Around The NFL breaks down what you need to know from all of Sunday's action in Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season. Catch up on each game's biggest takeaways using the links below:
EARLY GAMES
- Chicago Bears 31, Cleveland Browns 3
- Baltimore Ravens 24, Cincinnati Bengals 0
- Houston Texans 40, Arizona Cardinals 20
- Jacksonville Jaguars 48, New York Jets 20
- Los Angeles Chargers 16, Kansas City Chiefs 13
- Buffalo Bills 35, New England Patriots 31
- Washington Commanders 29, New York Giants 21
- Philadelphia Eagles 31, Las Vegas Raiders 0
LATE WINDOW
SUNDAY NIGHT
- REWATCH: Browns-Bears on NFL+ Premium
Nick Shook's takeaways:
- Takeaway masters do it again. Chicago's defense has been the most opportunistic bunch in the NFL in 2025 and Sunday only further justified this fact. The Bears intercepted ï»żï»żShedeur Sandersï»żï»ż three times, making a trio of excellent plays on Sanders passes to increase their takeaway total to 30, and capitalized on each turnover by scoring two touchdowns and a field goal on the three extra possessions. An assortment of characters got in on the party Sunday, with @d'marco D'Marco Jackson reading Sanders' eyes and tipping a pass to himself, ï»żï»żJaylon Johnsonï»żï»ż grabbing an accurately thrown ball from the arms of ï»żï»żJerry Jeudyï»żï»ż in the end zone, and recent addition ï»żï»żChauncey Gardner-Johnsonï»żï»ż expertly anticipating a pass intended for ï»żï»żHarold Fannin Jr.ï»żï»ż and drifting back to steal the ball out of the air for an interception. Thanks in part to these takeaways and a clear edge in energy and desire, Chicago delivered its best defensive showing of the season, helping the Bears cruise to a December victory.
- This feels like the end of the Kevin Stefanski era. While much of the Browns' issues can be blamed on the team's dreadful decision to trade for ï»żDeshaun Watsonï»ż , it's difficult to imagine Browns ownership doesn't make at least one significant change at the end of the 2025 season. Cleveland was outclassed by Chicago for all four quarters Sunday, giving up more Bears first downs than the Browns had total plays early in the second quarter and looking like a team that didn't belong on the same field as the Bears. Cleveland never threatened Chicago in this contest, converted just 4 of 14 third-down attempts, was outgained at a rate of nearly 2:1, forfeited in the form of fearful punts on multiple occasions and appeared disinterested in continuing a game played in brutally cold conditions. Shedeur Sanders continues to produce a few great moments per game and fill the rest of the contest with many more forgettable plays -- including a truly disheartening and fruitless goal-to-go series to end Sunday's game -- and the only intrigue remaining with this team is ï»żMyles Garrettï»ż's pursuit of the single-season sack record, which he's now just one sack from tying after logging 1.5 QB takedowns Sunday. If they were showing incremental signs of improvement, perhaps Jimmy Haslam could justify keeping Stefanski. These Browns, however, are simply trudging toward an offseason that might include a search for a new coach.
- Caleb is a magician. On a brutally frigid day along the shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago could have leaned on its physical running game and given ï»żï»żCaleb Williamsï»żï»ż a break. Ben Johnson wouldn't approach a game so passively, though, resulting in a 32-dropback afternoon for Williams, who proved the elements were no match for the fire within him. Williams threw an assortment of outrageously accurate passes in the cold Sunday, dropping dimes while rolling out, escaping Cleveland's pass rush to extend plays and producing one of his best highlights of 2025 when he rolled right and refused to give up on the play, launching an off-platform rainbow toss to ï»żï»żDJ Mooreï»żï»ż, who snagged the ball between two defenders for a touchdown. As the Bears ascend, so does Williams, whose ability to extend plays is approaching elite territory. His performance Sunday against a respected Browns defense only proved it.
Next Gen Stats insight from Browns-Bears (via NFL Pro): Caleb Williams completed 10 of 13 passes for 141 yards, two touchdowns and a 151.0 passer rating on play-action passes, his highest such passer rating in a game this season.
NFL Research: With the Bears' Week 15 win, Ben Johnson became the third head coach in Bears history to win 10-plus games in his first season with the team, joining George Halas in 1920 and Matt Nagy in 2018.
