Entering Week 16 of the 2024/25 National Football League (NFL) regular season, 50 per cent of the 14 possible play-off slots have already been claimed, with four teams from the American Football League (AFC) clinching and three from the National Football Conference (NFC) staking their claim. Additionally, three of the eight division titles — all in the AFC — have been claimed, but there are many division-clinching opportunities up for grabs this weekend along with openings for teams to seal berths by the time Monday Night Football wraps up.

This weekend has the potential to see most of the postseason framework take shape, and it is more than just play-off spots. The Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings all have major stakes riding on this weekend’s results, with home-field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs on the line for Kansas City while Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can clinch the NFC East and AFC North divisions, respectively, plus Philadelphia, Detroit, and Minnesota have designs on topping the NFC, with all three boasting a 12-2 record.

With just three regular season games remaining for each team, the squeeze is truly on for the 16 teams currently in the hunt, vying for the remaining seven play-off slots available, and the nine teams that have already been eliminated could throw a proverbial wrench in the spokes of the postseason aspirants. Here is a look at the significant Week 16 matchups.

Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) vs Houston Texans (9-5): The Chiefs must win 15 games to clinch the top seed in the AFC and they have three shots at getting to that mark before the regular season is over. They have the best record in the NFL, but they have not done anything to convince that they are a 13-win team and with quarterback (QB) Patrick Mahomes limping off in the fourth quarter of their 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns last Sunday it is questionable if he will be able to go this weekend.

With the loss by the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday to the Denver Broncos, the 9-5 Texans won the AFC South division for the second year in a row, but they do give the impression of a bona fide contender. They visit the Chiefs tomorrow as JustBet underdogs and it’s hard to see them coming out as winners, especially if Mahomes is fit to play.

Baltimore Ravens (9-5) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4): The Ravens dismantled the lowly New York Giants last Sunday, but they have not yet clinched a spot in the play-offs, and they need the win tomorrow to keep hopes of winning the AFC North division alive. They suffered a 16-18 loss to the Steelers in Week 11, making it eight defeats in the last nine games to Pittsburgh, and 1-4 against the Steelers in games started by QB Lamar Jackson.

The Steelers clinched a play-off spot last weekend, despite losing 13-27 to the Eagles, due to the Colts losing their matchup, but coming off the worst performance of QB Russell Wilson’s Pittsburgh tenure, they are heavy underdogs to Baltimore. The Ravens need a win or a draw tomorrow to guarantee a play-off berth while the Steelers need a win to clinch the AFC North division, so a dogfight is expected in this inter-division rivalry. This should be a wild ride.

Buffalo Bills (11-3) vs New England Patriots (3-11): The Bills have again won the AFC East division, but they are in a battle with the reigning champions to top the AFC. Last Sunday, they handed the Lions their second loss of the season (48-42), after their eighth-straight game with 30+ points, and the highest combined score this year. And Buffalo’s QB Josh Allen has been making a statement over the past few weeks, putting himself squarely at the head of the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) conversation.

Last Sunday, Allen finished with 362 passing yards, 68 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two rushing scores. There have been three instances of a player having 340+ pass yards, 60+ rush yards, two passing scores, and two rush touchdowns in a game; Allen has two of them, and they have both come in the last two weeks (QB Steve Young had the other, in 1991). Additionally, he is now the first quarterback in NFL history with multiple streaks of five-plus games with at least one rushing touchdown, and the first player ever to have two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in consecutive games. Furthermore, he is the first QB in NFL history with multiple seasons with 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing scores.

JustBet has the Bills as the jointly most favoured team for Week 16 and there is no reason to believe the bookmaker has made the wrong call. Watch for another backbreaking performance from Allen.

Chicago Bears (4-10) vs Detroit Lions (12-2): The Lions have already clinched a play-off berth but still have ambitions to be the first seed in the NFC, despite the hard-fought loss last Sunday. They are dealing with a multitude of issues on the defensive front, made worse by injuries in their last game, but should have more than enough to get by a Chicago team that has yet to find their footing this season.

Washington Commanders (9-5) vs Philadelphia Eagles (12-2): Winners of 10 straight games, the Eagles appear to be the best team in the NFC at this point, especially with the injuries the Lions have on defense, and they are operating like a well-oiled machine in every facet of the game. They have already clinched a playoff berth but can walk away with the NFC East title with a win on Sunday against division rivals Washington.

Washington had a massive 20-19 win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 15 to desperately cling to the seventh and final seed in the NFC play-off picture, and they can clinch a play-off spot with a win over Philadelphia but will need some help from the results in other games. The Commanders are JustBet underdogs going into this matchup and, even with standout rookie QB Jayden Daniels under centre, there is only a slim chance of them registering a win at home.

Seattle Seahawks (8-6) vs Minnesota Vikings (12-2): The Seahawks sit eighth in the NFC and are just outside the playoff picture heading into the weekend. They still have a glimmer of hope for the play-offs, but the Vikings, who have already clinched their play-off spot, are the fifth seed in the NFC and are in a three-way, hot mix (with the Lions and the Eagles) for the NFC North title. The Vikings are worthy JustBet favourites for the win, but the Seahawks have the tools to pull off a surprise, especially at home.

Green Bay Packers (10-4) vs New Orleans Saints (5-9): The Packers elevated their status following a huge 30-13 statement win over the Seahawks last weekend but, unfortunately, they are in the NFC North division that also have the Lions and Vikings, who are both at 12-1 for the season. The Packers are jointly most favoured by JustBet (along with the Bills) entering this weekend and are expected to get past the Saints at Lambeau Field with some amount of ease.

There is a lot to see this weekend and a few teams are expected to clinch a playoff berth, but this is football, and anything can happen. Sixteen teams are battling for seven available spots, and no one wants to end the season early. Are you ready for some football?

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Super Bowl LIX Champion – February 9, 2025

Team Odds

Buffalo Bills 5.20

Philadelphia Eagles 5.60

Detroit Lions 6.00

Kansas City Chiefs 6.40

Baltimore Ravens 9.00

Minnesota Vikings 13.00

Green Bay Packers 14.00

Houston Texans 30.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 30.00

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35.00

*Only Top 10 odds are shown (see website for full list)

Note: Odds are subject to change