Sportskeeda
Monday, December 25, 2023, marks a wonderful day of gift-giving, receiving, and NFL Christmas. This Christmas, the NFL is showcasing not a double-header but a triple-header, carrying out the entire day. These games consist of the Las Vegas Raiders vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, then the New York Giants vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, and finally rounding off the night with the Baltimore Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers.
NFL Christmas Game One:
The Las Vegas Raiders vs. The Kansas City Chiefs
CNN
As we all know, the Raiders and Chiefs have recently been in the limelight for team struggles. For the Raiders, most of their issues come from offensive woes. Former Alabama running back and current Raider Josh Jacob is a pivotal part of this offense, and frustration is evident. Jacobs’ 2023 regular season stats through Week 15 are 805 yards, six touchdowns, and an average of 3.5 yards. The Raiders have also had issues with the starting quarterback position. The debate of Aidan O’Connell or Brian Hoyer is still in full effect. Aidan O’Connell, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Purdue, has a 2023 overall quarterback rating of 31.1 with 1,365 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The 15th season veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer has a 2023 overall quarterback rating of 64.4 with 231 overall yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. In this sucky scenario with a 5-8 win-loss ratio, who would you start against the 8-5 Chiefs, who you have already faced in a 31-17 defeat.
On the other hand, the Kansas City Chiefs are the top-ranked team in the AFC West, but they are currently on a two-loss losing streak. Ironically, their most recent win was against the Las Vegas Raiders. One of the main issues with the Kansas City Chiefs is something that I actually hit on previously. The Chiefs lead the NFL in dropped passes with 30 drops out of 411, according to Sporting News. These drops come even with very talented quarterback Patrick Mahomes standing behind center. What could be the remedy to their receiving woes? How should the Chiefs react to the drops? Patrick Mahomes was recently in the news for expressing his frustrations on the sidelines, something that he has apologized for and reportedly now regrets.
With both teams having hard times on the offensive side of the ball, who will prevail during this late regular season game? Will the Kansas City Chiefs snap their two-game losing streak or will the Las Vegas Raiders make a late season upset and shock many NFL viewers? Here’s my personal opinion this NFL Christmas game will got as expected as the Kansas City Chiefs will come out victorious.
NFL Christmas Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
NFL Christmas Game Two:
The New York Giants vs. The Philadelphia Eagles
Pro Football Network
The 5-8 New York Giants are ranked 3rd in the NFC East and have a storyline that many have been following. In the beginning of the 2023 season, the Giants were plagued with several injuries. Original starting quarterback Daniel Jones was marked out for the season with an ACL tear. Next man up is the philosophy, so Tyrod Taylor assumed the starting role, but he suffered a rib injury in Week 8 against the New York Jets. Due to this, they had to go to next…next man up which landed in the hands of Tommy DeVito. DeVito has been a saving grace to the Giants and many classify him as an ultimate unit. DeVito’s story is also one of interest. The New Jersey native, who still lives at home with his parents, 10 minutes from the MetLife Stadium, has been nicknamed the Italian Stallion. DeVito has a 2023 overall quarterback rating of 26.2 with 855 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions after starting four games this season. Is DeVito’s success sustainable or only for the moment? Will his athleticism be enough to combat the Eagles’ defense?
The 10-3 Philadelphia Eagles are the top-ranked team in the NFC East despite being on a two-loss losing streak with both losses pretty much being blowouts. The San Francisco 49ers beat the Eagles 42-19 and the Dallas Cowboys 33-13. Before the Eagles can reach the Giants, they must first go through the Seattle Seahawks which are also big competitors. The Eagles’ likelihood of being Super Bowl contenders has been put into question despite the long stretch of winning that they have had going and winning the Super Bowl rematch against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Have the Philadelphia Eagles actually fallen off or have they just hit a bit of a rough patch? Can they recuperate from their losses, and will they? My pick in this game is the Philadelphia Eagles. If you all have not noticed, it will be almost impossible to get me to pick against Jalen Hurts. I must say, I am riding until the wheels fall off.
NFL Christmas Pick: The Philadelphia Eagles
NFL Christmas Game Three:
The Baltimore Ravens vs. The San Francisco 49ers
Niner Noise
The 10-3 Baltimore Ravens have a great chance up against any opponent, especially with Lamar Jackson behind center. Jackson has a quarterback rating of 59.8, ranking him 10th overall. He has 2,934 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions. I would say that is a pretty darn good record.
The 10-3 San Francisco 49ers have a great chance up against any opponent as well. Their defense is arguably the best in the NFL and their offense is not far behind with running back Christian McCaffrey having 226 carries for 1,177 yards and averaging 5.2 yards. He also has 12 touchdowns which ties him for second place among the NFL. The 49ers are coming up on a game against the 3-10 Louisville Cardinals. Many are expecting it to pretty much be an easy game, but as we know the NFL is very unpredictable.
So guys, I must say, this is a big game and two highly competitive teams. I believe everyone has the 49ers picked, but I actually want the Ravens to win.
NFL Christmas Pick: in my heart, the Baltimore Ravens, in my mind, the San Francisco 49ers
