NFL fans have made one thing loud and clear: they do not want this Week 3 primetime slate.
The league’s standalone night games are Atlanta at Green Bay on Prime Video at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, Los Angeles at Denver on NBC at 8:20 p.m.
ET on Sunday, and Philadelphia at Chicago on ESPN at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday.
Those are the three windows the NFL has marked out for the week, and they’re drawing heat because several more appealing matchups sit in the afternoon, including Kansas City at Miami and Baltimore against Dallas in Brazil.
That frustration has zeroed in on commissioner Roger Goodell, with fans asking for a change to the primetime schedule even though the league’s flex rules make that nearly impossible. Sunday Night Football flex does not begin until Week 5.
Monday Night Football flex does not open until Week 12. Thursday Night Football flex is limited to Weeks 13 through 17.
In other words, the games fans are angry about are already locked in.
Atlanta is at the center of the complaint. The Falcons are 0-2 after a 34-3 loss to Carolina and have scored just 16 points through two games.
They are also set for three straight national windows: Thursday against Green Bay, Monday Night Football in Week 4 at New Orleans, and Sunday night in Week 5 against Baltimore. That run has become a lightning rod online.
“What a boring MNF. And our reward on Thursday? Falcons-Packers,” radio host Mark Gunnels wrote.
Other reactions were even sharper. “Nobody wants to watch the Falcons in primetime 3 weeks in a row,” one user added.
Another account said, “The next three weeks the Falcons play Thursday night, Monday night and Sunday night. These about to be the worst games ever,” while one more posted, “There’s not a singular chance I’m watching Packers vs Penix and the Falcons.”
Jon Benne also pointed to the same issue, writing, “One of the NFL’s worst scheduling tendencies is stacking primetime teams to start the season,” in reference to Atlanta’s three-night stretch.
The matchups themselves aren’t all equal. Green Bay is 1-1 after an overtime win over the Jets.
The Rams and Broncos are both 1-1. Philadelphia is 2-0, while Chicago is 1-1 after a 9-3 loss to Minnesota.
Even so, the mood around the schedule has been set by the Falcons’ placement, not just by the quality of the games.
There is one wrinkle that could make Thursday a little more interesting: Michael Penix Jr. is slated to make his season debut in Green Bay after last year’s torn ACL. Still, that does not change the larger issue fans keep hammering. The best available games this week are sitting in the afternoon, while the national nights remain exactly where the league put them.
In Other News...
Falcons Fans Have Another Reason To Be Furious About Panthers Loss
The Falcons 34-3 loss to the Panthers was ugly enough on its own, with Bryce Young carving up Atlanta for 287 yards and three touchdowns while Carolinas defense piled on takeaways and pressure. Devin Lloyd helped turn the game into a rout with two interceptions, a sack and a pick-six, leaving Atlanta chasing both the scoreboard and the tone of a game that got away quickly.
Trevis Gipson Sr. added another flash point late in the third quarter, when he landed on a pile with a wrestling-style elbow after the whistle. It was the kind of unnecessary moment that can linger long after the final score, and it may now draw a closer look from the NFL for potential discipline. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Loss Got Even Worse With One Panthers Hit Now Under Scrutiny
The Falcons rough afternoon in Carolina was already trending toward ugly long before the final whistle, with Bryce Young carving up the defense in a 34-3 Panthers win and Devin Lloyd stacking up a big play-filled day that included two interceptions, a sack and a pick-six. For Atlanta, it was the kind of game that leaves little room for comfort, the scoreline reflecting a defense that could not slow the Panthers and an offense that never found its footing.
Late in the game, though, one sequence added another layer to the frustration. Trevis Gipson Sr. came down on a Falcons player who was already on the ground, and the hit now appears to be drawing scrutiny from the league for possible discipline. Even in a lopsided loss, Atlanta may wind up revisiting this one for reasons that go beyond the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Fans Are Stuck With A Primetime Stretch Nobody Wanted
The early-season spotlight is already feeling heavy for Atlanta fans, and not in the way they hoped. Week 3 brings three primetime games on the NFL schedule, with the Falcons landing in all three, a setup that has sparked plenty of frustration on social media from a fan base that would rather see a little more flexibility and a lot less night football this early.
The problem for anyone looking for a quick fix is that the leagues flex rules leave almost no room to move these games right now. Sunday night contests cannot be adjusted before Week 5, and Monday or Thursday night matchups are locked in until Week 12 or later, which means the current primetime slate is staying put despite the complaints. For Atlanta supporters, the only thing left is to sit through a stretch they did not ask for and hope the football is worth the late nights. [Read more 🡒]