Will Vikings vs. Packers be flexed in Week 17? A potential new rule could complicate things
The Minnesota Vikings now control their own destiny with four games remaining in the 2024 season. The Buffalo Bills beating the Detroit Lions 48-42 made it so the Vikings just need to win out and they will be NFC North Champions. On top of that, if they win out, they will likely be the owners […]
The Minnesota Vikings now control their own destiny with four games remaining in the 2024 season. The Buffalo Bills beating the Detroit Lions 48-42 made it so the Vikings just need to win out and they will be NFC North Champions.
On top of that, if they win out, they will likely be the owners of the number one seed due to tiebreakers over the Philadelphia Eagles but that is uncertain until we see the final strength of victory numbers.
Leading up to the end of the 2024 season, the Vikings have four games with their matchup with the Chicago Bears being on Monday Night Football to end week 15 and the final two have already been discussed as options to be flexed.
Could the Vikings game vs. Packers in Week 17 be flexed?
The Vikings have been flexed already once this season in their 21-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts. It ended up being a really good football game, which is the reason why flex scheduling came about.
Week 18 doesn't have any games with set dates or times because the NFL ends up selecting each game time based on how things look for the playoffs. The Vikings and Lions will likely be playing on Sunday Night Football. What about the prior week with the Vikings and Packers?
They played in primetime on New Year's Eve last season when the Packers spanked the Vikings 33-10. They also played in week 17 in 2022 with that game a 41-17 Packers victory at Lambeau Field.
When you look at the games in week 17, it's quite an interesting slate.
There are five games that are currently to be determined with three of those games being on Saturday. That will be determined likely on Monday, December 16th or Tuesday, December 17th but they can wait until up to six days prior in weeks 14-17. The Sunday night game is currently the Miami Dolphins taking on the Cleveland Browns, which is a prime game to be flexed out of Sunday night.
However, there is a potential new rule that could hinder the Vikings from being flexed into Sunday night again and it has to do with CBS getting the first Vikings vs. Packers game. Vikings analyst for SKOR North Judd Zulgad speculated about it on Twitter/X on Sunday night.
When you look at the rules on how flex scheduling works from the NFL, there isn't anything on that. However, a new rule with their broadcast partners protecting Fox's right to air one of the divisional games does make sense. Each network is also allowed to protect one game per week and Fox might have protected Vikings vs. Packers.
There is one other element that could end up getting the game flexed anyway and that is shifting the time from noon to 3:25 p.m. CT. The one intriguing element is the Eagles are taking on the Dallas Cowboys, and those are two huge markets that are significantly bigger than both Minneapolis and Green Bay.
Would Fox be willing to shift away from that game to put the better game in the major spot? SKOR North's Darren Wolfson believes that could be the case.
Will the game end up being flexed? Maybe? We genuinely don't know how that will shape up. However, it's a big possibility that the game could be moved at least back to the late afternoon slot.
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