By Lucas Camacho
Welcome to Week 15 of the NFL season. We’re in the stretch run now, which means NO MORE BYES for any team. It’s also the time for fantasy football playoffs for those that like this sort of thing. It you made it in and it’s because of my article I wrote earlier in the year about how to do good: then you’re welcome! If not, remember you have no one to blame but yourself (or you’re just unlucky). All of that aside, in reality, NFL teams that still have a chance at the playoffs are doing all they can to lock up a spot and desperation has set in. Let’s go to the recaps.
RAMS 12 – 49ERS 6
I have to say this because this will come up: the Dodgers are in the offseason; this is the Rams…so don’t think this is a baseball score. It was a sloppy game for Thursday Night Football, and for the first time this season: NO ONE SCORED A TOUCHDOWN IN THIS GAME. That being said, the Rams won a much-needed game in order to send their playoff hopes soaring…while the 49ers’ chances seem to be somewhere between slim and none. Despite being injured last week, 49ers’ latest top running back, Isaac Guerendo, still managed 16 carries for 57 yards while catching 4 passes for 18 yards. It’s interesting to note that Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp was held without a catch in this game while Puka Nacua caught 7 passes for 97 yards. So, are the Rams a playoff team? I’d say they certainly look like one. After going into an early 1-4 hole going into their bye, the Rams are now 8-6 with the division title in their sights (and hey, they turned it around after a bye week JUST LIKE LAST YEAR…that’s for all those that doubted that the Rams could). They’ve found different ways to win, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. As for the 49ers, I honestly didn’t expect to be writing an obituary for the 49ers’ season (then again, I didn’t expect to be writing one for James Earl Jones or Ken Page either…boy this year has sucked). Look, mathematically, they are not done yet. Stranger things have happened, and some teams have collapsed in unexplainable and shocking fashion at this point in the season (for example, I give you last year’s Eagles and Jaguars). So, and this is for my cousin Robbie, there is still hope. It’s not impossible…just very, very, very unlikely for the 49ers to return to the playoffs.
BUCCANEERS 40 – CHARGERS 17
There’s problems with the Chargers, and they had better fix them soon. That was what we saw when the Buccaneers rolled into town and gave the Chargers a good thumping. The Buccaneers scored 27 unanswered points thanks to a nearly flawless performance from Baker Mayfield, who completed 22 of 27 passes for 288 yards and 4 touchdowns (although he did have an interception to put a small dent in his sterling showing). Now, there are those that say that the Buccaneers should now be considered NFC contenders but let me point out one thing. Their defense was missing three of their safeties, and, yes, they did shut down the Chargers…but it was against a pretty bad looking offense. That being said, we’ll have to see how the Buccaneers’ defense holds up against sturdier offenses before we can consider them contenders (for example, let’s see how their defense as it is right now without their All-Pro safeties against one Justin Jefferson…I’m cringing just thinking about it). That transitions perfectly to what I have to say about the Chargers. Look, you can criticize the defense all you want, but it’s one bad game and everyone has those. You can criticize Justin Herbert for holding the ball too long, and that is valid. But there is a reason for both Herbert and the defense’s bad play: this offense sucks. Yes, Ladd McConkey has performed well enough this season, but if he is the best receiver that the Chargers can put forward…you have a problem. Look at the rest of McConkey’s rookie class: Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, etc. All of them would have put the Chargers in great shape. I will continue to emphasize this: the Chargers should have gotten one of these guys instead of wasting one on a tackle that hasn’t done much to protect Herbert, who is still getting sacked. Now the Chargers have to quickly regroup and prepare for a Thursday Night Football showdown with playoff implications against the division rival Broncos.
CHIEFS 21 – BROWNS 7
Alright, good news and bad news here. The good news is that the Chiefs finally got that overwhelming win against a weak opponent like the Browns that they haven’t been able to get all year. The bad news…Patrick Mahomes has a high-ankle sprain. It hasn’t been considered serious, but the Chiefs have a problem. They play the Texans next on Saturday and the Steelers on Christmas: a span of 3 games in 11 days that will truly put the defending champs to the test. That’s a lot to ask from Mahomes if his injury acts up. Both the Texans and Steelers will obviously go for the legs of Mahomes and take advantage of the situation (because why wouldn’t they?). That means the Chiefs will have to rely on their defense, which did well in limiting the Browns’ Jameis Winston for 146 yards passing and 3 interceptions with no touchdowns. No one said winning a championship was easy, but this path for the Chiefs looks brutal. As for the Browns, a quarterback change might be coming. Winston was benched in the fourth quarter amid his fourth multi-interception game in seven starts. Now, Dorian Thompson-Robinson doesn’t have very much experience as the Browns would like, but with the team already eliminated from playoff contention…what do they have to lose?
