With one game in the books for every team in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals find themselves tied at the top of the AFC North. As long as the result on Thursday night isn't the same as the one from the Steelers-Browns game in Week 1, one of these teams will have sole possession of division lead after Thursday.
The Ravens head to Cincinnati to face the Bengals to kick off Week 2, and we'll be following along with the action right here.
Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense will try to replicate the success they had in their opener, when they trounced the Bills 47-3 at home while mixing in talented rookie Lamar Jackson. The Bengals found themselves in a slugfest with the Colts, but a late scoop-and-score sealed the deal for the visitors in Indianapolis in a 34-23 final.
The Bengals will have to find a way to make up for the absence of a pair of key linebackers. While Vontaze Burfict is still serving his four-game suspension, Preston Brown is inactive for the game after entering the day questionable to play due to an ankle injury. Second-year UDFA Hardy Nickerson had four tackles in relief last week and will likely be looked upon to start with Brown sidelined.
You can get all the updates you need from this matchup in our live blog below (click here to reload page if needed).
How To Watch
“Thursday Night Football” kicks off tonight at 8:20 p.m. ET, when the Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals game is scheduled to start.
What channel is the Ravens-Bengals game on? The game is being broadcast on the pay channel NFL Network. To watch “Thursday Night Football” on TV tonight, you must subscribe to a service that includes the NFL Network.
But what if you don’t have a satellite or cable TV package with the NFL Network? If you’re in that camp, you may be wondering how you can watch “Thursday Night Football” — and, ideally, do so for free.
Here are all the options to live stream the Ravens vs. Bengals game for free, as well as other “Thursday Night Football” games in the 2018 season.
How to Live Stream the Ravens Game Tonight for Free
Sports fans should be happy to know that it’s gotten much easier to live stream NFL games for free in the 2018 season. After downloading the latest versions of either the Yahoo Sports app or the NFL App, you’ll be able to live stream a host of games on your phone (and in some cases, with other mobile devices such as tablets).
Specifically, the Yahoo Sports app and NFL App let fans live stream games that are being broadcast locally in their region by networks like CBS and Fox, as well as all nationally broadcast primetime games. That includes “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, and “Thursday Night Football” on the NFL Network and Fox.
Both the Yahoo Sports and NFL apps are free to download, and viewers can live stream tonight’s Ravens-Bengals game and all other available NFL games for free, without having to log in with any cable or subscription account information.
How to Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ Online for Free
But if you want to watch tonight’s “Thursday Night Football” game on a TV, you won’t be able to use the Yahoo Sports app or NFL App. Yahoo Sports’ live stream is only available on smartphones, and the NFL App’s live stream tonight works only on smartphones and tablets.
Still, there are many streaming TV services that will allow you to watch the NFL Network online in any manner you prefer — including on a laptop or TV. And yes, you can use these services for free to watch “Thursday Night Football” tonight, by way of free trial periods that last at least a few days.
Fubo TV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now, and the Sling TV streaming services all have packages with the NFL Network. The latter is the cheapest of the bunch, starting at $25 per month for the “Sling Blue” service that includes the channel. The other services charge around $40 to $50 per month for packages that include the NFL Network, alongside dozens of other pay channels.
All of these services make free trials available to new subscribers. The free trial periods generally last five to seven days, so you can try them out for free to watch “Thursday Night Football” and other NFL games this weekend online. Just remember to cancel before the trial period ends if you don’t want to become a paying subscriber.
(Also, note that not all streaming TV services have access to the NFL Network. Hulu Live and YouTube TV do not offer the channel in any of their packages.)
Can I Live Stream ‘Thursday Night Football’ with Amazon Prime?
The NFL signed a contract with Amazon that allows Amazon Prime Video to live stream some — but not all — “Thursday Night Football” games during the 2018 NFL season.
Some of this year’s Thursday Night Football games will appear on NFL Network, and others on Fox — and only the 11 “Thursday Night Football” games being broadcast on Fox will be live streamed on Amazon Prime. In other words, the games broadcast on the NFL Network — including tonight’s Ravens-Bengals matchup — will not be shown on Amazon Prime.
If you want to live stream NFL games for free on Amazon Prime, you’ll have to wait until Week 4 of the 2018 season, when Los Angeles Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings game takes place on Thursday, September 27. Amazon’s NFL live streams of “Thursday Night Football” are available only to Amazon Prime members. Prime subscriptions in the U.S. generally cost $119 per year, or $12.99 per month, after a free 30-day trial.
We’ve included affiliate links in this article. Click here to learn what those are.
