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NFL fans are going to have to wean themselves off soccer a bit over the next couple of weeks. There was a stretch where there was a pro or college game every day, but that weather will dry up as week 18 rolls around.
Week 18 will mark the first time that neither an NFL Thursday Night Football game nor a college football competition will be broadcast to viewers. Instead, they’ll have to wait to see any sort of action until Saturday afternoon, when the Chiefs face the Broncos.
There is always a gradual winnowing of prime-time games towards the end of the NFL season. The league likes to schedule most of its games – and all those that come from it – on the last day of the season. Why? Because it creates excitement and unpredictability in the playoff picture. This will make Sunday fun, but Thursday can be a drag for those hoping for an exciting Thursday game at the end of the season.
Here’s everything you need to know about “TNF†in week 18, and what you can watch with the schedule completed for the season.
MORE: Watch NFL Week 18 Games Live With fuboTV (Free Trial)
Is there a “Thursday Night Football†game tonight?
No, there is no Thursday Night Football game on Thursday January 6th. The last Thursday night game of the year aired on December 23, when the Titans beat the 49ers 20-17 in a hotly contested battle.
The NFL traditionally hosts Thursday night games in Weeks 1 through 16. It skips the last two weeks of the season to avoid giving a team a rest advantage before the playoffs. It also prevents teams from having the disadvantage of resting before a potentially important game at the end of the season.
That said, the NFL has two Saturday games in the prime time window scheduled for Week 18. This will give football fans a few more options for watching standalone games without “TNF†or “Monday Night Football†during the course. of week 18.
“Thursday Night Football†will return to action during Week 2 of the 2022 NFL Season, as usual. There will be a game on Thursday night, the opening game of the NFL season, in week 1, but this has been a “Sunday Night Football” contest in the past. So technically the schedule won’t return until week 2 of the 2022 season but there will be football on Thursday from week 1.
WEEK 18 CHOICE: Against the spread | Directly
NFL Week 18 Calendar
Week 18
| Game | Kick-off time | TV channel |
| Chefs at the Broncos | 4:30 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC |
| Cowboys at Eagles | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN, ABC |
| Game | Kick-off time | TV channel |
| Packers at Lions | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Colts at Jaguars | 1 p.m. ET | SCS |
| Washington football team at Giants | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Bear at Vikings | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Bengals to Browns | 1 p.m. ET | SCS |
| Titans among Texans | 1 p.m. ET | SCS |
| Steelers to the Ravens | 1 p.m. ET | SCS |
| Jets at Bills | 4:25 p.m. ET | SCS |
| 49ers to Rams | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Seahawks at Cardinals | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Panthers at Buccaneers | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Patriots among dolphins | 4:25 p.m. ET | SCS |
| Falcon Saints | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Chargeurs at Raiders | 8:20 p.m. ET | CNB |
Sport on TV today
January 6 will mark the first Thursday without football since August 26, after the end of the NFL preseason and just days before the start of the college football season. As such, football fans will have to be content with other sports to watch. There is some marquee NBA action on Thursday, with TNT airing a doubles schedule between the Knicks and Celtics and Suns and Clippers, so this will likely be the biggest draw for those looking for replacement lineup.
Here is an overview of what you can watch during the time slot normally occupied by “Thursday Night Football”.
- NBA: Knicks vs. Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) and Suns vs. Clippers (10 p.m. ET, TNT)
- NHL: Bruins vs. Wild (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
- NCAAM: Illinois vs. Maryland (7 p.m., ESPN2) and Stanford vs. UCLA (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
