2024 NFL season, Week 16: What We Learned from Sunday's games

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• REWATCH: Giants-Falcons on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Battista: Giants are two weeks away from being on the clock

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Two pick-sixes help power Falcons to victory in Penix Jr.'s first start. The Atlanta defense cushioned rookie Michael Penix Jr.'s first career start with two pick-sixes that took the pressure off as the Falcons scored 34 unanswered points. It marked the first time ATL put up 30-plus points since before Halloween (Oct. 27). The 24-year-old rookie was poised from the first snap, getting crushed but delivering a perfect ball on a comeback that Ray-Ray McCloud couldn't corral. Penix displayed an as-advertised big arm, was able to put it on the mark, and didn't make errors. Coming in with 45 college starts, the moment wasn't too big for the rookie, who was poised. His pocket mobility was a stark difference from what the Falcons dealt with under Kirk Cousins. Penix took zero sacks despite being pressured 14 times. The numbers aren't eye-popping, generating 202 yards on 18-of-27 passing (66.7 %) with an interception and no touchdown tosses, but the offense clearly ran better than we'd seen with Cousins. A restricted offense opened up under the rookie from the start. Penix Jr. was aggressive targeting downfield in the first half, throwing over 10 air yards on 43.8% of his attempts -- almost 10% more often than Cousins (34.5%), per Next Gen Stats. It’s a small sample size, but this passing offense desperately needed to do more than the dink-and-dunk operation it'd become. The pick wasn't on the rookie, with Kyle Pitts flubbing an easy grab into a defender's hands. There were some misses, and the offense stalled early – as it has repeatedly done the past few weeks – but the defense-aided blowout gave Penix a chance to dip his toe in the water. The Falcons must be thrilled with the solid outing, but the stakes only increased for the rookie.
2. Giants continue to be lost in the woods with team-record 10^th consecutive loss. Drew Lock threw two pick-sixes to doom his club and fumbled, but the loss wasn't all on the quarterback. The right side of the offensive line was atrocious, getting whooped all game. Evan Neal continues to be a massive disappointment in every facet – pass pro, run blocking, penalties. The ground game couldn't churn out yards. The passing attack was ineffective and never threatened downfield. The defense got bowled over by the Falcons run game and allowed a rookie QB to pick it apart on third downs. And the special teams chipped in with a botched punt. It was a team-wide failure for Brian Daboll's club. The Giants are a near lock for a top-two pick, and it showed Sunday. Lock wasn't good, but this is a team with issues all over the field. New York has now lost 10 games in a row for the first time in team history.
3. Falcons' defense keeps NFC South in striking distance. Jessie Bates' pick-six brought a noticeable sense of relief to Atlanta. Before the star safety jumped a Drew Lock pass and skated to pay dirt, there was an uneasiness about Atlanta. It had missed an early field goal and stalled on offense twice more. Atlanta trailed, 7-3. Then Bates thwiped the pigskin and danced to pay dirt. It brought an exhale. The offense found its footing, and the defense smothered a woeful Giants club. Moving to 8-7 keeps pressure on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to continue winning. Atlanta closes the campaign against Washington and Carolina.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Giants-Panthers (via NFL Pro): The Falcons generated pressure on 19 of Drew Lock’s 42 dropbacks (45.2%), their 2nd-highest pressure rate this season.

NFL Research: Jessie Bates is the only player in the NFL with four-plus interceptions and four-plus forced fumbles this season.

