MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 31: The NFC kicks the ball off to the AFC to start the 2010 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Sun Life Stadium on January 31, 2010 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
For years CBS and Fox have effectively divided the majority of their non-primetime games based on which conference was the away team. Starting next year, that process will change significantly.
Appearing on The Ari Meirov NFL Show, NFL schedule-makers Mike North and Charlotte Carey revealed that there will be no restrictions on which networks get allotted which games. Starting in 2023, all NFL games will be "free agents."
"Every game is a jump ball," North said.
That isn't to say that CBS and Fox won't still get the majority of AFC and NFC games respectively. Rather, more games will be exchanged across the various networks along with ESPN, NBC (and presumably Amazon) than ever before.
Some fans are rolling their eyes a bit at the added confusion this change will add. They seem to like having their preferred team consistently and predictably on certain networks. Others didn't even seem to realize this was how games were distributed.
But it's probably in the best interest of the NFL (from a money perspective) to go this route. Having CBS and Fox get into a bidding war for every single game of note will probably lead to a huge financial windfall for them.
The only constant in the NFL is change and 2023 is going to give us a lot of it.
What do you think of the new changes coming to the NFL schedules?
We are now officially less than 100 days away from football season! I’ve compiled a list of the top ten games you won’t want to miss this year. Truthfully, it would be very easy to fill this list with AFC West divisional matches, but I tried to diversify a little bit.
Honorable Mentions:
Raiders at Rams, Week 14: A former Los Angeles squad dukes it out it out against a current LA squad in a late-season matchup with potential playoff implications. This game features two stellar pass rushing units, elite wide receiver duos, and a whole lot of moxie. One matchup to watch: Raiders’ shiny new addition Davante Adams versus Rams’ trash-talking corner Jalen Ramsey.
Steelers at Panthers, Week 15: What? Two teams with little media attention? What are they doing in the honorable mentions section? Well, reader, I predict this will be the first matchup between rookie quarterbacks this season. Kenny Pickett and Matt Corral will square off in Week 15, in a game that will inevitably lead to comparisons between the two.
Bills at Bengals, Week 17: The fact that this game, a late-season showdown between two of the best teams in the conference, doesn’t make my top ten is an indicator of how many high-quality games are present in this year’s schedule. Joe Burrow and Josh Allen are no stranger to a QB duel, and watching two young superstars go head-to-head with playoff seeding on the line will be fantastic.
Number 10: Cowboys at Eagles, Week 6
Both of these teams were flat-out embarrassed in the Wild Card Round of last year’s playoffs. And of course, the bad blood between them is no secret. These two teams should be in contention for the NFC East crown, and their first matchup of the season will be one to tune into for sure. Watching new Eagles pass-rushers Jordan Davis and Haason Reddick battle Cowboys linemen Tyron Smith and Zack Martin will be a tantalizing matchup, not to mention the Cowboys’ breakout cornerback Trevon Diggs versus the Eagles’ high-priced wide receiver AJ Brown.
Number 9: Bengals at Buccaneers, Week 15
Old school versus new school. Both the Bengals and the Bucs will be battling for Super Bowl berths this year, but the real headline is the QB matchup. Brady versus Burrow. The greatest of all time facing off against the young gun who turned his franchise around the moment he arrived. Each team fell short thanks to the LA Rams last year, and it will be telling to see how they stack up against one another. Keep an eye on the Buccaneers secondary, and how they handle Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd.
Number 8: Chiefs at 49ers, Week 7
At number 8 we have one of the multiple Super Bowl rematches this season has to offer, yet both teams are noticeably different than they were during their 2020 duel. The Chiefs are without Tyreek Hill, and the 49ers will presumably have a new quarterback under center. Trey Lance has all the potential in the world, as did Patrick Mahomes coming out of Texas Tech. They each sat on the bench for a year to start their careers, and some 49er fans believe that Lance could have a Mahomes-esque rise to stardom. Not to mention, the 49ers signed former Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward this off-season, and he will be tasked with covering the new-look Chiefs wide receiver room: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and more.
