An additional week of regular-season games will benefit NFL fans right from the start.
In order to keep an equal number of doubleheaders between CBS and Fox, the league has decided to make Week 1 a doubleheader for both networks, which is also what they do on the final week.
Blake Jones of the league’s scheduling department said the success of the doubleheaders during the final week was one of the driving forces behind adding it to the opening week. It also means Fox and CBS will each have 10 doubleheaders during the season.
“It is an amazing amount of football and everyone gets four games (two each on Fox and CBS),” Jones said.