2026 NFL schedule: Execs talk about weekday openers, 49ers’ journey, prime-time shutouts, relaxation disparity

The days of each NFL workforce being assured a prime-time recreation are up to now with 5 groups failing to get a recreation in a kind of high-profile home windows this season.

Tennessee, Miami, Arizona, the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets had been all given no prime-time video games within the preliminary schedule. Those groups are 5 of the underside six by way of odds to win the Super Bowl this season after the Dolphins gained seven video games final season and the opposite 4 groups went 3-14.

Barring one of many groups getting flexed right into a prime-time window late within the season, this could be the primary time since 2011 that 5 groups did not get a single prime-time recreation.

None of these 5 groups has an island recreation in one other window both.

Even the addition of Heisman Trophy successful quarterback and No. 1 total choose Fernando Mendoza wasn’t sufficient to get the Raiders into prime time.

This marks the second straight season that the workforce that picked a quarterback No. 1 total did not make prime time with the Titans getting no video games final season after taking Cam Ward first total.

“Not to be flippant, but we don’t draft our way into prime time. We play our way into prime time,” North mentioned.

The problem of relaxation disparity has gotten a variety of consideration lately despite the fact that the NFL says its information exhibits the main focus is overblown.

This season has a couple of main outliers with each the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia enjoying 4 video games in opposition to groups coming off bye weeks, whereas 14 groups do not do it even as soon as. The Raiders and Los Angeles Rams every have three video games in opposition to groups coming off a bye.

The Chargers can have 22 fewer days of relaxation than their opponents this season, the largest discrepancy for the reason that 2012 Eagles had been at minus-23, in accordance with ESPN.

“Rest disparity is not a thing,” North mentioned. “You do not have a competitive advantage when you’re coming off your bye. You certainly don’t have a competitive advantage when you’re one day or two day or three days more well rested. If that data suggests that there’s a there, we will adjust.”