Week 8 (SNF early flex #1): Here’s the situation: flexing in any Fox game other than Rams-Cowboys would force Bears-Chargers over to CBS, unless the league is willing to have Fox deliver Los Angeles a “double singleheader” where one game ends up on LA’s MyNet station KCOP. That likely means CBS would have to send Fox one of its games. Meanwhile, CBS currently has three games in the late afternoon window, all of them in the Pacific or Mountain time zones, and four games in the early window. So flexing in any game other than Rams-Cowboys or a CBS late game is going to, in all likelihood, require CBS to send Fox one of its late games. Joe Burrow has looked enough like Joe Burrow the past couple weeks that there’s no reason for CBS not to protect Bengals-Niners, and the other two West Coast games are being hosted by 1-5 teams. So the simplest move for the NFL would be to flex in Rams-Cowboys, except that might be the game Fox wants to keep the most. So the league could end up pressuring Fox not to protect it and let it go to NBC.
Of course, that might be a line of reasoning worthy of a certain commenter of mine. It’s not that difficult for the league to move games around if need be. Fox does have a worthy consolation prize in Eagles-Washington, but that game has lost the potential factor of the Eagles being unbeaten, so now all it has left is potential lopsidedness. Still, I’ve marked Fox as protecting that game partly so I can keep the notation for the Cowboys having six primetime appearances, even though I strongly doubt that’s going to be relevant the rest of the season.
If Fox does protect Rams-Cowboys, what does the league do? The Bears losing to a lackluster Vikings squad has probably sniffed out whatever hope existed that the Bears might have shown enough improvement in the Washington game to justify Bears-Chargers keeping its spot. On the 506sports Discord, the consensus seems to have been that a Washington win would be enough to get Eagles-Washington flexed in even with a Bears win, but I wouldn’t count out Jaguars-Steelers; the Jaguars may be ratings poison, but the Steelers are one of those teams with truly national fanbases, and the Jags do have a star quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. Most importantly, it’s less lopsided and, again, the Eagles don’t have the unbeaten factor that could have overcome that. In my mind, the big problem is that without Jaguars-Steelers, CBS’ cupboard would be pretty bare in the early window; the only game they’d have without a team at 1-5 or worse would be Falcons-Titans, pitting a team that might be worse than their record against a team likely without Ryan Tannehill, both with little buzz outside their home markets. So you’d probably be looking at Eagles-Washington moving over to CBS to serve as the new early-window anchor. But of course, if we’re flexing in a game that’s not Rams-Cowboys we’d be moving games around anyway, so that’s not that big of an obstacle.
To be sure, I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see Eagles-Washington flexed in, but I’d like to think the league’s flexing decisions aren’t driven solely by market-based considerations, as much as it can seem that way sometimes. The Eagles would be coming off an SNF game against the Dolphins the previous week, and while the league can and does give teams consecutive SNF games through the flex process sometimes, my inclination is that they won’t do so here when there’s a viable alternative. (The Steelers do play the following Thursday night, but I don’t think that’ll factor into the league’s thinking.)
Final prediction:
- Los Angeles Rams @ Dallas Cowboys to SNF (if Fox doesn’t protect it).
- If Fox protects Rams-Cowboys:
- Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers to SNF.
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Dead Witches to CBS.
- Baltimore Ravens @ Arizona Cardinals to Fox.
My thoughts after Sunday’s games (carried over from the prior thread with some additions):
Week 8: I suspect Bears-Chargers is flexed out especially with Justin Fields now injured. I suspect Jags-Steelers gets moved to SNF since it’s a chance to showcase Trevor Lawrence and with the Steelers being no worse than 3-3 when that decision has to be made and their national following, that makes sense to be moved. The one thing that might prevent is the Steelers play on Thursday night, however, both games are at home so that might not play the factor it normally would. It would mean there would be five games in the late window (four on CBS, one on FOX) but I doubt that would be a factor. Otherwise, I suspect either Rams-Cowboys or Eagles-Commanders becomes SNF, however, I think the NFL might want to save an Eagles flex for Week 15 when they play the Seahawks.
Week 9: I seriously doubt Bills-Bengals gets moved, especially with the Bengals now 3-3.
Week 10: Jets-Raiders now looks more likely to stay with both 3-3 (Jets on a bye this week so they can be no worse than 3-4 and in Week 8 they play the Giants that did take the Bills to the wire Sunday night) and the Raiders (who have a winnable game this week in Chicago against the Bears and a Monday nighter in Detroit against the Lions very likely 4-4 when that decision has to be made and very possibly 5-4 since they play the Giants in Week 9) having their national following and the Jets beating the Eagles (for the first time ever) on Sunday. Lions-Chargers if not protected right now looks like the most likely games moved to SNF if that happens.
Week 11: Vikings-Broncos likely replaced. Seahawks-Rams now looks like a possibility especially with the Rams getting healthy and playing closer to the team that won it all two years ago.
Week 12: Ravens-Chargers likely stays on SNF, Jags-Texans likely replaces Bears-Vikings on MNF.
Week 13: I suspect Seahawks-Cowboys stays on TNF, Chiefs-Packers stays on SNF and Bengals-Jags remains on MNF.
Week 14: No change from what I wrote previously. GB-NYG likely is on ESPN (ABC in New York and Green Bay/Milwaukee), TEN-MIA is on ABC (ESPN in New York and Green Bay/Milwaukee) as the only possible flex for Week 14 MNF would likely be Texans-Jets (replacing Packers-Giants as both New York teams are at home that week). If Titans-Dolphins is flexed out, most likely replacement would be Seahawks-49ers (FOX has two 4:05 singleheader games in that slot) with if not protected Rams-Ravens replacing it (Packers-Giants can only be replaced by Texans-Jets). NO WAY Eagles-Cowboys is flexed out of SNF.
Week 15: Chargers-Raiders could be moved out of TNF, however, what would be interesting is would one of the games that could be put on Saturday instead be used to fill the TNF void? I don’t see Ravens-Jags being flexed out of SNF, Chiefs-Pats could be flexed out of MNF with perhaps “The Bay of Pigs” (Bucs-Packers) moved to MNF.
Week 16: Saints-Rams likely stays on TNF. I don’t see any other flexes possible given it is Christmas Weekend though I did note in my prior post the NFL should consider a total re-work of that week given what Chris Russo ranted about on “First Take” this past Wednesday as it is likely early enough to do a re-working that week’s schedule other than Saints-Rams given what we now know. I would probably have shifted Jags-Bucs to the NFL Network slot that Sunday night (both teams close by and I don’t it would have been an issue). NBC and Peacock have Saturday games as I believe NBC has a contractual commitment to air “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve AND I believe NBC affiliates in some markets would have had to pre-empt a Christmas Eve SNF telecast for religious services.
Week 17: For now, Jets-Browns stays on TNF. That week, MNF is on SATURDAY night (Lions-Cowboys) due to the College Football Playoff Semifinals being New Year’s Day/Night (and I believe is an ABC-only game). Doubt that would be flexed out anyway. I suspect Packers-Vikings gets flexed out of SNF for one of Saints-Bucs, Dolphins-Ravens or Steelers-Seahawks with another possibly replacing Jets-Browns on TNF.
Week 18: Right now, I suspect Steelers-Ravens is a prime candidate for the final Sunday night slot if it’s for the AFC North as is Bills-Dolphins if that is for the AFC East with the other airing Saturday on ESPN. The NFC game on ESPN that Saturday right now looks like Cowboys-Commanders as even if that doesn’t mean anything it’s still Dallas-Washington and that in itself makes it a good game for that Saturday.
This decision will be made tomorrow right?
Yes it will Max C.
Chargers lost. So its getting flexed because they’re not beating the Chiefs next week.
Over / under on entirely too long comments from Walt telling us why the Macy’s parade and black Friday high school football conflicts make TruTV a viable option for his oft imagined week 17 scenarios ????
