:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65952543/1181523705.jpg.0.jpg)
Week 16 has arrived in the NFL, and with it comes the end of Thursday Night Football. Instead, the penultimate week of the regular season brings a trio of games on Saturday, and this year’s Saturday games are long on playoff intrigue. Each of the three games on this week’s schedule features at least one playoff team, with the second and third contests consisting of divisional matchups that will affect playoff seeding at the very least.
Early on, NFL fans will get a matchup between the AFC South-leading Texans and the somewhat surprising Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite being out of the playoff hunt, Tampa has played well of late, winning four straight games thanks in large part to huge passing yardage numbers from Jameis Winston. However, Houston needs a win to clinch the South.
In the late afternoon game, the Buffalo Bills have a chance to pull even with the New England Patriots and bring the AFC East down to the wire in week 17. Then in the late game, the Rams will need a win over the 49ers to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Green Bay Packers fans should be cheering for the Rams hard on Saturday evening. The Packers still have a chance to win home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs if they win out, but they need help in the form of a loss by each of the 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. With the 49ers having a tough matchup this week and the two teams playing one another in week 17 (quite possibly to decide the division), a 49ers loss to the Rams and then a San Francisco victory next week would do it if the Packers win both of their remaining games as well.
Here’s the schedule for today’s games, and enjoy a bonus day of NFL football on this pre-holiday weekend.
Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET
Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Commentators: Rich Eisen, Nate Burleson, Joe Thomas, Melissa Stark
TV Network: NFL Network
Streaming: NFL.com/NFLNSpecial
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
Kickoff Time: 4:30 PM ET
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
Commentators: Mike Tirico, Kurt Warner, Peter Schrager
TV Network: NFL Network
Streaming: NFL.com/NFLNSpecial
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET
Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Commentators: Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis, Pam Oliver
TV Network: NFL Network
Streaming: NFL.com/NFLNSpecial