Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season kicks off with an interesting divisional clash of a Thursday Night Football tonight matchup — two AFC West teams scrapping for victories. Both teams are fighting with different motivations, and both are expected to have their backup quarterbacks under center for the contest, ensuring no one knows what to expect in this prime-time matchup.
Who is playing tonight, what time does the game start, and how can you watch it?
Who Plays on Thursday Night Football Tonight?
- Teams: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders
- Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
The 5-8 Las Vegas Raiders host Thursday Night Football with Aidan O’Connell again under center. This will be O’Connell’s seventh start of the season, having gone 2-4 since taking over this season.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce is still working to prove that he belongs as the team’s full-time head coach, and although the team started hot under his regime, they’ve since lost four games in a row.
MORE: 3 Crucial Stats for Raiders vs. Chargers
It has been an up-and-down season with O’Connell at the helm, which is something that Pierce expected.
“We knew what [we were going to] get when we put Aidan at quarterback,” Pierce said. “It was going to be some ups and downs, and this was not one of our better performances.”
Despite the bumpy ride that has led to the 2-4 record this season, O’Connell is still very confident in his ability to get the job done. He alluded to that fact following the latest loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
“I have confidence in myself to execute and do my job properly,” he stated.
Thursday night against a struggling Los Angeles Chargers team will be the latest opportunity to prove that he can do so, even if the time for both he and Pierce to prove they belong, is running out.
On the Chargers’ side of things, the team no longer has starting quarterback Justin Herbert this season after he was placed on injured reserve with a broken finger on his throwing hand. With Herbert out, the Chargers now turn to Easton Stick to make his first career NFL start.
MORE: Picks and Predictions for Raiders vs. Chargers
Stick has seen very limited action since entering the league in 2019. This will mark the first real chance he has to prove that he belongs in the NFL. In addition to Stick looking to prove he belongs, such is the case for Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as he looks to be on one of the hottest seats in the entire league.
There’s a lot on the line for the 5-8 Chargers and very little of it truly has to do with this particular game. For those reasons, this is an intriguing matchup and is brought on mostly by the unknown that awaits both of these teams.
What Time Is Thursday Night Football Tonight?
- Date: Dec. 14, 2023
- Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV Channel and Live Stream for TNF
- TV channels: Amazon Prime Video
- Live stream: Amazon Prime Video
Want to stream NFL games at home or on the go this season? Check out Vidgo or FuboTV, two streaming platforms providing live sports across multiple devices. Additionally, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to livestream NFL games.
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