- The winner of the Rams-Seahawks game will become the NFC’s projected No. 1 playoff seed.
- Multiple teams, including the Bills, Jaguars, Chargers, and Patriots, will attempt to clinch playoff berths on Sunday.
Did you have Rams-Seahawks (Part 2) circled as the potential NFL game of the year when the schedule came out seven months ago? It’s certainly a nice win for the Prime Video crew that will stream the NFC West rematch one month after the Rams held on for a 21-19 win in Los Angeles, a game Seattle nearly won despite QB Sam Darnold’s four interceptions. The winner of Thursday night’s showdown of 11-3 squads will wind up as the NFC’s projected No. 1 playoff seed and NFC West leader while the loser will be relegated into the conference’s fifth spot … at least for now.
But make no mistake, the remainder of Week 16 will also feature consequential matchups.
Saturday, the Philadelphia Eagles can secure the NFC East title and eliminate the Dallas Cowboys by defeating the Washington Commanders. And first place in the NFC North will also be on the line Saturday night as the Packers and Bears meet for the second time in three weeks, this time in Chicago. One of those teams will lock up a playoff berth over the weekend if the Detroit Lions lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
The NFC South will take center stage Dec. 21 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers meet in the first of two matchups over the next three weeks that should determine the division’s winner and lone playoff participant. The Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, LA Chargers and New England Patriots, who play the Baltimore Ravens on ‘Sunday Night Football,’ will all attempt to clinch playoff berths Sunday.
Monday night, the San Francisco 49ers could also punch their playoff ticket, though the focus of their nationally televised game is certain to be on Indianapolis Colts QB Philip Rivers’ first game at Lucas Oil Stadium in five years.
Got all of that, folks? Enjoy this pre-Holiday smorgasbord as USA TODAY Sports’ panel of NFL experts shares its outlook for the Week 16 rundown:
(Odds provided by BetMGM)
Week 16 picks, predictions, odds
- Rams at Seahawks
- Eagles at Commanders
- Packers at Bears
- Chiefs at Titans
- Vikings at Giants
- Buccaneers at Panthers
- Jets at Saints
- Chargers at Cowboys
- Bills at Browns
- Bengals at Dolphins
- Falcons at Cardinals
- Jaguars at Broncos
- Steelers at Lions
- Raiders at Texans
- Patriots at Ravens
- 49ers at Colts