Week 17 NFL Preview: Cardinals Look to Stop the Slide, Eagles and Bills Set for Heavyweight Clash
With just two games left in the regular season, the Arizona Cardinals are hoping to put an end to a brutal stretch that’s seen them drop 12 of their last 13, including seven straight. This Sunday, they’ll head to Cincinnati to face Joe Burrow and the Bengals in a matchup that kicks off at 11 a.m. MST on FOX 10 Phoenix.
Arizona’s latest setback came at home against the Falcons, a 26-19 loss that summed up much of their season-flashes of competitiveness, but not enough to finish games. Now, on the road and facing one of the league’s most poised quarterbacks in Burrow, the Cardinals are staring down another steep challenge.
Cincinnati hasn’t been the juggernaut some expected this season, but with Burrow under center, they remain a dangerous team capable of lighting it up on offense. For Arizona, the focus will be on finding some rhythm early and limiting mistakes-something that’s plagued them during this skid. Regardless of playoff implications, this game is about pride, development, and showing signs of life heading into the offseason.
America’s Game of the Week: Eagles vs. Bills - A Clash of Contenders
While the Cardinals fight to stop the bleeding, one of the marquee matchups of the weekend features two teams with very different goals. The Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills are both playoff-bound, but they’re still jockeying for position-and momentum-as January looms.
Set for a 2:25 p.m. MST kickoff on FOX, this one has all the ingredients of a late-season classic.
On one side, you’ve got Jalen Hurts and an Eagles offense that’s struggled with consistency but has shown signs of heating up again. When Philly gets Saquon Barkley rolling-especially with 20 or more carries-and keeps A.J.
Brown and DeVonta Smith involved downfield, they can wear down even the stingiest defenses.
On the other side, Josh Allen continues to do what Josh Allen does-carry the Bills offense with a blend of power, precision, and improvisation that makes him a weekly MVP candidate. He’ll need to be at his best against a Philadelphia defense that can bring pressure with four and disguise blitzes with the best of them. Rookie standout Jalen Carter has been a handful for offensive lines all season, and he’ll be key in disrupting Allen’s rhythm.
For Buffalo, getting James Cook involved early could be the difference. If the Bills can establish the run, it’ll open up the play-action game and give Allen a better chance to hit his targets-Keon Coleman on the outside, and tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox over the middle.
FOX Sports has Buffalo as the favorite, but this one feels like a coin flip. Two playoff teams, two elite quarterbacks, and plenty still on the line-it’s the kind of game that reminds you why December football matters.
Here’s the Full Week 17 NFL Schedule and Where to Watch
Thursday, Dec. 25
- Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders - 11 a.m. MST (Netflix)
- Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings - 2:30 p.m. MST (Netflix)
- Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs - 6:15 p.m. MST (Amazon)
Saturday, Dec. 27
- Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers - 2:30 p.m. MST (NFL Network)
- Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers - 6 p.m. MST (Peacock)
**Sunday, Dec. 28 (Early Slate - 11 a.m.
MST)**
- Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers (CBS)
- Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals (FOX)
- Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns (CBS)
- Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts (FOX)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins (FOX)
- New England Patriots at New York Jets (FOX)
- New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 28 (Afternoon & Night Games)
- New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders - 2:05 p.m. MST (CBS)
- Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills - 2:25 p.m. MST (FOX)
- Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - 6:20 p.m. MST (NBC)
Monday, Dec. 29
- Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons - 6:15 p.m. MST (ESPN)
How to Watch NFL Games on FOX
You’ve got options when it comes to catching the action on FOX. Games can be streamed live on FOXSports.com, the FOX Sports App, or FOX One. If you’re going old-school, an over-the-air antenna will get you your local FOX station for free.
Prefer streaming? NFL+, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and fuboTV all carry FOX and will have you covered throughout the weekend.
And don’t forget: FOX NFL Sunday kicks things off at 12 p.m. ET with Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Rob Gronkowski, and Jay Glazer breaking down the week’s biggest matchups and storylines.
Week 17 is here. Playoff spots are on the line, streaks are at stake, and the drama is only building from here.