2024 NFL season, Week 15: What We Learned from Sunday's games

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Cowboys defense feasts in Carolina. The beleaguered Dallas defense put it all together for one week. The Cowboys forced four Panthers turnovers and swarmed quarterback Bryce Young. Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa feasted on the Panthers' offensive line, particularly on the left side. All six of the Cowboys' sacks came in the second half, with two coming from Parsons, as Dallas squeezed the Panthers' offense, allowing just 235 yards. The performance was even better than the stats suggest. If not for a busted-coverage 83-yard touchdown allowed late in the first half, Carolina would have been held under the 200-yard plateau. Starting in place of DeMarvion Overshown, rookie Marist Liufau played well in the middle, leading Dallas with six tackles, generating a tackle for loss, and forcing the opening-drive fumble that set the tone for the contest.
2. Young's turnovers sink Panthers. It was a down week for the Bryce Young reclamation project. After stacking positive weeks -- despite not generating wins -- Young missed throws and turned the pigskin over four times, with two interceptions and two fumbles. The QB was loose with the football on an opening-drive scramble, allowing it to be punched out. On his first-half interception, he made the wrong read, forcing a ball to Adam Thielen, who was covered well, and it got popped up over the middle. It was that sort of day for the Panthers, where everything seemed to slide against them. Then, in the second half, the offensive line sprung leaks, and Young was scrambling for his life. The turnover-filled week shouldn't be viewed as a referendum on Young moving forward. The roller coaster was bound to take a dip at some point. It's a learning-process game for the QB, who has shown higher highs in previous outings.
3. Cowboys offense finds a groove behind Dowdle. The Cowboys racked up 410 yards of offense, including 211 on the ground, as Rico Dowdle powered his way for 149 rushing yards on 25 carries, averaging 6.0 yards per tote. Dowdle's powering runs kept the Cowboys in good down and distances for Cooper Rush. It's not a coincidence that after Dallas started leaning on Dowdle, the offense became more consistent. Outside of a fumble late in the second quarter that briefly gave Carolina life, Rush calmly guided the Cowboys offense against an overmatched Panthers defense. When he needed a play, Rush smartly looked to CeeDee Lamb. The star wideout generated 116 of Rush's 214 passing yards. On Dallas' first touchdown drive, Lamb generated plays of 20 yards, 28 yards, and a 14-yard score for 62 of the 87 yards on the possession. The win pushes the Cowboys to 6-8 on the season and technically keeps their postseason hopes alive (less than 1% chance, per Next Gen Stats).

Next Gen Stats Insight for Cowboys-Panthers (via NFL Pro): Micah Parsons generated eight pressures and two sacks on 32 pass rushes, recording a 25.0% pressure rate.

NFL Research: Rico Dowdle became the first undrafted player with three straight 100-plus rushing-yard games since Arian Foster, Weeks 5-8, 2014.

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• READ: Mahomes considered week to week with ankle injury

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Chiefs win on margins. Sometimes, the difference between a winning and losing team can be found in the 50/50 plays. Kansas City won all of them on Sunday. Each time the Browns put the ball on the turf, the Chiefs were there to pounce on it. Patrick Mahomes managed to convert third downs in a somewhat ugly fashion that has become his brand in 2024. Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco did enough on the ground to balance out the offense. And when the Chiefs found themselves with short fields, they consistently capitalized, winning with well-schemed plays that gave their weapons creases needed to find the end zone. The Chiefs aren't a spectacular team in terms of producing highlights, but they get the small details right as well as any team in the NFL. Their win Sunday stands as another example of this, though Mahomes' ankle bears watching moving forward on a short week.
2. Browns completely crater. The Jameis Winston era in Cleveland -- as brief as it has been -- might have just ended. Winston threw two interceptions by taking shots at the end zone, had another come as a result of a bobbled short pass and finished with just 146 passing yards. He was benched in the fourth in favor of Dorian Thompson-Robinson, but this also wasn't solely on Winston. Cleveland was incredibly sloppy with the football, fumbling it three times (losing possession twice), and while it only had six penalties accepted against it, many more -- including a handful of illegal formations derived from Germain Ifedi lining up behind the line of scrimmage -- were called. The best the Browns offense could do was properly execute a draw play, which went for a 62-yard Jerome Ford rushing touchdown. Cleveland's defense played pretty well, holding Mahomes to a completion percentage of 50, but in total, it was ugly from start to finish, matching the weather along the shore of Lake Erie.
3. Chiefs defense thrives. Kansas City traveled to Cleveland with a clear goal: Wreak havoc in the Browns' backfield. Consider the mission accomplished. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo did not hold back Sunday, sending blitzes on 15 occasions and watching his defense feast, racking up 23 pressures. Occasionally, the defensive design was so good, Chiefs defenders were in Winston's lap before he knew it. Chris Jones led Kansas City with four quick pressures among a team-best eight total pressures, while George Karlaftis and Drue Tranquill finished right behind him with three quick pressures each. Winston was frequently under duress, especially on key third downs, with Karlaftis (two sacks), Charles Omenihu (one sack), Tershawn Wharton (one sack), Nick Bolton (0.5 sacks) and Tranquill (0.5 sacks) all playing a part in Kansas City's five sacks recorded. This pressure created opportunities for the Chiefs' coverage defenders, leading to four interceptions and six total takeaways. This is the Chiefs defense as we knew it in 2023, and if it can find this kind of success against better teams, the lack of offensive firepower won't matter all that much.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chiefs-Browns (via NFL Pro): Chris Jones generated a season-high eight pressures on 40 pass rushes in Week 15 against the Browns (20% pressure rate), generating four of his pressures under 2.5 seconds. Jones has now generated 26 quick pressures this season, nine more than the next closest defensive tackle. 

