Jan 22, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) prepares for the snap against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter of an AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 NFL schedule has landed, and it’s loaded with awesome games.

The primetime schedule is no exception. While there are some games that might end up getting flexed out (along with others that *would* be flexed if they were eligible), there are some that are crown jewels on the schedule that will never be touched.

Here are the ten best games of the NFL primetime schedule.

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
Week 1 Sunday Night Football

The first Sunday Night Football game of the year is a good one for NBC, pitting two of last year’s final four from the NFC against each other. Both games last year were one score Cowboys victories, and the Thanksgiving clash on Fox was the most-watched game of the regular season. Expectations for both are high this season, and there weren’t many better possible choices for an SNF opener.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
Week 1 Monday Night Football

We’ll know how real the Jets are with Aaron Rodgers early on this season. They open the year by hosting Josh Allen and the Bills on Monday Night Football, which is a pretty stiff test. The hype train for Rodgers and the Jets has been off the rails in the weeks since he joined, and there will be plenty of anticipation for the MNF opener this season.

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 2 Thursday Night Football

Prime Video’s schedule starts off with the NFC champions hosting a playoff team from a year ago, which is a pretty good draw for Amazon. Vikings-Eagles as a matchup wouldn’t be out of place on Sunday night, and Lincoln Financial Field will be raucous for Philly’s home opener. This is probably the best game in all of Week 2, and snagging it is a nice coup for Prime Video.

Kansas City Chiefs at New York Jets
Week 4 Sunday Night Football

We’re still three and a half months from this game, and the “Mahomes vs Rodgers” storyline is already giving me a headache. The Jets have a brutal start to the season, and like the Week 1 matchup against the Bills, this game will give them a chance to put a marker down in the AFC. This also could be a tough game for the Chiefs, and is arguably their first big test of the 2023 season. After this game, we’ll know a whole lot about the AFC in 2023.

New York Giants at Buffalo Bills
Week 6 Sunday Night Football

Buffalo’s second primetime game of the year comes after a trip to London to take on the Jaguars. The Giants should be up for this one, battle tested after a rough start to the season (four of their first five before this game are against playoff teams). I’m sure we’ll also get plenty of storylines about this being a potential Super Bowl preview, and more than enough mentions of Super Bowl XXV.

Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 9 Sunday Night Football

Josh Allen vs Joe Burrow is a guaranteed headline matchup, and even I can’t complain about that. The Bengals prevailed in their Divisional playoff game against the Bills last season, and the hype will also be there for this year’s game. Last year’s regular season game between the two on Monday Night Football was cancelled due to Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, and emotions will likely be high with the Bills returning to Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Week 11 Thursday Night Football

Even if it devolves into a defensive struggle, a Burrow vs Lamar Jackson matchup is fantastic content for Prime Video. Assuming Jackson is healthy, this should be an exciting game that will have a significant impact on the AFC North title race.

Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 11 Monday Night Football

This isn’t a shock. The Super Bowl rematch is probably the game of the season, and it’ll take place on the Monday before Thanksgiving. ESPN won’t be taking part in the NFL’s cornucopia of Thanksgiving-adjacent games, but this game more than makes up for it. The Mahomes-Jalen Hurts showdown will be the talk of the league, especially if both teams are performing as they did last season.

Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 13 Monday Night Football

These teams were both bounced from the AFC Playoffs by the Chiefs last season, and both would love to return the favor this season. ESPN gets their crack at the “Burrow vs other top quarterbacks” narrative with the Bengals visiting Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, and this one could be important for playoff seeding.

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
Week 14 Sunday Night Football

We close our list with an expected battle for NFC East supremacy between the Eagles and Cowboys. Last year’s Christmas Eve game in Dallas was decided late in the fourth quarter, despite Hurts not playing for Philly, and the Eagles are surely seeking a better outcome this time around. The classic NFC East rivalries typically do quite well for the league in featured windows, and I doubt this one will be any different.

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.