You’ve been there. It’s 12:55 PM on a Sunday, you’ve got your wings ready, you flip to CBS, and instead of the high-stakes AFC showdown you were promised by a national headline, you’re staring at a game between two teams with three wins combined. Honestly, it’s frustrating. But the NFL broadcast map week 12 is a complicated beast, a literal jigsaw puzzle of regional interests, contract obligations, and "protected" windows that determines exactly what hits your screen.
This week is particularly chaotic. We’re deep enough into the season that the playoff picture is finally coming into focus, but the TV networks are still juggling regional loyalties.
The CBS Singleheader Logjam
CBS has the "singleheader" rights this week. That basically means most markets only get one game on CBS all day, either in the early 1:00 PM ET slot or the late 4:05 PM ET slot. If you're in the Midwest, you're likely getting Jim Nantz and Tony Romo at Arrowhead for the Colts-Chiefs game. It’s the "big" game, but if you live in Baltimore, forget it. You're seeing the Jets and Ravens.
The map for CBS is fragmented. Look at it this way:
- The "Nantz/Romo" Zone: Covers the majority of the heartland and the West Coast. If you're in KC, Indy, or LA, you're locked into Colts vs. Chiefs.
- The Northeast Corridor: New England and Cincinnati markets are obviously stuck with Patriots-Bengals. Kevin Harlan is on the call there, which is always a win for your ears, even if the game is a blowout.
- The Late Window Pivot: A tiny sliver of the map—mostly Florida, Arizona, and parts of Nevada—won't see a kickoff until 4:05 PM ET. They get Jaguars-Cardinals or Browns-Raiders.
Fox Doubleheader: Tom Brady is Heading to Dallas
Fox owns the doubleheader this week, which is why your afternoon looks a lot better than your morning. The NFL broadcast map week 12 for Fox is dominated by one massive, red-colored block: Philadelphia at Dallas.
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Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady are the "A-Team" here. Since it’s "America’s Game of the Week," Fox is sending this broadcast to almost 90% of the country. Unless you live in Georgia or Louisiana—where you’ll be watching Adam Amin and Drew Brees call the Falcons-Saints rivalry—you are getting the Eagles and Cowboys.
Earlier in the day, Fox splits the country three ways. The Vikings-Packers game takes up the most real estate, covering the North and the West. If you're in the New York or Detroit markets, you're getting Giants-Lions. Seattle and Tennessee fans get their own localized feed. It's a classic regional split.
National Primetime Windows
You don't need a map for the night games. Everyone gets the same thing, provided you have the right subscription or antenna.
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- Thursday Night: Buffalo at Houston on Amazon Prime. Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit have this one.
- Sunday Night: Tampa Bay at LA Rams on NBC. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth.
- Monday Night: Carolina at San Francisco on ESPN/ABC. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
Wait, a quick note on Monday: because it’s a simulcast on ABC, even if you don't have cable, you can likely catch Bryce Young trying to survive the Niners defense with a simple over-the-air antenna.
Why Your Map Might Look Different
Maps change. Seriously. 506 Sports, the gold standard for these things, often notes "late-week flips." If a game suddenly loses its playoff relevance—like a key quarterback getting benched or injured—a station in a neutral market like Denver might petition the league to switch to a more competitive game.
Also, the "Blackout" rules aren't what they used to be, but "home market protection" is still very real. If your local team is playing at home on CBS at 1:00 PM, Fox is legally prohibited from airing a competing game in that same window in your specific zip code. It’s why you sometimes see a "SportsCenter" placeholder or a generic infomercial when you think a game should be on.
How to Handle the "Wrong" Game
If the NFL broadcast map week 12 has screwed you over and you're stuck with a game you hate, you have options. NFL+ is the league's mobile solution, but it only works for local and primetime games on your phone. If you want the "out-of-market" stuff on your big TV, YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket is still the only legal way to bypass the regional maps entirely.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Check 506 Sports on Saturday morning: This is when the final, "locked-in" maps are published after all the local station tweaks.
- Verify your local ABC affiliate: Since Monday Night Football is on ABC this week, scan your channels early to ensure your antenna signal is strong.
- Set your DVR for "America's Game of the Week": Even if you aren't an Eagles or Cowboys fan, the Burkhardt/Brady pairing is the best production value Fox offers, and it's worth a watch just for the analysis.