Jaguars 2023 schedule features home-opener rematch vs. Chiefs, three prime-time games
The Jacksonville Jaguars will have to wait a week before playing at home in 2023, set to face off against the Indianapolis Colts to open the season at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. They'll close their season on the road against the Tennessee Titans.
The NFL released its schedule for all 32 teams Thursday, giving fans, media, players, coaches and more a look at how the landscape of this year's season will unfold as we inch closer to the start of the season.
Jacksonville is also set to play in three prime-time matchups, including a game on Sunday Night, Thursday Night and Monday Night Football. It will mark just the first time since 2008 that Jacksonville plays all three major network prime-time games.
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Jacksonville will play host in two of the matchups, first against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 13 (Dec. 4) and against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in Week 15 (Dec. 17). They'll go on the road to play the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7 (Oct. 19).
Announced earlier in the week, the Jaguars will be playing back-to-back matchups across the pond in London. They'll face off against the Atlanta Falcons at "home" in Week 4 on Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. at Wembley Stadium.
The team will remain in London the following week to face off against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 8 at 9:30 a.m. for an "away" matchup. That makes five standalone games for Jacksonville this season including the three prime-time matchups.
Jacksonville, and all other AFC teams, will have nine home playoff games this year. The AFC and NFC take turns each year to play eight or nine home games for parity purposes as the NFL navigates a 17-game schedule.
Jaguars open at home against Kansas City Chiefs
The Jaguars won't have to wait long to exact revenge against the Kansas City Chiefs. The team will open at home at TIAA Bank Field against the Chiefs in Week 2 of the regular season. The game will take place on Sept. 17 at 1 p.m.
Last year, the Jaguars lost to the Chiefs twice at Arrowhead Stadium, once in the regular season and again during the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Following the team's playoff exit, many in the Jaguars' locker room spoke about getting an opportunity to face the Chiefs again in the future.
Now, they'll get their chance to do it early on their home turf.
Jaguars opt for mid-season bye
The Jaguars will take their bye week during Week 9, two weeks earlier than last year. That means Jacksonville will not be taking a break after a two-week adventure in London, opting for a mid-season bye week to benefit the team.
Jacksonville can't necessarily ask for which week they'd want their bye to occur, but they can choose to get a bye week after their London series. They opted not to do so, and the NFL scheduled their bye week for Week 9 instead as a result.
Last year, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson was asked about taking such a late bye week and not having one following the team's London matchup. Jacksonville played the Denver Broncos in Week 8 last year at Wembley Stadium.
“You could have it after the London game, yes, if you wanted to. What I’m saying is we just didn’t want it like Week 9 necessarily. We want it a little bit later because of the 17-game schedule. The later you can have that bye is good,” Pederson said this time last year.
More schedule notes:
Jaguars will play 10 out of 12 traditional games during the 1 p.m. slot as the schedule is set today. The league does have an option of flexing games to 4 p.m. slots if they should choose.
Jacksonville is opening its season against the Colts for the first time since the 2020 home opener and the third time in team history. It’s the second time (2009) the team will travel to Indianapolis in Week 1.
It will be the second time in team history that Jacksonville plays New Orleans in a prime-time game. The only other time Jacksonville faced New Orleans in prime time occurred in 1999 on SNF.
Jaguars will finish their season facing off against the Titans for a second-straight year.
Jaguars will play on Sunday Night Football during the regular season for the first time since 2008 against the Steelers.
Jaguars will play on Monday Night Football for the first time since 2011, when they played on MNF twice.
Jaguars become first team to play two games in London in a single season.
2023 Jacksonville Jaguars preseason schedule
TBD | at Dallas Cowboys | TBD
TBD | at Detroit Lions | TBD
TBD | Miami Dolphins | TBD
2023 Jacksonville Jaguars regular season schedule
Week 1 | Sep. 10 | at Indianapolis Colts| 1 p.m. | FOX
Week 2 | Sep. 17 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1 p.m. | CBS
Week 3 | Sep. 24 | Houston Texans | 1 p.m. | FOX
Week 4 | Oct. 1 | Atlanta Falcons (Wembley Stadium) | 9:30 a.m. | ESPN+
Week 5 | Oct. 8 | at Buffalo Bills (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium) | 9:30 a.m. | NFLN
Week 6 | Oct. 15 | Indianapolis Colts | 1 p.m. | CBS
Week 7 | Oct. 19 | at New Orleans Saints | 8:15 p.m. | Prime Video
Week 8 | Oct. 29 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 p.m. | CBS
BYE
Week 10 | Nov. 12 | San Francisco 49ers |1 p.m. | FOX
Week 11 | Nov. 19 | Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS
Week 12 | Nov. 26 | at Houston Texans | 1 p.m. | CBS
Week 13 | Dec. 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN
Week 14 | Dec. 10 | at Cleveland Browns | 1 p.m. | CBS
Week 15 | Dec. 17 | Baltimore Ravens| 8:20 p.m. | NBC
Week 16 | Dec. 24 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4:05 p.m. | CBS
Week 17 | Dec. 31 | Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. | CBS
Week 18 | TBD | at Tennessee Titans | TBD |TBD
*Bold indicates prime-time matchup
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars schedule 2023-24 features home opener vs. Chiefs
