The National Football League announced a rare dual flex adjustment on Monday, modifying the broadcast networks for four upcoming games. This decision impacts matchups scheduled for Week 9 and Week 11 of the regular season. The league also tweaked the kickoff time for one of the affected contests. Such simultaneous changes are uncommon, but the NFL utilized its scheduling flexibility to optimize television lineups for the upcoming month.
In Week 9, which is set for November 8, two games will see changes in their broadcast details. The Las Vegas Raiders visiting the San Francisco 49ers will now air on Fox at 4:25 p.m. ET. This matchup was previously scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. The move places the game in a prime viewing window for the network, which holds the national doubleheader that week.
With the Raiders and 49ers game shifting to Fox, the network will feature three games at 4:25 p.m. ET. The other two games in that time slot are the Green Bay Packers against the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals facing the Seattle Seahawks. Consequently, the Houston Texans visiting the Los Angeles Chargers will be the sole CBS broadcast in the late afternoon window, remaining at its original 4:05 p.m. ET start time.
The second change in Week 9 involves the Detroit Lions hosting the Miami Dolphins. This game will now be broadcast on Fox at 1 p.m. ET, whereas it was originally assigned to CBS at the same time. This adjustment balances the early afternoon slate across the two major networks for that specific Sunday.
Turning to Week 11 on November 22, two additional games will switch networks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveling to Detroit to face the Lions will move from CBS to Fox. The kickoff time remains unchanged at 1 p.m. ET. This shift allows Fox to feature a different set of teams during that early afternoon slot.
The most notable change in Week 11 involves the Buffalo Bills hosting the Miami Dolphins. This contest will now air on CBS at 1 p.m. ET, moving from its previous assignment on Fox. The departure of the Bills from Fox is significant, as the network has already broadcast a Bills game earlier in the season. This prior exposure likely made the flex more feasible, as the network would not lose its only opportunity to feature quarterback Josh Allen for the year.
A key question remains regarding the Sunday night game in Week 9. The Buccaneers are currently scheduled to play the Chicago Bears in that prime time slot. However, with Tampa Bay holding a 2-5 record, the league is considering whether to flex this matchup as well. The NFL must make a final decision on the kickoff time by the end of the day on Tuesday, October 27.
Currently, the Sunday night game is the only such slot on the Bears' schedule, which may make the league hesitant to remove it. Additionally, the Buccaneers have won two of their last three games, showing improved competitiveness following a 0-4 start to the season. Given the Bears' schedule constraints and the recent performance of Tampa Bay, it is plausible that the Sunday night game will remain unchanged.
