Even by NFL standards, Week 15 was strange.
Omicron has got COVID back into the league. After the Browns, Rams, and Washington were ravaged by a tidal wave of positive cases, their games were postponed. When they started, the bizarreness was on full display.
The one-win Lions even blew out the 10-win Cardinals. Injuries ravaged the Buccaneers as they got shut out by the Saints. The league’s hottest team saw their momentum halted by an equally red-hot team that has all the brewing for a playoff push.
That adds up to a week of NFL action that shook up the league’s power rankings.
One thing that didn’t change... is the team at the very bottom.
Key:
e - Eliminated from playoff contention
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
#32: e - Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 15 vs. HOU: L, 16-30 | Record: 2-12
Previous Rank: #32
It was a long week for the Jaguars, starting with a report from Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times that put an end to the five-alarm fire that was Meyer’s tenure. But that doesn’t change the fact that even without him, they are still terrible. His incompetence mixed with a young and talent-deficient roster made for one of the biggest failures in recent history. The only positive note during the Jags’ loss to the Texans was that interim head coach Darrell Bevell properly utilized James Robinson. Other than that, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The offense is bad. The defense is also bad. Trevor Lawrence has just one touchdown pass since Week 9, and he told reporters that all the losing is the same old story. “It’s definitely frustrating,” said Lawrence. “All the guys are frustrated. We want to be more consistent. We want to win. ... We all have to play better. That’s the thing: You’ve just got to look yourself in the mirror and figure out how to get better, and I think we’ll do that, but got to really do that this week.” As of right now, they now are in position to get the 1st overall pick for the second consecutive year. But they don’t have only an Urban Meyer problem. They have now lost 27 of their last 28 games in American soil. The only real goals to accomplish for the season is to escape their final three games without any serious injury to Trevor Lawrence and to lock up the 1st overall pick. Facing a similarly demoralized Jets team has them at an uncertain competitive glow for Week 16. Their future success, though, is even more dependent on Lawrence, who can boost his NFL learning curve with the help of a head coach who can help develop the young quarterback with a system that benefits him.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Trevor Lawrence
RB: James Robinson
WR: Marvin Jones Jr., Laquon Treadwell, Tavon Austin
TE: James O’Shaughnessy
OL: Cam Robinson (LT), Andrew Norwell (LG), Brandon Linder (C), Will Richardson Jr. (RG), Jawaan Taylor (RT)
DL: Malcom Brown (LDE), DaVon Hamilton (NT), Dawuane Smoot (RDE)
EDGE: K’Lavon Chaisson (WLB), Jihad Ward (SLB)
ILB: Damien Wilson (LILB), Myles Jack (RILB)
CB: Tyson Campbell (LCB), Shaquill Griffin (RCB)
S: Daniel Thomas (SS), Andrew Wingard (FS)
ST: Matthew Wright (K), Logan Cooke (P), Ross Matiscik (LS)
RS: Jaydon Mickens
#31: e - New York Jets
Week 15 @ MIA: L, 24-31 | Record: 3-11
Previous Rank: #29
At first, it appeared the Jets might play spoiler, pulling off 10 unanswered points to open the game against the Dolphins on the way to a 17-10 lead. But they got outscored 21-7 after the break and caught their 11th loss in their 14th game under Robert Saleh. This loss summed up the many things that are wrong with this season’s Jets: Zach Wilson was uneven again. The defense was soft, and the offense was mistake-filled, getting outgained by over 150 yards. Duke Johnson, who was on the Dolphins’ practice squad previously, gashed the Jets for over 100 rushing yards. They are deficient in a lot of areas that it seems repetitive to put the blame on Wilson. They managed just three first downs in the 2nd half, and it all paints a grim picture on the team: When Wilson missed four weeks with a knee injury, the offense, led by a collection of backup quarterbacks, averaged 24.5 points and 435.8 yards per game. In the four weeks since Wilson’s return to the lineup, they averaged 16.3 points and 257.8 yards per game. He has yet to put a full four quarters of stable play this season, and he is running out of time on doing that. It’s all part of a large problem within a bad football organization that needs help on both sides of the ball. And it is going to take time for that to happen. But as things stand, they have two top eight draft picks, so... yay?
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Zach Wilson
RB: Michael Carter
WR: Keelan Cole, Denzel Mims, Braxton Berrios
TE: Tyler Kroft
OL: George Fant (LT), Dan Feeney (LG), Connor McGovern (C), Greg Van Roten (RG), Morgan Moses (RT)
DE: Tim Ward (LDE), Bryce Huff (RDE)
DT: Sheldon Rankins (LDT), Quinnen Williams (RDT)
LB: Del’Shawn Phillips (WLB), CJ Mosley (MLB), Quincy Williams (SLB)
CB: Brandin Echols (LCB), Bryce Hall (RCB)
S: Will Parks (SS), Kai Nacua (FS)
ST: Eddy Piñeiro (K), Braden Mann (P), Thomas Hennessy (LS)
RS: Braxton Berrios
#30: e - Houston Texans
Week 15 @ JAX: W, 30-16 | Record: 3-11
Previous Rank: #30
Only in Houston do you see a team win and lose at the same time. Just ask the Texans. It was Davis Mills’ first career win in the NFL as his team swept the season series against the Jaguars, which is an act of bad-team-on-bad-team violence. Mills told reporters that he admired the way the Texans rallied to a win. “I think we handled their pressure extremely well,” said Mills. “I felt like our team fought through the adversity, really that everyone is facing around this league.” While he is not really the QB of the post-Deshaun Watson future of the Texans, his performance should leave the organization evaluating him in the next three weeks to see where he would fit within the team next season. They have improved a little since their bye, going 2-3 in their last five games, but by doing so, they may have cost themselves a shot at the 1st overall pick in the Draft. They entered the game in position for the 2nd overall pick and now are at 3rd. They’re not going to fall further than that, because they’re not likely to win out the rest of the way. Beginning with their Week 16 match against the Chargers, they will close out the season against playoff contenders.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Davis Mills
RB: David Johnson
WR: Nico Collins, Chris Conley, Phillip Dorsett II
TE: Pharaoh Brown
OL: Geron Christian Sr. (LT), Cole Toner (LG), Jimmy Morrissey (C), Justin McCray (RG), Charlie Heck (RT)
DE: Chris Smith (LDE), Jacob Martin (RDE)
DT: Ross Blacklock (LDT), DeMarcus Walker (RDT)
LB: Neville Hewitt (WLB), Christian Kirksey (MLB), Kevin Pierre-Louis (SLB)
CB: Desmond King II (LCB), Terrance Mitchell (RCB)
S: Grayland Arnold (SS), Justin Reid (FS)
ST: Dominik Eberle (K), Cameron Johnston (P), Jon Weeks (LS)
RS: Tremon Smith (KR), Desmond King II (PR)
#29: New York Giants
Week 15 vs. DAL: L, 6-21 | Record: 4-10
Previous Rank: #27
