The opening game of Week 2 between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins may have been a competitive dud, and it was also a painful one for Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who threw three interceptions and had to leave after sustaining another concussion.
But it was a big winner for Amazon Prime, which broadcasts “Thursday Night Football” on its streaming platform.
The contest set a Prime record with a peak of 18.1 million viewers, and overall, it was the third-most watched game ever on the platform, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.
Amazon Prime Video’s first Thursday Night Football stream of Bills-Dolphins averaged 14.96M viewers-making it giant streamer’s 3rd most-watched game ever.
Despite Bills’ lopsided 31-10 win, @NFLonPrime‘s stream peaked at 18.1M viewers.
That was all-time high for TNF on Prime. pic.twitter.com/p5DXDvmcth
— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) September 13, 2024
The NFL has been gradually moving toward showing more games on streaming platforms, and it has led to some criticism from people who feel it is nothing more than a cash grab.
On the other hand, those platforms have been gaining in popularity, as more and more people have been “cutting the cord” and canceling cable and satellite subscriptions in favor of streaming packages.
The Week 2 debut game wasn’t close, as the Bills easily outclassed the Dolphins 31-10, making a sizable statement as far as how the AFC East could be won come January.
Bills running back James Cook was the star of the night, as he ran for two touchdowns and added a third on a pass reception.
Meanwhile, Tagovailoa’s immediate future and entire career are up in the air after he suffered his third diagnosed concussion in two calendar years.
Many around the NFL have recommended that he retire from football for the sake of his family and his health.
