We’re in the home stretch of the NFL Regular Season with just three games left per team. We’re also in the holiday stretch, so we’ve seen a game on Thursday and get two more on Saturday. That leaves the Sunday lineup a little thin. While we had incredible matchups all over the Sunday slate in Week 15, there’s only a few marquee matchups this week. Below are the five I’m most excited to see.

Early Games:

Detroit Lions (12-2) at Chicago Bears (4-10)
About: Why is this on the list? On paper, this shouldn’t be close. But with the Lions continuing to suffer injuries on defense—and now losing running back David Montgomery on offense—they have gotten thin. The Bears, meanwhile, haven’t looked good in the two games since firing Matt Eberflus, but they are feeling the pressure to make some kind of showing down the stretch. This was a close game on Thanksgiving, perhaps it can be again Sunday.

Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) at Washington Commanders (9-5)
About: These are the top two teams in the NFC East, and both have their sights set on the playoffs. While the Eagles could be in line for the No. 1 overall seed, the Commanders want to get the best slot they can and solidify a Wild Card position. That means both teams are motivated to win. I expect this to be one of the best games of the Sunday slate.

Late Games:

Minnesota Vikings (12-2) at Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
About: The Vikings have been one of the best teams in the league, already sitting on 12 wins. And yet, they are second in their own division and could end up on the road for the playoffs. The Vikings need to keep winning to put pressure on the Lions and set up an epic matchup between the two later this season. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are hurting. Geno Smith has a gimpy knee and the team fell from leading the NFC West to out of the playoffs with a loss on Sunday night. Now, they need to win to keep their post-season hopes alive.

San Francisco 49ers (6-8) at Miami Dolphins (6-8)
About: On paper, this looked to be a fantastic matchup when the schedule was announced. Both were playoff teams in 2023. Now, both are on the cusp of being officially eliminated heading into Week 16. With a loss, one certainly will be out of the running. That puts the pressure on both teams, who’ve struggled with injuries and under-performed. That makes this a fascinating Week 16 matchup.

Sunday Night Football:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) at Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
About: The Cowboys have just faint playoff hopes left in what’s been a disappointing season. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, have gone from out of the picture to one of the hottest teams in the NFC, now sitting as the No. 3 seed in the NFC. The Buccaneers need to keep winning to stay ahead of the Falcons and on the path to making the playoffs again. Meanwhile, another loss will end the Cowboys’ faint playoff hopes.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.