LOOK, I understand that it's in the interest of the NFL network to advertise during football games, specifically on sunday, but 360 days out of the year, I don't have HDtv. The commercials advertising the thursday game are preetty funny, don't get my wrong. The ESPN-patented "This is what's working, here's something ridiculous to entertain masked as an honest suggestion" will always be funny. It's funny enough to not upset me that I'm missing a football game, or will have to brave the fucking bar to see it if i'm really that intrigued.´
SO here's a bold suggestion: CBS, FOX & NBC all have HD channels. There's a chance if you're watching the big four in HD you have the NFL network. Could they pull off just advertising the thursday night football game on those channels? Maybe just do an "order the NFL network and the (regionally appropriate college football) network" advert on broadcast tv. Then you'll get two solid days of advertising out of it.