Vikings Week 13 game against Cardinals not flexed to Monday Night Football
Despite growing speculation, the Vikings' Week 13 matchup with the Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium will not be flexed to Monday Night Football.
There had been mounting speculation that ESPN would attempt to move out of the scheduled Monday night matchup between the Broncos-Browns that week, with the Vikings-Cardinals game increasingly listed as a likely replacement. According to Broncos On SI senior editor Zack Kelberman, the NFL will not be flexing that Monday night game after all.
With three Thanksgiving Day games, a Black Friday game and a Sunday Night Football game, there were limited options from which to replace the game between the 6-5 Broncos taking on the 2-8 Browns. Outside of the 8-2 Vikings taking on the 6-4 Cardinals, matchups between the 6-5 Falcons and 7-3 Chargers, as well as the 8-2 Eagles against the 8-2 Steelers, were seen as the only other options. The Steelers/Eagles game was a late kick on CBS, so it was likely protected from being moved.
It would have been the second time this season the Vikings had been flexed, after their Week 9 game against the Colts was flexed to Sunday Night Football. Minnesota next national TV game will be against the Bears in Week 15 on Monday Night Football at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Minnesota will look to build on their three-game win streak against the Bears this Sunday at Soldier Field. Kickoff between the Bears and Vikings is set for 12 p.m. CT on FOX.