NFL Christmas video games streaming: Tips on how to watch dwell

Who does not love Christmas soccer? The NFL’s still-rare vacation custom returns for an additional consecutive yr — and this time, it lands completely on a Thursday. Meaning three full video games as a substitute of the same old two, giving followers an all-day slate of soccer alongside the festivities.

This season marks the second yr of the NFL’s three-year settlement with Netflix to stream Christmas Day video games, guaranteeing at the least one vacation matchup every year through the deal. And since Christmas falls on a day the league already reserves for video games, the schedule will get an additional increase: a 3rd matchup airing on Amazon Prime as a part of the common Thursday Evening Soccer lineup.

This yr’s Christmas slate options three divisional showdowns, with a mixture of groups already out of playoff competition, one squad battling for a division crown, and one other clinging to faint postseason hopes. Right here’s the complete breakdown — and watch each recreation:

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders

Kicking off the festivities are two down-on-their-luck NFC East groups with little left to play for this season. Once I wrote the Thanksgiving how-to-stream information, the Cowboys had been really trending up, contemporary off a win over the Chiefs that capped a three-game streak. At 6-5-1, Dallas nonetheless had faint playoff hopes and wanted a highway win in Detroit to maintain them alive. That didn’t occur. As an alternative, the wheels got here off, with two extra losses quickly after sealing their destiny.

Now sitting at 6-8-1 and formally eradicated, it’s exhausting to name Dallas’ season something however a wash.

For Washington, the yr has been even rougher. The Commanders (4-11) are caught on the backside of the NFC East simply months after their stunning run to the NFC Championship Sport. Accidents have outlined their collapse, none extra damaging than the repeated setbacks to star sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels. What as soon as appeared like a promising follow-up marketing campaign has as a substitute unraveled right into a season followers will wish to neglect.

You possibly can watch this on Netflix at 12 p.m. CST / 1 p.m. EST

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

Right here’s an NFC North matchup with playoff implications — if actually every thing breaks proper. The Detroit Lions, as soon as the league’s lovable underdogs, turned Tremendous Bowl contenders, are getting a tough actuality verify this season.

Enjoying a uncommon vacation recreation outdoors their conventional Thanksgiving slot, the Lions primarily should win to maintain even the faintest playoff hopes alive. After ending final season at 15–2, Detroit now sits at 8–7, with accidents and a training exodus taking a lot of the chunk out of what was as soon as a blistering offense. Since beginning 4–1, the Lions have alternated wins and losses virtually weekly, earlier than lastly dropping their first back-to-back video games since 2022 with defeats towards the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Even a Christmas Day win might not be sufficient. If the Inexperienced Bay Packers handle enterprise on Saturday, Detroit’s season successfully ends. To outlive, the Lions would wish to beat a Vikings crew beginning its third-string quarterback, then upset the 11–4 Chicago Bears — coached by Detroit’s former offensive coordinator — whereas additionally hoping the Packers stumble once more towards that very same Minnesota squad.

In different phrases, Detroit is working low on each margin and miracles.

As for the Vikings, there’s far much less drama. Minnesota has already been eradicated from playoff competition, and its plan to construct round sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 general choose, by no means took off. A revolving door of accidents derailed the season early, leaving this matchup extra about pleasure than postseason stakes.

You possibly can watch this on Netflix at 3:30 p.m. CST / 4:30 p.m. EST

Denver Broncos at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

A Christmas Day recreation in identify solely, this AFC West matchup might assist determine the division crown between the Denver Broncos and — surprisingly — the Los Angeles Chargers. Sure, for the primary time since 2012, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are headed for a dropping season, and for the primary time since 2014, they’ll miss the playoffs altogether.

Just like the Cowboys, the Chiefs — and the face of the league, Patrick Mahomes — endured a surprisingly flat yr. A sputtering offense and an getting older protection uncovered the chance that this chapter of the Kansas Metropolis dynasty might lastly be closing. That suspicion grew to become actuality in a divisional loss to the Chargers when Mahomes tore his ACL. The damage ended his season and, given its late prevalence, might additionally threaten his availability early subsequent yr.

In the meantime, issues couldn’t look higher in Denver. Following a promising 2024 marketing campaign that culminated in a shock playoff look, the Broncos have made a big leap ahead. Sitting at 12–3, Denver at the moment leads the AFC West over the 11–4 Chargers and controls its personal future. A Christmas Day win over Kansas Metropolis, mixed with a Chargers loss on Saturday, would clinch the Broncos’ first division title since 2015 — the ultimate season of the Peyton Manning period.

There’s even an out of doors path for Denver to lock up the AFC’s prime seed with somewhat assist elsewhere, however that’s a situation greatest left to the calculators.

You possibly can watch this on Amazon Prime at 7:15 p.m. CST / 8:15 p.m. EST.