Not long after learning that the Eagles will both start their 2024 NFL regular season on a Friday night, but also in a different country, the question of who they'd be playing became a prominent one.
It wasn't hard to narrow down the field. Of the 17 games yet to be scheduled on the slate for the Eagles next season, it stands to reason that a team that has nine away games will be the opponent, as the Eagles are surrendering a home game for the contest to be held in São Paulo, Brazil on September 6.
The only candidates for this game, assuming that a divisional matchup wouldn't be held in another country, are AFC opponents the Browns, Jaguars, and Steelers. The Jags will be playing in Europe this season, so they're out. And the Steelers are a cross-Pennsylvania rivalry that seems like it would be silly to move to a different country.
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That leaves the Cleveland Browns.
Peter King from NBC Sports seems to agree.
"Feeling good about Cleveland-Philadelphia in Brazil on the evening of Friday, Sept. 6," King wrote in his latest Football Morning in America column.
So the season will kick off with some giant matchup on Thursday, September 5 – potentially a Super Bowl rematch between the Chiefs and Niners. Then the Eagles will be in the spotlight in South America a day later.
They will return to Philly with a longer week of rest, and one has to think they'll start the actual home slate in Week 2.
The Eagles and Browns played during the last two preseasons following joint practices in Cleveland and then in Philly.
We'll learn more about the rest of the Eagles' schedule as the spring approaches.
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