The NFL Week 17 schedule will kick off with two exciting Christmas Day games featuring the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by the Baltimore Ravens squaring off against the Houston Texans.
As fans gear up for the matchups, here’s everything you need to know about the games today, including kickoff times, television channels, streaming options, and expert predictions.
The Chiefs head into this game with a strong record of 14-1 after defeating the Texans 27-19 in Week 16. Conversely, the Steelers are looking to bounce back from a tough 34-17 loss to the Ravens, sitting at 10-5 for the season. The Ravens also have a 10-5 record, while the Texans are close behind at 9-6.
The Christmas Day games are set to start with the Chiefs vs. Steelers at 11 a.m. MST (1 p.m. ET), followed by the Ravens vs. Texans at 2:30 p.m. MST (4:30 p.m. ET).
Both games will be exclusively streamed through Netflix and will not be available on traditional TV. However, local stations in the respective markets will provide coverage. The Chiefs vs. Steelers will be broadcast on KCTV Channel 5 in Kansas City and KDKA Channel 2 in Pittsburgh. The Ravens vs. Texans can be watched on WJZ Channel 13 in Baltimore and KHOU Channel 11 in Houston.
For those following the action via commentary, Ian Eagle will be the play-by-play announcer for the Chiefs-Steelers matchup, joined by analysts Nate Burleson and J.J. Watt. The announcing team for the Ravens-Texans game includes Noah Eagle with play-by-play and Greg Olsen as an analyst.
In terms of betting odds, the Chiefs are favored by 2.5 points over the Steelers, while the Ravens hold a 5.5-point edge against the Texans. Both matchups are expected to be competitive, with the over/under points set at 43.5 for the Chiefs-Steelers game and 46.5 for the Ravens-Texans game.
Expert predictions lean towards the Chiefs defeating the Steelers with a projected score of 24-20, while the Ravens are expected to come out on top against the Texans with a predicted score of 30-20.
As teams head into the holiday matchups, the spirit of competition is sure to bring excitement and joy to fans, emphasizing the strong community connection that NFL games foster during the festive season.
This year’s Christmas Day games promise not just high-stakes football, but also the thrill of holiday spirit, bringing families and friends together to enjoy the sport they love.