Joe Judge has repeatedly talked about doing things with the Giants “the right way.” But the NFL is a results-driven league. Giants fans are seeing enough from him already. While he gave a nearly 1,700-word defense of his 10-20 record as a head coach, the Giants then got waxed by a Cowboys team that is recently playing their games at half speed. They got just 15 first downs and turned the ball over four times. Even worse, Daniel Jones’ season is officially over when the team moved him to the IR with a neck injury. His season this year was a lot like the two before it: He flashed his ability as a passer and a runner, but the offense was so very inconsistent. The Giants’ management had to figure out how much of the struggles fell on Jones, and how much goes back to the coaching staff’s failures and the front office’s botching of talent acquisition around him. His future now depends on who is up in the front office. As things stand, they now have two of the first six picks in the 2022 Draft thanks to the Justin Fields trade. It’s an opportunity to reset things for the franchise. And it’s unlikely that Judge and Dave Gettleman will oversee it.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Jake Fromm
RB: Saquon Barkley
WR: Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, Darius Slayton
TE: Evan Engram
OL: Andrew Thomas (LT), Matt Skura (LG), Billy Price (C), Will Hernandez (RG), Matt Peart (RT)
DL: Dexter Lawrence (LDE), Austin Johnson (NT), Leonard Williams (RDE)
EDGE: Lorenzo Carter (WLB), Azeez Ojulari (SLB)
ILB: Tae Crowder (LILB), Reggie Ragland (RILB)
CB: James Bradberry (LCB), Aaron Robinson (RCB)
S: Xavier McKinney (SS), Logan Ryan (FS)
ST: Graham Gano (K), Riley Dixon (P), Casey Kreiter (LS)
RS: Kadarius Toney
#28: Carolina Panthers
Week 15 @ BUF: L, 14-31 | Record: 5-9
Previous Rank: #28
Week 15 for the Panthers is basically what Murphy’s Law states: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” That’s what happened when Zane Gonzalez injured himself in pregame workouts, which summarizes their rapidly disintegrating season. Cam Newton completed 18 of 38 passes against one of the league’s best pass defenses, throwing for just 156 yards. They didn’t need any extra challenges against a playoff contender in the Bills, and their 31-14 loss is not surprising at all. However, Newton insisted after the game that both he and the offense are making progress—it’s just not showing in the games. “You just got to keep working,” he said. “I think the harsh reality about what we do is we only get judged on Sundays. So never mind what you’re going through personally, never mind what the things are that’s happening on the field as well as off the field as a production piece that’s where we’re analyzed on.” Said “harsh reality” says that Newton is certainly not coming back to the Panthers next season. After how the last few weeks have gone, it’s hard to imagine a realistic scenario where he comes back. Week 16 against the Buccaneers may very well be his final game in Charlotte, so maybe he could possibly score a rushing touchdown or two and bring out the Superman celebration for old time’s sake to close out his career with the Panthers. Because, barring an unexpected turnaround, he may not be the only one not coming back for 2022, especially given that the Panthers have two games against the Bucs left on their schedule and a Week 17 road trip to NOLA.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Cam Newton
RB: Chuba Hubbard
WR: DJ Moore, Robby Anderson, Brandon Zylstra
TE: Ian Thomas
OL: Dennis Daley (LT), Michael Jordan (LG), Sam Tecklenburg (C), John Miller (RG), Taylor Moton (RT)
DE: Brian Burns (LDE), Morgan Fox (RDE)
DT: Derrick Brown (LDT), DaQuan Jones (RDT)
LB: Shaq Thompson (WLB), Jermaine Carter Jr. (MLB), Haason Reddick (SLB)
CB: CJ Henderson (LCB), Stephon Gilmore (RCB)
S: Juston Burris (SS), Jeremy Chinn (FS)
ST: Lirim Hajrullahu (K), Lachlan Edwards (P), JJ Jansen (LS)
RS: Ameer Abdullah (KR), Alex Erickson (PR)
#27: e - Detroit Lions
Week 15 vs. ARZ: W, 30-12 | Record: 2-11-1
Previous Rank: #31
While Aaron Rodgers owns the Bears, there is a lesser-known player ownership in the NFL: Jared Goff’s ownership of the Cardinals. After upsetting the first team to reach the 10-win plateau this season in Motown, Goff has now won eight straight games against the Cardinals, and has never lost to current Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury. He wasn’t the only reason the Lions pulled off the win, but he was a big one. He threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns, with a passer rating of 139.7. This win shows that Dan Campbell has his guys fighting hard throughout the season. They combined consistent effort with great execution. Amon-Ra St. Brown is emerging as a legit wideout, as he had eight catches for 90 yards with a touchdown and now holds the single-season team record for catches by a rookie, with 65. After what is the high point of the Lions’ season, Goff told reporters he knew what the team is capable of. “You know the game we’ve talked about playing all season? This was the game,” he said. “This is what we knew we could do.” Goff knew something like this was possible, but the rest of the league didn’t see this coming. This shows that, even though the Lions have one of the worst records in the league, Campbell and his coaching staff are doing some of the best coaching jobs in the league. Yes, he and general manager Brad Holmes have the league’s worst roster. Yet they continue to fight, which is why they are 2-3-1 after starting 0-8. While they would be better off without a hot finish to their season draft-wise, that goes against Campbell preaches in the building. They play with heart, and they are a dangerous team for any overconfident contenders.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Tim Boyle
RB: D’Andre Swift
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond
TE: Brock Wright
OL: Taylor Decker (LT), Jonah Jenkins (LG), Evan Brown (C), Halapoulivaati Vaitai (RG), Penei Sewell (RT)
DL: Michael Brockers (LDE), Alim McNeill (NT), Nick Williams (RDE)
EDGE: Julian Okwara (WLB), Charles Harris (SLB)
ILB: Anthony Pittman (LILB), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (RILB)
CB: Ifeatu Melifonwu (LCB), Will Harris (RCB)
S: Dean Marlowe (SS), Tracy Walker III (FS)
ST: Riley Patterson (K), Jack Fox (P), Scott Daly (LS)
RS: Godwin Igwebuike (KR), Kalif Raymond (PR)
#26: e - Chicago Bears
Week 15 vs. MIN: L, 9-17 | Record: 4-10
Previous Rank: #26
That the Bears are toast is not surprising. Everyone knows it. Bears fans know it. And even the Bears’ coaching staff knows it, as reported by CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. “Many of the assistants on Bears coach Matt Nagy’s staff have already been looking for potential jobs on the college markets, and most of them are operating as if they will be seeking employment elsewhere next season, league and team sources said,” said the report. “The Bears are 4-9*, on the verge of playoff elimination** and falling short of ownership’s expectations for this season, with ownership mulling changes to the organization’s hierarchy and possible restructurings at the highest level of management.” Yes, they were missing their entire starting secondary because of COVID designations, but the only guys who even showed up against the Vikings was the defense, who made life hard for Kirk Cousins, as he passed for a career-worst 87 yards. The Bears had almost twice as many yards of offense as the Vikings, but also have three times as many turnovers. The offense, once again, was a comedy of errors, as Nagy, unsurprisingly, has no idea how to properly utilize it. Justin Fields and the offensive attack could not find the end zone until a meaningless last-second touchdown as time expired. The team committed five personal fouls, one by Nagy himself, furthering the narrative that this Bears team is in a lost path. It has been miserable for the Windy City this season, and it’s even worse for them because they don’t own a 1st round pick—that is property of the Giants as a result of the Fields trade. And along with a new head coach, they might as well get a new general manager, too. At least they have the Bulls?
