NFL Week 15: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game

NFL Nation, ESPNDec 15, 2024, 08:45 PM ET

The Los Angeles Rams kicked off Week 15 of the NFL season with a Thursday night win over the San Francisco 49ers.

On Sunday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had an impressive five-touchdown performance, and wide receiver Davante Adams had his best game yet for the New York Jets, grabbing nine receptions for 198 yards. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was removed in the fourth quarter of the victory against the Cleveland Browns with an ankle injury.

Later, the Buffalo Bills handed the Detroit Lions their second loss of the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew out the Los Angeles Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles won the “Pennsylvania State Championship.”

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

Bills

Can the Bills keep winning these track meets? In short, yes. There is no denying that their defense is a concern, allowing 35-plus points and 450-plus yards in consecutive games. The unit is dealing with injuries, including three starting defensive backs missing the game. The offense is setting records left and right. Quarterback Josh Allen extended his own record with a sixth career game of multiple passing touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns. The Bills are doing it even without key players being heavily involved as receiver Amari Cooper had zero targets Sunday. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady is rolling with Allen, and that will keep the Bills in any game.

Most surprising performance: The run defense. The Bills came in allowing 4.7 yards per rush (26th). Against the Lions, that number was 3.2. Detroit abandoned the rush early to catch up to Buffalo through the air. Limiting the Lions to 48 yards on the ground is a positive after allowing 120-plus in four of their past five games.

Eye-popping stat: The win marked the Bills’ eighth straight game with 30-plus points, which ties the longest such streak in a single season in NFL history (also done by the 2000 Rams, 2007 Patriots, 2010 Patriots and 2013 Broncos). The game also marked a season high in yards (559). — Alaina Getzenberg

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Lions

Is the loss to the Bills reason to be concerned going forward? Yes — and no. With this potentially serving as a Super Bowl preview, many of Detroit’s holes were certainly exposed by Buffalo in allowing 48 points at home. No team has ever allowed 45 points or more in a home game and gone on to win the Super Bowl, per ESPN Research. But the Lions had won 11 straight games entering this matchup, so they shouldn’t enter panic mode. And you can’t ignore the fact that Detroit’s defense continued to take some more big hits with defensive tackle Alim McNeill (knee), cornerback Khalil Dorsey (ankle) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (jaw) all being ruled out versus the Bills.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending quarterback Josh Allen. In the opening quarter, he made a statement with two rushing touchdowns, handing Detroit its biggest first-quarter deficit (14 points) all season. He continued to pick the Lions apart with his legs and through the air. Buffalo scored a touchdown on its first three drives, taking command early and never looking back.

Most surprising performance: Offensive tackle Dan Skipper. The Lions big man displayed his receiving skills by catching a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff with 3:01 remaining in the second quarter. Skipper became the third offensive lineman in franchise history to score a receiving touchdown, joining Taylor Decker and Scott Conover. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: at Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Broncos

How close are the Broncos to being a playoff team? It will not be framed and hung in the Louvre, but the Broncos defeated a Colts team chasing them for a wild-card spot while the Chargers and Dolphins lost in other games. The super-tight affair turned into a lopsided win after the Broncos scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns. They can thank Marvin Mims Jr. for a 60-yard punt return and linebacker Nik Bonitto, who scored his second TD of the season a little more than a minute later. Now, the Broncos are in the No. 6 position in the AFC.

Biggest hole in the game plan: On a day when winds gusted between 20 and 30 mph, the Broncos chose to air the ball out. Their running backs had eight carries for 15 yards in the first half and had 10 carries combined midway through the third quarter. The Broncos got an all-important win, but they haven’t established a consistent run-pass balance.

What we learned about the QB today: Bo Nix has shown remarkable maturity throughout the season, but he is making the typical rookie mistake of messing up early. That happened again Sunday, as he threw an interception in the first quarter and two more in the second half. He ended up with three touchdown passes in a 20-for-33, 130-yard performance. — Jeff Legwold

Next game: at Chargers (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Colts’ disastrous trick play results in a Broncos TD

Anthony Richardson passes the ball backwards to Adonai Mitchell, who tries to get it back to Richardson, but Broncos’ Nik Bonitto catches it and scores a touchdown.

