The NFL’s television partners don’t necessarily take the best teams in the league for the most primetime games. They take the teams that are going to get the biggest audiences and make the networks the most money.
That means there are a few teams, which, if they’re anywhere close to good — or close to contending for the top spot in an awful division — are going to be constantly present in night games.
The good news for RedZone viewers is that we don’t have to endure as much Dallas Cowboys football as we otherwise might. And apparently TV execs didn’t get the memo that Drew Brees retired.
So, for the final part of Deadspin’s NFL preview for RedZone viewers, we get the teams that will be most often teased as coming up on Sunday Night or Monday Night Football. These are, as decided by NBC and ESPN, this year’s marquee teams. These are the Prime Time Players.