Week 11 Bengals-Chargers Game in Los Angeles Flexed to Sunday Night Football

Sep 13, 2020; Cincinnati, OH, USA;  Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is pulled down by Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (99) in the first quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020.

Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK
Sep 13, 2020; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is pulled down by Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (99) in the first quarter of the NFL Week 1 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK / Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Content Services, LLC
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CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals will play back-to-back primetime games after the NFL flexed their Week 11 road game against the Los Angeles Chargers to Sunday Night Football.

The game, which originally was scheduled for 4:25 Cincinnati time, replaces the originally scheduled SNF game between the New York Jets (3-6) and Indianapolis Colts (4-5).

The Bengals (4-5) will play the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) in primetime Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium before facing the Chargers (5-3) 10 days later.

In addition to marking the Bengals' first return to SoFi Stadium since Super Bowl LVI, the matchup features two of the top three quarterbacks selected in the 2020 draft in Joe Burrow (No. 1) and Justin Herbert (No. 6).

Burrow and Herbert have met once previously, a 41-22 victory by the Chargers in 2021 at Paycor Stadium.

In addition to the Burrow-Hebert connection, the game will feature a chance for the Bengals to face a pair of former teammates.

Tight end Hayden Hurst, who played for the Bengals in 2022, has seven catches for 65 yards this season.

Cornerback Eli Apple, who played in Cincinnati from 2021-22, is on the practice squad but was elevated last week in a 27-10 victory at Cleveland.

This is the first time the Bengals have been flexed into primetime since Week 5, 2018, when they were 4-2 and moved into a Sunday night game at Kansas City (5-1). The Chiefs won 45-10.

The last time Cincinnati played back-to-back primetime games was 2022, when they faced the Miami Dolphins at home on a Thursday night in Week 4 before going to Baltimore for a Sunday night game in Week 5.

In 2015, the Bengals played three consecutive primetime games:

  • Week 9 vs Cleveland Browns at home on Thursday (W, 31-10)
  • Week 10 vs Houston Texans at home on Monday (L, 6-10)
  • Week 11 at Arizona Cardinals on Sunday (L, 31-34)

In 2010, a Bengals home game against the Chargers was flexed from Sunday night to 4:05. The Bengals won 34-20.

In 2014, the Bengals and Steelers were picked for the Week 17 Sunday night finale, with the Steelers winning 27-17.

In 2015, five weeks after being flexed into a Sunday night game at Arizona, the Bengals were flexed out of Sunday night football at San Francisco after Andy Dalton broke his thumb. Cincinnati won 24-14.

In 2016, a Bengals home game against the Steelers was flexed out of Sunday night football. Pittsburgh won 24-20.

In 2022, a Bengals road game against the Steelers was flexed out of Sunday night football. Cincinnati won 37-30.

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Jay Morrison
JAY MORRISON

Jay Morrison covers the Cincinnati Bengals for Bengals On SI. He has been writing about the NFL for nearly three decades. Combining a passion for stats and storytelling, Jay takes readers beyond the field for a unique look at the game and the people who play it. Prior to joining Bengals on SI, Jay covered the Cincinnati Bengals beat for The Athletic, the Dayton Daily News and Pro Football Network.