Tag: Thursday Night

Behind Enemy Lines: Breaking down Chiefs’ Week 6 matchup vs. Denver with Broncos Wire

We went behind enemy lines with #Broncos Wire to get the inside scoop on the #Chiefs’ Week 6 matchup against Denver.

The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Denver Broncos on Thursday night in a matchup where the team hopes to earn its fifth straight win against a division rival in primetime. Kansas City is riding high after a close victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, while Denver is currently tied for the second-worst record in the NFL.

As such, the Chiefs are heavily favored in this matchup, though their recent struggles on offense may keep the final score a bit closer than some might expect.

One thing is certain, despite the disparity in these teams’ fortunes to this point in the 2023 season: Denver expects to give Kansas City a run for their money in this Week 6 tilt, and any team can win in the modern NFL.

We sat down with Jon Heath of Broncos Wire to preview this divisional matchup and gained valuable insight into Denver’s situation.

Check out Heath’s responses to our questions below to see his perspective ahead of Thursday night’s game:

NFL approves Thursday night flex scheduling and what it means for Packers in 2023

The NFL approved flex scheduling for “TNF” in 2023. What does it mean for the Packers?

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The NFL voted on Monday to approve a modified flex scheduling program for “Thursday Night Football” starting in 2023. Under the new rules, the league can flex games in and out of the Thursday night time slot between Weeks 13-17 this season. Flexing games must be done 28 days before, no team can be flexed from Sunday to Thursday night more than once per season, and no team will play more than two Thursday night games per season. Also, the league can only flex two Thursday night games per year.

What does this mean for the Green Bay Packers?

For now, not much. The Packers host the Detroit Lions for “Thursday Night Football” in Week 4, well before the flex scheduling window. The team’s only other Thursday game is on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit. The holiday matchup is not subject to flex scheduling.

However, the Packers could, in theory, get a second Thursday night game later in the season. During the flex window, the Packers play afternoon (noon kickoff) games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers in Weeks 15 and 16, respectively. The current schedule has the Los Angeles Chargers visiting the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 and the New Orleans Saints visiting the Los Angeles Rams in Week 16. It’s possible the league could eventually see the Packers’ matchups against the two NFC South teams as better draws, especially if Green Bay is in the playoff hunt late in the season.

A few things to consider, however. The Packers play on the road against the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football” in Week 14, so the NFL wouldn’t consider moving Green Bay to Thursday night the very next week, taking away any possibility of Week 15’s matchup against the Buccaneers being flexed. The game to circle is Dec. 24 against the Panthers. Rams-Saints could be a shaky matchup, but Jordan Love vs. No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young could be an appealing option to flex to Thursday night.

Packers among teams to oppose Thursday night flex scheduling proposal

The Packers were one of eight teams to vote against the NFL’s new Thursday night flex scheduling proposal.

The Green Bay Packers were among the eight NFL teams to vote against Thursday night flex scheduling, according to Peter King of NBC Sports.

The NFL needed 24 votes to pass the change, which would make early slot Sunday games in Weeks 14-17 eligible to be moved to Thursday night – creating better matchups and likely increasing the value and attractiveness of the new Amazon television package. At the NFL Annual Meetings last month, only 22 teams voted affirmatively.

Team president and CEO Mark Murphy explained the team’s worries about the change in his monthly Q&A post at Packers.com. The big issue: Fans having to drastically change travel plans for flexed games.

“The league has allowed flexible scheduling for Sunday Night Football for many years now, but moving a game from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night is a lot different than moving a Sunday game up to Thursday for the reasons you note,” Murphy wrote. “Moreover, we will allow flexing for Monday night games this year for the first time, so we don’t know what issues may arise from this change. I believe that we do need to consider the fans in the stands, and how this would affect them – especially since so many of our fans travel a good distance to come to Lambeau Field and stay in hotels.”

Example: A fan of Team A makes long-distance travel arrangements months in advance of a game scheduled for the early Sunday timeslot. If the game was later moved to Thursday night, the fan would have to change flights, work schedules and hotels to accommodate the date and time change of the game, creating a difficult logistical challenge even if the flex is announced weeks before.

This example would be exacerbated for a team like the Packers, who have fans all over the country and often attract hordes of fans from opponents for every home game.

Is this change fair to money-paying fans? The Packers believe the answer is no.

However, King believes the NFL could still get the vote passed and in place by the league meetings next month.

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Texans release final injury report ahead of matchup vs. Eagles

The #Texans’ legthy Wednesday injury report does not bode well for their chances against the undefeated #Eagles on Thursday night

The Houston Texans released their final injury report ahead of their Week 9 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. On a short week following their loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, their disclosure on Wednesday indicated that five players will definitively be listed as out, while three others status is up in the air with a questionable designation.

Among the players listed as out for the primetime game are rising star receiver Nico Collins with a groin injury, defensive back Grayland Arnold, linebacker Neville Hewitt, defensive lineman Maliek Collins, and offensive lineman Justin McCray. These key injuries could play a major factor in the Texans’ ability to present a legitimate threat to the undefeated Eagles on Sunday, as it constitutes a fair amount of their first-string roster on both sides of the ball.

