Games Worth Watching

The 2025 NFL season · every game, every TV market

How your location shapes your NFL TV lineup

In the 2025 season, rated before kickoff, the games on NBC and Prime Video looked far better than Sunday afternoon's regional games. By Week 18, with every team 16 games in, most of that gap was gone, and the matchups between the best records were scattered across regional windows that most of the country never saw. What reached your TV for free depended less on who was good than on where you lived.

~13 of 30

top matchups, ranked by the teams' records entering Week 18, were only on Sunday Ticket: about that many for the typical American, a population-weighted average.

8 vs 2

stand-alone games for the Chiefs, 6-10 entering Week 18, against the 12-4 Jaguars.

46 vs 52

New York's free Sunday slate, the weakest in the country, against the national median.

The primetime premium

Networks paid for reputation, and reputation faded

Before a snap, the site's matchup model rated NBC's primetime games 37 points above a 1 p.m. regional game on a league-average scale, and Prime Video's Thursday games even higher. That rating is built on last season's records, rivalries and betting lines, with the model's own bonus for a national broadcast removed so the windows compete on the matchup alone.

Then the season happened. Rated by the two teams' records entering Week 18, the NBC edge over the early window shrinks to 15 points. Networks lock their marquee slots months ahead, and they bet on names. A good share of those names had down years.

The one-off games tell the story most sharply. Netflix's Christmas pair rated near the top of the preseason chart and fell near the bottom by Week 18's records, because one of them featured a 4-12 Washington team.

Each window's average game against the league-wide average (100), rated two ways
Preseason matchup rating, indexedRecords entering Week 18, indexed
6080100 = avg120140160180One-offsNetflix, YouTube, Peacock · 4 gamespreseasonWeek 18Holidays & SaturdaysCBS/FOX · 4 gamesThursday Night FootballPrime Video · 16 gamesNBC primetime20 gamesNFL Network7 gamesMonday Night FootballESPN/ABC · 23 gamesSunday lateCBS/FOX · 67 gamesSunday earlyCBS/FOX · 131 games
Show the numbers
WindowGamesPreseason ratingIndexCombined win % entering Week 18IndexTwo playoff teamsA bottom-eight team
One-offs · Netflix, YouTube, Peacock46116048.5970%25%
Holidays & Saturdays · CBS/FOX457.51515210425%25%
Thursday Night Football · Prime Video1648.612854.911025%31%
NBC primetime2047.61255511020%15%
NFL Network739.910551.910429%43%
Monday Night Football · ESPN/ABC2338.710252.610522%30%
Sunday late · CBS/FOX6738.610151.210218%51%
Sunday early · CBS/FOX13133.68847.59514%53%

Sunday afternoon

Most regional games reach a sliver of the country

A 1 p.m. regional game reached a median of 13% of the country on free TV, and a 4 p.m. game 18%. Only 43 of 198 regional games reached even half of it.

The ones that did were built around the brands. The ten most widely carried regional games leaned on the Chiefs, Eagles, Bills and Cowboys, including a Week 2 Eagles-Chiefs game every market got and a Chiefs team that was 6-10 entering Week 18.

Meanwhile the matchups between the season's best records sat in the lower left: 49ers at Seahawks reached about a fifth of the country, and Seahawks at Jaguars about one in fourteen Americans. Those are precisely the games Sunday Ticket exists for.

