Week 16 of the NFL season started Thursday night with the Los Angeles Rams strengthening their playoff hopes while putting a big dent in the New Orleans Saints’ postseason aspirations.
To kick off a two-game Saturday schedule, the Pittsburgh Steelers routed the Cincinnati Bengals, whose playoff hopes also took a hit. Later, the Buffalo Bills took control of their playoff destiny with a narrow victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, who were playing their first game since firing coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco last week.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and picking out who — or what — is rising and falling for every team. Let’s get to it.
Why is the victory over the 49ers the Ravens’ biggest of the season? This obviously gives Baltimore the title of best team in the NFL with two weeks remaining. The Ravens have won five straight and have the league’s best record at 12-3. The more significant part of this victory is that Baltimore can now clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed Sunday, when the Ravens play host to the Dolphins. The Ravens have been the top seed only once in their 27 years of existence. For a franchise that has one playoff victory in Lamar Jackson‘s first five seasons, it would be huge to have home-field advantage in the postseason.
Stock up after the win: WR Zay Flowers. After being held to a season-low seven yards receiving, Flowers produced nine receptions for 72 yards and one touchdown. The rookie first-round pick now has four touchdowns in his past four games.
Stock down after the win: The Ravens’ run game. In the first game without explosive rookie running back Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore’s running backs totaled 41 yards on 17 carries (2.4-yard average). Jackson led the Ravens in rushing (46 yards) for the seventh time this season, including the third straight game. — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
What does this loss mean for the 49ers’ playoff positioning? The Niners got some good fortune over the past couple of weeks, as losses by the Eagles and Cowboys gave them a game to play with in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. But the 49ers’ margin for error is now razor-thin if they want the NFC’s postseason to go through Levi’s Stadium. San Francisco can still wrap up the top spot with wins in its final two games (at Washington, vs. the Rams), or with a win and some help. But the 49ers now must pick up the pieces of a lopsided loss, hope left tackle Trent Williams (groin) heals quickly and fly across the country on a short week. Suffice to say, nothing will come easy over the season’s final two weeks.
Stock up after the loss: RB Christian McCaffrey. There wasn’t much good for the Niners but McCaffrey was his usual, productive self, posting 131 scrimmage yards and a touchdown as he set franchise records for the most consecutive 100-yard scrimmage games and for the most 100-yard scrimmage games in a single season.
Stock down after the loss: QB Brock Purdy. Purdy has mostly taken good care of the ball this season, but that didn’t happen at all Monday night as he threw four interceptions in what was easily the worst game of his young career. — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Should the Eagles be encouraged or concerned after this win? They ended a three-game slide, and they could easily win out with a home game against the Arizona Cardinals and a visit to the Giants remaining on the schedule. The Cowboys have lost two straight, putting the NFC East crown within Philadelphia’s grasp. But this Eagles team is prone to untimely mistakes, and it nearly cost Philly again against an inferior opponent. It will take more than an angst-ridden win over the Giants to generate postseason confidence.
Stock up after the win: LB Shaquille Leonard. Getting the start with Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow sidelined due to injury, the former All-Pro registered his first sack since the 2020 season and added two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. If Leonard, who has been hampered by back issues of late, can resemble anything close to his old self down the stretch, it would be a huge development for the Eagles.
Stock down after the win: WR Olamide Zaccheaus. The special teams have been very good this season, but there was a big blunder to start the second half when Zaccheaus ran into returner Boston Scott, causing him to fumble. The Giants scored on the ensuing possession, tightening a game that for a moment appeared to be heading toward a blowout. — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Who do the Giants start at QB moving forward? Brian Daboll wouldn’t commit to Tyrod Taylor or Tommy DeVito following Monday’s loss, saying it was too early to tell. “Talk about that this week,” the coach said. The Giants have two games remaining, both at home, versus the Rams and the Eagles. Taylor probably gives the Giants the best chance to win. He was the better of the two quarterbacks on Monday. But Taylor isn’t likely to be back next season, and it could benefit the organization more to start DeVito and give him additional game experience, as DeVito could be the backup next season.
