The NFL is shaking things up for Week 16, and with playoff races heating up, the timing couldn’t be more dramatic. The league has flexed the New England Patriots’ road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens into the coveted Sunday night slot on December 21.
That game replaces what was originally a prime-time showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins, which now moves to a 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
Let’s be honest - this move comes down to relevance in the playoff picture. At 11-2, the Patriots are sitting atop the NFL standings and in firm control of their destiny as they chase the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They’ve been one of the league’s most complete teams this season, and the league clearly wants more eyes on a squad that’s surging at just the right time.
Baltimore, meanwhile, may not have the record to match - they’re 6-7 - but don’t let that number fool you. The Ravens are still very much alive in the AFC North.
After a tough loss to the Steelers last Sunday, they sit just one game back of Pittsburgh in the division race. That makes this a high-stakes matchup for both sides, with playoff implications riding on every snap.
Over in Miami, the Bengals-Dolphins game may have lost its prime-time billing, but there’s still plenty of intrigue. This one features a head-to-head between the top two quarterbacks from the 2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. It’s a matchup that always draws attention, and for good reason.
Burrow’s résumé speaks for itself - a Super Bowl appearance and two Comeback Player of the Year awards. He’s the heart of a Bengals team that’s battled through adversity all season, and despite a 4-9 record, they’ve shown flashes of the team that made deep postseason runs in recent years.
Tua, on the other hand, is coming off a strong 2023 campaign where he led the league in passing and topped the charts in completion percentage. His Dolphins have clawed their way back into the conversation with four straight wins, improving to 6-7 heading into a Monday night tilt with the Steelers. They’re not out of it yet, and Tua’s play has been a big reason why.
Back to that Sunday night spotlight - the Patriots-Ravens game also gives us a marquee quarterback matchup in Drake Maye vs. Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, a two-time MVP, remains one of the league’s most electrifying players, capable of changing a game in an instant. Maye, meanwhile, has been turning heads all season and is firmly in the MVP conversation himself, alongside veterans like Matthew Stafford.
This will be New England’s fourth prime-time appearance of the season, and it comes at a moment when the franchise is on the verge of clinching its first playoff berth since 2021. For a team that’s rebuilt quickly and decisively, this is a statement game - and now, the whole country will be watching.
So while the Bengals and Dolphins get the early window, don’t sleep on that matchup. But Sunday night belongs to the Patriots and Ravens - two franchises with rich histories, dynamic quarterbacks, and plenty on the line.