Week 16 on Sunday Night Football features a Christmas showdown between Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kliff Kingsbury’s Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Live coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET with Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock.
December is here and Week 16 means that we’re officially thinking about the NFL playoff picture, and who will be in contention for a spot in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, this February. Here’s how things stand in the playoff picture heading into the weekend:
Where do the Buccaneers and Cardinals stand in the 2022 NFL Playoff Picture ahead of Week 16?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Brady and the Buccaneers (6-8) currently lead the NFC South by one game over every other team in the division despite losing three of their last four games. The team’s most recent loss came last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals–a 34-23 blowout where Brady turned the ball over 4 times. The Buccaneers hope to make their 3rd straight playoff appearance since Brady joined the team.
RELATED: Six teams have clinched playoff berths, 11 more control their postseason destiny
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have already been eliminated from playoff contention and will miss the postseason for the 3rd time in 4 seasons under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. With franchise QB Kyler Murray out for the season (torn ACL) and back up QB Colt McCoy‘s Week 15 exit (concussion), third string QB Trace McSorley, the 2019 6th round pick (by BAL), will make his first NFL start on Sunday night.
See below for the 2022 NFL playoff clinching scenarios and standings for Week 16 as well as additional information on how to watch and live stream this week’s Christmas Day Buccaneers vs Cardinals match-up.
RELATED: How to watch Buccaneers vs Cardinals – TV/Live Stream info for Sunday night’s game
2022 NFL Playoff Clinching Scenarios for Week 16:
Baltimore Ravens (9-5) vs. Atlanta Falcons (5-9) – Saturday, December 24 (1:00PM ET)
The Baltimore Ravens can clinch a playoff berth this Saturday with the following:
- A win against the Falcons AND a Miami Dolphins loss/tie against Green Bay on Sunday (1:00 PM ET) AND a Patriots loss/tie against the Bengals on Saturday (1:00 PM ET).
OR
- A win against the Falcons AND a Miami Dolphins loss/tie against Green Bay on Sunday AND a NY Jets loss/tie against the Jaguars on Thursday (8:15 PM ET).
OR
- A win against the Falcons AND a Patriots loss/tie against the Bengals on Saturday AND a NY Jets loss/tie against the Jaguars on Thursday.
OR
- A tie with the Falcons AND a Patriots loss AND a NY Jets loss.
OR
- A tie with the Falcons AND a Patriots loss AND a Dolphins loss AND an LA Chargers win against the Colts on Monday (8:15 PM ET).
OR
- A tie with the Falcons AND a Patriots loss AND a Dolphins loss AND a NY Jets tie.
OR
- A tie with the Falcons AND a Patriots loss AND a NY Jets tie AND an LA Chargers win.
OR
- A tie with the Falcons AND a Patriots tie AND a NY Jets loss AND a Dolphins loss.
OR
- A tie with the Falcons AND a Patriots tie AND a NY Jets tie AND a Dolphins loss an LA Chargers win.
OR
- Patriots loss AND a NY Jets loss AND a Cleveland Browns loss/tie against the Saints on Saturday (1:00 PM ET) AND a Las Vegas Raiders loss or tie against the Steelers on Saturday (8:15 PM ET) AND a Titans loss/tie against the Texans on Saturday (1:00 PM ET) AND an LA Chargers win.
Buffalo Bills (11-3) vs Chicago Bears (3-11) Saturday, December 24 (1:00 PM ET)
The Buffalo Bills can clinch the AFC East division title with the following:
- A win/tie against the Bears on Saturday
OR
- A Dolphins loss/tie against Green Bay on Sunday.
Cincinnati Bengals (10-4) vs New England Patriots (7-7) – Saturday, December 24 (1:00 PM ET)
The Cincinnati Bengals can clinch a playoff berth with the following:
- A win/tie against the Patriots on Sunday
OR
- A NY Jets loss/tie against the Jaguars on Thursday.
RELATED: Bengals clinch playoff berth with Jets loss
LA Chargers (8-6) vs Indianapolis Colts (4-91) – Monday, December 26 (8:15 PM ET)
The LA Chargers can clinch a playoff berth with the following:
- A Chargers win against the Colts AND Raiders loss/tie against the Steelers on Sunday AND a Patriots loss against the Bengals on Saturday and a NY Jets against the Jaguars.
OR
- A Chargers win against the Colts AND Raiders loss/tie AND a Patriots loss AND a NY Jets AND a Dolphins loss against the Packers on Sunday.
OR
- A Chargers win AND Raiders loss/tie AND a Patriots tie AND a NY Jet loss AND a Dolphins loss.
NY Giants (8-5-1) vs Minnesota Vikings (11-3) – Saturday, December 24 (1:00 PM ET)
The NY Giants can clinch a playoff berth with the following:
- A Giants win against the Vikings AND a Commanders loss against the 49ers on Saturday (4:05 PM ET) AND a Lions loss against the Panthers on Saturday (1:00 PM ET).
OR
- A Giants win against the Vikings AND a Commanders loss AND a Seahawks loss against the Chiefs on Saturday (1:00 PM ET)
OR
- A Giants win against the Vikings AND a Lions loss a Seahawks loss.
Philadelphia Eagles (13-1) vs Dallas Cowboys (10-4) – Saturday, December 24 (4:25 PM ET)
The Philadelphia Eagles can clinch the NFC East division title with the following:
- An Eagles win/tie against the Cowboys on Saturday
The Philadelphia Eagles can clinch homefield advantage and the NFC’s lone first-round bye with the following:
- An Eagles win/tie against the Cowboys on Saturday
OR
- An Eagles tie AND a Vikings loss/tie against the NY Giants on Saturday.
AFC Standings – Week 16
*x- indicates a clinched playoff berth
*yx- indicates a division title
- x-Buffalo Bills (11-3)
- yx-Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)
- x-Cincinnati Bengals (10-4)
- Tennessee Titans (7-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
- LA Chargers (8-6)
- Miami Dolphins (8-6)
In the Hunt:
New England Patriots (7-7)
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
New York Jets (7-8)
NFC Standings – Week 16
- x-Philadelphia Eagles (13-1)
- yx-Minnesota Vikings (11-3)
- yx-San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8)
- x-Dallas Cowboys (10-4)
- New York Giants (8-5-1)
- Washington Commanders (7-6-1)
In the Hunt:
Seattle Seahawks (7-7)
Detroit Lions (7-7)
Green Bay Packers (6-8)
Which teams have already clinched a playoff berth?
- Buffalo Bills
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Minnesota Vikings
- San Francisco 49ers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Cincinnati Bengals
Which teams have been eliminated from playoff contention?
The Bears (3-11), Texans (1-12-1), and Broncos (4-10), Arizona Cardinals (4-10), and LA Rams (4-10) have all been eliminated from playoff contention.
How to watch Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Arizona Cardinals:
- Where: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
- When: Sunday, December 25
- Start Time: 8:20 p.m. ET; live coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET with Football Night In America
- TV Channel: NBC
- Stream live: Watch live on Peacock or with the NBC Sports App
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What time is kickoff for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Arizona Cardinals game?
Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET.
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Football Night in America will feature a weekly segment hosted by former NFL quarterback Chris Simms and sports betting and fantasy pioneer Matthew Berry, which highlights storylines and betting odds for the upcoming Sunday Night Football game on NBC, Peacock, and Universo. Real-time betting odds on the scoring ticker during FNIA also will be showcased. Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL postgame show produced by NBC Sports, will also go deep on the storylines and BetMGM betting lines that proved prominent during the matchup.
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