NFL Research: The Chiefs' six takeaways recorded Sunday are the most in a game for Kansas City since Week 3 of the 2016 season (eight takeaways versus the Jets). Kansas City is the third team in the last 15 seasons to log six-plus takeaways and five-plus sacks in a game.

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• REWATCH: Dolphins-Texans on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Texans sew up second straight AFC South championship
• READ: Dolphins' DuBose to remain hospitalized overnight with head injury
• READ: Stingley Jr. makes 'All-Pro' case with two-INT day

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Fake punt, takeaways vaulted Texans to massive victory. The Texans and Dolphins were locked in a tight game, with Houston leading, 13-6, early in the third quarter. That was when DeMeco Ryans greenlit a beautiful fake punt that ended up in the hands of Dare Ogunbowale, who motored 35 yards into the red zone for a game-changing play. Interestingly, it was ruled that Ogunbowale fumbled, but an unnecessary roughness penalty on Elijah Campbell kept the ball with Houston. Two plays later, the Texans scored to take a 20-6 lead. But the defense needed every one of the four turnovers it forced against Tua Tagovailoa, including two fourth-quarter interceptions by Derek Stingley Jr. -- both while covering Tyreek Hill. Stingley’s first pick early in the fourth was gutsy, undercutting the route without safety help, but he hauled in the poorly thrown pass. Then with the Dolphins trailing by one score, Stingley ripped the ball out of Hill’s hands -- and managed to stay inbounds -- for the game-clinching pick. The Texans have relied on turnovers all season, and Sunday was no exception. 
2. Tua’s turnovers sunk Dolphins in desperation game. The Dolphins were virtually in a win-or-else game against the Texans, and as hard as they fought on both sides of the ball, Tagovailoa’s four turnovers were ultimately the difference in the crushing loss. The first came on a strip-sack by Will Anderson, killing the Dolphins’ momentum in a 3-3 game and giving the ball back to Houston deep in Miami territory. That set up the Texans’ first TD. Tua’s first pick was also a back-breaker late in the first half, 30 seconds after Miami took the ball away, down 10-6. Calen Bullock intercepted the pass and ran it back 68 yards in the closing seconds of the half, setting up a field goal to give Houston a 13-6 edge. The Dolphins hung tough after falling behind by two scores with Jaylen Waddle out, and they withstood the emotional impact of Grant DuBose’s frightening head injury, but Tagovailoa’s turnovers were the difference. Miami entered the game with about a 16% chance of getting in, per Next Gen Stats, but that would have jumped to 31% with a win. Currently, their odds are barely on the radar at 4%. We know why.
3. The Texans’ run game was erased, and the offense went with it. Ogunbowale’s 35-yard run on the fake punt made him the Texans’ leading rusher on Sunday. Joe Mixon was held completely in check, gaining 23 yards on 12 carries with a long run of only 5 yards. Tank Dell got loose for a 15-yard end-around, but he could have been taken down for a loss. Miami’s defense was on the hunt Sunday, but C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins hooked up for two TD passes. Both came on scramble-drill plays where the QB and receiver were improvising, working in perfect harmony. Stroud’s sidearm throw on the second TD was tremendous. Other than that, it was a tough day offensively. The Texans looked strong on both drives coming out of the locker room but were sluggish the remainder of the game, helped considerably by the 4-1 turnover edge. Mixon led the Texans in receiving with 33 yards, and they didn’t have a true offensive gain longer than 15 yards if you take out the fake punt.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Dolphins-Texans (via NFL Pro): Derek Stingley Jr. allowed only 30 yards on six receptions (10 targets) as the nearest defender in coverage in Week 15 against the Dolphins, including two interceptions (both on targets to Tyreek Hill). Stingley’s 10 targets against are his most in a game since his rookie season. His -22.0 EPA when targeted as the nearest defender this season ranks fifth in the NFL entering the rest of the Week 15 slate.

NFL Research: The Texans won despite putting up a season-low 181 total yards in Week 15 against the Dolphins. The 181 yards were the fewest by the Texans in a win since Week 17 of the 2006 season against the Cleveland Browns (179).

