NFL 2024 Week 17 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was Week 17 brought us some interesting storylines here in the last week of 2024. Such storylines like, a domination in Pittsburgh, a near shutout in Houston, a hockey-esque score in Chicago, a ton of blowouts, and a division battle in Minnesota. All those games and more in this week's recap post.

NFL Week 18 Freaky Stat

Saquon Barkley becomes the 9th running back in NFL history to run at least 2,000 yards in a single season. 

NFL Week 18 Recap

Kansas City 29, Pittsburgh 10

Pick: Chiefs

Three touchdowns from Patrick Mahomes gives Chiefs the win. Mahomes hit 29 of 38 passes for 320 yards with three touchdowns. The touchdowns went to Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson. Kareem Hunt had nine carries for 20 yards with a touchdown run. The longest run was a Patrick Mahomes run that went for a 12-yard gain. Travis Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards in the game to be the leading receiver. Justin Watson had a catch that went for a 49-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Chiefs. Kansas City's offense finally came alive and the defense did its thing against the Steelers. The win gives them back homefield advantage for the 2nd time in three seasons. For the Chiefs, they improve to 15-1 with a chance to get 16 wins next week and had 389 total yards in the game. 

Russell Wilson had 23 of 37 passes for 205 yards with an interception but did have a touchdown run in the game with six carries and 55 yards rushing. Najee Harris had 13 carries for 74 yards in the game. Jaylen Warren had 11 carries for 71 yards and had a run of 22 yards that was the longest run in the game for Pittsburgh. Pat Friermuth had seven catches for 60 yards in the game. George Pickens made his return to action in this game. He caught a pass that went for a 41-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Steelers. Pittsburgh really couldn't do a whole lot in this game. Their first three drives resulted in a punt or an interception. By the time they would get a touchdown, the Chiefs would have 13 points. By the time the Steelers would hit a field goal, the Chiefs would answer back. It is a trend that their offense is starting to crack. For the Steelers, they drop to 10-6 with 364 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Kansas City: @ Denver
Pittsburgh: vs Cincinnati

TW: 1-0

Baltimore 31, Houston 2

Pick: Ravens

No scorigami for this one. Sad days. Lamar Jackson had 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards with two touchdowns. Mark Andrews and Isiah Likely were the players that caught the passes from Jackson. Josh Johnson had 1 of 2 passes for 16 yards in the game. Derrick Henry would do his thing and proceed to run over the Texans defense with 27 carries for 147 yards and a rushing touchdown. Lamar Jackson had four carries for 87 yards with a touchdown run of his own. The touchdown run came on a run that was on a 48-yard gain for the score. He reached speeds of over 21 miles per hour. For context, he could beat out a gray squirrel. Mark Andrews had two catches for 68 yards in the game with a 67-yard one that sadly didn't go for a touchdown. He would have a catch for one yard for the score. Obviously a big win for the Ravens who really shut down one of the decent offenses in the league. The only thing that was imperfect was Derrick Henry getting tackled in the endzone for a safety for the Texans. For the Ravens, they improve to 11-5 and had 432 total yards in the game. 

Houston hit 17 of 31 passes for 185 yards with an interception. Davis Mills would hit one pass for a 5-yard gain. Joe Mixon hit nine carries for 26 yards in the game. Dare Ogunbowale had two carries for 12 yards and had one carry go for a 9-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Nico Collins had three catches for 59 yards and had a catch that went for a 30-yard gain that was the best play out of very few for the Texans. Kamari Lassiter would score the only points for the Texans as he tackled Derrick Henry in the endzone for two points. There was not much else to say for the Texans, it proves that they might be a prime example of a one-and-done team in the upcoming playoffs as they have won the AFC South but are in the 4th seed. For the Texans, they drop to 9-7 with 211 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Baltimore: vs Cleveland
Houston: @ Tennessee

TW: 2-0

Seattle 6, Chicago 3

Pick: Bears

Three field goals all that was needed for this game. Geno Smith hit 17 of 23 passes for 160 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Zach Charbonnet had 15 carries for 57 yards in the game. Kenny McIntosh had seven carries for 46 yards and had a carry that went for 25 yards that was the longest run in the game for Seattle. Noah Fant had four catches for 43 yards in the game. DK Metcalf had three catches for 42 yards and had one catch that went for a 23-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Seahawks. The Seahawks would hit a field goal each in the 1st and 2nd quarter. After that, they wouldn't need anymore. Seattle's offense didn't do a whole lot and their defense did its job sort of. For the Seahawks, they improve to 9-7 with 265 total yards. 

Caleb Williams had 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards with an interception in the game. He had five carries for 37 yards with a carry that went for a 16-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Dandre Swift was the leading rusher with 12 carries for 53 yards. DJ Moore had six catches for 54 yards in the game. Dandre Swift had four catches for 28 yards and had a catch that went for a 24-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Bears. The game was another frustrating one for the offense. Caleb Williams was sacked seven times in the loss. You just have one more game to get through and then the offseason happens Bears fans. For the Bears, they drop to 4-12 and put up 179 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Seattle: @ LA Rams
Chicago: @ Green Bay

TW: 2-1

LA Chargers 40, New England 7

Pick: Chargers

Chargers offense dominate in Foxborough. Justin Herbert hit 26 of 38 passes for 281 yards with three touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns went to Ladd McConkey and the other went to Derius Davis. JK Dobbins had 19 carries for 76 yards with a touchdown run. He had a long run of 13 yards that was the longest run in the game for the Chargers. Ladd McConkey had eight catches for 94 yards and had a catch that went for a 40-yard gain that was the longest in the game for the Chargers. Los Angeles would have a 20-7 lead in halftime and wouldn't relinquish that lead as they proceed to score 20 more in the 2nd half. The Chargers would just dominate as the Patriots offense would do not a lot and their defense was at the mercy of Justin Herbert and company. The win gives them a playoff berth in Jim Harbaugh's first season. For the Chargers, they improve to 10-6 with 428 total yards. 

