Ravens Vs. 49ers on Christmas? Inside NFL TV Desire

A league executive shared why the Baltimore Ravens-San Francisco 49ers matchup highlights the NFL's Christmas Day schedule
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Christmas is normally a day to kick back and relax, but that won't be the case for the Baltimore Ravens this year. 

Instead, the Ravens will travel across the country arguably their most-difficult game of the season. On Christmas Day, they'll face off against the San Francisco 49ers in a primetime game that should feature two contending teams. 

Playing in such a prestigious time slot doesn't just happen by accident though. In fact, NFL vice president of broadcast planning Mike North said the NFL specifically wanted this matchup in the primetime holiday slot.

"Finding games on Christmas Day that are compelling and interesting and hopefully have playoff implications," North told reporters on Friday. "One way to maybe kind of up the ante up those odds is by playing division games. So a Chiefs game in Kansas City, maybe get a little weather, play one of their division opponents, good start to the day. [Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants], you know, that game has to have playoff implications down the stretch.

"Then finish it, if not with a division game, at least two teams that we think are going to be relevant down the stretch again, solidified more in our minds to schedule a Baltimore-San Fran game there on Monday night on Christmas once we knew Lamar was [the Ravens quarterback]."

The point about Jackson being the Ravens' quarterback is especially telling. North also said that Jackson's contract situation, as well as the New York Jets trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers taking so long, "complicated decisions" for the league's schedule makers.

"We were frankly lucky, fortunate ... that those planes landed before draft," North said.

Now that Jackson has officially signed, the league expects this game to be one with significant postseason implications. Both teams made the playoffs last season with San Francisco advancing to the NFC Championship Game, and they will likely be in the mix again this year.

The matchup against the 49ers highlights a difficult closing stretch for the Ravens. One week earlier on Dec. 17, they'll travel to face the Jacksonville Jaguars, the reigning AFC South champions who also beat them last season. Afterwards, they'll close out the regular season with home games against the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers.

There's a long way to go until Christmas, but the Ravens-49ers matchup looks to be a very attractive matchup for the occasion. 


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