The tug-of-war between CBS and NBC is over, with CBS looking as though it has come out on top.
The Week 15 matchup of Tom Brady's Patriots and Tim Tebow's Broncos, scheduled for 4:15 p.m. ET, will remain in that time slot and air on CBS, despite NBC's attempts to choose the game for its 8:20 p.m. kickoff. The NFL made the decision on Wednesday afternoon, according to multiple reports.
CBS was no doubt opposed to the idea of surrendering the rights to the game, and NBC, aware of the always-present appeal of the Patriots and the sudden surge of Tebowmania, likewise wanted to swap out its matchup of Baltimore (9-3) and San Diego (5-7). After the discussions extended well beyond the deadline of midnight Tuesday, the decision was finally made on Wednesday.
While all coaches and players involved in the potential change in schedule refrained from offering an opinion one way or another, it's likely that neither the Ravens or Patriots were thrilled with the idea of playing a late game on Sunday night, with a short week to prepare for their next game (both teams play the following Saturday, Dec. 24). Perhaps the fact that the Ravens had this game on the schedule all along factored into the league's decision.
