The New England Patriots’ lone remaining “Sunday Night Football” game has been flexed out of primetime.
The NFL announced Monday that the Patriots’ Week 12 matchup with the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium will kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET, up four hours from the originally scheduled start time of 8:30 p.m.
The Nov. 27 primetime slot instead will feature the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, both of whom are vying for the top spot in the AFC West.
Given where the four aforementioned teams currently sit in the AFC standings, the move was not a surprise. The 7-3 Broncos sit a half-game back of the 7-2 Chiefs in the AFC West, while the 7-2 Patriots hold a commanding lead over the 3-7 Jets even after New England’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night.
The Patriots, who own a two-game cushion atop the AFC East standings, now have just one primetime game remaining on their regular-season schedule: a Monday night meeting with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14.
Rounding out New England’s slate are two more 4:25 p.m. kickoffs (this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers and Week 15 against the Broncos) and three 1 p.m. starts (Los Angeles Rams in Week 13, Jets in Week 16 and Miami Dolphins in Week 17).
Thumbnail photo via Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports Images
