weather truly affects teams in different capacities yeah and it did we were out there and all the the the Miami guys were running by us in pregame no sleeves on oh we're tough it doesn't matter and they went out there and and they they couldn't make a tackle you know but I I gotta I gotta go back to this our opening game okay not in the United States but in Brazil the Eagles and the Green Bay Packers how excited are you coach to go back to Brazil I know you went there for the Olympics and um what are you looking for most in game you know that is going to be fun it's a great spot and I'm excited about that but I'm really fired these are two really good teams that made some changes in their philosophy changes on defense and I want to see how that is going to play out how do these defenses come out they're going to be playing against Dynamic offenses and to me that is the question on Philadelphia and Green Bay who can adjust uh more quickly to the new system get their defensive players going and get that defense to catch up with their offenses coach I had an opportunity to play in three international games and back then it was called the American Bowl I played in Germany I played in Japan and I played in Australia and I tell you those trips are fun trips because you get a chance to really bond with your teammates you get a chance to know your coaches on a different level um and just being able to travel with each other spending that time together it really brings the team together and it bonds them and that's why I love just the experience of being able to go and and really too show our our game our wonderful game to the rest of the world and that's that's the beauty of not only just playing football but being able to bring it to others in different countries so do you think this game could be a plus for both of these teams they're starting the season off that way and and really taking that time to bond and come together on a long trip oh absolutely because you think about it the eagles they have a lot to prove and it starts with jayen Herz and it starts with their head coach and when you get guys like I said taking those long trips spending time having honest conversation spending time together breaking bread walking through the city foreign places and just seeing new things it really opens up your mind and it it makes you appreciate where you're at at that time in your life and I just I think it's tremendous to have two teams two young quarterbacks that are outstanding Jordan love is kind of like a CJ stoud to me I mean just so steady can make all the throws really smart humble kid when you talk to him and a serious kid I mean yes he could put a smile on his face but very serious he takes his craft serious and I'm just really excited about seeing Jaylen Herz bounce back and seeing Jordan love take that next step hi I'm Mike too and thanks for watching make sure to hit subscribe for the latest news and highlights from NBC Sports