198 CBS and FOX regional games: share of the U.S. population whose local station carried the game, against the two teams' combined win % entering Week 18
1 p.m. ET window4 p.m. ET window
0%25%50%75%100%20%40%60%80%share of the country that got it free →↑ teams' combined win % entering Week 1849ers at Seahawks, 19%Seahawks at Jaguars, 7%Eagles at Chiefs, every marketEagles at Bills
Show the numbers
WeekGameNetworkWindowReachWin % entering Week 18
2Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City ChiefsFOX4 p.m.100%53
9Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo BillsCBS4 p.m.100%53
17Philadelphia Eagles @ Buffalo BillsFOX4 p.m.100%69
12Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas CowboysFOX4 p.m.94%58
4Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City ChiefsCBS4 p.m.93%44
16Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit LionsCBS4 p.m.93%53
14Chicago Bears @ Green Bay PackersFOX4 p.m.91%64
8Dallas Cowboys @ Denver BroncosCBS4 p.m.90%64
11Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver BroncosCBS4 p.m.90%59
13Buffalo Bills @ Pittsburgh SteelersCBS4 p.m.87%62
1Detroit Lions @ Green Bay PackersCBS4 p.m.86%55
15Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles RamsFOX4 p.m.85%59
5Dallas Cowboys @ New York JetsFOX1 p.m.84%33
3Dallas Cowboys @ Chicago BearsFOX4 p.m.84%58
7Washington Commanders @ Dallas CowboysFOX4 p.m.82%36
18Indianapolis Colts @ Houston TexansCBS1 p.m.81%59
15Green Bay Packers @ Denver BroncosCBS4 p.m.78%70
6San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersCBS4 p.m.78%59
14Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo BillsFOX1 p.m.78%53
7Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota VikingsFOX1 p.m.77%59
11Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo BillsCBS1 p.m.76%56
12Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay PackersFOX1 p.m.76%55
16Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland BrownsCBS1 p.m.74%47
18Dallas Cowboys @ New York GiantsFOX1 p.m.73%33
10New York Giants @ Chicago BearsFOX1 p.m.72%44
1Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York JetsCBS1 p.m.72%38
8Chicago Bears @ Baltimore RavensCBS1 p.m.72%59
10Los Angeles Rams @ San Francisco 49ersFOX4 p.m.71%72
5Washington Commanders @ Los Angeles ChargersFOX4 p.m.69%47
10New England Patriots @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersCBS1 p.m.63%62
6Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.63%48
13Houston Texans @ Indianapolis ColtsCBS1 p.m.63%59
18Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver BroncosCBS4 p.m.61%75
18Detroit Lions @ Chicago BearsFOX4 p.m.61%59
6Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh SteelersCBS1 p.m.60%41
17Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis ColtsFOX1 p.m.59%62
12Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City ChiefsCBS1 p.m.56%44
16Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas CowboysFOX1 p.m.55%58
2New York Giants @ Dallas CowboysFOX1 p.m.55%33
7Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City ChiefsCBS1 p.m.54%25
5Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia EaglesCBS1 p.m.53%75
15Las Vegas Raiders @ Philadelphia EaglesFOX1 p.m.52%41
1New York Giants @ Washington CommandersFOX1 p.m.50%22
14Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore RavensCBS1 p.m.50%53
9Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh SteelersCBS1 p.m.48%53
9Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit LionsFOX1 p.m.45%50
13Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.44%59
8New York Giants @ Philadelphia EaglesFOX1 p.m.43%44
17Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland BrownsCBS1 p.m.43%41
15Buffalo Bills @ New England PatriotsCBS1 p.m.43%75
3Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia EaglesFOX1 p.m.42%69
4Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersFOX1 p.m.41%56
17Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina PanthersCBS1 p.m.41%66
4Washington Commanders @ Atlanta FalconsCBS1 p.m.40%34
15Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City ChiefsCBS1 p.m.37%53
2Buffalo Bills @ New York JetsCBS1 p.m.34%44
6Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami DolphinsCBS1 p.m.33%56
4Los Angeles Chargers @ New York GiantsCBS1 p.m.32%44
11Chicago Bears @ Minnesota VikingsFOX1 p.m.32%59
13Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle SeahawksFOX4 p.m.32%66
5Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati BengalsFOX4 p.m.31%44
13San Francisco 49ers @ Cleveland BrownsCBS1 p.m.31%50
3Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England PatriotsCBS1 p.m.30%69
10Detroit Lions @ Washington CommandersFOX4 p.m.29%38
18Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia EaglesCBS4 p.m.27%47
11Green Bay Packers @ New York GiantsFOX1 p.m.26%39
15Cleveland Browns @ Chicago BearsFOX1 p.m.26%47
18Miami Dolphins @ New England PatriotsFOX4 p.m.25%62
3Cincinnati Bengals @ Minnesota VikingsCBS1 p.m.25%44
4Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Francisco 49ersFOX4 p.m.24%75
8San Francisco 49ers @ Houston TexansFOX1 p.m.23%72
14Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas RaidersCBS4 p.m.22%47
6Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay PackersCBS4 p.m.22%48
15Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle SeahawksCBS4 p.m.22%66
3Green Bay Packers @ Cleveland BrownsFOX1 p.m.21%42
9Jacksonville Jaguars @ Las Vegas RaidersFOX4 p.m.21%44
11Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles RamsFOX4 p.m.20%75
10Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota VikingsFOX1 p.m.20%50
17New England Patriots @ New York JetsFOX1 p.m.20%50
3Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles ChargersCBS4 p.m.20%75
9San Francisco 49ers @ New York GiantsCBS1 p.m.19%47
1San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle SeahawksFOX4 p.m.19%78
2Chicago Bears @ Detroit LionsFOX1 p.m.18%59
7Green Bay Packers @ Arizona CardinalsFOX4 p.m.18%39
12New York Giants @ Detroit LionsFOX1 p.m.18%34
8Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta FalconsCBS1 p.m.17%44
4Cleveland Browns @ Detroit LionsFOX1 p.m.17%38
2San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans SaintsFOX1 p.m.16%56
4New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo BillsCBS1 p.m.16%53
3Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ersFOX4 p.m.16%47
12Pittsburgh Steelers @ Chicago BearsCBS1 p.m.16%62
16Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver BroncosFOX4 p.m.16%78
5Houston Texans @ Baltimore RavensCBS1 p.m.16%59
7Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles ChargersCBS4 p.m.16%59
2Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis ColtsCBS4 p.m.16%66
7New York Giants @ Denver BroncosCBS4 p.m.16%50
8Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans SaintsFOX4 p.m.15%41
2Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.15%44
3New York Jets @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersFOX1 p.m.15%31
17Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami DolphinsFOX1 p.m.15%44
11Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh SteelersCBS1 p.m.15%47
18Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles RamsFOX4 p.m.14%44
1Houston Texans @ Los Angeles RamsCBS4 p.m.14%69
5Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Seattle SeahawksCBS4 p.m.14%62
15Washington Commanders @ New York GiantsFOX1 p.m.14%22
18Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota VikingsCBS1 p.m.14%55
6Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore RavensFOX1 p.m.14%59
18Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville JaguarsFOX1 p.m.14%47
13Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles ChargersCBS4 p.m.13%41
18New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta FalconsFOX1 p.m.13%41
9Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati BengalsCBS1 p.m.13%53
10Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle SeahawksCBS4 p.m.13%50
7Carolina Panthers @ New York JetsFOX1 p.m.12%34
9Denver Broncos @ Houston TexansFOX1 p.m.12%75
16Minnesota Vikings @ New York GiantsFOX1 p.m.12%34
1Las Vegas Raiders @ New England PatriotsCBS1 p.m.12%47
3Las Vegas Raiders @ Washington CommandersFOX1 p.m.12%19
15Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati BengalsCBS1 p.m.12%44
17New York Giants @ Las Vegas RaidersCBS4 p.m.12%16
13Atlanta Falcons @ New York JetsFOX1 p.m.12%31
2Carolina Panthers @ Arizona CardinalsCBS4 p.m.12%34
5New York Giants @ New Orleans SaintsCBS1 p.m.11%28
6Tennessee Titans @ Las Vegas RaidersFOX4 p.m.11%16
16Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.11%47
14Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville JaguarsCBS1 p.m.11%62
3New Orleans Saints @ Seattle SeahawksCBS4 p.m.11%59
4Tennessee Titans @ Houston TexansCBS1 p.m.11%44
9New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles RamsFOX4 p.m.11%53
8New York Jets @ Cincinnati BengalsCBS1 p.m.11%28
9Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay PackersFOX1 p.m.11%55
7New Orleans Saints @ Chicago BearsFOX1 p.m.10%53
10Cleveland Browns @ New York JetsCBS1 p.m.10%22
12New York Jets @ Baltimore RavensCBS1 p.m.10%34
2Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh SteelersFOX1 p.m.10%69
11Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland BrownsCBS4 p.m.10%38
16Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.10%28
1Tennessee Titans @ Denver BroncosFOX4 p.m.10%50
9Atlanta Falcons @ New England PatriotsCBS1 p.m.10%62
8Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis ColtsCBS4 p.m.10%34
14Washington Commanders @ Minnesota VikingsFOX1 p.m.10%38
3Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.10%47
2New England Patriots @ Miami DolphinsCBS1 p.m.10%62
9Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.10%44
14Miami Dolphins @ New York JetsCBS1 p.m.10%31
1Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis ColtsCBS1 p.m.10%47
1Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta FalconsFOX1 p.m.10%44
4Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles RamsFOX4 p.m.9%59
8Buffalo Bills @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.9%59
5Las Vegas Raiders @ Indianapolis ColtsFOX1 p.m.9%31
2Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore RavensCBS1 p.m.9%38
10Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston TexansCBS1 p.m.9%72
14Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona CardinalsFOX4 p.m.9%44
4Carolina Panthers @ New England PatriotsFOX1 p.m.9%66
11Los Angeles Chargers @ Jacksonville JaguarsCBS1 p.m.9%72
3Houston Texans @ Jacksonville JaguarsCBS1 p.m.9%72
8Cleveland Browns @ New England PatriotsFOX1 p.m.9%53
16New York Jets @ New Orleans SaintsCBS1 p.m.9%28
12Jacksonville Jaguars @ Arizona CardinalsCBS4 p.m.9%47
18New York Jets @ Buffalo BillsCBS4 p.m.9%44
11Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta FalconsFOX1 p.m.8%47
14Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta FalconsFOX1 p.m.8%62
15Arizona Cardinals @ Houston TexansFOX1 p.m.8%44
15New York Jets @ Jacksonville JaguarsCBS1 p.m.8%47
10New Orleans Saints @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.8%44
15Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans SaintsFOX4 p.m.8%44
7New England Patriots @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.7%50
16Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston TexansCBS4 p.m.7%41
6New England Patriots @ New Orleans SaintsCBS1 p.m.7%59
11San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona CardinalsFOX4 p.m.7%47
4Chicago Bears @ Las Vegas RaidersCBS4 p.m.7%41
14New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersCBS1 p.m.7%41
15Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ersFOX4 p.m.7%47
5Miami Dolphins @ Carolina PanthersFOX1 p.m.7%47
16Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami DolphinsCBS1 p.m.7%41
13Arizona Cardinals @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersFOX1 p.m.7%31
7Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland BrownsCBS1 p.m.7%34
6Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville JaguarsFOX1 p.m.7%78
12New England Patriots @ Cincinnati BengalsCBS1 p.m.7%59
11Houston Texans @ Tennessee TitansFOX1 p.m.6%44
1Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans SaintsCBS1 p.m.6%28
1Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland BrownsFOX1 p.m.6%31
5Tennessee Titans @ Arizona CardinalsCBS4 p.m.6%19
12Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans SaintsFOX4 p.m.6%41
13Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.6%47
12Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee TitansFOX1 p.m.6%50
16Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona CardinalsFOX4 p.m.5%31
3Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.5%34
1Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville JaguarsFOX1 p.m.5%62
17Arizona Cardinals @ Cincinnati BengalsFOX1 p.m.5%28
13New Orleans Saints @ Miami DolphinsFOX1 p.m.5%41
2Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati BengalsCBS1 p.m.5%56
18Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati BengalsCBS1 p.m.5%31
6Arizona Cardinals @ Indianapolis ColtsFOX1 p.m.5%34
10Buffalo Bills @ Miami DolphinsCBS1 p.m.5%56
14Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland BrownsFOX1 p.m.4%22
17New Orleans Saints @ Tennessee TitansCBS1 p.m.4%28
18Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas RaidersCBS4 p.m.3%25
12Cleveland Browns @ Las Vegas RaidersCBS4 p.m.2%19

Stand-alone games

The spotlight followed fame, not the standings

The Wall Street Journal counted eight stand-alone games apiece for the Chiefs and Cowboys last season, and the schedule agrees. Entering Week 18, Kansas City was 6-10 and Dallas 7-8-1. Washington also drew eight and won four.

Fame is not the opposite of winning: the Eagles, 49ers and Packers were good and heavily featured. The spotlight does not follow the standings. All three 13-3 teams, and one of the two 12-4 teams, sat outside the top ten for stand-alone games. New England won 13 games on 4 appearances, Jacksonville won 12 on 2, and Tennessee, at 3-13, got none.

Every one of those overlooked winners played the rest of its season in regional Sunday windows, which is why so many of the year's top matchups were on Sunday Ticket outside the teams' own markets.

The regional windows are not all small. Count the CBS and FOX games whose maps reached at least half the country along with the stand-alone ones, and Dallas was seen by at least half the country in 17 of its 17 games and Kansas City in 14. Seattle, at 13-3, was seen that widely in 5, New England in 5 and Jacksonville in 3. Switch the chart to see it.

Your team(s)

Saved on this device. Checked teams join the charts below.

