NFL Football Games Today: Sunday Schedule, Kickoff Times and TV Coverage

NFL football games today feature a packed Week 1 Sunday schedule with 13 matchups across the afternoon and prime-time windows. Sunday, September 13, brings eight games at 1 p.m. ET, four more at 4:25 p.m. ET, and the Dallas Cowboys visiting the New York Giants for an 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday Night Football matchup.

The opening Sunday of the 2026 regular season gives fans a wide range of games to follow. The schedule includes AFC and NFC contests, several division rivalries, and matchups involving teams with high expectations for the new season.

Buffalo visits Houston in one of the most closely watched early games. Baltimore travels to Indianapolis, while Green Bay faces Minnesota in an NFC North battle during the late afternoon. Washington also visits Philadelphia in a significant NFC East matchup.

The day concludes with Dallas and New York meeting at MetLife Stadium under the Sunday Night Football spotlight.

NFL Sunday Schedule for September 13

The complete Sunday schedule includes 13 games. All kickoff times below are Eastern Time.

This schedule creates three distinct viewing periods. The first begins at 1 p.m. ET, the second starts at 4:25 p.m. ET, and the final game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET.

Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers

The first game involving the Chicago Bears sends them to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers.

The contest starts at 1 p.m. ET and airs on FOX.

The matchup has an interesting quarterback storyline. Caleb Williams and Bryce Young were selected No. 1 overall in consecutive drafts, and both quarterbacks remain central figures for their respective teams.

Williams and Young previously faced each other when Chicago defeated Carolina in 2024. Sunday’s meeting provides another opportunity for the two young quarterbacks to lead their teams in a regular-season game.

Carolina enters the season after winning the NFC South in 2025. Chicago begins the new campaign on the road.

The game also gives both teams an immediate chance to establish momentum in Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals

Tampa Bay travels to Cincinnati for a 1 p.m. ET game at Paycor Stadium.

FOX will carry the matchup.

The Buccaneers open the season away from home, while the Bengals begin their campaign in front of their home fans.

Both organizations enter the season with attention surrounding their offenses. That makes the opening performance particularly important as the teams begin their respective campaigns.

A Week 1 victory would give either club an early advantage before the regular-season standings begin to develop.

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions

The New Orleans Saints visit the Detroit Lions in another 1 p.m. ET FOX matchup.

Detroit opens the season at Ford Field, giving the Lions home-field advantage.

Jared Goff leads the Detroit offense, while New Orleans enters the game with Tyler Shough at quarterback. Alvin Kamara also remains an important part of the Saints’ offensive attack.

The Lions begin the season after an offseason that included the trade of running back David Montgomery to Houston.

For New Orleans, the opening road game presents an immediate test. Detroit will look to use its home environment to start the season strongly.

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans

Buffalo and Houston meet at 1 p.m. ET in one of the most prominent games of the early window.

CBS will televise the matchup.

Josh Allen leads the Bills into Houston, giving the game a major quarterback storyline. The Texans have also established themselves as an increasingly competitive AFC team.

The matchup could attract significant attention because both teams enter the season with postseason ambitions.

Buffalo wants to remain among the AFC’s strongest teams. Houston will look to continue its progress and challenge the conference’s leading organizations.

The opening result will not determine the final playoff picture, but it will provide an early indication of where both teams stand.

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts

The Baltimore Ravens travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to meet the Indianapolis Colts at 1 p.m. ET.

The game airs on CBS.

Baltimore enters the season with Lamar Jackson at quarterback and high expectations surrounding the roster.

Indianapolis receives the benefit of opening at home. The Colts will attempt to use that advantage against a Baltimore team that expects to compete at the top of the AFC.

The matchup gives both teams a meaningful first test of the regular season.

For Baltimore, the goal is to begin the campaign with a road victory. Indianapolis will try to make the opening game a positive start in front of its supporters.

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Cleveland Browns visit the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET.

CBS carries the game.

Jacksonville hosts the contest at EverBank Stadium, while Cleveland begins its season on the road.

The two AFC teams enter the new campaign with different challenges. Both will want to establish consistency from the opening week.

Early wins can become particularly valuable later in the season when teams compete for playoff positions and conference tiebreakers.

Sunday’s meeting gives one of these teams an opportunity to begin the season with a victory.

Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers

Atlanta visits Pittsburgh for a 1 p.m. ET matchup on FOX.

The game takes place at Acrisure Stadium.

Pittsburgh has one of the NFL’s most recognizable home environments, and the Steelers begin the new campaign in front of their supporters.

Atlanta, meanwhile, starts its schedule with a difficult road assignment.

The matchup gives both teams an immediate opportunity to establish their identity. A strong defensive performance, efficient quarterback play and turnovers could become important factors in the opening contest.

New York Jets at Tennessee Titans

The New York Jets travel to Tennessee for another 1 p.m. ET game.

The Titans host the matchup at Nissan Stadium.

CBS carries the game in the appropriate markets.

Both teams begin the regular season looking for a strong foundation. Week 1 offers the first official opportunity to turn offseason preparation into a regular-season victory.

Tennessee has home-field advantage, while New York must deal with the challenge of beginning the campaign away from home.

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers

The afternoon schedule shifts at 4:25 p.m. ET when Arizona visits the Los Angeles Chargers.

CBS carries the game from SoFi Stadium.

The Chargers begin the season at home, while Arizona faces an early road challenge.

The late window often draws additional attention because fewer games are being played simultaneously. Fans who follow the early contests can shift toward the Cardinals-Chargers matchup once the first wave of games concludes.

The game is also one of four scheduled for the 4:25 p.m. ET window.

Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders

Miami visits Las Vegas at 4:25 p.m. ET in a game airing on FOX.

The Raiders host the Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.

Both teams enter the season looking to make an early statement in the AFC.

Miami starts the campaign on the road. Las Vegas has the advantage of its home crowd.

The matchup also gives fans an opportunity to evaluate how both offenses perform in their first regular-season action.

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

One of the day’s major divisional matchups takes place in Minnesota.

The Green Bay Packers visit the Minnesota Vikings at 4:25 p.m. ET, with CBS carrying the game.

Green Bay and Minnesota are NFC North rivals, so the result has direct divisional significance from the opening week.

Division games can become particularly important when playoff races tighten later in the season. Winning within the division can also provide valuable tiebreaker advantages.

The Packers therefore have an opportunity to start their season with an important road victory. Minnesota will attempt to protect its home field and begin the year on a positive note.

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

Washington visits Philadelphia at 4:25 p.m. ET in another major divisional matchup.

FOX will carry the game.

The Commanders and Eagles compete in the NFC East, making this one of the most significant games on the late-afternoon schedule.

Philadelphia opens at home, while Washington begins the campaign on the road.

The NFC East has historically produced intense competition, and an opening-week victory over a division rival can immediately add value to a team’s season record.

The game also places both teams under considerable attention from fans following the conference playoff race.

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

Sunday’s final game is one of the NFL’s most familiar rivalries.

The Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium for an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.

NBC and Peacock carry Sunday Night Football.

The NFC East matchup places two of the league’s most recognizable franchises in prime time.

Dak Prescott leads Dallas at quarterback, while the Giants enter the game with Jaxson Dart and head coach John Harbaugh among the major storylines surrounding the organization.

The Cowboys also bring a significant recent history against New York into the matchup. Prescott has won 14 consecutive games against the Giants, giving him the second-longest winning streak by a quarterback against one opponent in NFL history.

The Giants are expected to receive an important boost if wide receiver Malik Nabers is able to play. Veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is also returning to the organization.

Dallas enters the game with a notable offensive-line concern. Left guard Tyler Smith is dealing with an injury, which could affect the Cowboys’ protection.

That combination of a long Dallas winning streak, New York’s new direction and the prime-time setting makes the game one of the biggest attractions on the Sunday schedule.

What Time Do Sunday NFL Games Start?

The first games begin at 1 p.m. ET.

The second afternoon window starts at 4:25 p.m. ET. Sunday Night Football begins at 8:20 p.m. ET.

For viewers in other U.S. time zones, the main kickoff times are:

• Eastern: 1:00 p.m., 4:25 p.m., 8:20 p.m.
• Central: 12:00 p.m., 3:25 p.m., 7:20 p.m.
• Mountain: 11:00 a.m., 2:25 p.m., 6:20 p.m.
• Pacific: 10:00 a.m., 1:25 p.m., 5:20 p.m.

These times make it possible for West Coast viewers to watch the first games beginning in the morning and continue through the evening.

How to Watch the Sunday Schedule

FOX, CBS and NBC are the primary broadcast networks carrying Sunday’s games.

The exact afternoon matchup available on local television depends on the viewer’s market.

NFL+ also provides access to certain live games and NFL programming, while NFL RedZone offers live coverage of scoring opportunities across Sunday afternoon games for eligible subscribers.

Sunday Night Football is available nationally through NBC and Peacock.

Fans should check their local television listings before kickoff to confirm which early or late game is being shown in their area.

Which Games Stand Out Most?

Several matchups deserve particular attention on Sunday.

Buffalo at Houston is one of the most prominent AFC games in the early window. The Bills and Texans both enter the season with expectations surrounding their ability to compete in the conference.

Green Bay at Minnesota is important because it is an NFC North rivalry. The result immediately affects the division standings.

Washington at Philadelphia carries similar importance in the NFC East.

The final game, Dallas at New York, receives the biggest national stage as Sunday Night Football.

Together, those games give fans a strong mix of conference competition and division rivalries.

The Importance of Week 1

The first week of the season does not decide which teams will reach the playoffs, but every victory counts toward the final standings.

Today’s divisional games carry particular importance because teams face opponents they may compete against for playoff positioning later in the year.

Week 1 also gives coaches and players their first opportunity to evaluate their regular-season form.

Offseason expectations can change quickly once competitive games begin. A strong opening performance can create momentum, while an early loss can increase pressure heading into Week 2.

For fans, the biggest attraction is simply having the full Sunday schedule back.

What Comes After Sunday?

The Week 1 Sunday schedule does not mark the end of the opening week.

Denver visits Kansas City on Monday, September 14, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.

That matchup follows Sunday’s 13-game slate and completes the opening weekend schedule.

For Sunday viewers, however, the focus remains on the 13 games scheduled throughout September 13.

From Chicago-Carolina in the early window to Dallas-New York at night, the schedule provides football throughout the day.

Sunday’s Full Football Picture

The opening Sunday of the 2026 regular season offers a broad selection of games for fans across the United States.

Eight contests begin at 1 p.m. ET, followed by four games at 4:25 p.m. ET. Dallas and New York then close the day with an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.

The schedule combines AFC matchups, NFC contests and several divisional rivalries.

Buffalo-Houston, Baltimore-Indianapolis and Chicago-Carolina headline the early window. Green Bay-Minnesota and Washington-Philadelphia are among the most notable late games. Dallas-New York receives the prime-time spotlight.

With the season officially underway, Sunday’s results will become the first major set of standings changes for the 2026 campaign.

Which Sunday matchup are you watching most closely? Share your pick in the comments and stay informed as the NFL season continues.