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• READ: Jets' Adams hauls in 100th career TD reception
• READ: Thomas Jr. sets Jags rookie receiving records in loss

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Rodgers, Adams can still make magic. Aaron Rodgers' and Davante Adams' day started with a missed connection by inches on a deep pass, followed by a drop by Adams. He didn’t even log his first catch until the third quarter. Once the old friends got going, though, it was nearly impossible to stop. Rodgers and Adams connected nine times in the second half for an absurd 198 yards and two touchdowns, the first of which made Adams the 12th player in NFL history with 100 TD receptions. The second was Adams’ longest catch of his career, a 71-yarder he followed up with a two-point reception to give New York a 25-22 lead with 3:34 remaining. After the Jags quickly knotted things up, Rodgers’ only two completions on the ensuing two-minute drive went to Adams -- for 23 yards on a toe-tapping third-down conversion and for 41 yards on a busted coverage, which set the Jets up for the winning score from Jacksonville’s 1-yard line. Considering all the uncertainty in Gotham, this very well could have been one of the last vintage performances by an all-time duo.
2. Thomas Jr. is a superstar in the making. Without starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence or trusty tight end Evan Engram, Jacksonville’s game plan didn’t take a genius to figure out: Get the ball to Brian Thomas Jr.. The rookie touched the ball four times on the opening possession, which he put the exclamation point on with a TD grab. He also set the franchise record for receiving yards by a rookie (956) on that drive. It wasn’t all amazing, of course. Thomas did drop a tough TD pass at the end of the first half that he got his fingers on and later committed an offensive pass interference to wipe away a big play by Travis Etienne, but the good vastly outweighed those small missteps. He even responded to the OPI with a 41-yard catch on the very next play to get Jacksonville out of a second-and-20. He finished with 14 targets, his third straight week in double digits and a career high, for 105 yards and his first multi-TD outing. The Jaguars can build around a talent like this.
3. Bend but don’t break is just enough for Jets. New York’s defense hasn’t been nearly the same this year, and it got even worse in the months following head coach Robert Saleh’s firing. The unit saw similar struggles today, allowing Mac Jones to throw for 294 yards and the Jags to eclipse 400 total for just the second time all season. The Jets also gave up the lead twice in the fourth quarter. However, their two red-zone holds for Jacksonville field goals in the second quarter kept the Jaguars from opening too big a lead as New York’s offense temporarily stalled, and the last field goal they allowed to the Jags meant Rodgers took the field with 1:33 remaining tied instead of trailing. After Rodgers converted with another go-ahead score, Sauce Gardner, fighting through his worst season as a pro, picked off Jones to seal the Jets’ first win since October.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Jets-Jaguars (via NFL Pro): Brian Thomas Jr. accumulated 88 of his 105 receiving yards after the catch; nine of his 10 receptions took place on open targets (3-plus yards of separation).

NFL Research: This was Davante Adams’ seventh career game with 150-plus receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, which trails only Tyreek Hill (eight) and Jerry Rice (17) in the Super Bowl era.

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• REWATCH: Commanders-Saints on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Commanders sprint out of the gate, hold on late. Jayden Daniels returned to The Bayou and diced up the hometown team early. The rookie quarterback ripped darts with anticipation and pinpoint accuracy, completing 80.6% of 31 attempts for 226 yards and two touchdowns. If not for a couple of deep misses to Terry McLaurin, those numbers would look even better, and Washington would have run away with the game. Early, the Daniels-McLaurin chemistry lit up the Superdome. On the first touchdown pass, Daniels dropped the ball avoiding the rush, picked it up, rifled it to McLaurin in the end zone, and the wideout hung on in heavy traffic. The second score, the LSU product stood in strong after a play-action-fake and fired it more traditionally to McLaurin. However, the deep misses in the second half kept New Orleans in the contest. If not for a missed two-point try by the Saints, it would have been a brutal loss after Washington built a 17-0 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Finding more consistency will be key for the Commanders moving forward.
2. Rattler sparks furious comeback bid. Interim coach Darren Rizzi tapped Jake Haener to open the game. It was the wrong call. Haener struggled mightily for two quarters, completing four of 10 passes for 49 yards with an interception and took three sacks. He generated a 16.2 passer rating. Haener was overmatched in every facet. At halftime, Rizzi turned to Spencer Rattler, and the rookie immediately brought life to the offense. The rookie surpassed Haener's passing total on his first drive (51 yards). The offense finally found big plays, with Rattler hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling for two deep shots. The Saints scored on each of Rattler's four drives (two TDs, two field goals). If not for a misfire on the potential game-winning two-point try, Rattler would have stolen the win. Sants fans will spend the week wondering how the game would have gone if Rattler had started from the jump.
3. Commanders get big W for playoff position. With the Los Angeles Rams nipping at their heels for the No. 7 seed, Dan Quinn's club pulled out a needed win. Washington had lost three of its previous four games. Coming off the bye, Washington stemmed the tide, with the offense rolling early and the defense taking advantage of the Saints' QB situation. The Commanders improved their playoff odds to 82%, per Next Gen Stats. New corner Marshon Lattimore played his first game for Washington, participating in 49 of 51 snaps. His former club didn't target him at all. His presence will help stabilize the Commanders secondary for a potential playoff run.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Commanders-Saints (via NFL Pro): The Saints defense sacked Jayden Daniels eight times, including seven sacks without blitzing, both tied for the second-most in a game by any team this season. The Saints pass rush was incredibly balanced, with five players generating at least three pressures (their most in a game this season); none had more than five pressures on the day.

NFL Research: Terry McLaurin is the first Commanders wide receiver to have 10-plus receiving touchdowns in a season since Gary Clark in 1991 (10); tight end Jordan Reed (11 in 2015) is the only other Washington player with 10-plus receiving TDs since 1991.

