CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from Dec. 8, 2020.
Regardless of their record, it isn't often that "America's Team" gets flexed out of a primetime matchup.
But earlier this week, that's exactly what happened, with the NFL announcing that the Cleveland Browns' Week 15 matchup against the New York Giants will now air on Sunday Night Football in place of the originally scheduled contest between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.
For the Cowboys, it marked just the latest hit in a season that's been full of them as they enter Week 14 laying claim to a 3-9 record. And it didn't sit well with Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, who called his former team being flexed out of primetime in favor of the Browns "a new low."
"Isn't that crazy, man? My mind goes everywhere. I'm an analyst, I look at this and say this is crazy what's happening here," Irvin, who now serves as an analyst for the NFL Network, told Shan and RJ on 105.3 The Fan on Friday. "[In Week 4] we suffered when they had 307 yards rushing. Who? The Cleveland Browns against the Dallas Cowboys. Last week, after Baltimore ran for [294]yards, they were like, 'oh my, God. We can't put this on Sunday Night Football.'
"And who did they replace us with? The 307 rushing yard Cleveland Browns! Can you imagine the Dallas Cowboys flexed out for the Cleveland Browns? Honestly, honestly, that's a new low."
To "The Playmaker's" point, you'd have to go all the way back to 2006 to find the last time Dallas was flexed out of a primetime spot. But it would also be tough to argue with the NFL's logic, considering that the Cowboys and 49ers are both seemingly out of the playoff race, while the Browns and Giants -- to varying degrees -- remain in postseason contention.
Not to mention, just like the Cowboys, the Browns lay claim to a nationwide fanbase. All that's to say, when it comes to 2020, one could argue that "America's Team" resides in Cleveland, not Dallas.