Christmas used to be synonymous with the NBA. However, Roger Goodell’s aggressive takeover of the holiday continues this year with two marquee matchups on Dec. 25. With five days of NFL football during Week 17, are any games on today? Or, is Christmas Eve one of the few days this week with no football on the television?
NFL’s Week 17 Christmas Schedule
Today is one of the few days this week that does not have an NFL game on. There will be two games during Christmas, the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens. However, if you want to watch football on Christmas Eve, you will need to wait for college football’s South Florida vs. San José State.
But don’t worry, even without the NFL today, we will still provide you with all the details you need surrounding the two games tomorrow.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
- Location: Pittsburgh, Acrisure Stadium
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Streaming: Netflix
- Channel: Local CBS affiliate (Pittsburgh, Kansas City markets ONLY)
Something about ankle injuries seems to bring out the best in Patrick Mahomes. Two years after winning the Super Bowl despite suffering a high-ankle sprain in the 2022 Divisional Round vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars, Mahomes again fought through an ankle injury to deliver one of Kansas City’s best offensive performances of the season.
MORE: Read PFN’s Latest Mock Draft Here!
The Chiefs recorded a 79.6 (C+) grade in PFN’s Offense+ metric during Saturday’s win over the Texans, their fifth-best in a game all season. Quietly, the Chiefs remain in the top 10 of the season-long rankings despite posting a C-grade or lower in three consecutive games before the Week 16 bounce back.
Pass protection has been a huge issue for the Chiefs for much of the season, and they still only rank 15th for the season in sack rate. However, a week after shutting out the Cleveland Browns in the sack department, they conceded just one to the Texans. It’s too early to say the Chiefs have solved their left tackle problem, but the early returns on kicking All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney out to left tackle are extremely promising.
Steelers vs. Chiefs Betting Lines
Moneyline: Chiefs -142; Steelers +120
Total: 43
This game has turned into Christmas Day gold for NFL schedule-makers, with both teams fighting for something in the playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs know that avoiding a loss will earn them the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a week to play, while the Pittsburgh Steelers need to win to stay ahead of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North race.
It’s fair to say that neither team has been entirely convincing throughout this season, reflected in their seventh (KC) and 12th (PIT) rankings in our PR+. The Chiefs’ offense and defense both rank 10th on the season, but they’ve played the third-easiest schedule, making those numbers underwhelming. The Steelers are seventh on defense and 23rd offensively, having played the eighth-easiest schedule this season.
Our metrics lean towards the Chiefs on the neutral field but have them essentially even in Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ defense, which relies heavily on pass rush, should help them match up well with Kansas City. The biggest concern will be whether Russell Wilson and the offense can score enough points.
The total is almost exactly where I would have placed it for this game, and the line is pretty close. I lean towards Pittsburgh getting the points, but it’s tight, so unless you want to tease the Steelers up to getting over a touchdown and take the total down below 40, it’s hard to find a play for this one.
Prediction: Chiefs 23, Steelers 20
Pick: Pass
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens
- Location: Houston, NRG Stadium
- Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
- Streaming: Netflix
- Channel: Local CBS affiliate (Houston, Baltimore markets ONLY)
The Ravens fell from the top spot in Pro Football Network’s power rankings this week after recording a 79.4 (C+) grade in our OFF+ metric in Week 16. That speaks more to what the Detroit Lions did to earn back the top spot, though. Baltimore’s grade was its best against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game since Offense+ began in 2019.
The Ravens’ passing success rate jumped up from a season-worst 34.3% in the first Pittsburgh Steelers matchup to 56.0% in the rematch, their fifth-best in a game all season. Lamar Jackson actually had just one explosive play, his fewest in a game all season (a 49-yard completion to Zay Flowers).
However, the Derrick Henry-led offense managed to record an above-average rushing success rate (44.7%), allowing the Ravens to stay ahead of the chains.
Even with the Diontae Johnson situation fizzling out, the Ravens look like a team that is rounding into form with an improving defense and an offense that can control any given game in multiple fashions. Regardless of whether that results in a division title, it makes the Ravens a very dangerous team to face in the playoffs.
Texans vs. Ravens Betting Lines
If this game follows the metrics, it should be lopsided on Christmas Day. However, the Ravens have had a knack this season for making things look harder than they should.
Baltimore is a top-five team in our rankings, while the Houston Texans are a middle-of-the-pack group. The game being played in Houston evens it up a little, but not significantly enough to make a big difference.
The Ravens are the better team offensively by a considerable distance (2 vs. 25), while the Texans have a slight advantage defensively (5 vs. 13). Additionally, Houston has played a significantly easier schedule to this point, so that has to be taken into account when sizing up those numbers.
Taking the Ravens -4 is a fairly comfortable play based on the metrics. Baltimore has been their own worst enemy at times, but they should have too much for a Texans team that has been far from convincing.
Prediction: Ravens 27, Texans 20
Pick: Ravens -4
Make sure to check out all our early NFL picks and predictions.