The injuries to both Maliek and Nico Collins are of particular note, as they will present Houston with two major gaps to fill in their starting lineup that they are not exceptionally well equipped to replace as things stand now.

Those listed as questionable were rookie linebacker Christian Harris, defensive back Desmond King II, and receiver Brandin Cooks who had a special notation with both a wrist and not-injury-related/personal designation. Rumors swirled over the last few weeks that Cooks was seeking a trade from the Texans’ organization, and a cryptic tweet he put out when the league’s trade deadline passed yesterday seemed to indicate that he was unhappy with his current situation.

Houston would be a major underdog in this matchup even if their injury report was squeaky clean, but the added pressure of so many missing contributors will be a daunting challenge for the team to overcome against such a capable opponent on short rest.

While their outlook for Week 9 is far from favorable, the absence of these talented players could open up a possibility for one of the team’s lesser known prospects to see action in primetime and potentially play themselves into a more meaningful role for the struggling franchise moving forward.

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Lovie Smith on the challenge of playing undefeated Eagles: ‘It’s tough’

Smith made no bones about the mismatch that his #Texans will face against the undefeated #Eagles, especially when the offense is on the field

The Philadelphia Eagles will be one of the most challenging opponents that the Houston Texans will play on their 2022 schedule, and on short rest, things seem primed to turn into a bloodbath for the team in Week 9. At 1-5-1, the Texans are among the NFL’s worst teams by record and stand next to no chance of improving that mark on Thursday night.

Head coach Lovie Smith addressed the challenge of playing against such a talented team on Tuesday in his comments to the media at a team press conference. Every part of the Eagles’ roster will present difficulties for Houston in the matchup, but the defense in particular will be a key mismatch against the Texans’ struggling offense.

“I think it’s tough,” Smith explained. “But before adding another good defensive player [DE Robert Quinn], there’s a lot to game plan against. When you’re an undefeated team this late in the season, additional guys that you get just make it that much harder. Excellent football team in every area, even without adding a great defensive end that’s been a great player in the league for a long time.”

Every game presents different obstacles to overcome for Houston, but this short-week bout against the league’s only remaining undefeated team seems like a gargantuan mismatch for the floundering Texans. Fans should be happy if the team manages to look competent against a squad as competitive as the Eagles have been this season, given that a win is most likely out of the question.

The remaining 10 games on the Texans’ 2022 schedule will be less about the team’s final outcomes in the box score and more an exercise in either futility or steady improvement depending on how they manage to play in a given week. If they can’t show that they have enough heart to at least play hard and lose with dignity, Houston’s problems are likely to extend well into next season as they look to rebuild not only their losing roster but the culture that has been created among all the adversity the team has faced over the last several years.

O.J. Howard on the challenge of playing with short rest on Thursday night

Howard made it clear that the abridged practice schedule presents a unique challenge to teams playing on Thursday nights

Thursday night games are tough, especially for teams that are struggling like the Houston Texans have this season. It takes a significant amount of preparation to put together a cohesive game plan, and with less time to get ready after a game on Sunday, teams are often up against the gun to make the best possible adjustments for the primetime matchup.

Houston is in a particularly tough position this week facing the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, and are heavy underdogs heading into Thursday’s game. Tight end O.J. Howard commented on the challenge of preparing for the matchup at the Texans’ Monday press conference, telling the media that the abridged practice schedule will be hard to overcome.

“They’re tough because of the quick turnaround,” Howard said to a reporter who asked about the difficulty of Thursday night games. “If you go out there and play a physical game like our defense yesterday, the running back has 32 carries. They’re out there banging for I don’t know how many plays they played, but that’s a lot. Obviously, we had to go out there and run the ball and be physical. Then like you said it’s a quick turnaround. It [Thursday Night Football] probably won’t change. It’s definitely tough for us players, but it’s what we’ve got to deal with right now. It definitely can be really tough.”

Though the outcome of this game is already decided in the eyes of many fans and media members who are aware of the vastly different situations that the Texans and Eagles are in, Philadelphia is in the same position as Houston regarding their amended schedule for preparation this week. The Texans will be a long shot to win no matter what given their status as the AFC’s worst team by record, but in a league where anything can happen on a given week, they might be able to leverage the lack of practice time to their advantage.

Dates and times for Seattle Seahawks preseason schedule now set

The dates and times for the Seattle Seahawks 2020 preseason schedule have now been set.

The National Football League has already released its 2020 regular-season schedule. On Tuesday afternoon, the dates and times for the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason lineup were announced as well.

Seattle is slated to play three Thursday night games this summer, including the first on their schedule – at home against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, Aug. 13.

The Seahawks travel to Houston the next week for their only Saturday game of the summer. Seattle hosts the Chargers the following Thursday and then wraps up against the Vikings on the road Week 4.

Here’s a look at the complete Seahawks preseason schedule. All games will be televised on Q13 FOX, locally. Click here for the prime-time lineup of all preseason national games this summer.

Week 1: Thursday, August 13 vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 7 p.m. PT
Week 2: Saturday, August 22 at Houston Texans, 5 p.m. PT
Week 3: Thursday, August 27 vs. Los Angeles Chargers 7 p.m. PT
Week 4: Thursday, September 3 at Minnesota Vikings 5 p.m. PT

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