The NFL is defending its 2026 regular season schedule. The league has faced criticism as it gives more and more games to streaming platforms, like Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Prime, etc. Most of the NFL's games still come on networks like NBC,

Plus, plenty of revenge games

The NFL announced team-by-team opponents and select prime-time games for the 2026 preseason on Thursday. For the fifth consecutive season, all but two teams will play three preseason games before the regular season kicks off on Sept.

Game times and dates are set for two of the Lions ' three exhibition games, according to their opponents. The Lions open the preseason at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals and close exhibition play at 3 p.m. Aug. 29 against the Indianapolis Colts. Both games are on the road.

It's quite the switch from last year with the betting lines on Bears games with the actual NFL schedule now out.

The league's Christmas schedule features three marquee games, including Packers vs. Bears and Bills vs. Broncos

It's never really clear exactly how much Roger Goodell puts his thumb on the scale when it comes to direct influence over NFL games, but one high ranking NFL official made it clear that he petitioned hard for one matchup in particular to be put in front of a national audience.

The Rams will play seven times on prime time, including four times in the first five weeks. Sean M. Haffey / At last, the NFL unveiled the schedule for the 2026 regular season, and now, like kids on Christmas Day,