The 2021 NFL schedule is here, and everything you could possibly want to know about it can be found at CBS Sports. This year looks a little different, as the league decided to add another regular-season game to make it 17, but all that matters is that we still have our "Monday Night Football." The NFL won't feature a Monday doubleheader to kick off the year this time around, but ESPN will continue to televise one game each Monday night in Weeks 1-17. There will be no Monday night game in Week 18 to provide more flexibility for the scheduling of the opening weekend of the postseason. Once again, all kickoff times will be at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Below, you'll get a full rundown of all the "Monday Night Football'' contests for 2021 as well as a quick breakdown of a handful of marquee matchups that will have the entire NFL world excited.
2021 Monday Night Football Schedule
- Week 1, Sept. 13: Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 2. Sept. 20: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
- Week 3, Sept. 27: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
- Week 4, Oct. 4: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 5, Oct. 11: Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens
- Week 6, Oct. 18: Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans
- Week 7, Oct. 25: New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks
- Week 8, Nov. 1: New York Giants at Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 9, Nov. 8: Chicago Bears at Pittsburgh Steelers
- Week 10, Nov. 15: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
- Week 11, Nov. 22: New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 12, Nov. 29: Seattle Seahawks at Washington Football Team
- Week 13, Dec. 6: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
- Week 14, Dec. 13: Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals
- Week 15, Dec. 20: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
- Week 16, Dec. 27: Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints
- Week 17, Jan. 3: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Marquee Matchups
Lamar Jackson in Sin City, Week 1
The Raiders will be playing a Monday game within the first two weeks of a season for the fourth year in a row. This season, they get to kick off "Monday Night Football" against one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the NFL. The Raiders defense struggled mightily at times last year, and this will be an early test to see if they made enough improvements in the offseason. Lamar Jackson in Vegas just sounds exciting, and you know everyone will be tuned in.
Patriots-Bills primetime revenge in Week 13
The Patriots and Bills faced off on "Monday Night Football" last year in Week 16, and Josh Allen and Co. absolutely embarrassed Bill Belichick. The 38-9 victory marked the first time since 1999 that Buffalo had swept New England in the regular season, and Allen's four touchdowns broke Jim Kelly's single-season record for touchdown passes. This Patriots team should be better in 2021, and they can make a statement against their rivals in primetime. This is also their first meeting with the Bills in 2021, which is a little strange with it occurring so late in the year.
NFL highlights Matthew Stafford
Stafford was traded to the Rams this offseason, and it now appears he will have a chance to compete for a Super Bowl. The NFL gave him two Monday night games in 2021 -- both against divisional opponents. The Rams' Week 14 matchup against the Cardinals stands out, however, as Stafford will get a chance to prove his worth on a national stage against a rival late in the season on the road. The Rams aren't the only NFC West team receiving hype this year, as Kyler Murray's squad added a few interesting players such as A.J. Green and J.J. Watt. The Cardinals and Rams could end up being the two best teams in this tough division. If that ends up being true, this Week 14 matchup could be the most exciting Monday night game of the year.
An AFC North grudge match in Week 17
The Browns and the Steelers wrap up the 2021 edition of "Monday Night Football," and this one could have massive postseason repercussions. Both teams will likely be jockeying for playoff positioning, and maybe fighting for the AFC North crown as well. The NFL realized this, so they went ahead and put them in primetime. These two teams faced off in the regular-season finale, and the Browns' 24-22 victory ended the league's longest postseason drought. Due to seeding, the Browns faced the Steelers in Super Wild-Card Weekend, and defeated them again, 48-37.