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• REWATCH: Cardinals-Panthers on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Hubbard stepped up for the Panthers in upset of Arizona. Chuba Hubbard had two big runs in overtime for the Panthers – a 28-yard run, followed by a 21-yard rushing TD – to beat the Cardinals in overtime Sunday. Hubbard finished a yard shy of his season high for rushing yards, gaining 152 on 25 carries with two touchdowns. He scored Carolina’s opening TD and had two fourth-down conversions in the first quarter but did most of his work after halftime, gaining 123 of his 165 yards from scrimmage in the second half and overtime. The Panthers took a 20-3 lead in the first half, and the Cardinals stormed back multiple times, but Carolina had just enough. Hubbard now has 10 rushing TDs and stands just shy of 1,200 rushing yards on the season as he continues to make a strong case to be the Panthers’ RB1 for the foreseeable future. For a team without a ton of reliable offensive options, he’s become a borderline star.
2. Cardinals eliminated after Murray’s late mistakes. Kyler Murray threw a bad interception late in regulation and took a damaging sack in overtime as the Cardinals’ comeback came up short. Murray was credited with both of Arizona’s turnovers, including a first-half fumble, although Michael Carter might have been as much to blame for that one. Either way, the Cardinals found themselves in an early 20-3 hole. James Conner helped the Cardinals cut the halftime deficit to 20-17, totaling 158 yards from scrimmage and a TD in the first half, but he and offensive tackle Connor Williams left with knee injuries in the second half. Murray rallied the Cardinals back with two late scoring drives, although his horrendous, avoidable pick – in Carolina’s end of the field – hurt badly. After Carter converted a fourth-and-2 run from Arizona’s 18-yard line in extra time, Murray took his second sack of OT for a 14-yard loss. A tired Cardinals’ defense then allowed the game-winning score to Hubbard, ending their hopes at the postseason as they were officially eliminated Sunday.
3. Young found other ways to thrive. Bryce Young was up and down as a passer in this game, doing a lot of early work as a runner. He couldn’t get much going early, settling for checkdowns, but Young was opportunistic with his legs, scrambling for a career-best 34-yard run and, a few plays later, for a 23-yard TD scramble to put Carolina up, 14-3, early. Young only finished with 158 passing yards, but he threw for two TDs and no turnovers. He was strong in the fourth quarter, despite seeing heavier pressure, completing 7 of his 9 passes for 83 yards. His receivers also made some big plays in the win, including David Moore’s terrific 18-yard TD catch to give them a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Hubbard was the moneymaker on offense, but Young also did some nice things that belied his meager statistics. After three picks and two lost fumbles the previous two games, Young hanging onto the ball was a key development in the win.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for Cardinals-Panthers (via NFL Pro): James Conner carried the ball 15 times for 117 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game midway through the third quarter on Sunday. Conner forced six missed tackles, all of which came in the first half. It was Conner’s sixth time forcing five-plus missed tackles in a half this season, tied for the second-most such halves in the NFL this season. Conner also added four receptions for a team-high 49 receiving yards.

NFL Research: It had been 98 games since the Panthers scored TDs on the first three drives, as they did Sunday against the Cardinals. The last time Carolina did it was Week 17, 2018 versus the Saints.

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• REWATCH: Lions-Bears on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Lions break out crazy trick-play TD in win: 'It worked like a charm'

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Shorthanded Lions toughen up in big road win. Reports of the Lions’ demise turned out to be greatly exaggerated. Coming off their first loss in three months, the Lions took care of business against a Bears team that took them to the brink back on Thanksgiving, winning comfortably thanks to a strong start. The Lions’ banged-up defense forced two early turnovers, and the offense found early rhythm and little resistance against the Bears. Interestingly, the Lions took a pretty conservative approach early, settling for two red-zone field goals (on fourth-and-3 and fourth-and-6), perhaps suggesting that Dan Campbell was taking a more measured approach after his hyper-aggression worked against the Lions versus Buffalo. Even still, the Lions marched up and down the field and never led by less than 13 points after the late first quarter. This was a big win to take another step toward clinching the NFC’s top seed, with the Eagles losing.
2. Another slow start doomed Bears. Chicago opponents have now scored first in 14 of the Bears’ 15 games, as the offense once again struggled early. Their first three possessions were a three-and-out, followed by back-to-back fumbles, with Rome Odunze involved in both. That allowed the Lions to take a 13-0 lead and control of the game. The Bears didn’t roll over, scoring two touchdowns before halftime, but they’d dug themselves in a 27-14 hole. The defense was just as responsible as the offense, missing a chance for a pick that hit Tyrique Stevenson in the chest and allowing Detroit to score on its first five possessions before Jake Bates missed a 65-yard field-goal try before the half. The Bears also settled for a field goal down 20 points, on a fourth-and-7 play from the Detroit 12-yard line, cutting the lead to 17. Credit them for fighting to stay in the game, but the Bears’ early mistakes doomed them. 
3. Detroit improved 7-0 on the road. If the Lions win the top seed and home field throughout the playoffs, it might not matter, but they’re now 7-0 away from Ford Field. It’s another indicator of how mentally tough this team is, especially as it navigates several big injuries on both sides of the ball, not just the defense. That unit held its own early before bending quite a bit against Caleb Williams, who racked up 334 passing yards after his slow start. The Bears’ final five drives all went for 58 or more yards, but they were swimming upstream all game. The Lions’ offense kept the pedal down and ran the ball effectively when needed. Jared Goff played a clean game, taking one sack and keeping the ball out of harm’s way. The Lions left some points on the field, but it was a strong showing when they needed it most.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Lions-Bears (via NFL Pro): Jameson Williams hauled in 5 of 7 targets for career-highs in receiving yards (143) and receiving yards over expected (+75) against the Bears. Williams recorded 67 yards after the catch on the day, the 2nd-most in a game of his career. Williams has averaged 8.9 yards after the catch per reception this season, most among wide receivers with at least 40 targets entering the Week 16 afternoon slate.

NFL Research: Jared Goff's touchdown to Jameson Williams was the longest scrimmage play for the Lions since Matthew Stafford's 87-yard completion to Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in Week 8, 2013 versus Dallas. 