Colts

How much damage did the Colts do to their playoff hopes? The Colts were playing their biggest game of the season and had the luxury of playing the team with whom they are competing with for the final AFC playoff spot. Their remaining slate pits them against favorable opponents — the Titans, Giants and Jaguars. But they now are two games behind the Chargers for the No. 7 playoff spot even after the Chargers’ loss Sunday and cannot catch the Texans in the AFC South. The Colts also no longer have the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Broncos.

Describe the game in two words: Missed opportunities. The Colts had multiple chances to take control while Denver was struggling with turnovers. But their best opportunity was blown when running back Jonathan Taylor let go of the ball before he crossed the goal line on a 41-yard run early in the third quarter. The Broncos scored the final 24 points of the game after that mistake.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Coach Shane Steichen’s bad double-pass playcall. The Colts, trailing 17-13 with 12:29 left and in Denver territory, dialed up a cutesy trick play that backfired. Quarterback Anthony Richardson threw a backward pass to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who attempted to throw another lateral back to the quarterback. Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto stepped in front of Richardson to snatch the ball before running 50 yards for a touchdown. — Stephen Holder

Next game: vs. Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Buccaneers

Should we consider the Bucs as a legitimate NFC contenders? Yes. You can put this one up there with those early-season upsets over the Lions and Eagles — the NFC’s top two seeds. The Bucs scored 27 unanswered points against the Chargers, and their 40 points were the most allowed by the Chargers’ top-ranked defense all season. This marks four straight victories, and none of their future opponents have a winning record. But turnovers continue to be an issue, with seven over the past three games.

Eye-popping stat: Wide receiver Mike Evans recorded his 23rd career game with multiple receiving touchdowns (two), the fifth most by a player with a single team in NFL history. He’s behind only Hall of Fame company in Cris Carter (25), Don Hutson (28), Marvin Harrison (29) and Jerry Rice (49).

Most surprising performance: Without their top three safeties in All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee), Jordan Whitehead (pectoral) and Mike Edwards (hamstring strain), the Bucs’ defense orchestrated a second-half shutout. Cornerback Jamel Dean, who recorded an interception, had a particularly strong day, surrendering just two catches on six targets. Lavonte David recorded 1.5 sacks, as did Logan Hall. — Jenna Laine

Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Chargers

Should the Chargers be concerned about their defense? Sunday was by far the worst game of the season for this defense and coordinator Jesse Minter. Quarterback Baker Mayfield (288 passing yards, four touchdowns), wide receiver Mike Evans (nine catches, 159 yards, two touchdowns) and running back Bucky Irving (15 attempts, 117 yards) got whatever they wanted on the NFL’s best scoring defense. Forty points is the most the Chargers have allowed since Week 15 of last season. It was a shockingly bad performance for this defense that other teams could capitalize on down the stretch by mimicking the Bucs’ game plan.

Most surprising performance: Quarterback Justin Herbert. It was an uncharacteristically poor game from Herbert, who came into Sunday nursing a left ankle sprain. He held the football too long in some cases, which resulted in sacks and missed open receivers. His interception in the third quarter snapped his streak of 357 straight pass attempts without a pick, the fifth-longest streak in NFL history.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Finding ways to sustain a second-half offense. The Chargers were shut out in the second half for the third time this season, tied for the most in the NFL. They must adjust the patterns in their second-half playcalling to help them down the stretch, especially if they want to avoid an early exit in the playoffs. — Kris Rhim

Next game: vs. Broncos (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Eagles

Was this performance enough to put the drama to bed? Yep, that should do the trick. The consternation coming out of the locker room last week was originally about a slumping passing game, but Jalen Hurts (25-of-32 for 290 yards) returned to attack mode after several weeks of leaning conservative. A.J. Brown had more receiving yards in the first quarter (48) than he had all of last week against the Panthers (43). Most importantly, the Eagles picked up their 10th consecutive win — a new franchise record — and remain in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the NFC as the Lions lost to the Bills on Sunday.

Most surprising performance: Running back Kenneth Gainwell. Saquon Barkley saw limited action in the first half after a brief trip to the medical tent. Gainwell was sprinkled in more than normal in relief of the MVP candidate and ran for a 14-yard gain on third-and-9 late in the third quarter. That set up a Hurts touchdown, which gave the Eagles a two-score lead.

