To follow an NFL season, track your team’s record, its place in its division, and what it needs to do on each possession. The season starts with preseason games, moves through the regular season, then narrows to the playoffs and the Super Bowl. You can understand the stakes without knowing every rule: watch the down-and-distance, the line to gain, and who has the ball.
How the NFL season is organized
The NFL has 32 teams split between two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference has East, North, South, and West divisions, with four teams in each division. The 2026 schedule has 272 regular-season games: each team plays 17 games across an 18-week season and has one bye week, meaning a scheduled week off. A bye is not a loss or an exhibition game. NFL Football Operations explains the schedule structure.
Preseason: games before the standings count
Preseason games take place before the regular season. They are part of the NFL calendar, but they do not count toward a team’s regular-season record or playoff position. The supplied season information establishes the regular-season and postseason structure, but does not specify 2026 preseason dates or game counts; check the current NFL schedule for those details.
Regular season: build a record and a playoff position
During the regular season, teams compete for wins and for a favorable position in their division and conference. Each team plays its division rivals twice; the league formula determines the rest of its opponents. A win helps, but a team’s place in the standings—not simply its total wins in isolation—determines whether it reaches the playoffs and its seeding. The NFL schedule explanation describes how opponents are determined.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchOnce a week, check three things: your team’s win-loss-tie record, its division position, and its remaining schedule. The schedule helps you see what games are still ahead; the standings show how those results affect the playoff race.
Playoffs: division champions and wild cards
Under the seven-team-per-conference format, each division champion qualifies and receives one of the top four seeds in its conference. Three additional teams from each conference qualify as wild cards. The top seed in each conference gets a first-round bye; the other six teams play in the Wild Card round. Winners progress through the Divisional round and conference championship games. The AFC and NFC champions then meet in the Super Bowl. The NFL’s 2025 Record & Fact Book documents the postseason format.
What to watch during a game
Possession, downs, and the line to gain
One team’s offense tries to move the ball toward the other team’s end zone. It has four downs—attempts—to advance at least 10 yards. If it reaches the line to gain, it gets a new first down and another set of four downs. If it does not, possession usually changes. On fourth down, a team may punt to give the opponent the ball farther away, or attempt a field goal if it is close enough to try for three points. The NFL glossary defines these football terms.
A broadcast graphic such as “2nd & 7” means it is second down and the offense needs seven yards to reach a first down. The yellow line often shown on television marks the line to gain for viewers; it is a broadcast graphic, not a painted line on the field. After an interception or a fumble recovered by the defense, possession changes and the new offense begins its turn.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clock and scoring
Regulation lasts 60 minutes, divided into four 15-minute quarters. The game clock stops at various points, and halftime, reviews, and the play clock add time to the broadcast, so a game takes much longer to watch than one hour. The NFL glossary covers game terminology.
A touchdown is worth six points. After one, the scoring team can kick for one extra point or try to reach the end zone again for two. A field goal is worth three points; a safety is worth two. A touchdown is scored when a player carries the ball into, or catches it in, the opponent’s end zone. These values are set out in Rule 11 of the NFL’s 2024 Rulebook.
Simple cues for a first game
- Check the down-and-distance graphic after each play so you know how close the offense is to a first down.
- Notice whether the offense runs, passes, punts, or attempts a field goal, and what the choice could produce.
- When officials call a penalty, watch the referee’s signal and listen to the broadcast explanation; penalties can move the ball or change the down.
- When possession changes, look for the new offense’s first down and follow its progress from there.
Where to find NFL games in the United States in 2026
Live-game access depends on the game, market, and season. The NFL’s 2026 US viewing guide lists the outlets below; use the current NFL guide to live regular-season games and schedule to confirm where a particular matchup is available before paying for a service.
| Game or coverage | Listed US outlet in the 2026 guide |
|---|---|
| Local Sunday afternoon games | CBS and FOX |
| Sunday Night Football | NBC |
| Monday Night Football | ESPN and ABC |
| Thursday Night Football and the Black Friday game | Prime Video |
| Selected exclusive games | NFL Network |
| Week 1 São Paulo international game | YouTube |
| Exclusive Christmas Day games | Netflix |
NFL+: phone and tablet viewing, audio, and replays
NFL+ is a US-only, mobile-first service, not an all-games-on-TV package. NFL support says it carries live local and primetime regular-season and postseason games on phones or tablets, live audio for every game, NFL Network, highlights, and out-of-market preseason games. NFL+ Premium adds NFL RedZone, NFL Pro, and full, condensed, and All-22 replays. The service is not available in US territories; NFL support directs viewers outside the US to DAZN. See NFL’s NFL+ feature and availability details.
As listed on the NFL support page updated April 28, 2026, NFL+ costs $6.99 per month or $49.99 per year; NFL+ Premium costs $14.99 per month or $99.99 per season, plus applicable taxes. These are the listed prices on that date, not a guarantee of current rates. Content rights and device restrictions can also change, so confirm NFL+ pricing with NFL support before subscribing.
Quick Recap
Choose access based on how you watch
- Live or replay: Check whether you need to watch as the game airs or whether replays are enough.
- Local or out-of-market: Confirm that the specific game you want is available in your location; a service’s game rights are not the same as access to every matchup.
- Television or mobile device: NFL+’s live-game offering is for phones and tablets, so do not assume it supplies the same live access on a television.
- Extra coverage: Decide whether RedZone or condensed replays are worth paying for; Premium is the tier that adds those features.
- Total cost and location: Check the current price, taxes, device rules, and geographic availability before committing.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
