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Where to Watch Atlanta Falcons vs. Washington Commanders - Sunday Night Football

It's the last Sunday Night Football of 2024, and it's time for a major NFC showdown.

By Matthew Jackson

We're looking ahead at the final Sunday Night Football game of 2024, and the year's last matchup is everything you could want from broadcast TV's top-rated show. It's not just a chance to kick back and enjoy the last hours of the weekend after Christmas. It's a showdown with major playoff implications for both teams that could change the course of the postseason in the final two weeks of regular season play.

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So, let's take a closer look at this NFC matchup, and what both teams have at stake.

Who's playing on Sunday Night Football this week (Sunday, December 29, 2024)?

This Sunday, December 29, the Atlanta Falcons will head to Washington to take on the Commanders in a key NFC battle that will help decide the postseason fates of both teams.

For Atlanta, it's a chance to cement their place atop the NFC South. For Washington, it's a chance to keep the second NFC Wild Card spot in their sights. There's a lot at stake, and that should make for a great game.

Kickoff time for Atlanta Falcons vs. Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football?

The Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 29, from Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game will air on NBC while streaming simultaneously on Peacock. (Check out Peacock's subscription plans now!)

What to expect from Atlanta vs. Washington on Sunday Night Football

The Falcons are in the middle of a major transition period. After several key losses and struggles at a crucial time, the team benched starting quarterback Kirk Cousins and replaced him with rookie Michael Penix Jr. Though Penix is still finding his feet in the starting position, the Falcons are now on a two-game winning streak after a win over the Giants in Week 16. Now, they'll head to Washington to face a Commanders team that's proven to be one of the NFC's best. At stake is leadership of the NFC South. Right now, the Falcons are tied for first with Tampa Bay, and the winner of the division gets an automatic trip to the playoffs, so every single win counts.

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Then there's Washington. Thanks to the offensive prowess of rookie Jayden Daniels, who's both the leading passer and leading rusher on the squad, the Commanders have risen to become major players in the postseason picture, something helped along by a key win over the Eagles in Week 16. They're probably not going to wrest the NFC East title from Philadelphia at this point, but the Commanders are in a prime position to earn one of the three Wild Card slots in their conference, ranking second only to Minnesota among Wild Card contenders right now. A win over Atlanta would more-or-less lock that status in, and home field advantage means that Washington is the favorite in this matchup.

Catch the Atlanta Falcons vs. Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football, December 29 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock!