The NFL left itself some leeway with the Week 15 game between the Falcons and Saints, leaving the date and time as to be determined. The thought was obviously that late in the year, both teams could be hanging around the playoff picture and flexing the game to the late afternoon (or even, as was rumored, Saturday) would make for an excellent showcase for the most bitter rivalry in the NFL.
Alas, it is not to be. The Saints may win tonight to give themselves a shot at unseating the Buccaneers and muddling the NFC South even further, but the league had no interest in moving a battle between two struggling teams with losing records into a prime slot. The Falcons and Saints will play Sunday, December 18 at 1 p.m. EST.
There’s still one game left that the NFL could flex, and that’s the Week 18 tilt between the Falcons and Buccaneers. There is still a non-zero chance that it could be for the NFC South, but if Tampa Bay wins tonight and the Falcons continue to struggle, chances are that will also quietly be moved to an early Sunday time slot.
Regardless of the time of day, hopefully the Falcons smoke the Saints and right the great cosmic injustice that was their Week 1 loss.