Week 15 was a really really solid week to watch. Football fans learned that there will be a new king of the AFC this year and a ton of huge games down the stretch to take division leads and Conference leads. I am really excited for week 16 and 17 as those can be some …
Week 15 was a really really solid week to watch. Football fans learned that there will be a new king of the AFC this year and a ton of huge games down the stretch to take division leads and Conference leads. I am really excited for week 16 and 17 as those can be some of the most crucial games of the year.
Atlanta Falcons (5-9) 29 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) 28
The Buccaneers literally gave away this matchup, blowing a leading fourth-quarter advantage by 14 points on their home turf. Mike Evans made his return, and he did so with a monster performance, but his efforts weren’t quite enough to prevent the shocking Falcons comeback, sealing the victory for the visitors when Zane Gonzalez made the winning field goal. The defeat was a major disappointment for the Buccaneers, forfeiting a tremendous chance to lock down the lead in the NFC South. The star of the evening was undoubtedly Kyle Pitts Sr., who scored a colossal three touchdowns and accumulated 152 yards. After all these years, Kyle Pitts took down fantasy mangers everywhere. The Bucs now confirmed frauds.
Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) 16 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) 13
The Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty is now officially over, and it went out with a cruel finish. The Chargers knocked Kansas City out of playoff contention, but the most alarming news of the evening came with injury reports when Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL late in the fourth quarter. Justin Herbert played with his broken hand and did enough to seal the win and complete the season sweep of Kansas City. This season will definitely be a forgettable one for Kansas City. As maybe next year. Mahomes return could be a question.
Buffalo Bills (10-4) 35 vs. New England Patriots (11-3) 31
A massive comeback that probably just saved the Bills’ season and put the AFC East championship back up for grabs. The Patriots got out to a staggering 21-0 lead, but Josh Allen and the Bills’ offence were unstoppable in the second half, scoring the last five touchdowns in a showdown victory. The Bills made it very clear today that they are one of the best teams in the league by playing a full game and spoiling New England’s 10-game win streak. The Pat’s offence looked awful in the second half, still a lot to prove for this young squad.
Chicago Bears (10-4) 31 vs. Cleveland Browns (3-11) 3
The Bears now formally are back and in business, notching their 10th win for the first time since the ’18 season as they utterly destroyed the Browns. This victory was solely contingent on the never-ending Chicago defence, which picked off rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders three times in sub-freezing weather. Caleb Williams was effective, tossing two scores, but the real talk revolves around this opportunistic unit, which sits atop the league standings for turnovers and has propelled the Bears to the top of their NFC North division. The question also remains, why did browns coach Kevin Stefanski change Shadeurs wristband before the game. Speculation is starting to build, and I am interested to see where it goes.
Baltimore Ravens (7-7) 24 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) 0
The Ravens took revenge for their Thanksgiving defeat and eliminated the Bengals’ slim hopes for a playoff spot with a thorough shutdown victory. The defence of the Ravens was incredible, stifling Joe Burrow and eliminating the offence of the Bengals altogether. The Bengals are now eliminated from the playoff race for the season, while the Ravens remain alive, one game behind the Steelers in the AFC North. Not a great game from the Ravens, but they seem to have the ability to control their own destiny.
2:34 remaining: Houston Texans (9-5) 40 vs. Arizona (3-11) 20
The Texans are one of the hottest teams and continue their winning ways by moving into their sixth consecutive victory by defeating the Cardinals by 40 points. C.J. Stroud had an outstanding day as he scored three touchdowns. As a result of the win by the Jaguars, the Texans continue trailing by just a game, but their winning streak of six games is the second-best in the AFC. The Texans also are looking like a bit of a sneaky team in the AFC. Their defence has been unreal and if their offence does enough they will win.
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) 48 vs. New York Jets (3-11) 20
Trevor Lawrence had a historically significant and defining game in terms of establishing the Jaguars’ dominance in the AFC South as they won their fifteenth consecutive series against the Jets. Trevor Lawrence broke NFL records to become the first quarterback to post five touchdown passes, one on the ground, and 50+ rushing yards in one game. The Jets’ defence was already struggling, but was left in tatters after they conceded 48 points to fall into the wasteland of the draft pool.
Washington Commanders (4-10) 29 vs. New York Giants (3-11) 21
Commanders end an eight-game streak of losses
The Commanders finally ended an eight-game losing streak by beating Arizona with a win that had a lot to do with special teams play and big-play passes. There was a punt return score and a 51-yard bomb. They did just enough to find a way to win the game, while the giants look hurt and missing pieces all around. Both teams relied on their Russian attack and both of their running backs had great games. But the commanders all around play got it done.
