The NFL has released its official Thursday Night Football schedule for the 2014 season. The schedule features 16 games, including a pair of special Saturday editions of Thursday Night Football in Week 16.
The NFL regular season will begin on Thursday, Sept. 4, in Seattle, but technically that game is a special edition of Sunday Night Football, so the Thursday Night Football schedule won't begin until Week 2 when the Steelers travel to face the Ravens in a classic AFC North matchup. The vast majority of Thursday Night Football games will feature division rivals, with only two of the 16 games not being division matchups.
Some of the notable games include San Diego traveling to Denver in Week 8, the Panthers hosting the Saints in Week 9 and the Cowboys heading to Chicago to face the Bears in Week 13. The Redskins will host the Eagles and the 49ers will host the Chargers in Saturday editions of Thursday Night Football in Week 16. Both games will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET.
NFL Network has carried the Thursday games since its inception, but there is a big television shakeup this year. CBS won the bidding war to broadcast TNF and will be airing the first eight games on its flagship channel, adding another plum primetime to broadcast television. NFL Network will continue to simulcast the games, and airs the rest of the schedule starting in Week 9. CBS and NFL Network will each air a special Saturday edition in Week 16.
Here's the complete Thursday schedule for 2014 (all times ET).
Week 2, Sept. 11
Steelers at Ravens, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 3, Sept. 18
Buccaneers at Falcons, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 4, Sept. 25
Giants at Redskins, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 5, Oct. 2
Vikings at Packers, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 6, Oct. 9
Colts at Texans, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 7, Oct. 16
Jets at Patriots, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 8, Oct. 23
Chargers at Broncos, 8:25 p.m., CBS/NFL Network
Week 9, Oct. 30
Saints at Panthers, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 10, Nov. 6
Browns at Bengals, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 11, Nov. 13
Bills at Dolphins, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 12, Nov. 20
Chiefs at Raiders, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 13, Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving)
Bears at Lions, 12:30 p.m., CBS
Eagles at Cowboys, 4:30 p.m., FOX
Seahawks at 49ers, 8:30 p.m., NBC
(Under a new rule, the Lions and Cowboys games are subject to flex scheduling and can be moved to NBC as needed)
Week 14, Dec. 4
Cowboys at Bears, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 15, Dec. 11
Cardinals at Rams, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 16, Dec. 18
Titans at Jaguars, 8:25 p.m., NFL Network
Week 16, Dec. 20
Eagles at Redskins, 4:30 p.m., NFL Network/CBS
Chargers at 49ers, 4:30 p.m., CBS/NFL Network