Drake Maye had 12 of 22 passes for 117 yards with a touchdown pass to Demario Douglas. The pass was close to the end of the 1st half and was on a play that was a free play. Douglas would catch the ball and rolled into the endzone untouched. It would be the only thing that the Patriots did right in the game. Antonio Gibson had 12 carries for 63 yards and had a carry of 20 yards that was the longest in the game for New England. Demario Douglas had four catches for 46 yards and his touchdown came on a 36-yard play. That was the longest pass play for the Patriots. It was a rough one to watch as the Patriots would not do a whole lot and would increase an NFL worst stat of 29 fumbles this season with a fumble on a sweep play. It's almost over and then we can try to enjoy the Bruins, Celtics and eventually the Red Sox. For the Patriots, they dropped to 3-13 with 181 total yards. 

Next week:

LA Chargers: @ Las Vegas
New England: vs Buffalo

TW: 3-1

Denver 34, Cincinnati 40 (F/OT)

Pick: Bengals

A pass to Tee Higgins gives the Bengals life in overtime. Bo Nix hit 24 of 31 passes for 219 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the 4th quarter. Marvin Mims caught two and Cortland Sutton caught the other to the three total passing touchdowns. Jaleel McLaughlin had 10 carries for 69 yards or 6.9 yards/carry. He had a carry that went for a 13-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Marvin Mims was the leading receiver with eight catches for 103 yards and had a catch that went for a 51-yard gain that was his 2nd touchdown in the game. A back-and-forth affair for the two teams. The thing that might've been the thing that got the Bengals into this game and momentum swinging their way a bit was the interception. The loss might cost them if they lose again next week and the Bengals win next week due to the head-to-head record. For the Broncos, they drop to 9-7 with 329 total yards. 

Joe Burrow hit 39 of 49 passes for 412 yards with three touchdowns. All three of the touchdowns went to Tee Higgins. Chase Brown was the leading rusher with 20 carries for 67 yards. Joe Burrow the runner had four carries for 25 yards with a touchdown run of 1-yard. He had the longest run in the game for the Bengals on a 19-yard run. Cincinnati had two 100-yard receivers with Tee Higgins having 11 catches for 131 yards and Ja'Marr Chase having nine catches for 102 yards. Chase had a catch that went for a 38-yard gain in the game. The game was a tight one and the big thing was that if the Bengals win, they stay alive with some hope of getting in and possibly lose out or loss the game and still lose. Pretty much a 70/30 loss or hopeful but possibly still lose situation. For the Bengals, they improve to 8-8 with 499 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Denver: vs Kansas City
Cincinnati: @ Pittsburgh

TW: 4-1

Arizona 9, LA Rams 13

Pick: Rams

Akhello Witherspoon saves the day for the Rams. Kyler Murray hit 33 of 48 passes for 321 yards with a touchdown but also tossed two interceptions. One of them being the last play of the game for the Cardinals offense. Michael Carter had 13 carries for 70 yards with a 13-yard run being the longest run in the game. The touchdown pass went to Trey McBride. McBride was also the leading receiver with 12 catches for 123 yards with one catch being a 34-yard gain. The game was a reverse of the Week 2 matchup these two teams had where the Cardinals ran over the Rams. The Cardinals had turnovers, a missed point after, and pressure on Kyler Murray to cause havoc for them in this game. They're out of the playoffs but they had a chance to cause chaos in the NFC West race. For the Cardinals, they drop to 7-9 on the season with 396 total yards.

Matthew Staffort hit 17 of 32 passes for 189 yards but didn't score a passing touchdown. Kyren Williams would get the lone touchdown for the Rams on a 1-yard run to the right that barely crossed the plane. Williams had 13 carries for 56 yards and had one carry go for a 18-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Puka Nacua had 10 catches for 129 yards to be the leading receiver for the Rams. Cooper Kupp had one catch that went for a 29-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Rams. It was a game where the Rams offense didn't do a whole lot but when it mattered most, they scored more points than the Cardinals. They effectively did it with opportunistic defense and ball control. The Rams are on the cusp of a division title but need help from a variety of teams on Sunday. For the Rams, they improve to 10-6 with 257 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Arizona: vs San Francisco
LA Rams: vs Seattle

TW: 5-1

Carolina 14, Tampa Bay 48

Pick: Buccaneers

A rout by the Buccaneers. Bryce Young hit 15 of 28 passes for two touchdowns. Both touchdowns went to Adam Thielen in the game on 17 and 40 yard scores. Raheem Blackshear had eight carries for 20 yards in the game. I guess Chuba Hubbard wouldn't be able to go in this game. The longest run in the game was a eight-yard run by Raheem Blackshear and Mike Boone. Adam Thielen had five catches for 110 yards in the game. He had a 40-yard gain on a catch that was from the aforementioned touchdown. The game wasn't a particularly fun one if you were a Panthers fan. The defense wouldn't be able to do a whole lot but it was their biggest hole this season. Pressure on Bryce Young was also an issue as well that will need to be addressed for the offensive line. For the Panthers, they drop to 4-12 on the season with 204 total yards. 