*Now 4-10 | **Are now eliminated from playoff contention
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Nick Foles
RB: David Montgomery
WR: Darnell Mooney, Damiere Byrd, Marquise Goodwin
TE: Cole Kmet
OL: Teven Jenkins (LT), Cody Whitehair (LG), Sam Mustipher (C), James Daniels (RG), Germain Ifedi (RT)
DL: Angelo Blackson (LDE), Eddie Goldman (NT), Bilal Nichols (RDE)
EDGE: Bruce Irvin (WLB), Robert Quinn (SLB)
ILB: Roquan Smith (LILB), Alec Ogletree (RILB)
CB: Thomas Graham Jr. (LCB), Artie Burns (RCB)
S: Teez Tabor (SS), Eddie Jackson FS)
ST: Cairo Santos (K), Pat O’Donnell (P), Patrick Scales (LS)
RS: Khalil Herbert (KR), Damiere Byrd (PR)
#25: Atlanta Falcons
Week 15 @ SF: L, 13-31 | Record: 6-8
Previous Rank: #24
After a flattening against the 49ers in San Francisco, the Falcons are 6-8 and are well outside of the playoffs. They have been hanging around thanks to a strange parity across the league this season combined with some narrow wins against mostly mediocre competition. They have been exposed for the frauds that they really are whenever they play actual playoff contenders. The Niners are one of those playoff contenders, delivering a 31-13 blasting in an expected outcome. But despite this, Matt Ryan told reporters after the defeat that he is not ready to give up playoff hopes. “Still a chance,” he said. “‘So you’re saying there’s a chance,’ isn’t that the old movie line or whatever? Listen, I’ve said crazy things happen in this league, so we’ve got to hold up our end of the bargain and that starts next week. When we get back to Atlanta, we’ve got to find a way to have a really good week of practice, get ourselves in position to play well next Sunday and keep that narrow focus and see what happens.” He’s one that never takes no for an answer, and if there should be convincing to the contrary, here’s the evidence on the Falcons not making the playoffs: They are 24th in total offense, 26th in total defense, and haven’t beaten a team that currently has a winning record. There is the chance that they keep themselves in the playoff picture with a win over the Lions, but it’s not crazy to say that the Lions might be the better team despite a worse record. The best thing the Falcons should do is to rebuild—one that takes a look at a long-term look under center. And significantly better O-line play, where their problems lie deeper than just pass pressures.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Matt Ryan
RB: Cordarrelle Patterson
WR: Russell Gage, Olamide Zaccheaus
TE: Kyle Pitts, Hayden Hurst
OL: Jake Matthews (LT), Jalen Mayfield (LG), Matt Hennessy (C), Chris Lindstrom (RG), Kaleb McGary (RT)
DL: Mike Pennel (LDE), Tyeler Davison (NT), Grady Jarrett (RDT)
EDGE: Steven Means (WLB), Dante Fowler Jr. (SLB)
ILB: Deion Jones (LILB), Foyesade Oluokun (RILB)
CB: AJ Terrell (LCB), Fabian Moreau (RCB)
S: Duron Harmon (SS), Jaylinn Hawkins (FS)
ST: Younghoe Koo (K), Thomas Morstead (P), Josh Harris (LS)
RS: Avery Williams
#24: Seattle Seahawks
Week 15 @ LAR: L, 10-20 | Record: 5-9
Previous Rank: #22
We may be witnessing the end of an era in Seattle. Throughout his time in Seattle, Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll have combined to lead the greatest decade in franchise history, going to the playoffs eight times since Wilson’s arrival in 2012. They won the division four times, with the latest last season. They went to the Super Bowl twice, with the lone win in franchise history coming in the 2013 season. But there won’t be a trip to the Super Bowl in 2021. Neither will there be an NFC West title. Nor a playoff berth. In fact, after losing to the Rams in Week 15, there will be something that hasn’t been seen since 2011: A losing season. It’s another game showing that the Seahawks have fallen out of sync all season. The turning point came with eight minutes left in the 4th quarter, when DK Metcalf got behind Jalen Ramsey and was open for a game-tying touchdown strike. All he needed was an accurate deep ball from Wilson, the kind of QB who has perfected the deep ball in the past decade. But Wilson’s pass hung up in the air, which allowed Ramsey to get back and force an incompletion. While he has been a franchise QB, his misfire in a crucial part of the season was a microcosm of the offense as a whole this season. He is 33, and he is reportedly not happy with the state of the franchise last season. Carroll is 70 and is the oldest coach in the league. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if both will be back for another run in 2022, or even if either will. It’s sad to see, but all good things must come to an end.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Russell Wilson
RB: Rashaad Penny
WR: Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Freddie Swain
TE: Gerald Everett
OL: Duane Brown (LT), Damien Lewis (LG), Ethan Pocic (C), Gabe Jackson (RG), Jake Curhan (RT)
DE: Rasheem Green (LDE), LJ Collier (RDE)
DT: Poona Ford (LDT), Al Woods (RDT)
LB: Jordyn Brooks (WLB), Bobby Wagner (MLB), Benson Mayowa (SLB)
CB: John Reid (LCB), Sidney Jones IV (RCB)
S: Ryan Neal (SS), Quandre Diggs (FS)
ST: Jason Myers (K), Michael Dickson (P), Tyler Ott (LS)
RS: DeeJay Dallas (KR), Freddie Swain (PR)
#23: Washington Football Team
Week 15 @ PHI: L, 17-27 | Record: 6-8
Previous Rank: #19
The optimism back in September was that Ryan Fitzpatrick could be the missing piece to a playoff push in Washington. The expectation in DC was that he can take them from being the “champions” of the worst division in the league to a legit playoff threat. Unfortunately, he lasted only six pass attempts into the season before what would ultimately be a season-ending injury. The season would then be a rollercoaster where, at one point, playoff hopes were lost, but later revived, but now, have effectively died down at the hands of the Eagles in Philadelphia. And here, it was with a quarterback who hasn’t been with the team before Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen were both placed on the COVID list. And this loss sums up Washington’s 2021 season. Garrett Gilbert actually led Washington to a 10-0 lead thanks to a pair of early turnovers. He even got Washington to within three in the 4th quarter. But the same Washington defense that has been disappointing early in the season was repeatedly gashed against the run, allowing a whopping 238 yards. They were also outgained in total yardage, 519-237. They need to win out to have a chance at a return to the playoffs, which is nearly impossible for a team that is bombarded with injuries. They did show fight, but this is not a roster that can withstand injuries or a full-blown COVID outbreak. At 6-8, they’re not going anywhere except home.
On another note, Deshazor Everett was involved in a fatal single-vehicle car crash that killed the passenger of the vehicle, identified as Olivia S. Peters of Las Vegas. He was treated for injuries considered serious but non-life-threatening. Prayers up for Everett, his family, Peters, and her family.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Taylor Heinicke
RB: Antonio Gibson
WR: Terry McLaurin, DeAndre Carter, Adam Humphries
TE: Ricky Seals-Jones
OL: Charles Leno Jr. (LT), Ereck Flowers (LG), Keith Ismael (C), Saahdiq Charles (RG), Sam Cosmi (RT)
DE: James Smith-Williams (LDE), Montez Sweat (RDE)
DT: Da’Ron Payne (LDT), Jonathan Allen (RDT)
LB: Jamin Davis (LILB), David Mayo (RILB)
CB: Darryl Roberts (LCB), Danny Johnson (RCB), Kendall Fuller (NB)
S: Bobby McCain (SS), Kamren Curl (FS)
ST: Brian Johnson (K), Tress Way (P), Camaron Cheeseman (LS)
RS: DeAndre Carter
#22: Denver Broncos
Week 15 vs. CIN: L, 10-15 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #20
The Broncos’ loss to the Bengals should be a reminder of what they are: A team with a quality defense led by a defensive coach in Vic Fangio who knows how to read an opponent’s playbook. Unfortunately, teams know how to read the Broncos’ own attack, which neutralizes them. They wasted yet another great performance from the defense, who limited the Bengals to 4-of-13 on 3rd down. And thus, this leads to multiple things ending for the Broncos this season. They have a brutal schedule ahead of them and multiple teams are between them and a spot in the playoffs, so their chances of making the playoffs are likely done. And after Teddy Bridgewater suffered a scary-looking head injury that landed him in the hospital overnight, his time as the team’s starting QB may be over too. He hasn’t actually played that badly, but his same limitations that were seen last year in Charlotte have carried over to Denver. And those limitations may have capped the Broncos’ ceiling. The idea of Drew Lock stepping in to wake up the dormant offense would be an uncomfortable thought. Neither are truly long-term answers for the team under center. This has to be a focus for them this offseason, and that answer is not 2013 Peyton Manning.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Drew Lock
RB: Melvin Gordon III
WR: Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick
TE: Noah Fant
OL: Garett Bolles (LT), Dalton Risner (LG), Austin Schlottmann (C), Quinn Meinerz (RG), Bobby Massie (RT)
DL: Shelby Harris (LDL), Mike Purcell (RDL)
EDGE: Bradley Chubb (WLB), Stephen Weatherly (SLB)
ILB: Micah Kiser (LILB), Baron Browning (RILB)
CB: Ronald Darby (LCB), Pat Surtain II (RCB), Bryce Callahan (NB)
S: Kareem Jackson (SS), Justin Simmons (FS)
ST: Brandon McManus (K), Sam Martin (P), Jacob Bobenmoyer (LS)
RS: Diontae Spencer
#21: Las Vegas Raiders
