Week 1 opponent for Vikings in 2024 is an easy choice for NFL schedule makers

With the 2024 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, the next most notable event on the calendar for the Minnesota Vikings and the 31 other teams around the league is the release of the 2024 regular-season schedule.

We already know which opponents the Vikings will be facing next season, as those were determined after the final game of the 2023 campaign. The schedule will just reveal when and where Minnesota will be facing each of their 2024 opponents.

Who the Vikings are facing in Week 1 is typically a hot topic each year, as it can set the stage for the entire season. For the 2024 campaign, there's really only one team that truly makes the most sense for Minnesota to begin their season against.

Matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons is a no-brainer for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL schedule

For the 2024 regular season, the Vikings have nine opponents for the home portion of their schedule. Of these nine opponents sits an obvious Week 1 matchup for Minnesota that would pit them against an old friend.

Earlier this year, Kirk Cousins decided to end his tenure with the Vikings after six seasons and sign with the Atlanta Falcons. Coincidentally, it just so happens that the Falcons are one of the nine home opponents on Minnesota's 2024 schedule.

While others might want this game to be later on in the season, perhaps in a primetime setting, having these two teams face off in Week 1 of the 2024 campaign makes the most sense.

Cousins taking on the Vikings is a matchup that many are going to want to see, but the fact is that we really don't know how good or bad Minnesota and Atlanta will be next season.

The general interest will still likely be there for a matchup between the Vikings and Falcons at some point later on in the schedule, but if one of the teams is having a terrible season by the time they face each other, any excitement surrounding the contest isn't going to be as high.

So, to prevent this from happening, having Cousins and Atlanta travel to Minnesota for the 2024 regular-season opener is an easy decision for the NFL to make when they put the schedule together in the near future.

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