- REWATCH: Ravens-Bengals on NFL+ Premium
- READ: Bengals officially eliminated from postseason contention
Eric Edholm's takeaways:
- Ravens defense bottled up Burrow. The Ravensâ postseason hopes are still in question, but their defense delivered a playoff-worthy performance in shutting out the Bengals and ï»żï»żï»żï»żJoe Burrowï»żï»żï»żï»ż . Itâs the first time Burrow has started and finished a game in which the Bengals havenât scored a single point. The Ravens intercepted Burrow twice, including a 95-yard pick-six by ï»żï»żï»żï»żKyle Van Noyï»żï»żï»żï»ż. The Bengals trailed only 17-0 with just under eight minutes left, but ï»żï»żï»żï»żTavius Robinsonï»żï»żï»żï»żâs pressure led to Burrowâs errant pass. The defense got Robinson and Ar'Darius Washington (making his 2025 debut) back from injury, and they made a tangible difference. Robinson had a sack â heâs still the team leader despite being out since Week 6 â and three QB hits and could be a hidden weapon as the Ravens make their final push. They still have two tough games before what could be the deciding game against the Steelers in Week 18, but this defensive showing gave hope they can hang down the stretch.
- Bengals defense did its job, but offense came up short. The Bengals wasted one of their best defensive performances of the season, keeping the Ravens relatively in check, but it came in a game where the offense couldnât finish off drives. The Bengals reached the Baltimore 40-yard line or better on five possessions but came up empty on each of them, with a punt, two interceptions and two turnovers on downs. The Bengals didnât have ï»żï»żï»żTee Higginsï»żï»żï»ż , but that wasnât the reason they lost. ï»żï»żï»żJa'Marr Chaseï»żï»żï»ż had 10 catches for 132 yards, but he also had a few early drops, with one pass that hit his hands ending up a Ravens interception. ï»żï»żï»żAndrei Iosivasï»żï»żï»ż also had a costly drop on what could have been a catch for 30-plus yards. Defensively, a big game was had by ï»żï»żï»żMyles Murphyï»żï»żï»ż, who had a sack and tackle for loss on back-to-back plays and was in the backfield a lot. ï»żï»żï»żJordan Battleï»żï»żï»ż also had a diving interception of ï»żï»żï»żLamar Jacksonï»żï»żï»ż , and the Bengals were mostly good on defense outside a few long drives allowed in the second quarter. But needless to say, Burrow and the Bengalsâ offense absolutely must share the blame in a game that pretty much ended Cincinnatiâs faint playoff hopes.
- Ravens leaned on run game to keep playoff hopes alive. Lamar Jackson took four sacks and had a few on-target passes dropped by his receivers, finishing the game with a mere 12 official attempts. The Ravens ran only 40 plays all game, but they averaged 7.9 yards per play â and the same average on the ground, running for more yards than they passed for. After a slow start, ï»żï»żï»żDerrick Henryï»żï»żï»ż reached the 100-yard mark on only 11 carries, hitting three runs of 22 yards and longer after halftime. Jackson had a few productive scrambles, and ï»żï»żï»żKeaton Mitchellï»żï»żï»ż also chipped in with eight carries for 66 yards. ï»żï»żï»żRasheen Aliï»żï»żï»ż didnât get any handoffs, but he scored his first NFL TD on a 30-yard catch and run that got the Ravens on the board. That classic Baltimore formula â a healthy run game combined with an active defense â is the formula the Ravens have been seeking all season, and they found it in a must-have game against a Bengals team that thumped them on Thanksgiving. It wasnât the crispest offensive showing, but it was good enough in a game the defense dominated.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Ravens-Bengals (via NFL Pro): Lamar Jacksonâs 28-yard TD pass to Zay Flowers â Flowersâ first TD since Week 1 â traveled an air distance of 46.8 yards.
NFL Research: This was the Bengalsâ first time being shut out since Week 1 of the 2017 season vs. the Ravens.
- ï»żï»żï»żï»żREWATCH: Cardinals-Texans on NFL+ Premium
Eric Edholm's takeaways:
- Texans had the offensive showing they needed. The Texans are closing in on a playoff spot, and no one is doubting their defensive prowess. But for Houston to be a dangerous postseason team, the offense must raise its game â and Sunday was a good building block. Even with a few disappointing red-zone trips, the Texans moved the ball readily against the Cardinals, scoring on their first five drives. The streak would have been longer had it not been for a blocked field goal by the Cardinals, one of the few mistakes on the day by the Texans. Their only punt came with less than nine minutes left in the game, protecting a double-digit lead. ï»żï»żC.J. Stroudï»żï»ż had one of his cleaner games of the season, and the Texans ran the ball effectively even without ï»żï»żNick Chubbï»żï»ż. ï»żï»żWoody Marksï»żï»ż ran in a fumbled snap for a score, and ï»żï»żJawhar Jordanï»żï»ż off a 50-yard jaunt in his NFL debut, totaling 101 rushing yards. The offensive line allowed some pressures, but Stroud was only sacked once and had the time he needed to operate.
- McBride was one of the few bright spots for Cardinals. The Cardinals lost their sixth straight game, and their 11th in 12 outings, in what has been a lost season. After digging a 17-0 hole through the first six minutes for themselves, they fought back from a 30-7 deficit to make it a two-possession game, but once again they came up short. One of the few bright spots of the season â and especially Sunday â has been Pro Bowl tight end ï»żï»żTrey McBrideï»żï»ż, who reached the 100-catch mark and 1,000 yards for back-to-back seasons, something not even ï»żï»żTravis Kelceï»żï»ż has done. McBride caught the Cardinalsâ first two TD passes of the game and had 12 receptions on 13 targets for 134 yards, with 97 of those yards coming after the catch. The Texans held him to only a pair of catches after McBrideâs second TD, but as good as they are defensively, they had few answers for the Cardinalsâ tight end. Arizonaâs offense figures to look different in multiple respects next season, but the one thing you can absolutely count on is McBride being a centerpiece. He might be the Cardinalsâ best all-around player.
- Texans still stout defensively, but theyâll have a challenge down the stretch. The Texans have been one of the best defensive teams in the NFL this season, and that mostly continued in the 40-20 victory over the Cardinals. But their struggles containing Trey McBride opened up a discussion point about a possible crack in their armor. The Texans had defended tight ends very well this season, allowing only four TD receptions entering Sunday, but McBride scored twice and had two or more receptions in every quarter Sunday. Houston played mostly zone Sunday, but it tried multiple players covering McBride, with LB ï»żHenry To'oTo'oï»ż particularly struggling in one-on-one matchups. It might be an area of emphasis this week in practice, as Houston will face three good tight ends down the stretch: the Raidersâ ï»żBrock Bowersï»ż , the Chargersâ ï»żOronde Gadsden IIï»ż and the Coltsâ ï»żTyler Warrenï»ż .
Next Gen Stats Insight for Cardinals-Texans (via NFL Pro): Texans WR Nico Collins recorded three receptions on four targets for 85 yards and two touchdowns, with all of his production coming on in-breaking routes.
NFL Research: Trey McBride now has the longest streak of games with five or more receptions by a tight end in NFL history with 16, passing Travis Kelce (15) on the all-time list.
- REWATCH: Jets-Jaguars on NFL+ Premium
Jeremy Bergman's takeaways:
- Lawrence lays waste to New York. Don't look now, but the Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in the AFC. Jacksonville won its fifth straight game Sunday running away, racking up 31 points in the first half on the lowly Jets and never looking back. ï»żTrevor Lawrenceï»ż had a career day, tossing five touchdown passes to three different receivers (including three to a running back, ï»żTravis Etienneï»ż ) and running one in himself. Lawrence led the team in rushing (51 yards) in addition to throwing for 330 yards and leading eight scoring drives in nine marches. How rare was the former No. 1 pick's afternoon? He's the first player in NFL history with at least five passing TDs, one rushing TD and 50 rushing yards in a single game, per NFL Research. The fifth-year QB is coming into his own down the back half of Liam Coen's first season in Duval. Lawrence misses a pass now and again, but he's often more decisive and capable of splash plays (see: the QB's blindside rollout 50.1-yard air distance completion to ï»żParker Washingtonï»ż). He's never been better, and the Jags are better for it.