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• REWATCH: Titans-Colts on NFL+ Premium

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Indy's ground game dominates Titans. The Colts didn't mess around with their slim playoff chances on the line, running the ball 50 times for a total of 335 yards to come away with a seamless win over a division rival. Running back Jonathan Taylor led the charge with 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns, exaggerating his sure handle of the ball for each score in reference to last week's gaffe at the goal line. With the Colts' offensive line clearing big paths, Taylor exploded for 65- and 70-yard trots to the end zone virtually untouched and might have had a career-best day if not rested for a good portion of the second half. Anthony Richardson was the bulldozer in short yardage situations, producing 70 yards on nine carries (TD), and the second-year quarterback stuck a fork in Tennessee's comeback attempt with a big 10-yard gain on third-and-8 in the final offensive possession. Barring the late-game charge by the Titans, it was a harmonious day for the Colts due to a flourishing ground game, but they will rely on help from other teams to claim one of the AFC's final two playoff spots. 
2. Different QB, same issue for Titans. Mason Rudolph started the game in place for Will Levis, but the offensive woes persisted for Tennessee. Rudolph started off well, connecting with Calvin Ridley on a deep TD pass for the game's first score, but he led a sputtering offense that totaled four three-and-outs, three in the first half. That doesn't include Rudolph's interception late in the second quarter, which really spurred a blowout as it put the Colts directly into scoring position. His second pick in the third frame, which led to another TD, was part of a 38-point unanswered sequence by the Colts. The Titans crept back into the game late with 23 unanswered points, scoring on three straight drives beginning late in the third quarter, but the defense's inability to stop the run ultimately prevented a miraculous comeback from happening. Rudolph finished 23-of-34 passing for 252 yards with two TDs and three INTs — the last coming on the final play of the game — but any of the success he provided was too little too late for a team that is seemingly looking forward to 2025. 
3. Richardson teetering on Tebow line. The Colts QB came into this game with a 47% completion rate that's threating Tim Tebow's all-time low mark for qualified passers — 46.5% in 2011. Richardson wasn't asked to pass often thanks to a dominant rushing attack, but he did improve his efficiency rate on the season by going 7-of-11 passing on Sunday. However, the INT he threw on the second drive of the game was what really prompted coach Shane Steichen to call run plays a majority of the way. Richardson did have a nice TD pass to close out the second half — a short, decisive throw to Josh Downs, who galloped 27 yards untouched on a well-designed play call — but there was certainly a governor being put on the 22-year-old project. Avoiding that Tebow line will require better accuracy from Richardson in the coming weeks. He goes on to face a solid Giants pass defense next week but ends the season against the league-worst Jaguars in Week 18.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Titans-Colts (via NFL Pro): Jonathan Taylor carried the ball 29 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns, generating a career-high +102 rush yards over expected in Week 16 against the Titans, the third most by any player this season. Taylor recorded a max speed over 21 mph on both of his explosive run touchdowns, two of his three fastest rushing speeds of the season. 

NFL Research: The Colts' 335 rushing yards against the Titans on Sunday broke the franchise's team record of 299, which was set in Week 16 of the 1985 season.

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• REWATCH: Rams-Jets on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Battista: Rams in control of two-team race for NFC West crown

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Higbee scores game-winning touchdown in first game of 2024. In a 9-9 game, Tyler Higbee caught his first pigskin of the season, cut up the field and dove into the end zone for the go-ahead TD. Sunday marked Higbee’s first appearance this season after suffering an ACL and MCL injury last postseason. Higbee’s teammates swarmed him after his score, an acknowledgment of his perseverance to get on the field this season. L.A. handled business on the road in a game characterized by long drives. There was one punt in the game -- coming after the two-minute warning, which the Jets muffed to end the game. The Rams generated three drives of 10-plus plays, while the Jets generated four drives of 11-plus plays (three of 14-plus). Sean McVay’s defense made key stops, turning the Jets over on downs three times and forcing a fumble that set up the go-ahead score. The Rams D succeeded on key downs, forcing the Jets into 38% on third downs, 2 of 5 on fourth downs, 1 of 3 in the red zone, and 0 for 1 in goal-to-go situations. It wasn’t a game that will go in McVay’s highlight reel, but the NFC West leaders did what they needed to get a cross-country road victory when they didn’t play at their best. That’s how good teams operate.
2. Jets offense shows early signs of life, but can’t convert in big spots. Aaron Rodgers is attempting to thread the needle of showing he still has it while not wrecking Gang Green’s draft position. Early, it looked promising. A 99-yard opening touchdown drive contained balanced calls, good balls from Rodgers, and playmaking from Davante Adams to put the Jets up early. However, from there, New York failed repeatedly in big spots. They were miserable on third downs, ineffective on fourth downs, settled for field goals, and committed back-breaking penalties. Jeff Ulbrich tried to be aggressive, and it backfired on the interim, with the offense getting skunked in the second half. The key sequence of the game came at the halftime swing. New York milked the final 6:22 off the clock in the second quarter with a lengthy 15-play drive but couldn’t find pay dirt, settling for a field goal and a 9-6 lead. Getting the ball to start the second half, the Jets again marched into scoring range, going 78 yards on 14 plays, but turned the ball over on downs at the L.A. 13. Instead of building a double-digit lead without Matthew Stafford touching the ball, it was an easily-wiped away three-point advantage. It’s the type of failure that has plagued New York all season.
3. Rams take another step toward the NFC West title. The victory was the next step for Sean McVay’s club in overcoming a poor start to the season. Moving to 9-6 ensures it will enter Week 17 with at least a tie-breaking advantage over the Seahawks for the NFC West lead. Given that the Rams started the season 1-4, it’s an impressive turnaround for McVay’s squad. The Rams have now won four consecutive games and eight of their past 10. L.A. closes with two massive NFC West matchups against the Cardinals and Seahawks.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-Jets (via NFL Pro): Matthew Stafford targeted receivers behind the line of scrimmage on 10 of his 19 pass attempts (52.6%) in the Rams’ Week 16 win over the Jets, the highest rate by any quarterback this season (minimum five attempts).