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Ravens offense caught fire after two early stall-outs. Lamar Jackson fumbled on the Ravens’ first possession, and they were surprisingly conservative on their second, punting for the first time on fourth-and-1 this season. Maybe it’s because they trusted Jackson to eventually wear down the Giants defense. It didn’t take him long, as he completed 13 of 14 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 55 yards in the first half alone as the Ravens built a 21-7 halftime lead. Two of those TDs went to Rashod Bateman for the first multi-TD game of his career, fighting through a knee injury to have his first explosive game in several weeks. Derrick Henry carried the ball only 14 times as some other Ravens got to pad their stats. Devontez Walker scored his first NFL TD (on his first catch), and Nelson Agholor had his first reception in three games. It was a good way for the Ravens to ease back into action after their bye, setting up for the important stretch run with three games versus AFC opponents.
2. DeVito ruled out with concussion as Giants pivot at QB again. The Giants have now pivoted to their fourth quarterback this season after losing Tommy DeVito on Sunday. He was taken off the field late in the first half after a few big hits and was replaced by Tim Boyle, who was just signed off the practice squad this weekend and has been with the team about a month. It’s not exactly clear when DeVito suffered the concussion, but he was sacked on his second-to-last play before coming out and took a big hit from Justin Madubuike a few plays before. Boyle handled his business like a pro, especially considering how little work he likely has had with the offense, hitting Malik Nabers for the rookie’s first TD in eight games. But it was another miserable game overall for the Giants, who last won in early October -- nine straight losses overall -- and dropped to 0-8 at home. There was only so much Brian Daboll and the coaches could do after so much attrition at the position, with the Giants offense in no shape to lift the backup quarterbacks.
3. Ravens penalties once again were an issue. The Ravens entered Week 15 as the NFL’s most penalized team, and they did their best to try to maintain that mantle. Baltimore was flagged 12 times for 112 yards Sunday, which marred an otherwise dominant showing against the feeble Giants. The flurry started with four defensive penalties on a single defensive drive, giving the Giants 41 of their 80 yards and their first touchdown. That made it a 14-7 game with just over two minutes left in the first half, with the Giants getting the ball first in the second half. Had the Ravens not scored on their last possession of the first half, this would have been a bigger deal. The game was out of hand when most of the second-half defensive flags fell, but it was a continued annoyance of a season-long trend. The Ravens also have been far more penalty-prone on the road, bringing their total to 74 in eight games. That’s more than nine flags per game, and the Ravens are slated to open the postseason on the road as things stand right now. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Ravens-Giants (via NFL Pro): Lamar Jackson was at his best against the Giants versus zone coverage, completing 17 of 19 attempts for 243 yards and a career-high four touchdowns against zone (+19.9% CPOE). Jackson was also productive on dropbacks over 2.5 seconds, completing 14 of 18 attempts for 236 yards and all five touchdowns (+10.1% CPOE), the most passing touchdowns on such attempts in a game this season. Jackson has now recorded a 119.5 passer rating against zone coverage and 119.1 on pass attempts over 2.5 seconds this season, both the highest marks in the NFL entering the Week 15 afternoon slate.

NFL Research: Lamar Jackson recorded his sixth career five-TD, zero-INT game, moving into third place all time. The only quarterbacks with more such games are Tom Brady and Drew Brees, with eight apiece.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Burrow leads Bengals to wild win. First, let's address the interceptions. Joe Burrow's first pick thrown was as much a result of a great defensive play as it was the quarterback making an anticipatory, coverage-based throw without first checking for danger. The second was an attempt to throw a fade in a one-on-one situation, but because Burrow was hit as he threw, the ball fell short and into the arms of a defender. Now that we've handled those matters, let's talk positives, because Burrow produced plenty of them. His first touchdown saw Burrow escape a collapsing pocket, shake a defender and hold on to the ball for nine seconds while surveying before finding Chase Brown for a touchdown. That play -- which required composure, patience and enough athleticism to avoid rushers -- is only made by a handful of quarterbacks. Burrow tossed another touchdown pass with pressure in his face, lofted a beauty of a throw to Sam Hubbard (no, that is not a typo) for a score, and worked the field with Ja'Marr Chase all afternoon, helping Burrow to a 26-of-37 day for 271 yards. Yes, detractors will point to the interceptions, but on a per-play basis, Burrow remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Sunday was just another reminder.
2. Levis has a nightmarish day. In the lead-up to Sunday's game, Titans coach Brian Callahan spoke positively about Will Levis' recent improvements, especially in how he'd avoided giving away possession over the last six weeks. Perhaps Callahan spoke too soon, because Levis was a turnover machine on Sunday. Levis threw two inexplicable passes into windows that were never open, resulting in two interceptions (including one returned 39 yards for a touchdown). He finished with four total turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble lost), wiping out what had been an impressive start for the second-year passer playing with his future on the line. Callahan benched Levis for Mason Rudolph, who reprised his role as the calming influence on Tennessee's offense. We'll see if it was a change made just for a day, or if this outing ends up influencing Tennessee's long-term view of Levis, because it sure felt like it wiped away all of the progress Levis had made.
3. Cincinnati's defense finally adjusts quickly. The Titans caught the Bengals by relative surprise, capitalizing on an early takeaway by producing a touchdown and then covering 70 yards in five plays to take a 14-7 lead. It looked a whole lot like many of the Bengals' games in 2024, but things changed during a chaotic stretch in which the Bengals forced Levis to fumble while tackling him for a loss, scored a touchdown, then picked off Levis on each of the next two possessions. The typically productive Bengals offense produced points off all three takeaways, and Cincinnati's defense found itself in a rare rhythm that carried it to two more takeaways to create the scoreboard separation necessary to finally cruise to a win. Cincinnati's defense has spent most of 2024 trying to explain what happened, but on Sunday, the Bengals replaced their exasperated expressions with smiles.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bengals-Titans (via NFL Pro): Joe Burrow was at his best on pass attempts under 10 air yards in Week 15 against the Titans, completing 21 of 26 for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

