Eagles-Commanders Game Flexed Out of Prime Time

The NFL has announced that the Week 16 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders will be flexed out of prime time. The game, originally scheduled for the evening of Saturday, December 20th, will now take place at 5 p.m. at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

Instead, the league has opted to showcase the historic rivalry between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers in the prime time slot at 8:20 p.m. This decision comes as the Bears, currently at 9-3, are competing for the top seed in the NFC after defeating the Eagles on Black Friday.

The Packers, at 8-3-1, are also in the mix for the NFC North title, creating significant national appeal for this matchup. The Eagles, with an 8-4 record, are on a two-game losing streak but still have a chance to win the NFC East and secure the No. 1 seed in the conference.

Conversely, the Commanders, struggling at 3-9, are on a seven-game losing streak, although they recently pushed the Denver Broncos to overtime before losing 27-26 in a prime time clash. This scheduling change means that the Eagles and Commanders will be competing for viewers against three first-round college football playoff games on the same day, which have kickoffs at noon, 3:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.

The NFL's decision highlights the current state of the teams involved, reflecting their performance levels this season. According to a report from PhillyVoice, this shift emphasizes the league's efforts to present the most competitive matchups to a national audience, particularly during the critical stretch of the season leading into the playoffs.