Sports

NFL moves Broncos-Chargers in Week 16 for first ‘Thursday Night Football’ flex

By Nick Kosmider, Daniel Popper and Zac Jackson

The NFL has turned a game into “Thursday Night Football” for the first time, moving the Denver Broncos’ Week 16 game against the Los Angeles Chargers to prime time on Dec. 19.

The two teams, led by former Oregon quarterbacks Bo Nix and Justin Herbert, were originally scheduled to play on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 22. The Cleveland Browns-Cincinnati Bengals game, originally scheduled for Thursday evening, will now be played that Sunday at 1 p.m. pm ET on Fox.

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NFL owners approved a rule change in 2023 that allowed games between Weeks 13 and 17 to be moved to a Thursday slot, with such moves requiring four weeks’ notice.

The game means the Broncos will now play two primetime games in December, the first against the Browns on “Monday Night Football” in Week 13. The game against the Chargers will give a national audience a look at Nix, who will watch the game won. AFC Offensive Player of the Week award following his four-touchdown performance in a Week 11 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

The Chargers, meanwhile, have won five of their last six games under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh — the first of which came in Week 6 against the Broncos — and remain in the hunt for the AFC West title.

The Broncos, who already played a Thursday night game against the New Orleans Saints earlier this season, are embracing the move in part because it will give them extended rest heading into a crucial Week 17 road game against the Bengals.

Think of it as the Harbaugh effect

The Chargers have now gone to prime time for the second time this season. Their Week 11 game with the Bengals was moved from Sunday afternoon to Sunday evening. That ended up being an epic game, with the Bengals erasing a 21-point second-half deficit before the Chargers erased it late on Herbert’s 15th career game-winning drive.

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The chargers are interesting. The Chargers are exciting. They are good for business. And now they’ll play four primetime games in a six-week span, starting with last week’s Bengals game. They host the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night in Week 12. They play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night in Week 14. — Daniel Popper, Chargers beat writer

Can Nix make a statement in the Rookie of the Year race?

Nix got off to a slow start to the season, throwing just one touchdown and four interceptions in his first four games. Since then, he has become arguably the best starting quarterback in the NFL (13 touchdowns, two interceptions), putting him firmly alongside the likes of Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in the Rookie of the Year race. The ‘Thursday Night Football’ stage gives Nix the opportunity to make a big statement.

This will be the third matchup between Nix and Herbert, including a college clash in 2019 when Herbert was at Oregon and Nix was a true freshman starter at Auburn. Nix led a late touchdown drive to win that game at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Herbert came out on top in Week 6 this season. — Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat writer

Why the Bengals-Browns game moved

The Bengals aren’t out of contention yet, but from a playoff perspective, this move makes sense. The Bengals are likely disappointed because the home team has won nine straight AFC North Thursday night games dating back to 2015, a streak the Browns extended with their upset of the Steelers on Thursday night. The Browns could now be looking at back-to-back flex situations; they are currently scheduled to play Miami on Sunday night in Week 17. – Zac Jackson, Brown’s beat writer

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(Photo: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

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