Happy Friday, ya filthy animal

The GIST: It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the first weekend of Saturday and Sunday NFL games. That’s right, there’s plenty of good cheer to be had with possible playoff-clinching football on deck.

The current playoff picture: With just four regular-season weeks remaining, only the San Francisco 49ers have clinched one of the 14 playoff spots — seven from the American Football Conference (AFC) and seven from the National Football Conference (NFC).

• For context, four teams had booked postseason berths by this time last year, making this sprint to January 7th’s regular-season finale all the more intriguing.

Who can clinch: Three teams in the NFC — the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles — can get ’er done this week, while the Baltimore Ravens are the lone AFC squad with a chance to clinch.

• Of the four, the Cowboys have the clearest path. If MVP favorite quarterback (QB) Dak Prescott can beat the also playoff-contending Buffalo Bills Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET, America’s Team will book their ticket. Simple as that.

• The other hopefuls will need some help, and the cascade effect starts with tomorrow’s 8:15 p.m. ET meeting between the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.

• A Lions win not only increases their probability to clinch, but also gives Baltimore a better chance to earn their spot when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET. Here’s a live look at us trying to keep it all straight.

The GIST: The NWSL’s two-team expansion draft kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. ET, providing the league’s incoming squads — Bay FC and the Utah Royals — an opportunity to fill their rosters with current NWSL players ahead of their upcoming inaugural season.

How it works: As determined by random selection, Bay FC has the first pick and will alternate with the Royals from there, with both squads going back and forth through 12 rounds, until each team has up to 12 players.

• However, these expansion teams can’t just take any player they fancy. Ahead of the draft, seven NWSL clubs made trades with Bay FC and the Royals in exchange for full protection of the rest of their rosters.

• The league’s other five teams released their “protected” lists on Wednesday, which name the nine players who are not available for selection. And finally, all free agents (of which there are many) cannot be chosen.

• Even with these restrictions, there are still countless talented footballers for the new clubs to choose from. May the odds be ever in everyone’s favor.

Zooming out: There were just eight NWSL teams prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number that will swell to 14 when Bay FC and the Royals officially join the fray next year, plus, at least one more squad (Boston) is on its way in 2026.

• The league’s growth is beyond impressive, creating more and more opportunities for women to compete with each new season. Just the beginning.

While you’re prepping for a relaxing holiday break, the Buffalo Bills are gearing up for a high-stakes playoff push. Circle the wagons.

• After pulling off a thrilling 20–17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, the 7-6 Bills face two more powerhouses in their last four games: the 10-3 Dallas Cowboys this Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET, and the 9-4 Miami Dolphins in Week 18.

Buffalo’s matchup with Dallas isn’t exactly a must-win, but it’s pretty close. So, we’re going all-in on the home team with a same game parlay on FanDuel combining the Bills moneyline (Bills to win) with under 49.5 total points. Defense wins championships, after all.