NFL TV Schedule Week 17: Coverage Maps for CBS and FOX Action

Stay out of the snow and locked in to your TV because the NFL’s Week 17 schedule is loaded with must-win ballgames.

It’s the regular-season finale. For a handful of football teams, though, the playoffs have already begun because if they win, they’ll play in January and if they lose, their vacation begins early.

Of course, a large chunk of the league likely already wishes it was on vacation because many have been eliminated for weeks with nothing to play for but pride.

Here are the CBS and Fox schedules with games on both sides of that coin.

Matchup	Kickoff (ET)	Network
Bears at Lions	1:00 p.m.	Fox
Jaguars at Titans	1:00 p.m.	CBS
Texans at Colts	1:00 p.m.	CBS
Browns at Steelers	1:00 p.m.	CBS
Ravens at Bengals	1:00 p.m.	CBS
Jets at Bills	1:00 p.m.	CBS
Panthers at Saints	1:00 p.m.	Fox
Eagles at Giants	1:00 p.m.	Fox
Buccaneers at Falcons	1:00 p.m.	Fox
Raiders at Chargers	4:25 p.m.	CBS
Chiefs at Broncos	4:25 p.m.	CBS
Dolphins at Patriots	4:25 p.m.	CBS
Rams at Seahawks	4:25 p.m.	Fox
Packers at Vikings	4:25 p.m.	Fox
Cardinals at 49ers	4:25 p.m.	Fox

Note: Coverage maps and announcer information for all Sunday-afternoon games on CBS and Fox will be updated once made available.

Matchup of the Week: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson going toe-to-toe with Aaron Rodgers would be a must-watch matchup in Week 1. But in Week 17, Minnesota’s postseason dreams are on the line.

Three weeks ago at 6-6, the playoffs looked like nothing more than a pipe dream for the Vikings. But after three straight wins, they now control their own destiny.

Green Bay has much to gain on Sunday as well. With a win, it would clinch a much-needed first-round bye. A loss, however, could bump the Packers down to the third seed, depending on whether or not the San Francisco 49ers take care of business against the Arizona Cardinals.

Will the Vikings’ Cinderella story continue? The Houston Texans were supposed to end it last week and so are the Packers. The league witnessed what happened to the Texans, though.

They got overpowered by Cinderella.

Underrated Matchup of the Week: Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints

Yes, this game is meaningless. And?

Carolina and New Orleans are the two best teams in the NFL with losing records by far. If you haven’t noticed, both are scorching hot and capable of competing with any team in the league right now.

It’s too bad that they hit their stride a week or two too late because each could do some damage in the playoffs, but it’ll still make for an entertaining showdown.

Drew Brees led the Saints to back-to-back wins the past two weeks, one a 41-0 beat down of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the other, an overtime nail biter against the Cowboys. Cam Newton has carried the Panthers to three straight victories including a 30-20 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons.

Newton has been one of the most dominant players in the league over the past several weeks so between him and Brees, it’s guaranteed to be a shootout.

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

Follow @TheRealDDaniels