Saturday
Houston Texans (9-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (13-1), 1 p.m. ET, NBC
After the Texans clinched the AFC South division title for the second consecutive season last week, they can breathe a little easier about the rough road ahead. It’s the same schedule the Chiefs are on with a Saturday game before playing again Wednesday in the NFL’s Christmas Day spotlight games. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (ankle) was hobbled and Carson Wentz finished the 21-7 win at Cleveland last week, but he’ll answer the bell for Kansas City on Saturday. There’s some concern about the health and performance of the offensive line safeguarding Mahomes after he was hit 12 times last week. The Texans boast the only tandem of defenders with 10-plus sacks – Danielle Hunter with 12 and Will Anderson Jr. at 10.5 – and Houston’s secondary has playmaking chops starting with CB Derek Stingley Jr. With the AFC West title in hand plus a two-game lead over the Buffalo Bills in the race for the top seed in the conference, the Chiefs still are playing for something: a win couple with a Buffalo tie or loss vs. New England gives Kansas City a first-round playoff bye and homefield through the conference title game.
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) at Baltimore Ravens (9-5), 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX
The Steelers clinched a playoff berth for the fourth time in the past five seasons but Saturday’s game will go a long way toward determining the AFC North champion, which will get a home game in the playoffs. The Ravens are coming off a 35-14 beatdown of the Giants, their league-leading sixth game with at least 35 points. There are some sweaty palms in Baltimore over the recent accuracy issues of PK Justin Tucker, who went 1-for-3 in the 18-16 loss at Pittsburgh last month. Two weeks later in a home loss against the Eagles (24-19), Tucker missed an extra point and two more FG attempts. QB Lamar Jackson has done his part, but still is searching for answers against the Steelers. He had his worst game of the season – 16 of 33, 207 yards, TD, INT – at Pittsburgh in a year he had otherwise dominated at every turn. He has nine games with two-plus TD passes and zero interceptions, a streak only Tom Brady (11, 2010) and Aaron Rodgers (three times) have pushed to 10 games in a single season. Pittsburgh is 5-2 all-time against Jackson, who has five TDs and eight INTs against the Steelers, forcing him to contend with edge pressure from T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Sunday
Detroit Lions (12-2) at Chicago Bears (4-10), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
The last undefeated team on the road this season, the Lions are 6-0 and driven to prove injuries and last week’s loss won’t derail their season. Having the NFL’s highest-scoring offense (32.8 points per game) helps their cause. The Lions have work to do with the Eagles riding a 10-game winning streak and the Vikings also tied with Detroit for the NFC’s best record. Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown is 0-2 since he replaced Matt Eberflus one day after Chicago’s bungled clock management in the final minute of a 23-20 loss at Detroit. Chicago returns home trying again to end a losing streak that stands at eight games. Brown says the Bears are still fighting. Lopsided losses at San Francisco, 38-13, and Minnesota, 30-12, aren’t helping Brown’s case. Chicago has been outscored 53-0 in the first half of its past three contests.
Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) at Washington Commanders (9-5), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Ground-and-pound Philly went to the air last week to hush concerns over the working relationship between QB Jalen Hurts and WR A.J. Brown. But the recipe for success this season for the Eagles has been an unstoppable ground game. With a single-season franchise-record 10 consecutive wins, the Eagles streak into Washington behind Hurts and NFL leading rusher Saquon Barkley. Barkley leads the NFL with a franchise-record 1,688 rushing yards and 1,964 total yards. He also owns Washington, averaging 136.2 yards per scrimmage against the franchise dating to his days with the Giants. But Barkley destroyed the Commanders in the first meeting this season, racking up 198 total yards and two rushing TDs. He has 1,362 total yards and 10 touchdowns (six rushing, four receiving) in 10 career games against Washington. The Commanders are in playoff position with three games to go. A loss to the Eagles would set up a critical matchup with the Falcons (7-7) next week. Washington’s Jayden Daniels is the fourth rookie quarterback in league history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards.
