As the final touches have been put on Week 8 in the NFL, it’s time to turn our attention to Week 9.
After an eventful Week 8 that saw the Los Angeles Rams stay undefeated with a thrilling win over the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints avenge last year’s playoff loss versus the Minnesota Vikings, we turn our focus to Week 9.
With a number of significant games on the schedule, we’re here to help you sift through the slate and find out which ones you’ll be able to view in your area of the country.
Week 9’s prime time games kick off Thursday night when the Oakland Raiders travel to the Bay Area to take on the San Francisco 49ers on FOX and NFL Network. The real treat comes Sunday night, when Aaron Rodgers leads his Green Bay Packers into Foxborough to battle Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on NBC. Then, on Monday night, the Tennessee Titans visit the Dallas Cowboys on ESPN.
As for the Sunday slate, here’s which games will be broadcast around the country (all broadcast maps courtesy of 506 Sports).
CBS
The biggest CBS game of the day is an AFC North heavyweight bout between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Both teams enter Week 9 at two games over .500, though Pittsburgh holds a slight advantage in winning percentage due to their tie in Week 1.
The most intriguing storyline on the CBS slate, however, comes in the afternoon in Denver as the Houston Texans battle Denver Broncos. Broncos’ longtime standout receiver Demaryius Thomas was just traded to Houston this week, so his very first game as a Texan comes at his old stomping grounds.
FOX EARLY
The key game on the FOX early slate features two NFC North teams jostling for playoff positioning, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. The Lions, 3-4, seemed to have fixed their early season woes before falling at home to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. Meanwhile, the Vikings, 4-3-1, are on the heels of a home loss to the Saints.
FOX LATE
The coverage map speaks for the enormity of the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Saints. As America’s Game of the Week, it’s the only FOX game being aired in the country during the afternoon window. The Rams come into this game undefeated at 8-0, while the Saints have the NFC’s second-best record at 6-1.
Next: Top 10 Super Bowls of all-time
This game will go a long way in determining the NFC playoff picture, as the winner will become the favorite to come away with home field advantage throughout the playoffs.