The NFL is making history by hosting its first Christmas Day doubleheader on Wednesday, with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET and the Baltimore Ravens facing off against the Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The league had to get creative due to a rare alignment of events, as Christmas fell on a Wednesday this season. This marks only the second time in NFL history that there have been two games played on Christmas Day – with the first being in 2004. The NFL commissioner has stated that Wednesday games will not become a regular occurrence, but it seems likely that we’ll see another doubleheader next year when Christmas falls on a Wednesday.
The Chiefs and Steelers are both playoff-bound teams looking to make a statement on the biggest stage of the week. Kansas City is fighting for the top seed in the AFC, while Pittsburgh’s fate hangs in the balance after their loss to the Ravens last week. The Steelers still have a chance to take the division title with two wins remaining.
In contrast, the Texans are more focused on getting momentum before entering their playoff push. Lamar Jackson faces a tough test against the Texans’ stingy defense, which could impact his MVP case and give the Ravens an edge in the AFC North division.
The doubleheader promises to be an exciting one, with the NFL seeking to navigate potential issues with its streaming partnership with Netflix after recent problems with major events like the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul boxing match.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-on-christmas-day-4-afc-playoff-bound-teams-provide-a-couple-of-strong-matchups-150002987.html