Beware Of The Flex-Game Block
December 2nd, 2016
It’s been widely reported across the nation that the Bucs-Cowboys 1 o’clock game in Dallas on Sunday, Dec. 18, is sure to be flexed to an 8:15 p.m. start on NBC.
But there is a looming wrench in the plan.
On SiriusXM NFL Radio yesterday, host Pat Kirwan was joined by guest co-host John Clayton, “The Professor” of BSPN. Clayton talked about that game getting flexed to NBC, and Kirwan shut down Clayton quickly.
Kirwan, who works for CBS, among his many other gigs, explained there’s a rule between the NFL and networks that provides networks the opportunity to keep a game it doesn’t want flexed away.
It’s complicated, Kirwan said, but he believes FOX likely would exercise its flex-blocking mechanism for that Bucs-Dallas game because of the intense interest in the Cowboys, and for what could be a critical NFC game if the Bucs beat San Diego on Sunday.
Man, Joe wants that game bumped to prime time on NBC so desperately. What an amazing night that would be for the Tampa Bay area sports scene, assuming the Bucs don’t get seal-clubbed at Jerry’s World.
The NFL deadline is Tuesday for announcing what game, if any, is flexed on Dec. 18.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Thats BS. You have to give what the people want
Jaboo and Dak
***Mark this down with all my correct visionary predictions. Jameis will have his best game ever in his early career
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:29 pm
The Bucs have historically played terrible during prime time games for some strange reason. I want the win and they have a better chance statistically of this if they play at 1 pm.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:30 pm
If Tampa goes undefeated from here to December 18th and win in Dallas…imagine all the people,analyst’s, doubters, etc.etc. would jump on the “boat”?!I think there is already some people getting on early as of yesterweek just to say they supported us all along.I been a bucs fan since I was 10(2000) and real recognizes real and in starting to see alot of fakes!
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:33 pm
If these Bucs are for real, there’s no way they get seal-clubbed. Dallas has won its share of squeakers. Then to have the game against the Bucs as potentially meaningless for them (they can clinch their division next weekend) means that this seal clubbing could go the other way.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Let them play whenever the game is scheduled. 1, 4:30, or 8 I don’t care. It doesn’t even matter if we don’t win against the Chargers. That is step #1.
San Diego is tough, but the game is winnable. Philip Rivers is a very good NFL QB. I’ve seen and heard some analysts use the “H.O.F.” label with Rivers and I think that is ridiculous. He would belong in the Hall of Pretty Good. With that said I think we can all agree on here that the ceiling for Jameis is much higher than anything Rivers has done to this point. I do not think that is an outlandish statement at all. I honestly would be kind of disappointed in Winston if he only had the career of Rivers. I firmly believe that Jameis will lead the Bucs to multiple Super Bowls in his career. He certainly has Hall of Fame potential. The rest is up to him and I think he can do it.
GO BUCS!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:36 pm
I think thus will be the win that opens up the leagues eyes to realizing thus aint the old Tampa team. Dallas has no secondary to defend our WRs better yet stop or even slow down the Jaboo- Godzilla train.they don’t have a pass rush.in reality the only thing they have going for them is “zeke” but with Noah Spence and Showtime Kwon I know he will struggle.I predict a Tampa old fashion win,5 turnovers,4sacks,1 picksix and a whole lotta hell to pay!
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Well, if they flex the Giants and Lions instead, you can bet they protected our game. In that case, they could still flex us to 4pm to replace the NYG-DET game.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:44 pm
I must be the only one that hates games other than 1pm EST. Sunday afternoon football is religion in our home and a 1:00pm Bucs games mean you don’t have to wait around all day for them to play. Also, I know I am not the only one around here that drinks all freaking day and still has to go to work on Monday morning. Being able to start pounding beers at 11:30am and finish up drinking heavily at around 4 to 5, really helps me make it in the next morning. Not to mention we suck in prime time recently. I understand being in prime time and winning may increase the fan base and sales, but does it benefit me directly, nope.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:47 pm
Jerry G,.
I love the way you think, but let’s try and beat the Chargers and the Saints first.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:54 pm
If the bucs win at SD and come home to beat the saints [ AND THEY WILL]. IT won’t make a hill of beans what time the game is because ALL eyes WILL be watching. And I predict when we win , the talking heads will say it was because Dallas gave the game away and not because Tampa played so well. #NO RESPECT
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:55 pm
@ Mcruzer…I’m with you. I love the 1pm games!
