The 2026 NFL season has arrived in a reasonably appropriate game in what is increasingly a seven-days-a-week sport: a Wednesday, Sept. 9, Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. The next day, the NFL spotlight shifts to Melbourne for an Australian game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
Over the course of the season, the NFL will play on every day of the week except Tuesday, including a second Wednesday game the day before Thanksgiving.
The Los Angeles Rams, after an offseason where they acquired Myles Garrett and talked Aaron Donald out of retirement, are solid favorites to win Super Bowl LXI.
Caleb Downs anchor Dallas Cowboys defense?
NFL kickoff 2026 schedule
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks (-3) - 6:20 p.m. MT/7:20 p.m. CT - NBC
Thursday, September 10, 2026 (Melbourne, Australia Game)
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (-3 1/2) - 6:35 p.m. MT/7:35 p.m. CT - Netflix
Sunday, September 13, 2026 (late morning window)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals (-3 1/2) - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - FOX
New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions (-7) - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - FOX
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (-1 1/2) - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - CBS
Baltimore Ravens (-3 1/2) at Indianapolis Colts - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - CBS
Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3 1/2) - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - FOX
Chicago Bears (-3) at Carolina Panthers - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - FOX
Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars (-8 1/2) - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - CBS
Buffalo Bills (-1) at Houston Texans - 11:00 p.m. MT/noon CT - CBS
Sunday, September 13, 2026 (Late Afternoon Window)
Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders (-3 1/2) - 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. CT - FOX
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-1 1/2) - 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. - CBS
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (-5) - 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. - FOX
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers (-9 1/2) -2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. - CBS
Sunday Night Football - September 13, 2026
Dallas Cowboys (-3) at New York Giants - 6:20 p.m. MT/7:29 p.m. CT- NBC
Monday Night Football - September 14, 2026
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-2 1/2) - 6:15 p.m. MT/7:15 p.m. CT - ESPN/ABC
Odds to win Super Bowl
From BetMGM.com
Rams +500, Bills +1000, Ravens +1100, Seahawks +1200, Chiefs +1500, Chargers +1700, 49ers +1700, Broncos +1800, Lions +1800, Eagles +1800, Bengals +2000, Packers +2000, Texans +2000, Patriots +2000, Bears +2500, Cowboys +2500.
NFL rules changes for 2026
Teams may not attempt an onside kick at any point in the game as long as they declare it first (no surprise onside kicks). If a team is kicking off from the 50-yard line or beyond because of opponents penalties, a touchback goes to the 20-yard line.
If a player accumulates three personal foul penalties that involve player safety (hip-drop tackles, horse-collar tackles, launching, hits on defenseless players and blindside blocks) over the course of the season, the player is suspended for one game.
Replay officials and league personnel can now directly consult with on-field referees to review and enforce player ejections for flagrant acts or non-football conduct, even if no flag was initially thrown on the field.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: NFL schedule Week 1: NFL games today on TV, time, odds, prediction
