NFL Week 14 schedule: Bears vs Packers gets prime slot, Bengals vs Bills moved earlier; changes explained

NFL announced update on the game schedule adjustment for Week 14 of the 2025 season

Published on: Nov 21, 2025, 08:20:25 IST

By Shirin Gupta

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The NFL on Thursday announced a flex-schedule adjustment for Week 14 for the 2025 season.

Representational image. (Getty Images via AFP)

The Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers has now been moved from the early 1 p.m. ET slot to the later 4:25 p.m. ET window and will be streamed on FOX.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills contest has been bumped into the 1 p.m. ET slot. According to the Buffalo Bills' official site, this will mark the sixth 1 p.m. game of the season for Buffalo

The update was first flagged in a post by NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Why has there been a change?

This swap is enabled by the NFL’s flexible scheduling guidelines, which allow Sunday afternoon games to be shifted between the early (1 p.m. ET) and late (4:25 p.m. ET) timeslots to maximise competitive and broadcast appeal.

According to NFL.com, in Weeks 14–17, the league can make flex calls as late as six days before kickoff.

Also Read: Bears at Packers flexed to later start, Bills-Bengals early in Week 14 swap

The flex move is because the Bears-Packers matchup carries stronger playoff implications and viewer interest.

According to the Bears' site, the game now scheduled for Sunday, December 7, at Lambeau Field will kick off at 3:25 p.m. CT (4:25 p.m. ET).

According to Cincy Jungle, Cincinnati's 3-7 record and limited playoff relevance compared to Buffalo's 7-3 stand as factors in the move.

However, there is some optimism in Cincinnati that quarterback Joe Burrow may be active for the game. Sports Illustrated reported that he recently practised with the first team.

Fans are hoping for a showdown

The Bears–Packers rivalry is one of the NFL’s oldest and most storied, and its elevation to a national window could draw in a wider TV audience.

On the other hand, the Bengals-Bills move may disappoint some viewers hoping to catch a marquee showdown between Joe Burrow and Josh Allen in the prime time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shirin Gupta
Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

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