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The NFL released its 2020 schedule on Thursday, kicking things off with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans on Sept. 10.
The state of play: Tom Brady's move to Tampa Bay clearly had an impact on their fortunes. The Bucs had one primetime game last year, but landed five this year — the most in franchise history.
- Stadium debuts: The first regular season game at L.A.'s SoFi Stadium will be Rams vs. Cowboys on Sept. 13 (Sunday Night Football), and the Raiders will begin their Las Vegas journey at Allegiant Stadium against the Saints on Sept. 21 (Monday Night Football).
- Sorry, D.C. and Detroit: Every team got at least one prime-time slot except for two: the Redskins and the Lions (though they'll both play on Thanksgiving).
- Congrats, Dallas: Conversely, the Cowboys have six prime-time games, and eight teams have five: the Chiefs, 49ers, Ravens, Packers, Patriots, Rams, Buccaneers and Saints.
- NFL a️nd ESPN: This is the best Monday Night Football slate in years and features perhaps the game of the season in Week 3, when Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs visit Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
The backdrop: The league is operating as if it will play a full season, but as The Ringer's Danny Heifetz notes, it has contingency plans:
- "If the season is delayed the league is prepared to fit in a full 16-game schedule by potentially pushing back the playoffs and the Super Bowl (which is currently scheduled for February 7) by weeks or months."
- "Every team's Week 2 opponent has the same bye week, so if the beginning of the season is delayed, Week 2 matchups could be rescheduled during bye weeks and the season can be played without giving teams any breaks (though that move may be unpopular with players)."
- "Since divisional games are essential to playoff seeding, they are the last games the league wants to cancel. ... This year, there are nine divisional games in Week 1 and six in Week 2, but zero in Weeks 3 and 4. ... If the NFL is forced to cancel games, Weeks 3 and 4 may be canceled first."