NFL decides not to flex Eagles off ‘Sunday Night Football’

The Eagles will stay in prime time after all.

The NFL decided Tuesday not to flex the Birds’ Week 8 matchup against the Washington Commanders (1-4-1) off NBC’s Sunday Night Football, according to league sources.

There were several factors that went into the decision, including the fact both teams could be playing for first place in the NFC East if they pull off wins this week.

There were also challenges with the Week 8 schedule, including a rule that gives CBS and Fox at least one game each of divisional rivalry during the season from the AFC and NFC, respectively. Despite that, the NFL seriously considered swapping in an AFC North matchup between the Cleveland Browns (4-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2), which instead remains at 1 p.m. on CBS.

The fact the NFL was seriously considering such an early-season flex tells you all you need to know about the Eagles’ direction.

Heading into the season, the NFL had high hopes for the Eagles. The league scheduled the Birds to play on two holidays and in eight stand-alone windows, which Mike North, the league’s vice president of broadcast planning, described as a “privilege” driven by the team’s success over the past few seasons.

But after a 2-4 start and likely losing Jalen Hurts for the rest of the season to a health scare involving blood clots, the Eagles are no longer must-see TV. Even Eagles fans left the Linc early on Sunday.

Neither are the Commanders, who lost to the San Francisco 49ers (6-0) Monday night and have won just three of their last 18 games. Dan Quinn, who has made some questionable decisions, could end up being the first coach fired this season.

Unfortunately, the NFL still has the Commanders scheduled for two more prime-time appearances this season — Week 10 against the New York Giants (3-2-1) on Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football, and Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.

As a reminder, here are the current NFL flex rules:

The Eagles are scheduled to appear in at least six more standalone games this season, including four in prime time. Some, including a Thanksgiving matchup against the Dallas Cowboys (2-4) and a late Saturday afternoon game vs. the Seattle Seahawks (3-3) in Week 15, can’t be moved. And it’s highly unlikely the NFL would consider moving them out of their Christmas Eve matchup against the Houston Texans (2-4) in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football.

One to keep an eye on is Eagles vs. the 49ers in Week 17, which is currently scheduled for Sunday Night Football. If San Francisco has nothing to play for at that point and the Eagles’ season continues apace, the NFL would likely move the game out in favor of a matchup with some playoff implications.

Though with the state of the NFC East, the Eagles could have a losing record and still be playing for a divisional title that late into the season. Even after losing four straight games, the Eagles are only one win behind the first-place Giants heading into Week 7.

NFC East standings

Last year, the NFL made just one flex in and out of Sunday Night Football, and the league is pretty conservative when it comes to making moves. But looking at this year’s schedule, the league might not be done tinkering.

There’s the aforementioned Week 17 matchup between the Eagles and 49ers the league could move out. One week later, the New England Patriots (4-2) are scheduled to face the winless Los Angeles Chargers (0-6) on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, though inventory might be low in Week 12 because of all the holiday games.

As for Monday Night Football, the worst game remaining on ESPN’s schedule is probably the Carolina Panthers (3-2) vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5) in Week 12. But flexing Monday night games is something the NFL does sparingly.

Since the 2023 season, when the NFL introduced flex scheduling for Monday Night Football, the league has made just one swap — elevating the Eagles after a 10-1 start before their infamous late-season collapse.