NFL Research: The Rams allowed fewer than 10 points in consecutive games for first time since Weeks 7-8, 2015.

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• REWATCH: Eagles-Commanders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Eagles' Hurts leaves Week 16 loss with concussion
• READ: 'Heavy hitter' Daniels leads stirring Commanders victory
• READ: Battsita: Commanders' win among Sunday's season-altering outcomes

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Jayden's legend grows. As we've learned this season, Philadelphia's defense will cause problems for most opponents, and the same was true for Jayden Daniels and Washington on Sunday. Look no further than their five turnovers for proof. But a key difference emerged in the latter stages of this game, one won almost solely because of the talents possessed by Daniels. He lit a fire under this offense, tossing a beautiful 32-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, extending the play to find Olamide Zaccheaus for a score, then outdoing himself by following the same formula to find Zaccheaus again for a 49-yard catch-and-run score. His best moment, however, came with the game on the line. Daniels led a nine-play, 57-yard drive in the game's final two minutes, pushing the Commanders down the field and finishing it with a courageous throw fired into an open window over the middle before his receiver had even entered it. That takes trust, conviction and an NFL-caliber arm to accomplish, which Daniels demonstrated he has -- plus enough mental toughness to overcome earlier mistakes and redeem himself and the Commanders. He's a rare talent in this game. Daniels became the third QB (fourth instance) to have five-plus passing touchdowns and 75-plus rushing yards in a single game in NFL history. Washington should enjoy this win and revel in the fact they have their future under center.
2. Eagles learn value of Hurts. Philadelphia cruised to a 14-0 lead in the first eight minutes of this game, making the feat look elementary. Hidden in that sequence, though, was the loss of Jalen Hurts to a concussion. Backup Kenny Pickett entered the game and was able to finish off their second scoring drive, but it didn't take long for Eagles fans to understand the drop-off in talent, ability and experience once Pickett saw more snaps. The former first-round pick of the Steelers completed 14 of 24 passes but struggled with accuracy and the speed of the game, missing targets and taking unnecessary risks that produced an interception and nearly gave away possession via fumble in the fourth quarter (which was overturned upon review). Without Hurts, Washington could focus on Saquon Barkley, limiting him to 34 yards over the final three quarters after he sprinted to 109 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter. The Eagles' receivers didn't help, either, dropping a number of accurate passes, especially in key spots in the fourth quarter. It's fair to believe this game might have turned out differently had Hurts not exited. Eagles fans will now hope their team doesn't have to play without him again.
3. Commanders overcome litany of mistakes. In what was a sloppy game on both sides Sunday in Washington, the Commanders certainly gave Philadelphia plenty of opportunities to bury them. The list is lengthy: multiple drive-extending pass interference penalties, five giveaways (including two Jayden Daniels interceptions), plus three changes of possession that began in Washington territory for the Eagles all made for an ideal scenario for Philadelphia to win going away. For a period, that appeared to be how Sunday would unfold, but the Commanders never quit. Washington fought its way back from a 14-point deficit, briefly took a fourth-quarter lead, lost it, and managed to get just enough stops to preserve one last chance to go win the game. The Commanders' budding star quarterback delivered, but it wouldn't have been possible without the persistence of this team, which played as if its playoff lives were on the line. The Commanders are one step closer to getting there after Sunday's performance.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Eagles-Commanders (via NFL Pro): Jalen Hurts' departure prompted the Commanders to lean heavily on single-high shells, committing more defenders to stopping Saquon Barkley. The results supported this change in strategy: Barkley gained 99 of his 109 rushing yards before contact on his first seven carries and was not hit behind the line of scrimmage once. On his final 22 carries, Barkley gained negative-4 rushing yards before contact and was hit behind the line of scrimmage 13 times (59.1%).