Week 15 @ CLE: W, 16-14 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #25
The Raiders have been through a 2021 season filled with turmoil. Both their head coach and their former 1st round pick had to pack their bags and leave. After entering their bye week 5-2, they have lost five of their last seven games. Style points are not a thing—they needed to beat the COVID-wrecked Browns to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and they did that with a 16-14 win in Cleveland. It wasn’t pretty, but Derek Carr managed to lead the Raiders down the field in the final seconds, and Daniel Carlson was money on the target, drilling a 48-yard game-winning field goal as the clock hit triple zero. His latest crunch-time heroics came after he appeared to lose the game by throwing an interception on the Raiders’ penultimate possession. “After that interception, I told the guys, ‘Please, I promise we’ll win it—just get the ball back,’” said Carr. The defense did make that stop, and Carr kept his promise. He has taken the heat for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, but he’s also the biggest reason the Raiders have a chance to end that drought. “It’s been a long time coming to win a game like that in the end,” said interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. “We understand the situation we’re in and what the playoff race looks like.” In reality, a lot of things would have to go their favor if they want to make the playoffs, and not just the bare minimum, which would be winning out in games against the Broncos, Colts, and Chargers. Every game is a must-win game for the Sin City.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Derek Carr
RB: Josh Jacobs
WR: Hunter Renfrow, Bryan Edwards, Zay Jones
TE: Foster Moreau
OL: Kolton Miller (LT), John Simpson (LG), Andre James (C), Alex Leatherwood (RG), Brandon Parker (RT)
DE: Maxx Crosby (LDE), Yannick Ngakoue (RDE)
DT: Johnathan Hankins (LDT), Quinton Jefferson (RDT)
LB: Cory Littleton (WLB), Denzel Perryman (MLB), KJ Wright (SLB)
CB: Nate Hobbs (LCB), Casey Hayward Jr. (RCB)
S: Tyree Gillespie (SS), Tre’von Moehrig (FS)
ST: Daniel Carlson (K), AJ Cole III (P), Carson Tinker (LS)
RS: Peyton Barber (KR), Hunter Renfrow (PR)
#20: New Orleans Saints
Week 15 @ TB: W, 9-0 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #23
Throughout the season, the Saints have looked like the definition of mediocrity. Too good to be bad, but not good enough to be taken seriously. But they did one of the most surprising things this season: Sweeping the defending Super Bowl champions once again in the regular season. Granted, the Bucs lost their top two wide receivers and their top running back during the game, and Antonio Brown was also watching from his couch, serving the final game of his suspension. But with Sean Payton out with COVID, acting head coach Dennis Allen created a coaching masterpiece of a gameplan. This defensive effort by the Saints led to them becoming the first team to shut out a Tom Brady-led team since Nick Saban’s Dolphins shut out the Patriots in 2006, and the first team since 1970 to shut out the league’s top-scoring offense at said top-scoring offense’s home. It’s worthy of praise, but should the Saints be taken seriously on offense? Taysom Hill was a non-factor both as a passer and a runner. They managed just 11 first downs and had a measly 3.5 yards per play. The three field goals were there because the defense rattled Brady all game. The Saints come to compete every game, but they still need to find balance to play beyond the regular season. And with Hill and Trevor Siemian on the COVID list, can Ian Book step up for them on Monday Night? It’s also worth noting that they have also talked to Drew Brees and Philip Rivers on emergency contracts.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Ian Book
RB: Alvin Kamara
WR: Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith, Ty Montgomery
TE: Nick Vannett
OL: James Hurst (LT), Calvin Throckmorton (LG), Erik McCoy (C), Cesar Ruiz (RG), Caleb Benenoch (RT)
DE: Cameron Jordan (LDE), Marcus Davenport (RDE)
DT: David Onyemata (LDT), Shy Tuttle (RDT)
LB: Kwon Alexander (LILB), Zack Baun (RILB)
CB: Paulson Adebo (LCB), Marshon Lattimore (RCB), PJ Williams (NB)
S: Malcolm Jenkins (SS), CJ Gardner-Johnson (FS)
ST: Brett Maher (K), Blake Gillikin (P), Zach Wood (LS)
RS: Marquez Callaway
#19: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 15 vs. WSH: W, 27-17 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #21
After beating a depleted Washington team on Tuesday to get back to .500 and stay in the playoff hunt in the NFC, the Eagles have done something no team has done since the 1985 Bears: Go seven consecutive games with at least 175 rushing yards. They racked up 238 against Washington. In that span, they are 5-2. With Jalen Hurts’ return the lineup, he took care of business, running for two scores and throwing for another to keep them in the playoff picture. They took advantage of a Washington team missing five starters, including Taylor Heinicke, because of COVID. While the Eagles may not have that legendary Bears defense, they play a style of football that can translate well to December and January. They have an easy schedule that includes another game with Washington and their upcoming Week 16 match with a broken Giants team forced to start Jake Fromm. The Eagles are not without flaws, and a wild card spot is as far as they can get. But when the Cowboys come to Philly in Week 18, this could likely determine their playoff fate. The Cowboys are not without their flaws, either.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Jalen Hurts
RB: Miles Sanders
WR: DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Jalen Reagor
TE: Dallas Goedert
OL: Jordan Mailata (LT), Landon Dickerson (LG), Jason Kelce (C), Nate Herbig (RG), Lane Johnson (RT)
DE: Josh Sweat (LDE), Derek Barnett (RDE)
DT: Javon Hargrave (LDT), Fletcher Cox (RDT)
LB: Alex Singleton (WLB), TJ Edwards (MLB), Genard Avery (SLB)
CB: Darius Slay Jr. (LCB), Avonte Maddox (RCB)
S: K’Von Wallace (SS), Anthony Harris (FS)
ST: Jake Elliott (K), Arryn Siposs (P), Rick Lovato (FS)
RS: Jalen Reagor
#18: Cleveland Browns
Week 15 vs. LV: L, 14-16 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #17
It shouldn’t be all that surprising that the Browns lost to the Raiders. A COVID outbreak ravaged through the whole team, which caused them to be short on their best wide receiver, their starting and backup QB, their starting left tackle, their second-best edge rusher, their starting strong safety, and their best rookie defensive back. Kevin Stefanski was out too, which caused the game to be delayed to Monday. The defense stepped up… until Derek Carr drove the Raiders to the game-winning field goal on the final play of the game. Acting head coach Mike Priefer admitted that the loss stung. “That locker room right now is hurting,” said Priefer. “That’s the most I’ve seen it in that kind of pain. You’re upset when you lose. Obviously, you’re joyous when you win. But when you lose that type of game, that was tough.” And yes, it is painful to lose that kind of game. Because of how tight the AFC and the AFC North are, had the Browns won, they would have taken the AFC North lead. Instead, they drop down to the bottom of the division and 12th in the AFC. At 7-7 with a difficult schedule ahead, with a Week 16 date with the Packers, they are now in an uphill climb to going back to the playoffs.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Baker Mayfield
RB: Nick Chubb
WR: Jarvis Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Rashard Higgins
TE: David Njoku
OL: James Hudson III (LT), Joel Bitonio (LG), Nick Harris (C), Wyatt Teller (RG), Blake Hance (RT)
DE: Myles Garrett (LDE), Porter Gustin (RDE)
DT: Malik Jackson (LDT), Tommy Togiai (RDT)
LB: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (WLB), Anthony Walker Jr. (MLB), Sione Takitaki (SLB)
CB: Denzel Ward (LCB), Greedy Williams (RCB)
S: Grant Delpit (SS), MJ Stewart Jr. (FS)
ST: Chris Naggar (K), Dustin Colquitt (P), Charley Hughlett (LS)
RS: Demetric Felton (KR), Donovan Peoples-Jones (PR)
#17: Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 15 vs. TEN: W, 19-13 | Record: 7-6-1
Previous Rank: #18
“When you’ve got teams like this and environments like this, every game is a playoff,” said Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers upset the Titans. “It had the feel of a playoff game, physically, emotionally. I think we still have a pulse in this thing, so we’ll go from here.” Big Ben’s postgame comments where he praised his teammates for playing like they can’t afford to lose any more ugly contests only prove that the Steelers don’t know that they are a dead man walking. They rushed for just 36 yards and barely cracked over two yards per carry, and totaled just 168 yards of offense and were outgained by 150 yards. Yet they managed four takeaways and had an outstanding defensive performance. They are crashing through barricaded doors, feasting occasionally on the arm, tumbling down the hillside, only to get back up on the quest for the playoffs. Long story short, the Steelers are a zombie. There’s nothing pretty about them, but what they’re doing is demanding to be taken seriously. And with the Ravens losing, the Steelers are just a half-game out of the division lead, but they’re now heading into a three-game gauntlet that starts in Kansas City before what could possibly be Big Ben’s home finale against the Browns and ending with a trip to Baltimore.
