It can be incredibly difficult to predict what will happen in the opening week of the NFL season, and things will be no different in 2024.
Every year, a few of the league's "bad" teams emerge as postseason contenders, while previous playoff teams hit the slide zone. A long layoff and limited preseason action can also lead to poor early play from even the league's top teams.
Last year, for example, the Philadelphia Eagles only outlasted the lowly New England Patriots by five points in their opener—and the Eagles rested all of their starters this preseason.