- Jets defense D.O.A. again. For the second straight week, New York fell into a 14-0 deficit nary nine minutes into the game. And for the second consecutive game, the Jets never got out of the early hole. With an undrafted free agent QB under center in ï»żBrady Cookï»ż, Gang Green couldn't afford to get out to such a start. Cook was efficient on his second drive, tossing his first career touchdown to ï»żAdonai Mitchellï»ż to punctuate the march. But the Jets defense, shorthanded in the secondary, was characteristically poor and porous on its ensuing possessions, allowing six touchdowns and two field goals in nine total Trevor Lawrence-led drives. Adding insult to insult, the Jets still don't have a single interception through 14 games; though for what it's worth (very little), Gang Green did recover a fumble in Sunday's loss. New York has struggled to adapt to life without ï»żSauce Gardnerï»ż and ï»żQuinnen Williamsï»ż, and first-year defensive coordinator Steve Wilks should be at risk of not returning next season. It's not all bad for New York, however. With the loss, the Jets continue to slide closer to a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Jaguars stay atop South, keep pace with AFC elite. At 10-4, the Jaguars have clinched their most wins in a season since the Sacksonville defense paved a way to the AFC title game. But the job's not done. The Jags remain just a game ahead of the surging Texans, who moved to 9-5 with their win over the Cardinals, and at least a game ahead of the collapsing Colts, led by the unretired ï»żPhilip Riversï»ż. Jacksonville will be tested in Week 16 with a trip to Denver, which entered Sunday as the AFC's No. 1 seed, but the Jags close out the season with a zombie Indy team and the two-win Titans. If all goes to plan, Jacksonville will be hosting a playoff game on Wild Card Weekend. A first-round bye can't be ruled out either.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Jets-Jaguars (via NFL Pro): Trevor Lawrence was at his best Sunday targeting the intermediate area of the field, completing nine of his 12 attempts between 10 and 19 air yards for 144 yards and three touchdowns. Lawrence is one of just two quarterbacks to record a perfect passer rating (158.3) on such throws in a game this season (Justin Herbert in Week 1 vs KC).
NFL Research: Trevor Lawrence is just the third player with at least five passing touchdowns, one rushing TD and no interceptions in a single game over the last 30 seasons, joining Drew Brees (Week 14, 2019) and Aaron Rodgers (Week 7, 2019). Lawrence is the second QB in Jacksonville history with five-plus pass TDs and no INTs in a game (Blake Bortles).
- REWATCH: Chargers-Chiefs on NFL+ Premium
- READ: Three-time-reigning AFC champion Chiefs officially eliminated from playoffs
- READ: Chiefs' Mahomes to undergo MRI after injuring knee
Nick Shook's takeaways:
- Chargers win another rock fight. In a game that was eerily similar in appearance to Los Angeles' Monday night win over Philadelphia, the Chargers again proved to be the tougher, more resilient team. It was an ugly win, no doubt, producing eight combined punts, three turnovers, 11 of 27 converted third downs between the two teams, and 14 combined penalties, but as the Chargers proved in Week 14, they're capable of making key plays to emerge victorious. This time around, two fourth-quarter interceptions prevented the Chiefs from tying or taking the lead and ultimately sealed a season sweep for Los Angeles, the first season sweep of the Chiefs since the Denver Broncos accomplished it way back in 2014. Los Angeles' defense played with palpable aggression and intensity -- even leading to ï»żTony Jeffersonï»ż's ejection -- and came to Arrowhead Stadium with one goal: Bury the Chiefs and prove they're no longer the fearsome big brother of the AFC West. The Chargers did just that, winning the physical battle and proving they are the tougher, better team.
- Chiefs go out with a thud. Entering Sunday, Kansas City faced playoff elimination if a series of results lined up properly, and when those results became official, the nightmare began to envelope Arrowhead Stadium. A close, low-scoring affair became a tense contest in the fourth quarter, a set of circumstances in which ï»żPatrick Mahomesï»ż and the Chiefs traditionally thrived in previous seasons. This time around, it sank them. On a promising fourth-quarter drive, Mahomes threw a brutal interception on a pressured pass intended for ï»żKareem Huntï»ż, who was blanketed by Chargers linebacker ï»żDaiyan Henleyï»ż and never had a chance to catch the ball that landed in Henley's grasp. Given one last chance to tie the game and keep their playoff hopes alive, the Chiefs' dreams died in heartbreaking fashion. On a drive that began a Kansas City's 8 and crossed midfield, Mahomes suffered a knee injury while scrambling, requiring ï»żGardner Minshewï»ż to fill in for him in the game's final minute. Minshew completed three passes to move the Chiefs to the edge of field goal range, but tossed an ill-fated ball to ï»żTravis Kelceï»ż , who was blanketed by ï»żDerwin Jamesï»ż and watched James snag the pass for a fitting, victory-sealing interception. For the first time since 2014, the playoffs will not include the Chiefs, a sobering reality for the AFC's Goliath, who went out more like a lamb than a lion.
