Plus, the Carolina Panthers move into top slot of NFC South with win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tori McElhaney
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Week 17 was a fascinating one with a couple of the best games of the season.
The Chicago Bears took the Green Bay Packers to overtime. The Jacksonville Jaguars turned heads against the Denver Broncos. And the Seattle Seahawks usurped last week's No. 1 team, the Los Angeles Rams. There was elite quarterback play this week and a Tennessee Titans upset. What more could you want?
Let's take a look at how this week's slate of games changed the standings as 2025 nears its end.
(12-3)
1
2
Seattle Seahawks
Week 16 result: Beat the Los Angeles Rams, 38-37
I said last week that Week 16's Thursday night game was not going to disappoint and oh buddy it did NOT! This game had everything!
(11-4)
2
1
Los Angeles Rams
Week 16 result: Lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 38-37
The Rams lost despite having 581 total yards, zero sacks and three takeaways. No team has lost whilst accumulating these stats since 1975. Teams were 41-0 in such games prior to this loss. I just have one word: HOW?!
(12-3)
3
1
New England Patriots
Week 16 result: Beat the Baltimore Ravens, 28-24
It wasn't a perfect game for the Patriots, but a win is a win. Drake Maye recorded his first 300-yard passing game of his young career, with 138 of those yards going to Stefon Diggs. I don't think this is going to be the last time these numbers are put up by this duo.
(12-3)
4
2
Denver Broncos
Week 16 result: Lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 34-20
It was only a matter of time before the Broncos came down from on high. But are people underestimating the Jaguars? Because I know I have.
(11-4)
5
Los Angeles Chargers
Week 16 result: Beat the Dallas Cowboys, 34-17
Justin Herbert with a peak performance despite the Cowboys blitzing on over half of Herbert's dropbacks. He was unfazed, completing 23 of his 29 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns. But, remember, this was the Cowboys defense he did this against. Soooo grain of salt.
(11-4)
6
San Francisco 49ers
Week 16 result: Beat the Indianapolis Colts, 48-27
The 49ers haven't been known to be an offense that scores a ton of points this season, but Monday night was different. Very different.
(11-4)
7
2
Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16 result: Beat the Denver Broncos, 34-20
Like Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence is making a late-season push for recognition. Despite being pressured at the fourth-highest rate of his career by a seriously good Broncos defense, he still accumulated 279 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win.
(11-4)
8
Chicago Bears
Week 16 result: Beat the Green Bay Packers, 22-16
The Bears shouldn't have won that game. Seriously. That's what the stats show. They had a 0.5% win probability prior to recovering the onside kick coming out of the two-minute warning. It's the fifth-most improbable win in the Next Gen Stats era (2016). Bonkers.
(11-4)
9
2
Buffalo Bills
Week 16 result: Beat the Cleveland Browns, 23-20
The Bills squeaked out a win against one of the league's bottom quartile teams. But hey, they have reached 11 wins for the sixth consecutive season, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. You'd think they would have a Super Bowl berth to show for that run, but alas.
(10-5)
10
1
Philadelphia Eagles
Week 16 result: Beat the Washington Commanders, 29-18
The Eagles officially clinched the top spot in the NFC East with this win, marking the first back-to-back division championship for Philly since their dominant run from 2001-04.
(9-6)
11
3
Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 16 result: Beat the Detroit Lions, 29-24
The Lions had absolutely no answer for Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and the Steelers offensive line. In fact, the Steelers running backs had their most explosive runs (six) in a game this season and averaged a season-high three yards before contact per carry.
(9-5-1)
12
2
Green Bay Packers
Week 16 result: Lost to the Chicago Bears, 22-16
The Packers are at a bit of a crossroads with two games left in the season and second in the NFC North at the moment. Jordan Love left the loss to Chicago with a concussion if and when the Packers get him back is going to be a main topic of conversation up north.
(10-5)
13
Houston Texans
Week 16 result: Beat the Las Vegas Raiders, 23-21
The Texans are currently second in the AFC South. They face the Chargers and Colts in their final two games in 2025. They will be playing for all the marbles in those games.
(8-7)
14
2
Detroit Lions
Week 16 result: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-24
The Lions' defense struggled in the loss. They missed 11 tackles and allowed a season-high 96 yards after missed tackles. This is exceptionally uncommon for this group, seeing as they had the second-fewest yards after missed tackles in the league going into Week 16 and were one of only two defenses to have a missed tackle rate under 10%.
I don't think this is going to be a recurring theme moving forward more an anomaly but it absolutely contributed to the loss.
(8-7)
15
3
Carolina Panthers
Week 16 result: Beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-20
Fun fact: This game was the first time the Panthers and Bucs have met beyond Week 5, where each team sat at .500 or better since 2008. That year, the Panthers beat the Bucs, 28-23. They went on the win the NFC South and the Bucs missed the playoffs. Is history about to repeat itself?
(8-7)
16
1
Indianapolis Colts
Week 16 result: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 48-27
We're getting to the point where I am worried the Colts despite the start they had to the season may not win another game.
(7-8)
17
1
Baltimore Ravens
Week 16 result: Lost to the New England Patriots, 28-24
Despite Derrick Henry's ridiculous performance (in which he carried the ball 18 times to the tune of 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns and finished the game with a rushing success rate of 66.7%) the Ravens still lost. And that's kind of upsetting for Henry.
(7-8)
18
1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 16 result: Lost to the Carolina Panthers, 23-20
Absolute chaos in the NFC South (what's new, right?). The Bucs have lost six of their last seven games since starting the season 6-2. This run includes losses to all three division opponents. They've lost the division lead, and frustrations in Tampa are mounting.
(6-8-1)
19
Dallas Cowboys
Week 16 result: Lost to the Los Angeles Chargers, 34-17
Another week, another game where the Cowboys defense gives up 25-plus points while Dak Prescott puts up consistent numbers that should lead to more wins than this team has.
(7-8)
20
1
Minnesota Vikings
Week 16 result: Beat the New York Giants, 16-13
After averaging a career-low 4.7 receptions and 59.4 receiving yards per game leading into Week 16, Justin Jefferson got a nice pick-me-up against the Giants, leading the team with six receptions for 85 yards. Still nothing major, but a step up from where it's been since Week 5, when he went for over 100.
(6-9)
21
2
Atlanta Falcons
Week 16 result: Beat the Arizona Cardinals, 26-19
Kyle Pitts continues his resurgence. Bijan Robinson supasses 2,000 scrimmage yards. The Falcons have won their last two. It's unfortunate this is happening two weeks after they were eliminated from playoff contention.
(6-9)
22
1
Miami Dolphins
Week 16 result: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 45-21
With Tua benched, I didn't know how much to expect out of Quinn Ewers. In some ways, he surprised me with a clean first half and ending the game 20 of 30. But in other ways, it was kind of on par for a first NFL start with those two interceptions.
(6-9)
23
3
Kansas City Chiefs
Week 16 result: Lost to the Tennessee Titans, 26-9
My goodness how the wheels have fallen off for the Chiefs. Everyone always knew Patrick Mahomes was the linchpin but lord have mercy.
(5-10)
24
2
Cincinnati Bengals
Week 16 result: Beat the Miami Dolphins, 45-21
Electric quarterback play continued with a whopping 309-yard, four-touchdown performance from Joe Burrow. He became just the fifth player in NFL history to record 20,000 passing yards in their first 75 games. Just think how quickly he would have hit that mark without all the injuries he's sustained since entering the league.
(5-10)
25
New Orleans Saints
Week 16 result: Beat the New York Jets, 29-6
Tyler Shough continues to lead this Saints offense well. Chris Olave is heating up. And Taysom Hill became the first player in the Super Bowl era to reach the 1,000-yard mark in passing, rushing and receiving. Despite their record, the back half of the Saints' 2025 season has been fruitful.
(4-11)
26
1
Washington Commanders
Week 16 result: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 29-18
The Commanders should probably count their blessings the Eagles defense wasn't the unit on the field when that scuffle broke out. Just sayin'.
(3-12)
27
Arizona Cardinals
Week 16 result: Lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 26-19
The Cardinals have been decimated by injuries this season. That continued against the Falcons with multiple players carted to the locker room with significant injuries that will likely linger into 2026.
(3-12)
28
3
Tennessee Titans
Week 16 result: Beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 26-9
Even with Patrick Mahomes out and with nothing really left for the Chiefs to play for, no one really gave the Titans much of a shot. And yet, they pummeled the Chiefs. One of the most head-turning performances of the year.
(3-12)
29
Cleveland Browns
Week 16 result: Lost to the Buffalo Bills, 23-20
This was a valiant effort by the Browns against a top quartile team. And hey, Myles Garrett is one sack away from breaking the single-season sack record. So, not all bad!
(3-12)
30
2
New York Jets
Week 16 result: Lost to the New Orleans Saints, 29-6
There's really not much to say about this performance from the perspective of the Jets. They scored six points and allowed nearly 30. I mean, what else is there to say? They're 3-12 now? That's just adding insult to injury.
(2-13)
31
1
Las Vegas Raiders
Week 16 result: Lost to the Houston Texans, 23-21
Saw a tweet on Sunday that said something to the effect of, "The Raiders have a bunch of really talented players, but a very untalented team." And that was the best description I have heard about that group all season.
(2-13)
32
2
New York Giants
Week 16 result: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 16-13
It was an abysmal day through the air for the Vikings. They recorded just 13 net passing yards, which is the fourth-fewest by the franchise in a game in the Super Bowl era.
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