The Best Game of Every Week Throughout the 2026 NFL Season

While NFL RedZone has become a lifesaver for fans looking to take in as much of the league as possible, octoboxes, the Witching Hour and seven hours of commercial-free football have also chipped away at one of the sport’s greatest traditions: simply sitting down to watch the game.

The NFL officially released its full 272-game schedule ahead of the 2026 season, and with it comes a slate loaded with stand-alone matchups, a nine-game International Series slate, holiday tripleheaders and plenty of overlapping kickoffs. In fact, there are so many compelling contests to choose from throughout the coming five-month campaign, that deciding which one to actually focus on each week isn’t going to be easy.

MORE: NFL Strength of Schedule Rankings for 2026, Done the Right Way

But don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

From a Week 1 showdown in the Land Down Under to a mid-season Battle of Pennsylvania—and everything in between—here’s a look at the best game from every week during the 2026 season.

Week 1: 49ers vs. Rams

Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Time: 8:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Netflix

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Rams coach Sean McVay are set to face off for the 20th time in Week 1 as both NFC West squads make the 15,000-plus mile trek to Melbourne, Australia. Since both coaches were hired by their respective franchises in 2017, San Francisco owns an 11–8 record over the Rams.

This one not only marks the NFL’s first game in Australia, but also Mike Evans’s first game with the 49ers since deciding to leave the Buccaneers this offseason, and Matthew Stafford’s first time stepping onto the field as the reigning NFL MVP.

Honorable mentions: Patriots vs. Seahawks, Broncos vs. Chiefs

Week 2: Lions vs. Bills

Date: Thursday, Sept. 17
Location: Orchard Park, N.Y
.Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

The Bills will christen their brand new Highmark Stadium in Week 2 when they welcome the Lions to Orchard Park, N.Y., for a marquee, cross-conference matchup on Thursday Night Football.

Honorable mentions: Bengals vs. Texans, Vikings vs. Bears, Jaguars vs. Broncos

Week 3: Eagles vs. Bears

Date: Monday, Sept. 28
Location: Chicago
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN

Year 3 of the Caleb Williams era in Chicago will be on full display when the Bears welcome the Eagles to Soldier Field in Week 3.

Between a potentially A.J. Brown–less Philadelphia squad looking to get offseason acquisitions Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon into a groove, and a Bears team amid Ben Johnson’s second season after coming up just short of an appearance in the conference title game, this one has all the makings of a classic, prime-time bout between two of the NFC’s best.

Honorable mentions: Patriots vs. Jaguars, Chargers vs. Bills, Ravens vs. Cowboys, Rams vs. Broncos

Week 4: Broncos vs. 49ers

Date: Sunday, Oct. 4
Location: Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBS

Speaking of classics, we have two premier NFL franchises in the Broncos and 49ers scheduled to square off in Week 4.

This one features two of the league’s top play-calling head coaches in Shanahan and Sean Payton (the former facing a Denver franchise his father led to two Super Bowls in the late 1990s), who are looking to lead their squads back to the postseason in 2026.

The Broncos will have Bo Nix under center again after an ankle injury in the AFC divisional round prematurely ended his season, while the 49ers should be back at full strength after a lack of health knocked their entire 2025 campaign off kilter.

Honorable mentions: Patriots vs. Bills, Jaguars vs. Bengals, Rams vs. Eagles

Week 5: Bears vs. Packers

Date: Sunday, Oct. 11
Location: Green Bay
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Fox

Does it get any better than Bears vs. Packers?! After last season’s three-game series, it’s hard to say yes.

Week 5’s matchup between the two division rivals will be the first time they square off since Chicago’s 17-point comeback win over Green Bay in last season’s wild-card round playoff game. Eyes will not only be on whether Caleb Williams can bring the Bears some late-game heroics again, but also the budding tension between Johnson and Matt LaFleur.

Honorable mentions: Broncos vs. Chargers, 49ers vs. Seahawks, Bills vs. Rams

Week 6: Chargers vs. Chiefs

Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBS

The Chiefs will be one of the top storylines of the season as they look to get back to the playoffs in 2026. With Patrick Mahomes eyeing a season-opening return from last December’s knee surgery, the star quarterback should almost certainly by ready to roll when Kansas City welcomes the Chargers to Arrowhead in Week 6.

