CBS protects Broncos-Chiefs match up so they won’t be flexed to SNF
By Mike Dyce
The Denver Broncs and Kansas City Chiefs face off in Week 11 and Week 13, and those look like they could be two big games. At the end of week 5, both teams are 5-0. The CBS network has protected those two games, which means those games can’t be flexed into Sunday Night Football as ‘marquee match-ups.’
CBS has protected Broncos-Chiefs matchups in weeks 11 and 13, meaning NBC will not be permitted to flex those games into Sunday night.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 10, 2013
Since 2006, the NFL has implemented a primetime ‘flexible scheduling’ element on Sundays in weeks 11 through 17. That allows them to pluck games from the Sunday afternoon line up and move them to Sunday Night Football, usually games that are considered to be more marquee or marketable. It doesn’t impact Monday or Thursday night games.
The change has to be made or announced no later than the prior Tuesday, 12 days heads up in other words.
CBS has ‘protected’ the Broncos-Chiefs games to keep from losing it to NBC. It is a game that certainly will bring in viewers.