FOX moves the Bengals / Bears game to 4:15 PM on October 25

What does a 3-1 season do for you? Well, it makes you the toast of the town after a 4-11-1 season. It generates buzz. And in my case, it gives us the opportunity to comfort an ailing Steelers fan who can't understand why their team is 2-2. "It's alright, buddy," I say. "You get off to these great starts but fold in the end. But you're close. Look at what you did against San Diego. That's improvement. Instead of losing at the last minute, you just barely won in the last minute." I know. What are you doing? Trust me, I'm repaying the favor after years of being a basket case in front of my non-Bengals friends who felt nothing by sympathy for me for over half of our lifetimes. Whatever. That's a Kirkentangent.

The NFL announced on Thursday that the Bengals game hosting the Bears on Sunday October 25 is being changed from 1:00 PM to 4:15 PM. The NFL says "The change accommodates FOX broadcast patterns."

Is this a deal in which the Bengals and Bears being 3-1 right now has Fox shifting the schedule to increase viewership? Joe Reedy makes that case. Fox is scheduled for the double-header that weekend and typically the second game is as close to a national broadcast as you can get without actually being a national broadcast. It would be great for some of the loyal Cincy Jungle readers outside of the area to get another glimpse of the Bengals.

But for what other reason would the Bengals game be moved? They wouldn't change the schedule, especially with three other early games, just to free up viewership for their early afternoon game. Would they? There is one plausible scenario. The Steelers will be hosting the Vikings at 1 PM. Maybe FOX wants to increase viewership with that game while making their Atlanta at Dallas game the de facto national game and by moving the Bengals to the 4:15 PM slot, the Cincinnati area, who would likely tune in to watch the division rival, would help those ratings.

Who knows. Long story short. October 25. Bengals. Bears. 4:15 PM. Fox. Be there.