After Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season, five of the seven playoff spots in the NFC and AFC have been clinched so far this season. In the NFC, the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Philadelphia Eagles have all clinched playoff spots. On the AFC side, the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, and Buffalo Bills have clinched playoff spots so far. In addition, the Jacksonville Jaguars picked up a big win against the Denver Broncos, and the Carolina Panthers defeated the Buccaneers to take control of the NFC South with two games remaining in the regular season.
Arizona Cardinals = 0% Red Zone TD Rate
While the Arizona Cardinals have excelled at posting impressive offensive stats under quarterback Jacoby Brissett, those numbers have not translated into the points the Cardinals have needed. Every week, it seems like the Cardinals give themselves a chance to pick up a big win, but they either turn the ball over or fail to score touchdowns, letting the game slip away. This week, the Cardinals let a win against the Atlanta Falcons slip away by failing to score touchdowns when in the red zone. Arizona reached the red zone twice but failed to score a touchdown both times, giving them a 0% red zone touchdown rate.
Atlanta Falcons = 100% Red Zone TD Rate
The Atlanta Falcons have had many high points and many more low points so far this season. When the Falcons can establish their strong running game and hit home with their defensive pressures, they are capable of playing very well. This week, the Falcons traveled to Arizona prepared to play great football. Atlanta demonstrated that level of preparedness by posting a perfect 100% red zone touchdown rate. During the game, the Falcons’ offense reached the red zone three times and scored touchdowns each time.
Baltimore Ravens = 0 Touches for Derrick Henry
For three quarters, the Baltimore Ravens played well enough to pick up a big win over the New England Patriots and stay alive in the race for the top spot in the AFC North. Early in the 4th quarter, the Ravens had a 24-13 lead over the Patriots, but then the Ravens seemed to forget how they had built that lead. Up to that point in the game, Ravens running back Derrick Henry had carried the ball 18 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson left the game with a back injury. So when the Ravens decided to stop giving the ball to Henry, it seemed like Baltimore had forgotten what their offense is designed to excel at, grounding and pounding opposing defenses.
Buffalo Bills = 10 Points Off of Turnovers
The Buffalo Bills picked up another hard-fought win in Week 16 on the road against the Cleveland Browns. This week, the Bills’ defense stepped up and helped the Bills’ offense by intercepting two Shedeur Sanders passes. In turn, the Bills’ offense converted the Browns’ turnovers into a touchdown and a field goal. Those 10 points were enough to help the Bills pick up another win and get one step closer to clinching their spot in the playoffs. In addition to the turnovers, Bills running back James Cook hit a milestone while surpassing 1,500 rushing yards for the season.
Carolina Panthers = 1 Forced Turnover
The Carolina Panthers finally had a chance to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a showdown for control over the NFC South. Both teams excelled at moving the ball on offense while avoiding big mistakes, including turnovers. That was until the end of the 4th quarter when the Buccaneers were trying to put together a game-winning drive. With 42 seconds left in the game, the Panthers forced the first turnover of the game with Lathan Ransom intercepting a Baker Mayfield pass to seal the Panthers’ win.
Chicago Bears = 13 Unanswered Points
If the Chicago Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers this week, their chances of winning the NFC North division would have been minuscule. For most of the game, it looked like the Packers were the better team, but the Bears kept hanging around. But near the end of the 4th quarter, the Bears made a series of clutch plays to steal a win against Green Bay. That series of plays started with an onside kick recovery by the Bears, and Chicago took advantage of that onside kick recovery to score a touchdown late in the game to force overtime. In overtime, the Bears’ defense forced a turnover on downs, and then Caleb Williams threw a game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Moore.
Cincinnati Bengals = 21-Point Scoring Surge
While the Cincinnati Bengals are another team that has struggled to play consistent football this season, the Bengals had a moment of elite performance against the Miami Dolphins. While the Bengals and Dolphins were battling to a score of 14 to 10 in the 2nd quarter, the Bengals suddenly made a series of big plays at the end of the 2nd and in the 3rd quarter. During a 7-minute and 51-second stretch in the game, the Bengals forced the Dolphins to turn the ball over four consecutive times. Offensively, the Bengals scored 21 unanswered points off those turnovers, giving them a 31-14 lead that they would not surrender to Miami.
Cleveland Browns = 2 Interceptions Thrown
Needless to say, the Cleveland Browns’ 2025 season has been marked by a series of complicated situations. It started when the Browns had five quarterbacks in training camp, and that led to a series of quarterback changes throughout the season. Those quarterback changes were the result of inconsistent play by Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, which opened the door for Shedeur Sanders to take over the Browns’ offense. However, Sanders has had his share of struggles as the Browns’ starting quarterback, and this week Sanders blew an opportunity to pick up a big win against Buffalo by throwing a pair of interceptions. Those interceptions led to 10 points for Buffalo, and the Browns ultimately lost by 3 points.
