NFL Week 16 TV Info: Patriots-Jets, Panthers-Falcons Primary Early Game Distribution

NFL Week 16 TV Info: Patriots-Jets, Panthers-Falcons receive Primary Early Game Distribution

For the second week in a row the best teams in each conference will not be televised in the late afternoon slot, but will instead receive primary network distribution among the NFL games kicking off early. CBS will televise the 12-2 New England Patriots at the 9-5 New York Jets in all or parts of 29 states, while FOX will air the 14-0 Carolina Panthers at the 7-7 Atlanta Falcons in all or parts of 40 states. The amount of coverage given divisional rivalries in an early time slot is quite rare; usually the early games are somewhat equally divided with regional coverage. CBS has designated Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts to announce the Pats-Jets game.

FOX has the doubleheader in Week 16 and the late time slot is almost exclusively devoted to what should be a very good game between the 10-4 Green Bay Packers and 12-2 Arizona Cardinals. Home teams are currently favored in all but three games; in addition to the Patriots and Panthers, Pittsburgh is a road fave at Baltimore. To get an idea how far the Ravens have fallen, consider this: before the season began Baltimore was considered to be a 2½- point favorite in this game; today they are a massive ten-point home underdog. The 12½-point swing in the odds for this game is a testament to how atrocious their play is at this time, and a divine retribution for having the gall to attempt to set up the Patriots in an ill-advised sting operation last January.

As we have seen in previous weeks, there is a dearth of quality games. This week we have just three matchups that include a pair of teams with winning records: the Pats-Jets in the early slot, Packers-Cardinals in the late slot, and a rare superior Monday night game with Cincinnati at Denver.

Here is a look at all of the initial NFL Week 16 TV info; please keep in mind that over the course of the week some scheduling changes can and will occur.

4-10 San Diego Chargers at 6-8 Oakland Raiders (-5; over/under 47)
Thursday Dec 24 at 8:25 pm ET on NFLN; Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

Nationwide broadcast distribution.

7-7 Washington Redskins at 6-8 Philadelphia Eagles (-3, 48)
Saturday Dec 26 at 8:25 pm ET on NFLN; Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

Nationwide broadcast distribution.

5-9 Chicago Bears at 6-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3, 45½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on FOX; announcers TBD

Broadcast on 20 stations, in central (Ft Myers, Ocala, Orlando) Florida, Illinois, South Bend IN, Iowa, St. Louis MO, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

14-0 Carolina Panthers at 7-7 Atlanta Falcons (+7, 47½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on FOX; Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch

Broadcast in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, southern California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Florida panhandle, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky (except Louisville), Louisiana, Maine, Salisbury MD, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri (except Kansas City and St. Louis), Montana, Nebraska, Las Vegas NV, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio (except Toledo), Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee (except Nashville), Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

4-10 Dallas Cowboys at 6-8 Buffalo Bills (-6, 43½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on FOX; Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston

Broadcast on 37 stations in Arkansas, Wichita KS, Shreveport LA, Springfield MO, New Mexico, New York (except New York City), Oklahoma, Erie PA and Texas.

4-10 San Francisco 49ers at 4-9 Detroit Lions (-8½, 42½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on FOX; Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis

Broadcast on 17 stations in northern California, Toledo OH, Michigan and Reno NV

3-11 Cleveland Browns at 9-5 Kansas City Chiefs (-12½, 42½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS; Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon

Broadcast on 27 stations in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio (except Cincinnati and Dayton), Oklahoma, South Dakota and Cheyenne WY

6-8 Indianapolis Colts at 5-9 Miami Dolphins (no line)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS; announcers TBD

Broadcast on just eight stations: Jacksonville, Miami and West Palm Beach FL; Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Terre Haute IN; and Louisville KY.

12-2 New England Patriots at 9-5 New York Jets (+3, 45½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS; Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

Broadcast in Alabama (except Huntsville), Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California (except San Francisco), Connecticut, Ft Myers FL, Panama City FL, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois (except Chicago), Indiana (except Evansville and Indianapolis), Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan (except Detroit), Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York (except Buffalo), North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming

7-7 Houston Texans at 3-11 Tennessee Titans (-4½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS; Spero Dedes, Solomon Wilcots

Broadcast on 29 stations in Huntsville AL, Evansville IN, Indianapolis IN, Bowling Green KY, Tennessee and Texas (except Dallas).

9-5 Pittsburgh Steelers at 4-10 Baltimore Ravens (+10, 47½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 1:00 pm ET on CBS; Greg Gumbel, Trent Green

Broadcast on 31 stations in DC, Lexington KY, Louisville KY, Maryland, North Carolina (except Charlotte), Cincinnati OH, Dayton OH, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

5-9 Jacksonville Jaguars at 5-8 New Orleans Saints (-3½, 52)
Sunday Dec 27 at 4:05 pm ET on CBS; Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein

Broadcast on 31 stations in San Francisco CA, Florida (except Fort Myers and Panama City), Georgia, Chicago IL, Indianapolis IN, Louisiana, Detroit MI, Mississippi, Buffalo NY, Charlotte NC and Dallas TX.

10-4 Green Bay Packers at 12-2 Arizona Cardinals (-4½, 49½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 4:25 pm ET on FOX; Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

Broadcast nationwide with the exceptions of New Orleans, Alaska, Idaho, southern Illinois, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

6-8 St. Louis Rams at 9-5 Seattle Seahawks (-13½, 41)
Sunday Dec 27 at 4:25 pm ET on FOX; Chris Myers, Ronde Barber

Broadcast in Alaska, Idaho, southern Illinois, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

6-8 New York Giants at 9-5 Minnesota Vikings (-4, 44½)
Sunday Dec 27 at 8:30 pm ET on NBC; Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

Nationwide broadcast distribution.

11-3 Cincinnati Bengals at 10-4 Denver Broncos (-3½, 41)
Monday Dec 28 at 8:30 pm ET on ESPN; Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden

Nationwide broadcast distribution.

Here is a bit of nostalgia: odds that were available back in April when the 2015 NFL schedule was announced.

Chargers (-3½) at Raiders
Redskins at Eagles (-7)
Panthers at Falcons (-1)
Jaguars at Saints (-8)
Bears (-1½) at Buccaneers
Packers at Cardinals (Pick’em)
Rams at Seahawks (-6½)
Texans (-2½) at Titans
Browns at Chiefs (-5½)
Cowboys at Bills (-1)
Colts at Dolphins (Pick’em)
Patriots (-4½) at Jets
Steelers at Ravens (-2½)
49ers at Lions (-1½)
Giants at Vikings (-1½)
Bengals at Broncos (-4½)