Quick thoughts after looking at the 2026 NFL schedule……..
NFC East
Cowboys
Dallas plays the Ravens in Brazil in Week 3.
Six primetime games, plus Thanksgiving game against the Eagles.
Games vs Washington are Week 2 and Week 18
Giants
First two games are in primetime: Week 1 vs Dallas, Week 2 @ Rams
Overall, they have four primetime games.
Three of their first four games are at home.
Eagles
Play the Jaguars in London in Week 5.
Have three straight home games, Weeks 14-16.
Five primetime games, plus a Thanksgiving game in Dallas.
Commanders
Open season with divisional road games, at Eagles, Cowboys.
Play the Colts in London in Week 4.
Dan Quinn hosts his old team, the Falcons, in Week 15.
NFC North
Bears
Have three straight home games, Week 2-4
Have three straight primetime games, Weeks 7-9
Last three games are against their NFC North rivals.
Lions
Play the Patriots in Germany in Week 10
Three of their four primetime games are on the road.
Only six of their 17 games are outdoors, but Weeks 17-18 are (Bears/Packers)
Packers
Three of their first four games are on the road.
Three of their first four home games are in primetime.
Four of last five games are home, with the road game in Chicago. Brrrr…..
Vikings
Playing the 49ers in Mexico City in Week 11.
Only two road tilts after that: cold weather games at Patriots, Jets.
Games against Chicago are in Weeks 2, 18.
NFC South
Falcons
Coach Stefanski visits his old team (Cleveland) in Week 14.
Play the Bengals in Spain in Week 9.
Have three straight primetime games, in Weeks 3-5.
Panthers
Four of their last five games are at home.
Games against Atlanta are in Weeks 2, 18.
Have a Thursday night game at Green Bay in Week 8.
Saints
Open season with road games, at Detroit, Baltimore.
Play the Steelers in France in Week 7.
Two games vs Tampa Bay are in Weeks 15, 18.
Buccaneers
Three of their first four games are at home.
Bucs host Baker Mayfield’s old team (Cleveland) in Week 2.
Only one cold weather game: Week 14 at Baltimore.
NFC West
Cardinals
No primetime games; NFL has low expectations for them.
Three of their first four games are on the road.
Games against the 49ers are in Weeks 3, 18.
Rams
Open the season in Australia against San Francisco.
Four of their first five games are in primetime.
Host Green Bay on a Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving.
49ers
After the Australia opener, 49ers play at home Weeks 2-4.
49ers play Minnesota in Mexico City in Week 11.
Three of their last four games are on the road.
Seahawks
Seattle opens season with a Super Bowl rematch vs New England.
Have three straight primetime games, Week 6-8
Games against the Rams are in Weeks 16, 18.
Famous birthdays, May 15th:
Don Nelson, 86
Lainie Kazan, 86
Billy North, 78
George Brett, 73
John Smoltz, 59
Emmitt Smith, 57
Desmond Howard, 56
AJ Hinch, 52
Justin Morneau, 45
Michael Brantley, 39
Kody Clemens, 30
Cole Anthony, 26
AFC East
Bills
Open their new stadium with a Week 2 Thursday game vs Detroit.
Have six primetime games, three at home, three on road.
Have playoff rematch with the Broncos on Christmas in Denver.
Dolphins
Open season with West Coast trips, at Las Vegas/San Francisco.
New coach Jeff Hafley visits his old team, the Packers, in Week 15.
Miami has December/January games in Denver, Green Bay, Foxboro.
Patriots
Three of their first four games are on the road.
Play the Lions in Germany in Week 10.
After a bye, they play the Chargers in LA in Week 12.
Jets
No primetime games for Gang Green; only two 4:00 games.
Three of their first four games are on the road.
Geno Smith hosts his old team, the Raiders, in Week 8.
AFC North
Ravens
Ravens play the Cowboys in Brazil, in Week 3.
Games against the Steelers are in Weeks 15, 18
Baltimore’s last four games are all vs division rivals.
Bengals
Bengals play the Falcons in Spain in Week 9.
Have primetime games the two weeks after the game in Madrid.
Games against Cleveland are in Weeks 13, 18
Browns
Open season with two games in Florida, at Jaguars, Buccaneers.
Weeks 7-9, have 3 straight road games: Titans, Steelers, Saints.
Play three of their last four games on the road.
Steelers
Play the Saints in France in Week 7.
Finish the season with road games, at Tennessee/Baltimore.
Four primetime games; they’re expecting Aaron Rodgers to eventually show up.
Three of the four AFC North teams have new head coaches.
AFC South
Texans
Open season with home games, vs Buffalo, Cincinnati.
Have playoff rematch at Pittsburgh in Week 13.
Play the Jaguars in London in Week 6.
Colts
Play the Commanders in England in Week 4.
Come right back the next week, with a game in Pittsburgh.
Have two primetime games, both on road (Chiefs, Texans)
Jaguars
Will be in London in Weeks 5-6 (vs Eagles, Texans)
Weeks 9-11, have 3 straight road games (at Ravens, Titans, Giants)
Three of their last four games are on the road.
Titans
HC Robert Saleh hosts his old team, the Jets, in Week 1.
OC Brian Daboll visits his old team, the Giants, in Week 3.
Four of their last five road games are in domed stadiums.
AFC West
Broncos
Open season with a Monday night road game in Kansas City.
Have Black Friday afternoon game in Pittsburgh in Week 12.
Have playoff rematch with New England in Week 17.
Chiefs
Open season with home games, vs Broncos, Colts.
Week 5 bye is early, probably good with Mahomes coming off knee surgery.
Weeks 12-14, are on road 3 weeks in row (at Bills, Rams, Bengals)
Raiders
Have only three games outside of the western time zone.
Weeks 14-16, have three straight home games.
No primetime games, league has low expectations.
Chargers
Open season with home games, vs Cardinals, Raiders.
Have a “road game” at the Rams at SoFi, in Week 8.
Jim Harbaugh’s team plays the Ravens, who canned his brother, in Week 10.
