NFL 2026 opens with Super Bowl rematch, Australia game — SkimNews
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- NFL kicks off its 2026 season Wednesday with the Super Bowl rematch between reigning champion Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), then plays its first-ever regular-season game in Australia on Thursday with the Rams facing the 49ers (8:35 p.m. ET, Netflix)
- Los Angeles Rams top ESPN's Football Power Index at 84.9% playoff probability and 50.4% division odds, powered by reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and receivers Davante Adams (league-leading 14 receiving TDs) and Puka Nacua (129 catches)
- Buffalo Bills check in at 84.1% playoff odds behind Josh Allen, whose 299 combined passing/rushing touchdowns lead all quarterbacks through eight seasons — 40 more than the next-closest player (Patrick Mahomes, 259)
- Seattle Seahawks face a 68.0% playoff projection despite defending their title, with Sam Darnold's offense now run by first-time coordinator Brian Fleury and only an NFC Championship Game appearance counted as a successful season
- Baltimore Ravens' biggest concern is center after losing three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum, leaving Jovaughn Gwyn (11 career offensive snaps) or Achilles-recovering Ethan Pocic to protect two-time MVP Lamar Jackson
- ESPN's Football Power Index projects best- and worst-case scenarios for all 32 teams based on thousands of simulations — the Rams' ceiling hits 14-3 with a 9-8 floor, while the Bills and Seahawks both top out at 13-4
Why it matters: Three teams carry explicit Super Bowl-or-bust expectations into the season — the Rams, Bills, and Seahawks — yet ESPN's Football Power Index gives the defending champion Seahawks only a 68.0% playoff shot, well behind the Rams (84.9%) and Bills (84.1%). Thursday's Australia game on Netflix extends the NFL's international footprint to a new market.
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