Miami Dolphins could get a flexed Saturday game in week 18
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins didn’t get to spend too much time in the national spotlight this year but a five game winning streak could add another game to that slate.
ESPN has confirmed that two games will be flexed from Sunday to Saturday in week 18. The Dolphins will host the New England Patriots that weekend to wrap the 2021 regular season. Miami may be on the far outside looking in, but that could change in the next few weeks.
It is not likely to be a big AFC East title game but the Dolphins could be playing for a playoff spot and the Patriots could be playing for a bye week.
ESPN confirmed that they will have a Saturday doubleheader in Week 18. NFL will flex two games with playoff implications.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 14, 2021
ESPN will have their regular broadcast team for one game. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit & Laura Rutledge get the other.
Game 1 at 4:30 ET, Game 2 at 8:15 ET
If I were a betting man, and I am not, my guess would be the NFL putting the Dolphins and Patriots at 8 pm so that the Patriots wouldn’t have to deal with the sun and south Florida heat. O.k. I kid, unless of course that actually happens and then I might question it. Although there is nothing like a muggy night game at Hard Rock Stadium.
We won’t know right away which teams will play on Saturday but we can take a look at some of the big match-ups that await the final weekend. It is hard to believe that we are talking about regular season football in January. The new 18 week schedule pushes the final game into the new year.
Miami and New England may be a fun game but there are some others that could be intriguing for ESPN. Bengals and Browns could be playing for the division or a win and your in scenario with the Wild Card. The Steelers and Ravens could be playing for the division or a similar win and your in situation.
While the Chiefs and Broncos and Chargers and Raiders have potential, the rest of the league games scheduled for week 18 are not all that intriguing. Eight of the remaining games are likely to feature at least one team who will be eliminated by the time the weekend comes around.
One game to keep an eye on, especially if the league opts for one NFC game and one AFC game is the 49ers and Rams. That game is scheduled for 4:25 on Sunday but it would be surprising to see that flexed to Saturday considering it will be the premium afternoon game on Sunday. That being said, it would make for a very good Saturday night game that will almost certainly have playoff implications.