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The NFL is giving followers a gift on Christmas, with two high-profile matchups between AFC contenders with a number 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 each video games streaming solely on Netflix.
After many had streaming points through the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson struggle in November, Netflix is below a number of stress to make sure their viewers don’t have any points watching the video games.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is launched previous to a recreation towards the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
One Netflix subscriber even filed a lawsuit towards Netflix for “breach of contract” due to fixed glitches through the struggle, per TMZ.
This would be the first time an NFL recreation has been streamed solely on Netflix, and regardless of how the viewing expertise is for followers on Wednesday, it gained’t be the final recreation they see on the streaming service.
The NFL and Netflix introduced in May that they agreed to a three-year deal the place the streaming service will broadcast no less than one Christmas Day recreation over the lifetime of the deal.
Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vp of nonfiction sequence and sports activities, stated the corporate realized from what went unsuitable within the Tyson-Paul struggle.
“The sheer tonnage of those that got here to observe was unimaginable. And for all of the testing that the engineering workforce had finished forward of that, and I believe they’re one of the best within the enterprise, the one approach to check one thing of that magnitude is to have one thing of that magnitude,” Riegg stated.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson takes the sphere towards the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
“We by no means need to have technical points or a disappointing expertise for our members. There was a subset of those that had been watching that struggled with that and we acknowledge that. The excellent news is that they stress-tested the system to such a level that there’s a number of these fixes and enhancements that they realized that they may make, they usually’re making use of all that stuff.”
Netflix’s first check might be a showdown between the Chiefs (14-1) and Steelers (10-5).
The Chiefs have already secured their ninth consecutive AFC West title and are actually enjoying for the No. 1 seed within the AFC, which might grant them the all-important bye week.
If the Chiefs had been to win on Wednesday, they might have the No. 1 seed locked up earlier than Week 18, giving head coach Andy Reid an opportunity to relaxation his starters through the last week of the common season.
The Chiefs are coming off a 27-19 win over the Texans on Saturday, the place quarterback Patrick Mahomes performed effectively. The star quarterback threw for 260 yards and a landing, whereas speeding for 33 yards and a landing regardless of enjoying by way of an ankle sprain.
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Pittsburgh Steelers large receiver George Pickens breaks by way of the Bengals protection for a landing reception at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Dec. 1, 2024. (IMAGN)
The Steelers, alternatively, are coming off a tricky 34-17 loss towards their arch-rival Ravens on Saturday.
It appeared just like the Steelers had been going to have an opportunity to come back again after security Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Lamar Jackson down 24-17 within the fourth quarter.
However, Ravens’ cornerback Marlon Humphrey thwarted any likelihood of a Steelers’ comeback with a Pick Six off Russell Wilson on the following drive, placing the Ravens up 31-17 and successfully sealing the win.
The Steelers’ protection had a tricky time dealing with working again Derrick Henry, who ran the ball 24 instances for 162 yards within the win for Baltimore.
For the Steelers, their recreation towards the Chiefs is essential to profitable the AFC North. Pittsburgh has already clinched a playoff spot, however their loss on Saturday was an enormous blow to their probabilities of profitable the division, because the Ravens are additionally 10-5.
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Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey returns an interception for a landing towards the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
Some excellent news for the Steelers is that large receiver George Pickens has a “actual likelihood” to play towards the Chiefs, coach Mike Tomlin stated on Sunday.
Pickens has missed the final three video games, and he is been sorely missed. In the three video games with out Pickens, the Steelers are averaging simply 248.3 yards per recreation, virtually 77 yards lower than their season common of 324.9.
As large a blow because the loss was for the Steelers on Saturday, the Ravens win over Pittsburgh was simply as large a lift for them.
The Ravens performed effectively on Saturday, outgaining the Steelers 418-315 when it comes to yards, with 220 of these yards approaching the bottom.
Jackson threw three touchdowns within the win, and may have an opportunity to make his MVP case with the entire world watching on Wednesday.
The Ravens quarterback is having one other implausible 12 months, as Jackson and Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen are thought-about the 2 favorites for the award.
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws towards the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
A win for the Ravens on Christmas would go a great distance of their race towards the Steelers for the AFC North crown.
The Ravens (10-5) are taking over the Texans (9-6) within the second a part of the NFL’s Christmas doubleheader on Netflix.
They are taking over a Texans workforce that simply misplaced to the Chiefs. In addition to the loss, the Texans additionally misplaced second-year large receiver Tank Dell for the season after he suffered a ugly leg harm whereas catching a landing within the loss.
The Texans additionally misplaced large receiver Stefon Diggs for the season after the star receiver tore his ACL, leaving what was as soon as a robust large receiving corps now skinny.
A win over the Ravens on Christmas for the Texans wouldn’t solely clinch them a playoff spot, but in addition the AFC South title and a house playoff recreation.
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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud scrambles towards Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
The Texans-Ravens matchup may even include a particular halftime efficiency by Beyoncé.
All 4 of the groups enjoying on Wednesday are enjoying their third recreation in 11 days.
With so many playoff implications, and an enormous halftime efficiency, Netflix might be below a number of stress from NFL followers and the “BeyHive” to ensure issues go off and not using a hitch.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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