For the second time this season, the NFL has moved the Cincinnati Bengals out of a primetime game.
Initially, the NFL shifted the kickoff time for Cincinnati’s Week 8 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, likely because the matchup between the Bears and Commanders was considered more appealing. Originally set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 27, as a key game in the afternoon slate, it was moved to a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
Bengals vs. Browns flexed out of Thursday Night Football in Week 16
This time, Cincinnati’s Week 16 game against the Cleveland Browns, which was originally set for Thursday Night Football on December 19, has been rescheduled to Sunday, December 22. The kickoff will now be at 1:00 p.m. ET.
The Thursday night game will now feature the Los Angeles Chargers vs. the Denver Broncos, replacing the Browns-Bengals matchup. This change is likely due to the playoff implications in the Chargers-Broncos game, which are considered more significant than those between the Ohio teams.
This marks the first Thursday Night Football game ever to be flexed since the NFL implemented flexible scheduling for TNF last year. Only games from Weeks 13-17 are eligible for flexing, and each season, no more than two TNF games can be moved.
The NFL took several factors into account when deciding to move the Bengals-Browns game to Sunday, including broadcast regulations, competitive fairness regarding rest, and the challenges of scheduling games during a holiday, according to CBS Sports.
This will be the third time this season that Cincinnati’s game start time has been changed. The Bengals were flexed into a primetime slot for their Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, a game that was initially scheduled for an afternoon kickoff.
The Bengals vs. Browns game will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, with Cincinnati winning the first matchup 21-14 in Week 7.
