Which 49ers games could be some of the best games of the year in 2024?
The San Francisco 49ers have themselves a fairly difficult schedule this upcoming season, as they’ll face off against a number of projected playoff teams in hopes of earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC once again.
While the division games are always classics, San Francisco has a number of big-time matchups, as well as some good storylines that should amount to another entertaining year for the 49ers.
Looking at the schedule, let’s rank the five most entertaining games for San Francisco in 2024.
No. 5: Week 12 @ Green Bay Packers
We start off the list with a classic: a road matchup in November against the up-and-coming Green Bay Packers.
The 49ers and the Packers have had their battles for years, with the former besting the latter on several occasions in the playoffs.
But, it is a new era for Green Bay with Jordan Love under center, and San Francisco got their first taste of that in last year’s divisional round when they narrowly beat the Packers 21-14 in a come-from-behind effort.
With the tides turned as the 49ers will head to Lambeau Field towards the second half of the season, this one should be a fun matchup between what should be two of the top teams in the NFC this year.
No. 4: Week 1 vs. New York Jets
San Francisco rarely has home openers to begin the season, with only one game at Levi’s Stadium in Week 1 since 2018.
Not only are the 49ers hosting an opponent in Week 1 once again, but the 49ers are welcoming an old foe back to the football field, as Aaron Rodgers is set to make his return from a torn Achilles when the New York Jets come to town to begin the year.
To make matters better, this one will be played on primetime in a Sunday Night showdown, adding to the allure of the season opener. When healthy, both teams are among the NFL’s best, and this game should be a good buildup to an intense season.
I know the players are looking forward to this one, and the public should as well as the 49ers get an early primetime opportunity to begin the year.
No. 3: Week 17 vs. Detroit Lions
A rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game, the 49ers’ Week 17 matchup against the Lions will be one to watch for a number of reasons.
Not only should this be a battle between arguably the top two teams in the NFC, but it also comes at a crucial point in the season and will be played in primetime on Monday Night Football.
Both teams will likely be fighting for the No. 1 seed around the time of this game, and the 49ers get to have home field advantage against their foe late in the season.
This one may be different than some of the other matchups, given the physical nature of both teams, but these are two high-end opponents with explosive offenses that should make for an entertaining game.
No. 2: Week 16 @ Miami Dolphins
The 49ers will travel to Miami for a showdown against Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins late in the season amid a tough stretch of games, making this one all the more entertaining.
The last time these two teams faced off was Brock Purdy’s first real action in the NFL, as the then-rookie exploded onto the scene following an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo, leading the 49ers to a 33-17 win over the Dolphins.
That was also the first time that McDaniel faced off against his former team and he’ll get the home-field advantage in this one.
With two explosive offenses, the timing of the game, and the McDaniel factor, this one will surely be an entertaining game in 2024.
No. 1: Week 7 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The first slot has to be obvious: a Super Bowl rematch between the 49ers and the Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium.
Not only will there be a buildup, given how the Super Bowl ultimately fared, but the 49ers are still looking to get their first win against Patrick Mahomes.
They’ve lost each of the four matchups against the Chiefs with Mahomes at quarterback, and this year’s one could be a big indicator of whether San Francisco can ultimately get the task done.
The 49ers get the matchup at Levi’s Stadium and it comes in between matchups at Seattle and against Dallas in the middle of the season, but this game will be the biggest one on San Francisco’s schedule.
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