Who plays on Monday Night Football? Breaking down Week 7 matchups

Who plays on Monday Night Football? Breaking down Week 7 matchups

October 21, 2024

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The “Monday Night Football” doubleheader will return to ESPN and its family of networks in Week 7.

The league and its “MNF” broadcasting partner, ESPN, will hope for a repeat of the action from Week 6’s massive AFC East clash between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.

ABC and ESPN are once again showing two NFL games on Monday night. A significant portion of each contest will overlap, so fans may have to choose whether to watch one game or use multiple screens to catch all four teams in action.

The battles should be interesting. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens will face off in the early game, both teams 4-2 and looking to stake their claim at the top in their respective divisions. The later kickoff between the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers will feature two sides eager to prove they are playoff contenders in 2024.

Here’s everything to know about the two “MNF” matchups in Week 7.

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Who plays on Monday Night Football tonight?

There are two games on “Monday Night Football” in Week 7. They are as follows:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Baltimore Ravens

  • Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

The Buccaneers (4-2) are hosting the Ravens (4-2) to kick off ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” doubleheader. Both teams have started strong in 2024 and will look to continue that momentum.

Tampa Bay enters Week 7 off an emotional and dominant 51-27 win over the New Orleans Saints. This will be the Buccaneers’ first game at home since Hurricane Milton left a path of destruction across the area and the state of Florida on Oct. 9.

Tampa Bay will look to carry over the momentum from its victory over the Saints, where they posted a franchise-record 594 yards of total offense.

Meanwhile, the Ravens also enter the primetime clash off an impressive win. Baltimore defeated the Washington Commanders 30-23. The Ravens have outrushed their opponents 1,232 yards to 354. A significant reason for their success on the ground is the addition of running back Derrick Henry.

Before Week 7 kicked off, “King Henry” had a league-high eight rushing touchdowns and 704 rushing yards. His teammate, Lamar Jackson, is taking early aim at a third MVP award. Jackson has led Baltimore to four straight wins and has been terrific. He leads the league with eight touchdown passes and rushing yards by a quarterback with 236 yards during the winning streak. Baltimore is second in EPA per play and success rate per snap.

Tampa is ranked 10th in offensive DVOA and 13th in defensive DVOA. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is seventh in EPA per dropback and has utilized his elite receiving weapons, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Chargers

  • Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

The Cardinals (2-4) and Chargers (3-2) will square off in a battle between two teams out west searching for their identity. Los Angeles is off to a solid start under head coach Jim Harbaugh, allowing the sixth-fewest yards per game (289.2) while sporting a top-10 rushing offense.

The Chargers and the entire football community were concerned for Harbaugh last Sunday when he suddenly left the field in the first quarter against the Broncos. It was later learned that Harbaugh’s heart condition caused his brief exit from the field.

Los Angeles is led on the field by Justin Herbert. The 26-year-old signal caller is in his fifth NFL season and returning to form after an ankle sprain he suffered early in the season. The Chargers defense has allowed a league-low 4.2 points in the first half this season.

On the other side is a hungry Cardinals team desperate to return to the win column. Arizona enters “MNF” after an ugly 34-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. After scoring 69 points in the first two weeks of the season, the Cardinals’ offense has sputtered and has put up just 64 points over the previous four games.

Star rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. suffered a concussion in Week 6, and his absence was clearly felt for the remainder of the game. Arizona faces a tough task against the Chargers defense, which ranks second in EPA per play allowed and third in defensive DVOA before Week 7 kicked off.

The Chargers run the ball at the third-highest rate in the league. This key matchup on the ground will be one to watch.

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What time is the NFL game tonight?

ESPN is staggering the start time of its “Monday Night Football” games. The games will overlap significantly, but they won’t start simultaneously.

Here are the kickoff times for each game:

  • Buccaneers vs. Ravens: 8:15 p.m. ET
  • Cardinals vs. Chargers: 9:00 p.m. ET

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What channel is Monday Night Football on tonight?

On Monday night, only one game will air on two Disney-owned channels. In other Monday night doubleheaders, one game will air on ABC and the other on ESPN.

The main Monday night game between the Ravens and Buccaneers will air on both networks. The Cardinals and Chargers will stream exclusively on ESPN+.

Buccaneers vs. Ravens

  • TV channel: ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN2 (“ManningCast”)

The Buccaneers and Ravens’ “Monday Night Football” matchup will air on ESPN in Week 7. A simulcast of ESPN’s game will air on ABC for fans to watch.

ESPN’s “ManningCast” will be available to watch again in Week 7. Eli and Peyton Manning will break down the games from the comfort of their home on ESPN2, so viewers can watch them on that network if they desire.

Cardinals vs. Chargers

  • Cable TV: N/A
  • Streaming: ESPN+

The Cardinals and Chargers matchup will not be aired on national television. The game will only be available for streaming on ESPN+. This game is the first-ever exclusive NFL game for ESPN’s streaming service.

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