NFL Week 16 schedule: Crucial matchups litter the docket with playoffs on the line

Two NFL playoff spots were decided in Week 15 and a few more can be hashed out by the time Week 16 comes to a close.

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams are already in the postseason in their respective conferences. The Broncos need some help to clinch the AFC West division this week, while the Rams have a key matchup against the Seattle Seahawks that could determine who wins the NFC West division to start the week.

The Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers each have clinch scenarios in the AFC. The Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers face clinching scenarios in the NFC.

Denver clinches the division title with a win and a Chargers’ loss or a tie and a Chargers loss. They could win the AFC West and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a win, Chargers loss or tie, Patriots loss and Bills loss or tie.

The Bills clinch a playoff spot with a win and an Indianapolis Colts loss or tie or a Houston Texans loss or tie. The Bills can get in with a tie and a Colts loss or a Texans loss. The Patriots secure a spot with a win or tie or a Colts loss or tie or a Texans loss or tie. Similarly for the Jaguars, they will get in with a win and a Colts loss or tie or a Texans loss or tie. A Jaguars tie works too but they need a Colts loss or a Colts tie with a Texans loss.

The Chargers will get into the playoffs with a win and Colts loss or tie or a win and a Texans loss or tie. Los Angeles could tie and get in with a Colts loss or a Colts tie and Texans loss.

It will be a little less complicated in the NFC.

The Eagles clinch an NFC East title with a win or a Dallas Cowboys loss or if they tie and Dallas ties for the second time. The Bears clinch a berth with a win and a Detroit Lions loss or tie or a tie and a Lions loss. The Packers can clinch with a win and a Lions loss or tie or they could tie and a Lions loss.

The 49ers can win and get in. If not, then they need a Detroit loss. The 49ers can tie and the Lions can tie and San Francisco will be in then. The Seahawks will get into the playoffs with a win or a tie or if the Lions lose or tie.

Here’s how the schedule will play out.

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

• Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET)

Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

• Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET)
• Los Angeles Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys (1 p.m. ET)
• Kansas City Chiefs @ Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET)
• Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. ET)
• New York Jets @ New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET)

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• Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants (1 p.m. ET)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET)
• Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET)
• Atlanta Falcons @ Arizona Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET)
• Pittsburgh Steelers @ Detroit Lions (4:25 p.m. ET)
• Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans (4:25 p.m. ET)
• New England Patriots @ Baltimore Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET)

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Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

• San Francisco 49ers @ Indianapolis Colts (8:15 p.m. ET)

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