It's officially the most wonderful time of the year, yes, because of the holiday season. But Week 16 of the NFL regular season is also fueling these feelings.
The playoff race has reached an intense level: Three more teams have a chance to join the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers in the playoff field this weekend, and a second group of teams will continue to compete for improved positions .
The action began Thursday in Los Angeles, where the playoff hopeful Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints to improve to 8-7. Things got tighter in the AFC playoff race on Saturday: The Buffalo Bills (9-6) defeated the Los Angeles Chargers and won their third straight win, moving them into sixth place. Earlier in the day, the Pittsburgh Steelers easily defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, dropping them to 8-7 and ending their postseason hopes.
Christmas Eve brings us another 10 games, and Christmas Day brings us three more, with the battle between the Ravens and 49ers at Levi's Stadium being the grand finale.
Here are five of the top storylines to watch this weekend. (Find the NFL Week 16 schedule here.)
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Week 16 NFL playoff scenarios: Chiefs, Dolphins, Lions, Browns in the hunt
1. Lions, division title chances and history, oh my!
Dan Campbell's team has led the NFC North all season. On Sunday, Detroit (10-4) can secure the division title with a win over the Minnesota Vikings (7-7). It's significant for several reasons: It would be the Lions' first league title since 1993, their first playoff appearance since 2016 and their 11th win of the season. Detroit has won more than ten games only four times since the franchise was founded in 1930 as the Portsmouth Spartans. (Lions at Vikings, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET.)
It's another high-risk assignment for Joe Flacco and the Browns in Houston, where Cleveland (9-5) will try to stay in the AFC wild-card race.
This week, the 38-year-old Flacco faces another backup quarterback who is forced into action because of an injury to his team's starter. Case Keenum, who has played for seven franchises in 11 seasons, will make his second straight start as rookie CJ Stroud is sidelined by lingering concussion symptoms. The Texans (8-6) are in eighth place in the AFC, so they need this win to improve their chances of making the seven-team conference playoffs.
Keenum, 35, is familiar with the Browns, having played for them in 2020 and 2021 and starting two of the nine games in which he appeared. Both teams will use a similar recipe for success: strong running games, aggressive defensive attacks and smart play from their experienced quarterbacks. The quarterback who is able to keep mistakes to a minimum, extend drives and make a handful of splash plays should emerge victorious. (Browns at Texans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET.)
3. The Cowboys' big test at the Dolphins
The Cowboys (10-4) are already in the playoffs but can take a step toward the NFC East with a win on Sunday over the host Dolphins. Miami also goes into this game with great motivation: with a win they will secure their second playoff participation in a row. The Cowboys and Dolphins still have a lot to prove if they pursue those playoff goals.
Until last week's 31-10 loss at Buffalo, Dallas was one of the hottest teams in the league and appeared to be on its way to a championship. The Cowboys need to prove they can bounce back from last week's embarrassing loss, and to do that they need to put in a top-notch performance on the road – which has proven to be their biggest challenge. This season, the Cowboys are 7-0 at home while holding an impressive +171 point lead. But on the road they lose significantly in effectiveness: they are 3-4 with a difference of minus 4 points.
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In the meantime, the Dolphins need to prove they can beat a competitive team. Their 10-4 record is certainly impressive, but Miami is 0-3 against teams with winning records this season. The teams that have defeated the Dolphins are a combined 37-75.
If either of them expects strong playoff success this season, the Cowboys and Dolphins must take steps this weekend to change history. (Cowboys at Dolphins, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET.)
4. There's a lot at stake for the Chiefs and Eagles
The Chiefs and Eagles were the best last season when they met in the Super Bowl, a game Kansas City narrowly won. For a good portion of this season, both seemed poised to continue their dominance. Still, the Chiefs (9-5) have lost three of their last five games, and the Eagles (10-4) have lost three games in a row. Both need wins to get back on track and build momentum for the postseason.
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Both have division games at home this weekend, the Chiefs against the Raiders (6-8) and the Eagles against the Giants (5-9). Can the suddenly offensively challenged Chiefs get their groove back? (A win or a draw and a loss for the Denver Broncos gets them into the playoffs.) Can the Eagles, whose defense is under intense scrutiny, break out of their panic? (Raiders at Chiefs, Monday, 1:00 p.m. ET; Giants at Eagles, Monday, 4:30 p.m. ET.)
5. Ravens-49ers: Super Bowl preview?
NFL schedulers have blessed us with big matchups in recent weeks, but they may have saved the best for Monday night when the NFC-leading 49ers and AFC-leading Ravens square off.
The Ravens are hot, having won four straight and eight of their last nine. The 49ers have won six straight and appear to be the most versatile team in the league. Despite their different approaches, they have similarities: both have impressive defenses. Both have balanced offenses and are led by MVP-candidate quarterbacks. Could this game be a preview of the Super Bowl? Perhaps. Will Lamar Jackson or Brock Purdy be different in the eyes of MVP voters? Which defense will prevail against two explosive offenses? Get your popcorn! (Ravens at 49ers, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET.)
(Photos by Christian McCaffrey, Dan Campbell, Joe Flacco: Gregory Shamus and Quinn Harris / Getty Images)
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