Here’s a look at the announcing assignments for Week 16 of the NFL season, including a Saturday doubleheader. That includes some discussion of a featured game or games in each slot based on broadcasters, matchups, or both. All times are Eastern.
Thursday, Dec. 19
Featured/only game: Denver at LA Chargers
Prime Video 8:15 p.m.
Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung
Spanish: Miguel Gurwitz, Rolando Cantú
Westwood One Radio: John Sadak, Ross Tucker
Amazon gets a nice AFC West clash here, with the 8-6 Chargers hosting the 9-5 Broncos. But these teams are entering from different places: Denver’s fresh off a 31-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts, their fourth victory in a row, while the Chargers have lost their last two games, including a 40-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. But they’re still 2.5-point home favorites here.
For Denver, keep an eye on WR Courtland Sutton, who leads the team with 878 receiving yards and also has team-highs in targets (113), receptions (66), and receiving touchdowns (six). But he was held to just three catches on nine targets for 32 yards and a touchdown against the Colts Sunday, so we’ll see what he can do here. For the Chargers, watch defensive back Tarheeb Still, who has a team-high four interceptions this year. Broncos’ QB Bo Nix threw three picks against the Colts and has thrown 11 this year, so turnovers certainly can happen with him at the helm.
Saturday, Dec. 21, early window
Featured/only game: Houston at Kansas City
NBC/Telemundo/Peacock 1 p.m.
Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tappen
Peacock (Madden NFL Cast): Paul Burmeister, Chad Ochocino, Kurt Benkert
Telemundo: Miguel Gurwitz, Rolando Cantú, Ariana Figuera
Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Derek Rackley
This one has a couple of intriguing notes on the broadcast side. That includes NBC’s B-team of Eagle and Blackledge (more often seen calling college football, where they placed third in our reader rankings of the top 25 booths, but they’ve also called NFL at times, including the Peacock-exclusive Week 1 game in Brazil this September) on the main call, a shift from the usual NBC Sunday Night Football booth of Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth. It also includes a notable Peacock alternate broadcast featuring a Madden NFL 25 animation approach, a collaboration between NBCUniversal, EA Sports, and Genius Sports.
On the field, Houston QB C.J. Stroud has had a reasonably solid year overall, throwing for 3,248 yards (12th in the league) with a 63.6 percent completion mark and 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions. But he only threw for 131 yards in a win over the Miami Dolphins Sunday, albeit with a 69.2 percent completion mark and two touchdowns without a pick.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are 13-1 versus the Texans’ 9-5, but they’re only 3.5-point home favorites. Part of that is because most of their wins have been narrow. They did beat the Cleveland Browns by 14 this week, but that came with questions about the health of QB Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a high ankle injury there. But Mahomes (who has 3,348 passing yards with a 66.7 percent completion mark and 22 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions) is set to start Saturday, and we’ll see what he can do against Houston.
Saturday, Dec. 21, afternoon window
Featured/only game: Pittsburgh at Baltimore
Fox 4:30 p.m.
Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
Fox Deportes: Adrian Garcia-Márquez, Jaime Motta, Jessi Losada, Rodolfo Landeros
Westwood One: Scott Graham, Mike Mayock
This is a great AFC North clash between the 10-4 Steelers and 9-5 Ravens. And there’s some extra spice there from the ongoing Hard Knocks: In Season focusing on that division. Pittsburgh narrowly won (18-16) the teams’ last meeting on Nov. 17, but that was at home, and they’re 6.5-point road underdogs here.
For the Steelers, a key player is LB T.J. Watt, who will indeed play Saturday despite suffering an ankle injury late in their win over the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday. Watt has 11.5 sacks (tied for third in the league) this year, plus a league-high six forced fumbles and 54 tackles. For the Ravens, QB Lamar Jackson continues to shine, coming off a game where he threw for 290 yards and five TDs with no picks in a 35-14 win over the Giants. He has 3,580 passing yards this season, fifth in the league, with a 68.1 percent completion mark, 34 touchdowns, and just three interceptions.
Sunday, Dec. 22, early window
NY Giants at Atlanta
Fox 1 p.m.
Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin
Arizona at Carolina
Fox 1 p.m.
Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth, Jen Hale
Sports USA Radio: Ted Robinson, Ron Rivera
Featured game 1: Detroit at Chicago
Fox 1 p.m.
