By Lucas Camacho
Photos USA Today, AP, and Fan Nation
NFL WEEK 15 RECAP
Another week of regular season football is in the books. While Fantasy Football managers are in the middle of their playoffs, many real-life teams are still battling for a playoff spot. Some teams punched their ticket while others had their playoff hopes come to an end. Here is a brief recap of all the games and how each team stands in the playoff race (if they have a chance at all).
CHARGERS 21 – RAIDERS 63
What a way to end Brandon Stanley’s tenure as the head coach of the Chargers. Getting blown out by a Raiders’ team that just got blanked the week before by the Minnesota Vikings. It wasn’t a surprise that the Chargers’ owner decided to clean house: firing Stanley, the General Manager, and several coaches. Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw 20 for 34 for 248 yards and four touchdowns in a performance that blew even Raiders owner Mark Davis away! The Chargers’ already dim chances of making the playoffs took another big hit as they head into next week on the brink of elimination. Meanwhile, the Raiders’ chances got a much-needed breath of life, but they are not even close to being out of the woods just yet.
VIKINGS 24 – BENGALS 27
Another week and another heartbreaking loss for the Vikings. The legend of quarterback Jake Browning continued and ran right over the Minnesota Vikings. Despite finally having one of the best wide receivers in the league, Justin Jefferson, back on the field for a full game, it was all for naught. Browning and the Bengals mounting a furious comeback, as they trailed 17-3 in the third quarter, that ended with a game winning field goal in overtime. The Vikings and Bengals currently control their own destinies, as both teams currently sit in a wild card spot. However, the Bengals are red hot…and the Vikings clearly are not.
STEELERS 13 – COLTS 30
The Steelers came into this game needing a win. That did not happen. Instead, the Colts overwhelmed the Steelers for a soul-crushing loss. The scariest moment of the game came when Steelers safety Damontae Kazee had a nasty hit on star wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Kazee was ejected, and the NFL announced on Monday that Kazee would be suspended for the remaining three games of the season. The Colts are in control of their destiny as they try to hold off the Houston Texans for the last spot in the playoffs. The Steelers suddenly find themselves in a deep hole…and they’ll need help from more than just than own team winning to climb up.
BRONCOS 17 – LIONS 42
Last week, we wondered if the Lions were doomed and if the Broncos could possibly steal a playoff spot. But as this week has proved: anything can change in an instant. That instant came from a beatdown as the Lions easily dispatched the Broncos. Jared Goff bounced back and threw 5 touchdown passes. The Lions tightened their stranglehold on their division thanks to the Vikings’ overtime loss. It’s hard to determine which Denver Broncos team will show up week to week: the team that only allowed one touchdown to the defending champion Chiefs…or the team we saw at the beginning of the year that couldn’t win a game to save their lives.
FALCONS 7 – PANTHERS 9
The Falcons watched Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro hit a chip shot field goal from 23 yards out. Then the clock expired…and the unthinkable happened. The Falcons were beaten by a Panthers team that had only one win going into this weekend. The Panthers had nothing to play for as the first team eliminated from playoff contention. However, they have proven that they are more than happy to play spoilers. The loss hurts the Falcons as it knocks them out of first place in a very narrow battle for the NFC South Division Title. The Falcons’ playoff hopes are still alive…but they need a lot of help as those hopes are suddenly on life support.
BEARS 17 – BROWNS 20
For a team that looks to be the winners of the big Caleb Williams sweepstakes in next year’s draft…the Bears sure did take a punch to the gut. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco pulled out another fourth quarter miracle while the Bears saw their own chance for a Hail Mary literally slip through their fingers. Despite being banged up and hurting, the Browns are still chugging away, and it’s because of that resiliency that the Ravens haven’t locked up their division yet. While the Browns look to be heading for the playoffs, the Bears’ hopes look bleak as they face the brink of elimination next week.
BUCCANEERS 34 – PACKERS 20
For quarterback Baker Mayfield, there is no better place to shine than on legendary Lambeau Field. The Buccaneers quarterback threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns as he led his team over the Packers for a crucial victory. With the Falcons losing to the Panthers, the race for the division title is now a two-man race between the Buccaneers and the Saints. Meanwhile, the Packers seem to be moving in the wrong direction. They see their sworn rivals, the Bears, on the brink of elimination…and the Packers know they will be next soon on the chopping block.
JETS 0 – DOLPHINS 30
It looks like it’s gonna be another season until we see Aaron Rodgers on the field again leading the New York Jets. There shouldn’t be any reason for the Jets to let Rodgers play any meaningless games as the Jets got eliminated after being routed by the Dolphins. Wide receiver Jalen Waddle had a huge game with eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown for the Dolphins. On any given year, the Dolphins would be good enough to be the top seed in the AFC. Unfortunately…the Ravens have played better this year. Meanwhile, the Jets’ offseason begins soon, with the priority being protecting Aaron Rodgers so this doesn’t happen again.
