12 Games We Want To See in Prime Time on the 2026 NFL Schedule

It's NFL schedule release week.  

The leaks are starting to trickle out already, but the full list won't become public until Thursday night. 

With that in mind, here are a dozen 2026 matchups we're most excited about for potential national time slots this year. We are excluding divisional matchups, which happen twice a year anyway.

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen

The Ravens and Bills have won a combined 11 playoff games since 2020 and are perennial contenders with MVP-winning quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. 

They've also developed quite the rivalry, as their last two meetings have been thrillers decided by a total of three points. 

Now, the pressure has been cranked up on both franchises as new head coaches take over, making this a potential classic as Buffalo christens its new stadium.

Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Josh Allen and Bo Nix

Denver ended Buffalo's season with a heart-breaking overtime victory in last year's playoffs—a win that turned out to be the climax of the Broncos' season considering that quarterback Bo Nix suffered a late ankle injury that left the team close to hopeless in terms of its Super Bowl quest. 

Now, Nix should be recovered from a pair of ankle procedures for this potential AFC Championship preview between an unstoppable force and an immovable object at the scene of last year's crime. 

That's must-watch sports television.

Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks 

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Caleb Williams

Are Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams set to take that next step after making waves in their first season together? What better measuring stick than a road matchup with the defending Super Bowl champions? 

If this is an early-season game, it's one of those indicators as to how much progress Chicago has made as well as how much of a Super Bowl hangover the Seahawks might be suffering from. If it's a late-season game, it could have playoff seeding implications. 

Regardless, it's a fun one that deserves the spotlight in 2026. 

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Drake Maye

Nix versus Drake Maye could be a quarterback rivalry for a decade-plus to come, and this is a rematch of last year's closely contested defensive battle in the AFC title game.

The Broncos fell short there, but they should have a healthy Nix in an attempt at revenge this time. 

This would be an ideal early-season prime-time matchup, since both young teams likely still have that taste in their mouths from January. 

Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Rey Del Rio

Jared Goff and Josh Allen

Two franchises once known as lovable losers have been absolute contenders for the last half-decade, but the championship window may be starting to close for both as they continue to fall short of expectations each year.

That alone makes this a juicy matchup, as pressure mounts in both Western New York and Wayne County. 

Throw in that you've got a good shot at fireworks as two of the league's most entertaining teams meet at Buffalo's beautiful new stadium, and this could be the game of the year as well as a dream Super Bowl preview. 

Keep in mind that when these two met in 2024, they combined for 90 points in a track meet.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos 

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Bo Nix and Trevor Lawrence

Are the Jaguars for real after finishing 2025 as one of the hottest teams in pro football? This offers one heck of a test, preferably early in the season. 

Denver's defense is arguably the best in football, but Trevor Lawrence put up 15 touchdown passes to one interception while posting a 113.2 passer rating in his last six games for a Jags squad that hasn't lost a regular-season game since early November. 

This would be a stellar opportunity for Jacksonville to prove that wasn't a fluke, as well as a fun matchup between two of the best young quarterbacks in the game. 

Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks 

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Patrick Mahomes

The Chiefs are desperate to show the football world that their dynasty isn't over, and how they navigate a road matchup with the defending champs could go a long way toward establishing their status in a potential make-or-break season. 

That core isn't getting any younger, and Patrick Mahomes will hopefully be fully healthy by the time Kansas City meets a Seattle squad that will have a target on its back throughout the 2026 campaign. 

The cherry on top is that this battle brings Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III back to the Pacific Northwest while donning a Chiefs jersey. 

Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles 

AP Photo/Ben VanHouten

Matthew Stafford

This year's Super Bowl favorite against the 2024 champion, and a matchup between two of the most talented and experienced overall teams in the NFL. You've also got the reigning MVP (Matthew Stafford) going up against the last quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP (Jalen Hurts).

They met for a thriller last September that was inexplicably buried in an early-Sunday afternoon time slot, so hopefully the league will correct that this time around. 

You really can't go wrong with this potential NFC title game preview. 

Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Jim Rassol

Malik Willis

This one's a little more unique in that it involves a Miami team not widely viewed as a contender. But as an early-season matchup, it could be gold. 

After all, it represents an opportunity for Malik Willis to return to Green Bay as the starter in Miami and potentially make the Packers wonder if they should have kept him rather than Jordan Love. 

And don't forget that Miami has essentially become Green Bay South, with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley both coming over from the Packers.

New York Giants at Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Jaxson Dart

This is another example of a game that could be beautiful if placed in September, simply because there'll be that novelty associated with seeing the new-look, up-and-coming Giants with quarterback Jaxson Dart and veteran head coach John Harbaugh going up against one of the NFC's most talented teams in a tough road environment. 

How the G-Men handle a game like this early could indicate just how much progress the team could make as it appears to be putting the finishing touches on a thorough rebuild. 

Meanwhile, an upset home loss for the Lions could be devastating and an indication of a changing of the guard in that conference.

San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Tony Avelar

Dak Prescott and Brock Purdy

We didn't want to overdo the Cowboys considering the constant hype surrounding a team that wasn't really in the picture the last two seasons, but the talent is there and this is a classic longtime rivalry between two of the most popular teams in the league. 

And there's no doubt that if everything clicks, either could make a Super Bowl run in 2026. 

For what it's worth, each of their last four matchups have come in national slots—two of which were one-score playoff battles in 2021 and 2022.

Tennessee Titans at Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/John Locher

Fernando Mendoza

This is certainly the oddest inclusion, but hear us out: It's potentially a matchup between the last two quarterbacks chosen first overall in the draft. 

The risk is that we get Kirk Cousins and a matchup between two teams that still aren't ready to contend. But if this lands in the middle of the season and Las Vegas has turned things over to Fernando Mendoza, it becomes an intriguing quarterback showdown with Cam Ward and a chance for both teams to show real progress in 2026.

This would be a nice under-the-radar Thursday nighter.