Star Tribune lists top 10 NFL games

The Minnesota Star Tribune added its own guide to the 2026 NFL schedule on May 16, when columnist Mark Craig published a list of the 10 games he said he “can’t wait to watch” this season. The piece ran in the paper’s Vikings coverage area a day after the NFL unveiled the full regular-season schedule on May 14. Craig framed the list as a non-Vikings watchlist, pulling from rematches, rivalry games and holiday windows that stand out once dates and broadcast slots are set. ### Which game did the Star Tribune put at the front of the watchlist? The Sept. 9 opener between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots led Craig’s list, according to the syndicated version of the article that reproduces the opening item. That game is a Super Bowl LX rematch and will be played on a Wednesday night, with NFL.com listing it as the first game of Week 1. (startribune.com) Fox Sports’ full schedule listing also shows Seattle hosting New England on Sept. 9 after the Seahawks closed the previous season with the Super Bowl title. Craig’s item, as surfaced in search results, also noted former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold opening the season as Seattle’s starter. ### What kinds of matchups made Craig’s top 10? The Star Tribune teaser for Craig’s article said the list included “a Super Bowl rematch early,” “AFC championship and NFC championship rematches late,” and “a Christmas lineup full of fireworks.” That framing points to Craig favoring games with recent postseason history and nationally prominent calendar slots rather than a team-by-team breakdown. (msn.com) (foxsports.com) NFL.com published its own top-10 games list after the May 14 release and likewise emphasized postseason rematches and major rivalry games, underscoring how the 2026 slate is being marketed around those appointments. The league’s release page also set out a holiday package and nine international games, giving writers immediate focal points for watchlists like Craig’s. ### Which specific games can be verified from the published schedule? (startribune.com) The Nov. 9 Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings game is one marquee date on the calendar, with the Vikings’ schedule page listing it as a Monday night game at 7:15 p.m. ESPN. Fox Sports’ team schedule page also shows Buffalo at Green Bay on Dec. 13 and Buffalo against Kansas City on Thanksgiving, both matchups that fit Craig’s emphasis on late-season and holiday showcase windows. (nfl.com) The Dec. 10 Vikings at New England game is another nationally televised slot, set for Thursday night on Amazon Prime, according to the Star Tribune’s Vikings schedule page. The same page lists Minnesota’s Nov. 22 game against San Francisco in Mexico City and a Dec. 20 Sunday night home game against Detroit, showing how the broader 2026 schedule is loaded with prime-time and standalone windows even beyond Craig’s non-Vikings selections. (startribune.com) ### Why did this list arrive now? May 14 was the NFL’s official schedule-release date, with the league announcing the full 2026 regular-season slate at 8 p.m. Eastern time on NFL Network, ESPN2, the ESPN App and NFL+. The Star Tribune then published multiple follow-up pieces on the Vikings schedule and Craig’s broader watchlist over the next two days. Mark Craig is a longtime NFL writer at the Star Tribune and a Pro Football Hall of Fame selector, according to his author page at the newspaper. (startribune.com) That background helps explain why the paper packaged a league-wide viewing guide alongside its team-specific schedule coverage. ### Where can readers track the games from here? NFL.com has the full 2026 schedule posted, including the Week 1 opener on Sept. 9 and the international and holiday slates. (nfl.com) The Star Tribune’s sports section also continues to host Craig’s watchlist and the paper’s Vikings schedule coverage as the season moves toward training camp and the Sept. 13 Minnesota opener against Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium. (startribune.com)