Hello, everyone, and happy Wednesday. John Breech is busy rearranging his schedule to accommodate the Bengals' upcoming New Year's Eve matchup in 2023 (more on that below), so you've got me, Cody Benjamin, to guide you around the NFL.
This is the Pick Six newsletter. Now let's get to it. (And please, do yourself a favor and make sure you're signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You don't want to miss our daily offerings of everything you need to know around the NFL.)
We've got lots of major updates on the upcoming NFL schedule, including plenty involving the Jets, and much more:
- Today's show: Previewing the 2023 NFL schedule
John Breech, Brady Quinn and Katie Mox joined Will Brinson on the latest "Pick Six NFL Podcast" to forecast the anticipated schedule release. Several big matchups have already been teased (more below), but the crew still had plenty of thoughts -- and suggestions -- for the upcoming slate. Some highlights:
- Quinn believes all eyes will be on the Browns early in the schedule, with pressure on coach Kevin Stefanski to make something of a Deshaun Watson-led offense. Team ownership is committed to Watson, but the results have yet to surface.
- Mox is more excited for an Eagles vs. 49ers rematch than just about anything, suggesting San Francisco fans "feel like we were robbed of the chance to compete" in the NFC Championship, when Brock Purdy exited due to injury.
- Brinson isn't excited to watch the Patriots, and Quinn believes the Cardinals could be an equally sluggish watch. But both are very intrigued by the new-look Ravens, with Quinn even predicting rookie Zay Flowers will be "the second coming of Antonio Brown on the field."
Listen to the full episode (and subscribe for all kinds of daily NFL talk) right here.
2. CBS reveals AFC title rematch on New Year's Eve
Few matchups demand more attention than Bengals versus Chiefs, and that's exactly what CBS will give audiences on New Year's Eve in 2023, announcing it will broadcast a Week 17 showdown between the title contenders on Sunday, Dec. 31. The heavyweights have met in the last two AFC Championships, and now they'll reconvene for a late-season showdown at Arrowhead Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET. Joe Burrow won three straight matchups with Patrick Mahomes and Co. leading up to last year's conference title game, when Kansas City advanced to the Super Bowl on a last-second victory.
3. International games: Jaguars to play back to back in London
A day before the full schedule release, the NFL revealed its five-game International Series for 2023. The slate sends Jacksonville back to London for its 10th and 11th overseas appearances, and not only that, but in back-to-back matchups. Here's the rundown:
- Falcons vs. Jaguars (Week 4): Oct. 1, 9:30 a.m. ET, Wembley Stadium in London
- Jaguars vs. Bills (Week 5): Oct. 8, 9:30 a.m. ET, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London
- Ravens vs. Titans (Week 6): Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m. ET, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London
- Dolphins vs. Chiefs (Week 9): Nov. 5, 9:30 a.m. ET, Frankfurt Stadium in Germany
- Colts vs. Patriots (Week 10): Nov. 12, 9:30 a.m. ET, Frankfurt Stadium in Germany
4. Holiday games: Rodgers on Black Friday, Eagles on Christmas Day
More NFL scheduling updates: we have confirmation of big-time matchups on two other important dates on the 2023 calendar. First, Aaron Rodgers and the Jets will host the rival Dolphins in the NFL's first-ever Black Friday game, a 3 p.m. ET clash on Nov. 24 that'll be free to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Then, on Monday, Dec. 25, the Eagles and Giants will square off in the second game of the league's second annual Christmas Day tripleheader, kicking off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Fox.
5. Schedule tracker: Live updates, leaks, and other things to know
More schedule news will be flowing in from now until the official NFL announcement on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. We've got you covered with round-the-clock updates at CBS Sports:
- Live schedule leaks and reports: A running tracker of game rumors, announcements and early previews
- Key things to know about schedule release: John Breech provides an overview of all the rule changes, top matchups and general intrigue surrounding the finalization of the 2023 regular-season schedule
6. Rapid-fire roundup: Jets' other QB target, cut candidates, and more
Hungry for more headlines? We've got you covered:
- Veterans on the chopping block after the draft: Chris Trapasso identifies big names who could be moved
- Jets considered trading for another NFC QB: Here's a hint: this other QB plays in the NFC West
- Lions rookie Hendon Hooker to 'redshirt' 2023 season: And Dan Campbell likes the fact the new QB is older
- Full list of players wearing No. 0 jersey: Almost a dozen are switching to the newest number
