Advice regarding potential Bills Vs Patriots week 13 game flex

[NI Bills Fan]

A few of us are thinking of making the trip from Northern Ireland to the London Bills backers venue for the week 13 game Vs the Patriots.

 

This will involve booking flights, accomodation etc well in advance and I'm concerned that the game might be moved from it's current 4:25 ET timeslot to Sunday night football, or Monday night football which would mean the game wouldn't be shown in the backers bar.

 

Can anyone offer any insight into the likelihood of this game being flexed?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Go Bills

[Kirby Jackson]

4:25 is considered a good time slot. I don’t think that they usually flex out of that time (although I’m not sure). Generally the purpose of flexing a game is to pull it out of that 1:00 window and give it greater reach. The Bills - Chiefs games have generally been in that 4:25 window. They could certainly move that Pats game but with it already being 4:25 it’s less likely imo. 5-10% maybe?

[NI Bills Fan]

Thanks Kirby 👍 

[BillsfaninChicago]

36 minutes ago, NI Bills Fan said:

A few of us are thinking of making the trip from Northern Ireland to the London Bills backers venue for the week 13 game Vs the Patriots.

 

This will involve booking flights, accomodation etc well in advance and I'm concerned that the game might be moved from it's current 4:25 ET timeslot to Sunday night football, or Monday night football which would mean the game wouldn't be shown in the backers bar.

 

Can anyone offer any insight into the likelihood of this game being flexed?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Go Bills

When I went to London for the 2015 Bills game. While I loved the city one complaint I did have was the near unison closing of all the pubs by 11 and significant clearing out by 10. Now granted every single one of the places were back by 4 but I am a bit more of a night owl. We found a couple of spots after dark but navigating the underground when everything is shutting down was a bit difficult for a guy from Chicago via Olean lol.

Edited September 12 by BillsfaninChicago

[BuffaloBillyG]

My advice would be whatever you do, don't let the Rams make your travel plans. 

[NI Bills Fan]

29 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

My advice would be whatever you do, don't let the Rams make your travel plans. 

😄 Or Sean McDermott!

Edited September 12 by NI Bills Fan

[Cash]

2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

4:25 is considered a good time slot. I don’t think that they usually flex out of that time (although I’m not sure). Generally the purpose of flexing a game is to pull it out of that 1:00 window and give it greater reach. The Bills - Chiefs games have generally been in that 4:25 window. They could certainly move that Pats game but with it already being 4:25 it’s less likely imo. 5-10% maybe?

Good take. I just checked the overall schedule as well. The bad news is that this isn’t one of the 4:30 “National” games where we’re the only game in town - that basically couldn’t be flexed. But the good news is there are only 3 other 4/4:30 games, and 2 of them stink. The other is Panthers/Vikings, which is meh. While there’s no guarantee, I agree with Kirby that the chances are high that we stay in that spot. 

[seattlebillsfan]

Where do the London bills backers meet to watch games?

[NI Bills Fan]

27 minutes ago, seattlebillsfan said:

Where do the London bills backers meet to watch games?

They used to meet in a pub called the Fitzrovia Belle but have moved to a new location. Broadwood pub, 25 old broad street.

 

I've never been, to either location, so excited to make the trip this year. It seems well attended.

 

https://londonbillsbackers.com/

Edited September 12 by NI Bills Fan

[RiotAct]

4 hours ago, NI Bills Fan said:

Can anyone offer any insight into the likelihood of this game being flexed?

 

 

Pretty much nil.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

5 hours ago, NI Bills Fan said:

A few of us are thinking of making the trip from Northern Ireland to the London Bills backers venue for the week 13 game Vs the Patriots.

 

This will involve booking flights, accomodation etc well in advance and I'm concerned that the game might be moved from it's current 4:25 ET timeslot to Sunday night football, or Monday night football which would mean the game wouldn't be shown in the backers bar.

 

Can anyone offer any insight into the likelihood of this game being flexed?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Go Bills

 

I agree with what @Kirby Jackson stated, 4:25 is a good slot and can't see CBS agreeing to give that game up without getting a different good game and there really aren't any good strong early games to take it's place.  In addition looking at the week 13 schedule, the Sunday night game is  Houston at Pittsburg which is a good game, plus Steelers always draw well on TV.  The Bills also are the Sunday night game the following week at Green Bay and can't recall a team ever being on Sunday Night TV two weeks in a row.

Edited September 12 by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[seattlebillsfan]

4 hours ago, NI Bills Fan said:

They used to meet in a pub called the Fitzrovia Belle but have moved to a new location. Broadwood pub, 25 old broad street.

 

I've never been, to either location, so excited to make the trip this year. It seems well attended.

 

https://londonbillsbackers.com/

Thank you; I go to London more than I would like for work and occasionally have to get there on Sunday for Monday morning meetings; have watched several games at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, which shows all games and therefore has fans of multiple teams. Fun but not a Bills Backers experience! Now I know for next time 

[NI Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, seattlebillsfan said:

Thank you; I go to London more than I would like for work and occasionally have to get there on Sunday for Monday morning meetings; have watched several games at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, which shows all games and therefore has fans of multiple teams. Fun but not a Bills Backers experience! Now I know for next time 

It's worth noting that you can't just turn up, you need to book a place for a particular game in advance via that website I linked.  The tickets are free though 👍

[RiotAct]

4 hours ago, seattlebillsfan said:

Thank you; I go to London more than I would like for work and occasionally have to get there on Sunday for Monday morning meetings; have watched several games at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square, which shows all games and therefore has fans of multiple teams. Fun but not a Bills Backers experience! Now I know for next time 

you fly from Seattle to London regularly for work???  Dang.  That’s gotta be rough

[seattlebillsfan]

You said it; the 8 hour time zone difference is really rough

[NoSaint]

On 9/12/2026 at 5:32 AM, Kirby Jackson said:

4:25 is considered a good time slot. I don’t think that they usually flex out of that time (although I’m not sure). Generally the purpose of flexing a game is to pull it out of that 1:00 window and give it greater reach. The Bills - Chiefs games have generally been in that 4:25 window. They could certainly move that Pats game but with it already being 4:25 it’s less likely imo. 5-10% maybe?

typically the national games in the late window are the type the network protects so they don’t lose a premium game for one getting flexed out

 

The 1pm is both often expected to be less premium but also gives the network a variety of backups to air if they don’t protect it