Teams have started punching their playoff tickets, with the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos becoming the first to secure a postseason berth in what turned out to be a wild Week 15.

Six teams won last weekend after trailing by at least 10 points, tied for the most in a single week in NFL history. The Buffalo Bills were down 21 points before coming back to defeat New England 35-31, while the Atlanta Falcons — with Kirk Cousins back at the helm, remember — overcame a 14-point deficit to beat the Buccaneers on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks all staged furious rallies to come back and win their games, with varying impact on the playoff picture.

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GAME OF THE WEEK

Los Angeles Rams (11-3) at Seattle Seahawks (11-3)

Week 16 gets off to a flying start with a crucial NFC West clash between the Rams and Seahawks on Thursday night.

The Rams are already in the postseason, and the Seahawks can join them if they win this one or the Detroit Lions come unstuck against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both these sides — and the San Francisco 49ers — can still win the West, however, making this the division to watch for the remainder of the season if you enjoy close-run things.

These two heavyweights are among the league elite on both sides of the ball, with the Rams ranking second in points scored and third in points allowed, while the Seahawks are fifth and second in the same metrics. The Rams bring a 5-2 road record into this one, while the Seahawks are 5-2 at home, so something’s gotta give.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford, still among the favourites to win MVP, is coming off his third game this season with 350+ passing yards and two touchdowns. He is likely to be without Davante Adams, who has 14 touchdown grabs and, now, a gammy hamstring this season, but should still have Puka Nacua in the lineup. Nacua is just the fifth player in NFL history with 100+ receptions and 1,200+ receiving yards in two of his first three NFL seasons. Running back Kyren Williams has 1,030 rushing yards and 10 rushing scores, as well as another three receiving scores, the sixth player this century with 13 scrimmage touchdowns in three of his first four seasons in the league. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, meanwhile, is sixth in the NFL with 3,433 passing yards and has Jaxon Smith-Njigba to thank for 1,541 of them. JSN leads the NFL in receiving yards and is one of only six players in league history to amass at least 90 receiving yards in 12 separate games.

The Seahawks lead the all-time series 28-26, but the Rams have won four of the last five encounters.

PREDICTION: The Rams take a step closer to the NFC’s #1 seed, while the Seahawks must wait to punch their playoff ticket.

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WELL WORTH A WATCH

Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) at Chicago Bears (10-4)

These sides met just two weeks ago, but it feels like two completely different teams will be meeting at Soldier Field on Saturday night.

Both can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a Lions loss this weekend, but the vibes seem to be favouring the home side. The Packers come into the game after a 34-26 loss to the Broncos, while the Bears handled the Cleveland Browns 31-3 in Week 15. Most significantly, perhaps, the Packers lost Micah Parsons to an ACL injury, ripping the heart out of a defense that ranks eighth in points allowed. The Packers also rank 10th in points scored, while the Bears are a tick above them in ninth. Chicago have excelled in taking the ball away this season, boasting a whopping +20 turnover differential, but Packers QB Jordan Love has a habit of delivering when the lights shine brightest, with at least two touchdown passes in 11 of his last 12 primetime games.

Packers running back Josh Jacobs, who has 1,160 scrimmage yards this season, is the fifth player since 2000 with at least 1,100 scrimmage yards in each of his first seven seasons, while Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is the proud owner of a new record for the fewest interceptions (12) in a player’s first 1,000 career pass attempts. He has at least one touchdown pass in each of his last five games and put two scores on the Packers when they met in Week 14. Running back D’Andre Swift is 65 yards away from a 1,000-yard rushing season and has hit 70 yards from scrimmage in eight of his last nine games. Kevin Byard, like Swift a former Philadelphia Eagle, leads the NFL with six interceptions this season, while fellow DB Nashon Wright is in second place with five.

The Packers have the overall lead in this historic rivalry with a 108-95-6 record and have won 12 of the last 13 meetings, including a 20-19 victory the last time these two clashed on the shores of Lake Michigan.

PREDICTION: The Bears get their revenge and pick up a crucial win over their old foes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) at Carolina Panthers (7-7)

The Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are tied atop the NFC South and will meet twice in the final three weeks of the season to decide the division. The Buccaneers have won four consecutive division titles, while the Panthers are seeking their first since 2015 — and a first playoff berth since 2017.

The closeness of this division race means neither side can clinch anything this weekend, but a win for either team will put them in pole position ahead of their next meeting. Both sides lost to NFC South foes last week, with the Bucs going down to the Falcons 29-28 and the Panthers dropping a 20-17 contest with the Saints. The Bucs are 4-3 on the road this season, while the Panthers are 4-2 at home.

Baker Mayfield is going up against one of his former teams and boasts a 5-0 record against the Panthers in his career. Bucky Irving has amassed at least 80 yards from scrimmage in five of his last six games and rushed for 152 yards the last time he went up against the Panthers. Mike Evans returned to something like his best against the Falcons with a season-high 132 receiving yards, while Chris Godwin found the endzone for the first time in 2025. On the opposite side, Bryce Young has been held below 200 passing yards in 10 of his 13 games this season, including a 163-yard effort against the Saints, but RB Rico Dowdle is 22 yards away from a second consecutive 1,000-yard season on the ground, and has at least 75 yards from scrimmage in three of his last four games. Rookie wide receiver Tetaiora McMillan is second among all rookies with 851 receiving yards this season but hasn’t cleared 43 yards in any of his last three games and will be looking to rectify that against a Bucs D torched by Cousins on home soil last week.

The Panthers own a 25-24 series lead over the Bucs, but Tampa have won nine of the last 10 and each of the last five.

PREDICTION: The Bucs take first blood in this two-match eliminator for the NFC South.