Baker Mayfield hit 27 of 32 passes for 359 yards with five touchdowns in the game. The five touchdowns went to Mike Evans for two, Jalen McMillan for two and Payne Durham for one to the five total in the game. Bucky Irving had 20 carries for 113 yards in the game and had a run of 34 yards in the game that was the longest run in the game for Tampa. Mike Evans had eight catches for 97 yards in the game. Bucky Irving had a catch that went for a 42-yard gain that was the longest pass play for Tampa Bay. The offense really overpowered the inept Panthers defense with the passing game but it was the running game that got the Buccaneers some added offense. It was a big win for them to keep pace in the NFC South division title race. For the Buccaneers, they improve to 9-7 on the season with 551 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Carolina: @ Atlanta
Tampa Bay: vs New Orleans

TW: 6-1

Green Bay 25, Minnesota 27

Pick: Packers

The Vikings stave off the Packers. Jordan Love hit 19 of 30 passes for 185 yards with a touchdown pass. The touchdown went to Malik Heath. The running game would get going a bit as Josh Jacobs had 17 carries for 69 yards with a touchdown. Emanuel Wilson had six carries for 29 yards with a touchdown run as well. Wilson had a run of 14 yards that was the longest run in the game for Green Bay. Romeo Doubs had seven catches for 58 yards in the game to be the leading receiver. The longest pass play was a Tucker Kraft catch for a 35-yard gain. Green Bay was down 27-10 by the time the 4th quarter started. They would score 15 unanswered points but would fall short. Emanuel Wilson would get it started with his touchdown run with a successful two-point conversion. Next would be Jordan Love's pass to Malik Heath and the point after. With 2:18 left in the game, Matt LeFleur would choose to kick it into the endzone and hope for a quick three and out. It would never come. For the Packers, they drop to 11-5 with 271 total yards. 

Sam Darnold had 33 of 43 passes for 377 yards with three touchdowns but threw an interception. The touchdowns went to Cam Akers, Justin Nailor and Jordan Addison for the three total. Aaron Jones hit 12 carries for 47 yards in the game. Cam Akers had the longest run in the game with a 16-yard run for a gain. Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 92 yards to be the Vikings leading receiver. He had the longest pass play on a catch that went for a 37-yard gain. Minnesota would jump out early and have a substantial lead going into the 4th quarter. They would hang on and hold off the Packers. The drive that won it was three pass plays from Darnold and one rush play by Cam Akers. The win keeps the conversation of a division title and the #1 seed in play. For the Vikings, they improve to 14-2 with 441 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Green Bay: vs Chicago
Minnesota: @ Detroit

TW: 6-2

Indianapolis 33, NY Giants 45

Pick: Colts

The Giants give their fans some joy. Joe Flacco hit 26 of 38 passes for 330 yards with two touchdowns but also tossed two interceptions in the loss. Jonathan Taylor had 32 carries for 125 yards with two touchdowns and had a run of 26 yards that was the longest run in the game for the Colts. Alec Pierce had six catches for 122 yards in the game and had one catch that went for a 49-yard gain. he also made a catch that was quite remarkable. Michael Pittman had nine catches for 109 yards in the game. The turnovers in the game were kind of costly but but allowing 45 points to the Giants offense has to hurt. What hurts more is that the Colts won't sniff the playoffs as they were eliminated from the loss. For the Colts, they drop to 7-9 on the season with 446 total yards. 

Drew Lock was spectacular in the game with 17 of 23 passes for 309 yards with four touchdowns. Of the touchdowns, two of them went to Malik Nabers had two touchdowns, Wandale Robinson had one and Darius Slayton had one of the four touchdowns. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had 20 carries for 59 yards in the game and had one carry that went for a 40-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Malik Nabers had seven catches for 171 yards in the game and had one catch that went for a 59-yard gain that was the result of one of his touchdowns. A big day for him. It was a shootout but the Giants will get a win for the first time since beating the Seahawks on the road 29-20 on October 6th. It ends a 10-game losing streak. For the Giants, they improve to 3-13 on the season with 389 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Indianapolis: vs Jacksonville
NY Giants: @ Philadelphia

TW: 6-3

Las Vegas 25, New Orleans 10

Pick: Saints

The Saints falter against the Raiders. Aidan O'Connell hit 20 of 35 passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns. The two touchdowns went to Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. Ameer Abdullah had a good game with 20 carries for 115 yards in the game and had a carry that went for a 17-yard gain that was the longest run in the game for Las Vegas. Brock Bowers would have a good game and more as he had seven catches for 77 yards in the game. He would break a single season record for receptions for a rookie with 106 catches. The longest pass play was a 29-yard gain for a catch by Jakobi Meyers. Las Vegas is kind of riding a winning streak as they have won two straight games. This game was a bit of a good one as both the offense and defense would do what they potentially can be. For the Raiders, they improve to 4-12 on the season with 388 total yards. 

