The 2015 NFL schedule was announced on Tuesday, with all 256 games finally given a time slot. The big news, obviously, pertains to the primetime games on Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football. But it's only the Sunday matchups that aren't totally set it stone at this point.
2015 NFL schedule: Sunday night games can be flexed starting in Week 5
Recent changes to the league’s ability to flex games mean better matchups in primetime slots.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
That’s because the league employs something called flex scheduling for Sunday night games. Prior to last season, games in Weeks 10 through 15 and in Week 17 could be flexed from the afternoon on Sunday to the primetime slot, while the team previously in that spot would move to the afternoon. The idea is to see which teams are doing well and which matchups gain more significance as the season progresses.
Last season, the NFL introduced new rules to the scheduling that allowed the league to flex games as early as Week 5. This is great for NBC and the NFL as allows them to maximize viewership and therefore profits in the primetime slot, but it’s not exactly great for CBS and FOX, the stations which host the afternoon games. To make it easier on those stations, the league is only permitted to flex two games between Week 5 and Week 10.
The procedure for accomplishing this is simple: the league must announce any flexes no later than 12 days prior to the kickoff of the Sunday night game, after consulting the various television networks. Week 17 gets special consideration, with only a six-day window needed before announcing the final Sunday schedule of the regular season.
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