- Herbert is overcoming incredible adversity. Here's a crazy stat for you: Justin Herbert has been sacked 11 times in the last two games, tying for the most in any two-game span of his career with Weeks 9 and 10 of this season. Herbert is under constant assault in what can only be kindly referred to as a pocket, he's playing with a surgically repaired fractured left hand, and yet, he's managed to carry the Chargers to two straight wins in the last six days. On Sunday, he completed 19 of 29 passes for 210 yards and a crucial touchdown pass just before halftime to cut Kansas City's lead to 13-10, helped the Chargers move into field goal range for two Cameron Dicker three-pointers in the third quarter and generally played the role of a superhero in a raucous road environment that has traditionally been unkind to him in the past. This situation would be disastrous for almost any other quarterback in the NFL, but somehow, Herbert is thriving. He deserves all of the credit for keeping this offense afloat and the Chargers on a winning track.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Chargers-Chiefs (via NFL Pro): Justin Herbert faced the blitz on 19 of his 34 dropbacks (55.9%), the second-highest blitz rate he has faced this season. Herbert completed 10 of 17 passes for 101 yards with one touchdown and one interception when facing the blitz.
NFL Research: Justin Herbert has been sacked four-plus times in a career-high six games this season. He owns a 5-1 record in those games, the most wins when taking four-plus sacks this season, and tying with Sam Darnold for the most by any QB in the last five seasons.
- REWATCH: Bills-Patriots on NFL+ Premium
Kevin Patra's takeaways:
- Allen, Bills overcome slow start, dominate Patriots in second half. Buffalo opened Sundayâs AFC East bout with back-to-back three-and-outs and three straight punts. The slow start got the Bills behind the eight-ball, trailing, 21-0, midway through the second quarter. Then ï»żJosh Allenï»ż heated up. Buffalo scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives, including four straight to open the second half, flipping a big deficit into a lead. Allen ripped rifles all over the Patriots' secondary. The reigning MVP went 19-of-28 passing for 193 yards and three touchdowns. He added 11 rushes for 48 yards. At halftime, Buffalo had just 76 total yards and five first downs. It finished with 349 yards and 22 first downs. This offense can flip the script that fast. When ï»żJames Cookï»ż (107 yards, two TDs) is ripping off positive runs, and Allen avoids turnovers, the Bills offense is a beast to contain. Even if you keep the Bills down for a half, theyâre never out of it.
- Patriots collapse on both sides of the ball. Through the first two quarters, ï»żDrake Mayeï»ż looked like an MVP, ripping apart the Buffalo defense with his arm and legs. The second-year quarterback authored three scoring drives on the first four possessions, including two rushing touchdowns. Couple that with ï»żTreVeyon Hendersonï»żâs 52-yard touchdown dash, and the Pats looked like they were going to run away from their division rival. However, the defense turned into a sieve in the second half. The Pats couldnât pressure Allen regularly, allowing him to rip apart the secondary, and the run D got leaky. New Englandâs porous red zone defense reared its head once again, allowing Buffalo TDs on its first five red zone drives. Outside of a Henderson 65-yard touchdown blast, the offense did next to nothing in the second half. New England went three-and-out twice, and Maye threw an arm-punt. The QB threw for 108 yards in the first two quarters, but just 47 in the final two. With a chance for a comeback bid late, the Pats earned just five yards, turning it over on downs on four plays.
