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Ian Allan

Monday night magic?

Are games played on Monday nights higher scoring?

Are games played on Monday nights higher scoring? Sometimes it seems that way, like when the Ravens won 47-42 at Cleveland in December. Or when the Rams beat Kansas City 54-51 back in 2018. Green Bay and Washington were involved in a 48-47 shootout in the ‘80s.

Some players (the theory goes) might be extra motivated knowing that they’re playing on a national stage, with more eyeballs watching – including the league’s other 30 teams.

But is this actually the case? Should we be trying to put players into fantasy lineups because they’re playing on Monday night? The defensive players in these games, of course, are also playing in the same spotlight, so they also in theory would benefit from whatever extra edge is provided from playing on Monday night, whether it’s extra day to prepare or the fear of looking bad on the national stage.

There are many teams playing many games in many years, so it’s a theory that can be tested. There are many stats available, so the impact of the MNF stage can be easily measured.

For this one, best to look only at divisional games. That way, you have an ideal scientific study in place. You’ve got the same two teams with the (mostly) same players and coaches, playing once on Monday night, and once in a regular time slot. Since the league moved to 32 teams in 2002, there have been 131 such matchups. If playing on Monday night creates any kind of extra edge, it should show up in those games.

But it does not. Not at all. In those games, teams scored 14 more points in the games played on Mondays. (That’s in 131 games, so teams averaged 22.18 points in their Monday night games, versus 22.13 in the other games – virtually identical.)

Also note that offenses totaled 918 more yards in the games not played on Monday nights. They averaged 336 yards in their (mostly) Sunday games, versus only 332 on Monday nights. Not meaningfully different for fantasy purposes.

Maybe back in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, when Monday Night Football was new and more of a must-see event, there was some kind of spark for extra fireworks to occur. (I have not looked at those games). But as things stand today, nobody should be starting players in fantasy leagues with the hope of getting some kind of extra push from the Monday night spotlight.

The 131 divisional Monday night games since 2002 appear below. The first two columns show the combined production of the two teams in their Monday night game. The final two show how they performed in their other meeting in that season.

I’ve got the games ordered by points scored in the Monday night game. Interestingly, both the highest and lowest scoring games involve the same two teams. Lamar Jackson (pictured) helped Baltimore win 47-42 at Cleveland last year, and the Ravens also won 16-0 at Cleveland in 2009.

MONDAY NIGHT GAMES SINCE 2002
YearTeamsPts MonYds MonPts otherYds other
2020Ravens-Browns8987844687
2010Eagles-Washington8796729646
2008Cowboys-Eagles7871750601
2016Falcons-Saints7791670938
2010Giants-Cowboys7675153907
2004Eagles-Cowboys7080219565
2003Cowboys-Giants6771222539
2009Bears-Vikings6678646706
2011Patriots-Dolphins62111051774
2009Saints-Falcons6287949783
2011Saints-Falcons6193249844
2008Panthers-Buccaneers6184830597
2003Packers-Bears6174155582
2013Eagles-Washington6082540829
2015Ravens-Browns6067463882
2012Broncos-Chargers5967253663
2013Broncos-Raiders5887848713
2017Titans-Colts5877036530
2009Dolphins-Jets5872255482
2017Eagles-Washington5871547620
2006Giants-Cowboys5870743761
2020Patriots-Jets5775542754
2012Ravens-Bengals5775240541
2009Giants-Washington5768940623
2009Broncos-Chargers5763935619
2004Dolphins-Patriots5755334499
2002Packers-Bears5583750700
2008Broncos-Raiders5574841637
2004Jets-Dolphins5573126528
2019Cowboys-Giants5570052964
2010Patriots-Dolphins5566545752
2010Bears-Vikings5456640600
2009Vikings-Packers5375864706
2005Falcons-Saints5373865722
2008Cardinals-49ers5371036576
2011Packers-Vikings5262260856
2008Titans-Colts5259823515
2005Patriots-Jets5249219561
2018Texans-Titans5182737720
2019Seahawks-49ers5163847746
2002Rams-49ers5159250699
2018Chiefs-Broncos5083153751
2009Patriots-Bills4971727465
200249ers-Seahawks4968555806
2010Chargers-Broncos4963561784
2007Saints-Falcons4879638644
201449ers-Rams4874123456
2010Patriots-Jets4870649686
2017Chiefs-Broncos4864051715
2010Steelers-Bengals4858630544
2013Bears-Packers4775461818
2017Lions-Packers4772846612
2008Texans-Jaguars4771457761
2020Bills-Patriots4767545688
2010Colts-Texans4765758818
2017Dolphins-Patriots4761052638
2007Bengals-Ravens4755028598
2017Falcons-Buccaneers4578354889
2019Packers-Lions4574643737
2017Broncos-Chargers4557021493
2007Steelers-Ravens4539548598
2002Raiders-Broncos4471644646
2009Chargers-Raiders4468340526
2002Eagles-Washington4463055612
2009Eagles-Washington4457051684
2020Bengals-Steelers4447446701
2011Chiefs-Chargers4378837627
2017Steelers-Bengals4372743599
2008Packers-Vikings4367255545
2011Seahawks-Rams4364031474
2011Raiders-Broncos4359962828
2008Steelers-Ravens4348022513
2019Chiefs-Chargers4174852702
2018Eagles-Washington4167124449
2005Cowboys-Eagles4160043585
2003Broncos-Raiders4157830549
2018Raiders-Broncos4157339758
2014Bills-Jets4155466592
2019Raiders-Broncos4070131715
2019Eagles-Giants4067351797
2005Broncos-Chiefs4064358809
2004Cowboys-Washington3967123539
2005Steelers-Ravens3957929523
2014Washington-Cowboys3780461886
2011Lions-Bears3775450609
2009Titans-Texans3768465869
2010Bears-Packers3765513511
2017Vikings-Bears3757433528
2005Vikings-Packers3756743737
2008Bears-Packers3753540661
200749ers-Cardinals3745568926
2007Colts-Jaguars3661053753
2012Chargers-Raiders3657945475
2010Chiefs-Chargers3558631493
2015Cowboys-Washington3558457949
2015Eagles-Giants3467565937
2011Cowboys-Washington3467351692
2006Panthers-Buccaneers3454050559
2012Washington-Giants3376050873
2015Patriots-Bills3367572856
201049ers-Cardinals3358945641
2007Vikings-Bears3358165902
2010Titans-Jaguars3357323597
200949ers-Cardinals3357236502
2019Packers-Vikings3352237756
2019Patriots-Jets3347744486
2007Washington-Eagles3267758740
2020Vikings-Bears3253460804
2016Buccaneers-Panthers3172933635
2018Patriots-Bills3172036679
2010Saints-Falcons3158351815
2013Bengals-Steelers3068550569
2016Bears-Vikings3066148697
2006Eagles-Cowboys3062762703
2011Jets-Dolphins3060436584
2019Steelers-Bengals3050126582
2014Dolphins-Jets2961761881
201649ers-Rams2850543500
2005Washington-Cowboys2769742550
2003Chiefs-Raiders2767651763
201249ers-Cardinals2758240669
2006Chargers-Raiders2743135505
2007Chargers-Broncos2655944780
2006Saints-Falcons2655544760
2007Seahawks-49ers2455326555
2006Jets-Dolphins2357737667
2013Seahawks-Rams2347436427
2018Saints-Panthers2159347668
2002Eagles-Giants2077017670
2012Bears-Lions2063650716
2009Ravens-Browns1643437665

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