Early season outlook for NFL teams
The NFL preseason is set to begin in less than a month, with training camps opening soon. As teams prepare for the 2026 season, various factors are being considered, including strength of schedule, roster depth, and coaching changes. The new official league year has already commenced, the complete schedule has been released, the draft concluded, and free agency has largely settled.
The Chicago Bears face a challenging schedule this season, following their NFC North win last year. They are now scheduled to play a first-place slate of opponents and are in a division considered to be among the league’s toughest. When adjusting for projected win totals, the Bears have the sixth-toughest schedule in the NFL. This contrasts with their previous season, where they had one of the easiest projected schedules, which contributed to their performance.
The Bears‘ defense also excelled last season by forcing turnovers, leading the NFL with 33 forced turnovers and a net turnover differential of +22. However, turnovers are statistically shown to be a less consistent factor year-over-year, suggesting a potential regression to the mean. While the Bears have young skill position players, the team’s average age ranks as the 10th oldest this season, with several veteran players.
Conversely, the Denver Broncos have an 11th-easiest schedule, which is near the league average. The team’s roster depth and coaching are noted as reasons for a positive outlook. Jarred Stidham is considered a capable backup quarterback. The passing game is projected to have a balanced distribution among players like Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, and Jaylen Waddle, with Evan Engram also contributing as a pass-catching tight end. This depth is seen as providing a stable foundation for their win total, potentially mitigating the impact of injuries.
The Buffalo Bills, under new head coach Joe Brady, are also drawing attention. Brady, despite being a first-time head coach, has assembled an experienced coaching staff. The Bills‘ offense, under Brady, led the NFL in rushing last season. The team has also added DJ Moore to bolster their passing attack alongside Josh Allen. The Bills‘ divisional opponents are seen as less challenging, and the team has not fallen below 11 wins since Josh Allen‘s rookie year in 2018, achieving this mark for six consecutive years. Their schedule is ranked as the 14th easiest, which is around the league average and more favorable than in previous years.
Key dates and international games
The 2026 NFL regular season is approaching, with the first kickoff scheduled for 50 days away from a recent report. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks are set to host the New England Patriots in a Week 1 game. This matchup will be the third time that the most recent Super Bowl participants have faced off in the subsequent season opener, and the first since the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers in the 2016 season.
Super Bowl 61 will be broadcast by ESPN for the first time in its 47-year history and will be played at SoFi Stadium for the second time since its opening in 2020. This year’s Super Bowl will also fall on Valentine’s Day for the first time and will be held during Presidents’ Day weekend.
The league has also scheduled a game on Thanksgiving Eve for the first time, with Netflix streaming the Packers versus Rams on Wednesday, November 25. Another Wednesday game is set for Week 1, with the Seahawks–Patriots kickoff due to the calendar alignment with Labor Day on September 7.
A record nine games will be played internationally in 2026. This includes the league’s first regular-season game in Australia, featuring the 49ers against the Rams in Melbourne. This game will kick off at 10:35 a.m. local time, which is 8:35 p.m. ET. Additionally, the league will host its first regular-season contest in Paris, with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, October 25.
Team and player developments
Several teams have undergone significant changes, with 10 new head coaches in 2026, marking a tie for the most changes ever in one offseason. Teams with new leadership include the Bills, Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants, Raiders, Ravens, Steelers, and Titans.
Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl 60 MVP, joined the Kansas City Chiefs in March, partnering with Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2017. However, historical data suggests that Super Bowl MVPs who join a new team before the subsequent season have not always maintained their prior impact.
The New York Jets are facing a potential 16th consecutive season without making the playoffs if they do not qualify this year, which would be the longest current drought among NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL teams. The Green Bay Packers last won the NFC North in 2021, which was Aaron Rodgers’ final MVP season.
The Miami Dolphins currently do not have a quarterback on their roster who has completed 50 passes in a season, nor a wide receiver who has caught 50 balls in a season. The New Orleans Saints will mark 20 years since their return to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with a Week 4 Monday night game against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Patriots are set to begin their season by playing four playoff teams from the previous year in their first four games. They will open against the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl LX rematch, then host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. Their road schedule continues with games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills in Weeks 3 and 4.
The Cincinnati Bengals are anticipated to have a strong start to the season, with Joe Burrow projected to have multiple five-touchdown pass performances in the first five weeks. This includes a Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins.
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Source: sports.yahoo.com