Walt’s Mom: At least 18 lol
We’ll find about week 8 very soon. I’m very intrigued
Looking at other weeks:
Week 9: BUF-CIN 100% staying
Week 10: A couple weeks ago, this was an automatic flex decision but with the Jets and Raiders both rattling off consecutive victories, I actually think this stays. It’s likely that the raiders are 4-4 and jets 4-3 by the time the decision has to be made, which is more than enough for the game to stay even if games like 49ers-jags are better. In an original post I said that Lions-Chargers was a shoe in because any morning game being flexed in would crowd the late window, but unless the Chargers beat the chiefs next week, they are at best 3-4 by the time the decision has to be made, which may not be enough to overtake Jets-Raiders at this point. I could see 49ers-Jags being the 4:25 game if the giants have a bad record, with Giants-Cowboys moving to 1pm, but since it’s the cowboys, that’s not particularly likely.
Week 11: I still don’t know how strict the NFL will be regarding playing SNF before Thanksgiving. If not, Bucs-9ers is a shoe-in unless protected, otherwise Seahawks-Rams looks intriguing. I do think Titans-Jags is still possible as the Titans have finally finished their gauntlet of games to start the season and will probably start being on the winning side of games more often.
Week 12: We do have to acknowledge that the Chargers do have a losing record now and could potentially spiral if the Chiefs drop them to 2-4, but with it being Thanksgiving weekend, I don’t see Ravens-Chargers moving. I do, however, think that Jags-Texans is shaping up to be a viable replacement for Bears-Vikings on MNF if the Jags continue to have a winning record and the Texans hang around .500. FOX’s Sunday slate for this week now looks quite bad, as I assume they would’ve wanted to showcase Pats-Giants before the start of this season but those two teams are looking rough.
Week 13: Even if the packers are 3 games below .500, this game is staying on SNF. I don’t expect any changes this week.
Week 14: Pats-Steelers could be in jeopardy of TNF flexing. I don’t expect any other changes to the schedule as Jets also host a home game so Packers-Giants can’t be flexed from MNF.
Week 15: Still a god-awful set of potential Saturday games. Give me Vikings-Bengals, Steelers-Colts, and Broncos-Lions for now. Unfortunately, we will be watching at least one of the Broncos, Bears, or Panthers that Saturday..
Could Chiefs-Patriots be flexed? We’ll find out soon enough how willing the NFL is to move MNF games. Even if the patriots are 3-9 or something, the chiefs value and difficulty of moving a MNF game may be enough to keep it.
Week 16: Whyyyyyyy whyyyyyy is Patriots-Broncos the Sunday night game. Who thought this was a good idea I’m serious. Not only that but make it unflexible. Saints-Rams should stay on TNF.
Week 17: Jets-Browns now looks more likely to stay on TNF. Packers-Vikings is still 80% getting flexed out for Dolphins-Ravens.
To “Walt’s Lover:”
The Week 16 situation may have come down to which teams were willing to play Christmas Eve night and local authorities allowing such a game that night because in many cases they have to deal with religious authorities and the like who in many cases would likely frown on a game being played that night as well as in some cases not having enough personnel willing to work a Christmas Eve night game, especially those who have families who insist on their being with them that night. That I think played into that. Plus, NBC as noted I believe is contractually obligated to air the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve and would likely otherwise would be facing pre-emptions in some markets for Christmas Eve services.
As a biased Eagles fan I would like to see Eagles-Commieskins get flexed into SNF but I realize they’ll probably opt for Cowboys-Rams which is a much better game than the original LAC-CHI.
Walt: Week 15 is going to see Eagles-Seattle get flexed to Monday with DAL-BUF being the national 4:25 game.
Why not Browns-Seahawks? Seems like the right move with the least complications. I would think Fox would want to protect their Cowboys game even if a 7th primetime game were allowed.
Spencer: Rams-Cowboys is probably protected by FOX so I’d expect Week 8 SNF to be Eagles-Commies
Ben: No matter what, there will be complications. If Browns-Seahawks somehow gets flexed in, Ravens-Cardinals still has to move to 1:05 FOX with Bears-Chargers being 1:25 CBS because both LA teams can’t both play on FOX or CBS in a given week. Also Cleveland isn’t terribly entertaining on offense alongside a potential reluctance to show Deshaun Watson or PJ Walker.
I get that sometimes the NFL does some arbitrary things when it comes to scheduling (flexing in teams to play on SNF in consecutive weeks, having both Giants-Cowboys matchups on SNF in 2011 etc.) but do you think the fact that Rams-Cowboys the Cowboys only home game at 1:00 PM EST a factor at all in not flexing that game?
