It’s Thanksgiving week in the NFL, and that means no one is resting, as all 32 teams will feature on a busy schedule. We have a stacked slate to start the weekend, with four games taking place even before Sunday.
However, there’s an unusual change in the commentary booth for the Thursday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
Jason Garrett Replacing Cris Collinsworth in the Booth
Jason Garrett will be on the call with Mike Tirico Thursday night when the Bengals visit the Ravens in primetime. Collinsworth is given the day off rather than having him announce both the Thursday game on Thanksgiving and the Sunday Night Football game. However, he’ll be back in the booth with Tirico on Sunday.
Broadcast Details
- Channel: NBC and Peacock
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Live stream: NBC.com and Peacock
There will also be an alternate Madden NFL Cast, which will feature gameplay elements from the famous video game franchise.
Bengals vs. Ravens TNF: Fun Facts
Interestingly, the Bengals have never played the Ravens on Thanksgiving before, as this upcoming matchup is only Cincinnati’s second Thanksgiving game in their history.
This is also the fourth consecutive year that the Bengals have to play the Ravens in primetime on the road. The NFL reportedly wanted the game to be played in Ohio, but scheduling constraints necessitated that it be played in Maryland.
The Madden Cast will feature two famous players: former Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and Bengals icon Chad Johnson.
This Thursday will also be the first time in 12 years that the Ravens will play on Thanksgiving, with the last time being 2013, when they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 22-20.
Bengals vs. Ravens TNF Thanksgiving Preview
Joe Burrow returns in a tough matchup, having last played in Week 2, and he’ll have to be sharp. The Ravens will look to score big with Lamar Jackson in action, especially against one of the worst quarterback defenses in the league.
Baltimore leads one of the worst divisions in the league, the AFC North, with a 6-5 record heading into Thanksgiving. Sitting on a 5-game winning streak, they’ll aim to keep up the momentum and coast to the playoffs.
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Cincinnati, meanwhile, has a lot of work to do to claw its way to the postseason. Joe Flacco might’ve proven his value as a backup in Burrow’s absence, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the 4-game losing streak that they’re on.
Winner Prediction: Ravens