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Fortune

Chris Morris

Here's how to watch Thursday Night Football during the 2023 NFL season online for free—even without a cable subscription.

Amazon Prime NFL Football Amazon Chicago Bears New Orleans Saints New York Jets Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks

Ok, let’s not sugarcoat this … The Chicago Bears stink so far this season.

Sitting at the bottom of the NFC North with an 0-4 record, only the Carolina Panthers have played at the same level of awfulness.

Chicago came close to snapping its losing streak against the Broncos last week, so the match up with the 2-2 Commanders might be their best opportunity to chalk up a win. It won’t have Taylor Swift there, mind you, but … there’s always next week, when the Chiefs play on Thursday.

Amazon remains the place to watch Thursday’s game, but there are a few potential workarounds. Here’s a look at how to watch tonight and what you can expect from Thursday night games tonight and moving forward.

Which NFL teams are playing on Thursdays this season?

Here’s who’s playing where and when. (The home team is listed second.)

Can I watch NFL Thursday night games for free on broadcast television?

Odds are you can’t, but if you live in one of the home towns of the teams that are playing on any particular Thursday, you’ll likely have an opportunity to watch, even if you don’t have an Amazon Prime account. Simulcasts will be offered on broadcast networks, letting you watch for free with a good HD antenna.

But if you’re outside of the range of those stations, streaming is your only option.

Can I stream NFL Thursday night games live online if I don't have an Amazon Prime account?

You cannot. While games on other days offer fans a variety of viewing options, Amazon has exclusivity to virtually all Thursday night games. Other streaming services can’t carry them. The only exception will be on Thanksgiving.

What changes has Amazon brought to 2023 NFL games?

Amazon is using machine learning this season to identify pivotal situations, letting fans read the play. This includes tracking open receivers in real time and guiding viewers how fourth-down decisions will be made. Meanwhile, a feature called Field Goal Target Zones overlays multiple lines on the field that show the statistical likelihoods that a kicker will make a field goal.

If you join the game in progress, a Rapid Recap feature lets you catch the action you missed before you jump into the livestream, streamlining the viewing process.

It will also feature many of the twists from last year, including overlaying stats and game updates using its “X-Ray” technology, much like it offers information on which actors are in a scene during a film or TV show. And an alternate stream for younger audiences, with the YouTube troop Dude Perfect replacing the standard play-by-play and color commentary team, is available.

Who is Amazon’s broadcast team?

Al Michaels, who has called both Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football, is on point with the play-by-play on the main announce team. Kirk Herbstreit, who until last year had focused mainly on college games and been a key player on ESPN’s “College GameDay” program, contributes color commentary.