BENGALS 37 – TITANS 27
It may still be too little too late for the Bengals, but that hasn’t stopped them from going on a tear for a playoff spot as they knocked the Titans aside with brute force. A week removed from having Bart Simpson play on the team (tee hee), Joe Burrow led the way for the Bengals. Despite throwing 2 interceptions, Burrow still completed 26 of 37 passes for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns. Despite his turnovers, Burrow is making a case for the MVP late in the season, and there’s no better time for it than late in the season (that’s the reason why Oscar worthy films don’t come out until winter). As for the Titans, the question is who will start at quarterback for the rest of the season (a season that has gone as well as a Deadpool joke in a Catholic church). Will Levis was benched after another disappointing game that included his sixth pick-six of the season. Veteran journeyman Mason Rudolph looks to fill to void for now, and he gave a respectable performance completing 21 of 26 passes for 209 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. The future of the position will definitely be the biggest focus of the Titans’ offseason. Obviously Will Levis hasn’t done enough to keep the job, so that leaves two options: see if Mason Rudolph earns the job or address the problem in the 2025 NFL Draft.
COMMANDERS 20 – SAINTS 19
This wasn’t a pretty performance for the Commanders, but so long as they get the win…it doesn’t matter. The Saints’ crippled roster just couldn’t cobble together for a win as their playoff hopes to go down the tubes. Despite the low score, Jayden Daniels had a pretty respectable performance completing 25 of 31 passes for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns. But if Daniels performed well, why didn’t it show in the score? The answer is a bit of everything. Washington lost center Tyler Biadasz (illness) before the game and tight end Zach Ertz (concussion) in the first half. But here is the real problem for the Commanders: penalties. In the last three games, the Commanders have committed 28 penalties. These have led to opponents’ drives being extended and negating big plays on offense. With the seventh and final playoff spot on the line, the Commanders can’t afford to continue making these mistakes, or else they will pay the price. As for the Saints, playing quarterback merry-go-round with their season on life support is not what they were imagining when this season started. Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are competing for the job with Derek Carr out. Rattler definitely outplayed Haener in the second half. But will this be enough with the Saints on the brink of elimination?
RAVENS 35 – GIANTS 14
The fear going into this game for the Ravens would be that they played down to their opponent like they did earlier in the season against the Browns and DA RAIDERS! However, the Ravens didn’t overlook the Giants and gave them a massive beatdown. Sensing different candidates coming for his MVP title and status as the league’s top quarterback, Lamar Jackson gave a nearly flawless performance by completing 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and 5 touchdowns while adding 6 rushes for 65 yards. Look, the Giants were completely overmatched. There was no chance they were going to win against a much more talented Ravens team that had something to prove. The chances that the Giants get the number one pick in the draft now jump up to a whopping 48%. They also have the chance to become the first team ever to go 0-9 at home. As for the Ravens, now they have to prove they can beat their biggest rival: the Steelers. They’ve dropped 8 of the past 9 games against the Steelers. Not only that; the Steelers can clinch the AFC North title with a win…and the Ravens certainly don’t want that.
COWBOYS 30 – PANTHERS 14
The Cowboys sure did need a win as their playoff hopes were looking bleak. Fortunately, they managed to beat up the Panthers to live to fight another day. Cooper Rush continued to operate as Dak Prescott’s fill-in, throwing for 214 yards and 3 touchdowns. The key to this game for the Cowboys was simple: mental toughness (and also not having Homer Simpson on their team anymore). Look, it’s easy enough to just lay down, call it a season, and just lose out and go for a higher draft spot. However, that’s NOT what the Jones family and the fans expect from the Cowboys. If they don’t win games, the coaches and players may not get to see who the front office gets in the draft (and if they do see it, it may be with other teams or unemployed entirely). It doesn’t matter if their playoff chances are slim, the Cowboys want to win, and they will try everything they can to do so. As for the Panthers, the development of Bryce Young is going badly (again). The front office is watching their number one pick turn into a dud as the question becomes whether to keep trying to give Young more experience, or to give the job back to veteran Andy Dalton.
JETS 32 – JAGUARS 25
This was a pretty exciting game in spite of the fact that both teams had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Still, the Jets played like they had something to prove as they took down the spiraling Jaguars. Aaron Rodgers showed flashes of his old self, throwing for 289 yards and 3 touchdowns. It’s too little too late for the Jets, since they’ve already been eliminated, but it must have been good to see Rodgers and Davante Adams back on the same page. The old friends clicked again as Adams caught 9 of 12 targets for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns. It’s just unfortunate that it took this long for Rodgers and Adams to get back in sync with each other, since the season was over for the Jets a long time ago. As for the Jaguars, the coach on the hottest seat in the NFL is Doug Pederson. This team has been in free fall since last season’s epic collapse. The only bright spot this year has been rookie Brian Thomas Jr., who caught 10 more passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. I would definitely throw Thomas’ name in the ring for Rookie of the Year.
