It’s almost the end of the week, which means another exciting game on Thursday Night Football. If only that were the case. Instead, viewers will be treated to a game between two teams with a combined record of 3-14 this season. The Carolina Panthers visit the Chicago Bears in a game that someone has to win. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if this ended in the NFL’s first tie of the year. It’s amazing how Thursday evenings continue to serve as a dumping ground for games that other networks don’t want.
Literally the only reason anyone will watch this match is because they have money on it. We are a nation full of degenerate gamers. It’s like that. Chicago and Charlotte fans can barely stand these teams unless there is a carrot dangling in front of them. Both franchises are stuck in this cycle where they have no answers to anything at the moment.
But these teams aren’t the real problem here. Well, they are because neither one is good, but the real problem is how these games that no one cares about frequently seem to find their way to TNF. It’s not as bad as in the early days of TNF, when every match felt like a dud. In fairness, matchups have gotten a bit better over the years, but playing on a short week is still a factor in the product on the field. But Prime Video still had its share of stinkers since the resumption of TNF.
However, there are still many weeks where much better games could be featured on TNF. Just looking at this week, just about any other game would be more interesting than Panthers-Bears. San Francisco @ Jacksonville would have been a great option, especially with both teams coming off a bye. Two playoff teams from the previous season with high expectations and who are in the thick of it again this year.
No. Instead, the audience is stuck with another game that no one cares about other than the play lines and what their fantasy players do. Of course, the NFL doesn’t care as long as you watch. The quality of the product matters less and less because they know that we are listening despite everything. So maybe the public is part of the problem?
This is another reason why the league has gone all-in on gaming. Oh, sorry, it’s the “gaming industry.” That other “g” word makes it sound so dirty. Either way, the NFL has gone to the wall and knows it gives even the most casual fans more reason to care.
Everyone has tried to make a quick buck at one point or another, whether legally or illegally. Your thing might be to play your state’s lottery regularly. Or maybe you came across some electronics that fell off the back of a truck one day and sold the “goods” for a tidy profit. The mode doesn’t matter; making money fast is the American way. However, we do not condone this illegal and unscrupulous path under any circumstances.
No matter how we break it down, the NFL knows it has fans nearby. That’s why they keep throwing any game at us on Thursday and expect us to love it. Or, at least, connect and strengthen their notes (in most cases), which generates more revenue. It’s a never-ending cycle that the league knows we don’t want to break anytime soon.