How the NFL's 17-game schedule works

Play each of the other three teams in your division twice: once at home and once away. Those six rivalry games are a fixed part of every team's schedule.

Play all four teams from an assigned division in your own conference. This rotating group provides two home games and two away games.

Play all four teams from an assigned division in the other conference. This group also brings two home games and two away games.

From each of the two remaining divisions in your conference, face the team that had the same division finish as you in the previous season. One game is at home and one is away.

The 17th game is against a team from the other conference with a matching previous-season division finish. Its division sits outside your four-game interconference group.

6 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 17. Only three games depend on the previous season's division finish; the other 14 come from division rivals and the rotating groups. Across 32 teams, that makes 272 regular-season games.

Teams play 17 games across 18 weeks, with one bye. They alternate between eight and nine designated home games. A designated home game can take place at an international venue, so the label alone does not tell you the stadium.

Opponents are determined before dates and kickoff windows are assigned. Stadium availability, travel and broadcast windows affect the calendar. Flexible scheduling can change selected dates or time slots, so check the current schedule before making plans.