NFL Research: Sunday marked Joe Burrow's sixth straight game with three-plus passing touchdowns. Only Tom Brady, Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning have recorded longer streaks in NFL history.

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• REWATCH: Patriots-Cardinals on NFL+ Premium

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Conner keeps Arizona's playoff hopes alive. Cardinals running back James Conner maximized the few opportunities he saw on Sunday, producing 110 yards off 16 carries (6.9 YPC) and two touchdowns in what was a comfortable win against a lowly three-win team. How Conner did it all was still impressive, however, consistently juking Patriots defenders behind the line of scrimmage to accumulate positive yards and rattling off big plays when given ample blocking, like he did on a 53-yard rumble in the first quarter. Conner, who added five receptions (28 yards), is also a headache for opposing defenses, never giving up on plays and having a keen sense of where the first-down marker lies. Following Sunday's performance, Conner is now fifth on the franchise's all-time rushing list (3,547 yards), surpassing Hall of Famer Charlie Trippi and underscoring what has been an overlooked career in the desert that has seen less than four seasons (55 games). In such games where Kyler Murray has seen better days passing the ball, the Cardinals relied on their do-it-all RB to end a three-game skid and keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They head to Carolina next week.
2. Maye needs help. It's pretty much well known at this point, but finding a comprehensive evaluation of Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye was an especially frustrating process on Sunday. Maye saw little opportunity to throw downfield thanks to a leaky offensive line which limited the play-calling to short, unfruitful passes for much of the first half, which allowed the Cardinals to dictate the game early on. Cornerback Marcus Jones had the longest receiving play (18 yards) up until the fourth quarter, when Maye uncorked a perfect deep ball to Kendrick Bourne down the sideline. Maye finished that drive with a slick shovel pass to Demario Douglas while on the run for New England's first TD of the game, and he led another successful drive with a rushing TD of his own on the ensuing possession. But the game was already out of reach by that point and it was up to a 22-year-old rookie to provide any spark of hope for the future when watching Sunday. Maye finished 19-of-23 passing for 202 yards with two total TDs and an interception, which was the result of Kayshon Boutte's mishandled drop. Surrounding Maye with a talented team could end New England's ongoing misery.
3. Murray-Harrison struggle to connect, signifying passing woes. The Cardinals' QB-WR duo of Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. had two great opportunities on nearly identical plays that could have been for scores and perhaps spark a connection that has seen some success. Both incompletions were targeted in the same corner of the end zone; the first perfectly placed for Harrison to haul in and the second a bit underthrown, though a heady adjustment by the rookie wideout might have found a different result. Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez provided good coverage on each of those plays, but those instances showed that Arizona's star-studded connection is still working things out. Murray, who found Harrison twice for 31 yards (six attempts), didn't have his best day passing, finishing 23-of-30 for 224 yards with zero TDs or INTs, but his worst throw of the night would have been a pick if not for an untimely roughing the passer penalty on New England. That was a lucky moment for Arizona, which could've allowed the Patriots to turn the tide in the third quarter, but had he successfully found the No. 4 overall pick earlier in the game, this one would've been a foregone conclusion even earlier. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Patriots-Cardinals (via NFL Pro): Marvin Harrison Jr. faced Christian Gonzalez on 21 of his 29 routes (72.4%) on Sunday, with Gonzalez aligning in press on 13 of 21 of those matchups (61.9%). Harrison Jr. was targeted five times against Gonzalez as the nearest defender, hauling in only one reception for 23 yards. Harrison Jr. caught his only other target against cornerback Alex Austin for 9 yards.

NFL Research: Cardinals TE Trey McBride, who had nine receptions for 87 yards on Sunday, has both the most receptions (86) and most receiving yards (963) in a season without a touchdown.  