DOLPHINS 12 – TEXANS 20
The Texans definitely needed a win to gain some momentum to wrap up their division. The Dolphins needed a win as well to keep their bleak playoff hopes alive. So, this game had a playoff atmosphere to it, and the Texans emerged from it victorious. It wasn’t a good game for either Tua Tagovailoa or CJ Stroud. Tua was more efficient by completing 29 of 40 passes for 196 yards compared to Stroud’s 18 of 26 passes for 131 yards, but Stroud scored more by throwing 2 touchdowns compared to Tua’s single touchdown and 3 interceptions. The win ended up being what the Texans needed to finally clinch the division and punch their ticket to the postseason, but it sure hasn’t been easy. The run game has been up and down this season, as Joe Mixon only managed to rush for 23 yards. The problem is the offensive line being able to create more holes for Mixon to exploit (and also to do a little better protecting Stroud). As for the Dolphins, it’s panic time. Their playoff chances are on life support since they’ll need to overcome both the Broncos and Colts for the last playoff spot. So, to say that this loss impacted the Dolphins’ chances of making the playoffs is a huge understatement. Their next matchup against the 49ers is a do-or-die for both teams: the loser will officially be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
COLTS 13 – BRONCOS 31
The reason the Texans clinched their division is also because the Colts were overwhelmed by the surging Broncos, who strengthened their playoff positioning. Despite the Broncos getting the victory, this didn’t help Bo Nix’s chances at Rookie of the Year. He only threw for 130 yards, and while he had 3 touchdowns…he also threw 3 interceptions. It was encouraging for the Colts that running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 107 yards (he would have had a touchdown if he hadn’t dropped the ball short of the goal line). Despite it not being pretty, the Broncos won and now sit in the number 6 spot in the AFC after the Chargers got walloped. They’ll need to establish a better run-pass balance going forward if they want to make a deep playoff run. As for the Colts, this game was nearly fatal for their playoff hopes. As stated before, this loss is what clinched the division for the Texans. They didn’t gain any ground on the Chargers, and now they don’t have the tiebreaker over the Broncos. It is safe to say that the Colts need to win out in order to just have a shot at the last playoff spot.
BILLS 48 – LIONS 42
HOLY MOLE HOLES! This was an amazing game of epic proportions. It might even be a preview of the Super Bowl as the best of the NFC faced off against arguably the best team in the AFC. In this titanic battle of attrition, the Bills emerged victorious over the Lions. Both Josh Allen and Jared Goff had big days as both made the case to wrestle the MVP title away from the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson. Jared Goff had better stats, throwing for 494 yards and 5 touchdowns, but Josh Allen’s 23 for 34 completions for 362 yards and 2 touchdowns yielded a better QBR than Goff. These offensive battles are great to win…although both teams should be concerned about their defenses going forward. The Bills’ defense is missing several players and have allowed 35 plus points in consecutive games. The Lions’ defensive injuries are also starting to really pile up. The holes are starting to show, and it doesn’t help that now the Vikings are still hot on their tail.
STEELERS 13 – EAGLES 27
The Steelers were hoping to prove themselves against a major Super Bowl contender in preparation for their big division showdown with the Ravens next week. What they got was a big letdown against the mighty Eagles. Jalen Hurts outdueled Russell Wilson by leaps and bounds. Hurts threw for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns while Wilson only had 128 yards and a touchdown. There were reports going into this game about the state of the Eagles’ passing game. As stated before, Hurts led a great passing attack in this game against a disciplined Steelers defense. Should this put this so-called drama to rest? Everyone wants to say yes that this magically did the trick…but this isn’t a Hallmark movie where everything just magically works itself out in a two-hour period. The Eagles need to keep this momentum up if they truly want to put any misunderstandings behind them. As for the Steelers, they’re still in the playoffs thanks to the Colts and Dolphins losing, but it’s always more satisfying to clinch it by themselves than having to rely on others. We’ll also have to monitor the injury to T.J. Watt, who exited early with a lower leg injury. It’s important to note that (as mentioned in the Ravens’ recap) the Steelers haven’t clinched the division yet. The next few weeks will determine if the Steelers host a playoff game and if they get a favorable matchup (or else risk another early playoff exit).
