Monday Night Football Week 2: What channel are Bucs–Texans and Chargers–Raiders on? Start times, TV, streaming

TV channels, start times, and how to watch

Two games, one night, and no overlap. That is the promise as Monday Night Football returns with a Week 2 doubleheader that puts Houston in the early window and Las Vegas in the late slot. ABC joins ESPN for the opener, then ESPN carries the nightcap on its own.

• Game 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans — 7:00 PM ET (6:00 PM CT). TV: ABC and ESPN. Streaming: ESPN+.
• Game 2: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders — 10:00 PM ET (7:00 PM PT). TV: ESPN. Streaming: ESPN+.

The early game is an interconference trip for Tampa Bay into NRG Stadium, a loud building that has turned prime time into an advantage for Houston. The late game stages a classic AFC West tilt inside Allegiant Stadium on the Vegas strip, where divisional games tend to get chippy fast.

Prefer streaming? Both matchups are available on ESPN+, and you can also watch through ESPN’s authenticated streaming with a pay TV login. The ABC simulcast of the first game gives over-the-air viewers an easy option with a basic antenna.

Time zones can be tricky on a Monday. Here is the quick local-time rundown: Buccaneers–Texans kicks at 6:00 PM in Houston, and Chargers–Raiders starts at 7:00 PM in Las Vegas. The three-hour gap means the early game should wrap before the late one gets going, so you are not forced to flip between plays.

Expect two separate broadcast crews, distinct halftime shows, and full pregame packages tailored to each matchup. Production-wise, the doubleheader format has become a useful way for the networks to showcase different styles and storylines on the same night.

What to watch in each matchup

Buccaneers at Texans sets up as a clean contrast in styles. Houston has leaned into pace, pre-snap motion, and a precision passing game built around timing and space. That tests communication on the back end and how quickly linebackers read play-action. Tampa Bay typically leans on an assertive front and quick-trigger pressures to muddy those reads. When the Bucs get offenses behind the sticks, their third-down packages can dictate terms.

If Houston opens with tempo, watch how Tampa Bay rotates safeties and handles bunch formations. The tell will be how often Houston gets easy yards on first down. If the Texans are ahead of schedule, they can keep their full playbook open and protect their quarterback. If not, expect Tampa Bay to dial up simulated pressures and force throws outside the numbers.

Field position matters in this one. NRG can get loud, and that affects silent counts and timing on deeper concepts. Special teams could swing a possession or two, especially if either side steals hidden yards in the return game.

Chargers at Raiders needs little selling. It is one of the league’s longest-running rivalries, and division games carry real weight in September because of tiebreakers that come back around in December. The Chargers’ offense has the arm talent to threaten the full field, and the Raiders’ defense has a game-wrecker off the edge in Maxx Crosby. That battle dictates everything else. If the Chargers keep their quarterback clean, they can push tempo and force lighter boxes. If Crosby and company win early downs, it becomes a grind.

Keep an eye on red-zone execution in Vegas. These teams know each other too well for easy explosives, so the game can hinge on who turns long drives into sevens instead of threes. The Raiders like to make you snap it again and again; the Chargers have leaned on route combinations that create leverage in tight spaces.

Discipline will be a theme. Rivalry games bring emotion, and Allegiant’s atmosphere adds juice. Pre-snap penalties, late hits, and special teams miscues can flip momentum. Coaches preach situational football in these spots: two-minute drill before halftime, four-minute offense with a late lead, and third-and-manageable targets that keep the sticks moving.

As always on a Monday, check inactives about 90 minutes before each kickoff. That is when you will learn about any last-minute scratches on the offensive line or in the secondary, which can change how teams call plays. If a starting corner is out, expect more quick game and manufactured touches to that side. If a tackle is limited, watch for chips and condensed formations to help in protection.

For fans plotting the couch setup, the schedule is friendly. You can watch Tampa Bay–Houston from opening kick to the handshake line, grab a quick break, then settle in for Chargers–Raiders under the primetime lights of Las Vegas. Two games, two networks, one night built for channel surfers and diehards alike.