So the Pat-Colts in December is out for NBC. What's the over/under on NBC biting the bullet and going with the Bengals-Steelers rematch?

BMN

For additional context, other matchups that would probably be most likely considered if you took a current-day perspective would be Detroit at New Orleans and Green Bay at NY Giants.

BMN

It might depend on what the max amount of prime time games are. I would imagine that they do not give the Steelers much wiggle room to flex.

As far as RULES go, three to look at:

1) Teams can't be on NBC more than four times (the Steelers SQUEEZE in here with two in the books and one other one coming up. So there's room for one more).

2) Most teams are only allowed a max of five prime time games (the Steelers already have that max with two NBC games in the books, and one more (Kansas City), a Thursday night game (Cleveland) and Monday night game (San Fran) upcoming.

3) HOWEVER, three teams are allowed to be in prime time six times (without even looking, I know Philly has GOT to be one of those teams). If it's only Philly, then Pittsburgh could be allowed to go over five.

The biggest impediment, though, would be that making Cincy-Pittsburgh a night game would then give the Steelers four prime-time games in a row. There's no rule that I'm aware of against that but I don't know if the NFL (or the Steelers) would be cool with that.

EDIT: And I just noticed that the Thursday night game would have to follow this game....so the odds are probably terrible and I just started a pointless thread. :-p Ah well, it was food for thought :-p.

BMN