PATRIOTS 17 – CARDINALS 30
The Cardinals were expected to win this game and win big, but it still felt satisfying as the Cardinals snapped their 3-game losing streak to keep their playoff hopes alive. There wasn’t much production out of Kyler Murray, who threw for 224 yards but no touchdowns. James Conner was the one on offense that did all the damage with 110 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. This was a very much needed win for a team that seemed to have a strangle hold over the division (but two losses against the Seahawks and an upset by the Bears shocked them back to reality). The Cardinals have two easy opponents to beat, the Panthers and the 49ers, to close out the season. Their real problem comes in Week 17 against the surging Rams, who are now in first place in the NFC West. As for the Patriots, the question becomes if the Patriots will win another game. Two games against the Bills and a meeting with a Chargers team looking to turn things around say “No”. If this is the best that the Patriots have to offer in the post-Bill Belichick era, there are dark times ahead for the Patriots and their fans. This rebuild may take a long, long time.
PACKERS 30 – SEAHAWKS 13
The Seahawks were feeling great going into the weekend. They beat the Cardinals twice in the last three weeks to take the top spot in the division. So naturally, they must feel deflated after suffering a devastating defeat at the hands of the Packers. Geno Smith had a forgettable game completing 15 of 19 passes for 149 yards and an interception, while Jordan Love completed 20 of 27 passes for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Packers have proven they can be a playoff team (as long as someone takes out the Lions before they have to face them), and they can run the rest of the table with two games coming up against the slumping Saints and Bears. The only serious matchup they have left is against the Vikings. That will be the Packers’ final test and tune-up before the playoffs. As for the Seahawks, they’ve been kicked out of the driver’s seat thanks to this loss and the Rams’ victory. As of now, the Seahawks and Rams are tied on paper. However, the Rams currently hold the tiebreaker since they already beat the Seahawks once. Also, Geno Smith’s health is in question after sustaining a right knee injury. With Sam Howell in at quarterback, the Seahawks’ chances at the playoffs have taken a sudden and devasting blow. Somehow, they’ll need to hold out until their final game: a rematch with the red-hot Rams.
BEARS 12 – VIKINGS 30
The sports world definitely got a shock when Vikings legend Randy Moss announced he had surgery for cancer recently. While Moss claims he is in good health, fans still held their collective breath. So, the Vikings did their best to honor Moss with a beatdown of their hated division rivals, the Bears. NFL’s top receiver, Justin Jefferson, caught 7 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. On his touchdown, Justin looked at the camera and made a heart with his hands saying, “We love you, Randy!” Jefferson later emphasized after the game how big of an impact that Moss had on him and the other Vikings. That is true that there are names like Moss that still mean a lot to their respective fan bases (for example, I refer to the memorial outside Dodger Stadium when Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela passed away). But what you may not know is that this victory meant A TON for the Vikings (and not just in terms of honoring Randy Moss). That’s because the win puts them in a tie with the Lions and the Eagles for the top seed in the NFC. A reminder to you that only the top seed in each conference gets a bye in the first round of the playoffs. So naturally, the Vikings would love to have that. That would, however, mean they would have to beat the Lions in their rematch at the end of the season. As for the Bears, well…they’re officially eliminated from playoff contention. Yes, Caleb Williams needs more polishing, but the rest of the offense around him is underperforming badly. D’Andre Swift was extremely ineffective, leaving DJ Moore to try his hand at running it out of the backfield. But let’s not forget that their defense needs some work too (because how did Justin Jefferson, who everyone knows is the best receiver in the league, get THAT wide open on that touchdown pass?). There are problems, and the Bears need answers this offseason. They can start by finding a coach.
FALCONS 15 – RAIDERS 9
This game was almost as bad as the Thursday Night Football game. What does it say that the score of either of these teams could be outdone by the combined might of the Dodger Hydra monster that is Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani? Nevertheless, the Falcons emerged victorious over the Raiders. With the Falcons’ win, they live to fight another day for that last playoff spot. Desmond Ridder and Kirk Cousins obviously didn’t perform well as the two quarterbacks combined for a total of 3 interceptions and 2 touchdowns. I will say this, the Raiders are just playing players to try them out for next season. I truly believe that coach Pierce isn’t going anywhere after only just one season at the helm with the whole locker room and Raider Nation behind him. Going down the stretch, I’d like to see the Raiders use Brock Bowers more in the offense, because this kid is clearly the next Travis Kelce. As for the Falcons, the win doesn’t inspire much confidence, but a win is a win. But let’s be honest: they’re still barely keeping afloat. The Saints are next on the chopping block in the NFC, followed by the Cowboys and 49ers, and then they’re next along with the Cardinals. They’re running out of real estate and time to try and sneak into the playoffs.