Dallas Cowboys = 0 Points in the 2nd Half
The Dallas Cowboys have officially had their playoff hopes for the 2025 season laid to rest by the Los Angeles Chargers. In the first half, the Cowboys stood toe-to-toe with the Chargers, leaving the game tied at 17. However, in the second half, the Cowboys’ offense hit a wall, and Dallas did not score in the 3rd or 4th quarters while the Chargers added 17 points. Dallas has struggled with consistency all season, but this week, the Cowboys’ lack of consistency led to their elimination from the playoffs again.
Denver Broncos = 17 Unanswered Points
The Denver Broncos came into their Week 16 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars riding an 11-game win streak and their eyes focused on locking up the #1 Seed in the AFC. That was until the Jacksonville Jaguars came in ready to show that they are a legitimate top team in the AFC. The Broncos and Jaguars battled to a 17-17 tie, but in the 3rd quarter, the Broncos’ vaunted defense started to break down. That led to the Broncos surrendering 17 straight points to Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense, resulting in a 20-34 loss that snapped their long winning streak.
Detroit Lions = 230 Rushing Yards Allowed
The Detroit Lions were desperate for a win to keep themselves in the best position possible to make a run back to the playoffs. A big part of the Lions’ game plan and team identity is to play physical football and beat teams with consistency. However, when the Lions faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit failed to live up to its own expectations. By the end of the game, the Lions had run for only 15 yards, and their defense had given up 230 rushing yards to the Steelers. That included allowing Steelers running back Jaylen Warren to break out with two 45-yard touchdown runs to seal the Lions’ fate against Pittsburgh.
Green Bay Packers = 10-Point Lead Blown
Just a few weeks ago, the Green Bay Packers appeared to be the favorites to win the NFC North this season. That was when the Packers defeated the Bears at Lambeau Field with a late interception. Since winning that game, the Packers have failed to protect their lead over the Bears in the division. Last week, they lost to the Denver Broncos on the road, and this week they lost to the Bears at Soldier Field. For most of the game, the Packers held a lead over the Bears, but late in the 4th quarter, the Bears turned a scoring play into a recovered onside kick. The Packers’ defense then allowed the Bears to score a game-tying touchdown, forcing the game into overtime. In overtime, the Packers failed to put together a scoring drive, and they gave up a long pass play that sealed the game.
Houston Texans = +2 Turnover Margin
The Houston Texans came into Week 16 hoping to extend their winning streak and close the gap on the Jacksonville Jaguars at the top of the AFC South standings. Recently, the Texans’ defense had been dominant, and the Houston offense had shown improvement with quarterback C.J. Stroud returning to lead the offense. However, the Texans ran into more resistance than expected against a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team. Houston avoided an embarrassing upset by winning 23-21, and the Texans’ defense was critical in this matchup. While the Texans forced two turnovers, one of those was a pick-six that Derek Stingley Jr. returned for a 31-yard defensive touchdown.
Indianapolis Colts = 58 Total Rushing Yards
The Indianapolis Colts play their best football on offense when they maintain a balance between their running and passing games. With that in mind, the Indianapolis Colts’ most important player on offense tonight was running back Jonathan Taylor. If the 49ers’ run defense could shut down Taylor, then the pressure of the Colts’ success would be on the shoulders of 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers. Unfortunately for the Colts, the 49ers understood that by stopping Taylor and the Colts’ running game, they would have an easier path to picking up another win this season. By the end of the game, the Colts could only muster 58 rushing yards, and while Taylor scored a touchdown, he only averaged 2.9 yards/carry.
Jacksonville Jaguars = 100% Red Zone TD Rate
During the first half of the 2025 NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars struggled with ball security, especially quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Those turnovers made it seem as if the Jaguars were not ready to be a contender in the NFC South or the NFC playoffs. However, over the last four weeks, the Jaguars’ offense and Lawrence have turned the corner and are now considered one of the best teams in the AFC this season. Jacksonville received a major boost in its reputation by upsetting the Denver Broncos, who had built an 11-game win streak this season. The Jaguars pulled off the upset of the Broncos by excelling in the red zone with a 100% red zone touchdown rate while scoring four touchdowns in four trips to the red zone.
Kansas City Chiefs = 133 Total Offensive Yards
During the week before the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Tennessee Titans, the Chiefs made a series of decisions to bench many of their top playmakers on offense and defense. What was not expected was for Chiefs backup quarterback Gardner Minshew to follow the lead of Patrick Mahomes and tear his ACL. The combination of benched players and Minshew’s loss left the Chiefs short-handed, and the result was one of the worst offensive performances for the Chiefs since 2022, with only 133 total yards.
