NFL schedule breakdown reveals lots of Cowboys on Capital Region TV
How about them Cowboys?
America's Team, as the NFL franchise in Dallas labels itself, likely will have 15 of 16 of its regular-season games televised in the Capital Region, according to our annual schedule analysis. The Cowboys have had 12 telecasts available in the Capital Region each of the past three seasons.
Only a Week 3 game against the Dolphins will be missing from area TVs this year.
Keep in mind that NFL television schedules are fluid, and, in this era of "flex" scheduling, games often get moved around. We've done our schedule analysis for several years now, and we're usually more than 90 percent accurate.
The accuracy could be tested this year. More on that in a moment.
Of course, the Capital Region will get all 16 Giants games, as is the case every year. We've also assumed that all 16 Jets games will air locally, although that could change late in the season if they're struggling.
As for the other regional teams, the Patriots figure to be on 13 times, up two from the past two years. New England fans will miss out on Weeks 2 (Dolphins), 5 (Redskins) and 15 (Bengals). The Patriots' visibility is helped by five prime-time telecasts, same as the Chiefs, who have the game's best young quarterback in Patrick Mahomes.
The Bills, by our calculations, will have nine Capital Region telecasts, including only three of their final seven games. That's fewer than seven teams and the same number as the Bears, Packers and Rams. Buffalo had 12 local telecasts last season.
This becomes more of an inexact science each year.
In addition to the flex option on Sunday night games, the NFL also can apply "cross-flexing," moving games originally scheduled for CBS to Fox, and vice versa. That will affect the availability of regional teams on Capital Region TV.
Another of the...