The Los Angeles Chargers have fought their way to another primetime appearance.
Justin Herbert & Co. had their Week 16 home game against the Denver Broncos moved from Sunday, December 22 to Thursday night, December 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been moved to the Thursday night location.
The league changed its policy last season so that Thursday night games in weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days’ notice before the game, and teams could make more than one appearance in the game package. 16 Amazon Prime Video games. Only two games per season can be made flexible in the five-week period.
The matchup between AFC West division rivals vying for playoff spots moves the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon.
Despite the hiring of Jim Harbaugh as coach, the Chargers were one of six teams without a game Thursday when the NFL schedule was released in May.
It’s the Chargers’ second time in prime time this season. Their 34-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend was broadcast on NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” after overcoming the matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets.
Los Angeles, which is 7-3 and riding a four-game winning streak, hosts Baltimore this week on “Monday Night Football” in the third meeting between brothers John and Jim Harbaugh as coaches.
The Chargers’ Dec. 8 game at Kansas City will also be Sunday night.
Denver (6-5) played on Thursday night on Oct. 17, defeating the Saints 33-10 in coach Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans. The Broncos have a Monday night game against Cleveland on December 2.
“We’d rather be flexed in than out,” Payton said after Friday’s practice. “…It’s a really good team (the Chargers) that’s playing really well. And it shows Cincinnati who we’re playing next week… It is what it is. Just tell us when we’re playing.”
The Chargers beat the Broncos 23-16 in Denver on October 13. That was the game in which Harbaugh briefly went to the locker room because of an irregular heartbeat.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
