Developing the 256-game regular season schedule in a fair and balanced fashion isn’t the easiest task to accomplish each spring. When trying to account for stadium availability, broadcast partners, international games and other variables, random quirks can surface in the different iterations of the schedule.
One particular quirk that was produced by the 2019 schedule has left NFL V.P. of broadcasting Michael North expressing some regret.
Via Nate Davis of USA Today, North said he wishes they had another shot at producing the schedules for the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as both teams will go seven weeks between playing games in their home stadium.
“This is one that the NFL would love to have back. It’s certainly not unusual for an NFL team to have one home game over a six-week stretch,” North said. “But when that one home [game] isn’t actually home, this is likely something that the NFL would seek to avoid in the future.
“I’d love a redo on that one.”
After opening the season with home games against the Denver Broncos (Sept. 9) and Kansas City Chiefs (Sept. 15), the Raiders don’t play another home game until Week Nine against the Detroit Lions (Nov. 3). They play four road games, serve as the home team against the Chicago Bears in London and have their bye week between games at the Oakland Coliseum.
For the Buccaneers, they head on the road after hosting the New York Giants in Week Three (Sept. 22). They don’t play at Raymond James Stadium again until Week Ten against the Arizona Cardinals (Nov. 10). They also play four games on the road, get their bye week and travel to London to host the Carolina Panthers during that stretch.