NFL Research: Sunday marked the first time Washington has won a game with five-plus giveaways since Week 17 of the 2002 season versus Dallas. It's also the first time Washington has won a game with five-plus giveaways and 30-plus points allowed in the Super Bowl era.

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• REWATCH: Browns-Bengals on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Battsita: Bengals' win among Sunday's season-altering outcomes
• READ: Browns' Garrett ties HOFer Smith as fourth fastest to 100 sacks

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Burrow continues to amaze. Cleveland's defense made for a good foil to Joe Burrow's excellence for a good portion of Sunday's game, but couldn't keep him from making some magic. Look no further than his touchdown pass to Tee Higgins, in which Burrow stepped up into the pocket, escaped left, stumbled and threw an on-target pass to Higgins while in the middle of what is commonly known as a face plant. Burrow continues to be a master of making something out of nothing, completing 23 of 30 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns even on a day in which he faced a pressure rate north of 33 percent. Doing so against a team that Burrow admitted afterward has had the Bengals' number makes it even sweeter.
2. Same old story for Browns. As a 3-12 team tends to do, the Browns failed in the details department once again Sunday. They fumbled away possession on the goal line after an impressive first drive, had two touchdowns wiped out by holding calls in the third quarter, and turned it over three times (it could've been more). Each instance in which they seemed to have a good chance of climbing back into the game, they found a way to inflict damage on themselves. Cleveland's experiment with Dorian Thompson-Robinson flopped tremendously, as the second-year passer was forced to run for his life all afternoon against a defense that had earned a reputation for giving opposing offenses whatever they wanted. The final product -- at least offensively -- was entirely forgettable, wasting yet another solid defensive showing with an offense that simply doesn't operate at a baseline standard for the NFL. Those issues begin with quarterback, but on Sunday, it was more than just Thompson-Robinson. It will be interesting to see if the Browns force the issue with DTR again or finally admit defeat after Sunday's ugly showing.
3. The Bengals defense finally did it! Cincinnati's defense is the reason the Bengals are only 7-8 with two games to play. We've known this for months, but that changed Sunday. For just the second time in 2024, Cincinnati held an opponent below 10 points, dominating the Browns by harassing Thompson-Robinson and forcing turnovers in key spots. The Bengals set the tone by bouncing back from giving up a 66-yard Jerome Ford run, forcing a D'Onta Foreman fumble along the goal line for their first takeaway. They stood tall in the red zone by allowing just six points on Cleveland's three trips inside Cincinnati's 20, and rarely gave the Browns a chance to build any momentum. If Bengals fans are looking for a complete win to boost their confidence, it was this one. Most importantly, they kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Browns-Bengals (via NFL Pro): Joe Burrow was efficient from a clean pocket against the Browns, completing 20 of 24 for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

NFL Research: Joe Burrow became the first player in NFL history to have 250-plus passing yards and three-plus passings TDs in seven consecutive games.

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• REWATCH: Vikings-Seahawks on NFL+ Premium

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Darnold shows grit in crunch time. Facing a four-point deficit with four minutes to go, Sam Darnold zipped a 39-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson to take a lead Minnesota's defense would soon hold for the win. But what happened before that play is what makes the late-game heroics all the more impressive. The Vikings quarterback had just been crunched on the play prior — getting his left ankle twisted under a would-be sack — but Byron Murphy was too aggressive, getting called for a facemask penalty that wiped his effort away. Darnold got up in pain, limping the 15 yards forward while trying to get in the next play. He proceeded to drop back on play-action and stepped into his throw knowing he'd get crunched again. It was delivered perfectly over the pair of Seahawks defensive backs failing to cover the league's best wide receiver, and the playoff-bound Vikings now remain in play for an NFC North title and the NFC's No. 1 seed. Darnold, who finished 22-of-35 passing for 246 yards with three TDs (no turnovers), found Jefferson 10 times for 144 yards and twice in the end zone.
2. One-dimensional offense catches up with Seattle. The Seahawks got the ball back with plenty of time to spare, but their faulty offense made it easier for the blitz-happy Vikings to defend. Despite Kenneth Walker III's return from a two-game absence, Seattle's run game was non-existent, rushing the ball just 15 times (59 yards) all game and it produced an offense that struggled mightily on third down (2 of 10). The Seahawks' answer to Sam Darnold's late TD was stopped at Minnesota's 42-yard line, bringing kicker Josh Myers in to attempt a 60-yard field goal to square the game up (it fell short). Seattle again got the ball with 55 seconds left after holding the Vikings to a quick three-and-out, but Minnesota's D was ready for what was coming, picking off Geno Smith on the first play to seal the win. Smith was valiant in defeat, completing 31 of 43 passes for 314 yards and three TDs (two picks), and orchestrating a go-ahead TD drive just before the Darnold-Jefferson connection reared its head. Ultimately, the one-man show wasn't enough, however. The Seahawks are now mired within a muddled NFC playoff race following the loss as the Rams' win on Sunday gave Los Angeles a one-game lead with two weeks to go. Seattle also enters a short week in Week 17 before going to Los Angeles for a potential winner-take-all final game. 
3. Vikings' edge in field position shouldn't be overlooked. The Seahawks had 12 possessions and the best field position they had all game was at their own 35-yard line (from a kickoff). Point to Minnesota's mistake-free offense for disallowing any opportunity for Seattle, but Ryan Wright also had a hand in forcing the Seahawks to constantly face an uphill climb — or a foot, rather. The Vikings punter booted six times for 300 net yards and pinned the Seahawks behind the 20-yard line on four occasions, including his final kick in the game's final minute. The advantage in field position was crucial in a close game against a team that couldn't find an all-around rhythm. Other Vikings making big plays in the win were rookie pass rusher Dallas Turner, who earned his first-career interception, andAndrew Van Ginkel, who found the only two sacks of Smith in the fourth quarter.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Vikings-Seahawks (via NFL Pro): Justin Jefferson caught 10 passes for a season-high 144 yards and two touchdowns, with most of his production coming against split-safety coverage. Jefferson had nine receptions against zone coverage for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Entering Week 16, Jefferson had recorded the third-most receptions against zone coverage with 70.

