NFL's Primetime Showcase Games Have Been Absolutely Awful and That's a Problem

Going back even a few decades, Monday Night Football was the premier weekly exhibition in football. In 2019, it's a shell of its former self that is going to play host to a game between two teams with a combined one win through four games.

An the analysis, rather than Howard Cosell waxing poetically in his legendary voice, will be provided by a guy named Booger.

Sunday Night Football, now the premier game due to their ability to broadcast the best matchups every week, hasn't been much better, as games that are supposed to be two of the best in the league facing off have disappointed (Rams-Browns, Patriots-Steelers).

Meanwhile, Thursday Night Football is still the graveyard it always has been.

This is due, in part, to Roger Goodell's desire to have each team play at least one primetime game per season, which forces matchups like Dolphins-Steelers with no Big Ben, last year's riveting Broncos-Cardinals game, and the annual Titans-Jaguars garbage festival down our throats.

While it's impossible to predict the future (Patriots-Jets probably looked a lot better in the summer), it seems like there is an easy fix to get the better teams into primetime. Give Sunday Night the ability to flex every single week, effectively giving them a monopoly on the most interesting storylines, while stacking Monday night with the most important games. Thursday night can be subpar, but people are still tuning in, so let that suffer for the benefit of Sunday and Monday.

That might be a pipe dream, because FOX would be irate if the league decided to favor NBC or ESPN, but it will prevent more winless teams in primetime.

But for now, the slate of upcoming Monday Night Football matchups looks more intriguing on the basis of individual storylines rather than actual intriguing and must-watch football.