Week 2 of the 2014 NFL season gets underway tonight as the Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers. This game marks the first short week Thursday Night Football game. Last week was the kickoff game, so it does not really count as a short week. Additionally, last week was an NBC game, and this week we begin the CBS venture into TNF. Previously, NFL Network broadcast all the Thursday games after Week 1. This year, CBS is getting the first seven games, with NFL Network simulcasting them.
This also marks the first game since the [site decorum] really hit the fan with the NFL and the Ravens handling of the Ray Rice situation. On the one hand, I have to think Jim Nantz and Phil Simms bring this up. On the other hand, The Shield is not one to take a lot of guff from their corporate partners, so we'll see how Nantz and Simms handle it.
Game Time: 5:30 p.m. PT
Channel: CBS, Simulcast on NFL Network
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
This game doesn't really have any bearing on the 49ers, but the AFC North will be an interesting one to track. The football is not particularly pretty, but it will be a tight battle this year. Cincinnati is the favorite to win the division, but Pittsburgh could hang close, and Baltimore might get lucky. Cleveland is likely to finish the season in the cellar, but they have enough talent to at least keep teams on their toes.