Must Win Scenarios Abound for NFL Week 17 & Christmas Weekend

Accordingly, Christmas is rapidly being conquered as an NFL Holiday. Previously, Christmas was the property of the NBA. But those days are over. Specifically, in 2025, the NFL will offer a Christmas Day tripleheader, just as is done on Thanksgiving. There will be five more NFL odds matchups taking place on Saturday, seven on Sunday, and then one on Monday night. Thus, for NFL fans and gamblers, it can it said that Santa Claus is delivering the goods. Most important of all, the majority of the matchups are outstanding, with divisional rivalries dominating the slate.

2025-26 NFL Super Bowl Championship Future Odds

2024-25 NFL Week 17 Schedule

Thursday, Dec. 25 (Christmas)

• Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m. ET (NETFLIX)
• Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 p.m. ET (NETFLIX)
• Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)

Saturday, Dec. 27 (time/network TBD)

• Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers
• Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals
• Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers
• Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers
• New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday, Dec. 28

• Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
• Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
• New England Patriots at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
• New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
• Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)

Monday, Dec. 29

• Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Christmas Day features three games, all of them with ancient divisional rivals and with probable playoff implications.

It all begins in the nation’s capital, where the Washington Commanders will host the Dallas Cowboys in one of the NFL’s most famed sportsbook rivalries. Of course, it was a rivalry that was built when the Commanders were known as the Redskins.

Meanwhile, in the late afternoon slate, the NFC North could be on the line when the Minnesota Vikings host the Detroit Lions, a rivalry that dates back to the early 1960s.

And then the NFL betting odds nightcap will be at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos. Denver and the Chiefs, charter members of the American Football League, have shared the same division since 1960.

Correlate that one of the most famous games in NFL history involved the Chiefs and Christmas Day. In 1971, Kansas City hosted the Miami Dolphins in what remains the longest game ever played. Miami won the game 27-24 in double overtime to launch its dynasty and end the first era of glory for the Chiefs.

Next, on Saturday, a potential Super Bowl preview will take place on the Frozen Tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin, when the Packers host the Baltimore Ravens. The Packers have the image of a home-field advantage in the cold. But Baltimore has had plenty of cold-weather matchups in its history. Both teams are touted to contend for their respective division titles, if not for more.

Sunday offers two historical rivalry matchups that should have much on the line. The Cleveland Browns will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC North showdown. These two teams have been going at it since the 1950s and could be playing for high stakes. Will Shedeur Sanders be under center for Cleveland?

In like manner to the Chiefs and Broncos, the New England Patriots and New York Jets have shared the same division since 1960 and the inception of the AFL. Mike Vrabel figures to be an upgrade as the new head coach of the Patriots. At the same time, Justin Fields will try and resurrect his career with the Jets, who told Aaron Rodgers to get out of town.

NBC Sunday Night Football offers the Chicago Bears at the San Francisco 49ers. Following their overtime Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs to end the 2023 season, the Niners were favored to win it all last year. Instead, their season was destroyed by injuries.