The NFL schedule will be officially released on Wednesday, May 14. Los Angeles already knows it will be featured in the Brazil game in Sao Paulo in Week 1 to open Jim Harbaugh’s second season as head coach, but thanks to an ascendant roster, it should be placed in a number of other primetime games.
Here’s a look at the games most likely to be on the primetime calendar.
Chargers vs. Chiefs
Front Office Sports reported Saturday that LA will likely “host” Kansas City in Brazil in Week 1, moving one of their key divisional matchups out of SoFi Stadium and to Sao Paulo. With the Chiefs coming off a Super Bowl loss and enjoying a high-profile run over the past few years, it makes sense that the NFL would want to get them in an international spotlight in what should be a hotly contested game.
Chargers vs. Eagles
Any time a playoff team hosts the defending Super Bowl champs, there’s a good chance the game will end up on primetime. Los Angeles has a similar mindset to Philadelphia—building a winning football team through the trenches—and their matchup this season will go a long way towards proving that Harbaugh’s squad is getting close to executing that vision.
Chargers at Raiders
Longtime Harbaugh rival Pete Carroll is back in the NFL as the coach of the Chargers’ biggest rival, setting up an easy storyline for any primetime network that may want it. Monday Night Football in Week 2 could make some sense to give the Chargers a long week to recover from their trip overseas. With young first-round talents Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers teaming up with quarterback Geno Smith, Las Vegas could have a high-flying offense made for a primetime audience.
Chargers at Cowboys
Dallas will get their fair share of primetime games and theoretically should bounce back with the recent addition of George Pickens at wide receiver and the return of quarterback Dak Prescott from injury. As an early-season matchup that will get the Cowboys their spotlight while highlighting the potential rise of the Chargers, this game feels like a sneaky contender to end up on Sunday Night Football.
Chargers at/vs Broncos
Whether it’s the matchup at SoFi or Mile High, whichever Chargers-Broncos game comes later in the year seems poised to become an important matchup for AFC playoff seeding, as it was last season. Denver was a surprise playoff team under rookie quarterback Bo Nix last season, but their lockdown defense will keep them in that conversation for the foreseeable future. As the calendar reaches December, this game will become increasingly important if both teams hit their ceilings.