Games each team played in a national or Monday night window, against its 2025 wins
048121603692025 wins →↑ stand-alone gamesCowboys 7-8-1Jaguars 12-4Chiefs 6-10Patriots 13-3Saints 6-10Eagles 11-5Seahawks, Broncos 13-349ers 12-4Titans 3-13Commanders 4-12
Show the numbers
TeamStand-alone gamesSeen by at least half the countryRecord
Dallas Cowboys8177-8-1
Kansas City Chiefs8146-10
Washington Commanders8114-12
Philadelphia Eagles71311-5
Green Bay Packers7119-6-1
Baltimore Ravens798-8
Detroit Lions7118-8
Minnesota Vikings798-8
San Francisco 49ers6812-4
Los Angeles Chargers6911-5
Pittsburgh Steelers6109-7
Atlanta Falcons667-9
Denver Broncos51013-3
Seattle Seahawks5513-3
Buffalo Bills51111-5
Chicago Bears51011-5
Houston Texans5711-5
Los Angeles Rams5711-5
Miami Dolphins557-9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers587-9
New England Patriots4513-3
Cincinnati Bengals346-10
New York Giants373-13
New York Jets353-13
Las Vegas Raiders352-14
Jacksonville Jaguars2312-4
Carolina Panthers238-8
Indianapolis Colts268-8
Arizona Cardinals223-13
Cleveland Browns134-12
New Orleans Saints006-10
Tennessee Titans003-13

Where you live

Four fans, four very different Sundays

Pick three kinds of fan: one with no local team, one with a bad team, one with a great team, plus the country's biggest market, which had two bad teams. The rule that decides their free Sunday games is simple: the local CBS and FOX stations carry the home team almost every week, and fill the rest with whatever the network thinks the area wants.

A fan in Idaho Falls–Pocatello, with no team, got the best of it: free Sunday games whose teams averaged 58.3% in combined win percentage entering Week 18, against 55.5% in Seattle, whose Seahawks were 13-3. In Las Vegas, the Raiders took 14 of 56 free Sunday slots and were 2-14 entering Week 18.

New York is the extreme. The Giants and Jets filled 28 of its 56 free slots, and the games its stations did not carry were better, on average, than the ones they did. A New Yorker saw only 9 of the season's 30 top matchups on free TV.

The season's 30 top matchups, ranked by the teams' records entering Week 18, and how each fan could watch them
Free on local TVNeeded a streaming or cable serviceOnly on Sunday Ticket
0102030Idaho Falls–PocatelloNo NFL team1875Las VegasRaiders, 2-1411712SeattleSeahawks, 13-314511New YorkGiants and Jets, 3-13 each9615The typical AmericanPopulation-weighted average10.86.512.7
Show the numbers
FanFree on local TVStreaming or cableOnly on Sunday Ticket
Idaho Falls–Pocatello1875
Las Vegas11712
Seattle14511
New York9615
The typical American10.86.512.7

Idaho Falls–Pocatello

No NFL team

58.3%free Sunday games' win % entering Week 18
44.9%games it didn't get
0 of 56free slots for the home team
Free on the local stationBest game it did not carry
255075Wk 1Wk 6Wk 12Wk 18

Las Vegas

Raiders, 2-14

51.2%free Sunday games' win % entering Week 18
47.7%games it didn't get
14 of 56free slots for the home team
Free on the local stationBest game it did not carry
255075Wk 1Wk 6Wk 12Wk 18

Seattle

Seahawks, 13-3

55.5%free Sunday games' win % entering Week 18
46%games it didn't get
12 of 56free slots for the home team
Free on the local stationBest game it did not carry
255075Wk 1Wk 6Wk 12Wk 18

New York

Giants and Jets, 3-13 each

46.2%free Sunday games' win % entering Week 18
49.7%games it didn't get
31 of 56free slots for the home team
Free on the local stationBest game it did not carry
255075Wk 1Wk 6Wk 12Wk 18

Were the good games any good?

Great records made for only slightly better games

Records entering Week 18 say which games had good teams. A scoring log says which games were good to watch. Each of the 272 games is scored out of 100 on its lead changes and ties, how much of the fourth quarter and overtime stayed within one score, a go-ahead or tying score in the final five minutes, the deficit the winner came back from, and the final margin. The rank correlation between the two orderings is 0.133, on a scale where 1 would mean the best matchups were always the best games: the 30 top matchups by records averaged 52.6 against 42.1 for the other 242 games. The two most exciting games of the season, Panthers at Falcons in Week 11 and Chiefs at Jaguars in Week 5, ranked 162 and 93 of 272 by records.

No window had a monopoly on the thrillers. NBC's primetime games averaged 51.5, Prime Video's Thursday games 51.8, the 1 p.m. regional window 41.7 and the 4 p.m. window 42.5; Monday night's 23 games averaged 37. The liveliest window on average was NFL Network, 7 games at 58.8, and the quietest One-offs, 4 games at 33.5.

For the typical American, the top matchups found only on Sunday Ticket averaged 54.7 out of 100, the ones free on local TV 54.7, and the ones behind a streaming or cable service 45.2. Among the four fans the gap between Sunday Ticket and free was widest in Seattle: 62.5 against 48.8. And of the 30 most exciting games of the season, 16.7 were on Sunday Ticket alone for the typical American, against 12.7 of the 30 top matchups by records. The package's games were not the marquee ones, and they were not the dull ones either.

