Getty The Saints take on the Vikings on Christmas Day.
Sports fans get the rare doubleheader of NFL and college football games on TV on Christmas Day. Most years, the NFL has avoided the holiday giving the whole day to the NBA, but this year the Saints host the Vikings providing a football present to fans.
Marshall takes on Buffalo in the Camellia Bowl at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN, while the Vikings-Saints matchup kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Fox. The Vikings are fighting to make the postseason, while the Saints are in contention for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It is the first of a four-day stretch of NFL action in Week 16. Saints receiver Emmanuel Sanders is looking forward to the country watching their holiday football matchup.
“I feel like everybody’s going to watching — those who aren’t watching basketball,” Sanders noted, per NOLA.com. “Which, I pray people would be watching football instead of basketball, and we’ve got to go out and put on a show.”
Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is familiar with playing at the Superdome from his college career at LSU. Jefferson admitted to being excited to be playing back home in the marquee sports matchup of the day.
“I’m definitely excited to go back home and play in front of my family and friends, and to go back to the place that I won a national championship in,” Jefferson explained, per Vikings.com.
Saints head coach Sean Payton is not as excited for the Saints to try to defend Jefferson along with Adam Thielen. Payton noted that the Saints were also high on Jefferson in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“There’s a real strong history with the family, so when you’re here, you get an appreciation for that team last year when you start looking at the running back, the receivers, the quarterback,” Payton noted, via Vikings.com. “So we feel like we had a really good evaluation — a great evaluation. He played predominantly in LSU’s offense inside, and obviously there’s so many more things he can do. Both he and Adam are a handful, and they’re both having great years.”
Here is a look at the NFL Week 16 schedule.
NFL Week 16 Schedule: Christmas Day
| DATE | MATCHUP | TIME(ET)/TV CHANNEL |
| Fri., December 25 | Vikings vs. Saints | 4:30 p.m. Fox |
NFL Week 16 Schedule: Saturday, December 26
| DATE | MATCHUP | TIME(ET)/TV CHANNEL |
| Sat., December 26 | Buccaneers vs. Lions | 1 p.m. NFL Network |
| Sat., December 26 | 49ers vs. Cardinals | 4:30 p.m. Amazon |
| Sat., December 26 | Dolphins vs. Raiders | 8:15 p.m. NFL Network |
NFL Week 16 Schedule: Sunday, December 27
| DATE | MATCHUP | TIME(ET)/TV CHANNEL |
| Sun., December 27 | Colts vs. Steelers | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., December 27 | Falcons vs. Chiefs | 1 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., December 27 | Bears vs. Jaguars | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., December 27 | Bengals vs. Texans | 1 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., December 27 | Giants vs. Ravens | 1 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., December 27 | Browns vs. Jets | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., December 27 | Panthers vs. Washington | 4:05 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., December 27 | Broncos vs. Chargers | 4:05 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., December 27 | Eagles vs. Cowboys | 4:25 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., December 27 | Rams vs. Seahawks | 4:25 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., December 27 | Titans vs. Packers | 8:20 p.m. NBC |
NFL Week 16 Schedule: Monday Night Football
| DATE | MATCHUP | TIME(ET)/TV CHANNEL |
| Mon., December 28 | Bills vs. Patriots | 8:15 p.m. ESPN |
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