Las Vegas Raiders = 9 Penalties for 85 Yards
The Las Vegas Raiders keep finding ways to lose games even when they give themselves a good chance to pick up a win. This week, the Raiders played significantly better than expected, making a run to try to upset the Houston Texans. However, the Raiders came up short, in part due to their lack of discipline. During the game against the Texans, the Raiders drew 9 penalties totaling 85 yards. Those penalties made it difficult for the Raiders to pick up enough points to steal a win against Houston, and ultimately, they lost by 2 points due to the lost opportunities caused by their higher penalty count.
Los Angeles Chargers = 64.3% 3rd Down Rate
During the 2025 NFL season, the Los Angeles Chargers have struggled with numerous injuries to their offensive line and running back position. However, even though the Chargers have had to make some significant personnel adjustments to overcome those injuries, they now find themselves in a position to make a late run for an AFC West division championship. If the Chargers win their last two games of the season, and the Broncos lose their last two game, the Chargers will be AFC West division champions. This week, the Chargers picked up a big win against the Dallas Cowboys by playing outstanding football, especially on 3rd down. Against Dallas, the Chargers picked up first downs on 9 of 14 3rd-down attempts, giving them a 64% 3rd-down success rate.
Los Angeles Rams = 581 Total Offensive Yards
The Los Angeles Rams came to Seattle ready to sweep the Seattle Seahawks for the 2025 NFL season. Matthew Stafford came out and had an amazing performance with 457 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes, along with no interceptions. In addition, the Rams offense also ran the ball for 124 rushing yards, including Kyren Williams’ 70 rushing yards. After posting 581 total offensive yards, the Rams should have won another game and clinched the #1 seed in the NFC. However, the Rams’ defense and special teams let the Rams offense down, blowing a 16-point lead in the 4th quarter and failing to get a stop in overtime.
Miami Dolphins = 4 Consecutive Turnovers
Last week, the Miami Dolphins came up short against the Pittsburgh Steelers, officially being eliminated from the playoffs this season. After missing the playoffs, the Dolphins are using their final few games of the season to evaluate rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. Unfortunately, Ewers’ first start in the NFL went about as poorly as it possibly could. Ewers is turning the ball over to the Cincinnati Bengals on four consecutive drives. That included one fumble, two interceptions, and one turnover on downs. Those mistakes allowed the Bengals to take a commanding 31-14 lead, and Miami was unable to recover.
Minnesota Vikings = 13 Passing Yards Allowed
The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 NFL season has been defined by a Vikings offense that has struggled to find consistency with 2nd-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Despite those offensive struggles, the Vikings’ defense has played consistently. This week, the Vikings were staring down a must-win game against the New York Giants if they wanted any chance of making the playoffs in 2025. Minnesota’s defense did not disappoint under the big spotlight against the Giants. The Minnesota Vikings held the Giants offense, including rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, to an astounding 13 new passing yards in New York.
New England Patriots = 85% Completion Rate
For three quarters, it looked like the New England Patriots were about to lose their second game in two weeks against the Baltimore Ravens. On the other hand, the New England Patriots have been a difficult team to beat this season, and in the 4th quarter of the Sunday Night Game between the Patriots and Ravens, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye demonstrated why he is an NFL MVP candidate this season completing 85% of his passes in the 4th quarter, including 12 completions with only 14 pass attempts for 139 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Patriots to a comeback win over the Ravens.
New Orleans Saints = 8 Quarterback Sacks
After starting the 2025 NFL season with a disappointing 2-10 record, the Saints have recently become one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Over the last 3 weeks, the Saints have won three big games in a row. In back-to-back weeks, the Saints upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers to directly affect the NFC South standings and playoff race. This week, the Saints picked up another win with a great defensive effort against the New York Jets by sacking the Jets’ quarterback eight times. Defensive end Cameron Jordan recorded two of the Saints’ eight quarterback sacks by adding two sacks to his 130 total sacks in his NFL career.
New York Giants = 20% 3rd Down Rate
While the New York Giants lost yet another game this week against the Minnesota Vikings, they are still the leader when it comes to receiving the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Giants appeared to be committed to their fate of getting the top draft pick by running the ball during 16 of their first 18 plays against the Vikings. In addition, the Giants struggled to extend drives by converting 3rd downs. By the end of the game, the Giants had a 20% success rate on 3rd down, picking up only 2 first downs out of 10 3rd-down situations.