All 272 games: how exciting each turned out, against its rank by the teams' records entering Week 18, colored by how most Americans could watch it
Free on local TV for most AmericansNeeded a streaming or cable serviceOnly on Sunday Ticket for most Americans
1 (best)68136204272255075100rank by the teams' records entering Week 18 →↑ excitement, out of 100Chiefs at Jaguars, 100Panthers at Falcons, 100
Show the numbers
GameWeekWindowRecords rankExcitementLead changes and tiesMinutes within a scoreLate go-ahead or tieWinner's comebackMarginWin-probability model's biggest swing4th-quarter and overtime minutes the model had it 20–80%Most Americans
Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars5Monday Night Football93100515 minyes14342 pts13 minFree
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons11Sunday early162100420 minyes14341 pts17 minSunday Ticket
Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys4NBC primetime11998.9925 minyes13042 pts23 minFree
Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle Seahawks15Sunday late3695.7415 minyes10234 pts15 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers18NBC primetime10895.7615 minyes10254 pts15 minFree
New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys2Sunday early24095.7825 minyes10350 pts25 minFree
Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals7Sunday late21795415 minyes10419 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets1Sunday early22594.5715 minyes9228 pts15 minFree
Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers5Sunday early16793.8315 minyes17327 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Denver Broncos @ Houston Texans9Sunday early1293.6415 minyes8320 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts2Sunday late3593.6415 minyes8141 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Chicago Bears @ Las Vegas Raiders4Sunday late21693.6415 minyes8138 pts12 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns11Sunday late22192.9415 minyes10737 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Seattle Seahawks5Sunday late4592.5715 minyes7340 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Houston Texans2Monday Night Football9492.5415 minyes7136 pts14 minFree
Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers6Sunday early14492.5715 minyes7324 pts13 minFree
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers16Sunday early15492.5515 minyes7331 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons1Sunday early18892.5415 minyes7329 pts15 minSunday Ticket
Washington Commanders @ Miami Dolphins11NFL Network22992.5517 minyes7329 pts14 minStreaming or cable
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets13Sunday early25192.5615 minyes7329 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers15Thursday Night Football18692.1411 minyes14146 pts3 minStreaming or cable
Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers17NBC primetime2291.8815 minyes7447 pts15 minFree
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals2Sunday early9891.8415 minyes7435 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ Cleveland Browns5NFL Network22491.8415 minyes7433 pts14 minStreaming or cable
Arizona Cardinals @ Indianapolis Colts6Sunday early23591.8515 minyes7439 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Las Vegas Raiders9Sunday late19991.4725 minyes6146 pts19 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks16Thursday Night Football1090.4515 minyes16153 pts12 minStreaming or cable
Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles Rams4Sunday late7689.6615 minyes7729 pts11 minSunday Ticket
Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles18Sunday late14689.6515 minyes7719 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants11Sunday early21889.6415 minyes7722 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints15Sunday late19689.5315 minyes10319 pts9 minSunday Ticket
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Arizona Cardinals12Sunday late16889.3621 minyes4335 pts20 minSunday Ticket
New England Patriots @ Baltimore Ravens16NBC primetime3488.4511 minyes11421 pts6 minFree
Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Chargers14Monday Night Football2588.2423 minyes3383 pts22 minFree
Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos11Sunday late5888.2515 minyes3325 pts14 minFree
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers3Sunday late15988.2615 minyes3143 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Kansas City Chiefs @ Las Vegas Raiders18Sunday late26288.2515 minyes3250 pts13 minSunday Ticket
San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks1Sunday late387.5415 minyes3454 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys12Sunday late8487.5215 minyes21330 pts14 minFree
Atlanta Falcons @ Indianapolis Colts10NFL Network16387.1721 minyes4628 pts19 minStreaming or cable
Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers3Sunday late786.2315 minyes7319 pts9 minSunday Ticket
Denver Broncos @ Washington Commanders13NBC primetime11686.1522 minyes1147 pts21 minFree
Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans18Sunday early7185.7815 minyes4825 pts15 minFree
Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals18Sunday early24985.2315 minyes6246 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals9Sunday early12284.7812 minyes7558 pts7 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles3Sunday early2684.6215 minyes19761 pts11 minSunday Ticket
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals7Thursday Night Football15181.7311 minyes10233 pts8 minStreaming or cable
Chicago Bears @ Washington Commanders6Monday Night Football15581.1215 minyes8143 pts13 minFree
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills5NBC primetime680.2410 minyes4329 pts13 minFree
Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs17Thursday Night Football5780.2315 minyes4716 pts13 minStreaming or cable
Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans11Sunday early18978.9215 minyes6321 pts6 minSunday Ticket
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts17Sunday early4978.6415 minno10620 pts12 minFree
New York Giants @ Detroit Lions12Sunday early23078.3219 minyes10774 pts16 minSunday Ticket
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots15Sunday early578315 minno21427 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers13Sunday early7877.5715 minno7333 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings11Sunday early6377.1313 minyes3244 pts2 minSunday Ticket
Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos15Sunday late2376.1515 minno9816 pts7 minFree
Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs12Sunday early18476217 minyes11333 pts15 minFree
New York Giants @ Chicago Bears10Sunday early2007639 minyes10417 pts4 minFree
Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers9Sunday early10575.7215 minyes3327 pts11 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Chargers @ Miami Dolphins6Sunday early9675.268 minyes4237 pts5 minSunday Ticket
New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals8Sunday early25774.8112 minyes15125 pts7 minSunday Ticket
Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles5Sunday early874.4313 minno14427 pts8 minFree
Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys13Holidays & Saturdays20273.9413 minno7318 pts4 minFree
New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins2Sunday early5173.2415 minno5630 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Denver Broncos @ New York Jets6NFL Network13073.2415 minno3230 pts14 minStreaming or cable
San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams5Thursday Night Football1672.5221 minyes0380 pts16 minStreaming or cable
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers14Sunday early20772.5615 minno3418 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants16Sunday early23172.5215 minyes0325 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ Dallas Cowboys15NBC primetime14272.3614 minno7815 pts6 minFree
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills3Thursday Night Football8971.8415 minno71023 pts9 minStreaming or cable
Detroit Lions @ Baltimore Ravens3Monday Night Football12771.5514 minno7819 pts7 minFree
New York Giants @ Denver Broncos7Sunday late13171.534 minyes19142 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles1NBC primetime8370.5315 minno7422 pts13 minFree
Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears16Holidays & Saturdays4170.4213 minyes10641 pts9 minFree
Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos1Sunday late13269.6415 minno3819 pts7 minSunday Ticket
Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans12Thursday Night Football2769.5315 minno6433 pts8 minStreaming or cable
Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Rams1Sunday late3068.8315 minno6535 pts6 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs15Sunday early10768.2215 minno10322 pts14 minSunday Ticket
Cleveland Browns @ New York Jets10Sunday early26668.1412 minno7725 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions9Sunday early12668313 minno7316 pts7 minSunday Ticket
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts13Sunday early7066.2315 minno3420 pts10 minFree
Los Angeles Rams @ Atlanta Falcons17Monday Night Football9766.2115 minyes0319 pts6 minStreaming or cable
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns1Sunday early24865.9315 minno2145 pts14 minSunday Ticket
New York Jets @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers3Sunday early24565.544 minyes3242 pts2 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills1NBC primetime6565.424 minyes15139 pts2 minFree
Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns16Sunday early15665215 minno7316 pts9 minFree
Las Vegas Raiders @ Denver Broncos10Thursday Night Football15865215 minno7317 pts11 minStreaming or cable
Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears18Sunday late6064.8114 minyes0325 pts8 minFree
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Buffalo Bills11Sunday early9163.8912 minno51220 pts8 minFree
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions16Sunday late11363.649 minno7531 pts5 minFree
Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars3Sunday early1763.4115 minyes0723 pts9 minSunday Ticket
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans10Sunday early1863.417 minyes19730 pts6 minSunday Ticket
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots3Sunday early3263.4115 minyes0724 pts13 minSunday Ticket
Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers14Sunday late4063.4115 minyes0714 pts13 minFree
New England Patriots @ New Orleans Saints6Sunday early8262.2314 minno3616 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Chicago Bears12Sunday early4661.947 minno7320 pts6 minSunday Ticket
New England Patriots @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers10Sunday early4761.6214 minno7521 pts11 minFree
New Orleans Saints @ Tennessee Titans17Sunday early26061.6115 minno13819 pts7 minSunday Ticket
Green Bay Packers @ Cleveland Browns3Sunday early20360.524 minyes10332 pts5 minSunday Ticket
Tennessee Titans @ Arizona Cardinals5Sunday late26960.515 minyes18137 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans16Sunday late21160.3313 minno1220 pts10 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams15Sunday late6659.446 minno10727 pts0 minFree
Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills14Sunday early11557.6113 minno11556 pts7 minFree
Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City Chiefs2Sunday late11057.4310 minno3331 pts5 minFree
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals4Thursday Night Football13457.426 minyes3330 pts1 minStreaming or cable
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals12Sunday early8157.3114 minno10628 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills9Sunday late11157.2312 minno3716 pts0 minFree
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears1Monday Night Football6455.8111 minno11322 pts6 minFree
San Francisco 49ers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers6Sunday late7751.2213 minno31116 pts0 minFree
Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots1Sunday early17351.239 minno3712 pts1 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans9Sunday early19451.136 minno7717 pts1 minSunday Ticket
Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland Browns14Sunday early26750.6210 minno3221 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens14Sunday early10950.5114 minno3527 pts10 minSunday Ticket
Seattle Seahawks @ Jacksonville Jaguars6Sunday early450.1113 minno6817 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals16Sunday late25049.727 minno10717 pts1 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys16Sunday early8649.646 minno71714 pts1 minFree
Atlanta Falcons @ New England Patriots9Sunday early5449.5114 minno0118 pts7 minSunday Ticket
Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers8NBC primetime8546.534 minno91016 pts4 minFree
Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers2Sunday early3146.136 minno71424 pts3 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans2Sunday early1954645 minno31419 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs14NBC primetime11245.2115 minno01014 pts9 minFree
Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Giants4Sunday early19345015 minno0320 pts8 minSunday Ticket
Atlanta Falcons @ San Francisco 49ers7NBC primetime8044.6113 minno31018 pts7 minFree
Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams18Sunday late1854344 minno41713 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons6Monday Night Football9242.8113 minno01012 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns17Sunday early21042.1015 minno0717 pts12 minSunday Ticket
New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons18Sunday early21341.6013 minno0225 pts5 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota Vikings10Sunday early12840.618 minno7818 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints1Sunday early25840.633 minno4714 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs6NBC primetime17640.435 minno41310 pts3 minFree
