You’re sitting on the couch, remote in hand, wondering what preseason game is on tonight. It’s that weird time of year. The air is starting to turn, or maybe it’s just the air conditioning blasting, but the craving for live sports is hitting hard. We aren't in the regular season grind yet. Not quite. But the lights are on in the arenas, and the rosters are overflowing with guys you’ve never heard of fighting for a paycheck alongside superstars playing exactly six minutes of "don't-break-an-ankle" ball.
Finding the right channel is a nightmare lately. Seriously. Between the regional sports networks (RSNs) going bankrupt every other week and the streaming services fragmenting everything into a billion pieces, just finding the tip-off or kickoff time feels like a part-time job.
Tonight is actually a busy one. If you’re looking for the NFL, you’re likely in the August stretch where the Thursday night slot is a staple. If it's NBA preseason, you're looking at October. The NHL usually slides in right around the same time. Let's get into the specifics of who is playing, where to find them, and why you should actually care about a game that "doesn't count."
The Actual Schedule: What Preseason Game Is On Tonight?
Right now, the focus is squarely on the gridiron. For Thursday, August 14, 2025 (or the equivalent Thursday in your current preseason cycle), the NFL is dominating the airwaves.
The primary matchup everyone is eyeing tonight features the Philadelphia Eagles heading to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots. This isn't just a random cross-conference meeting. It’s a chance to see how the Patriots’ rookie quarterback—Drake Maye—is actually handling a professional pass rush. Most people think these games are boring. They’re wrong. Well, they're partially wrong. The fourth quarter is usually a slog of missed tackles and holding penalties. But that first half? That's where the real drama lives.
If you aren't into the NFL, the MLB is in full regular-season swing, which often confuses people looking for preseason action. Don't mix them up. Baseball is playing for keeps right now. But if we are talking strictly preseason, the NFL is the only show in town tonight.
Why the TV Guide is Lying to You
Have you ever checked your local listings and seen "To Be Announced" or some random infomercial where a game should be?
That’s the local blackout rule at work. Even in the preseason, the NFL protects its local markets. If you live in Philly, you’re watching on NBC10. If you’re in Boston, it’s likely WBZ. But if you’re in Des Moines? You might be stuck with the national feed on NFL Network, provided it isn't blacked out in favor of a different regional game.
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It’s a mess. Honestly, the best way to keep track is to use the NFL+ app. It’s the subscription service that actually lets you watch out-of-market preseason games on your phone or tablet. You can't always cast it to the TV without some technical wizardry, but it beats staring at a blank screen.
How to Watch Without Losing Your Mind
If you're asking what preseason game is on tonight, you probably also want to know how to stream it without paying $80 for a cable package you’ll cancel in three weeks.
- NFL Network: This is the gold standard for preseason. They carry almost every game, either live or on tape delay.
- FuboTV: Great for sports because they carry the local RSNs.
- YouTube TV: Expensive, but it has the "Key Plays" feature which is a lifesaver when you just want to see the touchdowns and go to bed.
- Hulu + Live TV: Solid, but the interface is kinda clunky if you’re trying to flip between games.
Don't forget the "rabbit ears." A digital antenna is still the cheapest way to get your local CBS, NBC, and FOX affiliates in crystal-clear HD. No lag. No buffering. Just football.
The Strategy Behind the Starters
Why do we watch?
We watch because of the roster bubble. Take the Patriots tonight. Nobody cares if they win or lose by three points. We care if Joe Milton III—the guy with the cannon arm—can actually read a zone defense in the third quarter. We care if the Eagles' secondary, which looked shaky last year, can actually press a wide receiver without getting a flag.
Coaches like Nick Sirianni use these games as a laboratory. They aren't calling their best plays. They’re calling "evaluation plays." They want to see if a linebacker can shed a block in a 1-on-1 situation. It's basically a glorified practice with jerseys and a crowd.
The Quarterback Conundrum
Most teams follow a strict "preseason script" for their starters:
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- Game 1: Starters play one series, maybe two.
- Game 2: Starters play the entire first quarter.