This mid-October clash between two AFC West rivals will be a good one for a variety of reasons, but arguably the best in-game storyline to watch will be defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo getting his first look at a Los Angeles offense led by the new tandem of Justin Herbert and Mike McDaniel.

Honorable mentions: Seahawks vs. Broncos, Steelers vs. Buccaneers, Cowboys vs. Packers

Week 7: Chiefs vs. Seahawks

Date: Sunday, Oct. 25
Location: Seattle
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC

The Chiefs earn the Best Game of the Week honor for a second consecutive Sunday in Week 7, as they’ll head to Seattle to take on the defending Super Bowl–champion Seahawks.

Interconference foes don’t cross paths too often, with Kansas City and Seattle having met just twice since Mahomes was drafted in 2017—splitting the matchups with the home team winning each time. As the Seahawks come off a Lombardi Trophy–winning campaign, and the Chiefs look to raise a fourth since 2019, this game will serve as quite the litmus test for determining where both teams are at in their quests for another Super Bowl title.

Honorable mentions: Patriots vs. Bears, Packers vs. Lions, Cowboys vs. Eagles

Week 8: Ravens vs. Bills

Date: Sunday, Nov. 1
Location: Orchard Park, N.Y.
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBS

Both the Bills and Ravens made significant changes at head coach this past offseason. Despite being perennial AFC contenders since their quarterbacks—Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson—were drafted in 2017, Buffalo fired Sean McDermott following their playoff loss to the Broncos in Denver, and Baltimore parted ways with John Harbaugh after the club failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021.

For the Bills, it’s their former offensive coordinator in Brady now at the helm, while the Ravens are turning to defensive guru Jesse Minter to lead the charge. Both franchises enter 2026 looking to reestablish themselves at the top of a much healthier conference.

Honorable mentions: Panthers vs. Packers, Vikings vs. Lions, Chargers vs. Rams, Bears vs. Seahawks

Week 9: Packers vs. Patriots

Date: Sunday, Nov. 8
Location: Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Fox

The GOAT will make yet another triumphant return to Gillette Stadium for this one as the Patriots host the Packers in Week 9. With Fox on the broadcast in the 4:25 p.m. ET window, they’ve already announced that Kevin Burkhardt and New England legend Tom Brady will be on the call.

As for the game itself, the Patriots—marred with Mike Vrabel’s off-field controversy this offseason—are looking to pick up where they left off last season (well, sort of) after making it all the way to the Super Bowl. The Packers, meanwhile, will continue their attempted rebound after blowing a 17-point lead in their aforementioned wild-card round loss to the Bears.

Honorable mentions: Jaguars vs. Ravens, Broncos vs. Panthers, Bills vs. Vikings

Week 10: 49ers vs. Cowboys

Date: Sunday, Nov. 15
Location: Arlington, Texas
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Fox

We’ve somehow left the Cowboys off our list until Week 10, when they’ll host the 49ers at AT&T Stadium for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff on Fox.

Dallas enters 2026 coming off a 7-9-1 finish to Brian Schottenheimer’s first season as head coach, and—under new coordinator Christian Parker—will look to establish a better defense that can keep up with their high-flying offense.

The 49ers, who we’ve already tabbed for two other Games of the Week thus far, continue on their brutal travel schedule in Week 10, with their trip to Dallas being their sixth-longest of the campaign.

Honorable mentions: Patriots vs. Lions, Vikings vs. Packers, Chargers vs. Ravens

Week 11: Steelers vs. Eagles

Date: Sunday, Nov. 22
Location: Philadelphia
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBS

The NFL’s Battle of Pennsylvania returns in 2026 as the Steelers will visit the Eagles in Week 11 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

With Aaron Rodgers now officially back in the mix for Pittsburgh as they turn the franchise over to Mike McCarthy, the Steelers—at the very least—are looking to keep their 23-season streak of finishing .500 or better alive in 2026, while also reaching the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.

For the Eagles, this Week 11 matchup will likely be an all-important one as they’ll be competing in what very well could be a tight NFC East race.

Honorable mentions: Colts vs. Texans, Saints vs. Bears, Vikings vs. 49ers, Bengals vs. Commanders

Week 12: Chiefs vs. Bills

Date: Thursday, Nov. 27
Location: Orchard Park, N.Y.
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC

What has become this generation’s top quarterback rivalry will add an 11th chapter to its story in Week 12 as Mahomes’s Chiefs head to Buffalo to visit Allen’s Bills.