NFL Research: Kevin O'Connell is now 25-9 in one-possession games (second-best in NFL history; minimum 25 such games coached). It's also the second time in franchise history the Vikings have started 13-2 or better (1998).

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• REWATCH: Patriots-Bills on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Bills’ defense stepped up when it had to. In a game that might have been tougher than expected, the Bills’ defense rebounded from a tough start – and even helped the point total – to finish off the feisty Patriots. Early on, Drake Maye looked like the most dangerous quarterback on the field, leading the Patriots to a 14-0 lead with touchdowns on their first two possessions. The Bills’ struck back with a touchdown, but New England controlled the clock, possessing the ball for more than 20 minutes and outgaining the Bills by 100 yards in the first half. That’s when the Bills’ defense – the one that had allowed 100 points over its past 10 quarters – badly needed stops. They did better than that, however, forcing three straight turnovers to open the second half. Cam Lewis picked off Maye in the end zone to thwart a promising drive in the third quarter, and Gregory Rousseau blew up a backward pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that ended up a TD recovery for Buffalo. Buffalo’s defense had several lapses on the Patriots’ late TD drive, including five penalties, but came up with the crucial turnovers to tilt the game back in their favor.
2. Turnovers spoiled the Patriots' upset bid. New England came in with a good game plan on both sides of the ball, executing it fairly well outside of James Cook’s long TD run, taking control of the game into the locker room at halftime. But that’s when things fell apart. Right after the Bills tied the game on their first drive of the third quarter, Stevenson coughed up a fumble at the New England 42 that the Bills converted into a field goal and a lead they’d never relinquish. The Patriots moved the ball to the Buffalo 16 on their next drive, with Maye making some great plays, but he forced a pick in the end zone that never should have been thrown. After Taron Johnson’s defensive TD (the fumble was credited to Maye, but Stevenson was to blame), the Patriots just fell too far behind. Maye had some great moments in the loss and is still ahead of Allen if you put their rookie passing numbers side by side, but the Patriots aren’t a good enough team to lose the turnover margin 3-1 in Buffalo and harbor any real hopes of winning.
3. Cook carried Bills offensively on off day for Allen. James Cook ran 46 yards for the Bills’ first touchdown and caught a TD pass, helping dig them out of a 14-0 hole on a day where Josh Allen was hemmed in. Cook finished with 126 yards from scrimmage and was their best weapon by far. The Patriots did a good job defensively early, outside of the long Cook TD run. They played a lot of single-high man coverage in the first half, often rushing four and keeping Allen inside the pocket. The Bills looked out of rhythm early, as Allen was forced to check down often. The Bills also were killing themselves with penalties. Allen finally mounted an impressive drive to tie the game at the start of the third quarter, but Allen was seen shaking his hand after an early fourth-quarter run. He closed out the game with a QB sneak, and the Bills remained in the hunt for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, but it wasn’t easy. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Patriots-Bills (via NFL Pro): Josh Allen was 3-for-10 passing for 17 yards and a pick versus Cover 1 in the first half against the Patriots. In the second half against Cover 1, Allen was only slightly better, completing 3 of 7 passes for 33 yards and a TD.

NFL Research: James Cook has surpassed 100 rushing yards for the second straight game. He’s the first Bills player to do so since Josh Allen in 2018 and the first Bills running back since LeSean McCoy in 2016. The last Bills running back to rush for 100 yards or more against the Patriots was Frank Gore in Week 4, 2019.