Eye-popping stat: Hurts went 12-of-13 in the first half, which was good for a 92% completion percentage. That is his highest in any half in his career. It was just the kind of tension-relieving start the Eagles needed against their in-state rival. — Tim McManus

Next game: at Commanders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Steelers

Can the Steelers bounce back after a deflating loss? Despite losing in Philadelphia, the Steelers clinched a playoff berth thanks to losses by the Colts and Dolphins. But their momentum going into games against the Ravens and Chiefs halted Sunday. After two weeks of complementary football, neither the offense nor defense had any answers. To add insult to injury, T.J. Watt, who had two sacks and a forced fumble, exited early because of an apparent left lower leg injury. With their postseason passport stamped, the Steelers are playing for seeding and to right the ship before the playoffs so they can avoid another first-round exit. The next two games will go a long way to dictating both.

What we learned about the QB today: Russell Wilson — and the offense — needs wide receiver George Pickens. After scoring 27 points in their first game without Pickens, the Steelers’ offense scored just 13 points, managed 163 yards and lost the time of possession by nearly 20 minutes. The 163 yards is their fewest in a game since Week 2 of 2010, per ESPN Research.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Pass defense. The Steelers said all week they weren’t worried the Eagles would shift their offensive strategy to a more pass-heavy system. But Philly came out throwing, including on three of its first four plays, and Pittsburgh didn’t have a solution to covering DeVonta Smith or A.J. Brown. The receivers combined for 19 catches, 219 yards and two touchdowns. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Ravens (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

T.J. Watt exits vs. Eagles with apparent injury

T.J. Watt exits the Steelers’ matchup against the Steelers with an apparent injury.

Cardinals

Can the Cardinals win out? On paper, it looks like the Cardinals’ biggest obstacle to finishing the season undefeated will be the Rams, who are on a hot streak. Arizona showed Sunday that it can still put up points after dropping 30 on the Patriots. If the Cardinals play like that against the Panthers next week, they should win. But a victory in Week 17 against Los Angeles will depend on which Cardinals team shows up. The season finale against the 6-8 49ers should be another win as long as Arizona is productive on offense and dominant on defense.

Most surprising performance: Welcome to the offense, Greg Dortch. The wide receiver had his best game of the season, turning three receptions into a season-high 60 yards. The highlight of Dortch’s game was a 39-yard catch-and-run that showcased his speed and maneuverability against the poor Patriots defense.

Early prediction for next week: The Cardinals started going to rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. early and often Sunday, which will continue next week in Carolina. He had two catches for 32 yards, though he missed two touchdown catches in the end zone. They’ll continue to feed him in the first half of another must-win game. — Josh Weinfuss

Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Patriots

Will the 3-11 Patriots win another game? Highly unlikely. The Patriots entered Week 15 with the second-toughest remaining schedule in the NFL, according to ESPN Research, and they now visit the Bills before home games against the Chargers and Buffalo. Per ESPN Research, the Patriots have a 16.8% chance to win at Buffalo, a 32.2% chance against the Chargers and then a 21% chance in the finale. Visiting the Cardinals was the Patriots’ best chance, and they were coming off their bye, but it was an uninspiring performance — especially on defense.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Short-yardage running. The Patriots were stopped on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 from the Cardinals’ 4-yard line in the third quarter, which was critical because a score would have sliced the lead to 16-10. A good running football team can gain yardage even when the opposition knows what’s coming, but the Patriots’ blocking couldn’t do anything for Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson on those two key plays.

What we learned about the QB today: Drake Maye became just the second quarterback in the NFL to go 10-for-10 or better in a first half this season; the Lions’ Jared Goff has done it three times. But Maye did so on mostly short passes; his 3-yard shovel pass to DeMario Douglas was the most dazzling. Maye was a silver lining on a frustrating day. — Mike Reiss

Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Texans

Can the Texans fix their inconsistent run game as they push toward the playoffs? The rushing attack has been boom or bust for the Texans since Week 9. Running back Joe Mixon either finishes with over 100 rushing yards (twice) or finishes under 50 yards (three times). Sunday was a bust, as he finished with 23 yards. They can clinch a playoff spot if the Colts lose, though they’ll need consistency from Mixon to make a run in the postseason. They’ll need the offensive line to pave better running lanes for Mixon to reach his full potential.