Looking at the Cowboys schedule almost every year, they always have at least one 1:00 PM home game despite the fact that they are the league’s ratings darlings and have the most primetime/national window games every season. Or it could simply be whether FOX protected that game or not.
Atsushi, I don’t think so. The chiefs were only given 2 1pm games this year and one of those is Christmas against the raiders so that doesn’t really count in my opinion, while the other was away at Jacksonville. I think it’s more about FOX having cowboys as their main game in the singleheader slot – I doubt they’re gonna let that go to NBC.
Walt’s Lover, I didn’t notice that the Chiefs had only two 1:00 PM games like you mentioned. It makes sense that they have a lot of national games (or 4:25 PM games) because of their recent success and the fact that they have three divisional rivals in the Pacific/Mountain time zone.
I agree with Morgan in that Jaguars-Steelers is probably the game that gets flexed if Rams-Cowboys was protected. I get the issues with the Jaguars not drawing big ratings but it should be a good opportunity to showcase Trevor Lawrence.
I know it’s off-topic but it has me wondering whether there is some kind of rule when it comes to scheduling for central time zone teams that they have to have at least one 1:00 PM home game, no matter how popular said team is. It makes sense that the fans would want at least one game that ends early instead of having only 3:25 or primetime starts every season.
I’m just now noticing that from week 8-16, excluding a bye, the Buffalo Bills are on national tv whether it be 4:25 or prime time.
I actually think they will move Browns vs Seahawks to snf, they usually prefer the 4:05 games to be flexed
Nothing has happened yet with the Bears Chargers game for week 8 scheduled on SNF. I take NFL Flex scheduling very seriously and it’s a complete travesty that nothing has happened yet, someone from the NFL scheduling department should be fired because no one wants to see the putrid Bears on SNF and the Chargers always find ways to lose.
relax buddy, they have til the end of the day to move bears chargers
They have until 8:20 est to flex it, right? Cause anytime past that would technically break the rule about how many days they have. I could be crazy though. Anyways, how funny would it be if bengals 49ers randomly got flexed to snf? Feels like we ruled this one out from the getgo, because cbs would protect it. What if they didn’t?
Browns-Seahawks??? Without DeShaun Watson??? No way! The original is a much better option than that garbage! Also another development that no one seemed to mention is that With Lawrence now injured, Jags-Steelers is now looking weak too!!! So that pretty much leaves it at PHI-WAS or DALLAS-RAMS.
Robert: I’ve seen many instances in the past where flex games weren’t announced until after 9pm Eastern Tine.
Spencer – Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson will be fine by then. You’re overreacting.
Max: Lawrence has a sprained knee and could be out Thursday night. If he’s “Playing” he won’t be 100% making it a bad flex option.
Watson has a high grade AC joint sprain and they’re saying he could be out indefinitely. So that’s an even worse flex option. It’s between Dallas-Rams or Eagles-Commies
It’s fine if Trevor Lawrence plays not at 100%. People love the kid.
Or maybe their is a delay in the announcement because of a league meeting going on today. But cmon this is completely ridiculous, get Bears Chargers out of SNF for week 8 and get a better matchup into primetime.
According to someone on the 506 Discord who apparently is close with CBS, there will be no flex for Week 8
I am sorry but NFL deserves better than Bears Chargers for SNF. I totally understand Chicago and LA 2 big markets and all that but cmon Justin Fields may not play in this game and the Chargers will likely blow them out. I am starting to lose my respect for the NFL Scheduling Department. This is complete BS and someone should either be fired or suspended for keeping this matchup in primetime when their are better matchups for SNF.
Yep everyone we only have about an hour until it’s confirmed no flex. It would actually be horrible if we ended up with the 2-4 chargers vs. 1-6 bears as SNF. We’re at midseason now, these games shouldn’t be acceptable. In 2018 they flexed a week 6 game, not sure why they’d have any restrictions to flexing week 8. Also I genuinely don’t think many people are going to want to watch that game if it has little meaning. I’m a little disappointed that the NFL put teams such as the bears and broncos on SNF in the first place when they clearly didn’t deserve it after their horrible performances last year. Now they’re paying the price by potentially showing a stinker week 8 and likely flexing out Vikings-broncos the week before thanksgiving..
