NFL preseason games Friday: Times, TV, live stream, matchup analysis
Yes, it's only Week 1 of the preseason, but with six games on the slate Friday night, this is as close to a regular season Sunday that NFL fans will get after months without football.
The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns kicked off the preseason with the Hall of Fame Game August 3, but now all teams are entering their first exhibition games. That means position battles, rookie coaches getting their first exposure to game action, new faces in new places and many other NFL storylines will start to get resolution after this weekend.
From Sean Payton making his Broncos debut to Jordan Love taking over after Aaron Rodgers, Friday will provide plenty for fans to sort through.
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What NFL preseason games are on Saturday?
All times Eastern
Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals, 7 p.m. (NFL Network)
New York Giants at Detroit Lions, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7 p.m.
Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m.
Washington Commanders at Cleveland Browns, 7:30 p.m.
Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m. (NFL Network)
What to know about Packers vs. Bengals
The new era in Green Bay, the Jordan Love era, officially starts Friday. Love will be replacing former franchise icon Aaron Rodgers, who was traded to the New York Jets in April. On Wednesday, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said there is "a pretty good chance" that Love and the rest of Green Bay's first-team offense will play against the Bengals "in some capacity." For his part, Love said he planned to play at least a pair of drives.
The Bengals were already without star quarterback Joe Burrow, who suffered a calf injury during a July 27 practice. It was unlikely that Burrow would've played, but tensions may be high for this game, as a pair of fights in a joint practice Wednesday between both sides resulted in the ejection of Packer guard Elgton Jenkins.
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What to know about Giants vs. Lions
The Lions find themselves in unfamiliar territory. For the first time in decades, Detroit is entering a season as the betting favorite to win its division, shedding its reputation as a bottom feeder in the NFC North. The real work, however, starts now, as the Lions need to back up the hype. Head coach Dan Campbell has said that most starters will rest in the opener.
New York finds itself now where the Lions may like to be one season from now. Under new coach Brian Daboll, the Giants went on a surprise postseason run last year, leading to Daboll winning the AP Coach of the Year award. Daboll played most of New York's starters in last season's preseason opener, so it will be interesting to see if tight end Darren Waller, a March trade acquisition, gets playing time after he missed 14 games over the last two seasons due to injury.
What to know about Steelers vs. Buccaneers
Tampa Bay is entering the post-Tom-Brady era after the icon retired in February. The Bucs are holding a quarterback competition between veteran Baker Mayfield and second-year passer Kyle Trask. Head coach Todd Bowles said that Mayfield would start the preseason opener against the Steelers and that Trask would start the second exhibition game, against the Jets, before making a determination for the regular season.
The Steelers, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after they missed the postseason in 2022. The primary focus for improvement will be Pittsburgh's offense, which had inconsistency as Kenny Pickett eventually found his way during his rookie season. The Steelers will be counting on Pickett, who has said he is looking to hone his pre-snap recognition, to take the next step in his progression. Pickett is expected to play at least a few offensive possessions.
What to know about Falcons vs. Dolphins
Atlanta is still a very young team, but the Falcons have injected some speed and elite athleticism into the roster. Quarterback Desmond Ridder, now going into his second season, will need to lean on players such as rookie, do-it-all running back Bijan Robinson, whom Atlanta selected No. 8 overall. Head coach Arthur Smith said starters would play.
The key for Miami in 2023 is staying healthy. The Dolphins were posting one of the most explosive offensive seasons in the NFL before quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained multiple head injuries. Offensive line and protecting Tagovailoa will be a focus. Another area to watch is how Miami replaces injured corner Jalen Ramsey with Cam Smith and Noah Igbinoghene.
What to know about Commanders vs. Browns
Washington is a team in transition, in more ways than one. Eric Bieniemy being installed as the offensive coordinator presents an infusion of championship experience. There is a new ownership group in charge, led by Josh Harris. And quarterback Sam Howell is entering the season with the starting job being his to lose.
The Browns launched a second-half comeback over the Jets in the Hall of Fame Game on August 3. While quarterback Deshaun Watson did not dress in Cleveland's preseason opener, he said he would start the team's second game against the Commanders. With Watson playing, the expectation is that most of Cleveland's other offensive starters will also play.
What to know about Broncos vs. Cardinals
This will be the first time NFL fans get the chance to see Sean Payton in action on the Denver sideline. Payton made headlines recently when, in exclusive comments to Paste BN Sports, he trashed the job former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett did last season. After not playing in any preseason games last year, quarterback Russell Wilson will start Friday's contest against the Cardinals, Payton said.
Arizona will almost certainly be without quarterback Kyler Murray for the beginning of the regular season, after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in December. That means the preseason will be an excellent chance for backup Colt McCoy to continue to get more reps under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
How to watch NFL preseason games
The Packers-Bengals and Broncos-Cardinals games are available to watch on NFL Network. The others will be streamed on NFL+, which requires a subscription of $9.99 a month.
Do you get preseason games with NFL Sunday Ticket?
No, NFL Sunday Ticket only broadcasts regular-season NFL games. An NFL+ subscription is needed to stream the preseason.
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