The Detroit Lions are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, and with that comes more interest from America and the world. The Lions, in a sense, have become a very beloved team in the NFL, thanks to their rise from the ashes of decades of losing seasons.
Now, due to the Lions’ rising popularity, their schedule this season might get a change.
Upcoming Lions Game Against the Bills Could Get Flexed
The Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills are both playing well this season, which was expected, and the two teams are scheduled to play each other at 4:25 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, December 15, on CBS to maximize viewership. But, both teams are doing even better than expected. The Bills just unseated the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, and the Lions are 9-1, having only lost to the Bucs.
Now, there’s a chance that game will be flexed to an evening game.
NFL analyst and expert Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network sent out a message on X on Friday, November 22, in response to someone asking if the Lions-Bills game could get flexed to prime time. His response was pretty positive.
“It isn’t protected yet. There’s a window for this process, but the expectation is it will be,” he said.
The Lions Could Be Flexed from Sunday Afternoon to Monday Night
Right now, a doubleheader is scheduled for Monday, December 16, to end Week 15. The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears are expected to start their game at 8 p.m. ET, and the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders are scheduled to begin playing at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Brad Berreman of SideLion Report sees an opportunity for the Lions and Bills to take that slot. Needless to say, there probably isn’t a ton of interest in most of those teams right now.
“It feels like one of those games is ripe to be taken out of its primetime slot, and if possible both could be,” he wrote in a November 22 feature.
Berreman also notes that if the NFL flexes a Sunday game to a Monday night, they have to do it at least 12 days in advance. So, if the Lions and Bills game were to be flexed, it would need to be announced by December 3, which gives the NFL ample time to do it.
“When the original schedule came out in May, it’s a virtual certainty CBS protected Lions-Bills from being taken from them and scheduled in a primetime slot,” Berreman added. “They can protect the game again if it’s wanted to be flexed to that Monday night, and if there’s not a good alternative the network will surely do so.”
With that in mind, Berreman says “the easy ‘expectation’ is that Lions-Bills at Ford Field will be moved to Monday night in Week 15.” He adds that it’s not a guarantee, though, “even if the league office wants it badly.”
Flexing games can be a hassle for fans who have plans set, especially fans traveling into those cities for the game. Hotel dates and transportation has to be changed. But, it’s a common practice in the NFL, and if the viewership is there, chances are the NFL will jump on the chance to have a powerful prime time game and make the change happen.