The AFC North takes center stage tonight when two of its teams kick off Week 2 of the 2018 NFL season. The Cincinnati Bengals will play host to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football, a pivotal matchup that could shape the playoff picture in what looks to be a wide-open division this year.
This is the 45th all-time meeting in a rivalry that is currently deadlocked. Both the Ravens and Bengals can claim 22 wins apiece, so tonight’s result will put one side ahead in the series, at least until the rematch in Week 11. The outcome will also send one team to the top of the AFC North standings after both these squads came up with big wins in Week 1. Factor in that the two other teams in the division, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, played one another to a draw in the opener and it’s easy to see why this showdown is such a critical one at this early juncture of the new campaign.
It’s worth noting that Baltimore is 5-0 in its last five Thursday Night Football appearances, although the club has struggled at times against this opponent with quarterback Joe Flacco at the helm. Flacco has a losing career record versus the Bengals and is just 3-6 overall at Paul Brown Stadium. Oddsmakers are split on this one, opening the game at a pick ‘em. Early action forced the line to move between BAL -1 and CIN -1, but currently the spread is back to even. The total for the game is sitting at 44 points, down slightly from the opening number of 44.5.
Will the Bengals continue their hot streak against the Ravens, or will Baltimore get revenge for their shortcomings in last year’s season finale with a big win tonight? Pro handicapper Jon Price of SportsInformationTraders.com has a take on the matchup that you won’t want to miss. Before getting to his prediction for the outcome, have a look at the full schedule, starting time, TV channel, live stream site and latest odds for the Bengals vs. Ravens, as well as the other upcoming Week 2 games of the 2018 NFL season. You can also check out interesting tweets, quotes from key figures and much more for this Thursday Night Football contest.
NFL Week 2 Complete TV Schedule And Odds
Time (ET) Matchup (TV) Odds Total Thursday, Sept. 13 8:20 p.m. Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (NFLN) PK 44 Sunday, Sept. 16 1 p.m. Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (CBS) HOU -2 45 1 p.m. Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers (CBS) PIT -4 53.5 1 p.m. Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins (CBS) WAS -6 45.5 1 p.m. Miami Dolphins at New York Jets (CBS) NYJ -3 44 1 p.m. Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills (CBS) LAC -7 42.5 1 p.m. Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (FOX) ATL -6 44.5 1 p.m. Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (FOX) GB -1 46.5 1 p.m. Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints (FOX) NO -8.5 49.5 1 p.m. Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (FOX) PHI -3 44 4:05 p.m. Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers (FOX) SF -5.5 47.5 4:05 p.m. Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (FOX) LAR -12 45.5 4:25 p.m. New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars (CBS) NE -1.5 45 4:25 p.m. Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (CBS) DEN -5.5 45.5 8:20 p.m. New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (NBC) DAL -3 42.5 Monday, Sept. 17 8:15 p.m. Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears (ESPN) CHI -3 43.5
NFL Odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook
Thursday Night Football Week 2 Media
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that the shock of losing to Cincy in Week 17 will likely linger until after tonight’s kickoff, but can’t distract his team from getting a win in hostile territory (via BaltimoreSun.com):
That’s life. It’s human nature. You always want to redeem yourself as best as you can, certainly, but it’s not going to factor into who wins the game. It’s not going to matter in the outcome. You still have to play better than your opponent on that day, and that’s really what we have to focus on. You could easily get all wrapped up in that and get distracted from what matters, which is going out there Thursday night and playing well.
Adam Schefter noted how poorly Joe Flacco has performed on the road against the Bengals:
Ravens in Cincinnati tonight, a spot where Baltimore QB Joe Flacco has struggled. In 9 career starts at Paul Brown Stadium, Flacco has gone 3-6 with a 34.7 QBR. He’s 6-4 with a 43.9 total QBR at home vs the Bengals. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 13, 2018
The NFL reminded everyone of when Bengals receiver A.J. Green hauled in a miraculous pass to force overtime in a 2013 game that the Ravens would ultimately go on to win:
GMFB tweeted a clip of former NFL receiver Nate Burleson discussing Green’s ability to be a key factor tonight:
Break out your pencils and notebooks cause this will definitely be on the midterm. @Nate13Burleson breaks down why @Bengals WR @ajgreen_18 will be a game changer tonight vs the Ravens.#SeizeTheDEY pic.twitter.com/XVSKpcotf0 — GMFB (@gmfb) September 13, 2018
The Ravens quoted cornerback Marlon Humphrey on his willingness to match up with Green:
“It’s always a good test when you’re going against a guy that’s probably going to be wearing a gold jacket one day." To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. That’s why Ravens CB @marlon_humphrey is pumped up for the matchup against the Bengals. : https://t.co/sLQJlbVUsG pic.twitter.com/9b2x9S5ef2 — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 13, 2018
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis thinks his side will have a tough challenge stopping Flacco after the QB’s elite outing in the opener (via Bengals.com):
I’ve watched them all preseason. As usual, they are well-put together. Joe Flacco played well yesterday, completing 73.5 percent of his passes. They were hot, they created turnovers, and they created field position. We’re going to have our hands full come Thursday night.