New York Jets = 3.1 Yards per Play
While many names and faces have changed for the New York Jets offense this season, inconsistency has remained constant. This week, the Jets continued to struggle to find consistency against the New Orleans Saints’ defense. As a result, the Jets were only able to produce an average of 3.1 yards per play on offense. When the Jets found themselves down to the Saints early in the game, the New York offense was unable to mount a comeback.
Philadelphia Eagles = 207 Rushing Yards
The Philadelphia Eagles came into their game this week against the Washington Commanders knowing that they needed to win one more game this season to clinch their second consecutive NFC East division championship. Recently, the Eagles have struggled to play consistent, efficient football on offense, leading to some ups and downs for Philadelphia. Philadelphia solved its consistency problem by returning to what has made it great over the last few seasons: running the ball. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley ran for 138 yards, including a 48-yard run and a touchdown to seal the deal against the Commanders. Ultimately, the Eagles’ offense ran the ball for 207 yards against Washington.
Pittsburgh Steelers = Allow 1.3 Yards per Carry
While the Pittsburgh Steelers have not always played like a playoff team this season, they are definitely hitting their stride at the right time of the season. Over the last few weeks, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been turning back the clock, playing some of his best football since leaving Green Bay. However, this week the Steelers’ running game and Pittsburgh run defense took center stage against the Detroit Lions. The Steelers defense held the Lions’ strong running game to 1.3 rushing yards per carry and limited them to 15 total rushing yards. In addition, the Steelers attacked the Lions’ run defense by producing 230 rushing yards with running back Jaylen Warren breaking out for a pair of 45-yard runs and two touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers = 5 Touchdown Passes
After spending most of the 2025 NFL season managing numerous injuries, the San Francisco 49ers seem to be hitting their stride as the season comes to an end. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had one of the best performances of his career against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. Purdy successfully passed for 295 yards and 5 touchdowns with only 1 interception to help the 49ers pick up another win this season and stay near the top of the NFC West. Purdy’s 5 touchdown passes were the most touchdown passes for a 49ers quarterback since Steve Young threw six in the Super Bowl in 1995, and the most regular-season touchdown passes in a game since Joe Montana did it in 1990.
Seattle Seahawks = Three 2-Point Conversions
Over the last two seasons, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has taken heavy criticism for not managing big games and pressure situations. In the second half of the Thursday Night Game, it looked like Darnold would once again find a way to implode and cost Seattle a division game against the Rams. However, this time Darnold got some help from their defense and special teams, which allowed the Seahawks to overcome two interceptions thrown by Darnold. In the 4th quarter, Darnold demonstrated that he can handle big situations by leading the Seahawks to convert three 2-point conversion attempts in the 4th quarter and overtime to pull out a 1-point win over the Rams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers = -1 Turnover Margin
For the first 8 weeks of the 2025 NFL season, it looked like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were going to walk to their fifth consecutive NFC South division championship. However, after the Buccaneers had their bye in Week 9, Tampa Bay has had the bottom drop out of their season, going 1-6 in their last seven games. This week, the Buccaneers faced the Carolina Panthers in a head-to-head matchup with control of the NFC South on the line. For almost four quarters, the Buccaneers and Panthers played a tightly contested game with both teams matching each other every step of the way. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, quarterback Baker Mayfield made his first and only mistake of the game while throwing an interception with 42 seconds left in the game. That turnover allowed the Panthers to seal the fate of the Buccaneers.
Tennessee Titans = 38 Minutes with the Ball
During the first half of the 2025 NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars struggled with ball security, especially quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Those turnovers made it seem as if the Jaguars were not ready to be a contender in the NFC South or the NFC playoffs. However, over the last four weeks, the Jaguars’ offense and Lawrence have turned the corner and are now considered one of the best teams in the AFC this season. Jacksonville received a major boost in its reputation by upsetting the Denver Broncos, who had built an 11-game win streak this season. The Jaguars pulled off the upset of the Broncos by excelling in the red zone with a 100% red zone touchdown rate while scoring four touchdowns in four trips to the red zone.
Washington Commanders = 220 Total Yards
The theme of the Washington Commanders’ 2025 NFL season has been one disaster after another. Washington’s performance against the Philadelphia Eagles this week was a fitting demonstration of how quickly things can spin out of control for the Commanders. This week, the Commanders came into their home game against the Philadelphia Eagles. For the first half, that game plan allowed the Commanders to take a lead over Philadelphia, which they carried into halftime. However, in what has become a recurring nightmare for Washington, Commanders’ quarterback Marcus Mariota was knocked out of the game with a concussion. The Commanders’ offense never recovered and was unable to sustain drives against a stout Eagles defense. While the Commanders scored 18 points, they could have scored many more if they had finished their drives.
