Get ready, football fanatics, because the 130th regular season installment of the legendary Border Battle between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings is about to blow up your Week 1 Sunday, and almost everyone nationwide is gonna get to see it happen live! This rivalry, running 130 games deep, kicks off in the late window of the first week of the NFL season, and it’s hitting good, old-fashioned over-the-air television for free from coast to coast and border to border.
CBS Is Going ALL Out for This One, Seriously
Seriously, CBS is pulling out all the stops for this one. They’re literally setting up their entire NFL Today pre-game show crew right there in the Twin Cities, soaking up all that rivalry atmosphere. That’s not just a broadcast, that’s an *event* for a Week 1 opener, right? And listen to this: you’re gonna get to hear the absolute A-team calling the game! We’re talking the legendary Jim Nantz in the booth, and bringing that fresh, raw player energy? None other than J.J. Watt. Yeah, you heard that right, J.J. Watt is stepping in for Tony Romo while Romo is, well, dealing with his… issues. It’s a new era in the broadcast booth for a massive rivalry game, and you just know Watt is gonna bring that hard-hitting, player intensity straight to the mic. This crew is legit, and they’re bringing the heat.
Don’t Miss a Single Snap: Here’s How You Watch
So, how do you catch this epic clash, you ask? Well, the good folks at 506 Sports just dropped their first coverage maps of the 2026 season, and it’s looking pretty sweet for most of us. If you’re chilling in the big red zone on that CBS late window map, you’re absolutely locked in for the Border Battle. No scrambling, no fuss, just pure Week 1 football. But hey, if you find yourself stuck in the blue, your CBS game is gonna be the Arizona Cardinals visiting the Los Angeles Chargers , no disrespect to those teams, but seriously, Hallmark isn’t making cards for *that* matchup, you know? It’s just not the same juice. But don’t even sweat it if you’re in the blue, because your YouTube TV Sunday Ticket has absolutely got your back if you’ve got that subscription. This national spotlight is huge for the Vikings to kick off their season, especially since it’s gonna be a hot minute before we see them on CBS again! After this electric Week 1 showdown, they’re not slated for CBS until Week 7! That’s after their bye week, when they finally host the Indianapolis Colts. All their games from Week 2 through Week 5? Those are gonna be exclusively on the FOX family of networks, so yeah, this Week 1 game on CBS isn’t just a game, it’s a must-see event you don’t want to miss.
Alright, so remember this: it’s a late game! The kickoff is set for 3:25 PM Central time on Sunday afternoon, not the usual noon slot. Make sure your snacks are ready and your couch is broken in. We’re even firing up an Open Thread over in the Feed for folks to chat about all the early games happening that day, just to get us warmed up for this absolute main event. Week 1 sets the tone, and with this much attention on a classic rivalry, you just know it’s gonna be a slugfest. You absolutely can’t miss this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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