The Week 16 NFL schedule brings us what has become a late December tradition: Saturday NFL football. There are three games on the Saturday NFL schedule today, starting with Texans vs. Buccaneers at 1 p.m. ET, and all three games are scheduled to be broadcast nationally on NFL Network.
All three Saturday NFL games have playoff picture implications. Houston needs a win in Tampa Bay on Saturday to clinch the AFC South for the second straight season and for the fourth time in the last five years. The Texans would join the Patriots and Chiefs as the only NFL teams with four or more division titles since 2015.
A win would do the trick, but a Titans loss on Sunday also would seal the division for the Texans no matter what happens Saturday. Further, if both teams were to tie their opponents in Week 16, Houston would clinch the AFC South over Tennessee.
MORE: Watch Texans vs. Buccaneers live with DAZN (7-day free trial)
In both our picks against the spread and our straight-up predictions for Week 16, Sporting News projected a Texans victory over the Buccaneers on Saturday. Below are the explanations.
Pick against the spread: The Texans have Deshaun Watson with his main receiving weapons healthy. The Buccaneers have a red-hot Jameis Winston despite being down Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Neither pass defense is good, so Watson and Winston will turn this into a matinee shootout. Houston has a lot more at stake with the AFC South title on the line, while Tampa is playing for a playoff-less second place finish in the NFC South. The Bucs are bound to cool off a little, and Watson is overdue for a monster game. He will pull of one of his dazzling comebacks to save the Texans (again). Pick: Texans win 34-31 and cover the spread.
Straight-up prediction: With a red-hot Jameis Winston, the Buccaneers have scored 35 or more points three times during their four-game winning streak. Which good considering their defense allows 28.4 points per game. The latter stat is good news for the Texans as they try to win the AFC South and maintain their playoff positioning. Also working against Tampa Bay is the fact that injuries are piling up around Winston, meaning he might be more inclined to force more throws. Even against Houston's shaky pass defense, bad things happen for the Bucs when Winston tries to force too many throws. Pick: Texans 27, Buccaneers 21.
Below is everything you need to know to watch Texans vs. Buccaneers on Saturday, including the kickoff time, TV channel and a full Week 16 NFL schedule.
What channel is Texans vs. Buccaneers on Saturday?
- TV channel (national): TSN
- Live stream: DAZN
Texans vs. Buccaneers: What time is kickoff Saturday?
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 21
- Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
The 1 p.m. ET kickoff time for Texans vs. Buccaneers on Saturday marks the fifth and final national TV game for Houston this season. Barring a schedule change, the Texans will close the season with an early Sunday afternoon game against the Titans in Week 17.
As for Tampa Bay, Saturday's game marks its third and final national TV game of the season. Strangely, the Bucs' other two national TV games — a Thursday night game and a London game, both against the Panthers — also were presented by NFL Network.
NFL schedule Week 16
You can keep up with live scores and stats with SN's live scoreboard.
Saturday, Dec. 21
| Game | Time | TV |
| Texans at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Bills at Patriots | 4:30 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Rams at 49ers | 8:15 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
Sunday, Dec. 22
| Game | Time | Channel |
| Jaguars vs. Falcons | 1 p.m. | DAZN |
| Ravens vs. Browns | 1 p.m. | DAZN |
| Saints vs. Titans | 1 p.m. | DAZN |
| Panthers vs. Colts | 1 p.m. | DAZN |
| Bengals vs. Dolphins | 1 p.m. | DAZN |
| Steelers vs. Jets | 1 p.m. | DAZN |
| Giants vs. Redskins | 1 p.m. | DAZN, TSN |
| Lions vs. Broncos | 4:05 p.m. | DAZN, TSN |
| Raiders vs. Chargers | 4:05 p.m. | DAZN |
| Cowboys vs. Eagles | 4:25 p.m. | DAZN |
| Cardinals vs. Seahawks | 4:25 p.m. | DAZN |
| Chiefs vs. Bears | 8:25 p.m. | DAZN, TSN |
Monday, Dec. 23
| Game | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Packers vs. Vikings | 8:15 p.m. | DAZN, TSN |
Texans schedule 2019
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV |
| Week 1 | Sep. 9 (Monday) | at Saints | 7:10 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Weel 2 | Sep. 15 | vs. Jaguars | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 3 | Sep. 22 | at Chargers | 4:25 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 4 | Sep. 29 | vs. Panthers | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 5 | Oct. 6 | vs. Falcons | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 6 | Oct. 13 | at Chiefs | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 7 | Oct. 20 | at Colts | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 8 | Oct. 27 | vs. Raiders | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 9 | Nov. 3 | at Jaguars (London) | 9:30 a.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 10 | BYE | |||
| Week 11 | Nov. 17 | at Ravens | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 12 | Nov. 21 (Thursday) | vs. Colts | 8:20 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 13 | Dec. 1 | vs. Patriots | 8:20 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Broncos | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 15 | Dec. 15 | at Titans | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 16 | Dec. 21 | at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 17 | Dec. 29 | vs. Titans | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
Buccaneers schedule 2019
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff time | TV |
| Week 1 | Sept. 8 | vs. 49ers | 4:25 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 2 | Sept. 12 (Thursday) | at Panthers | 8:20 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 3 | Sept. 22 | vs. Giants | 4:05 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 4 | Sept. 29 | at Rams | 4:05 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 5 | Oct. 6 | at Saints | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 6 | Oct. 13 | vs. Panthers (London) | 9:30 a.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 7 | BYE | - | - | - |
| Week 8 | Oct. 27 | at Titans | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 9 | Nov. 3 | at Seahawks | 4:05 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 10 | Nov. 10 | vs. Cardinals | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 11 | Nov. 17 | vs. Saints | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 12 | Nov. 24 | at Falcons | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 13 | Dec. 1 | at Jaguars | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Colts | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 15 | Dec. 15 | at Lions | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |
| Week 16 | Dec. 21 | vs. Texans | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN, TSN |
| Week 17 | Dec. 29 | vs. Falcons | 1 p.m. ET | DAZN |