The NFL front office has pulled up a few surprises this season. Changes are often difficult to deal with, don’t you think? Especially when it’s with the game schedules. Sean Payton‘s Broncos (6-5) are still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot. But as they look to face the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on week 12, news from week 16 is turning heads.

The first-ever flexed Thursday night game in the form of the Broncos’ showdown with the Chargers, marks a historic moment. And Broncos’ HC’s comments reflect how much the team is embracing the challenge. Always quick with a quip, Payton said, “Boys, we’d rather be flexed in than flexed out.” He also acknowledged that it’s a tough challenge ahead. Especially with an offense that’s still adjusting. “An offense that’s obviously in flux with the change, and, you know, we’ve got to defend it.” But Payton wasn’t quite finished.

Payton, in what might be called “a bold move,” announced names of Raiders players the Broncos would be looking out for. “I know there are two important numbers: 98 (Maxx Crosby) and 89 (Brock Bowers),” he added. In addition, Payton and the Broncos are dealing with a few injury concerns. The team released their final injury report on Friday. Defensive tackle Zach Allen is listed as limited in practice and questionable for the game. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds was a full participant but will miss Sunday’s game. As the Broncos prepare to take on the Raiders, Payton is focused on getting the team together ahead of the games.

Coming back to the coveted flex. As fans of the Cincinnati Bengals were gearing up for the prime-time showdown in week 16, the NFL did them no good. This could also lead to a major impact on playoff seeding, and the fans are feeling betrayed. The Chargers (7-3) are currently on a four-game win streak, and the Broncos are as good a team. With them fighting for playoff spots, the NFL chose this AFC West clash for Amazon Prime’s Thursday night game.

Sean Payton’s Broncos vs. Chargers take over TNF, leaving Bengals on the sidelines

Unfortunately, Burrow‘s team isn’t facing this for the first time this season. In Week 8, the NFL flexed the Bengals-Eagles game to a 1 p.m. ET slot. They moved a Washington Commanders vs. Chicago Bears game into the 4:25 p.m. ET spot. But with all the last-minute flexings, the Bengals are finding themselves in a tough spot.

The Bengals are going through a difficult season, and things sadly aren’t looking up. Despite Burrow’s impressive performance against the Chargers, the game ended in a loss for the Bengals. Burrow completed 28 of 50 passes for 356 yards and three touchdowns. He won hearts with his performance, but not the match, and now the sidelining. However, there’s more to the flexing game than what meets the eye.

The NFL’s flexing policy, amended last season, allows the league to move games around in the final weeks of the season with at least 28 days’ notice before the game. The fidgeting is to make sure fans are on the edge of their seats, making high-stake matchups as thrilling as possible. It’s all business and maximizing viewership. And unfortunately for the Bengals (4-7), they aren’t quite the draw they once were.

Will Burrow’s Bengals bounce back, or are they on the decline? Only time will tell. But the Bengal fans are wondering. Is the NFL overvaluing other matchups at the expense of the Bengals? And it’s difficult to justify their stance. The flexing policy is surely making waves. But from what it seems, not all fans are happy with it.