The NFL regular season is basically a marathon where everyone starts sprinting at the end because they realize they forgot to lock the front door. We've hit that point. Week 16 of the 2025-2026 season is here, and honestly, it is absolute madness. If you haven't looked at the week 16 schedule nfl lately, you might be surprised to find that several games have moved around. The league loves a good flex, and they definitely exercised that right this year to make sure our Sunday nights aren't spent watching two teams play for a better draft pick.
Why the Week 16 Schedule NFL is Built Different This Year
The schedule for Week 16 isn't just a Sunday affair anymore. It’s spread across four days like a holiday feast that no one wants to stop eating. We’ve got a massive Thursday night divisional clash, a Saturday double-header that essentially feels like a playoff preview, and a Monday night game that could decide the fate of the AFC South.
The biggest news? The NFL flexed the New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens matchup into the Sunday Night Football slot on NBC. Originally, we were supposed to see the Bengals and Dolphins in that window, but with New England and Baltimore both sitting at 12-3 and 10-5 respectively heading into the week, the league made the executive decision to give us the heavy hitters.
👉 See also: World Series Wins Since 2000: Why the Last Two Decades Changed Baseball Forever
Thursday Night Football: December 18
- Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
This was the "Game of the Week" before the week even started. Both teams entered at 11-4, fighting for the NFC West crown. Seattle ultimately pulled off a 38-37 thriller in overtime. If you missed it, you missed an Eric Saubert two-point conversion that might be the play of the season.
Saturday's Double-Header: December 20
Saturday football just hits different. It feels like college ball but with much bigger paychecks and more sophisticated zone blitzes.
- Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders (5:00 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (8:20 p.m. ET, FOX)
The Bears and Packers game was particularly brutal. Caleb Williams and Jordan Love going at it in the freezing Chicago air is exactly what December football is supposed to be. Chicago's win here basically put them in the driver's seat for the NFC North, leaving Green Bay to scramble for a wild card.
Breaking Down the Sunday Slate
Sunday is a marathon. There is no other way to put it. Most of the games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET, and it's that classic "RedZone" chaos where eight different teams are in the red zone at the same time and Scott Hanson starts sounding like he’s had six espressos.
The 1:00 p.m. ET Window
- Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns (CBS): Buffalo survived a 23-20 scare here. Myles Garrett was a nightmare, but Josh Allen did Josh Allen things.
- Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins (CBS): This was moved out of primetime. Still a decent game, but Miami’s playoff hopes took a massive hit.
- Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys (FOX): The Chargers are legit. They went into AT&T Stadium and handled business 34-17.
- Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans (CBS): KC is struggling, but they’re still the Chiefs.
- New York Jets at New Orleans Saints (CBS): Purely a "spoiler" game at this point.
- Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants (FOX): The Vikings are clinging to life in the NFC.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (FOX): A massive NFC South battle where Carolina actually pulled into first place.
The Late Afternoon Windows (4:05 & 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX): This was a shocker. Jacksonville went to Mile High and ended Denver's 11-game winning streak.
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): This ended in total controversy. An offensive pass interference call on Amon-Ra St. Brown cost Detroit the win.
- Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
Sunday Night Football (The Flex Game)
- New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
The Patriots officially entered the "Post-Belichick" era of success by clinching a playoff berth with a 28-24 win. It was a physical, ugly, beautiful football game.
Monday Night Football: December 22
- San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC)
The 49ers are currently the "team no one wants to play." They took care of the Colts, which officially moved them past the Rams in the NFC West standings due to tiebreakers. The Niners are peaking at the exact right time.
The Playoff Picture After Week 16
The week 16 schedule nfl has a way of clarifying things while also making them much more complicated. As of right now, the Denver Broncos (12-3) and New England Patriots (12-3) are neck-and-neck for the top seed in the AFC. Denver holds the tiebreaker, but after that loss to Jacksonville, they can’t afford another slip-up.
👉 See also: The New Orleans Saints 2009 Season: How a Team Literally Healed a City
In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks (12-3) are the kings of the mountain for now. But watch out for San Francisco. If the 49ers win their final two games—which include a Week 18 rematch with Seattle—they could actually snatch the #1 seed and the lone bye week.
Current Clinched Teams
- Denver Broncos (AFC West)
- New England Patriots (AFC East)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC South)
- Seattle Seahawks (NFC West)
- Chicago Bears (NFC North)
- Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East)
- Los Angeles Rams (Wild Card)
What You Should Do Now
Don't just sit there. If you're following the week 16 schedule nfl, you need to be prepared for the final two-week stretch.
- Check your local listings: The NFL flexes games with only six days' notice sometimes. Don't rely on the schedule you printed out in September.
- Watch the injury reports: Specifically for the Lions and Packers. Both teams are banged up and fighting for those final wild-card spots.
- Update your fantasy lineups: Most leagues have their championships in Week 17. Week 16 is the "semi-final" for most, so don't leave points on the bench because you didn't see a late-afternoon inactive report.
- Keep an eye on the tiebreakers: We are heading toward a scenario where a three-way tie in the NFC West could be decided by "strength of victory," which is basically math no one wants to do on a Sunday afternoon.
The road to the Super Bowl is getting narrow. Enjoy the chaos.