Stock up after the loss: WR Darius Slayton. He continues to be the leading receiver on the team no matter how many other options the Giants add to the roster. Slayton scored a 70-yard touchdown to again show he has big-play ability. All they have to do is give him the chance.
Stock down after the loss: DL Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Giants can’t have one of their best defensive players putting up duds. He had zero tackles and one QB hit on Monday, a week after a one-tackle performance against the Saints. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Has Antonio Pierce earned the full-time coaching job? Almost. There’s no question the Raiders have played better under Pierce since he replaced Josh McDaniels on Halloween, going 4-3 thus far. But there is still the taste of a 3-0 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Raider Nation’s mouth. There are still two winnable games to go — at the Indianapolis Colts and at home against the Denver Broncos — for Pierce to fully lay his claim, and as he said with tears in his eyes after his win over the Chiefs, things will take care of themselves in due time.
Stock up after the win: The pass rush. Las Vegas, led by defensive end Malcolm Koonce‘s three sacks, sacked Patrick Mahomes four times. The Raiders kept Mahomes off balance long enough that by the time he found his groove, it was too late for the Chiefs.
Stock down after the win: QB Aidan O’Connell. The rookie quarterback’s play was uneven at best — he did not complete a pass after the first quarter. He went 9-of-21 for 62 yards and a career-low passer rating of 50.3. With better play from O’Connell, the Raiders would have won this game by a landslide, thanks to the defense. — Paul Gutierrez
Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Do the Chiefs have time to fix their many offensive problems? The Chiefs have been turning the ball over, dropping passes and committing penalties all season. Now, with protection problems against the Raiders, that’s a lot to clean up in a short amount of time. If the Chiefs have made no progress in fixing those issues through 15 games, it’s not reasonable to think they can do it in time for the playoffs.
Stock up after the loss: The defense did its job. Both of the Raiders’ touchdowns came when the Chiefs had the ball.
Stock down after the loss: Mahomes. He was under pressure on many of his dropbacks, and his receivers weren’t getting open on a lot of their routes, but he also has to be better. Mahomes had a hand in both of the Chiefs’ turnovers/Raiders’ touchdowns. — Adam Teicher
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Patriots
How does this affect the Patriots’ draft position? The Patriots, who entered the night in the No. 2 spot, now drop to No. 4. It’s Chicago (from Carolina), Arizona, Washington in the top three spots, then New England and the Chargers. This was a night in which the Patriots finally found their offense — 20 points in the third quarter were the most they’ve had in a quarter since Week 17 of the 2021 season, when they had 21 against the Jaguars. As part of that output, they scored touchdowns six seconds apart, which ties the shortest span between two TDs in Patriots history (2013 vs. Ravens, 2014 vs. Bengals), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Stock up after the win: Christian Barmore. The third-year defensive tackle had three sacks and seven tackles (two for a loss) as he continues to ascend in the best season of his career.
Stock down after the win: Punt coverage. A 52-yard punt return and a late penalty were among the notable miscues. — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Broncos
Did the Broncos’ offense just crater the team’s playoff chances? Almost certainly yes, given the Broncos’ AFC record is now 4-6 and they are 7-8 overall. The Broncos had won five in a row to get into the postseason conversation, but they’ve lost three of their past four and now have a 2% chance to make it. The Broncos erased a 23-7 deficit in the fourth quarter as Russell Wilson led two long scoring drives, and they made both 2-point conversions to tie it with 2:53 left. But the Patriots’ Chad Ryland kicked a 56-yard field goal for the winning score.
Stock up after the loss: TE Lucas Krull. Krull, who has spent much of the season on the practice squad, had his first multicatch game and the first touchdown reception of his career. The Broncos entered the game with the second-fewest catches in the league among tight ends with 31.
Stock down after the loss: WR Jerry Jeudy. On a night when the most consistent player on the offense — Courtland Sutton — was injured, Jeudy had an opportunity to fill the void, but he did not have a target or a catch until a 13-yard reception with 9:09 left in the game. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
0:39
Patriots win behind Chad Ryland clutch 56-yard FG in final seconds
Chad Ryland splits the uprights from 56 yards out to give the Patriots the lead over the Broncos with just two seconds remaining.
