NFL announces flex game for ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Week 18

Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the final pick of the 2021 NFL Draft for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL has released its schedule for the final week of the regular season, and it will be the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers playing on “Sunday Night Football.”

Both the Lions (8-8) and Packers (8-8) remain in the playoff hunt, though it is possible that only one of the two will be alive when their Week 18 game kicks off. Green Bay controls their own destiny and would clinch the seventh spot in the NFC with a win over Detroit. As long as the Packers do not lose or tie, they will get into the playoffs due to tiebreakers with the Seattle Seahawks.

Things are more complicated for the Lions. They can reach the postseason with a Week 18 win over the Packers and a Seattle Seahawks loss to the Los Angeles Rams. They also get in if they and the Packers tie; the Seahawks tie the Rams; and the Commanders win in Week 18, creating a four-way tie at 8-8-1. If the Seahawks beat the Rams, the Lions would only be able to play the role of spoiler for the NFC North rival Packers on “Sunday Night Football.”

Given the playoff implications, Packers-Lions was an obvious choice for the final primetime game of the regular season. The only other game that would have made sense in that slot was Tennessee Titans-Jacksonville Jaguars, as that contest will determine who wins the AFC South. That game will be played on Saturday night, which is putting the Jaguars at an unfair disadvantage.

Obviously, the NFL’s goal is to have as much drama as possible unfold in primetime. There will be plenty of that when the Packers host the Lions.

You can see the full Week 18 schedule below:

Full Week 18 schedule: pic.twitter.com/Oz3NsR2EuD

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 2, 2023