NFL TV Schedule Week 16: Coverage Maps for CBS and Fox Action

In Week 16, the NFL’s TV schedule is all about survival of the fittest.

Each conference only gets two wild-card seeds. Entering this week’s action, there are 14 non-division winners still competing for those sports.

My math tells me somebody is going to get left out.

Because nearly half the league falls into that category and eight more teams are out to secure higher seeds, almost every Week 16 matchup has playoff implications.

Here’s how to watch those matchups, the Week 16 CBS and Fox coverage details.

NFL Week 16 Coverage Info

*Note: Maps courtesy of the506.com.

Matchup	Kickoff (ET)	Network	Announcers
Raiders at Panthers	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Spero Dedes, Steve Beuerlein
Bills at Dolphins	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Don Criqui, Randy Cross
Bengals at Steelers	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Patriots at Jaguars	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots
Colts at Chiefs	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker
Saints at Cowboys	1:00 p.m.	Fox	Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston
Redskins at Eagles	1:00 p.m.	Fox	Tom Brennaman, Brian Billick
Rams at Buccaneers	1:00 p.m.	Fox	Ron Pitts, Mike Martz
Chargers at Jets	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Marv Albert, Rich Gannon
Titans at Packers	1:00 p.m.	CBS	Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf
Vikings at Texans	1:00 p.m.	Fox	Chris Myers, Tim Ryan
Browns at Broncos	4:05 p.m.	CBS	Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
Bears at Cardinals	4:25 p.m.	Fox	Dick Stockton, John Lynch
Giants at Ravens	4:25 p.m.	Fox	Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

Note: Announcer information courtesy bflo360.com (CBS/ Fox). Coverage maps for all Sunday-afternoon games on CBS and Fox will be updated once made available.

Matchup of the Week: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

It all comes down to this.

The winner of the game between the 8-6 Bengals and 7-7 Steelers will control its own playoff destiny going into Week 17. The loser is eliminated, unless Pittsburgh wins on Sunday and loses to the Browns next week while the Bengals beat the Ravens.

Anyway, this is the matchup of the week because it’s the only one that features two teams left in the playoff race that haven’t clinched and control their own destinies.

Throw in the fact that it’s between two bitter AFC North rivals, and the showdown couldn’t get much more heated.

Cincinnati will enter the contest having won four of its last five, while Pittsburgh has lost four of its last five. But while the Bengals enter significantly hotter as a team than the Steelers, Andy Dalton and Ben Roethlisberger both have struggled of late.

Dalton has recorded a passer rating of 76.1 or lower in three straight games, while Roethlisberger has had key turnovers lead to the Black and Gold’s last two losses.

Whichever QB can snap out of it first will put his squad on the inside track to the postseason.

Underrated Matchup of the Week: New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys

How in the world is a matchup which includes the Cowboys underrated?

Well, many may not realize that this showdown is also between two playoff-bubble teams. Believe it or not, 6-8 New Orleans has yet to be eliminated. The Saints need a Christmas miracle to sneak in, but the first item on their to-do list is to beat Big D.

Now, Dallas’ playoff dreams wouldn’t be doused with a loss. It could still qualify with a win over the Redskins in Week 17, along with some help. But obviously, the Cowboys would love to avoid needing another team's assistance.

To win, Tony Romo will most likely have to best Drew Brees in a shootout.

That sounds like a lost cause. Brees leads the NFL in passing yards this season with 4,335, and he generals the fourth-highest-scoring offense in the league. But if Romo continues to play as he has the past several weeks, the Cowboys will be able to keep up.

They’ve won five of their last six games, and over those weeks Romo is averaging 312.5 yards per game; a passer rating of 106.0; and, most importantly, he boasts a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 12-3.

And considering that the Saints and Cowboys defenses each allow over 24 points a game, these QBs won’t face much opposition.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels