In Denver, the Broncos registered their 11th consecutive win as they came away with a hard fought 34-26 decision against the Green Bay Packers to improve to an NFL best 12-2 record and clinched a playoff berth. The Broncos defense rose up in the fourth quarter by getting the second interception of the game and also sacked Packers QB Jordan Love (276 passing yards) twice. The Packers (9-4-1) held a 16-14 halftime lead and they increased that lead to 23-14 early in the third quarter when RB Josh Jacobs, who also caught a 14-yard TD pass from Love, ran 40 yards for a touchdown. But then Broncos QB Bo Nix (302 passing yards, four TD) threw TD passes to Courtland Sutton (14 yards) and then a 23-yard strike to Troy Franklin for a 27-23 lead. Green Bay closed to within 27-26 on a 37-yard field goal by Brandon McManus. But Denver answered again when RJ Harvey scored on a four-yard run with 7:27 remaining to finish up the scoring. Following the game, it was learned the Packers lost edge rusher Micah Parsons (knee injury) for the rest of this season.
The Los Angeles Rams (11-3) clinched a playoff berth with a 41-34 win against the visiting Detroit Lions (8-6) with balanced offense (519 total yards, 360 passing and 159 rushing) as QB Matthew Stafford had a pair of touchdown passes and 368 passing yards and one interception, which was taken back 57 yards by Aidan Hutchinson to set up the first of QB Jared Goff's (338 passing yards) three TD passes. Rams RB Kyren Williams had two rushing scores and Blake Corum also scored a rushing touchdown in the win. Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (13 receptions for 164 yards) hauled in two scoring passes in the loss.
The Buffalo Bills made sure the host New England Patriots (11-3) would not be celebrating an AFC East division title as they battled back from a 21-0 deficit and won the game, 35-31 in snowy conditions as QB Josh Allen threw for three touchdowns and running back James Cook (107 rushing yards on 22 carries) scored twice on the ground and caught a TD pass as well to lead the charge and improve to 10-4 this season. The Patriots rolled up the big lead thanks to a pair of scoring runs by QB Drake Maye and two more from RB TreVeyon Henderson (52 and 65 yard scoring runs), who ran for 148 yards on 14 carries. Bills tight end Dawson Knox had two TD receptions, including a 14-yard pass from Allen for a 28-24 lead with 10:03 left in the game. Henderson then went 65 yards and gave New England the lead right back (31-28) on the first play from scrimmage. But Cook countered with his second touchdown of the game on a 13-yard rushing score with 6:48 remaining to make the difference.
In Seattle, the Indianapolis Colts welcomed back QB Philip Rivers (retired since the end of the 2020 season) to the NFL and he threw an eight-yard scoring pass to Josh Downs for a 13-3 lead late in the second quarter. But in the end, six field goals by kicker Jason Myers proved to be the difference in a 18-16 Seahawks victory. The Colts (8-6) took a 16-15 lead with 47 seconds left in the game when Blake Grupe made a 60-yard field goal, but they eventually dropped their fourth consecutive game when Myers drilled a 56-yard boot with 18 seconds left. The Seahawks defense ended any dramatic comebacks with an interception to help them improve to 11-3 and stay with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West race.
The Jacksonville Jaguars crushed the New York Jets, 48-20 behind five touchdown passes from QB Trevor Lawrence, who also scored a rushing TD and had 330 passing yards while leading the Jaguars (10-4) with 51 rushing yards as they rolled up 438 total yards and running back Travis Etienne had three touchdown receptions. The Jags defense also came up with three interceptions and had three sacks to help pace the easy win. The Jets (3-11) had Brady Cook at quarterback and he was picked off three times while tossing one scoring pass in the loss.
The Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) snapped a three game losing streak by smashing the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, 31-0 behind three TD passes from QB Jalen Hurts and a two-yard scoring run by Saquon Barkley. The Raiders (2-12) had a paltry 75 yards in offense for the game as QB Kenny Pickett threw an interception and was sacked four times.
The Houston Texans (9-5) won their sixth consecutive game by blasting the visiting Arizona Cardinals, 40-20 with quarterback C.J. Stroud (260 passing yards) tossing three TD passes as the Texans rolled up 399 total yards of offense. The Cardinals (3-11) fell behind 17-0 after one quarter and were never in this one as QB Jacoby Brissett had three TD passes and one interception thrown along with 249 passing yards in defeat.
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| Bears defenders sack Browns QB Shedeur Sanders. |
The San Francisco 49ers (10-4) rolled past the Tennessee Titans, 37-24 to keep pace with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the crowded NFC West division as QB Brock Purdy had three scoring passes with 295 passing yards and RB Christian McCaffrey scored a rushing touchdown. The Titans (2-12) got a pair of scoring passes from rookie QB Cam Ward and a rushing TD from Tony Pollard, who gained 104 rushing yards on 14 carries in the setback.
The Baltimore Ravens improved to 7-7 this season with a 24-0 shutout road win against the Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) as QB Lamar Jackson had two TD passes and Alohi Gilman took an interception back 86 yards for another score to lead the way. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (225 passing yards) was intercepted twice as they were eliminated from playoff contention.
The game in Tampa Bay on Thursday night saw the Atlanta Falcons storm back and stun the Buccaneers, 29-28 when Zane Gonzalez kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired. The Bucs (7-7) blew a 28-14 lead in the final quarter as Falcons RB Bijan Robinson scored on a six-yard run and Kirk Cousins (373 passing yards) threw his third TD pass of the game to tight end Kyle Pitts, who had eleven receptions for 166 yards. The Falcons (5-9) gained 476 yards in total offense while overcoming a team record 19 penalties for the win. Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield had 277 passing yards along with two TD passes and one interception in the loss.
The New Orleans Saints toppled the Carolina Panthers, 20-17 as kicker Charlie Smyth made a 47-yard field goal with two seconds remaining that dropped Carolina to 7-7 this season and back into a first place tie with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South division. The Panthers led 17-10 in the final quarter, but the Saints (4-10) got it done as rookie QB Tyler Shough (272 passing yards) threw a 12-yard TD pass to Chris Olave with 2:29 remaining to tie the game at 17-17. The defense got the football back and the Saints pulled off the season sweep of the Panthers. Carolina QB Bryce Young had a scoring pass and RB Rico Dowdle scored a rushing touchdown in the loss.
The Washington Commanders (4-10) knocked off the New York Giants, 29-21 for the road win as RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (96 rushing yards on 18 carries) scored on a 16-yard run and Jaylin Lane raced 63 yards for a touchdown on a punt return to help build a 22-7 halftime lead. The Giants (2-12) closed to within 22-14 when QB Jaxson Dart (246 passing yards, two TD, one INT) threw an 18-yard TD pass to Tyrone Tracy, Jr early in the third quarter. Commanders QB Marcus Mariota (211 passing yards) connected with WR Terry McLaurin for a 51-yard touchdown pass prior to Dart tossing his second TD pass with 3:43 remaining in the game.
The Sunday night game in Dallas went to the Minnesota Vikings, 34-26 as quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a rushing touchdown and threw two scoring passes while finishing with 250 passing yards and one interception. Dallas (6-7-1) managed two rushing touchdowns and four field goals in the loss, which all but eliminated them from playoff contention. After falling behind 23-17, the Vikings (6-8) scored on back-to-back possessions to lead 31-23 with 9:12 left in the fourth quarter. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had 294 passing yards in the loss.
The Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) dominated the Miami Dolphins on Monday night in frigid weather in Pittsburgh and came away with a 28-15 victory behind a pair of TD passes from quarterback Aaron Rodgers (224 passing yards) along with a one-yard scoring run by Connor Heyward and a 14-yard scoring run by tight end Jonnu Smith. Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa had 253 passing yards along with one interception and two touchdown passes to tight end Darren Waller as they saw a four game win streak come to an end. The Dolphins (6-8) rushed for only 63 yards in the loss, which eliminated them from AFC playoff contention.
WEEK FIFTEEN RESULTS
Atlanta 29, Tampa Bay 28
Philadelphia 31, Las Vegas 0
Chicago 31, Cleveland 3
Washington 29, N.Y. Giants 21
Jacksonville 48, N.Y. Jets 20
Baltimore 24, Cincinnati 0
Buffalo 35, New England 31
Houston 40, Arizona 20
L.A. Chargers 16, Kansas City 13
San Francisco 37, Tennessee 24
Seattle 18, Indianapolis 16
Denver 34, Green Bay 26
New Orleans 20, Carolina 17
L.A. Rams 41, Detroit 34
Minnesota 34, Dallas 26
Pittsburgh 28, Miami 15
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