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants18Sunday early23939.236 minno41715 pts0 minFree
Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Chargers17NFL Network2938.6012 minno0419 pts1 minStreaming or cable
San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts16Monday Night Football5338.535 minno72116 pts0 minFree
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Commanders17One-offs22638.5013 minno0713 pts3 minStreaming or cable
Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Francisco 49ers4Sunday late1438.418 minno3519 pts1 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami Dolphins17Sunday early19238.222 minno7319 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders16Holidays & Saturdays14538.133 minno31119 pts2 minFree
Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers1One-offs10637.9013 minno0614 pts4 minFree
Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers4Sunday early9037.4012 minno0620 pts4 minSunday Ticket
New Orleans Saints @ Miami Dolphins13Sunday early21537.3011 minno0426 pts1 minSunday Ticket
Arizona Cardinals @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers13Sunday early24437011 minno0315 pts3 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings17One-offs12536.7111 minno01317 pts6 minStreaming or cable
Philadelphia Eagles @ Green Bay Packers10Monday Night Football3935.5010 minno0323 pts9 minFree
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos16Sunday late135.440 minno31417 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Chicago Bears @ Baltimore Ravens8Sunday early733417 minno61412 pts4 minFree
New York Jets @ New England Patriots11Thursday Night Football13633.723 minno7139 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Philadelphia Eagles @ Minnesota Vikings7Sunday early6233.6010 minno0619 pts8 minFree
New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers10Sunday early19733.115 minno71022 pts5 minSunday Ticket
Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers9Sunday early12032.420 minno7718 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Philadelphia Eagles11NBC primetime6131.817 minno0717 pts0 minFree
New York Jets @ Baltimore Ravens12Sunday early23231.815 minno71312 pts0 minSunday Ticket
San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints2Sunday early9931.609 minno0518 pts4 minSunday Ticket
Carolina Panthers @ New York Jets7Sunday early23831.316 minno0711 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills4Sunday early11830.618 minno01213 pts6 minSunday Ticket
New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans7Sunday early13930.530 minno71813 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans12Sunday early1373021 minno3620 pts0 minSunday Ticket
San Francisco 49ers @ New York Giants9Sunday early1703020 minno71014 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Washington Commanders @ Atlanta Falcons4Sunday early22828.808 minno0712 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers4NFL Network11428.712 minno3316 pts1 minStreaming or cable
Washington Commanders @ Los Angeles Chargers5Sunday late14828.220 minno101713 pts5 minFree
Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles13Thursday Night Football2828.109 minno0926 pts2 minStreaming or cable
Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants6Thursday Night Football1812830 minno41717 pts1 minStreaming or cable
Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions14Thursday Night Football14127.717 minno01413 pts2 minStreaming or cable
Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers17Sunday early3727.518 minno01718 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New York Giants @ New Orleans Saints5Sunday early2612710 minno111235 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Philadelphia Eagles @ Buffalo Bills17Sunday late2425.405 minno0129 pts1 minFree
Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans16Sunday early25524.723 minno11711 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins16Sunday early2142330 minno42415 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens6Sunday early6922.920 minno31421 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New York Jets @ New Orleans Saints16Sunday early25922.730 minno32310 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Giants3NBC primetime25422.414 minno01312 pts4 minFree
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Jets5Sunday early24222.120 minno31514 pts0 minFree
New York Giants @ Washington Commanders1Sunday early26422.108 minno0159 pts0 minFree
Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons14Sunday early522230 minno32824 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers6Sunday late14321.806 minno0915 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers18Monday Night Football15321.503 minno0218 pts1 minFree
Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams11Sunday late1121.303 minno0239 pts2 minSunday Ticket
Washington Commanders @ New York Giants15Sunday early26521.305 minno0813 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens13NBC primetime17521.120 minno41817 pts0 minFree
Baltimore Ravens @ Green Bay Packers17One-offs10420.915 minno01713 pts5 minStreaming or cable
Dallas Cowboys @ Las Vegas Raiders11Monday Night Football25320.720 minno31714 pts0 minFree
Carolina Panthers @ San Francisco 49ers12Monday Night Football5520.606 minno01116 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Cleveland Browns @ New England Patriots8Sunday early12420.420 minno41910 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Washington Commanders @ Green Bay Packers2Thursday Night Football20120.305 minno0913 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars18Sunday early1662020 minno73415 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona Cardinals14Sunday late1872020 minno7289 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions4Sunday early2232020 minno72418 pts0 minSunday Ticket
San Francisco 49ers @ Houston Texans8Sunday early1919.905 minno01111 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs4Sunday late17718.810 minno71711 pts0 minFree
Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas Raiders14Sunday late15718.410 minno0713 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions13Holidays & Saturdays10118.103 minno0715 pts4 minFree
San Francisco 49ers @ Cleveland Browns13Sunday early13817.920 minno11815 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals2Sunday late23617.502 minno0519 pts1 minSunday Ticket
Buffalo Bills @ Pittsburgh Steelers13Sunday late4317.310 minno71924 pts0 minFree
Miami Dolphins @ Pittsburgh Steelers15Monday Night Football12917.310 minno31312 pts0 minStreaming or cable
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins4Monday Night Football24716.502 minno0617 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Los Angeles Chargers10NBC primetime4415.910 minno31514 pts0 minFree
Houston Texans @ Seattle Seahawks7Monday Night Football1315.602 minno0814 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas Raiders2Monday Night Football20415.510 minno01112 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys7Sunday late2271520 minno12213 pts0 minFree
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers12Sunday early10314.510 minno31715 pts0 minFree
Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers11Sunday early15013.506 minno02225 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings2NBC primetime14913.204 minno01615 pts0 minFree
Carolina Panthers @ New England Patriots4Sunday early3812.710 minno62924 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Dallas Cowboys @ Denver Broncos8Sunday late4212.310 minno32013 pts0 minFree
Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars1Sunday early561210 minno01612 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers18Monday Night Football211.501 minno01016 pts3 minFree
Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars14Sunday early4811.210 minno01714 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Dallas Cowboys @ Chicago Bears3Sunday late8711.210 minno01714 pts0 minFree
Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers13Sunday late20511.210 minno01719 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Las Vegas Raiders @ Washington Commanders3Sunday early26811.210 minno01716 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins9Thursday Night Football15210.910 minno32216 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans13Sunday early16510.910 minno32214 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ San Francisco 49ers10Sunday late1510.502 minno0167 pts0 minFree
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles8Sunday early18010.510 minno01821 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys9Monday Night Football2411000 minno01016 pts0 minFree
Tennessee Titans @ Las Vegas Raiders6Sunday late2721000 minno01011 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars11Sunday early209.510 minno32912 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos4Monday Night Football749.510 minno3259 pts0 minFree
Las Vegas Raiders @ Indianapolis Colts5Sunday early2529.510 minno3349 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints12Sunday late2129.401 minno01424 pts3 minSunday Ticket
New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears7Sunday early1238.600 minno01214 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Washington Commanders @ Kansas City Chiefs8Monday Night Football2438.410 minno02119 pts0 minFree
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings18Sunday early1027.900 minno0138 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers15Sunday late1717.900 minno0138 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati Bengals5Sunday late1827.900 minno01312 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles Chargers7Sunday late757.100 minno01410 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers1Sunday late1007.100 minno0149 pts0 minFree
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers6Sunday early2097.100 minno0148 pts0 minFree
Cleveland Browns @ Las Vegas Raiders12Sunday late2707.100 minno01413 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions7Monday Night Football1476.400 minno01511 pts0 minFree
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions2Sunday early596.210 minno03112 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns7Sunday early2376.210 minno02513 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos18Sunday late95.700 minno01614 pts0 minFree
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins10Sunday early88500 minno0178 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New York Giants @ New England Patriots13Monday Night Football1404.300 minno01815 pts0 minStreaming or cable
San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals11Sunday late1603.600 minno01927 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets2Sunday early1782.900 minno02014 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Arizona Cardinals @ Houston Texans15Sunday early1912.900 minno02014 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints8Sunday late2082.900 minno02021 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans3Sunday early2332.100 minno02119 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks10Sunday late1331.400 minno02216 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Detroit Lions @ Washington Commanders10Sunday late2191.400 minno0226 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Arizona Cardinals @ Cincinnati Bengals17Sunday early2560.700 minno02312 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans4Sunday early1900.200 minno02610 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Los Angeles Rams @ Jacksonville Jaguars7NFL Network21000 minno0286 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks13Sunday late33000 minno02629 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots18Sunday late50000 minno02816 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Chargers8Thursday Night Football67000 minno0276 pts0 minStreaming or cable
Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens5Sunday early68000 minno0349 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Buffalo Bills @ Carolina Panthers8Sunday early72000 minno03116 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks3Sunday late79000 minno0318 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Los Angeles Rams12NBC primetime95000 minno02712 pts0 minFree
Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Commanders9NBC primetime117000 minno0247 pts0 minFree
New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams9Sunday late121000 minno0246 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New England Patriots @ New York Jets17Sunday early135000 minno0327 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers3Sunday early161000 minno03010 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts1Sunday early164000 minno02510 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New York Jets @ Jacksonville Jaguars15Sunday early169000 minno0288 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cleveland Browns @ Chicago Bears15Sunday early172000 minno0288 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals15Sunday early174000 minno02414 pts0 minSunday Ticket
New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills18Sunday late179000 minno0277 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cincinnati Bengals @ Minnesota Vikings3Sunday early183000 minno03820 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta Falcons8Sunday early198000 minno02410 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Las Vegas Raiders @ Philadelphia Eagles15Sunday early206000 minno0317 pts0 minFree
Washington Commanders @ Minnesota Vikings14Sunday early220000 minno0318 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens2Sunday early222000 minno02410 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts8Sunday late234000 minno0249 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets14Sunday early246000 minno02413 pts0 minSunday Ticket
Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs7Sunday early263000 minno0318 pts0 minFree
New York Giants @ Las Vegas Raiders17Sunday late271000 minno02419 pts0 minSunday Ticket

