Let’s get this out of the way: it isn’t hard to stream an NFL game on Amazon Prime. You click on the “Amazon Prime” app, and boom, there it is.
But it is a minor annoyance. For the non-tech savvy among us, it’s harder to channel surf, since turning off the game requires exiting the Amazon Prime app. And while it’s hard to imagine changing the channel on Patriots-Bills, keep in mind: the Patriots haven’t forced the Bills to punt once in their previous two meetings, despite what Bill Belichick claims.
But on Thursday, Patriots fans won’t encounter that issue. Amazon games also air on the Fox affiliate in the markets of participating teams, so Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit will be heard on FOX 25.
That arrangement guarantees that local viewership for Thursday night games is comparable to other contests. Overall, TNF ratings have dipped on Amazon. After each of the first three games topped the 10 million viewer mark, only two have since.
Thursday night games have always been lackluster. But this season, they’re harder to find. That's a surefire combination for worse ratings.