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What Is the NFL Regular Season?
The NFL Regular Season is the main competitive phase of the NFL calendar, running from early September through early January. Every team plays 17 games across 18 weeks, with one bye week built in. At the end of the regular season, the top three division winners and three wild card teams from each conference — AFC and NFC — advance to the NFL Playoffs. For today's live scores and streams, visit the NFLBite home page.
On NFLBite, you can watch every regular season game free, with multiple stream links available per game. Stream links go live 30 minutes before kickoff, no login or subscription required.
NFL 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule Structure
17
Games per team
18
Regular season weeks
32
Total NFL teams
272
Total regular season games
1
Bye week per team
6
Playoff spots per conference
Where to Watch NFL Regular Season Games
NFL regular season games are broadcast across multiple networks depending on the game and time slot. Here is a breakdown of who airs which games:
CBS
AFC games on Sunday afternoons. Home of the AFC package including divisional matchups and featured games.
FOX
NFC games on Sunday afternoons. Broadcast partner for the NFC package, including conference rivalry games.
NBC
Sunday Night Football — the most-watched primetime program in US television for over a decade.
ESPN / ABC
Monday Night Football — the longest-running primetime sports show, now simulcast on ABC for major matchups.
Amazon Prime
Thursday Night Football — the exclusive streaming home of TNF since 2022, available via Prime Video.
NFL Network
Select late-season Saturday games, plus RedZone, NFL Total Access, and in-season highlight programming.
NFLBite streams all of the above. Multiple verified links are available per game, ranked by viewer quality votes. No cable subscription needed.
How NFL Playoff Qualification Works
Each conference — AFC and NFC — sends 7 teams to the playoffs. Spots are determined as follows: the winner of each of the 4 divisions in a conference earns an automatic playoff berth, with the top division winner receiving the number 1 seed. The remaining 3 playoff spots go to wild card teams — the next best records regardless of division.
The number 1 seed in each conference earns a first-round bye, meaning they sit out Wild Card Weekend and enter the playoffs in the Divisional Round. Home field advantage throughout the playoffs goes to the higher-seeded team.
NFL Regular Season FAQ
When does the NFL Regular Season start?
The NFL Regular Season typically begins on the Thursday of the first full week of September — known as NFL Kickoff Thursday. The full schedule is released each spring.
How many games does each team play?
Each team plays 17 regular season games over 18 weeks, with one bye week. 8 home games and 9 away games, or vice versa, depending on the schedule rotation.
What happens after the regular season?
The top 7 teams from each conference — AFC and NFC — advance to the NFL Playoffs, starting with Wild Card Weekend in January.
Can I watch NFL regular season games free on NFLBite?
Yes. NFLBite lists free stream links for every regular season game. Links go live 30 minutes before kickoff. No account or subscription needed.