The first stage of the NFL playoffs is Wild Card Weekend. With that comes a whopping six games of elimination football. On Saturday, we have two games, with the crown jewel coming at night. Who plays Saturday Night Football, how can you watch the game, and what does the rest of the Wild Card schedule look like?
Who Plays on Saturday Night Football Tonight?
Teams
Los Angeles Chargers (10-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
Location
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida
Saturday Night Football will feature the Los Angeles Chargers as they head to TIAA Bank Field to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars head into the playoffs as the AFC South champions after they defeated the Tennessee Titans in Week 18 for the title.
Although they got the win, it wasn’t an easy win. The Jags were facing a third-string QB in Joshua Dobbs and trailed for a good portion of the matchup. Ultimately, a late defensive turnover for a touchdown sealed the victory. Now, they face a Chargers team whose offense has finally started to click late into the season.
The Chargers clinched a playoff berth earlier this year but continued to play their starters right until the conclusion of Week 18. That decision came with certain consequences. After finally getting their entire offense back on the field healthy, wide receiver Mike Williams left last week’s game against Denver with a back injury. He was ruled out for this game later in the week.
Now, head coach Brandon Staley needs to try and justify his decision to start all his star players in a game that literally meant nothing. If offense ends up being a problem in this game without Williams in the lineup, expect a lot of the blame to fall on Staley’s shoulders.
MORE: Mike Williams Injury Leaves Zero Margin of Error for Brandon Staley
These two teams have already faced off once this year, all the way back in Week 3. In that game, Herbert was also without an important offensive weapon in Keenan Allen. Additionally, he was dealing with a painful rib injury. They ultimately lost 38-10 against Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson.
I expect this game to be a bit different from the first time these teams played. Herbert is currently third in the NFL in yards per game behind Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. It just so happens that Jacksonville has the 28th pass defense in the league. Yes, losing Williams is going to hurt, but having a fully healthy Herbert will make a difference this time around.
On the other side of the ball, Lawrence has been unbelievable during the team’s recent run. Granted, last week’s game against the Titans wasn’t the best, but he did what he needed to do to keep the game close.
However, if Jacksonville wants to win this game at home, they are going to need to focus on the run game. The Chargers allow 145.8 yards a game and 5.4 yards per carry on the ground, which ranks 28th in the league. Look at Travis Etienne to have a massive game this week.
Both of these teams are desperate for playoff success. The Jaguars haven’t seen the postseason since 2017, and the Chargers since 2018. However, the Chargers’ “window” is closer to closing than that of the Jaguars. Herbert is going to command a massive contract extension, and if they don’t win this game, they will have lost the chance to profit off Herbert’s rookie deal. Zero playoff wins when your QB is being paid peanuts compared to guys like Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott is a bad look.
Chargers fans don’t travel, so I don’t expect a ton of lightning bolts in this Duval crowd. However, as long as Staley doesn’t get in the way, I think the Chargers get the win here.
What Time Is Saturday Night Football Tonight?
Date: Jan. 14, 2023
Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Saturday Night Football tonight will start at 8:15 p.m. ET. The game is on NBC and will feature a special broadcast booth. Al Michaels will return as the play-by-play analyst alongside current NBC commentator Tony Dungy. Michaels left NBC this past year to join Amazon for their Thursday Night Football broadcasts.
TV Channel and Live Stream for Saturday Night Football
TV channels: NBC
Live stream: Peacock, fuboTV
Want to stream NFL games at home or on the go this season? Check out fuboTV, a streaming platform that provides you with live sports across multiple devices. Additionally, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to live stream NFL games.