Number 7: Chiefs at Broncos, Week 14
Sunday Night, the Broncos face their biggest nightmare… Patrick Mahomes. Denver is 0-9 against the Chiefs in the Mahomes era, and they were the victims of Mahomes’ very first start during the final week of his rookie year. But this time, they’ve got Russell Wilson at the helm. Every AFC West division matchup is going to be a battle, so the Broncos cannot afford to lose both games to Kansas City this season.
Number 6: Rams at 49ers, Week 4
The 49ers, against all odds, made the NFC Championship last year, only to fall short at the hands of their bitter rivals, the Rams. Kyle Shanahan and San Francisco had won six straight against the Rams before that loss, a game that propelled Los Angeles to a Super Bowl victory in their home stadium. This is Shanahan’s chance to strike back against old friend Sean McVay, and re-assert his dominance with the whole world watching on Monday Night Football. Be sure to watch how young Trey Lance deals with the Rams’ trio of stud defenders: Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, and the newly acquired Bobby Wagner.
Number 5: Browns at Ravens, Week 7
These two teams had very similar seasons last year, in that they expected to be in the playoffs making some noise, but settled for disappointing loss after disappointing loss and ultimately sat out the postseason. The Ravens loaded up in the draft, boasting one of the best rookie classes I have ever seen, while the Browns elected to trade their capital away for veterans like Amari Cooper and of course, new quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson and Lamar Jackson are two electric young players, and their first of many divisional showdowns will be must-see television.
Number 4: Raiders at Chargers, Week 1
Two of the best offseasons in the entire league belong to the Raiders and the Chargers, and after the Week 18, win-or-go-home showdown between these two teams, there has to be some bad blood. Additionally, former Raiders superstar Khalil Mack was traded to LA this offseason, and will get the chance to put the hurt on his former team. Top it off with elite matchups between Davante Adams and J.C. Jackson, and Maxx Crosby and Rashawn Slater, and this game is a great way to start the season.
Number 3: Broncos at Seahawks, Week 1
In the first Monday Night Football game of the year, Russell Wilson will travel back to the city where he has spent his entire NFL career. We could not ask for a better start to the MNF slate, and although the Seahawks are not expected to compete this season, they know Russ better than anyone else in the league. Drew Lock will have to earn the starting spot, but taking on the team that gave up on him, with new pieces all over the Seattle offense, will surely provide some excellent entertainment for us viewers.
Number 2: Bills at Chiefs, Week 6
Many call the AFC Divisional round matchup between these two teams the best playoff game in NFL history. I think there’s a case to be made, and if we’re lucky, this regular-season matchup will deliver as well. The Bills can undoubtedly feel the sting of that loss still, as well as the AFC Championship loss the year prior. This is one of the best budding rivalries in the NFL, and we get to watch arguably the two best quarterbacks in football duke it out yet again. What more could you ask for?
Number 1: Rams at Chargers, Week 17
One could argue that Bills, Chiefs should take the number one spot on this list, and I would definitely listen to that argument. However, this Rams, Chargers game fascinates me. It has everything a fan could ask for in a modern NFL matchup: two good, playoff-contending teams? Check. Two elite quarterbacks? Check. Two gorgeous uniforms? Check. Big-name, elite players? All over the field. Khalil Mack, JC Jackson, Bobby Wagner, Allen Robinson, and those are just the new guys. Joey Bosa, Aaron Donald, Keenan Allen, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James, the list goes on and on. Hell, these teams even play in the same stadium! Jets versus Giants, the matchup between the other teams that share a stadium, is known as the Snoopy Bowl, a miserable game that attracts the pity of fans once every four years. But Rams versus Chargers shall be known as the Snoop Bowl: an LA versus LA slugfest that is sure to be exciting, and my most anticipated game of the season.
Of course, there are plenty of games I could not include that will be full of brilliant, edge-of-your-seat action. But for now, I did my best to identify some games that I’ll have marked on my calendar when the season finally does come around.