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How many Prime Time games will the Commanders get this year? The Junkies try to figure it out ahead of tonight's NFL schedule release!
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00:00We have, obviously, all the international games were announced yesterday.
00:04We know that the Commanders are hosting the Colts week four in London.
00:11Yeah.
00:11But we wanted to do our best to try and forecast how many primetime games,
00:17how many standalone, like, marquee games the Commanders may have in 2026.
00:25Let's put it in context.
00:27How many did they – I feel like they had a ton of primetime games last year.
00:32I think it might have been six or more last year.
00:36It was a lot.
00:37It was six or seven.
00:38They were featured prominently, obviously, after Jaden's rookie season.
00:42Well, they played Green Bay.
00:43I think they had five.
00:45They had the Packers Thursday night.
00:47They had the Bears Monday night.
00:49They had the Chiefs Monday night.
00:51They had the Seahawks Sunday night.
00:53And they had the Broncos Sunday night.
00:56Well, they had also – they played on Christmas.
00:59They played Dallas on Christmas.
01:01And they had the – so not primetime, but like a standalone.
01:05Yeah, yeah.
01:05Those are different, right?
01:06So you have your primetime games, then you have your standalone.
01:08In other words, when they play in Europe, they're going to be a standalone game.
01:11Yeah.
01:13Yeah, so I don't know.
01:14Yeah, you might be right.
01:15Seven games?
01:16Can they – do you think they can get two – they're for sure going to get one Monday night
01:21game, right?
01:22There's no chance they're going to not get a Monday night.
01:24I don't think at least one.
01:25I'm going to guess they play like a division rival on a Monday night.
01:27Maybe the Eagles or the Giants or –
01:29Yeah.
01:31That makes sense to me.
01:33I think they'll – I mean, Thursday games are terrible.
01:36I for sure think they're going to get a Thursday night game to juice that up.
01:41Now, listen.
01:42Maybe we're just being crazy and the bloom is off the rose.
01:45I remember specifically sitting right here a year ago saying we're the sexiest team in the league last year.
01:51We're not the sexiest team in the league in 2026.
01:55Correct, yeah.
01:56But I think TV executives –
01:57That's the reason they got all those primetimes last year.
01:59I think TV executives know with Jaden there, they're still pretty sexy.
02:04What I would do if I was a league schedule maker and, you know, I know they put it all
02:09in a computer and spits it out and then they tweak and they put it in a computer and spits
02:12it out and they tweak.
02:14I would front load Commander's games.
02:18To make sure Jaden's healthy?
02:20Yes.
02:20It's not a bad idea.
02:21It's not a bad philosophy.
02:22I would front load primetime Commander's games if that's something that's important.
02:27I'm going to say that they're going to get three.
02:30I think it's going to be about half of what they had.
02:32They'll still get some.
02:34But in the division, they're probably the least glamorous team this season because the Giants, I think, leapfrog them simply
02:42because Harbaugh's there.
02:45I don't know.
02:45I don't know if a coach coming to the Giants is a bigger draw than Jaden Daniels if he's healthy.
02:53Yeah, but you've got a coach.
02:54You've got Jackson Dart.
02:55You've got Scadaboo hopefully coming back.
02:57Neighbors coming back.
02:58I'm going to push back on the Giants.
02:59I think the Giants –
03:00I'll make a side bet with you.
03:02I'll make a side bet.
03:03I'll say that the Commanders will not get more primetime games than the New York Giants.
03:10That's a good bet.
03:11I don't know if I'm willing to make that bet.
03:14I mean, you just fought me before, and now you're going back.
03:18I don't know if I'm willing to put two U.S. dollars on that bet.
03:22I might have to pause.
03:23I'm going to tap the brakes on that.
03:25You quibbled with me saying that the Giants may be more glamorous.
03:29Yeah, I mean, make the bet.
03:30With Harbaugh, there's an attraction, so that's a sell point.
03:34It's also New York.
03:36It's New York.
03:37Yeah.
03:37You know what?
03:38I'm going to pass on that bet.
03:39I'm going to acquiesce.
03:41I'm in on three for the Commanders primetime games.
03:43I was inspired by Kevin Sheehan's mock schedule, so I made one myself.
03:48I mean, who knows?
03:50I might get two or three of these right, but I have them hosting Philly week five, Monday
03:58night football.
03:59Then two weeks later, I have them.
04:01So that's right after they are in London?
04:04I have them bypassing the early bye week, which they do have an option.
04:08Like, after international travel, you can either take a bye right after, or this is
04:14so early in the season, I feel like the Commanders are going to bypass the bye in week five and
04:21kick it to later in the schedule.
04:22Now, the problem with that is you don't know where it's going to fall if you take that option.
04:28I thought that they always had to take the bye after international travel.