Spencer Rattler hit 20 of 36 passes for 218 yards with a touchdown but also tossed an interception in the game. The touchdown was a deep pass from Rattler to Foster Moreau for a 30-yard gain for the score that gave the Saints their only lead in the game. Spencer Rattler also had three carries for 46 yards in the game and had a run of 28 yards that was the longest run in the game for New Orleans. Juwan Johnson had six catches for 66 yards in the game for the Saints. The longest pass play was the Foster Moreau touchdown pass. Not quite a good game for the Saints as turnovers would hurt them in this one. For the Saints, they drop to 5-11 on the season with 269 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Las Vegas: vs LA Chargers
New Orleans: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 6-4

NY Jets 14, Buffalo 40

Pick: Bills

An ugly game for the team that wore the green and white jerseys. Aaron Rodgers had 12 of 18 passes for 112 yards with two interceptions. Tyrod Taylor saw some action in the game and had 11 of 14 passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Garrett Wilson and Tyler Conklin were the two Jets players that caught the passes from Taylor. The touchdowns came in the 4th quarter during garbage time but a score is a score. Breece Hall had 10 carries for 45 yards and had a 17-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Garrett Wilson had seven catches for 66 yards in the game and had one catch that went for a 28-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Jets. New York would go down with a rough deficit in the game as the Bills manhandled their rivals for most of the game. The offense couldn't do anything and the defense couldn't stop the Bills. For the Jets, they drop to 4-12 on the season with 281 total yards in the game. 

Josh Allen hit 16 of 27 passes for 182 yards with two touchdowns and rushed five times for 17 yards with a rushing touchdown. A good game for him. The rushing touchdown for Allen was on a 1-yard play. The passing touchdowns went to Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman. Mitchell Trubisky would get some play time and hit a pass to Tyrell Shavers for a 69-yard scoring play. James Cook had 15 carries for 53 yards in the game. The longest run in the game was a 10-yard gain by Josh Allen. Tyrell Shavers was the leading receiver in the game with that catch for a touchdown and had the longest pass play in the game on that 69-yard score. Buffalo would play a tight game last week against New England but would blow the Jets defense out of the water in this one as they were up 40-0 before the two touchdowns by the Jets. The win secures a #2 seed for the Bills and will hold a home playoff game in two weeks. For the Bills, they improve to 13-3 on the season with 348 total yards. 

Next week:

NY Jets: vs Miami
Buffalo: @ New England

TW: 7-4

Tennessee 13, Jacksonville 20

Pick: Jaguars

Antonio Jackson with the batted ball gives the Jags a win. Mason Rudolph hit 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown pass went to Nick Vannett on a one catch for an 8-yard score. Tyjae Spears had 20 carries for 95 yards with a carry for a 23-yard gain being the longest run in the game for the Titans. Calvin Ridley had five catches for 84 yards in the game to be the leading receiver for the Titans. He had a catch that went for a 24-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Titans. Not doing enough on offense was one of the things that caused the Titans to lose this game but the early interception was also part of the reason. The Titans wouldn't score a point until they hit a field goal with 2:02 left in the 2nd quarter. For the Titans, they drop to 3-13 with 337 yards of offense. 

Mac Jones would do as well as he could in this one. He hit 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns. The passing touchdowns went to Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington. Travis Etienne had 15 carries for 49 yards. Brian Thomas Jr. had one carry that went for a 18-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Brian Thomas Jr. had seven catches for 91 yards in the game and had a catch that went for a 31-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Jaguars. The Jags haven't had a lot to celebrate but a win is a win and it is their first win since beating the Titans four weeks ago. It was a good game for Mac Jones who hasn't had a lot of them in his time with Jacksonville. Maybe it'll be something to build off. For the Jaguars, they improve to 4-12 with 295 total yards. 

Next week:

Tennessee: vs Houston
Jacksonville: @ Indianapolis

TW: 8-4

Miami 20, Cleveland 3

Pick: Dolphins

The Dolphins handle business in raining Cleveland. Tyler Huntley hit 22 of 26 passes for 225 yards with a touchdown pass. He would start over Tua Tagovailoa. The touchdown pass went to Jonnu Smith. Huntley would also score a rushing touchdown on a 13-yard run and finished with seven carries for 52 yards. The longest run was also a Huntley carry for a 18-yard gain. De'Von Achane had 10 carries for 25 yards. Tyreek Hill had nine catches for 105 yards and had a catch that went for a 25-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Dolphins. In general, the Dolphins really got a good game from Tyler Huntley in spite of Tua Tagovailoa not being able to start. The defense of Miami would do the rest but they were facing against a banged up Browns offense. For the Dolphins, they improve to 8-8 on the season with their playoff hopes still alive and had 280 yards of offense. 

Dorian Thompson-Robinson had 24 of 47 passes completed for 170 yards with an interception. D'Onta Foreman had 13 carries for 49 yards in the game to be the Browns leading rusher. The longest carry was a 19-yard gain by Pierre Strong Jr. and Jerome Ford. Strong wouldn't finish the game as he was injured after taking a hit. Jerry Jeudy was the leading receiver with 12 catches for 94 yards. He had a 17-yard gain on a catch that was the longest pass play for the Browns. It seemed unlikely that the Browns would win this game if they had better offensive numbers from their quarterback. Thompson-Robinson would be limited in his passes as he would nearly throw for 47 attempts and would only complete about 50% of them. For the Browns, they drop to 3-13 on the season with 276 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Miami: @ NY Jets
Cleveland: @ Baltimore

TW: 9-4

Dallas 7, Philadelphia 41

Pick: Eagles

A blowout for the Cowboys in Philly. Cooper Rush had 15 of 28 passes for 147 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Trey Lance even played a bit and threw a pass for a 1-yard gain. The touchdown pass went to Jake Tolbert. Rico Dowdle had 23 carries for 104 yards in the game and had a carry that went for a 17-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Brandin Cooks had four catches for 52 yards in the game. He had a catch that went for a 22-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Cowboys. Dallas certainly had their hopes of getting to play spoiler in this game but turnovers and not sustaining drives would doom them in this one. For the Cowboys, they drop to 7-9 on the season with 268 total yards. 