I am completely baffled by this non-flex. No matter what angle you tackle this from, this makes absolutely no sense.
Records? Self explanatory.
Markets? Philly & DC give you the 4th & 8th largest media markets, & you probably only need to flex Philadelphia in twice to a night game. But if they’re that concerned about maxing out the Eagles, then choose Jags-Steelers. It gives NBC Trevor Lawrence, along with a ratings gold team in Pittsburgh.
All in all, this is one of the worst flex scheduling decisions, & I think that this is the 8th worst flex decision the NFL has made
Whoever is in charge of NFL Flex Scheduling should be fired for leaving a terrible matchup on SNF for week in the Bears and Chargers. NFL needs to stop putting all these times into primetime who aren’t that good. Howard Katz, Mike North, Onnie Bose and Charlotte Carey should all be fired and maybe the NFL needs better people in the scheduling department to put better games into the marquee windows.
Whoever is in charge of NFL Flex Scheduling should be fired for leaving a terrible matchup on SNF for week 8 in the Bears and Chargers. NFL needs to stop putting all these teams into primetime who aren’t that good. Howard Katz, Mike North, Onnie Bose and Charlotte Carey should all be fired and maybe the NFL needs better people in the scheduling department to put better games into the marquee windows.
Assuming it is Bears-Chargers:
It would not surprise me if FOX protected Rams-Cowboys and CBS protected Bengals-49ers. I suspect it’s possible Eagles-Commanders was not flexed to SNF in case the Phillies got back to the World Series against the Astros (whom they would have home field over having won their season series 2-1) AND there was a rainout of Game 1 or 2 forcing Game 2 to be played that Sunday night on FOX directly opposite SNF (That Sunday is supposed to be a travel day in the World Series as the WS is scheduled for the second straight year to be Fri-Sat-Mon-Tues-Wed-Fri-Sat to avoid Sunday and Thursday night football, messed up last year by a rainout of Game 3). Browns-Seahawks probably wasn’t flex as even with their beating the 49ers this past week that game isn’t the most attractive either and none of the other games passed the smell test.
Another factor that might also have played into Bears-Chargers not being flexed is the Breeders’ Cup, the championship event in Horse Racing is being held the following Friday and Saturday (November 3-4) at Santa Anita Park in nearby Arcadia (SoFi Stadium for those who don’t know sits on what used to be Hollywood Park, which actually hosted the first Breeders’ Cup in 1984 and again in 1987 and ’97) and with this the 40th Breeders’ Cup, NBC may have wanted that game kept so they could during pre-game and so forth have trainers and jockeys of horses scheduled to race in the Breeders’ Cup later that week appear during SNF as well as past winning trainers and jockeys.
Well, it’s pathetic that the NFL kept the Week 8 schedule exactly the same as it was when released. Whatever!
Walt: I used to go and watch the horses at Hollywood Park quite often and went to the Breeders Cup there in 1997. Talk about fun!
Week 9 SNF will stay BUF-CIN
Week 10 SNF will likely stay NYJ-LV
Please oh please flex out Week 11’s SNF of MIN-DEN
Week 12 SNF likely to stay as BAL-LAC
Week 12’s MNF CHI-MIN needs to go with either PIT-CIN or BUF-PHI replacing it.
