2022 NFL Schedule: What To Expect In General

[corta765]

Afternoon everyone hope you are well and gearing up for the draft and the future season which we are already closing in on 3 months until preseason games. Every year I cover the schedule both Bills related and NFL in general before the release. Here are the updates based off what I have read (guys like Peter King) and heard thus far. Sal C from WGR550 did his podcast with Mike North from the NFL who is sensationally about the season format and scheduling.

 

NFL

-The major change is Thursday Night Football being acquired by Amazon Prime for streaming. Before this deal the NFL had made a concerted effort for a few years now to provide much better matchups then the old division matchup format which gave us yearly TItans Jags thrillers. With that said expect the NFL to want to probably capitalize on that more with matchups that are top of the line. Much has been made of opening night against the Rams, but the NFL is treating the week 2 TNF opener on Amazon as just as big of a thing. Expect a big market draw week 2 on TNF and probably a fair matchup draw wise against them.

-This year the NFL is playing on XMAS and New Years weekend. While most of the games will be played the 24th and 31st, the NFL is expanding to 3 games on XMAS day and may have more then one on New Years day.

-The NFL has three games on Thanksgiving day, but they are also considering a game on black Friday now. There are two hurdles that may stop it this year (World Cup US plays Iran at 2pm and lack of quality opponents being available), but per Peter King expect in 2023 for someone to play on black friday.

-Teams can play in at least 6 primetime games with the ability to be flexed into two others. So 8 primetime games is not out of the line for your top teams.

-Opening night with the Rams throw the rules out of all the prior years before on opening night. In the past cross conference games to open the season were a rarity, the NFL generally saved its biggest matchups for later if the SB host had a few big opponents, and typically the games were rematches of a playoff opponent. Last year by having DAL take on TB it blew the ratings far higher then before even with opening night typically being a big draw even if the Bills took on the Jets. Its all gone, the NFL wants this to be a big game and the Rams have a list led by Buffalo of quality opponents from DAL, ARZ, DEN, VEG, or SF in a rematch of the NFC title.

-This offseason was a boon for the NFL viewership wise with all the trades that happened and the storylines/new teams that can be marketed because of it. I would expect a larger pallet of teams across the board to be on TV a more regularly as teams like Miami who are a big market and been down for a while suddenly have a guy that the NFL can market with.

-The AFC is at the NFC this season for the 17th game. The NFL is big fans with how this has shaken out as the Bills are in LA this year,  CIN is at DAL, MIA is at SF, KC is at TB, and PIT is at PHI for some highlighted matchups.

-Mike North of the NFL said expect that the NFL will intentionally release a few games in advance of the 12th hinting that the league may release week 1 at once, international games, or thanksgiving opponents. Personally I think this is smart as the NFL schedule usually is fully leaked by the time the show is on and might as well beat the leakers at their own game.

-Expect all 32 teams this year to be primetime at least once. Even if Houston for example is still down this year, market wise they have enough eyes to draw a crowd

 

Bills

-From Mike North's own mouth the Bills are the draw now on TV and Josh Allen despite losing to KC in the playoffs elevated himself into one of the top 3-4 players in the league for viewers and popularity. Expect a heavy dose of primetime and not just night games but 4pm matchups thrown in also

-Mike also said that the entire AFC because of the additions made and the Bills now a hosting darling are attractive to viewers. So I would not be surprised if the Bills host the Dolphins or go there for MNF with even the Jets potentially mixing in a little too. Pats Bills expect either night or 4pm.

-The Bills are playing on at least Xmas, Thanksgiving, or opening night if not two of those three. Prepare yourselves accordingly.

-Opening night wise Mike said Buffalo is an attractive draw but the helping of other opponents may keep the LA-BUF game still later in the season

-Because the Bills are a draw the age of the stadium and the hard setup is no longer a factor in games being in BUF at night, TV wants Buffalo. Expect more home games at primetime as opposed to our road warrior status the last few years by comparison.

-A few of the Rams top beat writers have said Bills Rams is the opener. Take that for what it is worth things change, but the volume is much louder this year for opening night the last year nationally

-Buffalo is finally hosting TEN after two years in a row of having to play their on national TV. I have thought this game is a Monday Night game because of this.