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ALSO ON IN WEEK 16

Philadelphia Eagles (9-5) at Washington Commanders (4-10)

The Eagles got back to winning ways with a beatdown of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15. Jalen Hurts posted his second game of the season with a completion percentage of 80-or-higher, three-or-more touchdown passes and a passer rating of 150+. The Commanders, meanwhile, snapped their losing streak with a win over the hapless New York Giants. Can the Eagles get the W that will clinch the NFC East, or can the Commanders play spoiler and keep the Dallas Cowboys slim hopes of the division title alive?

Buffalo Bills (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-11)

The Bills staged a furious fightback to overcome the Patriots in Week 15 and keep alive their hopes of winning the AFC East. Myles Garrett had 1.5 sacks in the Browns loss to the Bears and needs two more to set a new single season record. Can the Bills stay hot and keep the pressure on New England, or will the Browns find some life and throw a spanner in the works?

Los Angeles Chargers (10-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)

The Chargers won their third game in a row on Sunday and eliminated the Kansas City Chiefs from playoff contention along the way, while the Cowboys lost to the Minnesota Vikings at home and see their playoff hopes now hanging by the slimmest of threads. Can the Chargers get a win to tighten their hold on the #5 seed, or will the Cowboys get back to winning ways in a game that, depending on the Eagles result on Saturday, may not matter?

Cincinnati Bengals (4-10) at Miami Dolphins (6-8)

The Bengals lost to the Baltimore Ravens last week, officially eliminating themselves from playoff contention, but Ja’Marr Chase can at least take solace in the fact that he is one of only two players in NFL history with at least 6,500 receiving yards and a minimum 50 receiving touchdowns in their first five career seasons (6.572 and 51 respectively). The Dolphins lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and are also officially out of the playoff race. With the vibes touching the floor for both sides, can either of them muster up the energy to win this meaningless game? Or will Quinn Ewers conjure some Miami magic after being promoted to starter for the ‘Fins?

New York Jets (3-11) at New Orleans Saints (4-10)

The Jets travel to the Big Easy with a two-game losing streak to their name, while the Saints are now the ultimate NFC South spoiler, with back-to-back wins over both the Bucs and Panthers. Can the Jets get back to winning ways, or will the surging Saints make it three wins in a row?

Minnesota Vikings (6-8) at New York Giants (2-12)

The Vikings have won two in a row, but there will be no postseason berth for them in 2025. The Giants are in pole position for the first overall pick after their losing streak extended to eight games with defeat to the Commanders in Week 15. Can the Vikings continue to string wins together in a lost season, or will the Giants show some fight as the season draws to an end?

Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) at Tennessee Titans (2-12)

For the first time since 2014, the Chiefs will not be in the playoffs and will now be without Patrick Mahomes for the rest of the season thanks to the QB’s double ligament tear. The Titans lost to the 49ers last weekend and a second consecutive number one pick is still a possibility. Can the Chiefs get some Minshew Magic to end the season on a positive note, or will the Titans add to the misery in KC?

Atlanta Falcons (5-9) at Arizona Cardinals (3-11)

The Falcons pulled off an upset in Week 15 with a Kirk Cousins/Kyle Pitts-inspired victory over the Bucs. The Cardinals, meanwhile, ran into a Texans-shaped buzzsaw and have now lost six in a row. Can the Falcons string some wins together to help save jobs in Atlanta, or will the Cardinals rediscover what it means to win?

Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) at Denver Broncos (12-2)

The Jaguars have now won five in a row and, last week, QB Trevor Lawrence became the first player in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, five touchdown passes and a rushing score in a single game. The Broncos, however, have won their last 11 games and locked up one of the AFC playoff berths after beating the Packers in Week 15. Can the Jaguars end the longest active winning streak in the NFL, or will the Broncos get their first 13-win season since 2013?

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) at Detroit Lions (8-6)

The Steelers remain in pole position to take the AFC North for the first time since 2020, but the Lions’ playoff hopes took a hit with a loss to the Rams last week, despite 13 receptions for 163 yards and two scores for Amon-Ra St.Brown, who became the first player in NFL history with at least 90 receptions in each of their first five career seasons. Can Aaron Rodgers return to haunt the Lions one last time, or will the Lions get the victory that keeps their postseason hopes alive for at least another week?

Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) at Houston Texans (9-5)

The Raiders were shut out for the second time this season, losing 31-0 to the Eagles in their eighth straight loss, and remain in contention for the first overall pick in 2026. The Texans, meanwhile, dismembered the Cardinals and have now won their last six games. Can the Raiders pick up a win to give their fans something to smile about in a lost season, or will the Texans defense feast on the listless Vegas offense?

New England Patriots (11-3) at Baltimore Ravens (7-7)

The Patriots left the door open for the Bills in the AFC East, after proving unable to hold onto a 21-point advantage in their first loss since September. The Ravens, meanwhile, beat the Bengals 24-0 for the franchise’s 15th shutout since 1996 (tied for the most in the NFL in that span) to remain alive in the AFC playoffs. In a game flexed to primetime, can the Patriots switch back to the form that seemed to desert them after half-time last Sunday, or will the Ravens keep up the pressure on the Steelers in the AFC North?

San Francisco 49ers (10-4) at Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

The 49ers, probably the least-heralded 10-4 team in NFL history, beat the Titans for their fourth straight win in Week 15, with Brock Purdy looking more like his old self as he passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Fresh from the retirement home, Philip Rivers could not prevent the Colts from sliding to their fourth — albeit narrow — loss in a row against the Seahawks, and Indy’s season is spiralling fast. Can the 49ers keep the pressure on the Rams and Seahawks in their own division, or can the Colts stop the rot and salvage something from 2025, even if it’s only pride?

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