The ten most exciting games of the season, and how each fan could watch them

GameScoreWhat happenedWin-probability model's biggest swingIdaho Falls–PocatelloLas VegasSeattleNew YorkMost Americans
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta FalconsWeek 11 · Sunday early · CBS/FOX1004 lead changes and ties · 20 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 14 down · by 3 (OT)41 ptsSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday Ticket
Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville JaguarsWeek 5 · Monday Night Football · ESPN/ABC1005 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 14 down · by 342 ptsFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Green Bay Packers @ Dallas CowboysWeek 4 · NBC primetime98.99 lead changes and ties · 25 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 13 down · tie (OT)42 ptsFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh SteelersWeek 18 · NBC primetime95.76 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 10 down · by 254 ptsFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle SeahawksWeek 15 · Sunday late · CBS/FOX95.74 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 10 down · by 234 ptsSunday TicketSunday TicketFreeSunday TicketSunday Ticket
New York Giants @ Dallas CowboysWeek 2 · Sunday early · CBS/FOX95.78 lead changes and ties · 25 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 10 down · by 3 (OT)50 ptsSunday TicketFreeSunday TicketFreeFree
Green Bay Packers @ Arizona CardinalsWeek 7 · Sunday late · CBS/FOX954 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 10 down · by 419 ptsSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday Ticket
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York JetsWeek 1 · Sunday early · CBS/FOX94.57 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 9 down · by 228 ptsFreeSunday TicketFreeFreeFree
Miami Dolphins @ Carolina PanthersWeek 5 · Sunday early · CBS/FOX93.83 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 17 down · by 327 ptsSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday Ticket
Chicago Bears @ Las Vegas RaidersWeek 4 · Sunday late · CBS/FOX93.64 lead changes and ties · 15 min within a score · late go-ahead or tie · from 8 down · by 138 ptsSunday TicketFreeSunday TicketSunday TicketSunday Ticket

The map

The strongest free Sunday slate was in Idaho Falls–Pocatello

Across all 243 TV markets, the free Sunday slate ranged from 58.3% in Idaho Falls–Pocatello to 46.2% in New York, measured as the average combined win percentage, entering Week 18, of the teams in the games each market's stations carried. Eight in ten Americans lived in markets between 49% and 56%.

Markets with a team are named for it; the rest by their ZIP prefix. The top of the list is a run of small markets in Montana, eastern Idaho and Oregon. They have no team of their own to force onto the schedule, so the networks give them the day's best regional games. The bottom belongs to markets chained to struggling teams, and to their neighbors: Cleveland, Baltimore and Toledo, and Albany, the Tri-Cities and Chattanooga, which drew nearby bad teams' games without the loyalty that explains it.