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:58 pm
The current scheduled Sunday Night game is the Bengals/Steelers game…\
If NBC has a choice of the Giants/Lions or Bucs/Cowboys…..I would think they would choose the Giants/Lions because of the TV market size and the playoff implications.
The Bucs/Cowboys may be less meaningful if the Cowboys have the NFC locked up.
The problem for Fox is that they can’t protect both games…..they can dictate which one NBC gets and that may be the Bucs/Cowboys for the same reason…they would rather have the NY/Detroit game.
So, The Bucs for that reason may be on Sunday Night Football..
Confusing, isn’t it…..
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:58 pm
Honestly, I’ve never looked at the Dallas schedule and just assumed that they were monsters because they were super talented. Their schedule is really soft. The only tests so far have been the Bengals, Baltimore and Green Bay. None of those are really all that terrifying.
It would be great for our guys to be getting hot and gelling in time to take on this bully of a team that has gotten fat from picking on lesser competition.
December 2nd, 2016 at 12:58 pm
I hate being this guy, but everyone is on here acting like it is a foregone conclusion that we will beat San Diego and New Orleans and then win against Dallas. Guys. It wasn’t very long ago that Derek Carr ripped us to shreds and Matt Ryan came into town and followed suit. Let’s do what the team is doing and take it one game at a time. We don’t need Arizona happening all over again.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:03 pm
I love to read the words of an enlightened person Patrick. I’m not fearing that 21st rank defense at all. We will travel to lil d and won’t leave witout a victooorryy. Trust me.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:03 pm
@ J 2.0 – Nope I refuse to adopt that mentality. The team knew they were better than that and they tapped in to something that brought out the better version they knew they could be. I refuse to just assume that they’re going to revert back just because we’ve been let down by Buc teams in years past. The players responsible for this turn around weren’t on those teams. I’m all in.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Again well said Patrick,need more like ya bud.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:09 pm
I got cowboys fans at my place of business shook right now. They don’t even wanna mix words wit me man.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Dal will play at ny giants next sunday at 830
Flex game det vs ny gaints at ny again sunday at 830?
I dont think there ever was a prime time game that was back 2 back same stadium within 2 weeks
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:15 pm
If Dallas clinches home field before we play them we will be going up against the Romo and the backups.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:15 pm
@Patrick in Va,
The Cowboys have had a soft schedule. Their toughest tests have probably been in their own division. The G Men and Skins are better than all of their out of division opponents other than us of course. We saw that Dak struggled against a very talented Minn defense. We could really give the Cowboys fits because I think we match up well. With that said, I’m not even remotely interested in this game yet. I’m focused on a pretty good Chargers team. This is an important game for us and then we have the Aints at home. Here’s hoping that we are 7-5 when we meet the Aints at Ray Jay on Dec 11.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:21 pm
It’ just disgusting to me that Dallas has run off eleven wins in a row. Give me a freaking break.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:22 pm
@cmurda – If our pass rush continues on its current trajectory, I think we’ll stand up well to both New Orleans and Dallas. They vaunted Dallas offensive line wasn’t quite the brick wall it was made out to be last night when a legitimate pass rush was there. Hopefully we fall in to that category as well. If so, I think we’ll be able to put up a lot more points than Minnesota did last night. I think we’ve got a chance.
As for the Chargers game, we haven’t been gashed by anyone’s run game yet this year, unless you want to count Russell Wilson scrambling on busted plays. I think we’ll hold their running in check and our back end is really picking it up.
I’ve gotta tell you man, I’m pumped about where this team is headed. I’m even geeked about the special teams. Anger is lights out and we’re putting people inside the 15 on the regular.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Not gonna happen. Consider this…CBS might want the Cowboys badly enough to block it…but that game would only be discussed as a flex if the Bucs win this week, which would make the game even more special.
No way does one network willingly give up those ratings.
Get real.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:27 pm
Patrick,
I am on the same page as you. I do think this team is a much better team now than it was a month ago. But maybe where we differ is our mental approach. I like to look forward to things and not be disappointed.
If I look forward to the Dallas game believing the Bucs will win the next two and worst case scenario we lose both games in between then that pretty much ruins the Dallas game for me. Season is over at that point.