Also worth noting is that the Steelers arranged for Pressley Harvin III’s family to attend the game, including his father. While the Steelers won, Harvin’s father unfortunately passed away on Christmas morning because of a terminal illness. He has decided to take some time off and will not play against the Chiefs. Our deepest condolences go to him and his family.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Najee Harris
WR: Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, Ray-Ray McCloud
TE: Zach Gentry
OL: Dan Moore Jr. (LT), Joe Haeg (LG), Kendrick Green (C), Trai Turner (RG), Chukwuma Okorafor (RT)
DL: Carlos Davis (LDL), Cameron Heyward (RDL)
EDGE: TJ Watt (WLB), Alex Highsmith (SLB)
ILB: Robert Spillane (LILB), Joe Schobert (RILB)
CB: Joe Haden (LCB), Cam Sutton (RCB), Tre Norwood (NB)
S: Terrell Edmunds (SS), Minkah Fitzpatrick (FS)
ST: Chris Boswell (K), Corliss Waitman (P), Christian Kuntz (LS)
RS: Ray-Ray McCloud
#16: Minnesota Vikings
Week 15 @ CHI: W, 17-9 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #16
If the season ended today, the Vikings would be in the playoffs. After beating the Bears, the Vikings have won two straight games and four of their last six to get to 7-7 and take the NFC’s 7th seed. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they didn’t look a lot like a playoff team. Kirk Cousins was facing a Bears team that had some of their starters, including their entire starting secondary, depleted by COVID. Instead, he struggled mightily, even though he improved his woeful record on Monday Night Football. Despite his two touchdown passes, he threw for a career-low 87 yards and completed half of his passes. The offense as a whole tallied just 193 yards. While it may have been enough to beat the lowly Bears, his performance now marks consecutive subpar performances from Cousins, who needs to play better if he wants to take the Vikings to the playoffs. The Rams come next, followed by a trip to Green Bay. Unless if they figure things out, their time on the right side of playoff contention is going to be cut short.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Alexander Mattison
WR: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, KJ Osborn
TE: Tyler Conklin
OL: Christian Darrisaw (LT), Ezra Cleveland (LG), Garrett Bradbury (C), Oli Udoh (RG), Brian O’Neill (RT)
DE: DJ Wonnum (LDE), Patrick Jones II (RDE)
DT: Michael Pierce (LDT), Dalvin Tomlinson (RDT)
LB: Nick Vigil (WLB), Eric Kendricks (MLB), Anthony Barr (SLB)
CB: Patrick Peterson (LCB), Cameron Dantzler (RCB)
S: Harrison Smith (SS), Xavier Woods (FS)
ST: Greg Joseph (K), Jordan Berry (P), Andrew DePaola (LS)
RS: Kene Nwangwu (KR), Dede Westbrook (PR)
#15: Baltimore Ravens
Week 15 vs. GB: L, 30-31 | Record: 8-6
Previous Rank: #13
Analytics have completely taken over football. That has reached an apex when the Ravens lost their second game in three weeks on a final-minute two-point conversion attempt that went sideways, losing their third straight game. In a way, it was understandable again. They played their game against the Packers without Lamar Jackson and were ravaged by injuries in the defensive backfield. But because there were 42 seconds left on the clock and the Packers had one timeout, had the Ravens made the conversion, one can say it would still leave too much time on the clock for Aaron Rodgers to lead a game-winning drive for a Mason Crosby field goal. John Harbaugh was not in the mood for second-guessing. “We were just trying to go get the win right there,” said Harbaugh. “I think our chances of winning right there were a little bit higher than in overtime, maybe, if you calculate it out.” Analytics people would agree with him. At the very best, had those two-point conversions been successful, the Ravens would be sitting at 10-4 and fight for the top seed in the AFC. But now they’re 8-6 and are fighting for their playoff lives ahead of a rematch with a Bengals team that smacked them 41-17 in Week 7. Jackson’s durability is becoming a concern this season and his defense is constantly failing him. When he’s healthy, the Ravens are a good team, not a great team.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Josh Johnson
RB: Devonta Freeman
WR: Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman, Miles Boykin
TE: Mark Andrews
OL: Alejandro Villanueva (LT), Ben Cleveland (LG), Bradley Bozeman (C), Kevin Zeitler (RG), Tyre Phillips (RT)
DL: Broderick Washington (LDE), Brandon Williams (NT), Calais Campbell (RDE)
EDGE: Tyus Bowser (WLB), Odafe Oweh (SLB)
ILB: Josh Bynes (LILB), Patrick Queen (RILB)
CB: Anthony Averett (LCB), Tavon Young (RCB)
S: Chuck Clark (SS), Brandon Stephens (FS)
ST: Justin Tucker (K), Sam Koch (P), Nick Moore (LS)
RS: James Proche II
#14: Tennessee Titans
Week 15 @ PIT: L, 13-19 | Record: 9-5
Previous Rank: #9
By looking at most of the stats, one would say that the Titans handled the Steelers easily. They almost doubled them in yards, held them to roughly two yards per carry, and allowed fewer than 170 yards of offense. Yet they ended up with a six-point loss because of four turnovers, including three in the 4th quarter. And considering what they did before the game, there is only one conclusion: Only bad things happen when teams step on the midfield logo. This is the end result. Ryan Tannehill admitted that the turnovers put them in a precarious spot. “It has to be cleaned up,” he told reporters. “Obviously, if you turn the ball over as many times as we did, you’re going to put yourself in a tough position.” Julio Jones even left the game with a hamstring injury after not even making one reception. They’re still first in their division, but they’re falling apart. They lost three of their last four, and their lone win was against the two-win Jaguars. Injuries and mistakes are piling up on this team. The absences of Derrick Henry and AJ Brown loom large. In the last month, they are averaging fewer than 15 points per game. The question is if Henry and Brown will truly fix the Titans. They’ve actually ran the ball will in Henry’s absence, largely in part with D’Onta Foreman’s strong play, but pass protection failures and Tannehill’s inability to make big plays downfield are glaring problems. They have two games left against teams that are .500 or better, so their division might not really be locked up like people previously thought weeks ago.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Ryan Tannehill
RB: D’Onta Foreman
WR: AJ Brown, Julio Jones, Chester Rogers
TE: Geoff Swaim
OL: Kendall Lamm (LT), Aaron Brewer (LG), Ben Jones (C), Nate Davis (RG), David Quessenberry (RT)
DL: Jeffery Simmons (LDE), Teair Tart (NT), Denico Autry (RDE)
EDGE: Harold Landry (WLB), Bud Dupree (SLB)
ILB: Jayon Brown (LILB), Zach Cunningham (RILB)
CB: Janoris Jenkins (LCB), Kristian Fulton (RCB)
S: Amani Hooker (SS), Kevin Byard (FS)
ST: Randy Bullock (K), Brett Kern (P), Morgan Cox (LS)
RS: Dontrell Hilliard (KR), Chester Rogers (PR)
#13: Cincinnati Bengals
Week 15 @ DEN: W, 15-10 | Record: 8-6
Previous Rank: #14
Some games are shootouts where the scoring comes very often. This game was not one of those games. But to have success in the NFL, sometimes, you’re going to have to win ugly. The Bengals did that, jumping to the top of the AFC North in the process. Neither team was able to his 300 yards of total offense or even 20 first downs, but after snagging the W, Joe Burrow talked about his team’s ability to find ways to win. “We have great players that can make plays, whenever they’re there,” he said. “We didn’t make as many plays as maybe we would have liked, but we got the job done.” Yes, the AFC North is very unpredictable, and so is the AFC, but Burrow’s 56-yard touchdown strike to Tyler Boyd should be a turning point to their season. The offense was sleeping before the 3rd quarter strike, and it allowed them to escape with the win that kept their playoff hopes alive and well. They look like the best team in the AFC North, but they are a flawed team, and the constant logjam that is their division shows how every team is not perfect. One area stands out: Burrow is the most sacked QB in the league. The Broncos blitzed on 7.8% of Burrow’s dropbacks, their lowest rate of the season, yet the Bengals gave up three sacks and Burrow was pressured on 41.4% of his dropbacks. Their sack rate of 9.1% ranks 30th in the NFL. They have the offensive skill talent to challenge anyone in the AFC, but they have a hard ceiling on what they can do down the stretch if they can’t keep Burrow upright.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Joe Burrow
RB: Joe Mixon
WR: Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd
TE: CJ Uzomah
OL: Jonah Williams (LT), Quinton Spain (LG), Trey Hopkins (C), Hakeem Adeniji (RG), Isaiah Prince (RT)
DE: Sam Hubbard (LDE), Trey Hendrickson (RDE)
DT: BJ Hill (LDT), Larry Ogunjobi (RDT)
LB: Germaine Pratt (LILB), Markus Bialey (RILB)
CB: Trae Waynes (LCB), Eli Apple (RCB), Mike Hilton (NB)
S: Vonn Bell (SS), Jessie Bates III (FS)
ST: Evan McPherson (K), Kevin Huber (P), Clark Harris (LS)
RS: Stanley Morgan (KR), Tyler Boyd (PR)
#12: Miami Dolphins
Week 15 vs. NYJ: W, 31-24 | Record: 7-7
Previous Rank: #15
Halfway through the 2021 season, playoffs looked like a pipe dream for the Dolphins. But now it’s a very different story. They have now won six straight games after downing the Jets and have gotten back to .500. Playoffs are absolutely in play given their positive momentum. They are now just the second team to get to 7-7 after starting 1-7. They didn’t get a lot of style points, spotting a bad Jets team 10 points to open the game, and the offense was led by a running back that was in the practice squad before the game. But Duke Johnson made the most of his opportunity for his hometown team, topping 100 yards on the ground, scoring twice and was praised by Tua Tagovailoa. “The O-line did a great job today up front with creating those opportunities for Duke to find a hole and hit it and find ways to bounce the ball and have Duke be himself,” said Tua. “That’s how he was his entire career, and I’m glad we were able to witness that today.” Whether they can hang in with other AFC playoff teams is debatable, but a six-game winning streak coming off a seven-game losing streak shows that the Fins are a resilient and well-coached team. Other teams would have thrown the towel. Naysayers would say that their last five opponents have a combined record of 26-58. While the winning streak has wins over the Texans, Panthers, Giants, and Jets (twice), but what stands out from the winning spree is their primetime win over the Ravens. Their remaining three games are against playoff-caliber teams in the Saints, Titans, and Patriots. However, these three teams should not take the Fins lightly, because as of right now, outside of the Chiefs, the Fins are the hottest team in the NFL.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Tua Tagovailoa
RB: Myles Gaskin
WR: Jaylen Waddle, DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson
TE: Mike Gesicki
OL: Liam Eichenberg (LT), Austin Jackson (LG), Michael Deiter (C), Robert Hunt (RG), Jesse Davis (RT)
DL: Emmanuel Ogbah (LDE), Raekwon Davis (NT), Christian Wilkins (RDE)
EDGE: Andrew Van Ginkel (WLB), Jaelan Phillips (SLB)
ILB: Elandon Roberts (LILB), Jerome Baker (RILB)
CB: Xavien Howard (LCB), Byron Jones (RCB)
S: Eric Rowe (SS), Jevon Holland (FS)
ST: Jason Sanders (K), Michael Palardy (P), Blake Ferguson (LS)
RS: Jaylen Waddle
#11: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 15 vs. KC: L, 28-34 (OT) | Record: 8-6
Previous Rank: #8
The Chargers had the chance to take first place in the AFC West with a win over the Chiefs. They couldn’t get that opportunity, and some blamed Brandon Staley’s decision to go for it on 4th down three times inside field goal range. Staley dismissed the criticisms. “The real football people understand that what I’m doing is playing to the strengths of our football team,” said Staley. “What I’m doing is I’m trying to make the decisions that I think are going to win us the game. And I’m ready to live with all that smoke that comes with it. And I’ve been very transparent about that.” There is one question: Is there a thing in believing in your guys… too much? The decisions didn’t pay off, as two trips inside the five ended with incompletions on 4th down, and another ended with a goal-line fumble. More conservative decision-making from Staley would likely have avoided the fate the Chargers got in their OT loss, but he does have a vision. “That’s the way we’re going to play around here,” he added postgame. “…With a quarterback like ours, with an offense, like ours, that’s how we’re going to play.” The analytics crowd is going to like his aggressiveness, but there’s a thin line between aggressive and reckless, and what was shown was recklessness with 4th down calls. They’re now essentially out of the running for the AFC West title, and their margin for error is very thin.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Justin Herbert
RB: Justin Jackson
WR: Keenan Allen, Josh Palmer
TE: Jared Cook, Stephen Anderson
OL: Rashawn Slater (LT), Matt Feiler (LG), Scott Quessenberry (C), Michael Schofield III (RG), Storm Norton (RT)
DL: Jerry Tillery (LDL), Linval Joseph (RDL)
EDGE: Emeke Egbule (WLB), Uchenna Nwosu (SLB)
ILB: Drue Tranquill (LILB), Kyzir White (RILB)
CB: Chris Harris Jr. (LCB), Michael Davis (RCB), Asante Samuel Jr. (NB)
S: Derwin James Jr. (SS), Nasir Adderley (FS)
ST: Dustin Hopkins (K), Ty Long (P), Matt Overton (LS)
RS: Nasir Adderley
#10: San Francisco 49ers
Week 15 vs. ATL: W, 31-13 | Record: 8-6
Previous Rank: #12
The 49ers are not going to win the NFC West. They are two games behind the Cardinals with three games to play, and they lost both meetings with them. But they are also starting to look like the team in the NFC that nobody wants to see in the wild card round. They took care of business against a slumping Falcons team, pulling off five wins in six games to work their way to the 6th seed in the NFC. They are playing their kind of football, one they are used to doing at a high level: ground and pound football. Despite injuries at the position, they rank 7th in the league in rushing, and have a solid group of running backs that can rack up yards for them, led by 6th round rookie Elijah Mitchell, who has been filling in nicely for the injured Raheem Mostert. Don’t sleep on the 2nd half surge of Jimmy Garoppolo—he has posted the 4th-best QBR in the NFL since Week 8, playing efficiently, and having no shortage of passing game weapons with him. He has cut down on his mistakes and found chemistry with George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk, and has stayed healthy. These are all key factors in the Niners finding their footing. It’s all under the radar, but they are 6th in the league in both total defense and pass defense. While this style of football is old-fashioned, it’s a recipe for playoff success. Trey Lance still remains the future of the Niners, but Garoppolo is still taking advantage of his moment in time, no matter how much it is dwindling.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo
RB: Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB), Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
WR: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk
TE: George Kittle
OL: Trent Williams (LT), Laken Tomlinson (LG), Alex Mack (C), Daniel Brunskill (RG), Tom Compton (RT)
DE: Arik Armstead (LDE), Nick Bosa (RDE)
DT: Kentavius Street (LDT), DJ Jones (RDT)
LB: Azeez Al-Shaair (LILB), Fred Warner (RILB)
CB: Deommodore Lenoir (LCB), Josh Norman (RCB), K’Waun Williams (NB)
S: Jaquiski Tartt (SS), Jimmie Ward (FS)
ST: Robbie Gould (K), Mitch Wishnowsky (P), Taybor Pepper (LS)
RS: Trenton Cannon (KR), Brandon Aiyuk (PR)
#9: Buffalo Bills
Week 15 vs. CAR: W, 31-14 | Record: 8-6
Previous Rank: #11
At the start of the season, the Bills looked like one of the favorites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVI. Three losses in four games later, they entered Week 15 clinging on to the last seed in the AFC. They badly needed a strong all-around effort, and they got that. Granted, it was against a Panthers team that looked worse every week, but instead of stumbling, they took care of business by three touchdowns against an easily beatable opponent to snap a two-game losing streak. Josh Allen showed no signs of slowing down from his sprained foot suffered in the Week 14 loss to the Buccaneers, and Gabriel Davis continued his upward trend with two touchdowns and 85 receiving yards. The win, combined with a Patriots loss to the Colts, puts the AFC East title back in play and it turns up the stakes for the showdown at Gillette Stadium. Allen told reporters after the game that the focus is already on that matchup. “We’re just trying to find ways to win games, and we did that today,” said Allen. “We’re going to need that going forward. We all know who we have next week. It’s no secret.” Next week, either the AFC East will either be wide open or all but decided. But for the Bills, they’re going to have to beat the Pats, then take care of business against the Falcons and Jets to end off their frustrating regular season to possibly win the AFC East and have a home playoff game. Will they do it?