Each dot is a TV market, sized by population. Green markets got free Sunday games with better teams than most, red markets worse ones, and gray is the middle of the pack.
under 47%47–49%49–51%51–53%53–55%55–57%57% or morethe best market
New York 46%Best: Idaho Falls–Pocatello 58%Great Falls, Mont. 57%Missoula, Mont. 57%Helena–Butte, Mont. 57%Billings, Mont. 57%Eugene, Ore. 57%Cleveland 49%Tri-Cities, Tenn.–Va. 48%Chattanooga 48%Albany, N.Y. 48%Las Vegas 51%Seattle 56%
Show the numbers
MarketHome teamPopulationFree Sunday games' win % entering Week 18
Idaho Falls–Pocatellonone0.47M58.3
Great Falls, Mont.none0.16M57.4
Billings, Mont.none0.32M57.3
Helena–Butte, Mont.none0.28M57.3
Missoula, Mont.none0.34M57.3
Eugene, Ore.none0.59M57.3
ProvidencePatriots1.66M56.7
Patriots marketPatriots0.05M56.6
Patriots marketPatriots0.43M56.5
ZIP 825xx areanone0.13M56.5
Boisenone0.88M56.4
ZIP 820xx areanone0.14M56.2
ZIP 822xx areanone0.02M56.2
ZIP 975xx areanone0.38M56.2
ZIP 978xx areanone0.15M56.2
BostonPatriots6.47M56
ZIP 036xx areanone0.04M56
DenverBroncos4.87M56
ZIP 931xx areanone0.71M56
Portland, Ore.none3.74M56
Broncos marketBroncos0.85M55.9
ZIP 933xx areanone0.59M55.9
ZIP 049xx areanone0.16M55.8
ZIP 838xx areanone1.21M55.8
ZIP 989xx areanone0.71M55.8
ZIP 035xx areanone0.88M55.7
ZIP 047xx areanone0.07M55.7
ZIP 922xx areanone0.81M55.7
ZIP 835xx areanone0.09M55.6
San Diegonone3.29M55.5
SeattleSeahawks5.39M55.5
ZIP 044xx areanone0.25M55.4
ZIP 833xx areanone0.21M55.1
ZIP 813xx areanone2.16M54.9
Chargers and Rams marketChargers, Rams18.19M54.9
ZIP 691xx areanone0.08M54.8
ZIP 828xx areanone0.04M54.8
Jaguars marketJaguars2.11M54.6
Texans marketTexans3.20M54.5
Texans marketTexans1.41M54.5
Texans marketTexans2.74M54.5
Salt Lake Citynone3.41M54.4
ZIP 739xx areanone0.56M54.3
ZIP 010xx areanone0.73M54.2
ZIP 624xx areanone0.14M54.2
ZIP 679xx areanone0.03M54.2
ZIP 756xx areanone0.34M54.2
ZIP 759xx areanone0.25M54.2
Jaguars and Buccaneers marketJaguars, Buccaneers4.34M54.1
Jaguars marketJaguars0.39M54.1
ZIP 363xx areanone0.25M54.1
ZIP 792xx areanone0.03M54
ZIP 350xx areanone1.91M53.8
ZIP 932xx areanone2.05M53.8
ZIP 961xx areanone0.11M53.8
ZIP 757xx areanone0.37M53.7
ZIP 779xx areanone0.17M53.7
San Antonionone3.12M53.7
ZIP 783xx areanone0.55M53.7
ZIP 785xx areanone1.38M53.7
ZIP 786xx areanone2.36M53.7
ZIP 789xx areanone0.07M53.7
ZIP 299xx areanone0.97M53.6
ZIP 577xx areanone0.33M53.6
Colts marketColts0.31M53.5
ZIP 768xx areanone0.45M53.5
ZIP 793xx areanone0.43M53.5
ZIP 797xx areanone0.45M53.5
Sacramentonone4.74M53.5
ZIP 955xx areanone0.17M53.5
ZIP 960xx areanone0.31M53.5
ZIP 360xx areanone0.61M53.4
ZIP 325xx areanone1.52M53.3
Kansas CityChiefs2.64M53.3
Chiefs marketChiefs0.18M53.3
Chiefs marketChiefs0.44M53.3
Steelers marketSteelers2.64M53.2
ZIP 669xx areanone0.75M53.2
ZIP 758xx areanone0.12M53.2
ZIP 765xx areanone0.74M53.2
ZIP 776xx areanone0.42M53.2
ZIP 778xx areanone0.34M53.2
ZIP 615xx areanone0.60M53.1
ZIP 339xx areanone1.33M53
St. Louisnone3.06M53
ZIP 626xx areanone0.16M53
ZIP 735xx areanone0.37M53
Cowboys marketCowboys8.55M53
ZIP 798xx areanone0.07M53
ZIP 799xx areanone0.81M53
San Francisco49ers7.26M53
ZIP 344xx areanone0.49M52.9
Bengals and Colts marketBengals, Colts0.22M52.9
Colts marketColts0.18M52.9
49ers market49ers1.30M52.9
Bills marketBills1.11M52.8
Steelers marketSteelers0.71M52.8
Steelers marketSteelers0.19M52.8
ZIP 623xx areanone0.17M52.8
ZIP 650xx areanone0.51M52.8
ZIP 670xx areanone1.18M52.8
ZIP 734xx areanone0.18M52.8
ZIP 294xx areanone0.87M52.7
ZIP 423xx areanone0.78M52.7
Bears marketBears0.75M52.6
ZIP 613xx areanone0.14M52.6
ZIP 745xx areanone0.08M52.6
Panthers marketPanthers2.21M52.5
ZIP 290xx areanone1.16M52.5
ZIP 467xx areanone0.67M52.5
ZIP 628xx areanone0.20M52.5
ZIP 037xx areanone0.78M52.4
Ravens and Giants and Jets and Eagles marketRavens, Giants, Jets, Eagles8.44M52.4
ZIP 295xx areanone0.70M52.4
ZIP 316xx areanone0.64M52.4
ZIP 317xx areanone0.37M52.4
ZIP 510xx areanone0.35M52.4
ZIP 673xx areanone0.06M52.4
Bears marketBears0.69M52.3
Bears marketBears3.27M52.3
ZIP 498xx areanone0.26M52.3
Bears marketBears5.61M52.3
Bills marketBills1.52M52.2
Raleigh–Durhamnone3.52M52.2
Dolphins marketDolphins2.11M52.2
ZIP 382xx areanone0.87M52.2
ZIP 398xx areanone0.11M52.2
ZIP 506xx areanone0.95M52.2
ZIP 724xx areanone0.24M52.2
ZIP 725xx areanone0.11M52.2
Dolphins marketDolphins4.67M52.1
Bears marketBears0.86M52.1
ZIP 716xx areanone1.49M52.1
ZIP 894xx areanone0.71M52.1
ZIP 246xx areanone0.06M52
ZIP 284xx areanone0.53M52
ZIP 285xx areanone0.51M52
Falcons marketFalcons7.17M52
ZIP 310xx areanone0.71M52
ZIP 318xx areanone0.58M52
Buccaneers marketBuccaneers4.91M52
Saints marketSaints0.41M52
ZIP 610xx areanone0.53M52
Ravens and Eagles and Commanders marketRavens, Eagles, Commanders1.89M51.9
Panthers marketPanthers3.45M51.8
ZIP 298xx areanone0.65M51.8
Colts marketColts3.05M51.8
Lions marketLions3.06M51.8
Lions marketLions1.64M51.8
Lions marketLions0.63M51.8
ZIP 500xx areanone1.16M51.8
ZIP 525xx areanone0.11M51.8
ZIP 526xx areanone0.73M51.8
ZIP 705xx areanone0.63M51.8
ZIP 383xx areanone0.29M51.7
ZIP 388xx areanone0.43M51.7
Packers marketPackers1.09M51.7
ZIP 635xx areanone0.06M51.7
ZIP 727xx areanone0.88M51.7
ZIP 130xx areanone0.79M51.6
ZIP 324xx areanone0.36M51.6
ZIP 488xx areanone0.64M51.6
Lions marketLions0.51M51.6
ZIP 490xx areanone2.14M51.6
Vikings marketVikings4.52M51.6
ZIP 560xx areanone0.27M51.6
ZIP 566xx areanone0.09M51.6
ZIP 380xx areanone1.73M51.5
ZIP 565xx areanone0.67M51.5
ZIP 648xx areanone0.32M51.5
ZIP 654xx areanone1.10M51.5
ZIP 136xx areanone0.23M51.4
ZIP 148xx areanone0.39M51.4
ZIP 164xx areanone0.31M51.4
Panthers marketPanthers1.93M51.4
ZIP 514xx areanone0.05M51.4
ZIP 515xx areanone1.13M51.4
ZIP 730xx areanone1.93M51.4
ZIP 740xx areanone1.43M51.4
ZIP 134xx areanone0.18M51.3
Steelers marketSteelers0.14M51.3
Giants and Jets marketGiants, Jets1.54M51.3
ZIP 548xx areanone0.49M51.3
ZIP 486xx areanone0.59M51.2
ZIP 496xx areanone0.50M51.2
Bears and Packers marketBears, Packers2.29M51.2
Las VegasRaiders2.32M51.2
ZIP 250xx areanone1.35M51.1
ZIP 544xx areanone0.48M51.1
ZIP 576xx areanone0.42M51.1
ZIP 706xx areanone0.29M51.1
ZIP 247xx areanone0.27M51
ZIP 400xx areanone1.69M51
ZIP 546xx areanone0.53M51
Saints marketSaints1.74M51
ZIP 710xx areanone0.71M51
ZIP 133xx areanone0.21M50.9
Commanders marketCommanders2.06M50.9
ZIP 262xx areanone0.22M50.9
ZIP 712xx areanone0.33M50.9
ZIP 239xx areanone0.10M50.8
ZIP 369xx areanone0.21M50.8
ZIP 394xx areanone0.38M50.8
ZIP 535xx areanone1.16M50.8
ZIP 713xx areanone0.19M50.8
ZIP 714xx areanone0.18M50.8
ZIP 243xx areanone0.15M50.7
ZIP 504xx areanone0.45M50.6
ZIP 512xx areanone0.80M50.6
ZIP 856xx areanone1.24M50.6
Patriots and Giants and Jets marketPatriots, Giants, Jets2.74M50.3
ZIP 707xx areanone0.82M50.3
ZIP 233xx areanone1.81M50.2
ZIP 261xx areanone0.13M50.2
Titans marketTitans0.59M50.2
ZIP 390xx areanone0.92M50.2
ZIP 387xx areanone0.21M50.1
PhoenixCardinals5.86M50.1
ZIP 240xx areanone1.12M50
NashvilleTitans2.33M50
ZIP 437xx areanone0.19M50
ZIP 199xx areanone0.61M49.9
Steelers marketSteelers0.29M49.9
ZIP 228xx areanone0.45M49.8
Bengals marketBengals1.30M49.8
ZIP 430xx areanone2.44M49.7
ZIP 137xx areanone0.35M49.6
ZIP 356xx areanone1.16M49.5
Ravens and Commanders marketRavens, Commanders7.13M49.4
Bengals marketBengals1.09M49.4
ZIP 458xx areanone0.37M49.3
Browns and Steelers marketBrowns, Steelers0.70M49.2
ZIP 377xx areanone1.43M49.2
Titans marketTitans0.24M49.1
Bengals and Colts marketBengals, Colts2.44M49
ClevelandBrowns3.98M48.9
BaltimoreRavens, Eagles, Commanders2.76M48.6
Ravens and Commanders marketRavens, Commanders0.09M48.6
ToledoLions0.80M48.6
Chattanooganone1.23M48.3
Tri-Cities, Tenn.–Va.none0.60M47.9
Albany, N.Y.none1.33M47.6
New YorkGiants, Jets, Eagles21.84M46.2

What it means for Sunday Ticket

A thinner package, but not a worse one

The Wall Street Journal reported in September 2026 that Sunday Ticket carried 191 games last season, down nearly 10% from 2021, while the regular price climbed to $378 for returning YouTube TV subscribers, with new ones offered $240. The package is shrinking because the league keeps carving out new stand-alone windows. The Journal's 191 is its own count; the coverage maps show 198 regional Sunday games, and every figure here uses those.

“Today, if you just want to watch most of the best games every week, you don't need Sunday Ticket. It's a collection of midtier games that weren't good enough for one of the NFL's increasing number of national windows.”Patrick Crakes, sports media consultant, in The Wall Street Journal

Four seasons of coverage maps, spanning the package's move from DirecTV to YouTube TV in 2023, show the same squeeze. Regional Sunday afternoon games fell every year, from 205 in 2022 to 198 in 2025, while stand-alone games rose from 67 to 74. The Chiefs went from 6 stand-alone games to 8, and the Cowboys from 6 to 8. And more of what stayed on Sunday afternoon went out nearly nationwide: games reaching half the country rose from 35 to 43, the broad late-afternoon distribution the Journal says lessens the need for the package.

Games per season, by window
Regional Sunday afternoonStand-alone
0125250202220232024202519874
Regional games that reached at least half the country
02550202220232024202543
Stand-alone games per season
ChiefsCowboysAverage team
05102022202320242025884.62
Games seen by at least half the country per season
ChiefsCowboysAverage team
0918202220232024202514177.31
Show the numbers
SeasonRegional gamesStand-alone gamesRegional games reaching half the countryMedian regional reachRegional games' win % entering Week 18Chiefs stand-aloneCowboys stand-aloneAverage team stand-aloneChiefs seen by half the countryCowboys seen by half the countryAverage team seen by half the country
2022205673516%49.0664.211146.4
2023200723817%48.9774.514146.9
2024199734115%48.1874.615157.1
2025198744315%48.7884.614177.3

What did not change is the quality of the regional games left behind. Across all of them, not only the ones a given market missed, their teams' combined win percentage entering Week 18 averaged between 48.1% and 49.0% in every season. The package is getting smaller without its games getting worse.

