The NFL just pulled a move we rarely see, flexing two different weeks of the schedule at the same time. This is only the second time this year the league has used its flex scheduling powers, tweaking TV networks for four games and kickoff times for one of them. And guess what, 12s? Our Seahawks are right there in the mix for one of the most talked-about windows.
Week 9 Gets a Major Shuffle, Seahawks Included
Get ready for some national attention because the changes coming in Week 9 on November 8th are pretty wild. The biggest move here is the Raiders at 49ers game, which got its kickoff time adjusted from 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS to 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. This isn’t just a simple channel swap, though. Fox has the national doubleheader that week, and with this shift, they now have *three* games packed into that 4:25 p.m. ET window. That’s huge!
And our Cardinals-Seahawks game? Yep, it’s already set to air on Fox at that exact 4:25 p.m. ET time, alongside Packers-Patriots. So, while our game wasn’t the one flexed, it’s now part of this newly super-stacked national viewing slot. Talk about being in good company. Meanwhile, the Lions at Dolphins game is also moving from CBS to Fox, but keeping its 1 p.m. ET kickoff. With all these moves, the Texans at Chargers will now be the *only* CBS game in the late window, kicking off at 4:05 p.m. ET. It’s a major shake-up for how the nation will be watching football that Sunday!
Week 11 Sees Channel Surfing for Key Matchups
The scheduling magic doesn’t stop in Week 9. Two more games are getting switched up in Week 11 on November 22nd. The Buccaneers at Lions will move from CBS to Fox, keeping its 1 p.m. ET start. More notably, the Dolphins at Bills game is making the jump from Fox to CBS, also at 1 p.m. ET. This Bills change is definitely a head-turner. Fox had already featured a Bills game earlier this season, which might be why this flex went through. You can bet they wouldn’t have been thrilled to lose that game if it were their only chance to showcase Josh Allen all year. The league’s always playing chess with these networks, trying to give them the best matchups.
The Sunday Night Football Question Mark for Week 9
With these four flex moves officially done, there’s still one big question looming over Week 9: what about Sunday Night Football? The Buccaneers are currently slated to play in Chicago, but Tampa Bay’s 2-5 record could make the NFL consider flexing that game out. The league has to make a final call on whether to move the kickoff time by the end of Tuesday, October 27th.
Honestly, it’s a tough call. This is currently the only Sunday night game on the Bears’ schedule, and the NFL might hesitate to pull that spotlight from them. Plus, the Bucs have actually shown some fight recently, winning two of their past three games after a rough 0-4 start. Given those two facts, don’t be surprised if the Buccaneers-Bears game stays right where it is. We’ll find out for sure by the end of the day tomorrow!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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