Who's playing on Sunday Night Football? Game, start time for Week 3

In Week 2 of its “Sunday Night Football” program, NBC showed a duel between two up-and-coming quarterbacks. Now the duel of potential playoff contenders will again feature a more proven duo.

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to face the Atlanta Falcons in a battle between teams that are trending in opposite directions early in the season.

The Chiefs have two close wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, with each game coming down to the final play. In Week 1, Isaiah Likely's toe denied Baltimore a chance to tie Kansas City at the end of regulation, and in Week 2, Harrison Butker nailed a 51-yard field goal to give the Chiefs a one-point victory over the Bengals.

NFL:Chiefs show that the gap to the other competitors is still quite large

The Falcons are also coming off a nail-biting win, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles on a last-minute save on Monday Night Football in Week 2. Kirk Cousins continues to make progress after tearing his Achilles tendon, and his ability to connect with Drake London and Darnell Mooney on the final drive should give Atlanta fans hope as the team looks to pull off its second straight upset win.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Here's everything you need to know about Sunday Night Football's Week 3 matchups.

Who is playing on Sunday Night Football tonight?

The Falcons (1-1) host the Chiefs (2-0) in NBC's third official Sunday Night Football broadcast of the season. Kansas City enters the game as the favorite, but Atlanta will be no easy match, as it showed in its 22-21 road win over Philadelphia last week.

The Chiefs enter Week 3 with some issues at running back. Starter Isiah Pacheco has been placed on the injured list after breaking his fibula, while regular backup Clyde Edwards-Helaire is on the NFI list. That leaves Samaje Perine and Carson Steele as the top runners, leaving quarterback Patrick Mahomes to carry the offense.

CHIEFS RB DEPTH CHART:How Isiah Pacheco's injury and Kareem Hunt's visit could impact KC's backfield

Mahomes hasn't been as spectacular as fans are used to early in the season. In two games, he's thrown just three touchdowns compared to three interceptions, and his 91.9 passer rating and 47.1 QBR rank 15th and 19th in the NFL, respectively. That won't appease the Falcons, though, as the two-time MVP is sure to get back into form at some point, especially with Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy at his disposal.

However, the Chiefs' biggest advantage over the Falcons may be on defense. Chris Jones will likely pressure Cousins from the inside, which could cause problems for the 36-year-old quarterback. He doesn't appear to have full mobility as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, so he may not be able to escape pressure up the middle as easily as usual.

The Eagles were unable to exploit Cousins’ weakness; the Chiefs are better positioned to do so.

The good news for Falcons fans is that Cousins has started to gel with teammates Drake London and Darnell Mooney, so his passing should only improve as he settles into Zac Robinson's offense. Still, the Falcons will likely rely more on Bijan Robinson to fuel their offense in Week 3, as the Chiefs are allowing 129.5 rushing yards per game to start the season.

While the Chiefs are considered legitimate favorites, they certainly can't write off the Falcons as Atlanta tries to keep up with the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a surprisingly competitive race for the NFC South.

What time is the NFL game tonight?

Date: Sunday, 22 September
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Falcons vs. Chiefs game is scheduled to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET. That will be the start time for most of NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcasts during the 2024 NFL season.

NBC will also begin airing its pregame coverage – “Football Night In America” – at 7 p.m. ET. Maria Taylor will host this broadcast along with a number of NBC talents, including Jason Garrett, Tony Dungy, Devin McCourty and Matthew Berry.

NFL STATS CENTRAL:The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

What channel is Sunday Night Football on tonight?

“Sunday Night Football” will air on NBC in 2024, as it has done since the network purchased the rights to the show in 2006.

Cable-defying fans can still watch the game on NBC's streaming service, Peacock, or with Fubo, which has a free trial available.

We occasionally recommend products and services of interest. If you make a purchase through one of the links, we may receive an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this does not influence our reporting.

Who's playing on Sunday Night Football? Game, start time for Week 3

You may also like...

Recent Posts

Who's playing on Sunday Night Football? Game, start time for Week 3

You may also like...

Report: Texans DB Brandon Hill out for one year due to knee injury

Man accused of pointing gun at Miami Beach commissioner arrested again after Walgreens robbery – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

Review of “Here After”: An unimaginative supernatural drama

Recent Posts