It’s the best time of year to be an NFL fan.
Not only are the playoff races heating up, but it’s also the point of the season where the NFL expands its schedule to four days a week.
That’s right, for the next two weeks, there will be more days in the week with an NFL game than without. Just in time for the holidays!
There should be plenty to keep an eye on as well, with seeding and playoff berths still on the line.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest storylines heading into Week 16.
Who will claim NFC’s No. 1 seed?
The Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles all enter Week 16 12-2, but only one will end the season with the all-important first-round bye.
So which team will come out on top?
The Lions currently hold the tiebreaker over both the Eagles and the Vikings and therefore control their own destiny. And that’s big because out of the three teams, it’s the Lions who could use the bye the most.
Detroit has been decimated by injuries lately, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, and that extra week of rest could allow some reinforcements to arrive for the divisional round.
The Lions’ offence is still so good, that even with practice-squad players littered all over their defence, they should be able to get by both the Chicago Bears this week and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17. But a clash with the Vikings looms in Week 18, and a loss could mean starting the playoffs on the road instead of resting at home.
With how banged up the Lions are, the smart money would probably be on the Eagles to take the conference’s top spot. Not to mention Philadelphia is the hottest team in football, winning its past 10 games.
The Eagles face their biggest remaining test of the season this weekend against the Washington Commanders, but then finish with two more divisional games against the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. If the Eagles get past the Commanders, one slip-up from the Lions and the NFC crown should be theirs.
Minnesota has the hardest remaining schedule, but people have been counting this Vikings team out all season, and they just keep proving everyone wrong.
The Vikings finish with the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and the Lions. None of them will be easy Ws, but if they can get to Week 18 with a shot, look out.
So, you’re saying there’s a chance
It’s been a disappointing season for the Cincinnati Bengals, but they’re not quite dead yet.
Per NFL.com, the Bengals enter Week 16’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns with a 5 per cent chance of claiming a post-season berth. It’s slim, but it’s there.
For the Bengals to claim the AFC’s final wild-card spot, they’ll need to win their final three games and have the Denver Broncos lose their remaining two.
What makes things extra intriguing, is that the Bengals play the Broncos in Week 17 and could help their own case in a big way.
Cincinnati’s defence has left a lot to be desired this season, but Joe Burrow is playing at MVP level and if you asked any AFC contender, seeing the Bengals in the wild-card round wouldn’t be their first choice.
The Bengals will need some help, but with a win on Sunday, things would get interesting.
The Atlanta Falcons were laughed at on draft night when they selected Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. No. 8 overall shortly after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal.
All of a sudden, the decision to draft Penix doesn’t look so bad. (The Cousins contract? Well now that’s a different story.)
With the veteran Cousins struggling, the Falcons are turning the reins over to last year’s Heisman Trophy finalist in hopes of making a push for the NFC South crown.
Penix’s first career start comes at a good time, as the Falcons host the lowly New York Giants in Week 16.
Because it’s the Giants, Penix shouldn’t need to carry the load entirely on his own in order for the Falcons to come out victorious.
It will be a good chance for Atlanta to ease the rookie into things, and will also allow them to explore a side of the playbook that was unavailable with the aging, immobile Cousins.
Expect Penix to be on the move in some designed rollouts on Sunday, which will limit his reads and allow him to use his legs when needed.
The Falcons are just one game back of the Buccaneers in the NFC South and have already secured the head-to-head tiebreaker.
If Penix leads Atlanta to a division title in his first three starts, the Falcons draft room will deserve some apologies.
Game to Watch: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5) — Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
It doesn’t get much better than a late-season AFC North clash between the Ravens and Steelers, especially with the division title hanging in the balance.
The Steelers hold a one-game lead over their rival Ravens and can lock up the division with a win on the road.
In order to do that, Pittsburgh will need a bounce-back performance from its offence, as it looked broken in a loss to the Eagles in Week 15. But the Steelers will once again be without Russell Wilson’s No. 1 WR George Pickens, who will miss a third-straight game with a hamstring injury.
Thankfully, the Steelers still have their vaunted defence to rely on. A defence that has seemed to give Ravens QB Lamar Jackson his biggest issues throughout his career.
Jackson has lost four of his five career starts against the Steelers, and Pittsburgh has sacked the two-time MVP 22 times.
The Steelers will need to limit Jackson once again on Saturday, otherwise without Pickens, their offence will have a tough time keeping pace.
Forrest’s Favourites (Season record: 20-19) — All odds courtesy of BetMGM):
Saints @ Packers — Pick: Saints +14 (-110): The Saints probably would’ve beaten the Commanders last week if QB Spencer Rattler had played the whole game. He gets the start this week and should be able to keep the Saints within two touchdowns.
49ers @ Dolphins — Pick: Dolphins -1.0 (-110): The 49ers and Dolphins are both clinging to slim playoff hopes, but the Dolphins are less banged up and are at home. Take them to get the job done.
Steelers @ Ravens — Pick: Steelers +6.5 (-110): In the last nine meetings between John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, the game has been decided by seven points or less. Why bet against that now?
Los Angeles Chargers 34, Denver Broncos 27
Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens, 4:30 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams @ New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET
New York Giants @ Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET
Minnesota Vikings @ Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers, 8:15 p.m. ET
