According to Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper, the NFL has made a schedule change for Week 17. Originally, the Arizona Cardinals were scheduled to travel to Dallas at 1 p.m. to face the Cowboys. ET on Sunday, Week 17. However, the NFL has moved the game to 4:25 p.m. ET window. FOX will broadcast this game.
The Cowboys and Cardinals are currently leading their respective divisions. They are both vying to be the NFC’s first round bye. Arizona currently stands at 10-3 while Dallas is 9-4. Last week, the Cardinals lost to the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are currently 9-4 and trail Arizona only by one game in NFC West. Arizona has remaining games against Detroit and Seattle, as well as Indianapolis and Dallas. Dallas has now won two consecutive games to regain its NFC East lead. At 6-7, Washington and Philadelphia are each trailing. Over the last four games of the season, the Cowboys will take on the Giants (Washington, Arizona, and Philadelphia).
Also, the Green Bay Packers are 10-3 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have also been at it. This sets up a fierce battle for the NFC’s top spot. Only the top seed in the overall rankings will be eligible for a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Week 17 clash between the Cowboys and Cardinals will make a huge impact on the NFL playoff picture.
The NFL made a schedule change for Week 17. However, the league continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19 throughout the league. Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, stated that the season would be completed on time and that he hopes the league will not have to make any adjustments to the schedule.
Goodell stated that he doesn’t believe there is a number we can set. “You’ll be able to have flexibility with clubs, which is something we really focused on. We have larger rosters to support this. Now, we have 16 practice squad members. Our clubs have a lot more flexibility now that they can move players from the practice squad, but not off the injured reserve. These things have enabled clubs to ensure they are offering the best product possible.
“One thing that I find most surprising about this season is the level of competition. … I believe that’s a lot due to the flexibility and the ability to manage pandemics. This is something we’ve done the past two seasons and have been doing at an extremely high level of competitiveness.