By the preseason ratings, the Journal's source is right: the regional games it carries rated well below the national windows. By records entering Week 18, it is only half right. The average game a typical American could only get on Sunday Ticket featured teams at 47.4%, against 52.2% for their free Sunday games. But the top of that pile was deep: 12.7 of the 30 top matchups were only there, more than were free on local TV (10.8) or behind a streaming or cable service (6.5). At the regular price that is about $30 for each of those games, or $19 at the new-subscriber price, before counting the rest of the package.

That is the pattern a fan should shop on. If your market has no team, you already get a strong free slate, and the package's value is the handful of great games between unglamorous winners. If your market is tied to a losing team, your stations will keep showing it, and Sunday Ticket is the only way to see anyone else.

Methodology

How this was measured

Every number on this page is produced by one script in the data pipeline, build_broadcast_quality.py, from the same fixtures the rest of the site runs on. Nothing here is typed in by hand except the Journal's own figures, which are quoted, the names of thirty markets, and the four games called out on the reach chart. A test pins the figures the copy states, so a data refresh that moves one of them is a visible change rather than a silent one.

The games

All 272 regular-season games of 2025, from the league's schedule: 198 CBS and FOX regional Sunday afternoon games, and 74 games in national, Monday night, international and holiday windows. A game counts as seen by at least half the country when it is stand-alone, or when its CBS/FOX map covered markets holding half the population. A game is regional when its network is CBS or FOX and the schedule does not mark it national. The 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern windows are read off the kickoff time: 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. is early, 3:30 to 6 p.m. is late.

The preseason matchup rating

The site's own quality model, the one behind every “games worth watching” count on the advisor. It scores a game out of 100: up to 40 points for the two teams' combined previous-season win percentage, 10 for a division rivalry, 10 if either team made the previous postseason, up to 15 from the betting line's view of the matchup, up to 10 for a standout storyline, and 15 for a national broadcast. The storyline term is the model's one judgement call and is capped at 10 of 100. The national-broadcast bonus is removed here, so a game on NBC and a game on FOX at 1 p.m. are rated on the matchup alone; the maximum is therefore 85. The ratings are rebuilt from the fixture's inputs and checked against the shipped scores.

Team strength entering Week 18

The average of the two teams' 2025 win percentages from the standings entering Week 18, the last week every team had played the same number of games. A game between two 12-4 teams scores 75%; a game between a 13-3 team and a 3-13 team scores 50%. This is a blunt measure on purpose: it asks only whether the game turned out to involve good teams, with no allowance for strength of schedule, injuries or the state of the race at kickoff.

Indexing the windows

Each broadcast window's average rating is divided by the league-wide average of all 272 games and multiplied by 100, once for the preseason rating (38.1 points league-wide) and once for the records entering Week 18 (50% league-wide). The two indexes are the two ends of each dumbbell. A window whose preseason index is far above its Week 18 index bought games that looked better than they turned out.

Reach

Which regional game each market's CBS and FOX stations carried each week comes from archived weekly coverage maps, the same archive behind the site's Coverage Explorer, drawn from 506sports' weekly maps. A game's reach is the share of the U.S. population living in markets whose stations carried it, with market populations summed from 2020 Census ZIP code tabulation areas. A national game reaches everyone. Coverage maps describe which game a station planned to carry; a late switch after the map was drawn is not in them.

Streaming and cable games in a home market

A game on Prime Video, Netflix, Peacock, ESPN or NFL Network is counted as paid everywhere except the two participating teams' home television markets, where the league requires a free over-the-air simulcast. A Patriots fan in Boston watches a Thursday night game on a local station; a Patriots fan in Denver needs Prime Video. The exceptions are games anyone could watch free: 13 ESPN games were also on ABC across the country, two Monday games aired on ABC alone, and one streamed free on YouTube. Those count as free in every market. How each of these games aired comes from ESPN's press releases and viewing guides, the Chargers' viewing guide and Wikipedia's list of Monday Night Football results. Home markets come from the same ZIP-to-market table the advisor uses.

Stand-alone games

A team's stand-alone games are its games outside the CBS and FOX regional Sunday windows: NBC, Prime Video, ESPN and ABC on Monday, NFL Network, Netflix, YouTube, Peacock, and CBS and FOX on holidays and Saturdays, counted once for each team in the game. For earlier seasons, where the schedule fixture is not carried, a team's stand-alone count is its 17 games minus the regional games the coverage maps recorded for it.

The 30 top matchups

All 272 games ranked by the two teams' combined win percentage entering Week 18, before rounding, with the preseason rating breaking ties and the teams' abbreviations, in alphabetical order, breaking any that remain. For each market, every one of the 30 is placed in one of three bins: free, for an over-the-air broadcast the market received or a game streamed free nationwide; streaming or cable, for a paid national window outside both home markets; or only on Sunday Ticket, for a regional game the market's stations did not carry. “The typical American” is the population-weighted average of those bins across all 243 markets, which is why it carries a decimal.

How exciting a game was

Each game is scored out of 100 from its scoring plays, read from each game's scoring summary: 25 points for lead changes and ties after the first score, in full at four; 30 for the share of the fourth quarter and overtime with the margin at one score, eight points, or less; 15 for a go-ahead or tying score inside the final five minutes of regulation or in overtime; 15 for the largest deficit the winner overcame, in full at 14 points, and in a tie the larger deficit either side overcame; and 15 for the final margin, in full at three points and gone at 24. A lead change is a score that puts a team ahead that was not the last to lead; a team that ties it and goes back ahead has not changed the lead. Lead changes and ties are counted apart and scored, and shown, as their sum. Overtime is counted to the end of the game, not to its first score: since 2025 both teams get the ball, so play goes on after one side scores, and the scoring plays do not say when it stopped. The end is the last play in the game's win-probability series; a game with no series is counted to its last overtime score, or for all ten minutes when nobody scored in overtime. The weights are a judgement call, like the storyline term above, and every component can be recounted from the scoring log: the table under the chart lists them. Beside the score, and not inside it, two readings of a third-party in-game win-probability model, that model's numbers and not this site's: the largest swing between consecutive plays, and the minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime the home side's chance sat between 20% and 80%. Every game had a series. Rank by records is the order of the 30 top matchups, continued through all 272 games.

Free slots and the four fans

Every regional Sunday game a market's CBS and FOX stations carried is one slot. Each network has one window for every regional game it airs: two on a doubleheader Sunday, one on a single-window Sunday. Across 18 weeks the two networks had 56 such windows in 2025, so a fully recorded market got 56 slots. A market's free slate is the average combined win percentage, entering Week 18, of the teams in the games it received; the games it did not get are the regional games its stations did not carry. The four fans are real markets chosen for their situation: Idaho Falls–Pocatello, with no team of its own; Las Vegas, home of the 2-14 Raiders; Seattle, home of the 13-3 Seahawks; and New York, home of the 3-13 Giants and 3-13 Jets. In each week's strip, the best game the station did not carry is the highest-rated regional game, by records entering Week 18, that the market's stations skipped that week, with ties broken as for the 30 top matchups.

The map

Each dot is one of the 243 markets, placed at the population-weighted center of its ZIP prefixes and sized by population; every market in the table falls inside the frame. Shading is the market's free slate in five bands. Markets with a home team are named for it; the thirty markets the text discusses carry a place name; every other market is labeled by its lowest ZIP prefix, because the fixtures carry no city names.

Earlier seasons

Regional games for 2022 through 2024 come from the same weekly coverage maps and the same standings fixture. Populations are held at current Census figures across all four seasons, so a reach figure moves only when a station's choice moved. The Journal counts Sunday Ticket's games its own way, so its 191 for 2025 differs from the 198 regional games the maps show; the trend section uses the maps throughout.

What was excluded, and why

The coverage archive carries rows marked “unobserved” and “no game” for weeks a market was not recorded or a window was empty. Counted as games they would have put the regional count at 217 instead of 198, and every reach and stand-alone figure off them would have been wrong; they are excluded. For 38 small markets, 2.5% of the population, the maps skip some weeks; those markets' averages cover the games recorded.

Sources

Schedule and standings from a public sports-data source; scoring plays and in-game win probability (the nflfastR model) from nflverse, used under CC BY 4.0; weekly coverage from 506sports, market populations from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas, and the Sunday Ticket game count, prices and the Patrick Crakes quotation from The Wall Street Journal, “NFL's Sunday Ticket Is Getting Smaller. It Isn't Getting Cheaper.” (Joe Flint, September 13, 2026). Coverage-map data is used under the terms on 506sports; ZIP boundaries and centroids are Census Bureau public data.