04:33It's not mandatory.
04:34Okay.
04:34And I think because it's so early in the season that they're going to take, they're
04:38going to get a bye in week nine.
04:41Who would you want them to open up with week one?
04:44I have them opening at Arizona on the road.
04:47I told you that.
04:48Can you tell me that?
04:49I made that prediction, and Eric said, why are you?
04:51I just, I don't know.
04:52I crossed out the teams that I know it can't be because of the other scheduling conflicts.
04:56It can't be the Rams, Seahawks, Giants, or Cowboys.
05:00I know that they're not opening against them.
05:02It could be the Texans, I guess.
05:03It could be the Texans, but it's...
05:05That's a home game.
05:06Do you want to do that in week one?
05:08Does Commanders, Texans have a lot of sizzle in week one?
05:11My prediction was Arizona.
05:12I have them at Arizona.
05:13What's the sizzle to Arizona?
05:16There's no sizzle.
05:17I don't know if there is much.
05:18It's kind of a boring opener.
05:19I think it's like...
05:19You just use sizzle as logic.
05:21They're just pairing up two teams that are, you know, the Commanders, they're hoping to bounce
05:25back, and Arizona's kind of rebuilding from scratch.
05:29I mean, from a TV perspective, it seems like a dud.
05:31It's kind of a throwaway game, in my opinion.
05:33Yeah, and it'll be a 4-0-5 or 4-30 game, whatever.
05:36Yeah.
05:36But, I don't know, maybe the Bengals in week one.
05:40Could be the Bengals?
05:41Could be the Bengals.
05:42That's more sizzle.
05:43Could it be the Eagles?
05:45They've opened up against the Eagles a lot in the last 10 years.
05:50Yeah, could be.
05:51Maybe, but there's been a lot of, like, backload...
05:53Like, last year, didn't they play the Eagles twice, like, in the last, like, three or four weeks of the
05:57season?
05:57With my preference, give me the Cardinals all day.
06:00Let me start with a dud.
06:01Yeah, last year, they played Philly in week 16.
06:05Oh, you're guaranteed?
06:0615 and 17.
06:07You're basically chalking up...
06:0716 and 18.
06:08You're doing the, they're the Cardinals bet.
06:10I'll never.
06:11There's not a scenario.
06:12It's Arizona bet.
06:13I would never pick the Cardinals over my guys.
06:15Now, if they play Philly, you know, you've got to really potentially talk about picking Philly.
06:21But I would never, ever, ever, ever pick Arizona over us.
06:25Gotta worry about Jeremiah Love.
06:27He'll be good.
06:28But I just won't, you know, is he gonna serve 30 points on his own?
06:31That's your number one pick to start the season?
06:33Well, I would like that.
06:34Home or away, doesn't matter.
06:36You want, you want a layup?
06:37Well...
06:38That's your layup?
06:39I'd like to have a dub to start.
06:41Yeah, I don't want to start out 0-1 like a division rival.
06:45Out of all, out of all the teams they play, you think Arizona's the weakest?
06:48Uh, I don't know.
06:49Maybe, maybe Houston?
06:50Tennessee's gotta be in there, too.
06:51Tennessee's up there, correct.
06:52But they're, I mean, I'm sure both of their win totals are very low for 2026.
06:58Robert Slaw, now the head coach?
07:00Yes.
07:01And Brian Dable, the OC.
07:02Yep.
07:03I don't know.
07:05I would say either Tennessee or Arizona.
07:07Do we know Arizona is, that's a road game?
07:11Because it's that Arizona.
07:11That's a road game, yeah.
07:12That Arizona.
07:13And so is Tennessee.
07:14Mm-hmm.
07:16How many primetime games do you give them?
07:19Well, the Giants.
07:20I'm giving them three.
07:20The Giants last year.
07:21You get a Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, and then I'll give a wild card in
07:23there somewhere.
07:24Are they obligated to give them anything?
07:27Is there a league rule?
07:28I think they try to give each team one.
07:29Where everybody has to be at least one?
07:30I think Thursday Night Football, they have to get one.
07:32So last year, the Giants, if this is correct, were on Sunday, Thursday, and Monday.
07:39They got one of each.
07:40Mm-hmm.
07:42Um, I think at a minimum, Washington will get three.
07:46Primetime.
07:46I've got Washington's Thursday night game, week 11, hosting the Texans.
07:51How many primetime games did you give them in total?
07:52I have three total.
07:53Three total?
07:54Okay, the same as me.
07:55One Sunday night game, one Thursday game.
07:57Yeah.
07:57I still think we're sexy.
07:58I'm going to give them...
07:59This is not the sexiest.
08:00I'm going to give them four.
08:01I'm going to give them one more.
08:02Yeah.
