NFL Week 16 preview: While some are aiming to make the playoffs, others are hoping to be a spoiler.
As the weekend approaches, it’s starting to look a lot like playoff, er, Christmas. The next three days are packed with key Week 16 NFL matchups, and some clubs are writing to Santa – or the football gods – to request a postseason berth. Others are merely aiming to stay in the playoff picture with only three regular-season weeks remaining. There are other athletes pursuing career milestones, while others aim to continue developing an MVP resume.
So, deck the halls in your favorite team’s jerseys and brace yourself for an action-packed Week 16, beginning with the game everyone is looking forward to witnessing.
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GAME OF THE WEEK: BALTIMORE RAVENS VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
The No. 1 seeds in both the AFC and NFC square off on Christmas Eve to round out Week 16, and there’s no better way to cap the holiday season. Both clubs have already won a postseason spot, with the 49ers also clinching the NFC West title. Speaking of records and MVP resumes, Christian McCaffrey is having a season to remember, leading the NFL in scrimmage yards (1,292 rushing, 509 catching) and touchdowns (20).
If McCaffrey scores two rushing touchdowns on Monday, he will join Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and O.J. Simpson, as well as Ahman Green and Alvin Kamara, as the sixth player in NFL history with at least 15 rushing touchdowns and five touchdown receptions in a season. Brock Purdy, the 49ers’ quarterback who is also vying for MVP, could become the first quarterback in NFL history to achieve a 119.0 passing rating or better in seven consecutive games.
Justin Madubuike, who already has a career-high 12 sacks this season for the Ravens, may become only the second player in NFL history to record at least half a sack in 12 straight games. He’d be following in the footsteps of Jevon Kearse, who did so during the 1999-2000 season.
GAMES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PLAYOFFS
Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans: Dec. 24, 1 p.m. ET
Despite the absence of Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ defense and a rotating cast of quarterbacks have pushed them to a 9-5 record into Sunday’s game against the 8-6 Texans. So, the Browns can make the playoffs in a variety of ways, but the most important thing is to win the game. Then they’ll have to look at clubs like the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Indianapolis Colts to see if they can pick up a victory or a loss.
Meanwhile, the Texans are 8-6 and just outside the postseason picture. However, C.J. Stroud is unlikely to return for Houston, forcing head coach DeMeco Ryans to rely on veteran Case Keenum.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Dec. 25, 1 p.m. ET
This playoff scenario is more simpler than the last one, as the Chiefs merely need to win to secure their playoff spot. In Week 12, they defeated the Raiders, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes throwing for 298 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders are still in the playoff picture, so they aren’t going to let their AFC West foe walk all over them. The Chiefs may potentially make the playoffs with a tie against the Raiders and a Broncos loss.
Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys: Dec. 24, 4:25 p.m. ET
This is another game with game-of-the-week potential. The Dolphins are attempting to cement their playoff berth, while the Cowboys are attempting to avenge a humiliating loss to the Bills. Dak Prescott and company didn’t have their secret sauce in Buffalo, halting a five-game victory streak he helped put together in a 31-10 loss. In the meantime, the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets for the second time this season. To make the playoffs, Miami must beat the Cowboys and have the Bills lose or tie, or tie and have Buffalo lose. Despite the setback, the Cowboys punched their ticket last week.
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings: Dec. 24, 1 p.m. ET
The Lions are in position to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season thanks to a strong win over the Broncos last Saturday. It wasn’t set in stone last week due to the Seattle Seahawks’ victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. A win or tie over the playoff-hungry Vikings, on the other hand, would not only secure a playoff spot but would also give Detroit the NFC North crown. If they do lose to Minnesota, another Seahawks loss will put them in the playoffs.
The Vikings, on the other hand, want to keep their No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs, and head coach Kevin O’Connell believes Nick Mullens can deliver his first win as a starter after falling in overtime to the Bengals last week.
NOW FOR THE SPOILER
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants: Dec. 25, 4:30 p.m. ET
These two NFC East rivals will meet for the first time this season, and quarterback Jalen Hurts is eager to blow off some steam after the Seahawks’ remarkable comeback improved the Eagles’ record to 10-4. That’s three straight losses for Philadelphia, and there’s no better chance to get back on track than against a team you’ve defeated in each of the last four meetings.
At the same time, while Tommy DeVito’s winning streak ended last week, the Giants are not technically eliminated from contention for the playoffs. While they are unlikely to make the playoffs, one can always play spoiler, upsetting certain seeds or outright eliminating a team from contention. With the Eagles already in the playoffs, this scenario would be seeding, and it would be even sweeter to defeat a rival.
Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Chargers: Dec. 23, 8 p.m. ET
Last week’s victory over Dallas was just what this Bills squad needed. It handed them back-to-back victories over very good teams (the Chiefs two weeks ago), and at 8-6, they’re on the verge of making the playoffs. They have a great matchup against the Chargers, who are still without Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen. Easton Stick will be back at quarterback, as we saw against the Raiders on December 14. It wasn’t a good experience. And here’s a fun fact: Josh Allen has a touchdown pass and a running score in ten games this season, the most in an NFL season.
Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers: Dec. 24, 1 p.m. ET
Can they pull it off again? Can Carolina win its third game of the season while also changing the playoff bracket? Eddy Pineiro’s game-winning field goal last week may have ruined the Atlanta Falcons’ playoff chances, and now they face a Packers squad that has lost two straight games and is 6-8 in the NFC race. Jordan Love and his team understand that this is a must-win game if they want to stay in the race, especially with the final wild-card berth still 7-7 on the season.
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots: Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. ET
So the Patriots will not make the playoffs and will instead focus on next year’s NFL Draft, where a quarterback may be selected. However, it doesn’t mean they can’t derail some postseason dreams. The Broncos’ loss to the Lions dropped their season record to 7-7, good for 11th seeding in the AFC. Another setback would be disastrous for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton. New England is traditionally a difficult place to play at this time of year, and while Bill Belichick may look to be a grump, he’d adore Christmas if it meant a win.
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