Who faces off on Thursday Night Football tonight in Week 8? The Green Bay Packers (6-1) head to the desert to take on the Arizona Cardinals (7-0). The Cardinals are the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL. Can an undermanned Aaron Rodgers stop Arizona’s streak? Keep reading below for a brief preview and prediction for Thursday Night Football, as well as the channel and live stream information.
What channel is Thursday Night Football on tonight?
- Channel: FOX, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video
- Time: 8:15 PM ET
- Live streams:
- NFL Mobile App
- Sling
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Hulu
What to expect from tonight’s Packers vs. Cardinals game?
The Cardinals have had a three-possession lead or higher in five of seven games this season. QB Kyler Murray sits firmly in the MVP discussion, and the defense is playing lights out. Can Arizona add Green Bay to their list of victories?
Aaron Rodgers is without critical production in Thursday Night Football tonight
On Monday, the Packers announced WR Davante Adams would be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive. One day later, WR Allen Lazard was also added to the list. Rodgers and Green Bay are now without three wide receivers heading into tonight’s Thursday Night Football matchup. There is a chance Marquez Valdes-Scantling could return from injured reserve after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury, though.
Adams missing Thursday Night Football tonight is the more important factor here. The Packers’ first-team All-Pro WR has caught 52 passes this season for 744 yards and 3 touchdowns. He leads all Green Bay receivers in every category, with only RB Aaron Jones catching more touchdowns (4). The passing game runs through Adams. Now, the Packers will need to lean on Jones against a strong Cardinals defense.
Arizona’s defense has excelled this season
Arizona held the Houston Texans to just 3 points in Week 7. Having an offense that has scored 31+ points in six of seven games is excellent, but the D helps them get there. The Cardinals’ defense has forced 14 turnovers this season, with a turnover differential of +8. They’ve turned those 14 turnovers into 62 points, with contributions from the offense, defense, and special teams.
While Murray improved last season, he is on another level in 2021. Arizona looks unstoppable on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals also activated LB Chandler Jones and DE Zach Allen from the COVID list. This news only bolsters their defense against a weakened Packers offense.
Green Bay’s defense let the Bengals score 22, the 49ers score 28, and the Saints score 38. It doesn’t look like a great matchup for Matt LaFleur and Co.
Rodgers and Jones will find some sort of resistance for Green Bay in Thursday Night Football tonight. However, it won’t be enough to put out a flaming hot Cardinals team. Murray works his magic with WRs DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green and newly acquired TE Zach Ertz. The Cardinals should take care of business against the Packers.
Prediction: Cardinals 36, Packers 24
Thursday Night Football Schedule: September
- Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – September 9
- Final: Buccaneers 31, Cowboys 29
- New York Giants at Washington Football Team – September 16
- Final: Washington 30, Giants 29
- Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans – September 23
- Final: Panthers 24, Texans 9
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals – September 30
- Final: Bengals 24, Jaguars 21
October
- Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks – October 7
- Final: Rams 26, Seattle 17
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles – October 14
- Final: Buccaneers 28, Eagles 22
- Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns – October 21
- Final: Browns 17, Broncos 14
- Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals – October 28
November
- New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts – November 4
- Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins – November 11
- New England Patriots at Atlanta Falcons – November 18
- Buffalo Bills at New Orleans Saints – November 25
December
- Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints – December 2
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings – December 9
- Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers – December 16
- San Francisco 49ers at Tennessee Titans – December 23