If I focus on the game at hand and look forward to the San Diego game and then the New Orleans game, and we win both. Then the Dallas game is so much more enjoyable. Even if we only win 1 of the next 2, the Dallas game will still be huge because we will still have a chance.
Being a Bucs fan for long has made it hard for me to be overly confident in my team. (I’m also an Auburn fan, a Rays fan, and a Lightning fan so I’ve never had the joy of being a fan of a perennial powerhouse.)
Let’s go Bucs! Let’s go Chiefs this week as well!
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:29 pm
@Bonzai – So, following your line of reasoning, you’re saying that it’s not going to happen because the Bucs are going to lose this weekend, right? Which is evidently such a fait accompli that a “get real” was warranted?
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:33 pm
@J2 – That’s fair, and I’ve had that sort of cautious optimism in years past. I can’t help but push the chips in on this team. The combination of coaching, player personalities, skill level, and match ups is such that I can’t help but think that we’ve got the kind of juice to make a real run. I haven’t had this sort of confidence in a Bucs team in a lot of years, so I’m throwing my hands up and enjoying the ride. If we come crashing down then I’ll settle back in to the standard malaise of a Bucs off season, but until then I’m down for the cause.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:37 pm
I see a lot of people here making assumptions based on one good win.
I hope the bucs are on a roll, but they still have a lot to prove.
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
December 2nd, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Not gonna happen. Consider this…CBS might want the Cowboys badly enough to block it…but that game would only be discussed as a flex if the Bucs win this week, which would make the game even more special.
I don’t think CBS has any say in the matter….both the Cowboy/Bucs & Giants/Lions games are FOX and Sunday Night Football is NBC.
December 2nd, 2016 at 2:13 pm
On NFL network this morning they were showing “greatest plays” this year. Nowhere, nowhere, nowhere was Mike Evans one handed grab against Atlanta.
NO RESPECT!
December 2nd, 2016 at 2:55 pm
We are in agreement Patrick.
December 2nd, 2016 at 3:04 pm
Patrick in VA Says
“@Bonzai – So, following your line of reasoning, you’re saying that it’s not going to happen because the Bucs are going to lose this weekend, right?”
Can you read at all????
I said that CBS will not give up those kind of ratings. They’ve already said that a network can block a flex to another network. Read more. Comprehend more.
December 2nd, 2016 at 3:06 pm
@Tampabaybucfan
Networks have the option to block a flex that moves a game to another network. They did, afterall, pay millions to get the rights to air the game, and the purpose in paying that money was ratings…NOT having ratings taken away.
December 2nd, 2016 at 3:07 pm
And Patrick…I said those ratings would be even higher IF the Bucs win their next game, because more people will tune in for a competitive game.
December 2nd, 2016 at 3:18 pm
But CBS doesnt have the bucs-cowboys game. fox would be the ones to block it being flexed not cbs
December 2nd, 2016 at 3:40 pm
@pabucfan Bonzai
That’s exactly my point….Fox can block one of it’s games from going to NBC….but CBS has no say in the matter…..as a matter of fact, CBS would pick o
December 2nd, 2016 at 3:42 pm
CBS would ultimately pick up and carry the Bengals/Steelers game…
December 2nd, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Man, Joe wants that game bumped to prime time on NBC so desperately. What an amazing night that would be for the Tampa Bay area sports scene, assuming the Bucs don’t get seal-clubbed at Jerry’s World.
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Give me a break. Jerry Jones and Prez-elect tRump sitting together in Jerry’s suite at whatever-they-call-the-Dallas-stadium now. Rethink it Joes. Just like how old are you guys? Doesn’t matter to me cos I will listen to it on Bucs radio. Just how old are you guys, Joe? Just askin’. Go Mighty Bucs!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 5:06 pm
there’s that old kobe faker again lol
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Lets win the next two weeks and it will happen!!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 6:41 pm
If the Bucs whip the Chargers, that Cowboys/Bucs game will indeed be one worthy of flexing to a nationwide nightly view. I say..Flex on Baby!!
December 2nd, 2016 at 7:46 pm
Kobe thinks the flex game will be
Tenn vs KC
December 2nd, 2016 at 11:04 pm
Jerry Jones is turning into Skeletor.
December 3rd, 2016 at 5:15 am
No no no. Keep it at 1 pm. The Bucs turn into pumpkins when the clocks strike 7. Young team agonizing all day long over a night game…they don’t well. JAMEIS doesn’t do well. At least so far.