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Earlier this week we discussed the idea of the San Francisco 49ers Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams being flexed from their afternoon start to Sunday Night Football. Per Steve Berman of The Athletic, “there’s a strong chance” the Niners/Rams game gets flexed, per his source. The Chargers are 1-2, and the Steelers are 0-3. If the Steelers lose to the Bengals on Monday Night Football this week, that will force the NFL’s hand. Even if that doesn’t happen, both teams had suffered from injuries which would make that game a lot less appealing than it would have been when the schedule came out.
Here’s Berman’s blurb:
The 49ers’ strong start helps their future local rating prospects, and they’re about to get some national exposure after the bye. They’ll host the Browns on Monday night in Week 5, and for the first time in years, the Browns are now considered a marquee opponent. And as for Week 6 …
• I’ve been told by a media source that there’s a strong chance the 49ers’ upcoming game in Los Angeles against the Rams will be flexed to “Sunday Night Football” on NBC. The NFL can start flexing games as soon as Week 5 and can flex two games from Weeks 5-10. However, every Sunday night matchup in those weeks looks enticing except the one in Week 6 featuring the Steelers and Chargers, teams that are currently 0-3 and 1-2, respectively.
The article cites how the 49ers TV ratings are nearly doubled compared to other California teams. The Rams are currently undefeated and play Tampa Bay and Seattle the next two weeks. I like the 49ers over the Browns coming off a bye week, especially the way Baker Mayfield has looked. We could be looking at two undefeated teams.
Do it, NFL.