May 16, 2022
Only the NFL could make logistics into an event and that’s what the nation’s real pastime has done with its schedule release, turning dates and times into something that can give actual playoff games in other major sports a run for their money when it comes to interest.
Even the concentrated leaks leading up to the unveiling of the league’s schedule have turned into a thing with social media grifters garnering thousands of followers with educated guesses peddled as something more until the sleight of hand. It'll be rinse and repeat come next year.
The bigger news with the NFL schedule release to smart fans is always the themes and the spots because ultimately the cliche of “it’s not who you play, it’s when you play them” is paramount in this sport.
Some of my early takeaways from the 2022 Eagles’ docket include a potential easy start, the bye week a little bit earlier than you might like (Week 7, the team’s earliest since a Week 4 break in 2016), and a three-game road swing that ends on Christmas Eve against your biggest rival.
Andrew Brandt, the ex-Packers executive who also consulted with the Eagles in 2009-10, was always concerned about the weather when it came to Green Bay. Who was coming to Lambeau Field in December and January games? And would the Packers themselves get a respite from the cold when they were on the road late in the season?
As for Mike Francesa’s famed “Dat’s a win, dat’s a loss” game stolen by every sports-talk radio station in America, in early May, that's slightly less meaningful than the first mock draft that came out minutes after the 2022 selection meeting finished.
There is something important to fans and executives alike, however, when it comes to the NFL schedule and that’s the island of relevancy that is primetime games.
For the former, it’s confirmation that the league isn’t against their favorites, something always important in Philadelphia, which has always suffered from little-brother syndrome while nestled between the world’s most important city and the nation’s power center. For the latter, it’s a signal that others think you might be playoff-worthy and maybe more.
The Eagles got invited back on the island after the Jeffrey Lurie-coined transition season with five scheduled appearances on the big stage, tied for the league-high.
For the locals who really believe Park Avenue sticks its nose up at the Eagles, they might be surprised to learn that only one organization has been featured more in primetime this century: the Dallas Cowboys.
The league is also very cognizant of the passion of certain major markets and even though the NFC East is in a down cycle as a whole, it’s still at the forefront of TV conversations.
“Playing in that NFC East that's been a, you know, a lifeline of ratings, you know success for our network partners,” NFL Broadcasting Vice President Mike North said when discussing the Eagles during a conference call last week with reporters after the schedule release. “The [Eagles] were always going to be destined for some national television. They've also got a really interesting slate of opponents as well.”
That slate includes Doug Pederson returning to Lincoln Financial Field, a potential home-and-home matchup with former quarterback Carson Wentz and the Washington Commanders plus Tennessee coming to Philadelphia after the huge draft might deal that sent A.J. Brown from the Titans to the Eagles.
“We definitely tinkered a little bit with, should we do something a little different with the Tennessee game once the A.J. Brown trade happened?” North conceded.
Ultimately the NFL has to keep some high-profile games in the 1 p.m. slot for the networks as well and the decision was made to keep the Titans-Eagles there.
The NFL schedule is a complex formula as a whole that somehow has to keep an uneven league (32 teams, 17 games) on a rotation that makes sure every team plays each of the other 31 at least once every four years. There are plenty of other hurdles as well, like one TNF appearance for all, the international games, and yearly outliers involving venue use.
Thousands of cloud-based computers produce thousands of possible outcomes for the schedule makers who then try to select the best-case scenario.
The tinkering is always difficult, but interesting.
“For a long time, we had Jacksonville at Philly on the Thursday schedule for coach Pederson and his return to Philadelphia,” said North. “Then we started thinking about well, should it be Tennessee-Philly [on Thursday night]. Then we scheduled to head Tennessee-Green Bay for Amazon and we were wondering if maybe that wasn't better use of that asset.
“Once Tennessee-Green Bay is one of the Thursday nights, you couldn't do Tennessee-Philly for Thursday. We certainly saw schedules with Tennessee-Philly on Monday night, but you know, again, we look at not just the primetimes ... but we've got six or eight or nine games every Sunday afternoon at one o'clock. You gotta leave some decent quality in there, too.”
In 2021, coming off the ugly four-win season, the Eagles had 13 of their games scheduled for 1 p.m. starts. This year, it’s the five in primetime with four of those in South Philadelphia, but North insists the shift isn’t about draft picks, trade pickups, grudge matches, or even superstar opponents.
“That's a playoff team from last year,” North explained. “I mean, we always talk about, you know, playing your way into primetime. You don't draft your way into primetime. You don't trade your way into primetime.
"You play your way into primetime.”
John McMullen is a contributor to PhillyVoice.com, and covers the Eagles and the NFL for Sports Illustrated and JAKIB Media. He’s also the co-host of “Birds 365,” a daily streaming show covering the Eagles and the NFL and the host of “Extending the Play” on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com. Follow John on Twitter here.