Dolphins
Does this mean the Dolphins can beat good teams? Miami had lost all three of its games against teams with winning records entering Week 16. The Dolphins helped their cause Sunday with a gritty win, holding off a late comeback by the visiting Cowboys. The victory secured a playoff berth for the second straight season and is likely to give this team confidence heading into a potential division-clinching game against the Ravens in Week 17.
Stock up after the win: K Jason Sanders. The Dolphins’ longtime placekicker entered the game just 6-of-16 from 50 or more yards since 2021, but he nailed kicks of 57, 54 and 52 yards — as well as a 29-yarder to win the game with time expiring.
Stock down after the win: Receiver depth/health. Wideout Jaylen Waddle had at least eight targets and four catches in each of his previous five games. But after he caught a 50-yard pass on the Dolphins’ opening drive, eye and shin injuries forced him out of the game on two separate occasions. That was his lone reception on four targets. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cowboys
Is there anything the Cowboys can do in their final two games to change the perception that they can’t win on the road? Probably not. The loss all but guarantees the Cowboys will be the NFC’s fifth seed, which means they will likely have to win three road games to get to the Super Bowl. History is not on their side. The Cowboys have never gone to a Super Bowl when they had a losing record on the road in the regular season. With this loss, the best they can do away from home this season is 4-5.
Stock up after the loss: DE DeMarcus Lawrence. He did not record an official stat through three quarters but showed why stats don’t determine a player’s worth. Lawrence was the most impactful defender for the Cowboys, repeatedly slicing into the backfield to disrupt Miami’s offense in both the run and pass games.
Stock down after the loss: Third-down offense. A week after going 5-of-13 on third downs versus the Bills, the Cowboys were just 3-of-11 against the Dolphins. This is the fifth time in eight road games the Cowboys have not converted more than 40% of their third downs. — Todd Archer
Next game: vs. Lions (Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
0:39
Dolphins take down Cowboys with FG as time expires
Jason Sanders connects on his fifth field goal of the game to give the Dolphins a dramatic 22-20 win over the Cowboys.
Bears
How will the Bears overcome their self-inflicted fourth-quarter roller-coaster rides? One play after a 39-yard scramble by Justin Fields, the quarterback threw a baffling red zone interception that prevented the Bears (ahead 24-10) from icing the game with a three-score lead in the fourth quarter. The full Fields’ experience — coupled with a holding penalty on safety Jaquan Brisker that negated a fourth-down stop — allowed the Cardinals to score on the ensuing drive and cut the Bears’ lead to eight. Chicago’s sixth win doubles its total from a year ago, but these fourth-quarter issues have become way too predictable. The Bears displayed a balanced offensive attack and another solid defensive performance, but this team still needs to figure out how to finish off opponents.
Stock up after the win: RB Khalil Herbert. The third-year back made the most of his first start in three weeks with D’Onta Foreman inactive (personal). Herbert rushed for a season-high 112 yards and ran in his first touchdown of the season. Most importantly, the burst that Herbert had displayed prior to an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve during Weeks 6-10 was back on display.
Stock down after the win: End-of-half execution. The Bears would have gone into halftime with a three-score lead had it not been for Arizona RB James Conner running in a wide-open touchdown late in the second quarter. Chicago was penalized three times under the two-minute warning and went three-and-out on consecutive drives (six total passes, zero called runs after rushing for 117 yards in the first half). — Courtney Cronin
Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cardinals
Why are the Cardinals struggling in the passing game? It’s a combination of things, but it comes down to this: QB Kyler Murray played just his sixth game of the season Sunday, so he’s still trying to figure out how to work with his receivers and in this offense, and Arizona lacks a big-bodied pass-catcher it can go to in clutch situations to make a play.
Stock up after the loss: K Matt Prater. The kicker took the NFL lead in 50-yard field goals this season with a 55-yarder in the third quarter, giving him nine (and only two misses).