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• REWATCH: Colts-Broncos on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Taylor on fumble out of end zone: 'That should never happen'

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Defense, special teams power Broncos. On a day in which rookie Bo Nix unraveled a bit, throwing a season-high three interceptions to mark his second straight multi-pick game, the Broncos defense and special teams stepped up to ensure a fourth win in a row. Marvin Mims Jr. twice delivered big gains on punt returns while trailing, bringing one 27 yards midway through the third frame that helped flip the field-position battle and another 61 yards down to Indy’s 22-yard line near the start of the fourth. The Broncos scored two plays later to take a 17-13 lead and never looked back. They have their defense to thank for that -- and for keeping the game close so Denver could eventually pull away. In total, the D forced five turnovers. The highlight was Nik Bonitto busting up an ill-advised trick play, which included two long backward passes across the field between Anthony Richardson and Adonai Mitchell before Bonitto nabbed the rock and took it to the house. It was Bonitto’s second TD in as many games, and it stretched the lead to double digits. Denver’s final INT and two turnovers on downs later, and the Broncos had turned a close one into a blowout.
2. Colts will rue their boneheaded mistakes. The final score might suggest Indianapolis was greatly outmatched, but the Colts actually led from their opening drive until a minute into the fourth quarter. This game simply turned on a handful of ghastly errors. The most egregious was committed by Jonathan Taylor, who cracked 100 yards rushing but will only remember mindlessly dropping the ball just before crossing the plane for a third-quarter score that would’ve put the Colts up, 19-7. Instead, his abandoned pigskin tumbled out of the end zone for a touchback, and Indy wouldn’t score again. Richardson was again abysmal through the air with a 36.3 passer rating and 44.7 completion percentage. He threw one bad interception before Taylor’s gaffe and another after. Wide receiver Michael Pittman also fumbled one snap after his defense, which played well, forced a turnover. And the aforementioned slow-developing trick play resulting in a Denver score was the nail in mistake-filled coffin.
3. Denver puts itself on playoff doorstep. Things would have gotten quite murky had the Broncos lost to the Colts and seen their lead over Indianapolis for the AFC’s final playoff spot shrink to one game. Instead, Denver is now sitting pretty with a 91% chance at making the postseason, per Next Gen Stats, and a commanding three-game lead over the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals, who are all clinging to life at 6-8, with three to go. Of course, the Broncos playing beyond Week 18 is still not guaranteed. Their final stretch is incredibly tough -- at Chargers (8-6), at Bengals and versus Chiefs (13-1) -- but they are right there. One more win (or a loss each from the three teams giving chase), and they’ll clinch a playoff spot for the first time since their Super Bowl-winning 2015 season.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Colts-Broncos (via NFL Pro): The Broncos defense allowed 14 completions on 28 attempts with two interceptions in zone coverage against Anthony Richardson, resulting in the lowest CPOE (-15.4%) and passer rating (35.9) the unit has allowed in zone this season.

NFL Research: Nik Bonitto became the first player since J.J. Watt in 2014 to have 10-plus sacks and multiple touchdowns in a single season. Watt won the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year that season.

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• REWATCH: Bills-Lions on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Battista: Allen, Bills keep raising level in victory over NFC's best
• READ: Lions RB Montgomery suffers torn MCL in loss to Bills

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Buffalo's offense is soaring. Fresh off a 42-point showing in a loss to the Rams, the Bills simply resumed their prolific production Sunday, rolling into Detroit and open-hand smacking the Lions in the mouth -- in the form of two 70-plus-yard touchdown drives -- with zero fear of repercussion. Had Tyler Bass not missed a field goal inside two minutes in the first half, the Bills would have gone a perfect 4 of 4 on scoring possessions in the first two quarters. They only punted once, finished with 559 yards of offense, rode their all-world (and MVP favorite) quarterback Josh Allen to four total touchdowns, enjoyed a 105-yard, two-touchdown day from their bell cow running back James Cook and did so with another running back (Ty Johnson) leading them in receiving. They can beat you in so many different ways and proved that on Sunday. It's not difficult to remember, but sometimes it's challenging to fathom the Bills let their offense linger in purgatory under former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey as long as they did. With Joe Brady now calling the shots, the Bills are firing on all 12 of their cylinders. Yes, the Bills are a Lamborghini Aventador. Catch a glimpse while you can.
2. Lions' defensive injuries finally become a problem. Like in a torturous dental appointment, the teeth have been yanked from Detroit's defense this season. It began with the loss of Aidan Hutchinson and has steadily continued, even extending to budding star defensive tackle Alim McNeill on Sunday. Simply, the Lions have lost too many contributors to field a defense capable of keeping them in the game against the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Detroit rarely had an answer for what Buffalo aimed to accomplish, so much that when the Lions cut the Bills lead to 10 with 12 minutes left in the fourth -- plenty of time to mount a comeback in today's NFL -- Dan Campbell elected to try an onside kick, effectively admitting he knew his defense couldn't stop Josh Allen. While talking heads will spend the next 3-4 days debating this decision (spoiler: it was wrong), what was more concerning is how obvious this issue is for the NFC's favorite. It also wasted another great Jared Goff performance. While technically boundless, I've already spent too much digital space lamenting the wasted performances of Joe Burrow this season. Well, Burrow now has good company, because Goff became the only player since 1950 to lose a game in which he finished with 400-plus passing yards, five-plus passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. Previously, quarterbacks who achieved these numbers were a perfect 16-0. Detroit couldn't pressure Allen, failed to keep him contained in the pocket, left far too many Bills pass catchers wide open, was outcoached on crucial downs, failed to stop the run and generally lacked juice. Mid-December is not a good time for these issues to arise. Detroit needs to find a fix quickly.
3. Bills make another statement. Buffalo could have spent the week licking its wounds from last week's shootout loss to the Rams and feeling sorry for itself before traveling to Detroit to get beat by another NFC team. It did the opposite. The Bills showed they didn't fear the raucous Lions fans, jumping out to a 14-0 lead and then matching Campbell's fourth-down aggression by converting a fourth-and-2 for a 31-yard gain, leading to their third touchdown in as many possessions. They stood firm against Campbell's onside kick, taking his decision and shoving it in his face by quickly turning that possession into a touchdown. They outdueled a risk-taker by converting in crucial situations. They never wavered, even in the hostile confines of Ford Field. The black uniforms and 12-1 record didn't scare them one bit. This is the mark of a team out to prove a point, a team that has been the bridesmaid for far too long and is ready to prove it's their time. There's still plenty of football left to be played, but place the Bills atop the list of teams nobody wants to face. Detroit learned first-hand Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bills-Lions (via NFL Pro): James Cook generated a season-high 52 yards before contact as well as 53 yards after contact, the second game of his career in which he has eclipsed 50-plus yards before and after contact.

