NFL Christmas Day: 4 teams in the AFC playoffs make for some strong matchups

Wednesdays have been off limits for the NFL for most of its history. For decades it was also Christmas Day.

The NFL is always looking for opportunities, and it found one when Christmas Day fell on a Wednesday this season. The league had four teams play Saturday in Week 16 and then switched opponents for Christmas so they were on the same rest as teams playing Thursday night after a Sunday game. Netflix paid to broadcast the games. And so we found ourselves with a double header of football at Christmas, on a Wednesday.

When the Kansas City Chiefs play the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens play the Houston Texans, it will double the number of games the NFL has played on a Wednesday since 1948. In 2012, the NFL scheduled its season opener between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys on a Wednesday to avoid competing with the Democratic National Convention. In 2020, COVID-19 forced the NFL to reschedule a Pittsburgh Steelers-Ravens game to Wednesday. Those are the only two Wednesday NFL games in the last 76 years. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday games will not become the norm for the NFL, although it “will be when Christmas falls on a Wednesday.”

Before 1989, the only time the NFL played on Christmas was a pair of playoff games in 1971. The NFL adjusted its schedule when Christmas fell on a Sunday to avoid playing games on that day. Then there was a Christmas game in 1989, other single games in 1993, 1994 and 1995, again in 1999 and 2000, and then a doubleheader in 2004.

After that, the NFL stopped avoiding games on Christmas, but if the holiday falls on a Sunday, the NFL will move the majority of its games to Saturday. In the first 84 NFL seasons, only eight games were played on Christmas. There have only been 30 total games on Christmas throughout NFL history. That’s what makes this year’s games unique, with the league going out of its way to get a Christmas doubleheader on a Wednesday. It looks like it will happen again in 2030, the next time Christmas falls on a Wednesday.

It’s hard to pinpoint months ahead of time which games will be meaningful in Week 17, but the NFL did well with its Christmas games, picking a few games involving four AFC playoff teams. We also get a look at how Netflix is ​​handling streaming of the games, which became a concern after problems during the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing match, which drew a massive audience.

Here is a preview of each of the two Christmas games.

Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

1 p.m. ET, Netflix

What’s on the line: Each team has a lot to play for, even if their playoff spots are secure.

The Chiefs can win the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win. They lead the Buffalo Bills in the race by two games. A loss to the Steelers would keep Buffalo alive for the No. 1 seed because the Bills have the head-to-head tiebreaker against Kansas City. A 15th win would also set a Chiefs single-season record.

The Steelers could have clinched the AFC North on Saturday with a win, but a loss to the Ravens puts pressure on them. Pittsburgh still wins the division if it wins its last two games. A loss in either game would give the Ravens a chance to take the division.

The background: The Chiefs have been one of the top stories this season, and not just because of their pursuit of a historic third consecutive Super Bowl victory. They are on an unprecedented streak of winning games by one score. The Chiefs won their 16th straight game decided by one score last week, extending their NFL record. Kansas City has won in unusual ways all season, and finds itself a win (or a loss for the Bills) after earning the best record in the AFC.

Pittsburgh is the surprise success story among the four Christmas teams. There were questions about the Steelers before the season, but a strong defense and Russell Wilson’s resurgence have led them to double-digit wins and a playoff berth. Wilson is coming off a two-turnover game and has struggled without the No. 1 receiver George Pickens, who has missed three games with a hamstring injury. Pickens has a chance to return this week, which would be a huge help to the offense.

Baltimore Ravens (10-5) at Houston Texans (9-6)

4:30 p.m. ET, Netflix

What’s on the line: The Ravens stayed alive for the AFC North title with a win over the Steelers last week. A Steelers loss in the early game would put Baltimore in control of the division.

Of the four teams playing on Christmas, the Texans have the least at stake. They have already won the AFC South and will very likely be the no. 4 seed, although there is a chance to move up to no. 3 seed at the end of the season. Still, they want to gain some momentum before starting their playoff push after losing to the Chiefs last week.

The background: The Ravens have more to worry about than Lamar Jackson’s MVP case, but that’s also part of the story for Wednesday’s game. Josh Allen leads the MVP race, but he didn’t have a big day against the New England Patriots in Week 16. Jackson’s stats are comparable to Allen’s and in some ways better. A huge game for Jackson against a good Texans defense on a big stage could begin to change the narrative of the MVP race. Jackson has already won two MVPs, and a third is not out of the question.

The Texans are trying to rally from a tough injury last week. Receiver Tank Dell suffered a knee injury against the Chiefs and was transported to the hospital after being carted off the field. That means Houston has lost Stefon Diggs and Dell to major injuries, making it even more difficult for quarterback CJ Stroud, who is having another slump after a stellar rookie season. He has more than doubled his interception total, throwing 11 this season after just five as a rookie.