The NFL announced the season's first big change because of flex scheduling Monday. And it's a doozy.
The Week 16 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks has been moved to NBC's "Sunday Night Football." The game replaces the matchup between the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers. (Football fans everywhere respond: "Thanks.")
The Chargers-Jets game will move to 1 p.m. ET on CBS, and the New York Giants-Baltimore Ravens game will go to 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.
The Dec. 23 Niners-Seahawks meeting is worthy of a big stage. Russell Wilson vs. Colin Kaepernick. Jim Harbaugh vs. Pete Carroll. Two of the nastiest defenses in football in the toughest place to play in the league (Seattle).
Oh, and the NFC West title might be on the line.
No matter what happens in Week 15, the game will have huge playoff implications. But it essentially could decide first place in the division if the Seahawks beat the Buffalo Bills this Sunday and the 49ers lose in New England that night.
The 49ers will have to play back-to-back road games on "Sunday Night Football." It's an inconvenience for them but a treat for the rest of the country.
NBC and the NFL haven't needed to use flex scheduling for Sunday night games this year until now. But these types of late-season matchups are what the concept of flex scheduling was intended for.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
