Week 17 is usually where the wheels fall off for some and the engine finally purrs for others. Honestly, the nfl wk 17 schedule for the 2025-2026 season looks like it was designed by someone who enjoys watching stress levels rise in real-time. We’ve got a massive tripleheader on Christmas Day, two huge Saturday matchups, and a Sunday Night Football game that might actually decide who gets to skip the first round of the playoffs.
If you're trying to plan your life around these games, good luck. The league has scattered these across Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and the usual broadcast suspects. It’s a lot to track.
The Christmas Day Takeover
Thursday, December 25th is basically an NFL holiday now. Forget the NBA for a second; the NFL is parking itself on your couch with three massive games. The day starts at 1:00 p.m. ET with the Dallas Cowboys heading to the Washington Commanders. This is airing on Netflix. Yeah, you heard that right. Netflix is in the football business now.
Later that afternoon, the Detroit Lions travel to face the Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET. This is a huge NFC North battle, also on Netflix. It’s weird seeing Dan Campbell on a streaming service usually reserved for true crime docs, but here we are.
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The night wraps up with the Denver Broncos visiting the Kansas City Chiefs at 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video. Denver has been on a tear, but Arrowhead at night is a different animal.
Saturday Stakes and Saturday Night Lights
The nfl wk 17 schedule doesn't stop for breath on Friday. It picks right back up on Saturday, December 27th.
The Houston Texans face the Los Angeles Chargers at 4:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network. This is a massive game for the AFC playoff picture. The Texans are trying to lock in their spot, while the Chargers are essentially playing for their lives.
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Then, the Green Bay Packers host the Baltimore Ravens at 8:00 p.m. ET on Peacock. This is arguably the game of the week. Jordan Love vs. Lamar Jackson in the freezing cold of Lambeau Field? That’s pure football.
Sunday’s Main Course
Sunday, December 28th is the traditional heavy lifting day. The 1:00 p.m. ET window is absolutely packed with games that feel like playoff previews.
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (CBS): Jim Nantz and Tony Romo are on the call for this AFC North slugfest.
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts (FOX): Joe Davis and Greg Olsen will handle this one.
- New England Patriots at New York Jets (FOX): A classic AFC East rivalry with Adam Amin and Drew Brees.
- Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers (CBS): Ian Eagle and J.J. Watt are in the booth.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins (FOX): A battle for Florida supremacy.
- Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals (FOX): Joe Burrow trying to keep the Bengals afloat.
- New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans (CBS): Both teams trying to play spoiler.
The late afternoon window gives us the Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX. This is the "Tom Brady game," as he'll be in the booth with Kevin Burkhardt. It’s a rare cross-conference heavyweight fight that could have massive implications for the #1 seed in both the NFC and AFC.
Sunday Night and Monday Night Closers
Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock) features the Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers. This is huge. The 49ers are fighting for the NFC West title, while the Bears are trying to prove they belong in the elite tier of the conference.
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Finally, Monday Night Football on December 29th (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN) sees the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Atlanta Falcons. If the Rams win, they stay alive in the divisional race. If they lose, their season might effectively end right there in Georgia.
What You Should Do Next
To stay on top of this chaotic schedule, you've gotta check your subscriptions. Make sure your Netflix and Peacock accounts are active before the holiday kicks off, or you're going to be staring at a login screen while your team is scoring.
Also, keep an eye on the flex scheduling. The NFL loves to move games around in the final weeks. While these times are set for now, a sudden "win-and-in" scenario could shift a Sunday afternoon game into the primetime slot.
Lastly, grab the NFL app to track live playoff probability. Every single result in this Week 17 slate is going to swing the percentages wildly.