Kenny Pickett would start in the game. He hit 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown pass to Devonta Smith. Tanner McKee would come in his stead and hit 3 of 4 passes for 54 yards with two touchdowns. The two touchdowns went to Devonta Smith again and AJ Brown. Saquon Barkley had 31 carries for 167 yards in the game and had a carry that went for a 23-yard gain in the game. He would have 2,000 yards clinched in this game. He needs 101 yards next week to pass Erik Dickerson's single season rushing record of 2,105 yards. Kenny Pickett had a touchdown run of 1-yard in the game.  Devonta Smith had six catches for 120 yards in the game with a 49-yard gain in the game that was the longest pass play for the Eagles. Defense would get a touchdown as CJ Gardner-Johnson had a pick six on a Cooper Rush pass and returned it for a 69-yard score. For the Eagles, they improve to 13-3 and had 376 total yards in the game. They have also clinched the NFC East. 

Next week:

Dallas: vs Washington
Philadelphia: vs NY Giants

TW: 10-4

Atlanta 24, Washington 30

Pick: Commanders

Jayden Daniels to Zach Ertz and Washington is in the playoffs. Michael Penix Jr. had 19 of 35 passes for 223 yards with a touchdown and an interception. His first career touchdown went to Kyle Pitts. Perhaps the first of many in his career. Bijan Robinson had 17 carries for 90 yards with two touchdowns. One of them being on a direct snap for the touchdown. The longest run of the game was a RayRay McCloud carry for a 14-yard gain for Atlanta. Drake London had seven catches for 106 yards in the game. He caught a pass that went for a 31-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Falcons. Atlanta would have a better game showing in this one for their quarterback. The rookie will be learning more and more as he goes on. The loss will likely makes it difficult for them to get into the playoffs. They'll need help. For the Falcons, they drop to 8-8 on the season with 337 total yards in the game. 

Jayden Daniels had 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards with three touchdowns with an interception. Of the three touchdowns, Zach Ertz caught two of them and Olamide Zaccheaus caught one. The 2nd Ertz touchdown was the game-winner on a 2-yard score. Jayden Daniels had 16 carries for 127 yards in the game. He had a carry that went for a 25-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Chris Rodriguez Jr. had five carries for 16 yards with a touchdown run. Olamide Zaccheaus had eight catches for 85 yards to be the leading receiver for Washington. Zach Ertz caught a pass that went for a 37-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Commanders. The game was a struggle but sometimes the close fought wins make it much sweeter and special. What is even sweeter is that Washington is playoff bound for the first time since 2020. For the Commanders, they improve to 11-5 with 412 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Atlanta: vs Carolina
Washington: @ Dallas

TW: 11-4

Detroit 40, San Francisco 34

Pick: Lions

Detroit holds off the 49ers to get a win. Jared Goff hit 26 of 34 passes for 303 yards with three touchdowns. Of the three touchdowns, they went to Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Amon Ra St. Brown. Jahmyr Gibbs had 18 carries for 117 yards with a touchdown run. He had one carry that went for a 30-yard gain that was the Lions last touchdown in the game. Jameson Williams had a touchdown run on a 3-yard run. Jameson Williams had five catches for 77 yards in the game. He had one catch that went for a 41-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Lions. Detroit would have a fight on their hands in this one. The defense would have its challenges but the Lions offense would keep pace. The win gives the Lions back control for the #1 seed in the NFC with a date next week against rival Minnesota. For the Lions, they improve to 14-2 on the season with 439 total yards. 

Brock Purdy hit 27 of 35 passes for 377 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Of the three touchdowns, Ricky Pearsall, Kyle Juszczyk, and Deebo Samuel caught the passes from Purdy for scores. Isaac Guerendo had nine carries for 34 yards in the game with a run of 11-yards that was the longest run in the game for the 49ers. Ricky Pearsall had eight catches for 141 yards. George Kittle had eight catches for 112 yards in the game. The longest pass play was catches by Ricky Pearsall and Isaac Guerendo for a 40-yard gain each. San Francisco was close to playing spoiler to the 49ers but the turnovers were costly. The biggest interception was the 2nd interception. It would lead to the Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown. Turnovers typically mean a 14-point swing if the opposing team can score. Suffice to say, the 49ers made a valiant effort but didn't get a win. For the 49ers, they drop to 6-10 on the season with 475 total yards. 

Next week:

Detroit: vs Minnesota
San Francisco: @ Arizona

TW: 12-4

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11

Week 6: 13-1

Week 7: 13-2

Week 8: 9-7

Week 9: 12-3

Week 10: 10-4

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 7-6

Week 13: 14-2

Week 14: 11-3

Week 15: 13-3

Week 16: 12-4

Week 17: 12-4

Total: 184-73

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111

See you all on Thursday/Friday for the Week 18 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

NFL 2024 Week 16 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was Week 16 brought us some crazy storylines. Such storylines like a field goal attempt you have to see to believe in LA, a defensive battle in Kansas City, an overtime thriller in Carolina, a back-and-forth affair in Seattle and a performance by a secondary that is worthy of awesome in Dallas. All those games and more in this week's recap post!

NFL Week 16 Freaky Stat

Cameron Dicker hitting a free kick fair catch for the first time since 1976 is quite freaky to be sure. Washington is 10-5 for the first time since 1991. 

