NFL Week 16 Saturday Games Open Thread

For this week only Saturday has the bulk of NFL action, with seven 1 pm games, a highly unusual 2 pm game, a couple of 4 pm games, an 8:15 prime time matchup, and a partridge in a pear tree on tap.

In the 1 pm games, perhaps the best matchup features Joe Burrow and the 10-4 Cincinnati Bengals taking on the 7-7 New England Patriots in a game the Jets need the Bengals to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Also at 1 pm the 8-5-1 New York Giants face off against the 11-3 Minnesota Vikings; the 11-3 Buffalo Bills visit the 3-11 Chicago Bears in frozen Chicago; the 7-7 Detroit Lions try to keep their improbable playoff run going against the 5-9 Carolina Panthers, who are still just one game back in the race for the NFC South title; the 7-7 Seattle Seahawks take on the 11-3 Kansas City Chiefs; the 5-9 New Orleans Saints visit the 6-8 Cleveland Browns in a game the Saints need to keep the dreams of an NFC South crown dancing in their heads; and the 5-9 Atlanta Falcons visit the Baltimore Ravens, with the Falcons also improbably still vying for the woeful NFC South title. At 2 pm, in a game delayed due to power outages in the wake of the recent winter storm, the 1-12-1 Houston Texans battle the 7-7 Tennessee Titans.

In the 4 pm games we have the 13-1 Philadelphia Eagles visiting the 10-4 Dallas Cowboys in a game that Jalen Hurts unfortunately will miss due to injury. Gardner Minshew will get the start in Hurts’ stead. Also at 4 pm the 7-6-1 Washington Commanders visit the red hot 10-4 San Francisco 49ers in a game the Commanders need badly to keep pace in the NFC wild card race.

Finally in the prime time game at 8:15 pm, the 6-8 Las Vegas Raiders clash with the 6-8 Pittsburgh Steelers in a rematch of the famous “Immaculate Reception” game 50 years and 1 day ago, a game that launched the Steelers’ dynasty.

Enjoy the games everybody. Use this thread to comment on whichever Saturday games catch your fancy.