Arizona Cardinals (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (3-11), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
The Cardinals are flirting with NFC playoff position after halting a three-game losing streak with a 30-17 victory over the visiting New England Patriots last weekend. But the margin is thin in an overcrowded wildcard race. The Panthers have lost four games in a row entering the home finale and closer to the top of the 2025 draft than the playoffs. There are signs of life from the Panthers despite growing pains. Carolina lost tight games to divisional leaders Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia before dropping a 30-14 decision to the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday. Running backs are critical to the success of both teams. Cardinals RB James Conner has rushed for a team-high 973 rushing yards and had 110 yards to beat New England for his second-highest total of the season and his fifth 100-yard game this season. Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark earlier this month, but he was held to the second-lowest total of the season with 32 yards on the ground last week.
New York Giants (2-12) at Atlanta Falcons (7-7), 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Quarterback changes are commonplace for the Giants this season and New York turns to Drew Lock for his third start in 2024 after Tim Boyle and Tommy DeVito split the chores in Week 15. There’s no split in Atlanta where rookie Michael Penix Jr. is ticketed for his debut. The Falcons made the move knowing time is short to find the passing lane with the playoffs still within reach but their offense skidding and erratic behind Kirk Cousins. Penix was a Heisman Trophy finalist and took Washington to the national championship game last season. The 24-year-old receives high marks from teammates for maturity and accuracy. But this week’s practices represented his first extended work with top targets, pointing to a plan of pounding Bijan Robinson and Tyson Allgeier against New York’s injury-riddled defense. The Giants are allowing 4.9 yards per carry and the Ravens gained 170 rushing yards last week.
Cleveland Browns (3-11) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-8), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Joe Burrow might be on the road to the greatest 9-8 – perhaps worse – season in league history and his top target is right there with him. Ja’Marr Chase, 43 yards shy of the franchise mark for single-season receiving yards, leads the NFL with 102 receptions, 1,413 receiving yards and 15 touchdown receptions and can become the third player in NFL history with at least 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 15 TD receptions in his first 15 games in a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Randy Moss (2003) and Jerry Rice (1995). Burrow had two TD passes in the Week 7 matchup with the Browns. He leads the NFL with 3,977 pass yards and 36 TD passes. Cleveland is turning to Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback. He makes his fourth career start with Jameis Winston benched and RB Nick Chubb (knee) placed on IR this week. WR Jerry Jeudy has been the best playmaker on the Browns’ roster since the last game against Cincinnati, ranking second in the NFL with 786 receiving yards since Week 8.
Tennessee Titans (3-11) at Indianapolis Colts (6-8), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Anthony Richardson survived the QB yoyo earlier in the season but the Titans still are trying to find the right fit behind center entering Week 16. Mason Rudolph was named the starter following another turnover-filled showing by Will Levis. Levis tossed three interceptions and coughed up a fumble in 2 1/2 quarters, getting the hook after giving up a pick-six that helped sink the Titans to a 3-11 mark. If the Titans don’t win this game and stack a few more losses, they should be in position to look for a new face of the franchise at QB should first-year coach Brian Callahan decide to start over. Turnovers hurt the Colts last week in a loss at Denver that erased playoff aspirations. Richardson has three consecutive home starts without an INT. Richardson has made just 14 NFL starts due to injuries that cost him most of last year, is completing only 47 percent of his passes for 1,683 yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2024.
Los Angeles Rams (8-6) at New York Jets (4-10), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Rams rookie DE Kobie Turner and LB Jared Verse are helping turn the Los Angeles defensive into a surging strength. Turner had 2.0 sacks last week and Verse leads all rookies with 11 tackles for loss. Resurgent QB Aaron Rodgers and the Jets know all too well that protection has been a pain point. Rodgers and WR Davante Adams are fully reconnected. Adams had nine catches for 198 yards and two TDs in Week 15 and the Rams have allowed 23 TD passes. Rodgers gets another matchup with former division rival Matthew Stafford. Stafford was with the Lions and in the NFC North during most of Rodgers’ run with the Packers. His targets are big-play threats, too. Cooper Kupp was held without a reception last Thursday at San Francisco but Puka Nacua had seven grabs. If he gets 100 receiving yards Sunday, Nacua would join Justin Jefferson and Odell Beckham Jr. as the only players with 12 games of 100-plus receiving yards in their first two seasons.