Stock down after the loss: The passing game. Arizona accounted for just 208 passing yards against the Bears — after tallying just 4 yards until about midway through the second quarter. Murray threw for 85 yards in the first half and 123 in the second half. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
With the Saints’ loss and Bucs’ win, how do Tampa Bay’s playoff chances look? The Bucs put together arguably their most complete game of the year with a dominant performance on defense against the Jaguars, scoring two touchdowns off turnovers. Now the Bucs’ path to a third consecutive division title has been laid out: beat the Saints next week or the Panthers in Week 18. Even with a loss in either game, the Bucs would win the tiebreaker over the Atlanta-New Orleans victor.
Stock up after the win: The defense. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. recorded an interception, a sack and a fumble recovery that had been forced by cornerback Zyon McCollum. Inside linebacker Devin White had a first-quarter interception, outside linebacker Yaya Diaby had 1.5 sacks, two tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and inside linebacker Lavonte David had a sack and a TFL.
Stock down after the win: Any and all oddsmakers. The Bucs had only a 16% chance to make the playoffs in the preseason, per ESPN Analytics, and a 23% shot entering Week 13. — Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jaguars
Is the Jaguars’ season slipping away? The Jaguars have a 65% chance to win the AFC South, per ESPN Analytics, despite their four-game losing streak — thanks to Houston and Indianapolis also losing Sunday. The Jaguars host 2-13 Carolina next Sunday, and then the Texans and Colts play each other in Week 18. But the Jaguars are playing their worst football of the season when it matters most, and nothing they did against Tampa Bay gives any indication that they’re close to getting out of the funk.
Stock up after the loss: WR Elijah Cooks. Christian Kirk (core muscle) is on IR and Zay Jones did not play because of a hamstring injury, so the Jaguars needed a receiver to step up. Cooks, an undrafted rookie, did for a bit in the first half, catching three passes for 38 yards — including two that converted third downs. Cooks has appeared in seven games this season and those were the first catches of his career.
Stock down after the loss: K Brandon McManus. He has missed five of his past six field goal attempts, including a 52-yarder against the Bucs that he pushed wide right. That was his third consecutive miss from 50-plus yards. His ability to make long field goals was one of the main reasons the Jaguars signed him in the spring and cut Riley Patterson. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:16
Trevor Lawrence exits game with apparent shoulder injury
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence exits the game during the third quarter against Tampa Bay with an apparent shoulder injury.
Jets
Should Jets owner Woody Johnson give kicker Greg Zuerlein a wildly expensive Christmas present? Johnson owes Zuerlein — big time. The owner’s pregame proclamation that he’s planning to retain coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas in 2024 looked embarrassingly premature when the Jets fell behind by a point after blowing a 20-point lead. But Zuerlein, having a career year, saved everyone with a 54-yard field goal in the final seconds. Johnson wouldn’t have reneged on his commitment as he believes in his leadership team despite a 6-9 record, but it would’ve been a poor optic.
Stock up after the win: RB Breece Hall. Enjoying a late-season revival, Hall recorded the first multi-touchdown game of his career. He finished with 191 yards from scrimmage (95 rushing, 96 receiving), showing what the usually moribund offense can do when Hall is producing at an elite level.
Stock down after the win: The defense. After a dominant first half, the defense collapsed by allowing 21 straight points to fall behind. This was nearly a classic letdown, fueled by costly penalties and poor situational awareness. The Jets had no answers for backup QB Jacoby Brissett. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Browns (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Commanders
Should the Commanders start Jacoby Brissett next week? Brissett played well in relief of Sam Howell for the second consecutive week, leading touchdown drives on five of the six drives he has played. The offense has stagnated under Howell. In the past two games, he has completed a combined 17 of 48 passes for 158 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. It would help Howell to watch Brissett — and it would help whomever the next coach is to determine whether the issues were on Howell or others.
Stock up after the loss: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. He ran hard, gaining 58 yards and scoring two touchdowns on 10 carries, and he showed that he could be a bigger part of Washington’s future.