Brandon Deffet thinks Baltimore can avenge its 2017 shortcomings by earning another big “W” tonight against the team that knocked them out of playoff contention in Week 17:
The Bengals are a better team than the Bills, but I'd really like to see the Ravens throw up 40+ on them, too. Taking down the team that made the playoffs instead of you, and then the team that was the direct cause of that the very next week would exercise those 2017 demons. — Brandon Deffet (@Im_Deff) September 11, 2018
Nick Kostos is picking the Bengals to win on Thursday Night Football
And I can't believe I'm saying this... but I LOOOOOVVVEEE Andy Dalton and the Bengals in primetime Thursday night as a home PK against the Ravens. Joe Mixon is baby Le'Veon Bell. Ravens not nearly as good as they looked vs. BUF. CIN could easily be one of my Contest picks. — Nick Kostos (@TheKostos) September 11, 2018
The NFL Network pointed out that two of the three NFL Total Access cast predicted a Ravens victory:
Spread Investor is worried about Baltimore’s recent showings against Cincinnati:
Ravens/Bengals— Baltimore is the better team and I’ve been all over them but I’m likely passing bc I don’t like their history in Cincy (1-4 SU/ATS the last 5). I have a lot of stock in Baltimore winning the AFC North and O8.5 wins (+ a 40/1 SB ticket) so may just sit tight. — Spread Investor (@spreadinvestor) September 13, 2018
Harbaugh gave a glowing scouting report of Bengals second-year running back Joe Mixon (via ESPN):
He looks like a big leaguer. Looks like he does it all well. Big, fast, elusive, tough. Pass protection. Catches out of the backfield. Screens. I don’t know what he didn’t do well. I’d like to say he’s a guy you have to stop, but you have to stop everybody on that offense.
Thursday Night Football Week 2 Pro Picks
Pick: Bengals PK
Prediction: Bengals 24 – Ravens 21
The 2018 Thursday Night Football season kicks off tonight when the Bengals host the Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium in an AFC North divisional matchup at 8:20 p.m on NFL Network and Local 12 in Cincinnati. Several digital streaming options are also available to fans, with full listing available at NFL.com/watch. Play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and analyst Troy Aikman, along with sideline reporters Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink call the action from Cincinnati. Additionally, FOX's NFL Rules expert Mike Pereira joins to give explanations on officiating and rules throughout the game.
At 6 p.m. on NFL Network, NFL GameDay Kickoff previews the Ravens-Bengals matchup, with host Colleen Wolfe and analysts Michael Irvin, Steve Smith Sr. and Reggie Bush live from inside Paul Brown Stadium. Outside the stadium, host Dan Hellie and analyst LaDainian Tomlinson join for additional coverage leading up to kickoff.
Among the topics discussed this week on NFL GameDay Kickoff include: The first meeting between the two teams since the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 to keep the Ravens out of the playoffs
Feature on Buffalo Bills fans donating money to Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton's charity after Dalton's game-winning touchdown pass against the Ravens in Week 17 allowed Buffalo to make the playoffs last season
Both the Ravens and Bengals had explosive offensive performances in Week 1 – how far can each of these teams go this season? At halftime, Wolfe, Irvin, Smith Sr. and Bush break down the first half. Immediately following the game, the postgame show airs from Paul Brown Stadium, with Wolfe, Irvin, Smith Sr. and Bush joined by a star of the game live on-set. Additional postgame coverage continues at 12 Midnight ET from Los Angeles with Scott Hanson, Lindsay Rhodes, Willie McGinest and David Carr on NFL Total Access. The entire 18-game NFL Network schedule will also be streamed live through the NFL app on smartphones, tablets, PCs and connected TV devices. Access is available for NFL Network subscribers of participating TV providers. Additionally, fans can watch Thursday Night Football on their phones across all wireless carriers through the NFL app and Yahoo Sports. Learn all of the ways to watch at NFL.com/watch. Audio broadcasts of the game are available via Westwood One Sports, SiriusXM and the TuneIn app.
