LOS ANGELES — NFL Week 1 is officially here and in just a few short hours, you'll be hearing that signature NBC Sunday Night Football intro as NBC will broadcast the Bills vs. Rams game in L.A. to start the NFL season.
It will be the typical Sunday Night Football presentation on Thursday for the NFL kickoff game, but the crew will look a bit different than it has in year's past, after play-by-play commentator Al Michaels didn't renew his contract to remain with NBC and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya left the industry in the offseason.
Mike Tirico will now join Cris Collinsworth in the booth, and Melissa Stark will take over sideline reporting.
Then, NBC will broadcast Sunday Night Football at its typical time Sunday night as Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs play in Dallas against the Cowboys.
Thursday Night's 'Sunday Night Football' Matchup
Thursday night's NFL Kickoff Game matchup is between the defending champion Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills.
The Rams will host the game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where they won the Super Bowl in February.
The Bills are hoping to get off to a hot start after falling in the AFC Divisional Round in the playoffs to the Chiefs, a second-straight year Josh Allen and the Bills lost to Kansas City in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Rams are looking to pick up where they left off, after they won 11 of their final 12 games of the year (including playoffs), to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Matthew Stafford returns at quarterback with primary target Cooper Kupp looking to build on an All-Pro 2021-22 season.
Get ready for NFL kickoff by checking out the DAILY Locked On Bills podcast, free and available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!
Get ready for NFL kickoff by checking out the DAILY Locked On Rams podcast, free and available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!
How To Watch Thursday Night's NFL Kickoff Game
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 8
- Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
- TV Channel: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock (NBC's streaming service); NBCSports.com
Pregame coverage of the contest will begin at 7 p.m. ET on NBC with the network's "NFL Kickoff 2022" program.
Week 1 will be the only time that NBC's "Sunday Night Football" broadcast team televises a game on Thursday night.
Sunday Night Football Matchup
On Sunday night, for the typical Sunday Night Football time slot, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Dallas Cowboys. The Bucs and Cowboys played in NBC's Thursday night NFL Kickoff Game in 2021, when the Bucs defeated the Cowboys 31-29 in Tampa.
Tom Brady returns after briefly retiring this offseason, only to return to the team. Bruce Arians stepped down as head coach and it's now Todd Bowles leading the Bucs team. The Bucs return a strong defense, as well as playmakers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Leonard Fournette.
The Cowboys come into the game hoping to avoid regression after they won the NFC East with a 12-5 record last season before falling to the 49ers at home in the NFC Wild Card playoffs. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott return for the offense as well as young receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is poised for a big year after Dallas traded away Prescott's top target in Amari Cooper to the Browns.
Get ready for Sunday Night Football by checking out the DAILY Locked On Bucs podcast, free and available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!
Get ready for Sunday Night Football by checking out the DAILY Locked On Cowboys podcast, free and available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!
How To Watch Sunday Night Football Week 1
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 11
- Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
- Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- TV Channel: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock (NBC's streaming service); NBCSports.com
Pregame coverage will begin at 7 p.m. E.T. with NBC's 'Football Night in America.'