Another week, another full slate of NFL action nearly in the books. And Week 15 has already been chock-full of drama, from Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams finally delivering a big-play showcase and the Dallas Cowboys halting the Bryce Young hype train to the Houston Texans blanking Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins, throwing a wrench into the AFC playoff picture with less than a month to go.
Here are some of Sunday’s biggest winners and losers:
The Washington Commanders star looked like an Offensive Rookie of the Year again, leading his squad in both passing and rushing to guide a tight win despite also absorbing eight sacks from the New Orleans Saints’ front. With close to 300 scrimmage yards, he was the heartbeat of Washington’s must-win matchup, keeping the Commanders firmly in the wild-card race with his trademark fluid athleticism.
Loser: The Dolphins offense
Tua Tagovailoa. Tyreek Hill. Mike McDaniel. Take your pick; every major hand in the Miami Dolphins’ offense failed to step up in a do-or-die situation against a Houston Texans squad that’s taken its own share of lumps this year. And that’s not accounting for, say, general manager Chris Grier, who assembled their shoddy front. Tagovailoa and Co. threatened a comeback wild-card bid with video-game-like stats in recent weeks, but once again, pressed to deliver in the clutch, they showed they don’t deserve the playoffs.
Winner: The Eagles offense
Saquon Barkley didn’t break off any crazy runs against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it didn’t matter, because the Jalen Hurts-led passing game got all the way back on track, despite the off-field hubbub in the lead-up to the matchup. A.J. Brown once again made all the layups over the middle, and DeVonta Smith also shined moving the chains with a heavy workload. It was a total package despite an early turnover on a Hurts fumble, confirming the Birds as a legitimate contender, now 12-2 on the year.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has gutted through ankle injuries before, even hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the same postseason he hobbled through an AFC title game. But he was once again limping heavily at the end of the Chiefs’ Week 15 win over the Cleveland Browns, this time forcing backup Carson Wentz into action. K.C. has already lived on the margins for much of 2024, and now the club’s star quarterback may have to weather pain — or turn the keys over to Wentz — while trying to retain the No. 1 seed.
Lamar Jackson did his very best to get back in this race for the Baltimore Ravens, tossing five touchdowns in a rout of the New York Giants, but the Buffalo Bills’ best player showed up for a second straight road game, this time against the powerhouse Detroit Lions, and lit up Aaron Glenn’s defense, not only through the air with more than 360 yards but a couple of scores as a runner. The Lions clawed back to make things close late, but Allen’s dominance made it so that Motown had too deep a hole to overcome.
Loser: Dan Campbell
We all know that the Lions coach is aggressive, and oftentimes, his approach pays off, in part because his lineup is simply too talented to stop. On Sunday, though, he was particularly unorthodox, electing to try an onside kick while trailing by 10 points with 12 minutes still to go in the fourth quarter against Buffalo. He couldn’t have foreseen Mack Hollins returning the kick 38 yards to the 5-yard line, setting up an immediate Bills score, but still, it was a curious call that arguably set the Lions back in their comeback efforts.
Bo Nix didn’t have a fantastic day under center, throwing three picks for Sean Payton’s offense. But Denver found a way to come back and beat the Indianapolis Colts handily. All of a sudden, Denver is now at 9-5 on the season, squarely in second place in the AFC West after the Los Angeles Chargers fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nix is well on his way to starting a playoff game as Payton’s first-year signal-caller.
