Expect The NFL To Finally Use Its Flex Scheduling Powers Over The Next Few Weeks

The NFL adjusted its flex scheduling policy for the 2023 season. The league now allows both Thursday Night Football and Monday Night Football to have games swapped. Previously, only Sunday Night Football could switch.

However, the league cannot move Monday Night Football games until Week 12 and Thursday Night Football games until Week 13. It can move up to two Sunday Night Football games from Week 5 through Week 10, and then as often as it likes for the rest of the year.

So far, the NFL has kept the schedule intact. That's slightly surprising, given that it probably should have invoked flex scheduling for the Chargers-Bears disaster from Week 8. That game drew less than 16 million people, the lowest-rated Sunday night or Monday night single-header game of the season.

Expect that to change, though. Not this week, because NBC has the Cincinnati Bengals facing the Buffalo Bills. That game isn't going anywhere.

The NFL isn't going to use flex scheduling for Sunday Night Football in Week 9, not with a playoff rematch between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills on tap. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

And, apparently not in Week 10, either. That's pretty surprising.

The Jets have actually drawn really well on TV this season, despite losing Aaron Rodgers. That probably played a role in the decision. Plus, the Raiders generally draw well, even though they stink.

Still, it's hard to sell Zach Wilson vs. Aidan O'Connell on Sunday Night Football in such a marquee spot. Additionally, there's a game sitting out there that looks a lot better.

Generally, the league has to move an early-afternoon game to the primetime slots. That's because the later games, those in the 4:25 window, are de facto primetime games for FOX and CBS and they don't want to give those up.

But in Week 10, there's an early-afternoon matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars. That didn't seem like a sexy matchup before the season, but looks great now. Both teams are leading their divisions. Jacksonville has won five-straight games and the 49ers are on a three-game losing skid after a 5-0 start.

Yet, that game remains in its spot so that we can watch Jets-Raiders in primetime. Sweet.

NFL should definitely swap out the currently-scheduled Sunday Night Football game in Week 11

In Week 11, the Minnesota Vikings are set to face the Denver Broncos. Yuck. I mentioned that the NFL keeps the Jets in primetime because they draw, even though they aren't a fun watch. But, neither of these teams -- Vikings and Broncos -- draw. Now, with Kirk Cousins out, there's absolutely zero chance that game doesn't get flexed out.

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of great options in Week 11. The 49ers could be an option here with a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not great, but at least two teams with playoff aspirations. Perhaps that's part of the reason the league didn't move them in Week 10.

The San Francisco 49ers are struggling right now, but still offer a good alternative if the NFL decides to use its flex scheduling procedures. (Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)

The Browns' home date against another AFC North rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, could also be in play. Although, the first primetime game between those two provided a rather poorly-played football game.

Still, both are far better options than Broncos-Vikings. Jaguars-Titans might be an option, too, if Will Levis continues to play well for Tennessee.

Week 12 offers the first opportunity for Monday Night Football to swap its game, and ESPN is probably glad about that. The Bears and Vikings are currently scheduled to face-off on Monday that week. Yuck, again.

Don't be surprised if Bengals-Steelers gets moved into that spot. That would give the Bengals back-to-back Monday Night Football games, but it beats the alternative.

Either way, expect some NFL schedule shakeup over the coming weeks.