Week 13’s TNF needs to be decided by 11/02/23 and SEA-DAL and is going nowhere though
Week 13’s SNF will likely stay as KC-GB, unless my Pack really fall off
Week 13’s MNF will remain CIN-JAX
Week 14’s TNF needs to be decided by 11/09/23 and NE-PIT is currently in trouble with some decent options
Week 14’s SNF will stay PHI-DAL of course
Week 14’s MNF games are TEN-MIA and GB-NYG and Titans-Dolphins is likely to stay and Packers-Giants could get replaced with decent options, as mentioned for TNF
Week 15’s TNF LAC-LV likely in good shape, as that must be decided by 11/16/23
Week 15’s three (3) Saturday NFL Network seem to be needing to be decided by 12/10/23 or 12/11/23. ATL-CAR (no), MIN-CIN (I guess), CHI-CLE (no), DEN-DET (no), and PIT-IND (yes)……so I guess we can flip a coin between Bears-Browns and Broncos-Lions…..with Broncos-Lions getting in due to the Lions
Week 15’s SNF is staying with BAL-JAX
Week 15’s MNF KC-NE should lose its spot, but with the Week 8 SNF decision I’m not convinced it’s going anywhere
Week 16’s TNF that must be decided by 11/23/23 should stay with NO-LAR, as that’s currently a decent matchup and it’s Christmas weekend and it’s the only game that can be flexed out that week
Week 17’s TNF that must be decided by 11/30/23 looks like it might stay all of a sudden with NYJ-CLE (please of please, lots of snow!!!)
Week 17’s SNF is GB-MIN may stay, though there might be 3 options to replace it
Week 18’s two (2) Saturday games…….and SNF game….too early to tell, but lets say PIT-BAL for Saturday….CLE-CIN and BUF-MIA…… who knows…lol
Go Pack Go in Denver this coming Sundaym though we’ve only beaten them 1 time ever there with a Brett Favre 80 yard bomb to end the game on the 1st play in OT in a 2007 MNF game….I went nuts!!!! LOL
Week 18 PIT-BAL is SNF….my bad
and CLE-CIN and BUF-MIA for Saturday games
Breeders cup jockeys ???? on TV. Guarding against a “potential ” rain out 2 weeks away. He never fails to deliver. Ladies and gentlemen, the 1 and only WALT is back!
Cannon: For real. Can’t wait to hear more crackpot theories from the one and only Walt! (Formerly WallyHorse)
Cannon:
Do you REALLY want Eagles-Commanders being flexed into SNF only because of a rainout of a World Series Game 1 or 2 between the Astros and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park Game 2 going opposite it? I doubt NBC wanted to risk that scenario as that may have been the only game attractive enough to flex into the slot.
Also, the Breeders’ Cup is on the NBC family of networks Nov. 3-4 with the main Saturday races from 3:30-7:00 PM ET on NBC. I would think with this BC at Santa Anita NBC would want to have those involved with the BC to promote it during SNF, especially since it is the 40th edition AND SoFi Stadium is where Hollywood Park, which hosted the first Breeders’ Cup in 1984 (and as noted 1987 and ’97) used to be.
Walt: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA you cannot be serious
Wtf guys. I’ll admit I was very caught up in the Phillies shelling of the Dbacks last night to focus on the flex schedule but I was expecting to wake up and see news that my birds got flexed in. Guess they didn’t want to put them on SNF 2 weeks in a row. And I guess fox protected Cowboys-Rams
Walt: Huh?? SMH…sometimes I think you type just to read your own words. We’re “blessed” with someone who loves to hear himself talk in typing form!
To all:
Sometimes I think you don’t realize there are underlying factors as to why a game is or isn’t flexed in/out. In this case, FOX likely protected Cowboys-Rams while CBS likely protected Bengals-49ers. With Browns-Seahawks not exactly an attractive matchup and the Steelers likely objecting to have Jags-Steelers flexed to Sunday night because they have a Thursday night game in Week 9 (I believe part of it now is a team playing on Thursday night the following week has the right to block a move to Sunday night), that likely left Eagles-Commanders as the only available game to be flexed, and the NFL and NBC likely were mindful that Game 3 of the World Series last year WAS rained out, leading to Game 5 of Astros-Phillies being directly opposite Eagles-Texans on Thursday night football (with the game airing over the air in Philly and Houston on MyNetwork outlets because FOX stations were originally supposed to show that game in both markets but had to show World Series Game 5 instead) and likely feared a scenario where the Astros and Phillies again met in the World Series, with Game 1 or 2 rained out that Friday or Saturday with FOX forced to air Game 2 on Sunday night, currently scheduled to be a travel day (as noted, the Phillies would be hosting the first two games if it is Astros-Phillies because the Phillies won their season series 2-1 whereas if its Phillies-Rangers, the Rangers have home field because they swept the Phillies at home in the very first series of the regular season in late March).
