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NFL schedule Week 16: Who plays on Thursday night?

By John Buhler

Nov 6, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) runs out of the pocket during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The New York Giants defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-23. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) runs out of the pocket during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The New York Giants defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-23. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports /
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Week 16 of the 2016 NFL season will feature its final Thursday Night Football game. Which two rivals will be playing on Thursday night this week?

We’re in the home stretch, folks. Week 16 of the 2016 NFL season is upon us and we will see the final Thursday Night Football game of the year. So which two rivals get the distinct privilege of playing on the final Thursday Night Football game of 2016?

Well, those two teams will be the New York Giants (10-4) and the Philadelphia Eagles (5-9). Philadelphia host arch rival New York on Thursday Night Football in Week 16 at 8:25 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 22 from Lincoln Financial Field. NBC, the NFL Network, and Twitter will all carry this major NFC East rival game.

So here’s what’s at stake with this game. New York can clinch an NFC Playoff spot with a win in Philadelphia. The Giants are also the only team in the NFC not named the Dallas Cowboys (12-2) than can get home field advantage in the 2016 NFC Playoffs.

Should the Giants win out and the Cowboys lose out, both division rivals would finish the season at 12-4. However, the Giants would win the NFC East by virtue of completing the season sweep of the Cowboys this season. New York would be the No. 1 seed and Dallas would be the No. 5 seed.

For Philadelphia, the Eagles are eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC. It’s all about the 2017 NFL Draft, where Philadelphia has one first round pick that isn’t contingent on how they perform the rest of the way.

Keep in mind that the Eagles’ 2017 first round pick belongs to the Cleveland Browns from Philadelphia’s decision to trade up to No. 2 to draft Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State University.

Where Philadelphia will be picking this season depends on how the Minnesota Vikings (7-7) perform in the final two weeks. The Eagles got back a first-round pick by virtue of the Sam Bradford trade.

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Thursday Night Football between the Giants and Eagles will help either New York get into the NFC Playoffs for the first time since 2011 or the Browns with their second of two first-round picks. Philadelphia can still gain meaningful experience for this young team with this division rivalry game.

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