Most surprising performance: When rookie safety Calen Bullock was targeted, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a passer rating of 19. The number was affected by Bullock’s interception at the end of the first half, which stopped the Dolphins’ drive at Houston’s 39-yard-line.

Describe the game in two words: Forcing turnovers. That is what propelled the Texans to the win, and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.’s second interception was the final dagger. The offense had a season-low 190 yards, and most of Houston’s points came off turnovers. Without those takeaways, the Texans might have lost. — DJ Bien-Aime

Next game: at Chiefs (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET)

Texans pick off Tua for 3rd time to seal win over Dolphins

Derek Stingley Jr. picks off Tua Tagovailoa late in the fourth quarter to seal a win for the Texans.

Dolphins

How does this result impact Miami’s playoff chances? It certainly doesn’t help. At best, the Dolphins can finish with a 9-8 record, and they still need to clear both the Broncos and Colts. Independent of any other result, their playoff chances fell to 4% with Sunday’s loss to Houston, per ESPN Analytics. And while they’re not mathematically eliminated, they would be with another loss next week to the 49ers.

Describe the game in two words: No separation. The Texans’ defense blitzed on just 20% of Miami’s pass plays, relying on the secondary to remain sticky in coverage. As a result, both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle — who left the game with a knee injury — averaged less than 2.0 yards of separation per route run. Tagovailoa threw multiple interceptions for the first time since Week 2.

Eye-popping stat: The Dolphins generated negative-48 rushing yards over expectation against Houston, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Their poor run game has been a massive surprise. De’Von Achane averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Miami hasn’t eclipsed 100 rushing yards since Week 9, and its 52 rushing yards Sunday pushed that drought to six games. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Commanders

Why was this such a sloppy performance from Washington? It doesn’t help that Washington lost center Tyler Biadasz (illness) before the game and tight end Zach Ertz (concussion) in the first half. But the Commanders have been committing too many penalties of late — they had nine Sunday and have had 28 in the last three games combined. Those penalties extended drives for New Orleans and nullified one big gain by Washington. The Commanders hold the seventh and final playoff spot but they can’t afford to play this way and expect to clinch. The game should not have come down to a final drive.

What we learned about the QB today: Jayden Daniels showed all that he could do, completing 25-of-31 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns; he extending one score by 8.04 seconds. He also ran 11 times for 66 yards. However, he was sacked a season-high seven times, sometimes because he held the ball long or ran into trouble. Daniels and receiver Terry McLaurin had multiple chances for long touchdown passes but couldn’t connect.

Describe the game in two words: As expected. New Orleans was missing most of its key offensive starters, including quarterback Derek Carr and its top two receivers. The Commanders won not because they played great, but because they played well enough when it mattered and held the ball for more than 40 minutes. — John Keim

Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Saints

Do the Saints stick with Spencer Rattler at quarterback moving forward? The Saints didn’t take long to switch from Jake Haener to Rattler after Haener struggled to lead the offense in the first half Sunday. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said Haener and Rattler were in a competition to see who would start in place of injured starter David Carr, but Rattler clearly outplayed Haener in the second half against Washington. The Saints will likely stick with the hot hand while Carr is out.

Early prediction for next week: The offense will sputter again. The unit struggled badly at home without Carr, and while the offense showed more life after switching to Rattler, a night game at Green Bay with running back Alvin Kamara potentially dealing with a groin injury could be their biggest challenge of the year.

What we learned about the QB today: The Saints struggled to move the ball at all with Haener, but they looked like a different team once Rattler came in. Rattler gave the Saints a chance to win, leading three scoring drives, including a touchdown with no time remaining. The Saints didn’t get the two-point conversion but Rattler showed his potential. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: at Packers (Monday, Dec. 23, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Bengals

Is Joe Burrow playing himself into the MVP race? It’s hard to argue against that. Burrow had another big performance and threw his 36th touchdown pass of the season, which broke his own franchise record with three games still remaining. Entering this week, Burrow was second in the league with a 74.1 QBR. He also led the NFL in passing yards (3,706) and passing touchdowns (33). Despite a few turnovers, his playmaking was on full display.

Early prediction for next week: Expect to see the youth movement continue at defensive end. Sam Hubbard, who had already seen a reduction in snaps coming into Sunday, was ruled out with a right knee injury. No matter the severity of Hubbard’s injury, it makes sense for the Bengals to continue to evaluate the young edge rushers on the roster (Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, Cedric Johnson).