Stock down after the loss: Special teams. Washington had a punt blocked, lost a fumble at the end of a 24-yard run and committed a penalty on fourth-and-3, giving the Jets new life and leading to another touchdown. — John Keim
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Seahawks
Is Geno Smith getting back to form? Smith was a bit off in the first half, throwing for only 69 yards with some suspect accuracy. Then he shrugged off whatever rust he was dealing with from the two games he missed with a groin injury, catching fire in the second half. Smith (25-of-36, 227 yards) led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, including the game winner with a minute left. He has had such an up-and-down season that his future in Seattle beyond 2023 is in question, but this was the type of strong performance that will put that conversation on hold. And it keeps the Seahawks’ playoff hopes very much alive, with two winnable games remaining vs. Pittsburgh and at Arizona.
Stock up after the win: WR DK Metcalf. Metcalf’s one-handed touchdown catch in the fourth quarter gives him six scores in the past six games and eight for the season. He finished with four catches for 56 yards and also drew a pass interference penalty to set up the game-winning touchdown.
Stock down after the win: Seattle’s discipline. The most penalized team in the NFL entering Sunday, the Seahawks were flagged six times for 47 yards against the Titans, including a pass interference (Tre Brown) and unnecessary roughness (Artie Burns) on Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. — Brady Henderson
Next game: vs. Steelers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Titans
Should the Titans play for a better draft position? Plenty is on the line for the Titans, even though they are guaranteed a losing record. Approximately 20 potential free agents on the Titans want to show their value to the rest of the league, and other players like QB Will Levis want to spin momentum into next season. Ending the year on a high note can change the tone of the offseason. It also wouldn’t hurt for the Titans to get a chance to make it harder for their AFC South rivals to make the playoffs with games against the Texans on the road and at home against the Jaguars.
Stock up after the loss: RB Derrick Henry. Henry had a much better day than last week, as he finished with 19 carries for 88 yards, along with his 89th career rushing touchdown. He also added his fifth career passing touchdown.
Stock down after the loss: QB Ryan Tannehill. Making his first start since Week 6, Tannehill completed 18 of his 26 pass attempts for 152 yards on Sunday. But it was clear that he was rusty, as shown by how he frequently threw behind his receivers, forcing them to take big hits at times. — Turron Davenport
Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:26
Colby Parkinson makes a clutch TD catch to give Seahawks a lead
Colby Parkinson wrestles his defender as he makes the touchdown catch from Geno Smith late in the fourth quarter.
Packers
How good can the Packers’ offense be now that Aaron Jones is healthy? Sure, it was against the lowly Panthers, but Jones showed the dynamic that the Packers have missed since the opener. That was the last time an individual player had a 100-yard game from scrimmage, and it was Jones on that day, too. On Sunday, Jones (who has dealt with hamstring and knee injuries) went for 135 total yards (including 127 rushing for Green Bay’s first 100-yard rushing game this season). The Packers were the only team entering Week 16 that did not have multiple 100-yard individual games this season.
Stock up after the win: TE Tucker Kraft. Kraft hasn’t let the injury to Luke Musgrave slow down the Packers’ tight end production. Kraft caught four passes for 60 yards, including a 20-yarder that set up the game-winning score in the final minute.
Stock down after the win: All aspects of the defense. A week after allowing the Bucs’ Baker Mayfield to carve them up, the Packers let rookie Bryce Young throw for 311 yards, while the Panthers’ offense totaled 393 yards and four touchdowns following a two-week stretch in which they hadn’t scored a single offensive TD. — Rob Demovsky
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Panthers
Did Bryce Young prove he can be effective under center, including on a quarterback sneak? It’s still baby steps, but yes. Young hadn’t gotten a chance on a sneak before Sunday for fear his size (5-foot-10, 204 pounds) would be a hindrance. The Panthers had used Andy Dalton (6-foot-5) instead. However, Young showed against the Packers he’s fully capable, gaining 2 yards on fourth-and-1 to keep a drive alive. Carolina has used Young more under center of late, which opened up play-action passing that led to a career-high 311 yards Sunday.
