The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the most popular and successful franchises in the National Football League (NFL). As members of the NFC East division, the Eagles play six divisional games each regular season against the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders. In addition to divisional games, the Eagles play four interconference games against AFC opponents on a rotating three-year cycle. The remaining six games are played against NFC teams from other divisions.
In total, each NFL team plays 16 regular season games. Some of these games are scheduled for prime time, meaning they are played on Thursday night, Sunday night, or Monday night. Prime time games are considered more high-profile because they air nationally on major television networks. So how many prime time games will the Eagles play in the 2022 season? Let’s take a closer look at the Eagles’ schedule to find out.
Eagles 2022 Schedule Overview
The Eagles’ 2022 regular season schedule was announced in May. Here is an overview of their 17-game slate:
- 6 games against NFC East rivals (3 home, 3 away)
- 4 games against AFC South teams
- 3 games against NFC North teams
- 2 games against NFC West teams
- 1 game against an AFC North team
- 1 additional home game against an AFC team
The Eagles have nine home games and eight away games. They have a bye week in Week 7. Their opponents range from division foes like the Cowboys to non-conference opponents like the Jaguars. Now let’s see which of these games made the prime time cut.
Eagles Prime Time Games in 2022
After analyzing the Eagles’ full 2022 schedule, we can determine they have the following prime time games:
- Week 2 (September 19): at Vikings (Monday Night Football)
- Week 6 (October 16): vs. Cowboys (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 12 (November 21): vs. Packers (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 15 (December 18): at Bears (FOX/NFL Network)
- Week 16 (December 24): at Cowboys (Saturday late afternoon)
So in total, the Eagles have 5 prime time games in the 2022 regular season. This includes:
- 2 Sunday Night Football games
- 1 Monday Night Football game
- 1 Saturday late afternoon game in Week 16 (which operates like a prime time game)
- 1 Thursday Night Football game on FOX/NFL Network
Let’s break down each of these prime time matchups:
Week 2 at Vikings
This Monday Night Football matchup will feature two teams with playoff aspirations in the 2022 season. It will be Philadelphia’s first road test of the year. The Eagles and Vikings both run aggressive, attacking defenses, so this could be a hard-hitting affair under the lights.
Week 6 vs. Cowboys
Any time the Eagles and Cowboys collide it’s must-see TV. Dallas @ Philly is one of the best rivalries in sports. This will be their first of two Sunday Night Football meetings. The winner gets early bragging rights in the NFC East.
Week 12 vs. Packers
This Sunday night game will pit Jalen Hurts and the Eagles against four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Two of the league’s top quarterbacks facing off is sure to attract a large national audience.
Week 15 at Bears
The Eagles will travel to chilly Chicago in mid-December for a Thursday night contest. The Bears are rebuilding but always play tough at home. Justin Fields versus the Eagles ferocious pass rush could be an intriguing matchup.
Week 16 at Cowboys
Dallas hosts Philly on Christmas Eve in what could be a crucial game for playoff seeding. The Cowboys want payback for the earlier loss. Starting in late afternoon, this has a big prime time feel for the holiday weekend.
Prime Time Importance
Playing in prime time games is important for several reasons:
- It increases national exposure and buzz for the team.
- It provides opportunities for star players to shine on the big stage.
- Wins and losses take on greater significance with playoff positioning at stake.
- Home teams can ride crowd energy and momentum in their stadium under the lights.
- Rivalries are intensified when they play out in front of a massive audience.
The Eagles have been a consistently successful franchise and have many star players like Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Darius Slay, and others. Matchups against top rivals (Cowboys) and MVP quarterbacks (Rodgers) highlight their schedule. Overall, five prime time games indicates the NFL sees Philly as an exciting draw with high expectations in 2022.
Eagles Prime Time History
To provide additional context, let’s examine the Eagles history of appearing in prime time games:
| Season | # of Prime Time Games |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2017 | 6 |
A few things stand out from this historical data:
- The Eagles almost always play at least 4 prime time games per season.
- In the past 5 seasons, they’ve averaged exactly 5 prime time games per year.
- The high point was 6 prime time games in their Super Bowl winning season of 2017.
So the 5 prime time matches in 2022 aligns perfectly with their recent historical averages. The Eagles remain a flagship franchise that the NFL wants to feature in its most high-profile TV slots.
Conclusion
To answer the original question – the Philadelphia Eagles have five scheduled prime time games in the 2022 NFL regular season. This includes two Sunday night contests, one Monday night game, a Thursday night matchup, and a late Saturday afternoon kickoff in Week 16.
Prime time games allow the Eagles to showcase their talented roster to a national audience. They have several marquee matchups against rivals like the Cowboys and top contenders like the Packers. Based on recent history, having five prime time games is right in line with expectations for such a popular and successful franchise. Games under the bright lights will be crucial as the Eagles set their sights on playoff success and Super Bowl dreams.
