‘Sunday Night Football’ open thread: Vikings at Broncos

It’s finally here: the 2023 Grey Cup! The culmination of another exciting season of CFL action, the Montreal Alouettes will face off against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for a chance to win one of football’s oldest trophy. The Alouettes, fresh off an upset of the 16-2 Toronto Argonauts, will face another goliath that is the Blue Bombers dynasty.

Or, alternatively, you can tune in to “Sunday Night Football.”

If the American game is more to your fancy, then you’re in store for a surprisingly heated matchup. The Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings started the season sluggish, but their competitiveness has been rekindled as of late. The Vikings have rattled off five wins in a row, while the Broncos are themselves on a three-game streak. Both teams, once viewed as doormats early on this season, are suddenly serious competitors for a playoff spot.

The Vikings looked doomed once Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending injury, but trade acquisition Josh Dobbs has somehow saved the season. Dobbs has led the Vikings to back-to-back wins, the first of which came without a single practice rep with his new team. The return of Justin Jefferson is nearing as well, which could further bolster their offense. Yet the star of the Vikings has been defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who has turned a mediocre unit on paper into one of the league’s best.

The Broncos have had their own defensive turnaround as well. After giving up 181 points in their first five games, the defense has since rebounded, holding their previous four opponents to 22 points or under. The offense is not yet at its full potential, so a battle with Flores’ defense could prove to be tough sledding for Russell Wilson.

Here’s how to watch tonight’s game:

Date: Sunday, November 19, 2023
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Empower Field at Mile High—Denver, CO
TV: NBC
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark
Online: NBCSports.com