The storied duo has gone 5–5 against each other since they were drafted in 2017, with the Chiefs having the upper hand in the playoffs with a 4–0 record when it matters most. That said, Bills have been the clear winner in the regular season at 5–1, and could use a Week 12 victory heading into the final full month of the season.

Before we move on, this Thanksgiving weekend slate is going to be absolutely stacked. It’s by far the best week of the season.

Honorable mentions: Packers vs. Rams, Bears vs. Lions, Eagles vs. Cowboys, Seahawks vs. 49ers

Week 13: Chiefs vs. Rams

Date: Thursday, Dec. 3
Location: Inglewood, Calif.
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

In a throwback to their record-breaking affair in 2018, the Chiefs will visit the Rams at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 3 for a Thursday Night Football matchup to kick off Week 13.

Between two of the game’s best offensive minds in McVay and Andy Reid, a pair of the league’s best quarterbacks and plenty of defensive talent on both sides, this one very well could be a Super Bowl LXI preview.

Honorable mentions: Jaguars vs. Bears, Bills vs. Patriots, Cowboys vs. Seahawks

Week 14: Bills vs. Packers

Date: Sunday, Dec. 13
Location: Green Bay
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC

While we’re on the topic of Super Bowl LXI previews, the Packers will host the Bills at Lambeau Field in Week 14—when both teams will be looking to hit their groove prior to the postseason.

One thing to watch with the Packers this season that we’ve yet to hit on is their wide receiver room. After watching Romeo Doubs sign with the Patriots in free agency and trading Wicks to the Eagles, Green Bay’s now left with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden at the top of the depth chart. It’s a solid trio, but one that comes with uncertainty given Watson’s poor injury luck and Golden’s lack of production as a rookie.

Honorable mentions: Vikings vs. Patriots, Chiefs vs. Bengals, Rams vs. 49ers

Week 15: Seahawks vs. Eagles

Date: Saturday, Dec. 19
Location: Philadelphia
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Fox

With a lot of tough games to choose from across the Week 15 slate, we landed on a battle of the birds between the Seahawks and Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

It will be fascinating to see how Seattle is performing post–Super Bowl victory at this point in the season, and how the Eagles are handling life (likely) without Brown at wide receiver.

Honorable mentions: Bears vs. Bills, Cowboys vs. Rams, Lions vs. Vikings, Patriots vs. Chiefs

Week 16: Rams vs. Seahawks

Date: Friday, Dec. 25
Location: Seattle
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Fox

Without letting regret seep in for how many times we’ve put them in our Best Game of the Week, the Seahawks will host the Rams at Lumen Field in Week 16 for what could shape up as another instant classic.

In relatively unprecedented fashion, Seattle and L.A. will play twice within the 2026 season’s final three weeks, meaning this will be the first time the two teams will face off since the NFC championship game, and their first regular-season bout since last year’s Week 16 matchup that saw the Seahawks come out victorious in overtime.

Honorable mentions: Texans vs. Eagles, Bills vs. Broncos, Packers vs. Bears, 49ers vs. Chiefs

Week 17: Broncos vs. Patriots

Date: TBD
Location: Foxborough, Mass.
Time: TBD
Where to watch: TBD

In a rematch of last season’s AFC championship game, the Broncos are headed to Foxborough in Week 17 to take on the Patriots.

This one has the “flex game” tag attached to it for good reason, as both teams will likely be vying for playoff positioning as the year comes to a close. Will Drake Maye turn in an MVP-caliber season for a second year in a row? Can Nix lead Denver to another No. 1 seed in the AFC? If either are still possible this late in the season, then this one will be a must-watch.

Honorable mentions: Ravens vs. Bengals, Lions vs. Bears, Eagles vs. 49ers, Texans vs. Packers

Week 18: Steelers vs. Ravens

Date: TBD
Location: Baltimore
Time: TBD
Where to watch: TBD

Look no further than last season’s Week 18 matchup between the Steelers and Ravens as to why this one takes the cake.

In what was a de facto AFC North title game, Pittsburgh and Baltimore scored 27 fourth-quarter points before a Tyler Loop missed field goal ended the Ravens’ season and sent the Steelers back to the playoffs. Given Rodgers’s now-confirmed return to Pittsburgh and Baltimore’s revitalized vision under Minter, this one very well could be the pick to close out 2026.

Honorable mentions: Chargers vs. Broncos, Lions vs. Packers, Seahawks vs. Rams

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