Fox and CBS trade four games as NFL balances November schedules

The National Football League announced schedule adjustments on Monday that affect four games across two weeks. This is a rare instance where the league utilized its flex scheduling powers to alter both networks and kickoff times simultaneously for upcoming broadcasts.

In Week 9, which airs on November 8, the Raiders at 49ers matchup will now air at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. The game previously was scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. This move places the contest in the prime viewing window for that week. Fox will now feature three games at 4:25 p.m. ET, including the Packers-Patriots and Cardinals-Seahawks games. The Texans at Chargers will remain as the only CBS game in the late window, keeping its 4:05 p.m. ET start time.

Also in Week 9, the Lions at Dolphins game will switch from CBS to Fox. It will retain its 1 p.m. ET kickoff time. This shift balances the number of games each network broadcasts during the afternoon slot.

Week 11, airing on November 22, sees two additional network swaps. The Buccaneers at Lions game will move from CBS to Fox, keeping its 1 p.m. ET start. Conversely, the Dolphins at Bills game will move from Fox to CBS, also at 1 p.m. ET. The move of the Bills from Fox to CBS is a notable change because Fox had a Bills game earlier in the season. That earlier airing likely made the network comfortable losing the Week 11 slot.

The league has not yet finalized the status of the Sunday night game in Week 9. The Buccaneers are scheduled to play in Chicago on that date. Tampa Bay currently holds a 2-5 record, which makes them a candidate for a schedule flex. The NFL must decide whether to move the kickoff time by the end of the day on Tuesday, October 27. As it stands, this is the only Sunday night game on the Bears' schedule, a factor that may influence the final decision. The Buccaneers have won two of their last three games, showing improved performance after a 0-4 start.