NFL Research: The Bills have scored 30-plus points in eight consecutive games, tied for the longest streak in a single season in NFL history (2013 Broncos, 2010 Patriots, 2007 Patriots, 2000 Rams). Each of those teams featured a player who won NFL Most Valuable Player.

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• REWATCH: Buccaneers-Chargers on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Evans, 'guaranteed Hall of Famer,' explodes in Buccaneers' win

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Bucs explode in second half to trounce Chargers on road. Two first-half turnovers short-circuited Tampa’s offense. The Bucs brought the boom in the second half. On back-to-back Bucs snaps, Mike Evans scored on a 57-yard TD strike, and then Bucky Irving blasted off for a 54-yard run. The two were just a smattering of big plays Tampa dropped on the Chargers defense. Baker Mayfield tossed three passes of 20-plus yards, including three touchdowns. A Mayfield interception and Rachaad White fumble in the first half kept the game close early, but the Bucs sped away in the second half. Tampa scored on its final six non-kneel possessions and didn’t punt in the contest. The Buccaneers racked up 505 yards to L.A.’s 207. With Mayfield zipping darts all over the field and Irving (117 rushing yards) dancing by defenders, the Bucs showed they can hang with anyone when the offense is clicking. Update on the Get Mike Evans to 1,000 Yards agenda: The wideout earned 159 on Sunday, getting him to 749. He needs to average 83.67 yards in the final three contests. 
2. Chargers lay an egg. L.A.’s defense got gashed and the offense couldn’t stay on the field, as Jim Harbaugh’s club has now dropped back-to-back games and three of the last four. The defense gave up more than 500 yards for the first time this season (first time allowing 440-plus). The offense might have been more depressing. With no run game to speak of (32 yards on 11 carries), Justin Herbert was banged around, sacked three times. The QB finished with 195 passing yards, two TDs and an INT. L.A. couldn’t sustain drives, going 0 of 6 on third downs and 0 of 2 on fourth downs. That’s a recipe to get beat. The loss, coupled with a Denver win, drops Harbaugh’s team to the No. 7 seed before they meet the Broncos in a pivotal AFC West showdown on Thursday night. 
3. Bucs solidify lead in NFC South. With three games left, Tampa will exit Week 15 with at least a one-game lead in the division race. If the Falcons fall Monday night in Las Vegas, it’ll have a two-game lead. Given all the injuries Todd Bowles’ team has sustained on defense, Sunday’s whooping of the Chargers was impressive. It marked Tampa’s fourth consecutive victory. L.A. was the last remaining team with a .500 or better record left on the Buccaneers' schedule. The Bucs close with the Cowboys, Panthers and Saints. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Buccaneers-Chargers (via NFL Pro): Bucky Irving finished with 15 carries for 117 rushing yards in the Buccaneers’ win over the Chargers (+22 RYOE), his second career game eclipsing 100 yards on the ground. Irving had most of his success running between the tackles, generating 84 yards and +37 RYOE on just nine such carries. On all touches, Irving forced five missed tackles, raising his season total to 70 (ninth in NFL).

NFL Research: Mike Evans earned his seventh career game with 150-plus receiving yards and multiple receiving TDs, which is fourth-most in NFL history -- trails Jerry Rice (17), Don Maynard and Tyreek Hill (8 each). 

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• REWATCH: Steelers-Eagles on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Pittsburgh punches playoff ticket despite loss
• READ: Brown says Eagles' passing offense was 'absolutely' better after trying week

