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Join Telegram ChannelThe NFL is giving its fans a gift this Christmas, with two high-profile matchups between AFC contenders with plenty of playoff implications.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers play at 1 p.m. ET, and the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans play at 4:30 p.m. ET, with both games streaming exclusively on Netflix.
After many had streaming issues during the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight in November, Netflix is under a lot of pressure to ensure its viewers have no problems watching the matches.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is introduced before a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
One Netflix subscriber even filed a lawsuit against Netflix for “breach of contract” due to constant issues during the fight, according to TMZ.
This will be the first time an NFL game will be streamed exclusively on Netflix, and regardless of fans' viewing experience on Wednesday, it won't be the last game they see on the streaming service.
The NFL and Netflix announced in May that they had reached a three-year deal in which the streaming service will broadcast at least one Christmas Day game during the term of the agreement.
Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of nonfiction and sports, said the company has learned lessons from what went wrong in the Tyson-Paul battle.
“The number of people who came to see it was incredible. And despite all the testing that the engineering team had done before, and I think they are the best in the business, the only way to test something of this magnitude is to have something of this magnitude,” Riegg said.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson takes the field against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
“We never want to have technical issues or a disappointing experience for our members. There was a subset of people watching who struggled with this and we recognize that. The good news is that they tested the system that there is they realized that they could make a lot of fixes and improvements, and they are applying all of that.
Netflix's first test will be a showdown between the Chiefs (14-1) and the Steelers (10-5).
The Chiefs have already won their ninth straight AFC West title and are now playing for the AFC's No. 1 seed, which would grant them the all-important bye week.
If the Chiefs win Wednesday, they would have the No. 1 seed locked up heading into Week 18, giving head coach Andy Reid a chance to rest his starters in the final week of the regular season.
The Chiefs are coming off a 27-19 win over the Texans on Saturday, where quarterback Patrick Mahomes played well. The star quarterback threw for 260 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 33 yards and a touchdown despite dealing with a sprained ankle.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens breaks through the Bengals defense for a touchdown reception at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on December 1, 2024. (IMAGINE)
The Steelers, meanwhile, are coming off a tough 34-17 loss to their arch-rivals, the Ravens, on Saturday.
It looked like the Steelers were going to have a chance to come back after safety Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Lamar Jackson 24-17 in the fourth quarter.
However, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey thwarted any chance of a Steelers comeback with a Pick Six against Russell Wilson on the ensuing drive, giving the Ravens a 31-17 lead and effectively sealing the victory.
The Steelers defense struggled to handle running back Derrick Henry, who ran the ball 24 times for 162 yards in Baltimore's victory.
For the Steelers, their game against the Chiefs is crucial to winning the AFC North. Pittsburgh has already clinched a playoff spot, but their loss on Saturday dealt a major blow to their chances of winning the division, as the Ravens are also 10-5.
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Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey returns an interception for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
Some good news for the Steelers is that wide receiver George Pickens has a “real chance” to play against the Chiefs, coach Mike Tomlin said Sunday.
Pickens missed the last three games, and we missed him dearly. In the three games without Pickens, the Steelers averaged just 248.3 yards per game, nearly 77 yards shy of their season average of 324.9.
As tough as the Steelers' loss was on Saturday, the Ravens' win over Pittsburgh was just as much of a boost for them.
The Ravens played well Saturday, outscoring the Steelers 418-315 in yards, including 220 on the ground.
Jackson threw three touchdowns in the victory and will have the opportunity to showcase his MVP title in front of the world on Wednesday.
The Ravens quarterback is having another fantastic year, as Jackson and Bills quarterback Josh Allen are considered the two favorites for the award.
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
A Ravens win on Christmas would go a long way in their race against the Steelers for the AFC North crown.
The Ravens (10-5) take on the Texans (9-6) in the second part of the NFL Christmas doubleheader on Netflix.
They face a Texan team that has just lost to the Chiefs. In addition to the loss, the Texans also lost second-year receiver Tank Dell for the season after suffering a gruesome leg injury while running for a touchdown in the loss.
The Texans also lost receiver Stefon Diggs for the season after the star receiver tore his ACL, leaving what was once a strong receiving corps now thin.
A win against the Ravens on Christmas for the Texans would secure them not only a playoff spot, but also the AFC South title and a home playoff game.
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Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud battles against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
The Texans-Ravens game will also feature a special halftime performance from Beyoncé.
The four teams playing Wednesday will be playing their third game in 11 days.
With so many playoff implications and a big halftime performance, Netflix will be under a lot of pressure from NFL fans and the “BeyHive” to make sure things go off without a hitch.
Jackson Thompson of Fox News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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