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• REWATCH: Jaguars-Raiders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Raiders' Bowers becomes 1st rookie TE with 100 catches, 3rd with 1K yards

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Raiders play clean enough to win. If you needed one indicator that Sunday might finally be Las Vegas' day, consider the Raiders had recovered just three fumbles as a defense all season, yet on this day, they scooped up two live balls for takeaways. Neither produced points, but did provide Las Vegas with key defensive stops. Another indicator of things going their way was quarterback Aidan O'Connell made a couple of desperation throws that appeared headed toward disastrous endings but landed in the hands of teammates for first downs. The Raiders didn't run the ball well overall, but converted frequently enough on the ground in the red zone to reach the end zone twice. And for the first time seemingly in ages, when faced with a small deficit in the fourth quarter -- which came via a gut-wrenching swing in which Daniel Carlson missed a field goal, and Jack Jones blew a coverage to allow a 62-yard Jaguars touchdown -- Las Vegas finally responded with a methodical scoring drive that ended in a touchdown. It means little in terms of overall record but stands out as one of very few moments in which the Raiders executed well enough to come out on top. Those instances have been incredibly fleeting in Antonio Pierce's first full season as coach, but he and his players will be able to savor this one.
2. Consistency escapes Jaguars in latest defeat. The final numbers from this one suggest Mac Jones (25 for 39, 247 yards, one touchdown) played well enough to win, yet the Jaguars scored just twice, and those two touchdowns bookended six possessions in which the Jaguars either punted (four times) or fumbled away possession (twice). Jones wisely focused almost exclusively on standout rookie Brian Thomas Jr., finding him five times for 101 yards and a touchdown (via a wide-open 62-yard connection) in the final two quarters to keep their passing game afloat. That wasn't enough, though, because a holding penalty wiped out a key fourth-down conversion on Jacksonville's final possession of the day, pushing the Jags into a fourth-and-11 they failed to convert. More importantly, the Jaguars wasted a number of opportunities in a winnable game, had eight penalties accepted against them and never found the rhythm necessary to sneak past the Raiders. That's been the story of these Jaguars this season, and even against the lowly Raiders, it doomed them.
3. Bowers is closing in on history. If you understandably haven't been keeping tabs on the struggling Raiders in 2024, you might not know they have one of the best tight ends in football -- and he's only a rookie. Despite his positional classification, Brock Bowers very much is WR1 in Las Vegas and filled that role again Sunday, catching 11 of his 13 targets for 99 yards. He was shut out of the end zone in part because the running game worked too well in the red zone to require his use, but that didn't stop him from creeping closer toward Mike Ditka's rookie receiving record for tight ends (1,076 yards). At 1,067 yards, 10 more will get it done, and Bowers has two games to do so. He's already the first rookie tight end to snag 100 receptions, eclipsing that mark Sunday to move to 101 on the year. He has four receiving touchdowns to his name and many, many more in his future. It's time for the rest of the football world to get hip. Bowers will soon be a household name.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Jaguars-Raiders (via NFL Pro): After missing last week's loss to Atlanta, Aidan O'Connell returned to action Sunday, completing 24 of 38 attempts for 257 yards. He fared well when getting the ball out quick (under 2.5 seconds), completing 14 of his 16 attempts for 152 yards (9.5 yards/attempt). On dropbacks over 2.5 seconds, he was less efficient, completing 10 of his 22 attempts for 105 yards (4.8 yards/attempt). O’Connell also thrived on play-action passes, completing 11 of 16 for 153 yards (+2.9% CPOE).

NFL Research: With nine catches for 132 yards and a touchdown, Brian Thomas Jr. recorded his seventh game with 60-plus receiving yards and at least one receiving touchdown. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss has had more such games (eight) as a rookie in the Super Bowl era.

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Achane powers Dolphins past 49ers. The Dolphins moved the ball against San Francisco, gobbling up 382 yards, with De'Von Achane icing the game with a 50-yard touchdown scamper. For much of the contest, Miami calmly moved the chains but had drives stall, with Jason Sanders bailing them out with five field goals. On nine non-end-of-half drives, Miami punted twice, scored two touchdowns and settled for five field goals. Tua Tagovailoa peppered the Niners in the left flat, particularly hitting Achane for yards after the catch. The running back led the Dolphins in rushing (17 carries for 121 and a touchdown) and receiving (six receptions for 70 yards). With no Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill having a couple would-be touchdowns slide through his hands, the Dolphins needed Achane’s dual-threat ability Sunday. His season-high 191 scrimmage yards was precisely half of all of Miami’s yardage in a must-win game.
2. Victory keeps Dolphins postseason hopes alive. Odds aren’t great, but Mike McDaniel’s club remains in the hunt. A loss would have eliminated Miami from the postseason tournament. The win kept it mathematically alive. Next Gen Stats gives Miami a 7% chance to make the playoffs. On paper, the percentage isn’t great, but there is a path. The Dolphins face the Browns and Jets in the next two weeks. Beating those struggling clubs would get the Dolphins to nine wins. Then they’d need Denver (Cincinnati, Kansas City) to lose out and the Colts (Giants, Jags) to lose one of their final two.  
3. Deebo finally has a good game. The Niners were officially eliminated before kickoff, so it was apropos in a difficult season that Deebo Samuel finally went over the 100-yard mark. The wideout generated 96 yards receiving on seven catches with a TD and added 25 rushing yards on five totes. The 121 scrimmage yards were the most for Samuel this season. It was the first time he’s been over the 100-scrimmage-yards mark since Week 6 -- first time over 35 yards since Week 10. Samuel’s touchdown catch was vintage, winning off the line of scrimmage and plowing through would-be tacklers into the end zone. It was too little too late, but it reminds us of the type of playmaker Deebo can be. The loss sinks the Niners to 6-9. With another defeat, they’ll clinch the cellar of the NFC West – and a last-place schedule in 2025.