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Eagles passed their way to statement victory over Steelers. After we spent the week debating what was wrong with the Eagles’ passing game -- or who was to blame -- they went out and threw the ball with authority in a dominant win over the Steelers. Jalen Hurts, who averaged 135 passing yards over his previous three games, threw for 290 yards and ran for a score, throwing the ball with precision and converting a few big plays with his legs. Hurts lost an early fumble, and Cooper DeJean also coughed one up, keeping the game closer than it should have been. Otherwise, it was all Eagles. Saquon Barkley was held mostly in check, but both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith stepped up, with each receiving 10-plus targets in the same game for the first time since last season. Smith made a statement that he’s fully back from injury, catching 11 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown that put Philly up two scores early. The Eagles punted once, lost one fumble and knelt at the end of both halves. Even with some offensive issues after Landon Dickerson got hurt, they controlled the game throughout. 
2. Steelers’ path to division lies ahead, but ... For the Steelers, their season arc will center on next week’s critical matchup against the Ravens in Baltimore. Win that one, and the AFC North runs through Pittsburgh. But that’s clearly no easy task, with the Steelers barely beating them last time and the Ravens remaining a very dangerous opponent. Both of these teams lost to the Eagles, but the Steelers didn’t match up very well on Sunday. Pat Freiermuth wrestled away a touchdown pass, and a Chris Boswell field goal (after the Eagles’ second fumble) cut the Eagles’ lead to 17-10 before the half, but that was as close as it got. The Eagles possessed the ball for nearly 40 minutes (including more than 24 in the second half) and turned a Najee Harris fumble into an insurmountable lead. Russell Wilson found some rhythm before that, but the turnover pretty much killed any momentum they had. The Steelers’ tackling was bad most of the game, and T.J. Watt left the game late with an ankle injury. That’s bad news heading into such a massive game.
3. Eagles’ young Dawgs earned some shine on defense. The Eagles like their Georgia Bulldogs on defense, and by now, most know about the DT duo of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Both are great. But it’s worth noting that two other former Dawgs have stepped up in increased roles. Nolan Smith had a sack, four tackles, a batted pass and a team-high four pressures. He’s had three sacks in the past five games, having taken over a starting role around midseason. Nakobe Dean added 10 tackles Sunday, his fourth in a five-game span with 10 or more. The Steelers gained only 163 yards on 41 plays, and the Eagles’ Georgia crew. But on a day where Carter was double-teamed often and Davis was quiet, it was the Smith and Dean Show on Sunday.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Steelers-Eagles (via NFL Pro): Jalen Hurts fared well against man coverage, completing 11 of 13 for 138 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in a season-high 71.4% success rate on such dropbacks. Hurts was also effective on the ground, gaining 30 rushing yards on five designed runs (season-high +13 RYOE), while logging another three carries for 12 yards on scrambles, as well as four carries for 4 yards and a touchdown on QB sneaks.

NFL Research: The Eagles have won 10 straight games since their Week 5 bye, which is the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest win streak in franchise history.

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• REWATCH: Packers-Seahawks on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Seahawks QB Smith exits 'SNF' with knee injury

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Green Bay defense grounds streaking Seahawks. From Carrington Valentine and Edgerrin Cooper interceptions to plenty of pressure from Kingsley Enagbare, Rashan Gary and Cooper in between, the Packers defense was stellar in one of its finest performances of the season. Seattle mustered just 208 yards and one touchdown, which came off a Green Bay turnover, and was ravaged by seven sacks. A breakout game for the rookie Cooper (seven tackles, two for loss, sack, three QB pressures, two QB hits and an interception) led the way. The Packers can hang with anyone, and the defense is on the rise with an improving pass rush that portends to another late-season surge, just like last year. Difference is, this season’s Packers have been better than the 2023 squad throughout the campaign. Nonetheless, the weather’s getting cold out, so it’s just the right time for the Packers to heat up. 
2. Seahawks sluggish before/after Geno injury. This was an ugly one for Seattle, no other way to look at it. Geno Smith struggled, almost throwing an interception in the red zone before he did throw one on the very next play in the end zone -- his fourth end-zone INT of the season, which is tied for an NFL-worst. Smith then injured his knee in the third quarter and was replaced by Sam Howell. Howell and Smith were sacked a combined seven times. The offense was held in check throughout, and though the defense rallied in the second half to corral the Packers' running game, it was hardly impressive, either. It added up to Seattle’s four-game winning streak getting snapped and falling behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West standings (L.A. currently owns the tiebreaker). The season’s far from over for Mike Macdonald’s squad, but this was a bad loss in a big spot that has the potential to be very damaging on the prospects ahead. 
3. Jacobs sets tone, Love closes show. Looking like a machine disguised as Josh Jacobs, the Packers running back bludgeoned the Seahawks on the opening drive. Green Bay marched 63 yards on 10 plays, the last one a Jacobs 1-yard touchdown run to take a lead the Packers never relinquished. On that first offensive salvo, Jacobs had seven carries for 27 yards plus two receptions for 17 yards. The only non-Jacobs play was a 4-yard scramble by Jordan Love to set up Jacobs’ six-point run. Jacobs had a lost fumble and was largely shut down in the second half, but Love was given a chance to close it out and did so, converting a third-and-5 play into a game-sealing 22-yard touchdown to Romeo Doubs -- his second of the evening. The QB was excellent to the tune of 20-of-27 passing for 229 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Green Bay scored touchdowns on its first two drives with a pair of field goals following on its next two. Jacobs, who had 94 yards on 26 carries, has just been a stellar fit for the Pack. Love, when he’s on, is so special, and on Sunday night he played mistake-free ball with Jacobs and the run game having opened up the passing game. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Packers-Seahawks (via NFL Pro): Jordan Love recorded a 57.1% success rate, the fifth-highest of his career. Love has three of his five highest success rates of his career since the Packers’ Week 10 bye this season. 

NFL Research: Following their victory clinching a playoff berth for the Vikings, the Packers are 10-4, with all their losses coming to teams with double-digit wins that have clinched postseason spots (Lions -- twice, Eagles and Vikings).