Via Nick Kosmider, Daniel Popper and Zac Jackson
The NFL has flexed a contest right into a “Thursday Night Football” for the primary year, transferring the Denver Broncos’ Pace 16 matchup on the Los Angeles Chargers into high year on Dec. 19.
The 2 groups, led by means of former Oregon quarterbacks Bo Nix and Justin Herbert, have been at the beginning poised to play games on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 22. The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals contest that used to be at the beginning slated for Thursday night time will now be performed that Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on Fox.
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NFL homeowners licensed a rule trade in 2023 that allowed video games to be flexed right into a Thursday slot between Weeks 13 and 17, with such strikes requiring a four-week realize.
The matchup way the Broncos will now play games two prime-time video games in December, the primary coming in opposition to the Browns on “Monday Night Football” in Pace 13. The matchup in opposition to the Chargers will give a countrywide target audience a have a look at Nix, who gained the AFC Offensive Participant of the Pace award following his four-touchdown efficiency in a Pace 11 rout of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Chargers, in the meantime, have gained 5 out in their ultimate six video games underneath first-year head professor Jim Harbaugh — the primary of the ones coming in a Pace 6 win in opposition to the Broncos — and stay in search of the AFC West name.
The Broncos, who already performed a Thursday night time contest previous this season in opposition to the Fresh Orleans Saints, are embracing the transfer, partly, as a result of it’s going to give them prolonged remainder heading right into a pivotal Pace 17 street contest in opposition to the Bengals.
Believe it the Harbaugh Impact
The Chargers have now been flexed into high year for the second one year this season. Their Pace 11 matchup with the Bengals used to be moved from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night time. That ended up being an epic contest, with the Bengals erasing a 21-point second-half inadequency earlier than the Chargers pulled it out overdue on Herbert’s fifteenth occupation game-winning pressure.
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The Chargers are fascinating. The Chargers are thrilling. They’re just right for trade. And now, they’re going to be taking part in 4 prime-time video games in a six-week stretch, launch with ultimate future’s Bengals contest. They host the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night time in Pace 12. They play games on the Kansas Town Chiefs on Sunday night time in Pace 14. — Daniel Popper, Chargers beat scribbler
Can Nix create a observation in Rookie of the Era race?
Nix had a sluggish begin to the season, throwing just one landing and 4 interceptions throughout his first 4 video games. Since next, he’s arguably been the most efficient rookie quarterback within the NFL (13 touchdowns, two interceptions), hanging him firmly along avid gamers like Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight finish Brock Bowers within the Rookie of the Era race. The “Thursday Night Football” level will give Nix the chance to create a big observation.
This would be the 3rd matchup between Nix and Herbert, together with a school accident in 2019, when Herbert used to be at Oregon and Nix used to be a real freshman starter at Auburn. Nix led a overdue landing pressure to win that contest at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Herbert got here out on manage in Pace 6 this season. — Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat scribbler
Why the Bengals-Browns contest moved
The Bengals aren’t out of rivalry but, however from a playoff attraction perspective, the go is smart. The Bengals are most probably disillusioned for the reason that house workforce has gained 9 immediately AFC North Thursday night time video games relationship again to 2015, a streak the Browns prolonged with their disenchanted of the Steelers Thursday night time. The Browns now may well be taking a look at back-to-back flex conditions; they’re lately scheduled to host Miami on Sunday night time in Pace 17. — Zac Jackson, Browns beat scribbler
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(Photograph: Dustin Bradford / Getty Pictures)
