If you were trying to figure out which game was on your local TV back in late November 2024, you probably realized pretty quickly that the NFL coverage map week 13 2024 was a total maze. Between the three Thanksgiving games, a Black Friday exclusive on Amazon, and a CBS doubleheader, the regional maps looked like a Jackson Pollock painting.
Honestly, it was one of the most crowded weeks of the season.
Every single team was in action. No byes. That meant 16 games spread across five days, leaving fans in places like Pennsylvania or Ohio constantly checking if they were getting the marquee matchups or the local "stuck with it" special. If you lived in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, you were basically in the epicenter of the broadcast chaos.
Why the Week 13 Maps Were So Fragmented
CBS held the "doubleheader" rights for the Sunday slate, while FOX was restricted to just one game in most markets. This is usually where the confusion starts. When one network has a doubleheader, they can air games in both the early (1:00 PM ET) and late (4:25 PM ET) windows. The "singleheader" network has to pick one.
In the case of the NFL coverage map week 13 2024, CBS leveraged that late window for what many called the "Game of the Year" at the time: the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
Because that game had massive playoff implications and featured two of the league's best rushing attacks in Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, CBS sent it to almost 90% of the country. If you weren't in a market with a conflicting late-afternoon home game, you were watching Jim Nantz and Tony Romo call that showdown in Baltimore.
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CBS Early Slate: The Regional Breakdown
While the late afternoon was dominated by Philly and Baltimore, the 1:00 PM ET window was a regional patchwork. CBS had four main games fighting for airtime.
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals: This took up the lion's share of the map in the Midwest and the Northeast. Ian Eagle and Charles Davis were on the call. If you lived anywhere from Pittsburgh down through Kentucky, this was your primary broadcast.
- LA Chargers at Atlanta Falcons: A smaller slice of the map, mostly focused on the Southeast and Southern California.
- Tennessee Titans at Washington Commanders: This was largely restricted to the local markets of the two teams.
- Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots: Primarily seen in the New England area and parts of Indiana.
It’s interesting how the NFL handles these. Even if a game like Steelers-Bengals is a huge rivalry, if you lived in Atlanta, the network assumed you'd rather see the Falcons. Usually, they're right, but for out-of-market fans, this is why Sunday Ticket exists.
FOX’s Singleheader Strategy
FOX had a tough job for the NFL coverage map week 13 2024. Since they only had one window to work with, they mostly leaned into the 1:00 PM ET slot.
The "Red" game on most maps was the Arizona Cardinals at the Minnesota Vikings. Joe Davis and Greg Olsen handled this one. It was actually the only FOX game that week featuring two teams with winning records, so it got the widest distribution, covering most of the Western US and the Upper Midwest.
The rest of the FOX map was a bit more niche:
- Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets: This went to the Pacific Northwest and the New York tri-state area.
- Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars: Strictly a regional play for Texas and Florida.
- The 4:05 PM ET games: FOX also had Rams-Saints and Bucs-Panthers. Because these kicked off at 4:05 PM ET (the "late" singleheader slot), they only showed up in very specific local markets like New Orleans, LA, and the Carolinas.
The Thanksgiving and Black Friday Factor
We can't talk about the NFL coverage map week 13 2024 without mentioning the holiday games. These are "national" broadcasts, meaning there is no map. Everyone sees the same thing.
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Thanksgiving started with the Bears and Lions on CBS. That game ended in absolute disaster for Chicago—bad clock management basically cost Matt Eberflus his job shortly after. Then we had the Giants and Cowboys on FOX, which actually set massive viewership records despite both teams struggling at the time. Finally, the Dolphins and Packers played a snowy night game on NBC.
Then came Black Friday. Amazon Prime Video had the exclusive for the Raiders and Chiefs. This is the new reality of NFL viewing; you need a subscription for Friday, but the Sunday "maps" still rule the traditional airwaves.
How to Navigate Future Coverage Maps
If you are looking back at the NFL coverage map week 13 2024 to understand how the league makes these decisions, it usually boils down to three things: local interest, "A-list" announcer assignments, and playoff relevance.
The league and networks (CBS and FOX) usually finalize these maps on the Wednesday before the games. They look at which teams are "flexed" into better spots and which announcers (like Tom Brady or Tony Romo) are assigned to which games. If a big-name announcer is calling a game, the network wants as many eyes on it as possible.
Practical Steps for Fans
- Check 506 Sports: This is the gold standard for weekly maps. They usually post the color-coded maps every Wednesday morning.
- Verify Your Local Affiliate: Sometimes a station in a "fringe" area (like Western Connecticut) might choose a different game than the one in NYC.
- Use a Digital Antenna: If you're a cord-cutter, a high-quality 4K antenna is the easiest way to get your local CBS or FOX game without a streaming lag.
- Consider the "Flex" Schedule: Starting in Week 12, the NFL can move Sunday afternoon games to Sunday Night Football. Always check the schedule on Tuesday to see if your "local" game moved to a national primetime slot.
The complexity of the NFL coverage map week 13 2024 shows just how much the league values regional loyalty while trying to shove the biggest matchups down everyone's throat. It’s a balancing act that usually leaves at least one fan base annoyed that they're watching a blowout while a thriller is happening three states away.
To stay ahead of the curve for the next season, bookmark your local station's sports page or follow the lead researchers at 506 Sports on social media. They are consistently the first to catch last-minute "map flips" where a station switches games at the eleventh hour due to local pressure.