Fans will be getting a healthy dose of the Los Angeles Rams in 2026, but the NFL completely whiffed on the timing of several high-profile matchups. Cramming both Rams-Seahawks games into two of the final three weeks was only the beginning of the league’s scheduling chaos this season.
The NFL lost its mind not only waiting to schedule the first Rams-Seahawks game in Week 16, but also making L.A. visit Seattle on a short week. These teams played in a pair of thrillers in the Emerald City — games that were decided by five points, mind you — and this is how you plan to showcase a matchup featuring the NFC’s top squads?
Forget the prestige of playing on Christmas; this is a game that deserves to be played on a normal week, either on Sunday or Monday night.
That’s far from the only questionable decision the scheduling gurus made.
Tell me why the Bills and Chiefs are playing on Thanksgiving night? Buffalo will enter that game on a short week after traveling to Miami, while the Chiefs will similarly be playing on a few days’ rest following a home date with the Cardinals.
Thanksgiving shouldn’t feature the most exciting games, because they’re mostly background noise to lull you to sleep once the tryptophan kicks in. Now the NFL’s telling us we have to power through our food comas to watch what is expected to be another thriller between two of the AFC’s best. Seriously?
There are several gripes I have about other matchups, and those grievances will be aired as follows:
- Why are the Bills playing their first game in a new stadium on Thursday Night Football? And against the Lions no less. Even the Raiders got their first game at Allegiant Stadium on Monday Night Football. Yeah, the effin’ Raiders! Let that sink in.
- The Broncos and Seahawks, who nearly played each other in the Super Bowl, also face off on TNF for some reason.
- Speaking of the Broncos, they’ll play in a rematch of the controversial Divisional Round game against the Bills on Christmas. What?!
- Additionally on Christmas, the Packers and Bears will face off at Soldier Field after Chicago defeated their bitter rival twice in the Windy City late last season. Why is another potential thriller being buried on a holiday?!
The NFL apparently believes it’s perfectly fine to hide some of its biggest matchups and most important division rivalries on holidays and short weeks. Waiting until the final stretch of the season to stage a Rams-Seahawks rematch, for instance, is inexcusable. This year’s schedule is loaded with blockbuster games, but the league has chosen some baffling ways to present them.
