The NFL decided to give football fans some gifts on the Christmas Day schedule, but, like a kid growing out of a gift that was bought months ago, the outcome is less favorable. Of the six teams playing on Christmas, only the Detroit Lions are still fighting for a playoff spot. The Denver Broncos have secured a postseason bid and are still playing for seeding.
The matchups on Thursday will be full of backup quarterbacks with starters Patrick Mahomes, Jayden Daniels, and JJ McCarthy missing the games for their teams.
For the Browns rooting guide, two games matter but for different reasons:
Neither game is as important as the games that will be played on Sunday. We will bring you another 2026 NFL draft order rooting guide for the weekend’s matchups.