The NFL season kicks off this Thursday with a game between Super Bowl champs the Kansas City Chiefs and most-recent Super Bowl losers, the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs are looking to start their run for a three-peat season off strong with a victory against the Ravens, but they'll be down a running back after placing Clyde Edwards-Helaire on reserve. Meanwhile the Ravens will be looking to prove themselves after their 17-10 loss to Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the rest of the Chiefs in February. The NFL kickoff game is scheduled for this Thursday, Sept. 5, kicking off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC (and Telemundo) and streaming live on Peacock. Are you ready to tune in? Here's what you need to know about the Ravens vs. Chiefs game, plus the rest of the Week 1 NFL schedule.
How to Watch Ravens vs. Chiefs
The 2024/25 NFL season kicks off this Thursday, NOT with a Thursday Night Football game but with a Super Bowl rematch between the Ravens and the Chiefs during primetime on NBC. The Ravens at Chiefs game starts off a kickoff weekend jam-packed with action, including the first-ever NFL game to be played in South America.
The Chiefs host the Ravens this Thursday, Sept. 5 for the NFL season kick off game, airing on NBC and streaming live on Peacock. Don't have cable? Here's what we recommend to help you watch live:
Streaming Options for NFL Kickoff Game
Starting at $8/month, a Peacock subscription will get you access to the Chiefs vs. Ravens kick off game AND the Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sao Paulo, Brazil game streaming exclusively on the platform during kickoff week. Plus, get NFL games on NBC, select college football games, Premier League matches, and access thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms such as Parks and Recreation and The Office. For $14 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Fubo TV gives you access to ESPN, NFL Network, Fox, ABC, CBS and 100+ more live channels. At $80/month, the live TV streaming service is definitely a big investment for football fans. But it offers nearly every channel you'll need to watch the NFL regular season, and still leaves you with major savings compared to a traditional cable package. Fubo subscribers also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage. The platform also offers a free trial period, so you can catch some games risk-free.
A basic $6.99 per month (or $40 annually) NFL+ subscription will get you live local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, and live audio for every game of the season across supported devices. NFL+ Premium, while a little pricier at $14.99 per month (or $80 annually) also includes access to NFL Network and NFL RedZone, plus full and condensed replays of every game across supported devices. NFL+ also offers a 7-day free trial.
Week 1 NFL Schedule
All times Eastern
Thursday, Sept. 5
Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs: 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Friday, Sept. 6
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (São Paulo, Brazil): 8:15 p.m. (Peacock exclusive)
Sunday, Sept. 8
Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons: 1 p.m. (FOX) Arizona Cardinals at Buffalo Bills: 1 p.m. (CBS) Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears: 1 p.m. (FOX) New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals: 1 p.m. (CBS) Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts: 1 p.m. (CBS) Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins: 1 p.m. (CBS) Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints: 1 p.m. (FOX) Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants: 1 p.m. (FOX) Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers: 4:05 p.m. (CBS) Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks: 4:05 p.m. (CBS) Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns: 4:25 p.m. (FOX) Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4:25 p.m. (FOX) Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday, Sept. 9
New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers: 8:15 p.m. (ESPN, ABC)
5 Key Matchups to Watch in Ravens vs. Chiefs
This game is full of key matchups, but here are five that stand out to us.
RB Derrick Henry vs. Chiefs Defense
After months of holding back in practice, Derrick Henry can finally let loose. Kansas City's defense has a tough ask to stop Henry, who has averaged more than 100 rushing yards per game against the Chiefs in his career.
Ravens O-Line vs. DT Chris Jones
The Ravens have three new starters on the offensive line, and they will be tasked with guarding one of the best interior rushers in the NFL. Jones had 10.5 sacks last season and 15.5 the year before. He'll move all along the line and be a big first test for Baltimore's protection.
S Kyle Hamilton vs. TE Travis Kelce
One of the games' brightest young stars covering a first ballot Hall-of-Famer will be must-see TV. Kelce caught a touchdown against Hamilton in the AFC Championship last year, but Hamilton will have his shot to get back at him on Thursday.
CB Nate Wiggins vs. WR Xavier Worthy
The matchup of two first-round rookies will be speed vs. speed. Worthy set the Combine record, running the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds, and Wiggins was just behind him at 4.28 seconds. It's unknown how much each will play, but when they face off, expect some deep shots.
QB Lamar Jackson vs. QB Patrick Mahomes
While Jackson and Mahomes won't be guarding each other, how could a matchup of two multiple-time MVPs not make the cut? Mahomes has won back-to-back Super Bowls and Jackson is searching for his first. The hunt for Super Bowl LIX starts with them on Thursday.
To recap, here's all the ways you can watch NFL games in 2024.
