NFL Prime-Time Schedule 2019: List of Monday, Thursday and Sunday Night Games

Many NFL fans fall into the same pattern when checking the upcoming season's schedule following its release—check their team's games, check the holiday games and check the night games.

There is a reason so many eyeballs turn toward the night games, as they routinely feature some of the league's marquee teams and players under the lights on national broadcasts. All it takes is the familiar jingle of the night game introduction music or the broadcasters who are household names to signal to fans the upcoming contest is a pivotal one.

This year's slate will feature more of the same, as the defending champion New England Patriots, Super Bowl contenders in the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears, national brands in the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers, and upstarts such as the Cleveland Browns will all be under the lights at some point.

Here is a look at the full schedule of 2019 night games, per NFL.com, as well as some of the showdowns that jump out from the list.

2019 NFL Night Schedule

Week 1

• Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints on Monday, Sept. 9, at 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders on Monday, Sept. 9, at 10:20 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 2

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NFL Network
• Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Cleveland Browns at New York Jets on Monday, Sept. 16, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 3

• Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network
• Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Chicago Bears at Washington on Monday, Sept. 23, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 4

• Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, Sept. 30, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 5

• Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers on Monday, Oct. 7, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 6

• New York Giants at New England Patriots on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers on Monday, Oct. 14, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 7

• Kansas City Chiefs at the Denver Broncos on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• New England Patriots at New York Jets on Monday, Oct. 21, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 8

• Washington at Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, Oct. 28, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 9

• San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants on Monday, Nov. 4, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 10

• Los Angeles Chargers at Oakland Raiders on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers on Monday, Nov. 11, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 11

• Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers (in Mexico City) on Monday, Nov. 18, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 12

• Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Rams on Monday, Nov. 25, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 13

• New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, Nov. 28, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• New England Patriots at Houston Texans on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks on Monday, Dec. 2, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 14

• Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Dec. 9, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 15

• New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8:20 p.m. ET on Fox and NFL Network
• Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints on Monday, Dec. 16, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Week 16

• Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
• Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Dec. 23, at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Games to Watch

Week 1: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

NFL fans couldn't have asked for a better way to start the season.

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers represent arguably the league's most historical rivalry with perhaps its best quarterback against a stifling defense that will look to shut him down. There is star power all over the field with Aaron Rodgers leading the Packers offense against Khalil Mack and the Bears defense, and an encore of last year's two matchups would be an absolute treat.

It appeared as if the Bears were primed to seize the proverbial torch in the NFC North when they jumped out to a 20-0 lead in their Week 1 matchup and saw Rodgers carted off the field.

However, the signal-caller did his best superhero act and returned to the game to lead a dramatic 24-23 comeback victory that featured a long connection to Randall Cobb in the closing minutes. It was a defining performance from one of the NFL's defining players but didn't set the tone for the rest of the year.

Chicago ultimately won the NFC North, clinching the division crown with a Week 15 win over the Packers. Mack and the rest of the defense held Rodgers and the Packers offense to 17 points and reached the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 campaign.

This opening matchup gives each side a chance to make a statement in the NFC North after two classics from a year ago and earn an early head-to-head win with tiebreaker and postseason implications.

Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers in Mexico City

The NFL lost an opportunity to expand its international reach during the 2018 campaign when it was forced to move the matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs from Mexico City to Los Angeles because of poor field conditions at Estadio Azteca.

It will have another chance in 2019 when those same Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in a critical AFC West showdown.

It shouldn't be lost that Chiefs-Rams showdown was the game of the year in the regular season, so Kansas City will surely attempt to put on a show for the fans in Mexico to make up for it. This will also be a critical game in the division, as both teams were in the playoffs and figure to be well positioned to challenge the New England Patriots in the AFC.

The quarterback showdown between reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes and future Hall of Famer Philip Rivers stands out as the youngster and veteran are each looking for their first Lombardi Trophy.

Kansas City and Los Angeles also served as the primary roadblocks to the Patriots in last year's AFC playoffs as their conference title game and divisional round opponents, respectively. The showdown with Kansas City was an instant classic that went into overtime.

Home-field advantage and a divisional crown could go a long way toward determining which team is better positioned to take down the defending champions, so this game will have implications in the AFC West and beyond.