- Division race heats up. With a chance to clinch the AFC East Sunday, Mike Vrabel eschewed talk of Sunday being a shirt-and-hats game. His young squad showed why the head coach wasnât getting ahead of himself. The Pats built a big lead and looked to run away with the division early. However, the faltering on both sides of the ball showed how far Vrabelâs young squad still has to go. Against an MVP player like Allen, itâs never over. On the flip side, the Bills showed why they are never out of it. A defense that couldnât get a stop early made massive plays late. ï»żJoey Bosaï»ż continued to play a central role, deflecting a Maye pass late to force a turnover. Falling to 11-3, the Pats still control their path to the division title. Next Gen Stats gives them a probability of winning the AFC East at 63%. The Bills solidified their playoff spot, and have a 37% probability of overtaking the Pats in the division.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Bills-Patriots (via NFL Pro): In the first half, Josh Allen averaged just 2.4 air yards per attempt, failing to complete a pass over 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Allen significantly increased his aggressiveness in the second half, averaging 9.8 air yards per attempt and completing 4 of 7 downfield passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.
NFL Research: The Patriots had a 124-1 record when leading by 21-plus points at any point in a home game in team history entering Week 15. New England had won 104 straight home games when leading by 21-plus points.
- REWATCH: Commanders-Giants on NFL+ Premium
Bobby Kownack's takeaways:
- Commanders D, special teams flip game just before half. New York seemed to course correct after a laborious start to pull within six points shortly before halftime. But then after following up a Commandersâ three-and-out with one of their own, the Giants were forced to send off a punt from their 15-yard line with 80 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Rookie ï»żï»żJaylin Laneï»żï»ż collected it at the Washington 37-yard line and darted through a hole in the middle of the field, splitting the Big Blue seas to go 63 yards and make it a two-score game. Rather than lick their wounds and head into the locker room knowing theyâd receive the ball first in the third quarter, the Giants instead tried to find a way to double dip. That was a mistake, as cornerback @sanistril ï»żï»żMike Sainristilï»żï»ż picked off a ï»żï»żJaxson Dartï»żï»ż pass that was never there and made a massive return of his own -- 55 yards deep into New York territory to set up a 42-yard field goal by Jake Moody as time expired. Those two big plays put Washington up, 19-7, and although the Giants made a valiant late push thanks to two takeaways, Lane and Sanistrilâs nearly back-to-back heroics proved the difference in the score.
- Carter seems to have learned his lesson. This was by far 2025 No. 3 overall pick ï»żAbdul Carterï»ż's best game of his young career. In the Giantsâ previous contest, a Week 13 loss to the Patriots, Mike Kafka benched Carter for the first quarter. It was the second time the pass rusher had been disciplined this season. He responded in that one with his first full sack after going without one in 12 straight games. With a bye to prepare and continue to focus as a professional must, Carter came up huge against the Commanders, playing from start to finish with a fire. In the first quarter alone, he logged a third-down strip-sack, three tackles and two tackles for loss. He also forced a holding penalty. Though his first forced fumble was recovered by Washington, he made sure the Giants got his next one, landing on it himself after ripping the ball out of ï»żJeremy McNicholsï»ż' grasp with 2:42 left in the game to give New York one last chance at victory. Although the Giants fell short, theyâll come away the most optimistic theyâve been in Carterâs future. Two benchings isnât an ideal way to make a rookie see the light, but if heâs indeed seen it, Carter has all the talent in the world to build on this.
- Two Washington offensive weapons make statement. Both ï»żJacory Croskey-Merrittï»ż and ï»żTerry McLaurinï»ż have endured trying campaigns. They brightened their experience as much as one can in a 4-10 season on Sunday. A preseason darling who seemed to make ï»żBrian Robinsonï»ż expendable, Croskey-Merritt faded behind ï»żChris Rodriguez Jr.ï»ż in the backfield pecking order as time has gone on. He hadnât eclipsed 40 rushing yards since Week 6 and hadnât found the end zone since Week 5, but with Rodriguez out due to an ailing groin, Croskey-Merritt once again received a chance to be the guy. The seventh-round rookie made the most of it, and by a couple minutes into the second frame already had 44 yards and a score. He finished the contest with 96 yards and the TD on 18 totes, good for 5.3 yards per carry. He ran hard and effectively throughout, consistently keeping the Commanders ahead of the chains, and itâll be interesting to see if heâs earned back a larger portion of the rotation in the teamâs remaining games. As for McLaurin, he had been either ineffective or injured for most of 2025 after a contentious contract dispute wiped out his training camp. He looked himself against New York, breaking free for a 51-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter to keep the Commanders out in front. In the past three games since returning to the field, McLaurin has 206 receiving yards and two scores, providing a glimmer of hope that heâll live up to his extension yet.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Commanders-Giants (via NFL Pro): Despite completing less than half of his passes against man coverage (7 of 16), Jaxson Dart threw for 100 yards and both of his touchdowns when the defense was in man-to-man. Dart also gained 63 rushing yards on nine carries, his second-highest rushing total this season.
