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ESPN will air Bengals-Cowboys alternate lineup

Posted on by L. Dreeye
ESPN will air Bengals-Cowboys alternate lineup

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Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys fans were desperate to escape reality in 2024. Luckily for them, ESPN and the NFL have a way to make this possible. The game was moved to Springfield, the site of the famous nuclear power plant from the long-running sitcom The Simpsons.

It’s being called “Simpsons Funday Football,” although it remains a mystery how much fun these two fan bases will have if their battle continues. Both teams approached the campaign with high expectations and fell short time and time again. In the words of Homer Simpson: “Children, you tried your best, but you failed. The lesson is: never try.”

While that won’t happen in the NFL, the Cowboys and Bengals are at a crossroads. Dallas made the decision to pay big money to Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and other stars, leaving them short of money from a salary cap standpoint. These contracts appear to limit this core’s ability to win going forward.

Bengals stuck in a familiar place. They have to pay for some of their top talent, but Cincinnati is not a team that typically pays at those positions. This only darkened their lives in 2024, leaving their future in doubt.

It’s fitting that this particular match will take place at Atoms Stadium in Springfield. Here’s everything you need to know about the alternate line-up.

What is The Simpsons NFL Stream?

Inspired by the success of alternative sports broadcasts, The Simpsons is just the latest installment. In an ongoing effort to expand and find new ways to entertain audiences, the NFL has previously turned to Nickelodeon and Disney Pixar’s Toy Story.

While the Toy Story version turned out to be a one-off for the Week 4 matchup of the 2023 season between the Jaguars and Falcons in London, the Nickelodeon gimmick is here to stay. The slime-inspired alternate cast was a hit and earned a spot in the broadcast lineup for Super Bowl 58. Disney and ESPN even tested their animation capabilities on a version of the NHL game “Big City Greens,” which looks set to become an annual tradition.

Following the acquisition of The Simpsons as part of 21st Century Fox’s acquisition in 2019, the stage was set for this Week 14 title to become a reality. According to the release, the live-action animation will feature Bart as the Bengals and Homer as the Cowboys. Marge and Lisa will interview players while Maggie operates the SkyCam.

The project will also feature voice actors Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner and Yeardley Smith. The broadcast will feature skits and other pre-recorded content, as well as some special scenes from the show’s producers. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky are set to file a lawsuit.

When does The Simpsons NFL air?

Fans wanting to see action in Springfield will have to wait until Dec. 9 to see the Week 14 matchup. Anyone who wants to see Atoms Stadium can watch it on ESPN+, Disney+ and NFL+.

Fans looking for a traditional viewing experience can still tune into ESPN to hear Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters. The Week 14 matchup will feature a “ManningCast” with Peyton and Eli Manning.

Stream Monday Night Football with an ESPN+ subscription

Who will play in the Simpsons game?

The Dallas Cowboys will host the Cincinnati Bengals in the first episode of The Simpsons. While the actual competition will be held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, in this version the teams will compete in their hometown of Springfield.

While teams hope their fortunes will change, things are different this season for Millhouse.

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