NFL Week 16 Recap

Denver 27, LA Chargers 34

Pick: Chargers

A big 2nd half for the Chargers gives them a win. Bo Nix Hit 29 of 40 passes for 263 yards with two touchdowns. The two touchdowns went to Devaughn Vele and Michael Burton. Audric Estime had nine carries for 48 yards with a touchdown run. The longest run for the Broncos was 15 yards both done by Bo Nix and Javonte Williams. Marvin Mims caught three passes for 62 yards and had one catch go for a 53-yard gain to be the longest pass play for the Broncos. Effectively, the Broncos lost this game by not scoring more points in the 2nd half. The offense stalled out as they really could only get six points in the 2nd half. Perhaps a big play was the fair catch interference penalty that would give the Chargers better field position before halftime. For the Broncos, I had 355 total yards and drop to 9-6 on the season. 

Justin Herbert hit 23 of 31 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The two touchdowns went to Derius Davis and Hassan Haskins. The Haskins touchdown was the score that gave the Chargers the 34 points on a shuttle pass. Gus Edwards had 14 carries for 68 yards with two touchdowns of 1 and 5 yard plays. He had a 43-yard run that was the longest in the game. He would be key for the scoring drive in the late 4th quarter as he was a ground and pound player in the big moment. Ladd McConkey had six catches for 87 yards to be the leading receiver for the Chargers. The longest pass play was the 34-yard shuttle pass to Hassan Haskins for the score. Some big things for this one was that the Chargers were down 21-10 in this game. A fair catch interference was also big but also kicking a field goal on a free kick fair catch was also big. How about Derius Davis just tippy-toeing his touchdown. It almost felt like the football gods wanted them to win. For the Chargers, they had 380 total yards with an improved record of 9-6. 

Next week:

Denver: @ Cincinnati (Saturday)
LA Chargers: @ New England (Saturday)

TW: 1-0

Houston 19, Kansas City 27

Pick: Texans

The Chiefs win another game in one-score fashion. Rinse and repeat. CJ Stroud hit 23 of 39 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz were the players that caught the passes from Stroud for scores. Tank Dell would sadly not finish the game as he took a vicious hit to the knee in a collision with teammate Jared Wayne on the way down. He would leave the game and head to a local hospital. Joe Mixon would get 14 carries for 57 yards with a 22-yard run that was the longest run in the game. Tank Dell and Nico Collins tied for the longest pass play in the game with a catch that went for a 30-yard gain. Dell was the leading receiver with six catches for 98 yards. The thing that really doomed the Texans was the turnovers. You can't beat the Chiefs with two turnovers and play with a one-score deficit in this game. You have to take them out of the game early and show you mean business. They sadly didn't. For the Texans, they drop to 9-6 and had 311 total yards in the game. 

Patrick Mahomes hit 28 of 41 passes for 260 yards with a touchdown. The touchdown went to Xavier Worthy on a short out route for the score that was enough to get the score. The Chiefs running game would get going with Kareem Hunt's 11 carries for 55 yards with a touchdown with 20-yards that was the longest run in the game. Patrick Mahomes would get involved with a touchdown run while getting five carries for 33 yards. The touchdown went for a 15-yard score. He was certainly questioned if he would be able to play with a sprained ankle last week in a win against Cleveland. Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards to be the leading receiver for the Chiefs. The longest pass play was a catch to Samaje Perine with a 36-yard gain. Kansas City would put the hurt on the Texans but they wouldn't really blow them out. The defense would force the Texans to trade touchdowns for field goals and two turnovers by the Texans would give the Chiefs much help in this one. For the Chiefs, they improve to 14-1 with 375 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Houston: vs Baltimore (Wednesday)
Kansas City: @ Pittsburgh (Wednesday)

TW: 1-1

Pittsburgh 17, Baltimore 34

Pick: Steelers

Baltimore rebounds against Pittsburgh. Russell Wilson hit 22 of 33 passes for 217 yards with two touchdown passes but also tossed an interception. The interception happened in the 4th quarter while the Steelers fumbled in the 2nd quarter. It would lead to a touchdown. Jaylen Warren had 12 carries for 48 yards. Najee Harris had 42 yards rushing on nine carries. Russell Wilson had the longest run of the game on a 19-yard run that unfortunately lead to the fumble. Mycole Pruitt and Cordarrelle Patterson caught the two touchdown passes from Wilson. The Patterson touchdown almost looked like he didn't have control of it but in a matter of a second he would hold onto it. Calvin Austin III had four catches for 65 yards and had a catch of 44-yards to be the longest pass play for the Steelers. It happened on a dire 3rd down catch to continue a Steelers drive. Pittsburgh would have some offense in the game but the Cordarrelle Patterson touchdown would be the last for Pittsburgh as Baltimore scored 17 unanswered points. For the Steelers, their lead in the AFC North drops as they go to 10-5 with 315 total yards. 