Next Gen Stats Insight for 49ers-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): Brock Purdy struggled under pressure in Week 16, completing just 4 of 11 passes for 44 yards with an interception and three sacks (-22.5% CPOE).

NFL Research: De'Von Achane became the first player to have a game with 120-plus rushing yards and 70-plus receiving yards since Christian McCaffrey in Week 17, 2022 at Las Vegas.

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• READ: Buccaneers' loss to Cowboys among Sunday's season-altering outcomes

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Cowboys hold on for win on too-little-too-late Sunday. Prior to kicking off what was arguably their most impressive first half of a calamitous season, the Dallas Cowboys were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. To their credit, the Cowboys -- hamstrung by a lifeless offseason, mounting injuries and the seasonal scrutiny that follows the franchise -- came out firing. Cooper Rush was excellent at quarterback, Brandon Aubrey made his weekly argument as the best kicker in football, CeeDee Lamb was sterling, and the Micah Parsons-led defense was phenomenal against a Buccaneers offense that entered the week as the fourth-ranked scoring unit in the league. By the time the second half kicked off, the Cowboys offense was back to a struggle bus with the running game failing, Lamb ailing and Rush slowed to a crawl. Parsons, who had one of Dallas’ four sacks and a team-high six QB pressures, and the defense kept up their inspired play though, keyed by a secondary that brought the hat all night. Along with the big hits, huge plays came via a Jourdan Lewis interception and a stunning game-clinching DaRon Bland pick-pocketing of Rachaad White to seal the win. On Sunday night, Dallas stood tall and gave reason to ponder what could’ve been with a few more performances such as this. 
2. Buccaneers go off course, in danger of shipwreck. Cruising into Week 16 with a four-game winning streak following a 40-17 shedding of the Chargers, the Buccaneers hardly looked like they’d been waiting all day for Sunday night. They were slow to get going and it might end up sinking their season as the loss dropped them behind the Falcons in the NFC South based on Atlanta sweeping the season series. Tampa trailed, 23-14, at the half and the Buccaneers defense made adjustments and stopped Dallas’ offense cold in the second half, but despite Baker Mayfield running around like a madman trying to rally his squad, it was to no avail. Much of the blame can be placed on stumbling out of the gates, as the Bucs looked rather lax in falling behind 10-0 and 20-7. The eliminated Cowboys looked to be playing with far more urgency than a Bucs squad fighting for its playoff life. Two second-half turnovers killed any comeback hopes, with the second of the two coming on White's end-of-game fumble that followed a Herculean effort from Mayfield to flip a pass to White while dragging a defender. Now the Buccaneers are off course from controlling their own path to the postseason. Should they win out and the Falcons win out, Atlanta takes the division, and a wild-card bid seems unlikely as they’re two games behind the No. 7 Commanders. The Bucs woke up late for Sunday night and it could cost them the postseason. 
3. Longest leg in the west. In a trying season for Dallas, kicker Brandon Aubrey has been his same unbelievable self, raising eyebrows with long-range prowess once thought implausible. He accounted for 14 of Dallas’ 26 points, with four field goals included -- and none of them should’ve been easy. Aubrey booted home FGs of 58, 49, 58 and 53 yards. His three 50-yarders brought his season total to 14 from 50-plus, setting a new NFL record over what was set earlier in the season by the Texans' Ka’imi Fairbairn. Aubrey's performance also marked the second time in his career he’s had multiple 58-plus-yard field goals in a game and the fourth such instance in league history, per NFL Research. Dallas’ season hasn’t been outstanding by any means, but the Cowboys' kicker most certainly has been.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for Buccaneers-Cowboys (via NFL Pro): Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was efficient in the quick passing game against the Cowboys (16 for 18, 144 yards, touchdown) but struggled when holding the ball for more than 2.5 seconds (15 of 25, 159 yards, TD, interception, sacked four times).

NFL Research: Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, who has an NFL-record 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career, posted five catches for 69 yards on Sunday. With two games remaining, Evans needs 182 yards (91 yards per game) to continue his historic streak.