The other part as noted is the Breeders’ Cup being at Santa Anita and on the NBC networks the following Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4. As this is both the 40th BC and SoFi Stadium is on the site where the first BC was hosted when it was Hollywood Park in 1984 (SoFi is also known as SoFi Stadium at Hollywood Park) and I would think NBC would want to use Bears-Chargers to promote the BC with some of the better known trainers and jockeys who will be part of the BC the following week being nearby as well as past winning such. I do think NBC may have wanted that kept on those grounds as well.
And to clarify further:
Globe Life Field (Texas Rangers’ home) has a retractable roof so that would be a non-issue if it were Phillies-Rangers and the Rangers hosted Games 1-2. Citizens Bank Park (Phillies’ home) DOES NOT have a roof and COULD be an issues if its Astros-Phillies as the Phillies would host Games 1-2 if it is.
https://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2023&wk=7
Looks Like We Are Stuck With Bears Chargers They were supoose to flex it out but they didn’t GET YOUR LAZY BUTTS IN GEAR NOW,
Andrew:
I noted why it is likely they didn’t. The main FOX and CBS games (Rams-Cowboys and Bengals-49ers) were likely protected, the Steelers likely objected to Jags-Steelers being moved to SNF because the Steelers play on Thursday in Week 9 and the only other game that could realistically be moved was Eagles-Commanders and given there is a possibility Astros-Phillies is the World Series matchup for the second year in the row, this time with the Phillies hosting Games 1 & 2 if it happens (if the Texas Rangers win the ALCS, they have home field regardless) AND having to allow for a rainout of Game 1 or 2 forcing FOX to air Game 2 opposite SNF (not an issue is the Rangers host those games) likely scared the NFL from flexing that game.
Also still think in this case NBC wanted Bears-Chargers unless both were winless because of the Breeders’ Cup the following weekend as noted above.
Walt you can say the same drivel 15 times but it still doesn’t make you (anywhere near) right
My thoughts on Week 11 SNF:
Vikes-Broncos is almost certainly getting flexed out, as both teams suck major ass this season. This is probably the cleanest flex week they have, & I think Seahawks-Rams will be Week 11 SNF. Here’s why:
Early Morning Games: All of these games are mid at best, & I doubt McDumbass’s Raider team will go to SNF as they won’t be good enough. Steelers-Browns has the Watson problem, & it’s easier to pick an afternoon game.
Bucs-49ers: This will stay at 1:05 as I expect Tampa Bay to be no better than 4-4 by the time a decision for flexing has to be made, & 8-1 vs 5-4 on SNF is a bit lopsided, along with the Bucs tendency to drop down & die against good teams. There is also the chance that FOX protects this game like Eagles-Rams. & has their top crew go there as the FOX morning options are few and far betweeen, despite this being at 4:05 ET.
I expect Seahawks-Rams to take SNF Week 11, with Minnesota-Denver going to 1:25 PT CBS.
The CBS late map for that week will look similar to this if Seahawks-Rams gets flexed in:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1136486942150754456/1164571414720942090/image.png?ex=6543b2a5&is=65313da5&hm=62280198a41c64797fef982c8aaecb1e2477e1142c1d94ef810f3c0d6a7ea786&
With the Jaguars just picking up a huge win on Thursday Night Football against the Saints on the road, there week 10 home game against the 49ers is starting to look very good, will it be flexed to 325 replacing Giants at Cowboys as the Fox main DH game or Sunday Night Jets at Raiders? Or it could be flexed to 325 and be the main Fox DH game and Cowboys Giants goes to less of the Country. 49ers should beat the Vikings on Monday Night, then in week 8 49ers host the Bengals in the 325 game while the Jaugars play at the Steelers at Noon on CBS. Then both are on a bye week in week 9 before the huge game week 10 in Jacksonville. Please NFL get 49ers Jaguars in the 325 or SNF slot.
@ Robert – 49ers at Jags has a much better chance to move to SNF than the late window. That’s because there’s already only 6 games in the early window and 4 in the late window and I don’t think the NFL would ever there to be less than 6 games in the early window. NYG-DAL won’t be moving to the early window for SF-JAX, that’s for sure.
Jeff