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Josh Allen
RB: Devin Singletary
WR: Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, Isaiah McKenzie
TE: Dawson Knox
OL: Dion Dawkins (LT), Ike Boettger (LG), Mitch Morse (C), Daryl Williams (RG), Spencer Brown (RT)
DE: Gregory Rousseau (LDE), Jerry Hughes (RDE)
DT: Harrison Phillips (LDT), Ed Oliver (RDT)
LB: Matt Milano (WLB), Tremaine Edmunds (MLB), AJ Klein (SLB)
CB: Taron Johnson (LCB), Levi Wallace (RCB)
S: Jordan Poyer (SS), Micah Hyde (FS)
ST: Tyler Bass (K), Matt Haack (P), Reid Ferguson (LS)
RS: Isaiah McKenzie
#8: Indianapolis Colts
Week 15 vs. NE: W, 27-17 | Record: 8-6
Previous Rank: #10
Jonathan Taylor is a legitimate MVP candidate. The second-year running back entered the Saturday Night contest leading the NFL in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. While he was mostly held in check for his first 28 carries, the 29th was a 67-yard touchdown that salted away the game to elevate the Colts to 8-6. Frank Reich is committed to the run down the stretch, which could be a possible showing of a lack of faith in Carson Wentz after he threw an ugly interception early in the 4th quarter. His ability to come through when it matters is uncertain at best, but they still have Taylor, a special talent who can carry the team on his back. They can control the tempo of the game with a dominant offensive line and the league’s best active running back. The defense has tied for the league lead in takeaways, and while Wentz didn’t put up huge stats, outside of the ugly interception, he hasn’t made a lot of mistakes. They’re now the team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs. The only regulation loss they suffered since Week 3 was a competitive effort against the Buccaneers, where they scored 31 points. This team can easily scare anyone.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Carson Wentz
RB: Jonathan Taylor
WR: Michael Pittman Jr., TY Hilton, Ashton Dulin
TE: Jack Doyle
OL: Eric Fisher (LT), Chris Reed (LG), Danny Pinter (C), Matt Pryor (RG), Braden Smith (RT)
DE: Kwity Paye (LDE), Al-Quadin Muhammad (RDE)
DT: DeForest Buckner (LDT), Grover Stewart (RDT)
LB: EJ Speed (WLB), Bobby Okereke (MLB), Zaire Franklin (SLB)
CB: Kenny Moore II (LCB), Xavier Rhodes (RCB)
S: Jahleel Addae (SS), George Odum (FS)
ST: Michael Badgley (K), Rigoberto Sanchez (P), Luke Rhodes (LS)
RS: Isaiah Rodgers (KR), Nyheim Hines (PR)
#7: Arizona Cardinals
Week 15 @ DET: L, 12-30 | Record: 10-4
Previous Rank: #3
After watching the Lions dominate the Cardinals, a revelation has been reached: The 2021 Cardinals are this year’s version of the 2020 Steelers. What happened in Motown was easily the most surprising upset of the season. The Lions didn’t just beat the Cardinals. They squashed them. The Cardinals were outplayed and outcoached in every facet—offense, defense, and special teams. Kyler Murray admitted as much after the game. “They were hungrier than us,” he said. “They played harder than us. We didn’t come prepared at all, and it showed.” This is now their 4th loss in their last seven games after their 7-0 start. Thus, brings up these questions: Did they look past an inferior opponent? Has the offense become limited without DeAndre Hopkins? Did the Cardinals peak at the wrong time? These are all fair questions to ask as they are in danger of losing their grip on the NFC West. They’re not going to miss the playoffs, but this game was their 4th with a playoff spot on the line, and they are still searching for a win in that category. It’s hard to take this team seriously anymore after this game—they’re collapsing in December for the second year in a row. With the Rams on the rise, it’s hard to imagine the Cardinals even reaching the NFC Championship Game, let alone the Super Bowl.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Kyler Murray
RB: Chase Edmonds
WR: AJ Green, Christian Kirk, Antoine Wesley
TE: Zach Ertz
OL: DJ Humphries (LT), Justin Pugh (LG), Max Garcia (C), Josh Jones (RG), Kelvin Beachum (RT)
DL: Michael Dogbe (LDE), Corey Peters (NT), Zach Allen (RDE)
EDGE: Chandler Jones (WLB), Markus Golden (SLB)
ILB: Jordan Hicks (LILB), Isaiah Simmons (RILB)
CB: Byron Murphy Jr. (LCB), Marco Wilson (RCB)
S: Jalen Thompson (SS), Budda Baker (FS)
ST: Matt Prater (K), Andy Lee (P), Beau Brinkley (LS)
RS: Eno Benjamin (KR), Christian Kirk (PR)
#6: New England Patriots
Week 15 @ IND: L, 17-27 | Record: 9-5
Previous Rank: #5
The seven-game winning streak is now a memory after multiple mistakes and breakdowns in fundamentals that led to the Pats’ 27-17 loss to the Colts. While they actually outgained the Colts by 90 yards, held Jonathan Taylor in check for most of the night, and limited Carson Wentz to just 57 passing yards, but Taylor got the last laugh in the end with a 67-yard score that sealed the game. Mac Jones threw a pair of costly interceptions, one in the red zone. The Pats even had a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by EJ Speed. The defense failed to capitalize on turnover opportunities. It was an ugly loss, but there is something about their 4th quarter comeback attempt that had them score 17 points and gave the Colts a run for their money. Jones was precise in the comeback attempt, and the defense took over the game… until Taylor’s touchdown. The Pats still have a one-game lead over the Bills for the AFC East, but their Week 16 showdown in Gillette Stadium is now a much bigger game. The division is up for grabs, but they will hope that the playoff-type atmosphere will benefit Jones should they end up in the playoffs. Week 16 will be the rookie’s biggest test of his young career.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Mac Jones
RB: Damien Harris
WR: Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne
TE: Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith
OL: Isaiah Wynn (LT), Ted Karras (LG), David Andrews (C), Shaq Mason (RG), Trent Brown (RT)
DE: Christian Barmore (LDE), Davon Godchaux (NT), Lawrence Guy (RDE)
EDGE: Matt Judon (WLB), Kyle Van Noy (SLB)
ILB: Dont’a Hightower (LILB), Ja’Whaun Bentley (RILB)
CB: JC Jackson (LCB), Jalen Mills (RCB)
S: Kyle Dugger (SS), Devin McCourty (FS)
ST: Nick Folk (K), Jake Bailey (P), Joe Cardona (LS)
RS: Gunner Olszewski
#5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 15 vs. NO: L, 0-9 | Record: 10-4
Previous Rank: #2
The Buccaneers entered Week 15 seeking to keep up pace with the Packers and Cardinals in the top of the NFC. Like the Cardinals, the Bucs faltered. But this loss for the Bucs is arguably worse than the one the Cardinals suffered. It’s not just that they lost, or that they were shut out. The offense didn’t score a point, largely because Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Leonard Fournette were all injured during the game. It also didn’t help that Antonio Brown was serving the final game of his suspension. Sometimes, there will be curveballs to get us off track, and that’s what happened here. It put the Bucs’ first round bye hopes in serious doubt. This was the first time in 15 years in which a Tom Brady-led team was shut out. It left him frustrated and visibly angry, where he smashed a Microsoft Surface tablet in the 4th quarter. He didn’t make excuses after the game. “Just a tough night. Didn’t do much of anything right,” said Brady. “I wish it was just one thing. It was a lot of things. We just didn’t play well enough. We’re not going to win scoring no points.” The loss isn’t going to prevent them from winning the NFC South, but bad news got worse when further tests showed that Godwin tore his ACL. Evans and Fournette’s futures are uncertain. These injuries are going to make a huge impact on the Bucs’ chances to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The return of Brown has essentially went from luxury to necessity because of this.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Ronald Jones II
WR: Antonio Brown, Tyler Johnson
TE: Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate
OL: Donovan Smith (LT), Ali Marpet (LG), Ryan Jensen (C), Alex Cappa (RG), Tristan Wirfs (RT)
DL: Ndamukong Suh (LDE), Vita Vea (NT), William Gholston (RDE)
EDGE: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (WLB), Shaquil Barrett (SLB)
ILB: Devin White (LILB), Lavonte David (RILB)
CB: Carlton Davis (LCB), Sean Murphy-Bunting (RCB)
S: Andrew Adams (SS), Jordan Whitehead (FS)
ST: Ryan Succop (K), Bradley Pinion (P), Zach Triner (LS)
