CNN
—

The 2024 NFL season started with a bang: The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens 27-20 on opening night on Thursday and the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers in Brazil on Friday.

But the rest of the opening weekend is full of intrigue and question marks as the teams embark on a new campaign.

Here’s what to watch for Sunday’s games in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.

During the NFL season, fans can watch games on television on CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, ABC and NFL Network. In the UK, games are also broadcast on Sky Sports.

The streaming services NFL+, Sunday Ticket, DAZN, Peacock, Paramount+, ESPN+, Amazon Prime and Netflix also show games.

Both the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts have reason to start the new season with hope.

For the Texans, last year’s team was arguably the winning team of the season, as led by Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback CJ Stroud, they reached the playoffs with a young team that had an unusual amount of experience for its age.

Thanks to Stroud’s historic debut season, the defensive strength of new head coach DeMeco Ryans and the creativity of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Houston surprised many opponents and ended up at the top of the AFC South.

At the Colts, promising young quarterback Anthony Richardson already showed what he could bring to the franchise in his rookie season, which ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury.

Richardson only appeared in four games last year, but his few appearances showed why he was such a coveted prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft – his combination of dynamic running and strong arm potentially makes him a difficult weapon for defenses to stop.

Both also have other offensive talents – in the offseason, the Texans signed running back Joe Mixon and strengthened their strong receiver core of Tank Dell and Nico Collins with wide receiver Stefon Diggs, while Colts running back Jonathan Taylor could be on the verge of a major comeback after two weak years.

The Texans and Colts are two members of the AFC South that have been looking up rather than down all season, and Sunday’s clash at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will have great significance in determining who finishes atop the division.

Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns, 4:25 p.m. ET

The Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns are two teams that are entering the new NFL season with big question marks.

After their surprising loss to the Green Bay Packers in last season’s NFC Wild Card Game, the Cowboys are under enormous pressure.

Although Dallas enjoyed consistent success in the regular season under head coach Mike McCarthy, the team failed to translate those successes into significant postseason success.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones is unlikely to accept another McCarthy embarrassment in the playoffs this time around, and with quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract expiring at the end of this season, it could be the last gamble for this edition of “America’s Team.”

There are still many unknowns on the roster. Although the Cowboys signed wide receiver CeeDee Lamb after a dramatic offseason, the running back position and the depth of the offensive line could be problematic for Dallas.

For the Browns, it’s time for the team to start showing signs of progress.

The controversial signing of quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022 was supposed to usher in a new era for the team, but Watson struggled with poor form and injuries during his time in Ohio.

Last year’s team gained new momentum with the return of Joe Flacco, but the franchise’s season ended in disappointment after a heavy loss to the Texans in the Wild Card round.

Unless Watson gets injured again, the Browns hope to take things one step further this time with a full roster. The team’s star running back, Nick Chubb, will miss the start of the season as he recovers from a serious knee injury he suffered last season. However, if he makes a full recovery, he could be a difference-maker for Cleveland.

Under head coach Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams are the epitome of consistency.

Although this will be the team’s first season without longtime All-Pro Aaron Donald, the Rams appear to be in good positions for another successful season.

LA’s offense appears to be once again strong – with quarterback Matthew Stafford, the wide receiver duo Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and last season’s shooting star, running back Kyren Williams – while the defense has received a new face, particularly with the signing of the Florida State duo Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.

The Detroit Lions also have high expectations this season, which is a surprising feeling for many fans after so many years of disappointment.

But under head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions have emerged from despair and become one of the most exciting teams in the NFL.

For Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, this is a chance to prove LA wrong. He was selected by the Rams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, but was traded for Stafford and a number of picks in 2021.

Goff is supported by a number of dynamic offensive weapons, the most important of which is wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, while second-year players Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta are emerging stars at their respective positions.

After losing the NFC Championship game last season, the Lions are starting the season with Super Bowl ambitions.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET

Arizona Cardinals @ Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET

Tennessee Titans @ Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET

New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. ET

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. ET

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. ET

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET

Denver Broncos @ Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET

Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns, 4:25 p.m. ET

Washington Commanders @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions, 8:20 p.m. ET

Monday

New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers, 8:15 p.m. ET