The NFL released its 2026 schedule last week. I’m getting RedZone fatigue and think it was not as well done last season, so I’m mostly going to just watch complete games after they’re played via replay with NFL+. I benefit from not being part of group chats or anything which might spoil games while they’re being played, so this is the most efficient setup now since games are interminable without skipping commercials, at least. I usually do small skips between snaps even, unless the just-completed play was something I want to see a replay on. Fast forwarding through replay reviews is the best.
In the recent past, I’ve only done this with standalone games like Sunday Night Football, or a key day game where it’s a small number of other games that would be playing on RedZone, or all of the games aside from a very good game are things like Saints vs Cardinals.
I’ve compiled my schedule of games to watch for the first ten weeks of the season. Time listed is when I’d get to starting on the replay. The only RedZone time is the first window on the first Sunday of the season. Which might seem sentimental, to want to get a full picture of the league as it unfurls for the new season, but it’s not. There just isn’t a real good game in there, and the NFL actually did a pretty good job of avoiding dogsshit Sunday windows for these first ten weeks.
Week 11 is when schedule flexes can start running wild and I think, not coincidentally, that is a good time to start thinking differently about which games to watch depending on how the season is actually going. Who becomes a team to watch and who has nine torn ACLs on the roster?
If you can also eschew and social aspect of enjoying football, this guide is for you.
Week 1
Wednesday
930pm Patriots @ Seahawks
Thursday
945pm 49ers @ Rams
Sunday
10am Early window RedZone LIVE
530pm Commanders @ Eagles
630pm Packers @ Vikings
945pm Cowboys @ Giants
Week 2
Thursday
930pm Lions @ Bills
Sunday
230pm Vikings @ Bears
330pm Bengals @ Texans
530pm Commanders @ Cowboys
Monday
930pm Giants @ Rams
Week 3
Thursday
930pm Falcons @ Packers
Sunday
230pm Chargers @ Bills
330pm Patriots @ Jaguars
530pm Ravens @ Cowboys
Monday
930pm Eagles @ Bears
Week 4
Sunday
1030am Colts @ Commanders
230pm Rams @ Eagles
330pm Patriots @ Bills
530pm Chargers @ Seahawks
Week 5
Sunday
1030am Eagles @ Jaguars
230pm Giants @ Commanders
330pm Texans @ Titans
530pm Bears @ Packers
630pm 49ers @ Seahawks
930pm Ravens @ Falcons
Monday
930pm Bills @ Rams
Week 6
Thursday
930pm Seahawks @ Broncos
Sunday
1030am Texans @ Jaguars
230pm Ravens @ Browns
330pm Panthers @ Eagles
530pm Chargers @ Chiefs
930pm Cowboys @ Packers
Monday
930pm Commanders @ 49ers
Week 7
Thursday
930pm Patriots @ Bears
Sunday
230pm 49ers @ Falcons
330pm Bengals @ Ravens
530pm Packers @ Lions
930pm Chiefs @ Seahawks
Monday
930pm Cowboys @ Eagles
Week 8
Thursday
930pm Panthers @ Packers
Sunday
230pm Vikings @ Lions
330pm Ravens @ Bills
530pm Chargers @ Rams
630pm Chiefs @ Broncos
930pm Eagles @ Commanders
Monday
930pm Bears @ Seahawks
Week 9
Thursday
930pm Jaguars @ Ravens
Sunday
1030am Bengals @ Falcons
230pm Rams @ Commanders
530pm Packers @ Patriots
630pm Texans @ Chargers
930pm Bucs @ Bears
Monday
930pm Bills @ Vikings
Week 10
Sunday
1030am Patriots @ Lions
230pm Vikings @ Packers
530pm 49ers @ Cowboys
Monday
930pm Chargers @ Ravens
The World According to Johan Garpenlov 