Eagles-Vikings: How to watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ on Amazon Prime Video

The Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) will take on the Minnesota Vikings (0-1) on Thursday Night Football in their home opener at Lincoln Financial Field, and fans will see some familiar faces calling the game.

Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit — who broadcast the Eagles final preseason game — are back in the booth for the debut of the second season of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football, which is streaming on Prime Video. Former ABC News correspondent Kaylee Hartung is back handling sideline reporting duties, and former NFL referee Terry McAulay will serve as rules analyst, a role he also has on NBC.

Herbstreit, who also calls college football games for ESPN and co-hosts College Gameday, called last season “a learning experience.” He also said he plans to do one thing differently this season.

“I’m going to chill,” Herbstreit said during a recent conference call, admitting the preparation he did for three telecasts each week took a toll as the season wore down.

» READ MORE: Eagles beat writers make their predictions for the Vikings game in Week 2

“Going through last year and over preparing really helped me understand what I need to do and recalibrate as I get ready for the second year of making this run.”

Also returning is Thursday Night Football’s studio crew, which features host Charissa Thompson and analysts Andrew Whitworth, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Amazon’s pregame show begins streaming at 7 p.m., and Gonzalez — a Hall of Fame tight end — doesn’t think Eagles fans should be too concerned about the lack of production last week from Dallas Goedert.

“My worst game, or one of my worst games I’ve ever played statistically, was against the New England Patriots — one catch for 13 yards. Bill Belichick, if he wants to take you away, he’s going to take you away,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t anticipate them throwing the ball at him just one time again — that would be ridiculous, I think.”

Thursday’s game might seem like a bit of déjà vu for Birds fans, considering the Eagles’ home opener last season was also against the Vikings in Week 2, and that game was also in primetime, though it aired on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. In last year’s game, Jalen Hurts got hot (390 total yards and three touchdowns) and the Eagles defense held Kirk Cousins and the Vikings offense to just 264 total yards and forced three turnovers in a 24-7 win.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream Eagles-Vikings:

» READ MORE: Eagles-Vikings predictions: The Inquirer's beat writers make their picks who will win

The Thursday Night Football game between the Eagles and the Vikings is scheduled to kickoff at 8:15 p.m., and will stream exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video.

In the Philadelphia TV market, Birds fans can watch the game on Fox 29, while fans in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area can tune into it on Fox 9.

If you live outside of those two markets, you’ll have to pony up $139 a year (or $14.99 a month) for a subscription to Prime, which includes free shipping on eligible items for same-day delivery in certain zip codes and extra savings at Whole Foods. You can also subscribe to just Prime Video for $8.99 a month. There’s a 30-day free trial.

The game will also air on the radio on 94.1 WIP, where fans can listen to the familiar voices of Merrill Reese and former Eagles receiver Mike Quick. WIP host Howard Eskin will handle sideline reporting duties.

Thanks to a deal between Amazon and DirecTV, Thursday Night Football games will air in more than 300,000 sports bars, restaurants, and hotel lounges nationwide through the DirecTV for Business package.

Bars and restaurants can also stream games if they have internet-connected TVs and a Prime Video subscription.

If you’re thinking about watching tonight’s game at a particular bar, the best advice is to call and see if they’ll be airing the game.

Thursday Night Football has its own pregame show, but if you’ll be futzing with Amazon tonight, you might as well check out the new documentary featuring Eagles center Jason Kelce.

Kelce premiered on the platform Monday, and has become the most-watched movie on Prime Video in the United States. The 102-minute film follows Kelce’s life on and off the field last season, as he flirted with winning his second Super Bowl with the Eagles.

Without spoiling the documentary, there are some memorable moments, including an emotional speech as he seriously considered retirement and some blunt talk about the tradeoffs of potentially being diagnosed with CTE. There are also a lot of fun moments, like he and his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, busting each other’s chops while gardening and a discussion about fans (not the ones your thinking of) with wife Kylie Kelce.

» READ MORE: Meet Jason Kelce, summer student at a grazing farm, and perhaps a future rancher

The Eagles are scheduled to play only once on Thursday Night Football but could end up playing on Prime Video again later in the season thanks to the NFL’s controversial decision to expand flex scheduling.

Because games would move up three days, from Sunday to Thursday, the rules are tight for Amazon — flex scheduling is in play only from Weeks 13 to 17 (there is no Thursday Night Football game in Week 18), the NFL has to notify teams no later than 28 days prior to the game, and the league is limited to just two such moves this season.

Basically, the NFL would only flex out of a Thursday Night Football game if Amazon ended up with a real dud. The Week 17 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets is already looking like a candidate, now that Aaron Rodgers is out for the season.

Flex scheduling isn’t the only gift Amazon received from the NFL. For the first time in league history, there will be a game on Black Friday — New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins — that will stream exclusively on Prime Video on Nov. 24.

Staff writers Jeff McLane, EJ Smith, Josh Tolentino, and Olivia Reiner will be covering the action live on Gameday Central. Notes and observations about the game will be at Inquirer.com/Eagles. Don’t forget to subscribe to our free Sports Daily newsletter.

» READ MORE: Live coverage: Eagles vs. Vikings

With the Eagles playing on Thursday Night Football, here are the NFL games that will air on TV in Philadelphia on Sunday:

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In the first installment of a two-part look at how concussions have affected Eagles players past and present, Jeff McLane catches up with Stewart Bradley and his former teammates. They revisit one of the scariest moments in recent Eagles history and discuss how Bradley could have possibly been allowed to return to play after a vicious hit that left him struggling to stand. Plus, Bradley talks about the impact head trauma has had on his life since his playing career ended. Listen here.

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