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Megan Olivi
ESPN Radio: Steve Levy, Mike Tannenbaum
This NFC North clash has the 12-2 Lions at the 4-10 Bears. But Detroit is only a 6.5-point road favorite, and that’s despite Chicago losing 30-12 and 38-13 in their last two games. And part of that may be because the Lions narrowly won the Thanksgiving clash between these teams 23-20 at home.
For Detroit, watch out for QB Jared Goff. He threw for 494 yards and five touchdowns with no picks in a 48-42 shootout win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday. For the Bears, RB D’Andre Swift is coming in off a game where he was heavily used, rushing for 79 yards on 19 carries (4.2 yards per carry) in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Cleveland at Cincinnati
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala
Tennessee at Indianapolis
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely, Ross Tucker, Tiffany Blackmon
LA Rams at NY Jets
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins
Featured game 2: Philadelphia at Washington
Fox 1 p.m.
Joe Davis, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver
Compass Media Radio: Chris Carrino, Brian Baldinger
The Eagles are atop the NFC East with a 12-2 mark, but the Commanders are second at 9-5. And they’re only 3.5-point home underdogs here. They’ve won three in a row, too, but that includes a one-point win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday.
For Philadelphia, keep an eye on WR A.J. Brown, who has been listed with a “limited (knee/rest)” designation this week. He’s also made a lot of headlines with his comments and tweets on the team’s passing game. But he has a team-high 946 receiving yards this year, plus five touchdowns. For Washington, watch for QB Jayden Daniels, who’s been very efficient; he threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns with no picks and a 80.6 percent completion mark Sunday.
Sunday, Dec. 22, afternoon window
Minnesota at Seattle
Fox 4:05 p.m.
Adam Amin, Mark Sanchez, Kristina Pink
Compass Media Radio: Bill Rosinski, Merrill Hoge
New England at Buffalo
CBS/Paramount+ 4:25 p.m.
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn
Jacksonville at Las Vegas
CBS/Paramount+ 4:25 p.m.
Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Jason McCourty, AJ Ross
Featured game: San Francisco at Miami
CBS/Paramount+ 4:25 p.m.
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson
Sports USA Radio: Josh Appel, James White
The 6-8 49ers are having quite the letdown season after appearing in last year’s Super Bowl, but a lot of that’s been about injuries. And they’re still a dangerous team week-to-week. That’s part of why Miami’s only a one-point home favorite here, but the 6-8 Dolphins have also underachieved. Still, there could be some good offensive play on display here.
For the Dolphins, WR Tyreek Hill remains one to watch. He sparked some controversy this week with tweets perhaps showing unhappiness, and he only caught two passes for 36 yards last week against Houston, but has 805 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season. Can he break out against the 49ers? Meanwhile, for San Francisco, TE George Kittle continues to be their receiving leader, posting 861 yards and eight TDs this year.
Sunday, Dec. 22, Sunday Night Football
Featured/only game: Tampa Bay at Dallas
NBC/Universo/Peacock 8:20 p.m.
Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark
Universo: Miguel Gurwitz, Rolando Cantú, Ariana Figuera
Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic
There’s not a huge amount of luster to this one compared to many SNF matchups, with 8-6 Tampa Bay at 6-8 Dallas, but the Bucs are at least leading the NFC South. And they’re only one win clear of the 7-7 Atlanta Falcons, so this game does matter. They’re four-point road favorites here.
For the Bucs, QB Baker Mayfield has been somewhat up and down this year. But he’s coming off a highly-efficient showing in a win over the Chargers, where he threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns with an interception and an 80.5 percent completion mark. For the Cowboys, RB Rico Dowdle had 149 yards on 25 carries in a win Sunday, and he has 880 rushing yards and a TD this year.
Monday, Dec. 23, Monday Night Football
Featured/only game: New Orleans at Green Bay
ABC & ESPN/ESPN Deportes 8:15 p.m.
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters
ESPN Deportes: Rebeca Landa, Sebastián Martinez-Christensen, MJ Acosta-Ruiz
Westwood One Radio: Kevin Harlan, Joe Thomas
This is not the world’s best Monday Night Football matchup, with the Saints entering it at just 5-9. But the 10-4 Packers are solid, and they have playoff positioning to play for. But they’re 14.5-point home favorites here.
For the Saints, a lot of the questions are about the QB position, where QB Derek Carr may or may not be able to go. If he can’t play, that means they’re turning to Spencer Rattler again. Rattler was not great in limited action this year, throwing for just 706 yards and two touchdowns with two picks across four games, and just a 57.5 percent completion mark. Against Green Bay, any QB will have to watch out for ball-hawking safety Xavier McKinney, who has seven picks this year.