All articles tagged with #bye week
Detroit pressed to play a 2026 Munich game, leveraging German ties and Amon-Ra St. Brown, but the decision trades off a tough roughly 12-day stretch with likely no bye; the league granted a mini-bye after Thanksgiving, and analysts debate whether the trade-off was worth it.
Detroit’s 2026 slate includes a Munich game against the Patriots two weeks before Thanksgiving, making a normal bye unlikely; the NFL allowed a post-Thanksgiving mini-bye by avoiding back-to-back Thursday games, but only Jaguars, Saints, and Patriots will have post-international byes, meaning Detroit’s Munich opponent, the Buccaneers, will be coming off a bye when they visit.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky warned that the Steelers could struggle in a brutal nine-game stretch after their 2026 bye, predicting as few as five or six wins as they face a post‑bye slate that includes multiple playoff teams and a late finish against Titans and Ravens, despite Pittsburgh’s recent roster improvements and history of strong seasons.
NFL’s 2026 bye weeks run from Week 5 to Week 14 (Week 12 is skipped for Thanksgiving); Week 11 features six teams on a bye—the most of the season—with the Packers and Rams also off in Week 11 due to the Thanksgiving Eve game. The remaining byes are four-team buys scattered across Weeks 5–10, 11 (the six-team Week 11), 13, and 14: Week 5 Panthers/Chiefs; Week 6 Bengals/Lions/Dolphins/Vikings; Week 7 Bills/Jaguars/Chargers/Commanders; Week 8 Texans/Saints/Giants/49ers; Week 9 Steelers/Titans; Week 10 Bears/Broncos/Eagles/Buccaneers; Week 11 Falcons/Browns/Packers/Rams/Patriots/Seahawks; Week 13 Ravens/Colts/Raiders/Jets; Week 14 Cardinals/Cowboys.
Detroit’s 2026 schedule features a favorable start (four of the first five opponents finished 2025 with losing records), an early Week 6 bye, and a late-season test with all three divisional road games after December 19 plus a Week 15 Sunday-night trip to Minnesota. The Lions also have eight nationally televised games and a home slate dominated by 1 p.m. starts (six at Ford Field) with two later-time slots: a 4:25 p.m. game against the Packers and a Monday night contest vs. the Giants.
With the 2026 NFL schedule due May 14, Detroit already has a Munich Week 10 game set for Nov. 15, leaving the team potentially three games in 11 days around Thanksgiving unless a Week 11 bye is possible. The Pride of Detroit podcast weighs the rest implications, desired primetime slots, and Thanksgiving opponent, while also reviewing offseason defensive moves.
The Seattle Seahawks, having secured the NFC West top seed with a 14-3 record, are using their bye week to maintain a focused and competitive mindset, emphasizing continued preparation and growth ahead of the playoffs, without taking a break from their disciplined approach.
The New England Patriots, despite preseason predictions of an 8.5 win total and doubts about their competitiveness, are currently 11-2 and leading the AFC East, fueled by motivation from external skepticism. Players and coach Mike Vrabel emphasize the importance of staying hungry and focused as they approach the playoffs, with the bye week serving as a chance to recover and prepare for the final stretch.
Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the team MVP at the 2025 bye week, despite a recent tough game, thanks to his strong season performance including leading in passing yards and touchdowns, and his resilience as a runner. The team remains a top contender with Mahomes at the helm, and he is a strong candidate for NFL MVP.
The Kansas City Chiefs are on a bye in Week 10 of the NFL season, having played the most games since 2018, and will return to play the Denver Broncos in Week 11. The bye week provides rest for key players like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce as they prepare for the remaining eight games of the season.
After a heavy loss to the Broncos, Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer promises significant changes to improve the team's performance, especially on defense, during the upcoming bye week, aiming to rebound before facing the Arizona Cardinals.
Penn State is on a bye week, but fans are engaging in open threads to discuss ongoing college football games and related topics, with active participation in community comments and updates on Penn State's recent games and coaching search.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald provided injury updates indicating key players like Derick Hall, Devon Witherspoon, and Julian Love are expected to return after the bye week, while Johnathan Hankins will not. Rylie Mills is 4-6 weeks away, and fullback Robbie Ouzts is close to returning, which could boost the team's performance.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, after a series of losses, are using their bye week to evaluate team performance and player utilization, with plans to adjust strategies and potentially increase Travis Hunter's involvement to improve in the upcoming games.
The Buffalo Bills, after a tough 24-14 loss to the Falcons and a 4-2 record, are planning to use their bye week to reevaluate and rebuild, as head coach Sean McDermott admits the team is not good enough and needs a fresh start to improve on offense, defense, and special teams, especially with the Patriots leading the division.