08:02Like, in terms of heading into the season, and have you guys seen what the Thanksgiving
08:07slate is?
08:08Oh, it's a banger.
08:09The Thanksgiving slate.
08:09Banger after banger.
08:10Starting on Wednesday night.
08:11So good.
08:12Through Friday.
08:13It looks amazing.
08:13Maybe you can go through that.
08:15Well, I mean, let me see if I can do it off the top of my head.
08:17Packers-Rams is Wednesday night.
08:18That's your Thanksgiving Eve.
08:20Then you have Detroit-Chicago is your first game.
08:23Yep.
08:24Detroit's always the first game, aren't they?
08:26Yes.
08:26They always lead off.
08:27Dallas is your sandwich game.
08:29They host Philly.
08:31So what time is that?
08:32That's like a 4, 3, 45, 4 o'clock.
08:34So that's when I'll be eating.
08:35That's when I'll be eating.
08:36And then you're...
08:36Because the first game, I believe, starts at 12 or 1230.
08:40It's 1230, yeah.
08:41I'll be in the hotel for that one.
08:43And then your nightcap is Chiefs-Bills.
08:45Yeah, there you go.
08:46Chiefs-Bills.
08:46So you've got four big games.
08:47And then your Black Friday game is Steelers-Broncos.
08:50My God, these guys want to play every day, don't they?
08:52So those...
08:53Yes.
08:53They want to play 20 games and play every day.
08:55All I'm saying is, those 10 teams that are playing...
08:58Those 10 teams that are playing on Thanksgiving, this year, based on what happened last season
09:06and probably some doubt on health of the quarterback, they're more glamorous than the Washington
09:12Commanders.
09:13So I believe all those teams will get more primetime games than Washington.
09:17There's only going to be so many left.
09:20I mean, it's not a competition.
09:22So I'll give them three, B.
09:23Cakes is in on three.
09:26I have four.
09:28Commanders cannot face the Giants or Cowboys in the opener because they're playing each
09:31other in the opener.
09:32Correct.
09:32And they can't face the Rams or the Seahawks because they're playing in freaking Australia.
09:36And I don't know if they'll put them with Philly because they've opened up with Philly
09:39a bunch in the last 10 years.
09:40Why don't you save that?
09:42So I think they will.
09:43I think they'll push that.
09:44I think it's going to be kind of like a lesser team.
09:46I think Arizona's a good call.
09:48But it could be someone like Tennessee.
09:52Any other quirks that you have, Cakes?
09:55I mean, again, this is just pulling stuff out of thin air.
09:59But I did account for what teams are already scheduled for games, international games.
10:04I do have them closing week 16 through 18 all against the division.
10:09At Philly, home to the Giants, at Dallas to close the season.
10:13That's a killer.
10:14That's probably a good call.
10:15And last season was very similar.
10:16Last year was four consecutive games in the division last year.
10:20Do you think they'd give – I have no idea because this is not something that I particularly care about.
10:25I just accept the schedule however they do it.
10:27But do they give – like if you have to travel Europe or Australia or wherever, you know, Rio,
10:33wherever all these teams are going, do they give you the benefit then and say,
10:37okay, we're not going to give you a Thursday night game?
10:40Because while it's a prime time, it's just a pain in the ass.
10:43If they travel?
10:44In other words, if you go to London –
10:45They usually have a bye week that next week.
10:48Yeah, but I'm just saying in general overall, they say, we forced you to go internationally.
10:53We don't know.
10:54Everyone hates it.
10:55And to be honest with you, I don't think these coaches love playing on Thursday night.
10:57They don't throw you a bone and we're not going to give you a Thursday night
11:01because we're making you travel to Australia.
11:03Did you guys see the graphic that Schefter tweeted of NFL 2026 miles traveled by each team?
11:10The Niners have to leave.
11:12The Niners are going to travel 38,105 miles by air.
11:18Why do they hate them?
11:19The Panthers, who are at the bottom, the Panthers are going to fly 8,740 miles by comparison.
11:27The Niners are traveling 30,000 plus more miles.
11:31It's great to be one of these premier teams in the NFL that everyone loves,
11:38but it also sucks at the same time.
11:40It's like being number one in golf or something.
11:42You've got to do all the responsibilities.
11:44You've got to do all the sponsor bits.
11:45When you have a superstar that is always on prime time or a team that's always good,
11:51that's always on prime time, you really get whored in terms of rest
11:55compared to all these mediocre middling teams.
12:00It's not an advantage to be playing on prime time nonstop
12:04and then you're not getting that extra half day or day rest compared to other teams.
12:08Oh, yeah.
12:09They hate it.
12:10It's definitely not an advantage.
12:12I mean, Shani talked about it.
12:14He said, we don't want to go to Australia.
12:16You said that.
