Maybe the NFL’s Christmas tripleheader didn’t exactly pan out like the league’s schedule makers had hoped – and it was probably never going to measure up in some respects given the bangers that materialized just last month for Thanksgiving. But that hardly meant that Thursday didn’t provide some moments, memories and – generally – some solid yuletide entertainment.
Unsurprisingly, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Commanders 30-23 in the day’s first offering … even if it didn’t matter much in the big picture. Stunningly, the Minnesota Vikings took the Detroit Lions to the woodshed in the second matchup, winning 23-10 and effectively ending their NFC North rival’s season. The Denver Broncos, moving closer to capturing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, barely squeaked out a 20-13 triumph in the nightcap over the seemingly undermanned Kansas City Chiefs.
As for that bigger picture – the one beyond the scoreboard? Let’s get to it and unwrap the NFL’s Christmas winners and losers:
WINNERS
Green Bay Packers
Nope, they didn’t have to play on Christmas − comfortably home with the fams while awaiting their Saturday night showdown with the Baltimore Ravens. But the Pack got a nice gift under the collective tree, the Vikings’ upset of the Lions locking Green Bay into the playoff field as at least a wild-card entry. And with less at stake this weekend, the Packers could more reasonably decide to rest injured QB Jordan Love and RB Josh Jacobs.
Dak Prescott
Dallas’ QB1 passed for 307 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a game that didn’t mean a thing for his team aside from playing for pride. As for him? He hit 30 TD passes in a season for the fourth time in his career and still has a shot to be become the first Cowboy to lead the NFL in passing yards.
Snoop Dogg
I’m more dad rock than hip-hop, but Tha Doggfather’s halftime show in Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium − set up by Martha Stewart − was not short on creativity or production value. And even a middle-aged dude like myself could appreciate the mixture of Snoop’s classics interspersed with Christmas carols performed by KPop Demon Hunters (HUNTR/X), Andre Bocelli and Lainey Wilson. And if you don’t believe me, USA TODAY national music writer Melissa Ruggieri − read her stuff − confirmed the NFL dude is on the mark. Honestly, Super Bowl halftime show-adjacent quality, which is especially nice if you were a Vikings fan who paid to watch this caliber of football.
Vikings defense
Not only did it turn Detroit over six times, it shut down the Lions offense, allowing a meager 10 points and 231 yards while collecting five sacks. Averaging 3.6 yards per play, Detroit never looked comfortable in the face of the swarming Norsemen … and it cost the Lions dearly.
Cowboys’ uniforms
A first for Dallas actually – “America’s Team” pairing its white pants with its new-ish white helmet (introduced in 2022, it’s basically a white-dominant alternate version of their normally silver helmet, not the throwback) and highly underrated navy jerseys. They looked sharp and pretty much played accordingly.
Speaking of uniforms …
The Vikings played at home Thursday in their all-white ‘Winter Warrior’ alternates while the NFC North rival Lions were in their seldomly worn all-black uniforms. No secret who got cast as the heels − and on a night when WWE star Seth Rollins was on the pregame show − even if the Vikes were in the spoiler role while the Lions desperately clung to their playoff lives. (But the wintry theme did look pretty slick in Minnesota, which boasts one of the league’s great venues and environments.)
Ian Eagle and crew
Netflix employed a first-rate broadcast team to become a stream team for the Cowboys-Commanders call. Eagle’s sense of humor, in-game insights and willingness to drop in pop-culture references and Netflix promotions made him a great choice for play-by-play duties. Mix in the sharp and sartorially savvy Nate Burleson with former league MVP Matt Ryan as something of the straight man, and the analysis wasn’t lacking, either.
Austin Ekeler
Out for the season with a torn Achilles, the Commanders running back was on the desk for the Washington-Dallas game. Good opportunity for one of the game’s self-made men and brightest dudes – and maybe the signal of a transition given Ekeler, 30, isn’t under contract for 2026 and at least needs to be taking further steps into a pending life-after-football transition … whenever it comes.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Washington’s leading rusher has had an uneven rookie season while tasked with picking up the slack for Ekeler and departed Brian Robinson Jr. But Croskey-Merritt, aka “Bill,” had one of his best games of the year, eclipsing the century mark for the second time while also posting his second two-TD game – the second one a 72-yarder that represented a new professional best. He continues to look like a player who could be ready for an even bigger role in 2026.
Netflix
For the second Christmas in a row, the streaming giant offered the gift of NFL football with the Cowboys-Commanders and Lions-Vikings games, distributed to a global audience with the assistance of CBS and NFL Network on the production side. Certainly a victory for Netflix but also a significant one for the NFL as it continues to broaden its international reach.
Travis Kelce
He caught a game-high five passes − in front of fiancée Taylor Swift − in what might have been his final game at Arrowhead Stadium. Kelce, 36, continues to evade questions about whether or not he’ll retire after the season but did seem a touch more emotional at times Thursday than might be expected in a game that otherwise carried no meaning for the Chiefs.
LOSERS
Travis Kelce
Five catches … for 36 yards … in a nothingburger game … with his guy, injured Patrick Mahomes, watching from an Arrowhead suite. Maybe Kelce should have retired after Kansas City won Super Bowl 58. But is this how he wants his NFL Era to end?
Netflix
You’d certainly think it lost a fair amount of streams given Dallas-Washington had zero playoff implications, while the Commanders were down to QB3 Josh Johnson with 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels already shut down for the season. (Still … Cowboys, who set a regular-season ratings record on Thanksgiving with the assistance of the then-relevant Chiefs.) In the second window, Minnesota also had to start a backup passer (rookie Max Brosmer) in a game with very little at stake aside from the Lions, a No. 1 playoff seed in 2024, trying to remain on life support.
Jared Goff
Five turnovers (2 INT, 3 fumbles). It had to be his most disappointing day as a Lion given they needed a win to keep their hopes of a third straight playoff appearance alive. Better luck next year, dude.
Donovan Wilson
Is the head still attached to the Cowboys safety? An anti-Jason Witten lowlight courtesy of Washington WR Deebo Samuel.
Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson
The Cowboys’ starting running back and tight end, respectively, both had their days shortened by injuries – Williams hurting his shoulder and Ferguson leaving with a calf ailment. Williams did get some payback for Wilson but was also the subject of quite a bit of online conspiracy theories. But, at least, both guys got their fantasy owners a touchdown before heading to the sideline.
Dan Campbell
His team came up small in its biggest game of the year, the Lions coughing up six turnovers in a game for the first time in 10 years. To think all they had to do was beat a limited Minnesota offense and an overmatched Brosmer. Considering the offseason narrative that a team which went 15-2 in 2024 on the way to the NFC’s No. 1 seed would suffer without departed coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn? Yep, it clearly did.
Denver Broncos
Yep, they’re one win from locking up the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed and could have the AFC West crown in hand by the end of the weekend. But Thursday’s win at K.C., against a quarterback (Chris Oladokun) making his first NFL start and a decimated team with nothing on the line, was another fairly uninspiring performance by Sean Payton’s club. The Broncos don’t have the look of a team that will stick around very long in January, especially if their offense doesn’t wake up soon.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Getting your chest waxed in front of the country for losing Prime Video’s picks contest? What we don’t do for ratings.