The TV channel for tonight's Browns vs. Bengals game in Cleveland technically is the same network that will broadcast all NFL "Thursday Night Football" games in 2020. But it will be the exclusive TV channel for Thursday night games for just a few more weeks.
In Weeks 2-4 this season, including Browns vs. Bengals, NFL Network is the home of "Thursday Night Football." A bigger group of TV viewers will have access to "Thursday Night Football" games beginning in Week 5 when they simulcast on cable network Fox.
MORE: Watch tonight's NFL game live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
The national TV audience that does watch Browns vs. Bengals on Thursday night will see a game between a pair of AFC North rivals desperate to win a game after beginning the season 0-1. This is especially the case for the home team, as Cleveland entered the 2020 season with hopes of competing in the division and making a run at the playoffs. Cincinnati is simply building chemistry around rookie quarterback Joe Burrow and, for the most part, looking toward the future.
Below is everything you need to know about how to watch Thursday night's game in Cleveland, plus a look at the complete Week 2 NFL schedule.
What channel is Browns vs. Bengals on today?
- Game: Bengals at Browns
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 17
- TV channel: NFL Network
- Live stream: fuboTV | DAZN (in Canada)
For now, NFL Network is the exclusive TV home of "Thursday Night Football" and the only channel that will show Browns vs. Bengals. That will be the case for all Thursday night games through Week 4.
Beginning in Week 5, all "Thursday Night Football" games will broadcast live on cable network Fox in addition to NFL Network. That simulcast setup will be in place through Week 16.
NFL Network is available via most cable providers in the United States. It also is available via satellite provider DirecTV (channels 212 and 1212) and IPTV providers Verizon FiOS (channels 88 and 588) and Google Fiber (channel 2019).
What time is the Browns vs. Bengals game?
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 17
- Kickoff time: 8:20 p.m. ET
All Thursday night games throughout the 2020 NFL season will start at 8:20 p.m. ET, though the TV viewing options (more on those below) will change in a few weeks.
This is the first of two primetime games on the Browns' schedule, as Cleveland also will host Baltimore on a Monday night in Week 14.
Likewise, the Bengals also have a pair of primetime games on their schedule. In addition to Thursday night's game in Cleveland, Cincinnati will host Pittsburgh on a Monday night in Week 15.
NFL live stream for Browns vs. Bengals
Because Thursday night's game in Cleveland will be shown exclusively by NFL Network, the live stream options are limited. More will become available for "Thursday Night Football" in Week 5, when the games will start being simulcast on Fox.
Below are all of the live streaming options for "Thursday Night Football" in 2020.
| Streaming option | Cable subscription needed? | Free? | Cost | Free trial? |
| Fox Sports Go (Starting in Week 5) | Yes | Yes | - | - |
| Amazon Prime Video (Starting in Week 5) | No | No | $8.99/month | No |
| NFL App | No | Yes | - | - |
| Yahoo! Sports App | No | Yes | - | - |
| fuboTV | No | No | $60/month | Yes |
| AT&T TV Now (Not Weeks 2-4) | No | No | $55/month | Yes |
| Hulu Plus Live TV (Not Weeks 2-4) | No | No | $55/month | Yes |
| Sling TV | No | No | $30/month | Yes |
| YouTube TV | No | No | $65/month | Yes |
NFL Week 2 schedule
Browns vs. Bengals on Thursday night kicks off a complete week of 16 NFL games, with Saints vs. Raiders on Monday night bookending Week 2.
The game of the week is the Sunday night matchup between the Patriots and the Seahawks in Seattle, with other notable matchups being Falcons vs. Cowboys, Rams vs. Eagles and Ravens vs. Texans, to name a few.
Below is the complete schedule for Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season.
- Thursday, Sept. 17
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns | 8:20 p.m. ET | NFLN |
- Sunday, Sept. 20
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| New York Giants at Chicago Bears | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Minnesota Vikings at Indianapolis Colts | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| San Francisco 49ers at New York Jets | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. ET | FOX |
| Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers | 4:25 p.m. ET | CBS |
| New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
- Monday, Sept. 21
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| New Orleans Saints at Las Vegas Raiders | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |