The season is getting shorter, the stakes are getting higher, and the on-field deeds are getting even more heroic for some. Last week, Josh Allen passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns with another 78 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the Bills’ 39-34 victory against the Bengals. He’s the first player in NFL history with at least 250 passing yards, 75 rushing yards, three touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in two career games!

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns against the Cardinals, becoming the fourth quarterback all-time with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions in seven games within a single season.

Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had seven receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 37-9 victory at Atlanta, giving him 89 receptions for 1,428 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions this season and making him the sixth player in NFL history with at least 85 receptions, 1,400 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches through a player’s first 13 games of a season.

Myles Garrett had three tackles for loss and a sack against the Titans, giving him 20 sacks for the season and 31 tackles for loss. He needs nine TFLs for the most by a single player since 2000, and three sacks to break the single season record.

There is still a lot to play for, as for just the third time since 2002 no teams have clinched a playoff berth before Week 15. Can this week’s slate of games produce as many magical moments as last week, and can the first playoff teams punch their postseason tickets?

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GAMES OF THE WEEK

Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) @ Denver Broncos (11-2)

If the season ended today, these two sides would be the No.2 and No.1 seeds in their respective conferences. The Packers come into the game on the back of a four-game win streak, including 28-21 win over the Chicago Bears last week. The Broncos are one of two teams who have won their last ten games, and an eleventh win would see them secure their first 12-win campaign since 2015 and clinch a playoff spot.

This is a clash between two of the best defenses in the league, with the Packers allowing just 19 points per game and the Broncos 18.1. Green Bay is 4-1-1 on the road in 2025, while the Broncos are a perfect 6-0 at home. Packers quarterback Jordan Love had 234 passing yards and three touchdowns last week and has at least one touchdown pass in each of his last six road games. Running back Josh Jacobs leads the team with 1,068 yards from scrimmage and is one of only two backs with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in each of the last seven seasons (Derrick Henry).

Micah Parsons has fully justified the Packers decision to trade for him before the season and has 12.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2025. Broncos signal caller Bo Nix completed 31 of his 38 attempts against the Raiders last week, his third career game with at least 25 completions and an 80% completion rate. First year back R.J. Harvey has amassed at least 50 yards from scrimmage in each of his last three games and leads all rookies this season with nine touchdowns. The Broncos can boast their own elite pass rusher in Nik Bonitto, who has identical sack and TFL numbers to Parsons.

This is just the 16th regular season meeting between these two sides, with the series currently sitting at 7-7-1, although the home side has taken nine of the last ten meetings.

PREDICTION: The Packers snap the Broncos winning streak and strengthen their own playoff chances.

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Detroit Lions (8-5) @ Los Angeles Rams (10-3)

A clash of old friends takes place at SoFi Stadium, as the Jared Goff-led Lions travel west to take on Matthew Stafford and the Rams. Both quarterbacks were first overall picks by the other team before being traded in 2021.

The Rams are the No.1 seed in the NFC after the Week 14 smoke cleared, while the Lions are still on the outside looking in even after a 44-30 win over the Cowboys. The Rams can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Lions, but they’ve not managed to do that since 2021.

Goff has a touchdown pass in each of his last 19 regular season games and ranks second in the NFL with 26 scores this season. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored three times against the Cowboys, the 13th time he has scored multiple touchdowns in a game in his first three seasons in the league. Gibbs has 47 total touchdowns in his young career, the exact same number as the legendary Barry Sanders in his first three NFL seasons. Lions’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St.Brown gutted it out against the Cowboys and racked up six grabs for 96 yards, taking him to 511 career receptions. This is the most by ANY player in their first five seasons in NFL history.

Stafford has 35 touchdown passes and a mere four interceptions this season, with at least one touchdown in each of his last 13 games. Rams’ wide receiver Puka Nacua has at least 70 receiving yards in each of his last four games, while Davante Adams leads the league with 14 touchdown receptions.

The Rams own a 45-41-1 advantage in this series, with the home side taking six of the last seven meetings.

PREDICTION: The Lions pull off an upset and get Goff a win over the Rams.

Buffalo Bills (9-4) @ New England Patriots (11-2)

An all-AFC East clash will go down at Gillette Stadium, with the Patriots welcoming the Bills to New England.

The Patriots are on a ten-game winning streak and a win on Sunday would give them the third 11-game streak in franchise history. The Bills mounted a furious comeback to beat the Bengals last week and are in pole position to secure a Wildcard berth despite their shortcomings.

Josh Allen is the first player in NFL history with at least 20 passing and 10 rushing scores in three different seasons and is also the only player in league history with three straight seasons of 3,000+ passing yards, 20+ passing and 10+ rushing touchdowns. Running back James Cook has 1,308 rushing yards in 2025 and has at least 110 yards from scrimmage in his last four games, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Patriots quarterback and MVP candidate Drake Maye had 282 passing yards in his last game, the 10th time this season he has gone over 250 yards through the air. His leading receiver, Stefon Diggs, is going up against one of his former teams, after spending the 2020-23 seasons as a member of the Bills.

The Patriots lead this series 79-50-1 and will be looking to increase this lead with the omens on their side. Home sides have taken five of the last six meetings.

PREDICTION: The Bills push the Patriots all the way, but Maye has just enough to pull off the win.

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ALSO ON IN WEEK 15

Atlanta Falcons (4-9) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)

The Falcons have dropped their last two and remain in the hunt for a top ten draft pick that they’ll be donating to the Rams. The Buccaneers lost at home to the Saints last week and everything is starting to look difficult for the Fighting Mayfields. Can the Falcons pull of an upset, or will the Bucs kickstart their postseason push?

Cleveland Browns (3-10) @ Chicago Bears (9-4)

The Browns have lost two in a row and have sewn up their 18th season with double-digit losses since 2000. The Bears lost a close one to the Packers and fell from the No.1 seed in the NFC all the way down to the seventh. Will the Browns pull of an upset with the Bears having an eye on the Packers rematch later this season, or will the Bears bounce back and re-commence their playoff push?

Baltimore Ravens (6-7) @ Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)

The Ravens have lost two in a row and are falling behind the Steelers in the AFC North title race. The Bengals offense looked excellent in places against the Bills but two interceptions from Joe Burrow ultimately tipped the game. Can the Ravens get back to winning ways, or will the Bengals sweep the series?

Arizona Cardinals (3-10) @ Houston Texans (8-5)

The Cardinals have lost their last five games and have lost ten games in a season for the 13th time this century. The Texans have won their last five and look like the ultimate “team no one wants to play right now”. Can the Cardinals get one in the W column, or will the Texans continue their postseason march?

New York Jets (3-10) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)

The Jets winning streak ended at one game with a loss to the Dolphins. The Jaguars have won four in a row and are the No.3 seed in the AFC now. Can the Jets – whoever plays quarterback for them – upset the home side, or will the Jaguars cement their place atop the AFC South?

Los Angeles Chargers (9-4) @ Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)

The Chargers took care of the Eagles to clinch a second consecutive win and stay alive in the AFC West. The Chiefs have lost two in a row and are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2014. Can the Chargers all but bury the Chiefs in 2025, or can Mahomes and Co keep the spark alive for another week?

Washington Commanders (3-10) @ New York Giants (2-11)

The Commanders own the longest current losing streak in the league, dropping their last eight games. The Giants, losers of seven straight, would be picking first overall if the season ended today. Can either of these teams do enough to reward their suffering fanbases with a late season rivalry win?

Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) @ Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)

The Raiders have lost seven in a row and are just a few decimal points away from picking first overall for the first time since 2007. The Eagles have lost three in a row and Jalen Hurts has picked a great time to develop a turnover habit. Are the Raiders catching the Eagles at the right time, or will the Birds find their groove against the visitors?

Carolina Panthers (7-6) @ New Orleans Saints (3-10)

The Panthers are serious contenders for the NFC South, sharing an identical record with the Buccaneers. The Saints are coming off a win over those Buccaneers in Week 14. Can the Panthers keep up their push for a first division title since 2015, or will the Saints continue to play spoiler in the NFC South?

Indianapolis Colts (8-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-3)

Everything is going wrong for the Colts, who have lost three in a row and their quarterback for the season. The Seahawks have won three in a row and are staying hot on the heels of the Rams. Can the possible return of Phil Rivers boost the Colts offense, or will the Seahawks simply have too much for the visitors?

Tennessee Titans (2-11) @ San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

The Titans won their second game of the season last year and moved out of the first overall pick spot. The 49ers have won three in a row and are very much in the hunt for a Wild Card berth in the NFC. Can the Titans keep the good vibes going, or will the 49ers have too much firepower?

Minnesota Vikings (5-8) @ Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)

The Vikings torched the hapless Commanders last week but are still looking at a top ten draft pick in 2026. The Cowboys dropped an exciting one to the Lions, but the wobbling Eagles keep them in the NFC East hunt for now. Can J.J. McCarthy string two good games together, or will the Cowboys offense have too much firepower for the Vikings to keep up in a shootout?

Miami Dolphins (6-7) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)

The Dolphins have won four in a row. The Steelers saw off the Ravens last week and are in pole position for their first AFC North title since 2020. Can the Dolphins stay “in the hunt”, or will the Steelers tighten their grip on their own playoff seeding?

 

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