We've officially reached one of the most exciting times of the NFL calendar: Saturday games. For most of the regular season, games are played almost exclusively on Thursday, Sunday and Monday, with exceptions only really for holidays. Only late in the season are Saturday games a factor, and with the playoffs rapidly approaching, they're lots of fun.
The Week 16 doubleheader on this upcoming Saturday is no exception. There are two very interesting games to be played. Here's how those games can be watched, and what to watch out for with postseason spots on the line.
NFL games on today, Saturday, Dec. 20
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) at Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 20
- Time (Network): 5:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Location: Northwest Stadium (Landover, MD)
Admittedly, this game had a lot more juice entering the year, as both the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders had legitimate Super Bowl aspirations in September. But it's still one to watch: The Eagles are desperately trying to prove they still belong in the Super Bowl conversation, and while the Commanders don't have anything on the line in a lost season, NFC East rivalry games are always played incredibly close.
What matters most for Eagles at Commanders
- The Eagles are a win away from clinching the NFC East title
This might not be so impressive in the grand scheme of things, considering how this season has gone for Philadelphia and each of its rivals, but clinching the NFC East early would be huge. Not only would this guarantee at least one home playoff game, but it would also allow the Eagles to give their veteran-led team (that's played a ton of football over the last calendar year) a much-needed breather ahead of the playoffs. They'll attempt to clinch as early as possible with that in mind.
- The Commanders have nothing to lose
There are two outcomes for this game. If the Commanders win, they'd upset the Eagles and their fans, who will almost certainly pack Northwest Stadium on Saturday. This would delay the Eagles' NFC East celebration for at least another day. And if Washington loses, their draft pick odds would improve. It's unlikely that the four-win Commanders pick No. 1 overall in the upcoming NFL Draft, but adding a top-five pick to a roster that already includes Jayden Daniels could be huge.
Eagles-Commanders prediction
I expect this to be closer than it probably should be. Yes, the Commanders are without both Daniels and left tackle Laremy Tunsil, but again, NFC East rivalry games are always well-fought, and Marcus Mariota looked pretty decent in Week 15. The Commanders will have their sights set on spoiling the Eagles' party, and it's not as if Philadelphia has played well at all of late. I do expect the Birds to come out on top, but in a close and entertaining contest.
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) at Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 20
- Time (Network): 8:20 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Location: Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)
This game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears is ultimately what many thought the Eagles-Commanders matchup would be: Two bitter rivals will be battling for first place in the division, with the winner clearly favored to win it and potentially fight for the NFC's No. 1 seed as well. This has the potential to be one of the best games of the regular season, so it's only fitting that it's played on Saturday night at prime time in front of what should be a very boisterous crowd in Chicago.
What matters most for Packers at Bears
- Packers' tie adds extra pressure to this game
Despite being tied in the loss column, the Bears currently lead the NFC North. The reason for that is that the Packers have a tie on their ledger, while the Bears are 10-4. The tie helps if the two teams are even in the win column, but an even loss column means that the Packers cannot win the division if they don't win more games than the Bears — even if they sweep Chicago in the season series (which would happen with a win).
A Packers win would even things up in the win column, putting them in the driver's seat. Without another game against the Bears, Green Bay controls its own destiny. A win against the Bears would put them two games ahead of the Pack in the win column, making it so that the Packers would have to win out and hope the Bears lose out.
- Both teams are playing very shorthanded
As is the case all around the league, the Packers and Bears are both dealing with unfortunate injuries. Green Bay just placed Micah Parsons, one of the best edge rushers on the planet, on IR after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear. Slowing Chicago's offense down without Parsons is sure to be a challenge, but knowing that the Bears are going to be without both Rome Odunze and Luther Burden, two dynamic young receivers, certainly makes it easier. It'll be interesting to see which team can do a better job overcoming its injuries.
Packers-Bears prediction
This game is incredibly difficult to predict and could go either way, as we saw just a couple of weeks ago at Lambeau Field. That game came down to the wire, and this one should, too. In the end, I will bet on Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson coming through in the clutch as they've done all season, as the Bears protect home field. They'll have a chip on their shoulder after losing to the Packers once and know what's at stake in such a huge game.
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