"Thursday Night Football" is back once again for Week 6, and for the first time this season, NFL fans will be treated to a battle between two AFC teams on the program.
The matchup? The Broncos and Chiefs will square off for the first time in the 2023 NFL season. The venue? That would be at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, which should prove hostile for the visiting Denver squad.
The Broncos have already struggled to generate momentum during the 2023 NFL season, and a road game in Kansas City seems unlikely to remedy that. Their once-strong defense has collapsed since the departure of Ejiro Evero, so it will be difficult for them to limit Patrick Mahomes and Co. even though the Chiefs' offense may not be as explosive as it once was.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have won four games in a row and are entering a key stretch of three AFC West games that could help them take full control of the division. As it stands, the Chiefs hold a game-and-a-half lead over the Chargers in that race; a win Thursday would put serious pressure on the Chargers to win a "Monday Night Football" clash against the Cowboys or risk falling further behind Kansas City.
MORE: Jets throw shade at Sean Payton after winning Nathaniel Hackett's revenge game
The Broncos and Chiefs are set to play each other twice in the next three weeks, so it will be interesting to see whether either coach empties the playbook in search of a win. Given how their seasons have gone so far, it would hardly be a surprise to see Payton be willing to go all-in during an effort to breathe life into his scuffling team.
Below is everything to know about how to watch the "Thursday Night Football" matchup for Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season.
Who plays on Thursday Night Football tonight?
- Matchup: Broncos vs. Chiefs
- Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
The Chiefs will host the Broncos in the Week 6 edition of "Thursday Night Football" for the 2023 NFL season.
Kansas City (4-1) started the season with a loss to the Lions in the season opener but has been undefeated since. The reigning Super Bowl champions have relied on Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Isiah Pacheco to carry their offense while the return of Chris Jones helped to spark their defense and turn it into a rock-solid unit.
The season has gone much differently for Denver (1-4). The hope was that the arrival of Sean Payton would spark a Broncos offense that struggled immensely under Nathaniel Hackett. While Russell Wilson has performed much better under Payton's tutelage and actually has a higher passer rating than Mahomes, it hasn't led to more wins.
Why is that? Well, Denver's defense has been a disaster. It surrendered 70 points and an NFL record 726 yards to the Dolphins in Week 3, but it has struggled across its five games. The Broncos have allowed at least 28 points in four consecutive games, so the Chiefs shouldn't have any issues moving the ball on Vance Joseph's last-ranked defense.
Add in that the Chiefs have won 15 consecutive games against the Broncos dating back to the end of the 2015 season, and it stands to reason that Kansas City would be heavily favored in this matchup. Andy Reid simply seems to have the post-Peyton Manning Broncos' number.
MORE: Revisiting the Sean Payton vs. Nathaniel Hackett war of words
What time is the NFL game tonight?
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 12
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. CT)
The Broncos vs. Chiefs game will begin at 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday. That will be the start time for all of the "Thursday Night Football" games on Amazon Prime in 2023.
That said, Kansas City is located in the Central time zone, so the game will begin at 7:15 p.m. locally in that market. Meanwhile, Denver is the Mountain time zone, so the contest will start at 6:15 p.m. locally in Colorado.
What channel is Thursday Night Football on tonight?
- TV channel (Denver): KMGH (Channel 7)
- TV channel (Kansas City): KSHB (Channel 41)
- Live stream: Amazon Prime Video | DAZN (in Canada)
Amazon Prime is the exclusive home of "Thursday Night Football" and will be for the next decade. The streaming giant is in its second season of the 11-year deal it signed with the NFL, so those hoping to watch "TNF" nationally over the coming years will need to subscribe to Amazon Prime to access the game.
However, those in the local area markets for the teams playing will still be able to view the games without subscriptions. Those in the Denver market will be able to watch the game on ABC affiliate KMGH (Channel 7) while those in Kansas City can catch the game on NBC affiliate KSHB (Channel 41).
Amazon's broadcast will continue to be led by legendary play-by-play man Al Michaels, game analyst Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung. Amazon's studio crew will be led by host Charissa Thompson and a quartet of former players-turned-analysts: Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman, Andrew Whitworth and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Marshawn Lynch will also continue to be a part of the Amazon pregame show with his "N Yo City" segment. His visit to Pennsylvania's Amish country, as broadcast in Week 2, captured the attention of NFL fans everywhere.
“Y’all Amish people think y’all slick, man.”
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) September 15, 2023
Marshawn Lynch learned how to milk a cow 😅 pic.twitter.com/7MxL9MTU8s
Viewers in Canada will not have to have Amazon Prime to access "Thursday Night Football" in 2023. They will be able to watch the games on DAZN.
NFL live stream for Thursday night game
- Live stream: Amazon Prime
Those looking to stream "Thursday Night Football" during the 2023 NFL season will need a subscription to Amazon Prime in order to do so. The streaming service will be the exclusive home of the program for the next decade and only those in the participating teams' local markets will be able to access the games using traditional, over-the-air TV broadcasts.
NFL schedule Week 6
The Chiefs vs. Broncos game will kickstart NFL Week 6 in a battle of teams heading in opposite directions. Kansas City is looking to win a fifth consecutive game after losing to the Lions in Week 1 while Denver will look to avoid dropping to a lowly 1-5 against one of its arch-rivals.
"Thursday Night Football" looks like a lopsided contest, and so does "Sunday Night Football," as the Bills are set to host the Giants in that contest. The Bills are just 3-2 after falling to the Jaguars in London, but the Giants are just 1-4 and have been outscored by an average of 23.5 points per game in their losses.
That will make "Monday Night Football" the best prime-time game of the week. The Cowboys and Chargers will face off as former Dallas-turned-Los Angeles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore looks to get some revenge on his former team. The Chargers' offense should provide a second consecutive high-quality test for the vaunted Cowboys defense.
The NFL will also have a third consecutive London game. This one, however, will not involve the Jaguars. The Ravens and Titans will square off in what should be a solid defensive battle. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will look to power their respective offenses to victories in that one.
As for the Sunday slate, the Lions-Buccaneers game is a battle of one-loss teams that could have an impact on the NFC playoff race. The Patriots will also look to end their two-game losing skid, during which they have been outscored 72-3, against the Raiders, who are coached by Bill Belichick disciple Josh McDaniels.
Below is the full schedule for Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season.
Week 6
- Thursday, Oct. 12
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs | 8:15 p.m. ET | Amazon Prime |
- Sunday, Oct. 15
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans (London) | 9:30 a.m. ET | NFL Network |
| Washington Commanders at Atlanta Falcons | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| New Orleans Saints at Houston Texans | 1 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| New England Patriots at Las Vegas Raiders | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Detroit Lions at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox |
| Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets | 4:25 P.M. ET | Fox |
| New York Giants at Buffalo Bills | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
- Monday, Oct. 16
| Game | Kickoff time | TV channel |
| Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