- Game 3: The "Dress Rehearsal." Starters play the whole first half. (Note: This has changed since the NFL moved to a 17-game season and only three preseason games).
Nowadays, many coaches sit their starters for the entire preseason. They'd rather have them rusty in Week 1 than in a cast in August. Look at Sean McVay and the Rams. They practically pioneered the "no-starters-in-August" movement. It works for them. Other coaches, like John Harbaugh in Baltimore, play to win every single snap. The Ravens had a legendary preseason winning streak that lasted years because their depth was just better than everyone else's.
Scouting the Field: Who to Watch Tonight
When you tune in to find out what preseason game is on tonight, don't just look at the score. Look at the numbers on the jerseys of the guys you don't recognize.
In the Eagles vs. Patriots game, keep an eye on the offensive line depth. Philadelphia is famous for developing late-round picks into Pro Bowlers under Jeff Stoutland. If a guy wearing #64 is pancaking people, remember his name. He might be starting by November.
For the Patriots, it’s all about the wide receivers. They’ve struggled for years to find a true WR1. Is tonight the night one of their rookies flashes that elite separation? Probably not, but you'll see glimpses.
Navigating the Different Sports Seasons
Depending on when you're reading this, "preseason" might mean something totally different.
NBA Preseason (The Global Tour)
In October, the NBA takes over. The preseason games often happen in places like Abu Dhabi, Paris, or Mexico City. If you're asking what game is on tonight during October, expect to see the Lakers or the Celtics playing at 10:00 AM because they’re halfway across the world. The NBA preseason is much more about chemistry than the NFL. You’ll see LeBron and AD play significantly more minutes than an NFL veteran would in August.
NHL Preseason (The Frozen Grind)
Hockey preseason is a different beast. It's fast, physical, and teams often play split-squad games. That means the Rangers might play two games on the same night—half the team in New York and the other half in New Jersey. It's confusing for betting and even more confusing for fans trying to find the right channel.
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Practical Advice for the Casual Viewer
If you just want background noise while you do dishes, any game will do. But if you’re a bettor or a fantasy football nut, you need to watch differently.
Watch the offensive line. If a team’s second-string line is getting dominated by another team's second-string defensive line, that team has zero depth. One injury to a starter and their season is over. That’s the kind of intel you don't get from box scores.
Check the "Inactive" list. About 90 minutes before kickoff, teams release a list of who isn't playing. If the list is 20 names long, you know the coach is "punting" the game and just trying to get through it without a medical cart appearing on the field.
Where to Find Instant Updates
If you're away from your TV, Twitter (X) is still the king of live sports updates. Follow beat writers, not the national accounts.
- For the Eagles: Look for Jeff McLane or Jimmy Kempski.
- For the Patriots: Follow Mike Reiss or Chad Graff.
These are the people who will tell you why a player was pulled from the game (was it an injury or just a coach's decision?).
Your Preseason Checklist
To make the most of tonight’s action, follow these steps:
- Check the local affiliate: Don't rely on ESPN or TNT; preseason is a local game.
- Sync your Fantasy Draft: If you haven't drafted yet, tonight is a prime scouting opportunity for "sleepers" in the late rounds.
- Lower your expectations: It’s preseason. There will be bad snaps. There will be missed field goals. There will be 15-minute reviews for a play that doesn't matter.
- Watch the rookies: This is their Super Bowl. For a guy fighting for the 53rd spot on the roster, tonight is everything.
The preseason is the prologue to the real story. It’s the "coming attractions" before the blockbuster. While the games don't count in the standings, they count for the guys on the field. Whether it's the Eagles, the Patriots, or a random NBA matchup in the fall, there's always something to learn if you know what to look for. Turn on the TV, find that local channel, and enjoy the fact that sports are finally back.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check your local FOX or NBC affiliate schedule via an over-the-air antenna or a streaming service like FuboTV to confirm which regional game is being broadcast in your specific zip code. Download the NFL+ or NBA App to bypass local blackouts for out-of-market games, and follow specific team beat writers on social media for real-time injury updates and starting lineup changes that occur right before kickoff.