The problem with Thursday night NFL games, regardless of the network or streaming service, is that the matchups often feel throwaway. The NFL has to satisfy network partners who have games on Sunday afternoons and Sunday and Monday nights, and there isn’t always much left over for Thursday nights.
Amazon Prime Video didn’t have a great game calendar in 2022. It was a little better in 2023, but 2024 is starting with a fantastic game.
Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins will meet in Week 2 for the first Thursday night game on the Prime Video package this season. Thursday night’s first game, between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, will be on NBC.
The Dolphins-Bills matchup is good on paper. Both were playoff teams last season. They met in the final game of the regular season to determine the AFC East championship. The Bills came back to win the Week 18 game at Miami 21-14.
The Bills have a superstar quarterback in Josh Allen, and the Dolphins had a high-scoring offense led by Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill last season. There must be a lot to tune into in this game.
Thursday night’s showdowns could turn sour for a number of reasons. Often there are injuries to key players or sometimes teams don’t live up to the pre-season hype. It’s a challenge to know in May which matchups will be good in November or December. Sometimes the NFL doesn’t prioritize Thursday nights and it shows. At least Amazon will have a good matchup to start this season.
