The Dallas Cowboys are already all but mathematically out of playoff contention, but that won’t keep them out of prime time.
The NFL announced today that there’s no change in the schedule for the NBC Sunday night game Week 14, which means the previously scheduled Eagles-Cowboys game will remain in place. The combination of Michael Vick having an MVP-caliber season and the Cowboys playing competitive football since Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips will make the game attractive, even if only one of the two teams involved has legitimate playoff aspirations.
The NFL uses flexible scheduling for Sunday night games in Weeks 11-17 to make sure there’s a good game in prime time. For Weeks 11-16 the final announcement of the prime time game is made at least 12 days in advance. In Week 17 the NBC prime time game may be announced on six days’ notice.
The NFL also announced that the Week 14 Patriots-Bears game has been moved from a 1 p.m. kickoff to a 4:15 p.m. kickoff.