GIANTS 6 – SAINTS 24
Following a remarkable win last Monday night, the New York Giants…were dismantled by a barely healthy Saints team. But on the other side, this was a crucial and much needed victory for the Saints. Thanks to another great performance from quarterback Derek Carr, who threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns, the Saints are now in a dead heat with the Buccaneers for the division title. The Giants’ hopes, however, are looking pretty bleak as they face elimination from playoff contention next week.
TEXANS 19 – TITANS 16
Not even the Titans could repeat the magic we saw last Monday night as they saw their playoff hopes end on a 54-yard field goal from Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. As the Titans wait for their offseason to start, the biggest question will be if this is the last year Derrick Henry wears a Titans uniform. On the other side, it was a very much needed win for the Texans, who were without Rookie of the Year favorite CJ Stroud. Backup quarterback and journeyman Case Keenum held the line for a respectable 23 for 36 in passing for 229 yards and throwing a touchdown and interception. The Texans will need Stroud for next week in a big showdown for the final playoff spot against their division rivals, the Indianapolis Colts.
CHIEFS 27 – PATRIOTS 17
The defending champs finally managed to right the ship with a 27 to 17 victory on the road. In a game attended by Taylor Swift, the Chiefs got back to their winning ways to finally put breathing room between themselves and the Broncos and Raiders. One of the more memorable moments of the game was seeing Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift disappointed when it looked like Kelce was interfered with in the end zone. However, this wasn’t a game they should have been worried about. It was a win against a Patriots team that had already been eliminated from playoff contention the week before. This game only served to halt the losing streak that questioned whether the Chiefs could actually repeat as champions. That being said, a win is a win, and it’s important to snap any losing streak. But a win against a team like the Patriots doesn’t do much to quiet the critics who wonder if the Chiefs can handle such powerful playoff bound teams such as the Ravens and 49ers.
49ERS 45 – CARDINALS 29
This game wasn’t expected to be close, and it wasn’t. This game wasn’t without consequence, however, as it had two effects: it eliminated the Cardinals from playoff contention and clinched the division for the 49ers. While the Cardinals scored first, it was all downhill from there, as emphasized when Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw a pick six in the first quarter of the game. There will be a lot to think about for the Cardinals this offseason, and their future will be determined by where they land in the first round of next year’s Draft. The 49ers’ only concern left is the possibility of the Eagles or the Cowboys knocking them off from the number one seed.
COMMANDERS 20 – RAMS 28
It wasn’t pretty, and it definitely wasn’t one for the art museum. However, the Rams managed to escape with a win to keep their playoff hopes high while also eliminating the Commanders. The Commanders’ scandal-plagued season ends in despair, and they were left shaking their heads on all their missed chances…and some pretty terrible mistakes such as allowing Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp to get wide open for a 62-yard touchdown. As hard as it is to believe, the Rams are now sitting in one of the playoff spots since they hold the tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks. However, a lot can happen in just one week, and no one is safe…except for their bitter division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, of course. The good news for the Rams is they don’t have to worry about…oh, right, they have one game left to play against the 49ers on the road.
COWBOYS 10 – BILLS 31
A game billed by many to be a shootout in the making…turned into a game that saw the Bills utterly defeat the visiting Cowboys. This was not a good game for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who only threw for 134 yards and threw an interception. Bills quarterback Josh Allen didn’t perform much better, throwing only 94 yards for a touchdown, but it was enough. Now the Cowboys and the Eagles’ race to the division crown has gotten a lot closer as the teams remain tied. Meanwhile, despite having a good team, the Bills are still far from a playoff spot as both Colts and the Texans hold the tie breaker over the Bills. If they want to make it into the playoffs, they’ll need some help…or a Dolphins collapse.
RAVENS 23 – JAGUARS 7
For those Jaguars’ fans hoping that Sunday night was the chance for the Jaguars to prove they were a championship contender…we are sorry. It doesn’t seem that quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars are up to that level yet, as shown from getting beaten down at home against the Ravens. Lawrence did perform well throwing 264 yards for a touchdown. Thanks to the tiebreakers in place, the Jaguars still hold the division lead over the Colts and the Texans. Meanwhile, with the Dolphins continuing to play up and down football, there doesn’t seem to be a team in the AFC that could pose a serious threat to the Ravens’ Super Bowl aspirations. It was also another good night for Lamar Jackson, who should be the subject of MVP speculation.
EAGLES 17 – SEAHAWKS 20
It seems the Seahawks have finally found a way to win in a most unexpected solution: they must play the Eagles more often. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll remains a thorn in the Eagles’ side as he improves to 8-0 as a coach against the Eagles (a statistic that should shock many NFL fans). The Eagles looked to have the game in their grasp, but not even Jalen Hurts, who had been battling illness leading up to the game, could conjure a win. Eagles fans were stunned as Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba hauled in an eye popping catch for the game winning touchdown. It’s back to the drawing board for the Eagles, as they remain behind the 49ers for the top seed and tied with the Cowboys for the division. Meanwhile, despite the impressive victory, the Seahawks are still on the outside looking in as the Rams still hold the tiebreaker over them. The one thing the Seahawks have going for them is that they are done playing against the 49ers while the Rams face them on the road in San Francisco to finish the regular season.