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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan prepares to throw during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan prepares to throw during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

NFL Schedule Week 8: TV Coverage Map, Start Times and Live Stream Info

Scott PolacekOct 26, 2014

The broadcast schedule for Week 8 of the NFL season is absolutely beautiful for one reason—it starts at 9:30 a.m. ET. Thank you, London. 

While the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons kick off the coverage on a national level from overseas, there are always questions about which games will be shown locally. With that in mind, here is a look at the television coverage map, courtesy of 506 Sports. There was also an important change to note:

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Now you know whether you can stay home and kick your feet up or if you have to go to a sports bar to watch your team play. Here is a look at the rest of the pertinent information for the Week 8 schedule before digging into a preview for a must-see game.

Sunday, Oct. 26Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons (in London)9:30 a.m.FoxFox Sports Go
Sunday, Oct. 26Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers1 p.m.CBSCBSSports.com
Sunday, Oct. 26Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals1 p.m.CBSCBSSports.com
Sunday, Oct. 26Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars1 p.m.CBSCBSSports.com
Sunday, Oct. 26St. Louis Rams at Kansas City Chiefs1 p.m.FoxFox Sports Go
Sunday, Oct. 26Chicago Bears at New England Patriots1 p.m.FoxFox Sports Go
Sunday, Oct. 26Buffalo Bills at New York Jets1 p.m.CBSCBSSports.com
Sunday, Oct. 26Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers1 p.m.FoxFox Sports Go
Sunday, Oct. 26Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans1 p.m.FoxFox Sports Go
Sunday, Oct. 26Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals4:05 p.m.FoxFox Sports Go
Sunday, Oct. 26Oakland Raiders at Cleveland Browns4:25 p.m.CBSCBSSports.com
Sunday, Oct. 26Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers4:25 p.m.CBSCBSSports.com
Sunday, Oct. 26Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints8:30 p.m.NBCNBC Sports Live Extra
Monday, Oct. 27Washington at Dallas Cowboys8:30 p.m.ESPNWatch ESPN

Must-See Game of the Week: Detroit Lions vs. Atlanta Falcons

This may not be the best matchup on paper on Sunday, but how often do you get to watch live football at 9:30 a.m.? Sometimes the uniqueness of an event makes it must-see in sports, and that is exactly why the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons' tilt in London is listed here.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, this is considered one of their eight home games, which doesn’t exactly seem fair.

Atlanta is reeling from four consecutive losses, and it now has a Detroit opponent that clearly doesn’t care where the game is played, as defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh said, according to STATS LLC, via ESPN.com:

“We're not afraid to go anywhere, anyplace and go out there and play and execute what we need to get done. It comes from our coach. The attitude that he brings with us, understanding that it doesn't make a difference whether we're in London, or at home, or have to go to Atlanta.”

The key matchup in this one will be Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White and the Falcons' aerial attack against a stout Detroit Lions secondary.

Atlanta is fifth in the league in passing yards per game at 289.6, while Detroit is sixth in the league against the pass at 216.9 yards per game. What’s more, the Lions are allowing an NFL-best 290.3 yards per game in total and 15 points a game, which is second in the league.

Something has to give.

Atlanta probably isn’t going to move the ball on the ground either with the league’s 24th-ranked rushing attack against the third-best run defense and a stout Detroit front seven, so pulling off the upset will fall squarely on the shoulders of Ryan.

It doesn’t help that he has already lost four starting offensive linemen to injury. 

Ross Tucker of NBC Sports Network and Trey Wingo of ESPN had some interesting analysis regarding the Lions defense that Ryan has to face without those linemen:

On the other side of the ball, the Lions have struggled to put up points with an injured Calvin Johnson. Yes, Golden Tate has stepped up in his absence and finished with 154 receiving yards and a touchdown in the last game, but it’s not quite the same as the NFL’s most dynamic receiver.

In fact, the Lions have averaged 17.5 points a game in their last six, and Johnson missed two of those and was clearly less than 100 percent in a couple of others.

It also doesn’t help that the Lions are 31st in the league with 82.4 rushing yards per game. Fortunately for Joique Bell fantasy owners, the Falcons have allowed 137.7 yards per game on the ground and a league-worst 13 touchdowns. If there was ever a game that Bell was going to break out, it is on Sunday.

Ultimately, Atlanta is 1-12 in its last 13 games away from the Georgia Dome and doesn’t have a strong enough defense to take advantage of a middling Detroit offense.

The Lions will make life miserable for Ryan behind a makeshift offensive line and completely shut down the Atlanta attack. London fans who are used to low-scoring affairs because of soccer will get just that in this one, but Detroit is clearly the superior team, especially when the Falcons are away from home. 

Prediction: Lions 24, Falcons 10

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