Avert your eyes, America.
In a battle of teams whose fanbases are already researching 2023 mock drafts, the Commanders (1-4) will play the Bears (2-3) on "Thursday Night Football." After last week's Colts-Broncos yawnfest, could this week's TNF game be even worse?
Both offenses stink, with each in the bottom seven in points, while their defenses are middle of the pack. The Bears have lost two consecutive games. The Commanders are winless since their opener.
Leading the way for the home team is second-year QB Justin Fields, who has shown flashes of promise but has piloted Chicago to the 31st-most yards in the league. The Bears are last in passing offense, nearly 200 yards behind the next team, and fifth in rushing. They've struggled to score on the ground and through the air.
Washington, meanwhile, isn't in a much better. Carson Wentz has showed the same flaws he showed last season with the Colts and in previous seasons in Philadelphia. He's tied for third in the NFL in interceptions with six, including a last-second pick thrown last week that spoiled what could've been a winning drive.
When asked what his team's biggest issue is this week, Washington coach Ron Rivera answered: "Quarterback."
Amazon is shelling out a $1 billion a year over 11 years to broadcast "Thursday Night Football." It brought in a high-quality broadcast crew, headlined by play-by-play broadcaster Al Michaels.
That means that for each game Amazon airs, it is paying roughly $67 million. Their investment is obviously recouped via ad sales, new Prime memberships and more, but lowstakes games involving lackluster offenses could lower the company's return on investment.
According to Sports Media Watch, last week's Colts-Broncos game had the lowest ratings of all "Thursday Night Football" broadcast this season. The game lost a third of viewership from last season's Week 5 game on Thursday night -- the first time TNF has posted year-to-year decline in a week.
Viewers will tune in to just about any game in football-crazed America, but another grating performances could lead to more Twitter outrage like this:
Al Michaels doing his best calling Thursday Night Football between the Colts and Broncos pic.twitter.com/TOf1wajtHT
— Robin Adams (@theotherRobin19) October 7, 2022
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