Lamar Jackson had 15 of 23 passing for 207 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Derrick Henry, who had just 65 yards in the previous meeting, would get 24 carries for 162 yards and had a 44-yard run in the game. It was a game that they needed him to get going on as they need to get the load off of Jackson. Zay Flowers had five catches for 100 yards and had a catch of 49 yards in the game to be the longest pass for the Ravens. Mark Andrews, Isiah Likely and Rashod Bateman caught the passes for touchdowns from Jackson. Baltimore's defense got going as well as they intercepted a Russell Wilson pass intended for Mycole Pruitt and it was grabbed Marlon Humphrey for a 37-yard pick-six. The Ravens, who had struggled on offense in this series, would score 34 points in the game 17 in each half. Something that was much improved in this game. The win gives Lamar Jackson his 2nd win against Pittsburgh, something that he is trying to rehab as he is now 2-8 against them. For the Ravens, they improve to 10-5 on the season with 418 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Pittsburgh: vs Kansas City (Wednesday)
Baltimore: @ Houston (Wednesday)

TW: 1-2

Arizona 30, Carolina 36 (F/OT)

Pick: Cardinals

Chuba Hubbard called game. Kyler Murray had 20 of 32 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown went to Deejay Dallas. James Conner had 15 carries for 117 yards with a touchdown. His 40-yard run was the longest run in the game for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray would score a touchdown on a run in the game with eight carries with 63 yards rushing. James Conner had four catches for 49 yards to be the leading receiver. Michael Wilson had two catches for 44 yards, one of them being a 38-yard gain. The Cardinals one of the underrated defenses in the league would allow 243 rushing yards in this game. It was not a result they would've wanted as the Seahawks and Rams are now in the drivers seat for the NFC West. For the Cardinals, they drop to 7-8 on the season with 382 total yards. 

Bryce Young had one of his better games this season with 17 of 26 passes for 158 yards with two touchdown passes. Adam Thielen had David Moore caught the passes for touchdowns. Chuba Hubbard had 25 carries for 152 yards in the game for two touchdowns. Bryce Young had five carries for 68 yards with a touchdown. He had a run of 34 yards that was the longest run in the game for the Panthers. Adam Thielen had five catches for 43 yards in the game. Dan Chisena had a catch for a 23-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Panthers. Carolina would do it with a running game that would find holes in the Cardinals defense. The passing offense would do its thing but it was the run game that would be the big factor in this one. The final play was a 21-yard run by Hubbard for the game-winning score. For the Panthers, they improve to 4-11 on the season with 392 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Arizona: @ LA Rams (Saturday)
Carolina: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 1-3

Cleveland 6, Cincinnati 24

Pick: Bengals

Cincinnati shuts down the Browns. Dorian Thompson-Robinson started for the Browns and hit 20 of 34 passes for 157 yards with two interceptions. Jerome Ford had 11 carries for 92 yards with a touchdown run in the 3rd quarter. Ford had a 66-yard run that was the longest run in the game for Cleveland. David Njoku had eight catches for 66 yards in the game and had a catch that went for a 29-yard gain. The turnovers killed the Browns in the game and they just looked really off at times. The Browns would also sustain drives but they just didn't get their chances to win. For the Browns, they drop to 3-12 with 273 total yards in the game. 

Joe Burrow hit 23 of 30 passes for 252 yards with three touchdown passes. The three touchdowns went to Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas on 32, 2 and 6 yard plays. Chase Brown had 18 carries for 91 yards in the game. He had a run of 22 yards to be the longest run in the game. Ja'Marr Chase was the leading receiver with six catches for 97 yards. The longest pass play was a 32-yard gain for both Ja'Marr Chase and Andrei Iosivas. Cincinnati would win this game on their offense but it would be their defense that would effectively cause havoc with two interceptions and really kept the Browns from really going. For the Bengals, they improve to 7-8 on the season with 326 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Cleveland: vs Miami
Cincinnati: vs Denver (Saturday)

TW: 2-3

Detroit 34, Chicago 17

Pick: Lions

Jared Goff and company rebound against Chicago. Jared Goff hit 23 of 32 passes for 336 yards with three touchdowns. One of them was on a fake fumble and then Goff threw a bomb. Jameson Williams, Amon Ra St. Brown, and Sam LaPorta caught the passes from Goff for scores. Jahmyr Gibbs had 23 carries for 109 yards with a touchdown run. He had a 12-yard run that was the longest run. Jameson Williams had five catches for 143 yards and had a 82-yard play for the touchdown that was on the aforementioned fake fumble. Overall, the Lions needed to have a rebound game after falling to the Bills last week in their 2nd loss of the season. For the Lions, they improve to 13-2 with 475 total yards. 

Caleb Williams had 26 of 40 passes for 334 yards with two touchdowns and had 34 yards rushing on six carries. Keenan Allen and Cole Kmet were the Bears that caught the touchdowns. Williams was also the leading rusher for Chicago. The running back that was 2nd was Dandre Swift with nine carries for 20 yards. Keenan Allen had nine catches for 141 yards with a catch that went for a 45-yard gain. That would be the longest pass play for the Bears. Chicago would play alright for this game but they were taking on the class of the NFC this season. they would've had to keep up with the Lions but a 13-0 deficit into the 2nd quarter would be something that they wouldn't recover from. For the Bears, they drop to 4-11 with 382 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Detroit: @ San Francisco (Monday night)
Chicago: vs Seattle (Thursday night)

TW: 3-3

LA Rams 19, NY Jets 9

Pick: Rams

The Rams continue their rush to the playoffs with a win. Matthew Stafford hit 14 of 29 passes for 110 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The passing touchdown went to Tyler Higbee. The interception happened in the 2nd drive of the 1st quarter. Kyren Williams had 23 carries for 122 yards with a touchdown. He had a run of 13 yards to be the longest run in the game. Puka Nacua had eight catches for 56 yards in the game and had a catch of 27 yards that was the longest pass play in the game. The Rams would struggle in the 1st half with just a touchdown on three drives but would rebound with 13 points in the 2nd half. It was enough to get a win and their defense really kept the Jets offense from going for more. For the Rams, they improve to 9-6 with 242 total yards. 

