Breaking down the prime time, vacation matchups
7 min read
The NFL launched its 2022 schedule Thursday evening, giving up a view of the prime time matchups amid a swirl of main broadcast modifications previous to this coming season.
Historically, “Sunday Night time Soccer” has featured the heavyweight slate for the prime time matchups, with “Thursday Night time Soccer” usually drawing the least-attractive menu of the three nights.
However ESPN’s “Monday Night time Soccer” schedule opens with two barnburners — Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos heading to Seattle in Week 1 and two AFC heavyweights from a 12 months in the past, the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Payments, squaring off as a part of Week 2’s doubleheader.
Amazon is fairly new the the NFL broadcasting enviornment, however they will not be getting quick shrift out of the gate. Chargers at Chiefs is their first official broadcast in Week 2, and Steelers-Browns is nearly as good a rivalry sport as you may hope for in Week 3, even when Deshaun Watson may not be suiting up but on account of a attainable suspension.
NBC’s Sunday evening slate is often robust, beginning with Buccaneers at Cowboys in Week 1 and ending with Rams-Chargers in Week 17 at SoFi Stadium, which is technically a street sport for the defending champions with their stadium mates as the house workforce.
There additionally might be a brand new vacation theme to this 12 months’s schedule — a Christmas Day tripleheader, for the primary time ever, with one sport every on Fox, CBS and NBC. That is usually a giant NBA TV day, although it is also a Sunday this 12 months, and the NFL is not holding again from taking up one other sport head-to-head.
Here is a have a look at all of the prime time matchups this season, cut up up by community or particular vacation:
‘Thursday Night time Soccer’ (Amazon Prime)
The NFL introduced final Might that Amazon Prime Video could be the unique broadcast companion for the league’s Thursday evening package deal, which beforehand had run on NFL Community and Fox. The partnership with the streaming service materialized sooner than anticipated, however followers now have had greater than a 12 months to course of that data and resolve whether or not they’ll subscribe or not.
The sport of announcer musical chairs begins right here, with former NBC play-by-play man Al Michaels and ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit becoming a member of forces to deal with the Thursday evening requires Amazon after NBC takes its conventional spot within the opener.
Herbstreit will take pleasure in some enjoyable “school” QB matchups, together with Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Burrow assembly in Week 4 and Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson, the highest two picks within the 2021 NFL draft, going through off in Week 16.
The total TNF slate:
Week 1: Payments at Rams (NBC)
Week 2: Chargers at Chiefs
Week 3: Steelers at Browns
Week 4: Dolphins at Bengals
Week 5: Colts at Broncos
Week 6: Commanders at Bears
Week 7: Saints at Cardinals
Week 8: Ravens at Buccaneers
Week 9: Eagles at Texans
Week 10: Falcons at Panthers
Week 11: Titans at Packers
Week 12: Thanksgiving (see beneath)
Week 13: Payments at Patriots
Week 14: Raiders at Rams
Week 15: 49ers at Seahawks
Week 16: Jaguars at Jets
Week 17: Cowboys at Titans
One of the best TNF sport: Chargers at Chiefs
This time Amazon is receiving the presents, not delivering them. Justin Herbert vs. Patrick Mahomes. Two groups which are division rivals and potential Tremendous Bowl contenders. Plus, their latest matchups have been principally terrific, together with a couple of time beyond regulation contests and 5 of the previous seven conferences being determined by one rating or much less. Oh, and the Chargers have gained three of the previous 4 at Arrowhead. Cannot get significantly better than that.
The worst TNF sport: Jaguars at Jets
Look, we’re followers of the NFL draft, and issues must be wanting up for each Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson. There’s additionally an actual hazard in forecasting video games this far out — so much can and can change between at times. Nevertheless it’s onerous to think about that each of those groups might be in rivalry this late within the season, so it has some potential to be a play-for-next-year sort of matchup for the 2 younger golf equipment.
Thanksgiving
The NFL has its conventional Thanksgiving groups, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, internet hosting the early and afternoon video games on Nov. 24. However we even have some atypical Turkey Day opponents, with the Patriots headed to Minnesota for the evening sport. The Patriots have not performed on Thanksgiving since 2012, and the Vikings have not been in that slot since 2017.
Recreation 1: Payments at Lions
Recreation 2: Giants at Cowboys
Recreation 3: Patriots at Vikings
‘Sunday Night time Soccer’ (NBC)
There’s not as a lot change with the published setup right here as with the competing networks, however there may be one notable change: Mike Tirico now slides into the vacant play-by-play spot for NBC full-time after often subbing beforehand for Al Michaels (who left for Amazon).
