How Many Games Does The Nfl Play This Year

Alright, football fans, let’s talk about something crucial: just how many Sundays (and Mondays, and Thursdays... let's be honest!) will we be glued to our screens this NFL season? It's a deceptively simple question with a satisfyingly large answer.

The Magic Number: 17

Get ready to shout it from the rooftops: each NFL team plays 17 regular season games. Yep, that's seventeen glorious opportunities to witness unbelievable catches, bone-crushing tackles, and maybe, just maybe, your team actually winning!

This number hasn't always been the case, mind you. For decades, it was a sweet, symmetrical 16. But the NFL, ever the innovator (or should we say, money-maker?), decided to add one more game to the mix a few years back. More football? Who are we to complain?

How Does That Break Down?

So, seventeen games. How do they figure out who plays who? It's not just a random free-for-all (though sometimes, watching certain teams, it certainly feels that way!).

Each team plays their divisional rivals twice. Think of it as seeing your annoying neighbors. You just can't avoid them. That’s six games right there, because there are four teams per division.

Then, there are games against teams from other divisions within your conference (the AFC or NFC). And to keep things spicy, they rotate games against teams from the other conference too. This year, the Dallas Cowboys might battle the New England Patriots. It’s all part of the grand, slightly complicated, scheme.

Preseason Fun (or Torture?)

Before the real madness begins, there's the preseason. Ah, the preseason. Where dreams are born, rookies are tested, and seasoned veterans try their best not to get injured.

Each team plays around three preseason games. These games are a chance for coaches to evaluate their players and fine-tune their strategies. For fans, it’s a taste of what's to come, served with a generous helping of second and third-string players you've probably never heard of.

Playoff Time!

Of course, the journey doesn't end after those 17 regular season games. That's just the appetizer! Next comes the main course: the playoffs. The best teams from each conference battle it out in a single-elimination tournament.

Winning teams advance through the Wild Card round, Divisional round, and Conference Championship round. Finally, the last two teams standing face off in the Super Bowl. The holy grail of football, and the answer to the question of who is truly the best.

The maximum number of games any team can play in a season, if they make it all the way to the Super Bowl, is 20. Seventeen regular season, and three playoff games.

So, there you have it. From the preseason skirmishes to the Super Bowl showdown, it's a long, winding, and often unpredictable road. Buckle up, football fans, because it's going to be a wild ride! Get ready to see your favorite teams

fight tooth and nail

And remember, win or lose, it's just a game. (Unless, of course, your team loses to that team. Then it's personal.)