RS: Tyler Johnson (KR), Scotty Miller (PR)
#4: Dallas Cowboys
Week 15 @ NYG: W, 21-6 | Record: 10-4
Previous Rank: #7
The Cowboys have essentially become what the Chiefs have been this season: A team filled with star players on offense, but the ones doing most of the work is the defense. But they have just about sealed up the NFC East. They made short work of an overmatched Giants team. The wildest part of it is that they have won three straight games without especially playing well on offense. Dak Prescott and the offense continued to look pedestrian, which left it to the defense to do the heavy work. Dan Quinn’s group accepted the challenge, forcing four turnovers for the 3rd straight week. The stats show an opportunistic defense: They lead the league in interceptions, with 23, and are tied for first in takeaways, with 31. That’s not to say the offense played badly, but Dak Prescott admitted after the game that the offense hasn’t matched the defense’s success. “It’s definitely frustrating, as I said, the defense is doing a great job giving us the ball, giving us the ball in plus territory, and we’ve got to find a way to get it to the end zone,” said Prescott. “Simple as that, and I’m sure we’ll do that.” They’re quite possibly the hardest contender to figure out. Should the offensive inconsistencies continue to the playoffs, they can easily be a one-and-done team. But if the offense, loaded with talent, plays up to its level the way the defense has been, they could go all the way. But there’s no road to the Super Bowl until the offense can find its groove.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
WR: CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup
TE: Dalton Schultz
OL: Terence Steele (LT), Connor Williams (LG), Tyler Biadasz (C), Zack Martin (RG), La’el Collins (RT)
DE: DeMarcus Lawrence (LDE), Randy Gregory (RDE)
DT: Neville Gallimore (LDT), Carlos Watkins (RDT)
LB: Leighton Vander Esch (WLB), Keanu Neal (MLB), Micah Parsons (SLB)
CB: Anthony Brown (LCB), Trevon Diggs (RCB)
S: Jayron Kearse (SS), Damontae Kazee (FS)
ST: Greg Zuerlein (K), Bryan Anger (P), Jake McQuaide (LS)
RS: Tony Pollard (KR), CeeDee Lamb (PR)
#3: Los Angeles Rams
Week 15 vs. SEA: W, 20-10 | Record: 10-4
Previous Rank: #6
There were times when the Rams looked like a team that can play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium. There have also been times when they have looked like a team that would struggle to win a playoff game. Their win over the Seahawks showed instances of both. But to their credit, in a week where so many contenders stumbled, including their division rivals in the Cardinals, Matt Stafford and co. took care of business to move to a first place tie with the Redbirds at the top of the division, overcoming COVID hell in the process. The star of the show, once again, was Cooper Kupp, who caught nine passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, setting the Rams’ single-season record of 122 receptions this season. The Offensive Player of the Year award should come down to him and Jonathan Taylor. Credit should also be given to the defense, who held Russell Wilson to just 156 yards in a must-win game for the Seahawks. Winning the NFC West, however, won’t be easy, even if the Cardinals are doing another one of their December disappearing acts. Starting with their Week 16 trip to Minnesota, the Rams close out with three games against teams that would be in the playoffs should the season end today. The Week 18 match with the 49ers also has massive stakes for both sides.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Matt Stafford
RB: Sony Michel
WR: Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Van Jefferson
TE: Tyler Higbee
OL: Tremayne Anchrum Jr. (LT), David Edwards (LG), Coleman Shelton (C), Austin Corbett (RG), Rob Havenstein (RT)
DL: A’Shawn Robinson (LDE), Greg Gaines (NT), Aaron Donald (RDE)
EDGE: Leonard Floyd (WLB), Von Miller (SLB)
ILB: Ernest Jones (LILB), Troy Reeder (RILB)
CB: Darious Williams (LCB), Jalen Ramsey (RCB)
S: Jordan Fuller (SS), Taylor Rapp (FS)
ST: Matt Gay (K), Johnny Hekker (P), Matt Orzech (LS)
RS: Brandon Powell (KR), Cooper Kupp (PR)
#2: Kansas City Chiefs
Week 15 @ LAC: W, 34-28 (OT) | Record: 10-4
Previous Rank: #4
In avenging their Week 3 loss to the Chargers, the Chiefs pulled off their 7th straight win and opened a two-game lead over the Bolts in the AFC West, and once again appear to be the team to beat in the AFC. The star of the show was Travis Kelce, and even though he rarely performed like a dominant force this season, his re-emergence in this game as a game-changer was an early Christmas present for Chiefs Kingdom. He lit up the Chargers for a career-high 191 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches, which included his game-winner. It ended his mini-slump, although Andy Reid told reporters that the notion that Kelce was slipping was foolish as those who were wondering if the Chiefs were in trouble when they were 3-4. “Everybody is talking about him losing a step. He looked fast to me,” said Reid. “His endurance down the stretch for an elder statesman—he’s not over the hill—his acceleration is something.” The win moved the Chiefs one step closer to their 6th straight AFC West title and it showed more evidence that the dormant offense woke up at the right time. In a season where people are trying to figure out which team is a true contender and which one is not, the Chiefs and the Packers may be the only two elite teams in the league. Reid’s squad is on a roll, having won seven straight games. The mistakes made earlier in the season are dissipating, and both the offense and defense are playing well. Another season, another instance of the Chiefs being the team to beat.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Patrick Mahomes II
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
WR: Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle
TE: Blake Bell
OL: Orlando Brown Jr. (LT), Joe Thuney (LG), Creed Humphrey (C), Trey Smith (RG), Andrew Wylie (RT)
DE: Chris Jones (LDE), Frank Clark (RDE)
DT: Jarran Reed (LDT), Derrick Nnadi (RDT)
LB: Melvin Ingram III (WLB), Anthony Hitchens (MLB), Willie Gay (SLB)
CB: Charvarius Ward (LCB), L’Jarius Sneed (RCB)
S: Tyrann Mathieu (SS), Juan Thornhill (FS)
ST: Elliott Fry (K), Johnny Townsend (P), James Winchester (LS)
RS: Byron Pringle (KR), Mike Hughes (PR)
#1: xy - Green Bay Packers
Week 15 @ BAL: W, 31-30 | Record: 11-3
Previous Rank: #1
Once again, the Packers are the kings of the north. By way of their wild win over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, they have taken a third straight NFC North title. It left Aaron Rodgers in a triumphant mood postgame. “I think at moments like this, it’s important, as much as you win with class, you have to savor these a little bit. These are special,” said Rodgers. “I think it’s important to keep that perspective on how special accomplishing this is three years in a row.” The defense has been consistently playing at top 10 level for most of this season, so they get a pass for almost allowing a 4th quarter comeback that nearly had Tyler Huntley and the Ravens escaping with a dramatic win. The Packers got the defensive stop they needed on Huntley’s two-point attempt. Rodgers is now on the driver’s seat for his 4th MVP award, and his 2nd in as many years. He has three touchdown passes in this game and has been the league’s best quarterback the past month. But there’s more: By way of the Cardinals and the Buccaneers losing, the Packers are now the only 11-win team in the NFL. That would potentially mean having Wild Card Weekend off and the road to Super Bowl LVI going through Titletown. They may not be the most talented team in the league, but they have been the most consistent team, and when Rodgers is under center, every game should be a winnable game.
Week 16 Projected Starters
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Aaron Jones
WR: Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Equanimeous St. Brown
TE: Josiah Deguara
OL: Yosh Nijman (LT), Jon Runyan (LG), Lucas Patrick (C), Royce Newman (RG), Dennis Kelly (RT)
DL: Dean Lowry (LDE), Kenny Clark (NT), Tyler Lancaster (RDE)
EDGE: Preston Smith (WLB), Rashan Gary (SLB)
ILB: De’Vondre Campbell (LILB), Krys Barnes (RILB)
CB: Eric Stokes (LCB), Rasul Douglas (RCB)
S: Adrian Amos (SS), Darnell Savage Jr. (FS)
ST: Mason Crosby (K), Corey Bojorquez (P), Steven Wirtel (LS)
RS: Amari Rodgers
Comentários