Vikings-Eagles moved to prime time

DETROIT -- The Vikings' game at Philadelphia on Dec. 26 has been "flexed" to a Sunday night start on NBC, meaning that instead of kicking off at noon CST it will now begin at 7:20 p.m. CST. That means the Vikings will play three consecutive night games, including two that had been scheduled to start at noon. Minnesota will "play host" to the New York Giants at 6:20 p.m. today at Ford Field in Detroit because the roof of the Metrodome collapsed on Sunday morning. The Vikings will then play host to the Chicago Bears at 7:30 p.m. next Monday in a game that had been on the schedule all season as a prime-time start. It's still not clear where that game will be played but it's looking as if there is a chance it could end up at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus. That will be followed by the Philadelphia game and then finally the Jan. 2 regular-season finale at Detroit at noon. Clearly, the Vikings-Eagles was moved to replace the San Diego-Cincinnati game because the NFL and NBC like the potential of getting Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick into prime time. The Eagles are atop the NFC East at 9-4 -- the Giants are 8-4 entering tonight's game -- and there is no doubt NBC is hoping Brett Favre will be able to play in what is supposed to be the second-to-last game of his 20-year career that night. The Eagles are 5-0 this season in prime-time games. As far as the Vikings' situation with playing their regular-season finale in the Metrodome, this is a flud suituation at best. Having been inside the building on Sunday to see the damage it's hard to imagine that everything can be repaired by a week from now. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement today that "the Vikings are keeping us informed. We will continue to stay in close contact with the team regarding the status of the dome."