-Buffalo opened at home last year to start the year so it is pretty likely they open on the road as the Bills have alternated home away pretty consistently going back to 2010:   

 

2010 MIA,

2011 at KC

2012 at NYJ

2013 NE

2014 at CHI

2015 IND

2016 at BAL

2017 NYJ

2018 at BAL

2019 at NYJ

2020 NYJ

2021 PIT

 

I think we open away because of that.

 

-Remember every team wants to open week 1 at home and close week 18 at home with a bye in the middle. The NFL does its best to accommodate for other requests also but you have to pay somewhere yourself. It is very possible Buffalo is on the road to start and end the season with an early bye after a year where they got to be home week 1 and 18 with a middle esq bye week, we don't know what Buffalo gets for doing that which as an org they want.

-I will have a mock schedule before the season is released for people to rip on, last year I got like 3 games/bye week right plus a few things close from how it shook down. Here though are the games I think Buffalo plays at night based off what I've read and heard:

MNF: at MIA, TEN

SNF: NE, at LA, GB

TNF: at DET (thanksgiving)

4pm: at KC, at CHI

[TBBills]

I am expecting in general a schedule consisting of 17 games and 1 bye week.

[Greg S]

I doubt the Bills get 6 primetime games. My guess is they will be scheduled for 4 with a chance to be flexed into a 5th one. While the Bills might get a 4:25 start or two they are an EC team. Bills will still get a lot of 1:00 starts which I prefer.

[corta765]

5 minutes ago, Greg S said:

I doubt the Bills get 6 primetime games. My guess is they will be scheduled for 4 with a chance to be flexed into a 5th one. While the Bills might get a 4:25 start or two they are an EC team. Bills will still get a lot of 1:00 starts which I prefer.

 

I think you are wishing that vs reality which is Josh Allen is a bonified superstar that everyone wants a piece of and he is the draw straight up. Pat Mahomes got 10 games last year that were either 4:25 or primetime in 2021. The Bills do try to cater to the fanbase with 1pm games as many fans are a drive in, but I would be surprised if Buffalo at minimum doesn't have 7 games that are 4:25 (America's game of week) or later. FYI I also would prefer 12 games 1pm and just 5 4:25 or later but this is the world we live in when we have one of the stars.

Edited April 25, 2022 by corta765

[Greg S]

2 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

I think you are wishing that vs reality which is Josh Allen is a bonified superstar that everyone wants a piece of and he is the draw straight up. Pat Mahomes got 10 games last year that were either 4:25 or primetime in 2021. The Bills do try to cater to the fanbase with 1pm games as many fans are a drive in, but I would be surprised if Buffalo at minimum doesn't have 7 games that are 4:25 (America's game of week) or later. FYI I also would prefer 12 games 1pm and just 5 4:25 or later but this is the world we live in when we have one of the stars.

 

Don't forget the AFC is loaded with good/great QB's this year. The entire AFCW will get a decent amount of primetime games. Same with the North. Even though Ben retired the Steelers are always a primetime favorite. In the NFC teams like the Cowboys, Packers will get a bunch because they are popular and good. Then you have big market teams like the Giants and Bears who always get on primetime and it doesn't matter if they are good or not. The Bills will be playing more 1:00 games then you think. But I still think the Bills get 4 primetime games with a chance to be flexed into a 5th one.

[golfball323]

I'm one of those, "I love 1 PM home games" people, but give me the Thanksgiving night game at home.

 

I know its probably a popular idea, but I think the rule should be: If you win on Thanksgiving, you get to host the following Thanksgiving. I realize its not for everyone, but the Bills have played well on Thanksgiving and it's made my favorite holiday that much better. 

 

 

[corta765]

18 minutes ago, golfball323 said:

I'm one of those, "I love 1 PM home games" people, but give me the Thanksgiving night game at home.

 

I know its probably a popular idea, but I think the rule should be: If you win on Thanksgiving, you get to host the following Thanksgiving. I realize its not for everyone, but the Bills have played well on Thanksgiving and it's made my favorite holiday that much better. 