Eye-popping stat: Burrow had 9.01 seconds to throw his 6-yard touchdown pass to Chase Brown in the first quarter. Burrow bought that time by evading two defenders before he located Brown in the end zone. According to ESPN Research, it was the longest time to throw on a touchdown this season that wasn’t on the final play of regulation. — Ben Baby

Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Joe Burrow throws TD pass after evading multiple sack attempts

Joe Burrow somehow avoids the pressure and finds Chase Brown in the end zone to bring the Bengals level vs. the Titans.

Titans

Who should start at QB for the rest of the season? Titans coach Brian Callahan has a lot to think about after starter Will Levis was intercepted three times, including one that was returned 40 yards for a touchdown. It was Levis’ sixth pick-six this season, the most by a quarterback all year. He showed subtle improvement over the past three weeks but regressed severely. With three games left, it wouldn’t be surprising for Callahan to go with veteran backup Mason Rudolph the rest of the way. The future of the position might be addressed with a high draft pick.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Titans couldn’t close the deal on Burrow, who helped the Bengals convert 10 of 13 third-down opportunities. Both of Burrow’s third-down touchdown passes came under pressure, as the Titans failed to get to him each time.

Eye-popping stat: This was the first game with at least 10 combined turnovers and 20 combined accepted penalties since the Bears and Vikings in Week 13 of 2006 (10 turnovers, 21 combined accepted penalties). It was sloppy for both teams, though the Bengals came out on top because of their advantage at quarterback. — Turron Davenport

Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Jets

What took so long for Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to return to old times? Rodgers and Adams were electric, conjuring up memories of their glory days in Green Bay. After getting shut out in the first half, Adams finished with nine catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns, including a 71-yard score. Rodgers passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns as the Jets finally pulled out a game in the fourth quarter. This is what the Jets had in mind when they traded for Adams in October. Unfortunately, it took too long because the season was toast weeks ago.

What we learned about the QB today: Rodgers still has wheels. The 41-year-old rushed for a team-high 45 yards, which is the most by a quarterback in his 40s since Doug Flutie (2003). Rodgers wasn’t moving too well early in the season due to knee, hamstring and ankle injuries, but he has been healthy for the past three games — and it shows. The downside: You never want your aging quarterback to lead the team in rushing.

Describe the game in two words: Damn lucky. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich was guilty of awful clock management late in the game, scoring too early and giving the Jaguars a chance to tie the game. Cornerback Sauce Gardner bailed out Ulbrich with a game-clinching interception, which was his first in 37 games. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Jaguars

Should the secondary be the Jaguars’ No. 1 priority in the offseason? Even if there is a new staff — coach Doug Pederson’s job security remains uncertain — the back end of the defense has to be at the top of the list. This is the second time the Jaguars blew a fourth-quarter lead by allowing deep quick passes. This time it was a 71-yard touchdown from Rodgers to Adams and another long catch by Adams to set up the Jets’ winning touchdown. Jaguars safety Andre Cisco is unlikely to be back and safety Antonio Johnson has struggled. They need another cornerback to complement Tyson Campbell, too.

What we learned about the QB today: Mac Jones is more comfortable. In his fourth start, the Jaguars put up 25 points — which is more than they put up in Jones’ first three starts combined (23). He did make two mistakes — interceptions on deep balls, including one with 37 seconds left — but his improved comfort helped the Jaguars’ offense surpass 400 yards for the second time this season.

Most surprising performance: The Jaguars’ run game. It had been stagnant since they returned from London in mid-October, averaging 69.3 yards per game over the past six games. But the Jaguars put up 136 against the Jets. Running back Travis Etienne Jr., who had four carries last week, finished with 65 yards (his most since Week 3). — Mike DiRocco

Next game: at Raiders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Chiefs

Can the Chiefs count on their defense again? The Chiefs did a nice job taking advantage of Jameis Winston and the Browns by forcing five defensive turnovers (with another turnover on special teams). But it’s premature to claim their defense is back to last year’s level, considering the quality of the opposition. Bigger challenges await the next couple of weeks in the Texans and Steelers and with questions around Patrick Mahomes‘ ankle. He left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury and was visibly limping off the field after the game.

