It's hard to believe, but it's already been 17 years since the NFL made their first trip to Europe to play a regular season game. 81,176 fans piled into Wembley Stadium in London, England to watch the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants, eke out a 13-10 win over the Miami Dolphins. Since then, 42 more games have been played in the NFL International series, including contests in Mexico City, Munich and Frankfurt. And this season, the NFL will add five more international games to their tally, including the league's first trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

So what are these five international matchups, and which ones should you be marking your calendars for? Lucky for you, I've got some answers for ya!

5. New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers 

Week 10 – Sunday November 10th (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET) – Munich, Germany 

On second thought, maybe don't worry about marking your calendars for this one, particularly if you're operating on pacific time. Does anyone in LA or Seattle or Portland or anywhere on the west coast really need to set their alarm for 6:00 AM to subject themselves to Giants/Panthers? Sure, we can talk ourselves into the progression of Bryce Young, Malik Nabers' called off Rookie of the Year bet, Brian Daboll's attempt to coach himself off of the hot seat, and a possible Brian Burns revenge game, but beyond that, I'm like a waiter rummaging through my apron after I set drinks at your table… I'm grasping for straws.

(And yes, I'm a total hypocrite, because I will without question be tuning in to watch this game.)

4. New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 

Week 7 – Sunday October 20th (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET) – London, England 

The second of back-to-back games across the pond for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have spent as much time in London over the past few years as Ted Lasso. In this “home game” at Wembley Stadium, the Jags will host the New England Patriots, who are entering their first Bill Belichick-less season since 1999 and heading to London for the first time since 2012 — New England has played games in both Germany and Mexico City since their last visit to England.

I don't know what to expect from Drake Maye during his rookie season, or from Jerod Mayo in his first season as the Patriots head coach for that matter, but I do know I'm intrigued by what sort of duo they can become. The fans in New England know a little something about successful coach/quarterback partnerships, and no matter how unfair it may be, Drake Maye and Jerod Mayo will always be measured against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

3. New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings 

Week 5 – Sunday October 6th (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET) – London, England 

Aaron Rodgers' first game against an opponent from the division that he once dominated — the NFC North — will be played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking some of the fun out of the matchup, if only because it brings me a great deal of joy to watch Rodgers get mercilessly booed wherever it is that he goes. I doubt that the 60,000+ hooligans in attendance will treat Rodgers with the same disdain that Vikings fans would in Minnesota, but if by some chance any of you reading along are planning to go to the game, please be sure to give him a rude welcome to London.

As for the game itself, this is one that I advise west coasters do set their alarms for. Rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy will be tested by a Jets defense that was stingy against the pass all last season, with a potential matchup between Justin Jefferson and Sauce Gardner serving as must-see TV on a Sunday morning. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are both climbing the ranks as two of the most entertaining young playmakers in the league, and if Minnesota can't keep them in check, it could mean the Vikings will be defeated in England, just as they were in the 11th century.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears 

Week 6 – Sunday October 13th (NFL Network, 9:30 AM ET) – London, England 

Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams, a pair of 1st overall picks who came into the league with “generational quarterback” expectations, will be facing each other for the first time in what is technically a home game for the Chicago Bears, but given Jacksonville's aforementioned familiarity with London, I don't know how true that will turn out to be. Regardless of which team has more jerseys in the stands inside of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, I'd expect a competitive game between the Jaguars and the Bears, as both teams enter the 2024 season with loose playoff expectations.

Both Doug Pederson and Matt Eberflus enter their third seasons with the Jaguars and Bears respectively, and the pressure is on both coaches to deliver a postseason appearance come January 2025. The Jaguars made it to the Divisional Round in Pederson's first year in Jacksonville, but fell apart down the stretch last year and missed out on the Playoffs altogether. Matt Eberflus coached the Bears to the worst record in the league in 2022, and went 7-10 last year with a solid second half of the season likely being what allowed him to keep the job heading into the 2024 season. With a revamped roster and a quarterback with legitimate superstar potential, the pressure is on for Matt Eberflus to lead the Bears to their first postseason appearance since 2020.

1. Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles 

Week 1 – Friday September 6th (Peacock, 8:15 PM ET) – Sao Paulo, Brazil 

For the league's first trip to South America, NFL schedule makers made sure to give Brazil one heck of a matchup. Of the five games in the 2024 NFL International series, Green Bay vs. Philadelphia is the only one which features a team that made the Playoffs last year. Both the Packers and the Eagles secured Wild Card berths and have legitimate postseason hopes again in 2024, and now, on the second night of the 2024 NFL season, Green Bay and Philadelphia will look to kick off their 2024 campaigns with a win inside of Arena Corinthians.

While a popular assumption around the league is that Philadelphia's time as a Super Bowl contender may have come and gone, the belief regarding Green Bay is that the Packers are a team on the rise. This game could go a long way in proving whether those beliefs are correct. Oddsmakers at DraftKings have already tabbed the Eagles as a 1.5-point favorite over Green Bay, meaning that those in the know have a feeling this game will be a good one, and I'm in total agreement. In fact, every time that the NFL has ventured into a new country, the first game on new soil has been a one possession game. I don't expect anything different from this Friday night showdown in Brazil.