The Lions are staying home for the playoffs, the Packers are in the postseason and only one spot remains open in the NFC.

While the Broncos already have their playoff spot secured, the AFC West and No. 1 seed in the AFC are still very much in play. The Broncos have one of the NFL's biggest home-field advantages, not only with their crowd, but also the mile-high elevation that tends to wreak havoc on opponents.

Nate Tice reacts to the Christmas Day NFL slate and looks ahead to the NFL playoff race. Nate gives his instant takeaways from the Dallas Cowboys win over the Washington Commanders, a wild Minnesota Vikings upset win to knock the Detroit Lions out of playoff contention and the Denver Broncos taking care of the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night in their quest for the top seed in the AFC.

The Packers clinched a playoff spot with the Lions' loss to the Vikings on Christmas. Detroit was eliminated with the defeat, and now Green Bay is competing with Chicago for the NFC North.

Week 17’s schedule starts with a three-game slate on Christmas. We predict the winners for each of those three games and give you a chance to join in.

The NFL playoff race continues in Week 16. Follow this live experience for today's coverage from The Athletic's writers.

The Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks tied for an NFL-best six selections apiece for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games.

Bo Nix ran for a score before throwing a go-ahead late touchdown pass to RJ Harvey to ensure Denver Broncos beat Kansas City Chiefs 20-13 in the late Christmas Day game; watch Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers on Monday morning from 1.