Houston may be an "AFC city" but Fox is the "NFC network". Usually, the network tells each affiliate what game they are getting but an affiliate will, at times, get permission to be switched to another game they perceive will draw better ratings, sometimes because of college ties or because of divisional rivalries.
I've noticed whenever Fox is sending a game to the DFW market, they will send them a game involving an NFC East team if they can't show the Cowboys. But logic doesn't always seem to win out and you have excellent points. All I can tell you is the suits at Fox thought the SB champs versus the top NFC team this year was more attractive to local viewers than the Patriots and Lions and the local Fox affiliate did nothing to protest it.
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