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) 31 vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) 0
The Philadelphia Eagles made full use of a much-needed “get right” game, trouncing the Raiders to put an end to their three-game losing streak. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defence was also dominant over a leaky Raiders offence, clinching an emphatic shutout victory which will help boost the confidence of the entire organization in the final two weeks of play. If the Eagles had lost this game, it would have been absolute Mayhem through the organization and fans. I would not count them out.
Denver Broncos (12-2) 34 vs. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) 26
The Broncos punched their ticket to the playoffs and locked down the number one seed in the AFC with a tough win over the NFC leaders, the Packers. Bo Nix had a tremendous day, throwing four touchdowns, but the story of the day was likely the torn ACL that Micah Parsons suffered—a huge blow to the Packers’ chances of winning a championship.
The Broncos’ defence shut it down late in the game, turning over two turns on downs. The Broncos are showing why they are one of the most sneaky teams and now is the top in the AFC. I will be curious to see how they deal with the big QBS of the NFL.
Los Angeles Rams (11-3) 41 Detroit Lions (8-6) 34
The Rams followed suit in clinching a play-off spot and locking down the number one seed in the NFC in a tough win over the Lions. The Lions got out to a 24-14 lead in the first half of play, but MVP candidate Matthew Stafford willed his squad to a second-half rebound in which he threw for 368 yards. The loss moves the Lions out of a roll and into a precarious play-off spot position, as the Rams have clinched a play-off spot. The lions are now having a tough road to the playoffs, but the Rams have an absolutely huge game on Thursday against the Seahawks. This game was unsequential, and the one on Thursday could decide who gets the first round bye in the NFL playoffs.
New Orleans Saints (4-10) 20 vs. Carolina Panthers (7-7) 17
The NFC South madness reached a whole new level. The Saints pulled off their second consecutive upset of a playoff contender in as many weeks by defeating the Panthers with a 47-yard walk-off field goal by Charlie Smyth as time expired. The Panthers squandered an enormous opportunity following the Buccaneers’ loss on Thursday night and found themselves in a three-way tie for first place in the division, proving that it seems no one wants to win the NFC South. This awful division continues to be the worst. You can always count on both the AFC South and North to be normally bad.
Seattle Seahawks (11-3) 18 vs. Indianapolis Colts (8-6) 16
“The Seahawks spoiled the highly anticipated comeback of 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers, winning a close battle in a defensive match decided by a last-second field goal.” Rivers, who came into action following an injury to star player Daniel Jones, surprisingly played much better than anticipated, but nothing was more devastating than Jason Myers’ last-second field goal that decided the match for his Seahawks, propelling “the Colts to an undesirable fourth consecutive loss.” the Colts have a very tough road ahead to make the playoffs as the AFC is so tight. I am curious to see what they do with Rivers. He did not look that great to be honest.
San Francisco 49ers (10-4) 37 Tennessee Titans (2-12) 24
The 49ers took care of business in a workmanlike win on the road. Though the contest was a close one for a little while, the talent of the 49ers simply proved to be too much for the Titans, and now they remain very much in the running among the NFC favourites for the post-season. The bright spot for the Titans was quarterback Cam Ward, he is starting to find his rhythm and should have a better offence next season. For the Niners, Brock Purdy had an excellent day throwing for almost 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Niners, even with injuries are a very sneaky team, and it should be interesting to see how they play out.
Minnesota Vikings (6-8) 34 vs. Dallas Cowboys (7-7-1) 26
It was another nightmare week for the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football as the Vikings piled on the pain for the Cowboys. The Cowboys’ playoff chances are all but over following this week’s loss, and the defence’s inability to keep the Vikings’ offence in check did not help the cause. Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy had an exceptional game, he is showing his talent and learning to become a solid NFL quarterback. It better work because of how many guys the Vikings had let go at quarterback. All of it just to put in JJ McCarthy, who has had a very up and down year. For the Cowboys, another tough year and I am curious to see what they do in the off season.
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) 28 vs. Miami Dolphins (6-8) 14
The Steelers have stamped their authority on the NFC North title race with a comprehensive thrashing of the Dolphins in the cold conditions on Monday Night Football. The Steelers’ defence remained phenomenal and restricted the highly acclaimed Miami offence to only 285 yards. Aaron Rodgers simply sliced apart the opposition with a surgical display that saw him complete 23 out of 27 attempts for 224 yards and two touchdown strikes. The Steelers have moved into prime contention for the lead in the NFC North with this crucial victory. There are still a few games to go, the Steelers are going to have to keep it up to keep away from the Ravens. They really control their own destiny now.