NFL Research: Jaylin Lane is the first rookie in Commanders history to return multiple punts for a touchdown in a season and the first Washington player with two-plus punt-return TDs since Brian Mitchell in 1994.
- REWATCH: Raiders-Eagles on NFL+ Premium
Kevin Patra's takeaways:
- Eagles get back on track, roll over hapless Raiders. The cure to a three-game losing streak? Playing the Las Vegas Raiders. A Philly offense, which hadnât put up more than 21 points in five consecutive games, and couldnât get out of its own way during a three-game skid, got anything it wanted on Sunday. ï»żï»żJalen Hurtsï»żï»ż calmly picked apart the Raiders' secondary, tossing three touchdowns, including a dime on third down to A.J. Brown to open the fourth quarter -- his final play of the blowout. Hurts repeatedly found a wide-open ï»żï»żDallas Goedertï»żï»ż, who Vegas forgot to cover several times. If not for a dropped TD, Goedert would have had a hat-trick scoring day. The laugher of a game allowed Hurts and the starters to sit out the bulk of the fourth quarter. ï»żï»żSaquon Barkleyï»żï»ż and the ground game found easy holes up the gut. Phillyâs rushing attack gobbled up 183 yards. After weeks of struggling to move the ball consistently, the Eagles had three drives of 10-plus plays and went three-and-out just once with Hurts under center. Phillyâs offense needed a game like Sunday to get the positive vibes back.
- Phillyâs defense continues to swarm. Vic Fangioâs defense is a smothering bear. The Eagles didnât give the Raiders offense breathing room. The front, even without ï»żï»żJalen Carterï»żï»ż, dominated the line of scrimmage, holding ï»żï»żAshton Jeantyï»żï»ż in check and discombobulating starting QB ï»żï»żKenny Pickettï»żï»ż. Philly generated four sacks, allowed a measly 75 yards and seven first downs. ï»żï»żBrandon Grahamï»żï»ż turned back the clock, overpowering the Raiders' offensive line for two sacks. A sticky secondary forced checkdown after checkdown and didnât miss tackles. The Eagles' D forced four three-and-outs. Philly did what it should against a belabored Raiders offense. Pitching a shutout didnât even feel like a surprise. Dating back to Week 14, Philly hasnât allowed a touchdown in 20 drives.
- Kenny Pickett struggles against his former club. The QB change didnât spark the Raiders' offense. Taking over for an injured ï»żï»żGeno Smithï»żï»ż, Pickett took a trove of checkdowns, averaging 2.6 yards per attempt on 15-of-25 passing for 64 yards and a pick. The former first-round pick took four sacks and threw an ugly INT in which he appeared to predetermine the pass pre-snap -- ï»żï»żBrock Bowersï»żï»ż was blanketed by ï»żï»żZack Baunï»żï»ż, who made the easy INT. The Raiders' offensive line continues to get dominated. Vegas didnât generate a drive of over 30 yards in eight drives. The Eaglesâ final drive of the game, with ï»żï»żTanner McKeeï»żï»ż under center, went 79 yards. The Raiders netted 75 the entire game. Thatâs how far Pete Carrollâs team is behind contenders.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Eagles-Raiders (via NFL Pro): Jalen Hurts completed 12 of 15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the Eaglesâ Week 15 win, including nine completions for 161 yards and a score on just 10 attempts against zone coverage. Hurtsâ 90.0% completion percentage and 16.1 yards per attempt against zone both established new career highs.
NFL Research: Goedert has five rec TD thrown behind the line of scrimmage this season, the most by a non-RB in the Next Gen Stats era -- second-most among all players behind only DeâVon Achane last year (6). Goedert has just 6 total receptions behind the LOS in 2025, five for TDs.
Grant Gordon's takeaways to come:











