Panthers vs. Eagles: Lackluster Matchup Proves MNF No Longer Marquee Weekly Game

Everyone outside of the greater Charlotte and Philadelphia areas has been looking at this week’s Monday Night Football matchup with confusion and frustration.

With two underachieving teams, several injured stars and two coaches who are just barely hanging onto their jobs, many NFL fans without any vested interest in this game are likely to be watching Seinfeld reruns tonight.

Even those football enthusiasts who plan to prove their devotion to the game and sit through all four quarters—wouldn’t you rather be watching any other matchup from this weekend (with the possible exception of Jacksonville vs. Tennessee)?

There have been a few fantastic Monday night games this year, with the Denver Broncos' comeback victory over the San Diego Chargers standing tall as the best of the bunch.

However, with matchups like the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers already in the past—and more eye-rollers like the New York Jets against the Tennessee Titans in the future—it's clear Monday Night Football fails to deliver quality contests on a consistent basis. 

This is in stark contrast to NBC’s Sunday Night Football, which benefits from flexible scheduling. If a game like the one that is being played this week on Monday Night Football were scheduled for the previous day, it would have been moved out of prime time.

While Monday Night Football has become an institution with unparalleled tradition, the mystique is waning due to a handful of matchups every season like the Eagles against the Panthers.

Sunday Night Football consistently draws higher Nielsen ratings than Monday Night Football. However, this is heavily influenced by MNF matchups being shown on cable television, while SNF is broadcast on network TV.

Ratings aside, the quality of the games is the chief concern among fans, and there simply is no comparison. Each and every week, two quality teams battle on Sunday nights.

The game that is set for tonight conclusively proves that this is not the same for the Monday night matchups.