Describe the game in two words: Strong rush. The Chiefs had one of their better games in getting after the opposing quarterback. They had five sacks of Winston, but that didn’t tell the whole story. They were consistent with pressure on the Browns quarterback even when they weren’t blitzing. This was reason for encouragement since this pass rush is among the least productive in the league.

Most surprising performance: Harrison Butker had made all 72 of his career field goal attempts of less than 30 yards until he missed a 29-yard try late in the first half. The miss didn’t matter in the long haul, but it was a notable blemish in the kicker’s return to the lineup from left knee surgery. — Adam Teicher

Next game: vs. Texans (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET)

Mahomes limps off field after taking hit

Patrick Mahomes throws an incomplete pass on fourth down and limps off the field.

Browns

Will the Browns make a quarterback change? Jameis Winston breathed life into Cleveland’s offense at times, but he was benched in the fourth quarter amid his fourth multi-interception game in seven starts. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is unproven, though Cleveland doesn’t have much to lose in evaluating the 2023 fifth-round pick. The team is already eliminated from playoff contention.

Most surprising performance: Running back Jerome Ford recorded 104 scrimmage yards, including a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. It marked Ford’s first 100-yard game this season and his first since Week 7 of the 2023 season.

Eye-popping stat: The Browns’ defense pressured quarterback Patrick Mahomes 21 times before he left late in the fourth quarter because of an ankle injury. It was tied for the most pressures Mahomes has faced in a game this season. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Ravens

What did the Ravens prove against the struggling Giants? The Ravens insisted they wouldn’t overlook the last-place Giants, and they backed that up by not playing down to an opponent like earlier this season. After surprising losses to the Raiders and Browns, the Ravens dominated New York. Quarterback Lamar Jackson tied a career high with five touchdown passes, and the defense tied a season low in yards allowed (236). Now Baltimore has to prove it can beat Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Ravens have lost eight of their past nine games to their biggest rival. The Steelers can clinch the AFC North title with a win.

What we learned about the QB today: Don’t count out Jackson from repeating as MVP. Over the past three weeks, Jackson has gone from the betting favorite to win MVP to third behind the Bills’ Josh Allen and the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley. But Jackson put together a spectacular performance, with more touchdown passes (five) than incompletions (four). It was his sixth career game with five touchdown passes, which is tied for fourth-most in NFL history.

Most surprising performance: Wide receiver Rashod Bateman. The 2021 first-round pick continued his breakout season with the first multiple touchdown game of his four-year career, catching touchdown passes of 49 and 20 yards. Bateman now has six touchdown catches in 14 games after totaling four in his first three seasons (34 games). — Jamison Hensley

Next game: vs. Steelers (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Giants

What does this loss mean for the Giants? They have now lost nine straight games and are on the verge of becoming the first team ever to go 0-9 at home after being dominated by the Ravens. They’ll be underdogs in the final three weeks at Atlanta, versus Indianapolis and at Philadelphia. Twelve straight losses to end the season is not out of the question. This latest defeat does keep the Giants in pole position for the No. 1 pick. They came into Sunday with a 41% chance at the top pick. It jumped to 48% with the loss.

Describe the game in two words: Completely overmatched. The disparity in talent gave the Giants no chance to win. They had no answer for Jackson or the Ravens’ offense. They had no chance to move the ball consistently whether it was Tommy DeVito or Tim Boyle at quarterback. The Giants looked every bit a 2-12 team and tied a franchise record with their ninth straight loss.

What we learned about the QB today: The Giants can’t keep anyone healthy after DeVito left late in the first half with a concussion. Ever since benching Daniel Jones, DeVito was injured in each of his two starts. Drew Lock also lasted just two starts after injuring his heel last week. Boyle finished Sunday’s game and went 12-of-24 for 123 yards, an interception and the Giants’ first passing touchdown in five games. — Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Cowboys

Did the Cowboys show some mental toughness? Quick answer: Yes. It might not mean anything at the end of this season and it may cost them draft positioning, but players and coaches want — and need — to win games. Coming off their deflating loss to the Bengals on Monday, the Cowboys responded on a short week. With the exception of one play, the defense smothered quarterback Bryce Young. The offense was efficient with another reconfigured offensive line, and quarterback Cooper Rush had the first three-touchdown game of his career. At 6-8, the Cowboys still have a chance to make the playoffs, even if it’s faint.

