Thursday Night Football has long been a punchline; a shorthand for sloppy play and bland matchups.
Ever since its inception in 2006 - and especially since it was expanded to run for nearly the entire season in recent years - TNF has been an embarrassment for the NFL, which has soldiered on with the program despite inconsistent ratings, poor fan feedback, and concerns over player safety due to the short turnaround between games.
However, no one is laughing now. TNF has become, for indiscernible reasons, the best part of the NFL this season.
The Oakland Raiders' dramatic last-second win over the Kansas City Chiefs was just the latest Thursday night matchup that enthralled the sporting world.
Related: Raiders-Chiefs' insane ending needs an explanation
Yes, the game still contained the usual sloppiness on occasion. But it also boasted the type of compelling storylines, must-see moments, and highlight-reel plays that are usually saved for January - from Marshawn Lynch being ejected for making contact with an official, to Amari Cooper breaking out of his slump with a career day, to Derek Carr's game-winning touchdown pass after penalties extended the final play of the game not once, not twice, but three times.
The only ones who were left wanting this Thursday were those hoping for dominant defensive displays:
Derek Carr + Alex Smith combined for 759 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT. Last 2 QBs combined for 750+ yards, 6+ TD, 0 INT-Week 16, 2012 (Brees & Romo)
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 20, 2017
And Raiders-Chiefs may not have even been the best Thursday game of the year so far. In Week 3, the San Francisco 49ers took on the Los Angeles Rams in a matchup that many wrote off before it even began, and understandably so given they were two of the more boring teams in the league last season.
Related - Thursday Night Fun: Rams-49ers just saved the NFL season
Instead, the Rams and 49ers treated us to a back-and-forth shootout, with 80 points, a muffed punt, a fumbled kickoff, an onside kick, a game-sealing sack, and much, much more.
And there could be more fun ahead, with some mouth-watering TNF games between playoff-hopeful teams still to come:
| Game | Week |
|---|---|
| Seahawks-Cardinals | 10 |
| Titans-Steelers | 11 |
| Redskins-Cowboys | 13 |
| Saints-Falcons | 14 |
Whether by sheer luck or smart scheduling, the league has reinvigorated its Thursday night programming. And while the concerns remain legitimate, TNF isn't going away anytime soon - so enjoy it while it continues to be the best the NFL has to offer.