Stock up after the loss: TE Tommy Tremble. The third-year tight end had four catches for a career-high 59 yards after having 16 catches for 118 yards over the first 14 games — and no more than 35 yards receiving in a game his first three seasons.
Stock down after the loss: K Eddy Pineiro. Carolina’s kicker missed two extra points a week after kicking three field goals (including the game winner as time expired) to earn NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. — David Newton
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:30
Packers win after Panthers run out of time on final drive
Time expires on Bryce Young and the Panthers, who can’t get a snap off in the final seconds.
Browns
Can the Browns keep airing it out like this? With Joe Flacco‘s big, accurate arm, absolutely. Flacco set the tone in Houston with a 53-yard completion to Amari Cooper on the opening drive, the most air yards (45) on a Browns completion this season. Flacco came back in the second quarter with a 75-yard scoring strike to Cooper off play-action and a 21-yard touchdown dime to tight end David Njoku through traffic. The Browns are suddenly a dynamic downfield passing team, with Cooper, Njoku and others making plays — and Flacco, 38, zinging the ball around like it’s 2012 all over again.
Stock up after the win: WR Amari Cooper. Cooper joined Terrell Owens as the only other NFL player with 200-yard receiving performances for three different franchises, while becoming the first Cleveland player to post back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
Stock down after the win: Special teams. The Browns gave up a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown to Dameon Pierce and lost reliable kicker Dustin Hopkins to a hamstring injury on the same play. They went for two points following every touchdown after Hopkins departed. — Jake Trotter
Next game: vs. Jets (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Texans
Should the Texans switch to Davis Mills if C.J. Stroud is out any longer? Yes. Case Keenum‘s run has been shaky at best, as the offense in two games averaged 9.5 points, and three of those points came in their overtime win against the Tennessee Titans. Keenum went 11-of-17 for 62 yards with two interceptions before coach DeMeco Ryans put Mills in to finish the game with the score out of hand. The Texans (250 yards) were outgained by Browns receiver Amari Cooper, who had 265 receiving yards. As long as Stroud is out, they have to at least try Mills.
Stock up after the loss: CB Derek Stingley Jr. Stingley had another interception, his fifth of the season. That’s five in eight games.
Stock down after the loss: The pass defense. Browns quarterback Joe Flacco passed for 368 yards and three touchdowns, and Amari Cooper had two TDs. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:30
Amari Cooper rips it away from defender for his second TD
Joe Flacco throws a dot to Amari Cooper, who hauls it in for his second touchdown of the game.
Lions
What does winning the NFC North mean for the postseason? The offense looked strong behind a solid ground attack, and the Lions have won their first division crown since the 1993 season. With two games remaining before the postseason, Detroit has to tighten up on defense. Nick Mullens is the fourth QB to start for the Vikings this season, and he was letting it fly against the secondary, which should cause concern for the Lions since they will face better competition in the playoffs.
Stock up after the win: WR Jameson Williams. The second-year receiver has continued to improve from week to week and posted his first career game with at least five receptions. He could be a key player down the stretch for the Lions.
Stock down after the win: Special teams. Kicker Michael Badgley‘s extra point attempt was blocked in the third quarter. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Cowboys (Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Vikings
Is this it for the 2023 Vikings? Almost certainly. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Sunday’s loss brought the Vikings’ chances of making the playoffs down to 25%. They certainly have a built-in excuse, having lost their two most important players — quarterback Kirk Cousins and receiver Justin Jefferson — to injuries for large portions of the season. But they’ll almost certainly rue the nature of some of their losses, almost all of which were by one score. Many of them were aided by turnovers; they entered the week ranked third in the NFL with 29. In the end, the Vikings will wind up about where everyone figured they would be — out of the playoffs — but they missed the opportunity for a special season.
Stock up after the loss: WR Justin Jefferson. When the Vikings targeted him, he was back to his old electric self, including a diving 29-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter that NFL Next Gen Stats recorded as the lowest-probability scoring reception (21%) of his career.
