NFL Week 16 Viewer's Guide: Top Matchups Plus SI Team Publisher Predictions
Each week we count down the weekend games in terms of viewer appeal, and the Dolphins-Raiders matchup is among the best of Week 16.
16. Atlanta (4-10) at Kansas City (13-1), 1 p.m. — Watching Patrick Mahomes and the crazy Chiefs offense is fun, but this has blowout written all over it.
15. Chicago (7-7) at Jacksonville (1-13), 1 p.m. — The best thing about this game is watching how much the Jaguars go after this game after moving into position to draft Trevor Lawrence next April.
14. Cleveland (10-4) at N.Y. Jets (1-13), 1 p.m. — The Jets will be looking for a second consecutive win after their inspiring — wait, no, more like regrettable — win against the Rams. The Browns have a chance, with help from the Colts, to actually win the AFC North title. This one should not be close.
13. Tampa Bay (9-5) at Detroit (5-9), Saturday, 1 p.m. — Sure, there's the Tom Brady factor here, but maybe the most interesting thing about this matchup will be finding out what the Lions do with their coaching staff in light of their COVID-19 issues.
12. Philadelphia (4-9-1) at Dallas (5-9), 4:25 p.m. — Admit it, you thought this game was going to decide the NFC East title, didn't you? Instead, what's most interesting is seeing what Tua Tagovailoa's former college teammate Jalen Hurts can continue to do at quarterback for the Eagles.
11. Cincinnati (3-10-1) at Houston (4-10), 1 p.m. — This game has major implications for the Dolphins because it could significantly affect where the Texans' 2021 first-round pick (which belongs to Miami) falls. Even though the Bengals are coming off their Monday night upset win over the Steelers, it's hard to like the QB matchup of Ryan Finley against Deshaun Watson.
10. Denver (5-9) at L.A. Chargers (5-9), 4:05 p.m. — Outside of a battle between first-round picks Jerry Jeudy and Justin Herbert, this game is pretty forgettable. Dolphins fans should be rooting for the Chargers in this one — for 2021 draft purposes.
9. Carolina (4-10) at Washington (6-8), 4:05 p.m. — Washington continues to be a drama-filled organization, yet it can clinch the NFC East title with a win here and an earlier Giants loss. And wouldn't it be fitting for Ron Rivera to do it against his former team.
8. San Francisco (5-9) at Arizona (8-6), Saturday, 4:30 p.m. — This is another ho-hum battle, though we've got to admit the possibility of seeing quarterback Josh Rosen facing the team that drafted him 10th overall before trading him to the Dolphins one year later is pretty cool.
7. Minnesota (6-8) at New Orleans (10-4), Friday, 4:30 p.m. — This Christmas Day battle looked better a few weeks ago when the Vikings were mounting a run at the playoffs after their slow start. Now, this game is about seeing if Drew Brees can find his form heading into the playoffs.
6. Buffalo (11-3) at New England (6-8), Monday, 8:15 p.m. — You gotta admit, it's going to be strange watching a Patriots game at this stage of the season with them being out of playoff contention. The appeal here strictly is about the Bills and whether they can continue their roll heading into the playoffs.
5. N.Y. Giants (5-9) at Baltimore (9-5), 1 p.m. — This is a game Dolphins fans clearly will be watching (even though Miami doesn't need any help it if takes care of its business). Lamar Jackson looks to be on a roll, while the Giants are hanging on to their hopes of winning the NFC East title.
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4. L.A. Rams (9-5) at Seattle (10-4), 4:25 p.m. — The Seahawks can clinch the NFC West title with a win here, and it also will be interesting to see if the Rams can bounce back after that embarrassing loss to the Jets. Also was worth watching will be Aaron Donald continuing his campaign for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors
3. Miami (9-5) at Las Vegas (7-7), Saturday, 8:15 p.m. — Even though the Raiders are fading (again), this is a huge game in terms of playoff implications in the AFC. The possibility of a Hawaiian QB matchup between Tua Tagovailoa and Marcus Mariota just adds another element to this game.
2. Tennessee (10-4) at Green Bay (11-3), 8:20 p.m.: Both teams will make the playoffs, but this game has significant ramifications when it comes to seeding.
1. Indianapolis (10-4) at Pittsburgh (11-3), 1 p.m. — This is a very good matchup between a team looking to make its into the playoffs against another looking to find its away after three straight losses following an 11-0 start.
And here are the SI team publisher predictions:
