The Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2021 season with just one prime-time game scheduled - the Thursday night game they won against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 30.
But with a 5-2 start that has the Bengals tied with three teams for the best record in the AFC, Cincinnati is likely to have a game currently scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on a Sunday flexed to a 4:05, 4:25 or Sunday night start.
Of the Bengals' 10 remaining games this season, eight are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Their Week 11 game in Las Vegas and Week 15 game against Denver are scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. because they're being played in western time zones.
NFL.com shares details that are important to keep in mind when considering which games are eligible to be flexed:
Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game will be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday, Saturday or Monday nights.
Just as the six major college football conferences have done for many years, the NFL has the flexibility to move the start times of games on Sundays, using a 12-day notice format.
For example, a game scheduled for a Sunday could move from a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff to an 8:15 p.m. start, but the change would be made and announced no later than the prior Tuesday, 12 days prior. Sunday afternoon games, as in the past, can still be moved between 1:00 and 4:05 or 4:25 p.m. ET.
In Week 17, in order to ensure a Sunday night game with playoff implications, the decision to move the start time may be made on six days notice.
And the following procedures are in place for 2021:
"Flexible scheduling" will be used in Weeks 11-18. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-17, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time.
For Week 18, two Saturday games and the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to January 9. The schedule does not list Saturday games or a Sunday night game in Week 18, but games with playoff implications will be moved to those time slots. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks and gives "surprise" teams a chance to play their way into primetime.
So which games might be most likely to be flexed based on opponent at this time, given that things could could change considerably over the next few weeks?
Week 13: Chargers at Bengals Dec. 5
Current Sunday Night Football game: Niners at Seahawks
The Chargers are 4-2 with wins against Kansas City, Vegas and Cleveland, though they did get inexplicably smoked nine days ago by the same Ravens' squad the Bengals punished this past Sunday. But who doesn't want to see Joe Burrow vs. Justin Herbert? It'll be interesting to see how the Chargers do against the Pats, Eagles, Vikings and Steelers.
The 2-4 Niners and 2-5 Seahawks will have to bounce back significantly for NBC to want to show that matchup on Sunday night.
Week 16: Ravens at Bengals Dec. 26
Current Sunday Night Football game: Washington at Cowboys
Yes, the Bengals cruised past Baltimore in the second half on Sunday. But the Ravens - like the Bengals - are 5-2, and after their bye week, they've got Minnesota at home, a Miami team that has lost six in a row, the up-and-down Bears, the Browns twice and the Steelers before the flex opportunity would arise. If these two teams are tied for first in the AFC North in mid-December, it'd be tough to see them playing at 1 p.m.
Week 11: Bengals at Raiders Nov. 21
Current Sunday Night Football game: Steelers at Chargers
The Raiders are 5-2, with a bye and a winnable game against the New York Giants the next two weeks - meaning both teams could be 6-2 when it's time to think about Week 11 SNF. It would help matters if the Steelers are below .500 and the Chargers lose one of their next two games before it's time to decide.
Also, remember this would be a move from 4:05 to Sunday night if it's selected to be flexed.
Week 9: Browns at Bengals Nov. 7
Current Sunday Night Football game: Titans at Rams
The Browns are 4-3, and this game would have to be flexed relatively soon if it's going to happen. Don't expect this game to be moved to Sunday night with NBC likely very excited about Titans-Rams.
Whether the Bengals-Browns game Week 18 in Cleveland will have playoff implications is anyone's guess, but the Browns' remaining schedule isn't exactly favorable. They haven't played an AFC North opponent yet, and in addition to the Steelers twice, the Bengals twice and the Ravens twice, they've got a trip to New England, the Raiders and a visit to Green Bay among their 10 remaining games.
Week 12: Steelers at Bengals Nov. 28
Current Sunday Night Football game: Browns at Ravens
Yes, the Steelers are a .500 team so far. But after they play in Cleveland on Sunday, the face the Bears at home, and the Lions at home. That's where schedule-makers would start thinking about a Week 12 flex - before the Steelers visit the Chargers in Week 11. If they can pull off a win in Cleveland and win games they'll likely be favored to win the following two weeks, they could go from 3-3 to 6-3 just like that.
Week 17: Chiefs at Bengals Jan. 2, 2022
Current Sunday Night Football game: Vikings at Packers
It's tough to tell what's up with the 3-4 Chiefs. And their schedule the rest of the way includes the Packers, Raiders twice, Cowboys and Chargers on the road. But the combined records of the four teams that have defeated them so far - the Titans, Bills, Chargers and Ravens - is 19-8. A lot can happen over the next two months, but this game easily could be flexed if both teams are in playoff contention.
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