In a historic move, the NFL has finally given in to the idea of flexing "Monday Night Football" games, as announced on Thursday. The league made a significant change by flexing the Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks game in Week 15 to Monday night, replacing the originally scheduled Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots game.

Additionally, the NFL revealed the three Saturday games for Week 15. The action-packed day will kick off with the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Cincinnati Bengals at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers facing the Indianapolis Colts at 4:30 p.m. ET. The night will be rounded out with a clash between the Denver Broncos and the Detroit Lions at 8:30 p.m. ET. All three games will be broadcasted on NFL Network. These matchups were strategically selected, with all six teams still in playoff contention or vying for favorable playoff seeding.

Flexing games not originally scheduled for Sundays is a decision the NFL has carefully weighed. It had been hesitant due to potential disruptions to fans' plans, especially for those who are traveling. The Saturday games for Week 15 will take place on December 16, while the Monday night game falls on December 18, leaving fans with limited time to adjust their schedules.

Ultimately, the desire to cater to a larger television audience and the league's TV partners prevailed. The Chiefs-Patriots matchup, originally slated for Monday night, lost its appeal due to the Patriots' struggles this season. In contrast, the Eagles-Seahawks game is a clash between the team with the best record in the NFL, Philadelphia, and a Seahawks team fighting for a wild-card spot. This matchup promises a more compelling show for ESPN and fans watching from the comfort of their homes.

Scheduling captivating prime-time games well in advance can be a challenge for the NFL. An example of this is the Monday night game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars, which initially appeared to be one of the season's highlights when the schedule was released in May. However, after Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffered an injury, the matchup lost much of its intrigue.

Flexing Monday night games is a proactive measure by the NFL to ensure entertaining matchups and avoid lackluster games. Now that the league has dipped its toes in this approach, it is anticipated that more flexible scheduling policies will be implemented in the future to maximize the viewing experience for fans.