New England Patriots (3-11) at Buffalo Bills (11-3), 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Josh Allen appears to be on a one-way path to his first NFL MVP award, long removed from offseason worries the Bills would take a step back without a defined No. 1 receiver. By beating the Lions 48-42 last week, Buffalo became the fifth team to score 30 points in eight consecutive games in a single season and first since the 2013 Denver Broncos. Allen has 36 combined passing and rushing touchdowns (25 passing, 11 rushing) and can join Aaron Rodgers (six seasons) as the only players in NFL history with five career seasons with at least 40 combined passing and rushing touchdowns. All of those accomplishments are window dressing to Buffalo’s search for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which requires two wins over the Patriots in the next three weeks and a little luck given Kansas City’s 13-1 record. Sunday marks the first game for Patriots QB Drake Maye in the AFC East rivalry. A win Sunday would be No. 75 in the regular season for Allen, tying Russell Wilson for the most in league history for a quarterback through his first seven seasons.
Minnesota Vikings (12-2) at Seattle Seahawks (8-6), 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
A seven-game winning streak is the tailwind for the Vikings as they touch down in Seattle, but neither team is locked into playoff positioning. Minnesota clinched a postseason bid but shares the NFC’s best record with the Eagles and Lions. If the Vikings can survive the Seahawks, Packers and Lions unscathed and finish 15-2, they’ll have the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson would become the third player in league history to start his career with five consecutive 1,300-yard seasons with just 57 yards in the next three weeks. The Seahawks are back in chase mode. Seattle had a four-game winning streak snapped by the Packers in Week 15 and coughed up the NFC West lead last week. The Seahawks fell behind the Rams (8-6) but can set up a meaningful Week 18 date with Los Angeles. Geno Smith (knee) is pushing through an injury and leading rusher Kenneth Walker III (calf) is expected to play after missing the past two games.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-12), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said the franchise is measuring effort and intensity in the final games of the 2024 season to determine which players are worth keeping around. Backup-turn-QB1 Mac Jones set season highs had 294 passing yards, 29 rushing yards, 31 completions and two TD passes last week. Leaning on rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr., who had 10-105-2 last week, Jones has found a rhythm the offense lacked in previous weeks. Not much has gone according to plan for either team and the Raiders are starting a third different quarterback in four games with former Jaguars starter Gardner Minshew out for the season and Desmond Ridder back to the bench with Aidan O’Connell returning from a knee bruise. The Raiders are down top talent elsewhere, too, placing DE Maxx Crosby on IR this week. Las Vegas is leaning into its own first-round receiver, TE Brock Bowers, to put up points. Bowers is tied for fourth in NFL with 90 catches and ranked No. 8 in the league with 968 receiving yards.
San Francisco 49ers (6-8) at Miami Dolphins (6-8), 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Brock Purdy doesn’t seem to mind hitting the road and has 23 touchdowns and two interceptions in his past 10 starts away from home. The 49ers beat Miami in 2022 in Purdy’s first career start on a run to the NFC Championship game but fortunes are down on both sides of this matchup. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa looks to rebound from a rough outing against the Texans last week. He leads the NFL in completion percentage at 75.6 and is second in the NFL with 2,169 passing yards since Week 8. Injuries are a running theme for both teams. San Francisco likely is to be down to its fourth starting running back with rookie Isaac Guerendo out, leaving Patrick Taylor and Isreal Abanikanda to fill the role. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill is dealing with multiple ailments but is expected to play.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) at Dallas Cowboys (6-8), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Armed with a four-game winning streak and desperate to hold a one-game lead in the NFC South over the Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers enter playoff mode early. Dallas has three wins in the past four games, but the Cowboys are three games behind Washington. The Commanders (9-5) hold the final wild-card spot in the NFC entering Week 16 and the Cowboys are given a 1 percent chance of qualifying for the playoffs by NFL.com playoff predictor. Their last two wins came against teams long eliminated from the playoff picture, Carolina (3-11) and the New York Giants (2-12). Tampa Bay’s voluminous offense looms as troubling for a Dallas defense that has allowed 380 points to carry a worrisome minus-82 point differential. The Buccaneers lead the NFL with eight games of 400-plus total yards and four games with both 300-plus yards passing and more than 100 rushing. The Los Angeles Chargers were the NFL’s best scoring defense before the Bucs arrived last week and delivered a 40-17 thrashing led by QB Baker Mayfield tossing four TDs to add to his career-high 32.
–Field Level Media