Stock down after the loss: RB Ty Chandler. A week after thrilling Vikings fans with a 132-yard breakout game in Cincinnati, Chandler couldn’t get going against a Lions defense that has been vulnerable against the run and finished with 17 yards on eight carries. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Falcons
Can the Atlanta Falcons run the table? If Atlanta plays like it did Sunday — a balanced run/pass attack with 406 yards of offense and a defense that had six sacks and held the Colts to 262 yards — it’s possible. It is the best total game Atlanta has played this season, and while the Falcons will have to do it on the road, facing the under-.500 Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints is manageable. Playoffs or not, this would show legitimate progress, including Atlanta’s first over-.500 record since 2017 and the first three-game winning streak in the same season in Arthur Smith’s three years as coach.
Stock up after the win: QB Taylor Heinicke. In the first start of Heinicke’s second stint as the Falcons’ starter, he was efficient, completing 23 of 33 passes for 229 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a passer rating of 99.2.
Stock down after the win: CB Jeff Okudah. The fourth-year pro appears to have been displaced by rookie cornerback Clark Phillips III in the starting lineup after Okudah barely played defensively and Phillips recorded three tackles with a pass defended. — Michael Rothstein
Next game: at Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Colts
What does recent inconsistency say about the team? The Colts showed up flat one week after easily disposing of the Steelers in a critical win. This came after a blowout loss the previous week in Cincinnati. The Colts have been overachieving, and their disparate results might be an indication of who they really are. One example of how they’ve gotten the most out of their season: The Colts entered with a takeaway in 19 straight games, but they saw that streak snapped Sunday. They’d also won five of six prior to Sunday — the best record in the NFL during that span. Now, Indianapolis has lost two of three at the wrong time and its playoff chances dropped to 42%.
Stock up after the loss: LB. E.J. Speed. Although the defense was disappointing, Speed was all over the field Sunday, recording a career high in tackles for the second straight week. He recorded 13 total stops after netting 10 against Pittsburgh last week.
Stock down after the loss: Pass rush. The unit entered the game on fire, netting 25 sacks in the past six games. But was stymied Sunday, recording just a lone sack and creating little pressure on Heinicke. — Stephen Holder
Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:21
Falcons’ defense breaks out dance routine after INT
Jessie Bates III grabs the interception and the Falcons’ defense breaks out a dance routine afterward.
Saturday
Bills
How concerning was this performance as the Bills continue their playoff push? It’s a reminder of what this season has been. Of the Bills’ 14 games, 10 have been one-score affairs. Adequately closing out opponents has been an issue all season. James Cook‘s ball security is an issue, and the defense is allowing too many drives. Winning is ultimately what matters at this point in the season, but Saturday showed this team still has things to work on despite now controlling its playoff destiny.
Stock up after the win: Sam Martin. The Bills punter has had some up-and-down games lately, but he was key to giving the Chargers a long field. Three of his four punts went inside the 20-yard line, and he averaged 52.3 yards per punt. That’s a good sign for this special teams unit moving forward.
Stock down after the win: Passing game. Josh Allen & Co. got things going when they needed to, but the Chargers came into this game with one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Allen completed just 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards, a touchdown and a pick with miscues throughout the game in connecting with receivers. It remains inconsistent. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Chargers
Is there reason to be concerned about Derwin James? James has been one of the Chargers’ best players since he was drafted in 2018, establishing himself as one of the league’s best safeties. But in James’ first game since the Chargers fired coach Brandon Staley, James played two snaps at safety and 40 for the game, both season lows. He played most of the game as a nickel cornerback. Under Staley, James played the nickel role in spots, but his main home was at safety, making Saturday’s game particularly surprising.
Stock up after the loss: Kicker Cameron Dicker. Staley earned the nickname “fourth-and-Staley” for his willingness to go for fourth-down conversions, often leaving Dicker on the sideline. In the first game since Staley’s firing, Dicker made a career-high five field goals, almost winning the game for the Chargers himself. It was the first time the Chargers made five field goals since 2012.
Stock down after the loss: Running back Joshua Kelley. Kelley played a season-low 12 total snaps, including seven on offense. Kelley was the Chargers’ backup running back coming into this season and started two games while Austin Ekeler was out with an injury, but he appears to have fallen out of favor in the Chargers’ backfield. — Kris Rhim
Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Steelers
Who will start at quarterback against the Seattle Seahawks? After the game, Mike Tomlin told reporters it was too early to ask. Maybe so, but it’s certainly not too early to consider the possibility that Mason Rudolph has earned the opportunity to start again after throwing for 279 yards and two touchdowns. QB Kenny Pickett was a limited participant in practice this week after having TightRope surgery on his right ankle on Dec. 4. He was inactive against the Bengals but could be ready to play the Seahawks. Still, Rudolph played a smart game and earned his first game ball for the performance — and maybe another start.
Stock up after the win: Wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens had a career performance with 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the heels of a week in which he was heavily criticized for immaturity and a lack of effort, showing that he has an impossibly high ceiling when he’s at his best.
Stock down after the win: Fire Mike Tomlin chants. Hard to find much that went wrong in a resounding win. But it was a tough game for any disgruntled fans who came into Acrisure Stadium ready to unleash Fire Tomlin chants. Instead, the fourth quarter had four Mason Rudolph chants and one for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, something Steelers players agreed was a welcome change. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Bengals
Does this loss end Cincinnati’s playoff chances? Well, it certainly puts a massive dent in them. The Bengals’ playoff chances are down to 14% after the loss, per ESPN Analytics. But if the Bengals miss the postseason, they can squarely point at their AFC North record. After Saturday, the Bengals are 0-5 in divisional play. Cincinnati was swept by Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Depending on what happens over the next two weeks, even a win against the Browns on Week 18 might mean nothing for the Bengals.
Stock up after the loss: WR Tee Higgins. With Ja’Marr Chase out, he racked up five catches for 140 yards and a touchdown, including an 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Stock down after the loss: QB Jake Browning. Browning forced the issue too often and threw three interceptions in his worst performance as a starter in place of the injured Joe Burrow. — Ben Baby
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Thursday
Rams
Does the offense make the Rams a serious threat to make a playoff run? The Rams aren’t in the playoffs yet — they’ve got a 78% chance, per ESPN Analytics — but they are playing like a team that could make a run. Since RB Kyren Williams returned in Week 12, this Rams team has looked like a different group than the one that sat at 3-6 during its Week 10 bye. There’s “no doubt,” coach Sean McVay said, “we’re different when he plays.” Los Angeles has scored at least 28 points in the five games since Williams returned and has won six out of its past seven games, the lone loss coming against the AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens.
Stock up after the win: QB Matthew Stafford. The Rams quarterback has thrown multiple passing touchdowns in five straight games, his longest streak since joining the Rams, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He’s also gone four straight games without an interception, which is tied for his longest streak with Los Angeles.
Stock down after the win: Kicker Lucas Havrisik missed a 47-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter. Los Angeles has missed a league-high 11 field goals this season. It’s the most by any team since the 2015 Buccaneers (11), according to ESPN Stats & Information. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: at Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Saints
Can the Saints regroup with playoff hopes dwindling? The Saints now have to win out and get some help to make the playoffs. Their loss exposed issues all around both defensively (tackling) and offensively (they struggled to convert on third and fourth down). The Saints now have to travel to Tampa Bay for a divisional game after the disappointment of such a pivotal loss. How they respond will likely dictate any decisions made about the coaching staff or personnel once the season ends.
Stock up after the loss: WR Chris Olave. Olave battled through an ankle injury that caused him to miss Sunday’s game and responded with a season-best nine catches for 129 yards to get him over 1,000 receiving yards for the season.
Stock down after the loss: CB Alontae Taylor. Taylor was benched for Ugo Amadi late in the game, and Saints coach Dennis Allen said the Rams got Taylor “a couple of times with his eyes.” — Katherine Terrell
Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