Tirico and longtime analyst Cris Collinsworth have labored collectively beforehand, they usually’ll have a reasonably strong slate in 2022, beginning with the Week 1 sport in Dallas and operating via the ultimate name of their season in Week 17 with Rams at Chargers — a battle of the Los Angeles franchises within the stadium each name dwelling.
The total SNF schedule:
Week 1: Buccaneers at Cowboys
Week 2: Bears at Packers
Week 3: 49ers at Broncos
Week 4: Chiefs at Buccaneers
Week 5: Bengals at Ravens
Week 6: Cowboys at Eagles
Week 7: Steelers at Dolphins
Week 8: Packers at Payments
Week 9: Titans at Chiefs
Week 10: Chargers at 49ers
Week 11: Bengals at Steelers
Week 12: Patriots at Vikings
Week 13: Colts at Cowboys
Week 14: Chiefs at Broncos
Week 15: Patriots at Raiders
Week 16: Buccaneers at Cardinals
Week 17: Rams at Chargers
One of the best SNF sport: Packers at Payments
Chiefs-Bucs, Bengals-Ravens, Rams-Chargers and Packers-Payments all may lay declare to being the choose right here. However we’ll choose the latter as a barely outside-the-box alternative right here, because it pits two Tremendous Bowl hopefuls — and two football-steeped “small cities” — in a uncommon showcase sport that theoretically may very well be a preview of the massive sport in February.
Aaron Rodgers vs. Josh Allen is clearly the entrée right here. The final time these groups confronted off, the lights have been too huge for the Payments and Allen, and the Packers gained 22-0 in 2018. Now Allen could be poised to take the mantle from Rodgers as the most effective quarterbacks of his period.
The worst SNF sport: Steelers at Dolphins
It may not be a foul sport. However boy, there is a gamble right here that each groups will make enhancements this season after including vital items within the draft and free company. Will Mitch Trubisky or Kenny Pickett be beginning for Pittsburgh? Will Tua be persona non grata by this level if the Fish battle early?
This sport additionally has as a lot potential to be an angst-ridden one for each groups’ followers.
‘Monday Night time Soccer’ (ESPN)
ESPN’s Monday evening broadcast expertise will tackle a brand new configuration for the sixth time for the reason that 2015 season, however they’re no strangers to big-time soccer video games.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will make their ESPN common season debuts within the sales space for Week 1, they usually’ll have a whopper of a primary name: Russell Wilson visiting his former Seattle Seahawks teammates together with his new workforce, the Denver Broncos.
One new wrinkle is the Week 2 “doubleheader” on dueling networks — Titans-Payments on ESPN at 7:15 p.m. ET, adopted by Vikings-Eagles kicking off at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to see the next-day scores of that experiment, however it seems the East Coast earlier-to-bed people have been heard after earlier MNF doubleheaders prolonged well beyond the witching hour.
Here is the total MNF slate:
Week 1: Broncos at Seahawks
Week 2: Titans at Payments (ESPN); Vikings at Eagles (NBC)
Week 3: Cowboys at Giants
Week 4: Rams at 49ers
Week 5: Raiders at Chiefs
Week 6: Broncos at Chargers
Week 7: Bears at Patriots
Week 8: Bengals at Browns
Week 9: Ravens at Saints
Week 10: Commanders at Eagles
Week 11: 49ers at Cardinals
Week 12: Steelers at Colts
Week 13: Saints at Buccaneers
Week 14: Patriots at Cardinals
Week 15: Rams at Packers
Week 16: Chargers at Colts
Week 17: Payments at Bengals
One of the best MNF sport: Rams at Packers
The Packers have gotten the very best of the Rams the previous few years, and this sport pits two of the very best offensive minds within the sport: Sean McVay vs. Matt LaFleur, who at all times carry the fireworks. And so do Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford, one-time division rivals. Stafford had his second within the solar within the Tremendous Bowl, and Rodgers is attempting to get again. Rather a lot on the road on this one.
The worst MNF sport: Cowboys at Giants
We thought lengthy and onerous about Commanders-Eagles right here, however Philly followers’ razzing of Carson Wentz — assuming he is nonetheless beginning then — could be value staying up for. The Giants are constructing some pleasure with a brand new regime and two first-round picks, however they nonetheless really feel a methods off. The Cowboys draw eyeballs, however there’s an opportunity they might take a step again, too.
Different main video games
London
Week 4: Vikings at Saints (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
Week 5: Giants at Packers (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)
Week 8: Broncos at Jaguars (Wembley Stadium)
Munich
Week 10: Seahawks at Buccaneers (Allianz Area)
Mexico Metropolis
Week 11: 49ers at Cardinals (Estadio Azteca)
Christmas (CBS, Nickelodeon)
Week 16
Packers at Dolphins (Fox)
Broncos at Rams (CBS, Nickelodeon)
Buccaneers at Cardinals (NBC)