12:17Even playing on Sunday night.
12:21The game's done at midnight compared to 1 o'clock.
12:24That's basically almost an entire day's worth of rest for the guys
12:28than if they play next week.
12:30EB, are you pumped to watch Jaden Daniels in quarterback?
12:34On Netflix?
12:37Now it's stuff from last season.
12:39So quarterbacks featuring four guys this time.
12:43Oh, it's already stuff that's in the can?
12:44Yeah, it's from last season.
12:45Oh, not as much.
12:46So you get kind of an inside look as to what happened behind the scenes
12:50with Jaden Daniels, Joe Flacco.
12:52Flacco's going to be so depressing.
12:55Flacco's one of them.
12:56Mayfield.
12:57Injury after injury.
12:58Baker Mayfield.
12:59And Cam Ward.
12:59And Cam Ward.
13:00There you go.
13:00By the way, breaking schedule news.
13:03Now this is from a source from Ryan Fowler at underscore Ryan Fowler.
13:09Eagles at Commanders in week eight, Sunday night football.
13:13Oh, that does a job with my week eight.
13:15I have them at the Niners week eight.
13:17So it looks like Eagles at the Commanders week eight, Sunday night football.
13:22So that's one primetime game that seems to be kind of locked in.
13:25All right, so you've got the Colts and the Eagles.
13:28Yeah, middle of the season.
13:29Yep.
13:29Yep.
13:30And of course, in week four, you're going international against the Colts.
13:34That's right.
13:35That's not a primetime game.
13:37No.
13:37We're not counting that.
13:38It's an island game.
13:40It's an island game.
13:40It's the stand-alone game.
13:42I mean, the Jags didn't play eight stand-alone games.
13:45The stand-alone game, though, some people think that that's a highlight.
13:50Your team is...
13:51It's kind of like a primetime game because all eyes are on that game.
13:55We know what primetime means.
13:56It means eight o'clock at night.
13:58It means in the evening.
13:59But they try to hype it up as different than being lost in a shuffle of the one o'clocks
14:04and the four o'clocks.
14:05Sure.
14:06Yeah.
14:07I'd rather have a one o'clock, four o'clock.
14:09Of course.
14:09To be honest with you.
14:10Stand up late.
14:11Socks.
14:11Getting up at 9 a.m.
14:13I have to start my day at 6.30.
14:14It's crazy.
14:16Love it.
14:17You've got to start your day at 6.30.
14:18I've got things I've got to do.
14:18I've got a routine.
14:19You need a three-hour rainbow?
14:20I'm not going to sit there and lay in bed and watch football.
14:22I've got a whole thing I've got to do.
14:23I've got to get up.
14:24What's your whole thing?
14:25What'd you do this morning?
14:26It's got a hip-ball.
14:26You've got to do a whole thing?
14:27He's got to jump on his leg.
14:28He's got to do a three-hour whole thing.
14:30He's got to get into the sauna.
14:31Watching football?
14:32Watching football, it's a three-hour exercise.
14:35I've got to be prepared.
14:38I've got to get up early.
14:39Yeah, but on the flip side, don't you like ending the game at 12.30?
14:44Not really.
14:45What's the whole ritual?
14:46I enjoy.
14:47What is the whole ritual?
14:49I've got to wait a certain amount of time before I can have my breakfast.
14:51I've got to wait a certain amount of time before I'm going to have my coffee.
14:56I want to be comfortable.
14:57I don't still want to watch games.
14:59When 9 o'clock games are on, Sundays typically, I'm in bed.
15:02Like 8 o'clock, 8.30, I'm still in bed.
15:04I don't want to be in bed.
15:05Okay, 8.30, the game's at 9.30.
15:07Get out of bed at 8.30, go down and brew a pot of coffee.
15:10I've got to be mentally prepared.
15:11I've got to be ready.
15:12No, get it.
15:13That's what we're prepared.
15:14We talk about the game all week.
15:15Here's how you mentally prepare for 9.30 a.m. football.
15:18You get out of bed, you brew a pot of coffee, you pick up your remote, you point it to
15:22the
15:22TV, and you turn it on.
15:24I'm a man of routine, and I do not enjoy the 9 o'clock games.
15:28I know.
15:28I'm just trying to figure out the routine.
15:30My routine is I like to be outside to watch games.
15:32You only got one week.
15:33I like to be down in my cave.
15:37How many times has he said, I'm going to be watching the game on my phone while driving?
15:43That rarely happens.
15:46He said that seven times last time.
15:48The Redskins rarely.
15:50Oh, come on.
15:51Rarely.
15:51That doesn't happen with the Redskins.
15:53Very rare.
15:54Now, if I have a child responsibility, that's a priority, but that's rare that that happens.
15:59All right.
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