NFL might as well stand for “No Family Life” in 2026.
The schedule has been released and it is not kind to anyone trying to make plans from, well, September through February. There will be games played on every day of the week except Tuesday this season and if there is a holiday, you best believe the NFL is on.
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Night before Thanksgiving? Check. Thanksgiving? Check. Black Friday? Check. Christmas Eve? Check. Christmas? Check. New Year’s Eve? Check.
In other words, good luck squeezing in all those activities and not missing a minute of the action.
When you factor in schedules during the week with work and school, that leaves the weekends for activities. And those are the days for witching hours on “NFL RedZone” with Scott Hanson. Something has to give at some point, especially when it comes to outdoor activities before October ends and the cold, dark winter sets in.
Luckily, we are prepared to help you navigate those scheduling issues for family and friends. Buried in the 2026 NFL schedule are a few weeks where you can safely step away on Sundays for those fall festivals or apple and pumpkin picking activities.
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After all, it’s the least the league could’ve done after taking over the fall calendar. Here are the best weeks to put down the remote, get up off the couch and spend some time with the people you care about. The couch might miss you, but don’t worry – you’ll be back in time for “Sunday Night Football.”
Best apple and pumpkin picking weeks in 2026 NFL season
Week 7 is far and away the best weekend of the 2026 NFL season to participate in all fall outdoor activities. It’s a Sunday slate that fits all the criteria you’d want – late October, good teams on a bye week (Bills, Jaguars, Chargers, Commanders), only three games in the late window and no true marquee game in the early window.
Oct. 25 is at the tail end of apple picking season, but it’s prime time for picking pumpkins and only a week before spooky season comes to an end with Halloween.
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Take a look at what Week 7 has to offer NFL fans:
You’ll have to miss the NFL’s first game in Paris, but something has to give. Elsewhere on the docket, the Bengals and Ravens have the best game, but those teams have experienced their fair share of injuries issues through the years that could change everything. Other than that, it’s a slate that is filled with plenty of clunkers.
Jets-Dolphins? Yuck. Browns-Titans? Try again.
The crown jewel of the day resides in the “Sunday Night Football” slot when the Seahawks host the Chiefs. At this point, the sun will be down as the “Sunday Scaries” set in. However, that comes long after a job well done and, hopefully, a memorable day with the ones who matter most.
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This might be the best week for leaving the couch, but it’s not the only one. Here are some other dates to consider this season.
PRIMETIME GAMES: Thursday Night Football | Sunday Night Football | Monday Night Football
Week 6
If Week 6 had a slogan, it would be, “We’ve seen this movie before.”
The Jaguars lead off the day with – wait for it – another game in London, one week after the team’s most recent contest on British soil. There are divisional games across the board, but not the ones to set your DVR for. The Bengals, Lions, Dolphins and Vikings are off in Week 6, marking the first real bye weeks of the season.
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Your eyes might be drawn to the Chargers and Chiefs in the late window, which is fine. However, by this point, you’ll have seen the Chiefs twice in primetime with another night game looming the following week. It’s all right to skip this one, especially with only two other games in the late window that look like blowouts on paper.
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Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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New Orleans Saints at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
Week 2
It’s often said that Week 1 is a liar, but no one has ever said that Week 2 is a truther. We’re still in the feeling out stages of the season as players shake off the rust after spending the preseason on the sidelines. More importantly, Week 2 falls in the ideal time for apple picking.
This is the point where you’re still not used to having a full Sunday agenda, meaning it’s not late enough into the season for “FOMO” to kick in.
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Remember, just because an apple looks like a quality choice on the surface doesn’t mean it won’t be terrible after biting into it. That’s how you should look at Week 2 as teams start to show us who they are.
And an early season sacrifice buys plenty of good will later on. Even if the slate ends up being a good one, you can be munching on an apple cider donut and what’s not to like about that?
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Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Green Bay Packers at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Philadelphia Eagles at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
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Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
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Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL schedule vs. fall plans: Best weeks to leave the couch this season
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