 

 

Would make every team that losses in a very interesting quandary of if they did so on purpose to stay home the next year hahaha

[appoo]

USA plays England on Black Friday. It will likely be the most watched Soccer game in US History

[djp14150]

2 minutes ago, appoo said:

USA plays England on Black Friday. It will likely be the most watched Soccer game in US History

The played them before in WVC…it won’t be.

 

with it Black Friday you have too many traveling and shopping during the day.

[buffalobillswin]

Is that the reason why the Bills don’t get many home prime time games? Because of the stadium and it’s a hard set-up? Always wondered why we have so few home night games. 

[golfball323]

27 minutes ago, buffalobillswin said:

Is that the reason why the Bills don’t get many home prime time games? Because of the stadium and it’s a hard set-up? Always wondered why we have so few home night games. 

that's always been the word on the street. They seem to make it work just fine, though...

[BreezeMafia]

15 hours ago, TBBills said:

I am expecting in general a schedule consisting of 17 games and 1 bye week.

With 8 home games, 9 away games

[Greg S]

1 hour ago, BillsinChesterSprings said:

With 8 home games, 9 away games

 

9 home (LA has no fans) and 8 away

[corta765]

16 hours ago, buffalobillswin said:

Is that the reason why the Bills don’t get many home prime time games? Because of the stadium and it’s a hard set-up? Always wondered why we have so few home night games. 

 

Pre 2020 yes. 2019 was the coming out party for the Bills thanks to Dallas and as you saw after the networks started caring for real again.

 

The stadiums bones are not great for todays technology so it was a pain for networks to setup. Mix in a drought of 17 years also and there wasn't much reason to visit Buffalo anyway. Now a days with the Bills being a draw you are seeing more home primetime games.

 

The other thing I have heard is the Bills are very sensitive to the fact close to half the season ticket base and fans attending games are at least an hour a half away (Rochester, Southern Tier, Ontario). Fan meetings with the team have expressed 1pm is the optimal time as it allows the best travel to and from the game for these fans. With that said the Bills are a marquee team nowadays so be prepared for probably 2-3 games a season not at 1 at home.

[Greg S]

7 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

Pre 2020 yes. 2019 was the coming out party for the Bills thanks to Dallas and as you saw after the networks started caring for real again.

 

The stadiums bones are not great for todays technology so it was a pain for networks to setup. Mix in a drought of 17 years also and there wasn't much reason to visit Buffalo anyway. Now a days with the Bills being a draw you are seeing more home primetime games.

 

The other thing I have heard is the Bills are very sensitive to the fact close to half the season ticket base and fans attending games are at least an hour a half away (Rochester, Southern Tier, Ontario). Fan meetings with the team have expressed 1pm is the optimal time as it allows the best travel to and from the game for these fans. With that said the Bills are a marquee team nowadays so be prepared for probably 2-3 games a season not at 1 at home.

 

Wasn't this one of the main reasons Ralph Wilson didn't want primetime games at home? The rumor/speculation was he wanted home games at 1:00 for the reason you mentioned and mentioned this to the league. It was easier for him to have sellouts for 1:00 games and avoid blackout home games.

[LabattBlue]

 Hopefully the Pegula’s speak up regarding home games late in the season.  Last year, there were 5 home games from late November on. 

[Chandler#81]

None of this is new news. I wanna know WTF the League is gonna do about scheduling so many crap weather games for Buffalo!😡

[corta765]

2 hours ago, BTB said:

 Hopefully the Pegula’s speak up regarding home games late in the season.  Last year, there were 5 home games from late November on. 

 

Flip side is 2020 they had 5 home games by Nov 8th and 5 games by Nov 3rd in 2019. Additionally the additional game now means teams will more regularly be playing later in the season.

 

I would guess this year Buffalo has a more games earlier.

[Bills fan since 87]

21 hours ago, appoo said:

USA plays England on Black Friday. It will likely be the most watched Soccer game in US History

 

So it will draw a Jets/Lions type audience?

[corta765]

22 minutes ago, Bills fan since 87 said:

 

So it will draw a Jets/Lions type audience?

Yep