What we learned about the QB today: Rush shouldn’t run many zone reads. It led to his fourth lost fumble of the season. But he was able to rebound with an efficient performance, including three touchdown throws under duress — the most by a Dallas quarterback since Dak Prescott in 2021 (Week 17 vs. Arizona).

Early prediction for next week: Running back Rico Dowdle, who finished with 149 yards on 25 carries, will have his fourth straight 100-yard outing when the Cowboys take on the Buccaneers. It will be tough against a Tampa Bay defense that is allowing 115.2 yards per game on the ground. The last Cowboys running back to have four straight 100-yard rushing games was Ezekiel Elliott (2016). — Todd Archer

Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Cowboys pad lead with a Jalen Brooks’ TD

Cooper Rush connects with Jalen Brooks in the back of the end zone for a 17-yard Cowboys touchdown.

Panthers

Will coach Dave Canales turn back to Andy Dalton after Bryce Young’s four-turnover game? Canales insists it’s a weekly decision on Young, who set a career-high four turnovers (two interceptions, two lost fumbles). He was also sacked six times. Carolina might want to get another look at Dalton, who was the starter before a thumb injury from a car crash. The turnovers could be the excuse needed to see whether the 37-year-old can be the veteran backup or starter entering next season.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Defending wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys had one premier receiver, and Carolina let him run free (116 yards). In the first half, he had eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Much of these splash plays were the result of the Panthers playing zone and not putting top corner Jaycee Horn on Lamb exclusively.

Describe the game in two words: No rush. Dallas had the third-worst run defense (141.9 yards per game) and Carolina’s Chuba Hubbard ranked sixth in rushing (1,011 yards) entering the game. Hubbard got 10 carries for 32 yards, which opened up Dallas’ pass rush, resulting in Young being sacked four times in the third quarter after having none in the first half. — David Newton

Next game: vs. Cardinals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Rams

With three games left, can the Rams make a playoff run? They sure look like a playoff team. ESPN Analytics gives the Rams a 52% chance to make the playoffs and 49% chance to win the division entering the weekend. After the game, coach Sean McVay said it was “really cool” that the Rams have “found a bunch of different ways to be able to win football games.” After winning 44-42 in Week 14, the Rams beat San Francisco by just six points. Earlier in the week receiver Puka Nacua said Los Angeles is “playing close to its best football” of the season. That has shown up during the Rams’ three-game winning streak, as they’ve managed to climb back out of a 1-4 hole to sit just a half-game back of first in the NFC West.

Describe the game in two words: Slow start. Against the 49ers, the Rams failed to score in the first quarter for the ninth time this season. According to ESPN Research, that is tied with the Bears for the second-most such starts in the NFL. After the game, quarterback Matthew Stafford said, “Early in the game, I didn’t play good enough on third down.”

Eye-popping stat: For the first time since McVay was hired in 2017, the Rams failed to get a first down on their first four offensive drives, according to ESPN Research. A week after scoring a season-high 44 points, Los Angeles finished the game with only 14 first downs. — Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

49ers

With their playoff hopes all but dead, where do the 49ers go from here? Last week’s win against Chicago offered a slight glimmer of hope for the Niners, but that all went out the window Thursday night. Mathematically, there might still be a way for San Francisco to sneak in, but it’s the longest of long shots. With three games left, the 49ers would be well-served to rest star veterans who have been playing through injuries while continuing to assess who needs to stay and who needs to go for them to rebound in 2025.

Describe the game in two words: Punt party. Inclement weather undoubtedly played a part, but the Niners and Rams didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard. They combined for seven punts in the first quarter alone (tied for most punts in a quarter this season) and 13 for the game. A game that looked poised to be a shootout after the Rams and Niners combined to score 82 points last week turned into a rock fight with a total of 18 points and no touchdowns.

Most surprising performance: Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. Maybe this is more of a surprising nonperformance but either way, it was a shock to the Niners when Campbell declined to enter the game in the third quarter after injuries to other linebackers. Campbell walked to the locker room in the fourth quarter, leaving teammates at a loss for why he would go to the trouble of putting on a uniform and taking up a roster spot without playing. — Nick Wagoner

Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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