Aaron Rodgers hit 28 of 42 passes for 256 yards with a touchdown pass to Davante Adams. That happened in the 1st quarter. Breece Hall had 14 carries for 52 yards in the game. Isaiah Davis had a run of nine yards that was the longest run play for the Jets. Davante Adams had seven catches for 68 yards in the game. Tyler Conklin had a catch of 20 yards that was the longest pass play for the Jets. It was really a game that the Jets would struggle again like their season. An offense that has been atrocious with the leader being the reason for that ineptitude. For the Jets, they drop to 4-11 on the season with 321 yards of offense. 

Next week:

LA Rams: vs Arizona (Saturday)
NY Jets: @ Buffalo

TW: 4-3

NY Giants 7, Atlanta 34

Pick: Falcons

Atlanta blows out New York. Drew Lock hit 22 of 39 passes for 210 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The touchdown pass went to Tyrone Tracy Jr who also had seven carries for 26 yards. Darius Slayton had a six-yard run that was the longest in the game for the Giants. It was really that long of a run. Malik Nabers had seven catches for 68 yards in the game. Nabers and Darius Slayton caught passes for a 21-yard gain in the game to be the longest pass play for the Giants. Turnovers would hurt the Giants in the game as one of the Lock interceptions happened to be caught by Jessie Bates III for a 55-yard pick-six. You just have two more weeks of this season left Giants fans. For the Giants, they drop to 2-13 with 234 total yards in the game. New York hasn't won a game since October 6th. 

Michael Penix Jr. had his debut in the NFL in this one. The former Washington Husky hit 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards with an interception. Bijan Robinson had 22 carries for 94 yards in the game with two touchdowns. The two touchdowns came on 4 and 2 yard plays. Robinson had a run of 14 yards that was the longest in the game for running the ball. Darnell Mooney had five catches for 82 yards in the game. He had a 22-yard play that was the longest pass play in the game. The game was a first in hopefully many for Penix Jr. who was the backup to Kirk Cousins. Atlanta would cut the veteran passer earlier this week in an effort to avoid a roster bonus. For the Falcons, they improve to 8-7 on the season with 329 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

NY Giants: vs Indianapolis
Atlanta: @ Washington

TW: 5-3

Philadelphia 33, Washington 36

Pick: Commanders

Washington comes back against Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts started this game for the Eagles. he had 1 of 4 passing for 11 yards and had three carries for 41 yards. He would not finish the game as he left with a concussion injury. Kenny Pickett hit 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. AJ Brown had the touchdown pass for a score from Pickett. Saquon Barkley had 29 carries for 150 yards with two touchdowns. His run of 68 yards was the longest run in the game for the Eagles that was one of his touchdown runs. AJ Brown had eight catches for 97 yards and had one catch that went for a 45-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Eagles. The Eagles would not account for the remarkable ability of Jayden Daniels in the game. Early turnovers would give the Eagles some help in the game but would get overlooked. For the Eagles, they drop to 12-3 with 338 total yards in the game while dropping the ball on the #1 spot in the NFC. 

Jayden Daniels had 24 of 39 passes for 258 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. The touchdown passes went to Olamide Zaccheaus for two, Terry McLaurin for one and Jamison Crowder for two in the game. Jayden Daniels was also the leading rusher for the Commanders with nine carries for 81 yards and had a 29-yard run in the game to be longest run for Washington. Olamide Zaccheaus had five catches for 70 yards in the game. Dyami Brown caught a pass from Daniels that went for a 51-yard gain that was the longest pass play in the game for the Commanders. The Commanders would rebound in the game in the the 4th quarter with 22 points scored in the game with a 27-14 deficit prior to the 4th quarter. For the Commanders, they improve to 10-5 on the season with 368 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Philadelphia: vs Dallas
Washington: vs Atlanta

TW: 6-3

Tennessee 30, Indianapolis 38

Pick: Colts

A scoring fest in Indianapolis. Mason Rudolph had 23 of 34 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns but also three interceptions. Calvin Ridley and Nick Westbrookhine were the Titans that caught the passes from Rudolph for touchdowns. Tony Pollard had eight carries for 35 yards and had the longest run in the game on a 17-yard gain. Tyjae Spears had two touchdowns while getting 10 carries for 27 yards in the game. Chigoziem Okonkwo was the leading receiver with nine catches for 81 yards in the game. Calvin Ridley had three catches for 78 yards with one of those catches for a 38-yard gain to be the longest pass play for the Titans. The Titans would play well enough to keep up with the Colts but would lose in the end. For the Titans, they drop to 3-12 on the season with 307 total yards. 

Anthony Richardson had 7 of 11 passes for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also had nine carries for 70 yards with a touchdown run. The x-factor in the game was Jonathan Taylor with 29 carries for 218 yards with three touchdowns in the game. He had the longest run of the game for the Colts with a 70-yard gain. Josh Downs was the leading receiver for Indy with three catches for 61 yards. Adonai Mitchell caught a pass for a 36-yard gain that was the longest pass play for the Colts. It was obvious that the Colts big thing in the game was getting a run game going. How much they got was possibly another thing as it was a season and career high for Taylor. The win keeps the Colts in the playoff conversation for at least another week. For the Colts they improve to 7-8 on the season with 458 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Tennessee: @ Jacksonville
Indianapolis: @ NY Giants

TW: 7-3

Minnesota 27, Seattle 24

Pick: Vikings

Darnold to Jefferson connection gives Vikings a win. Sam Darnold hit 22 of 35 passes for 246 yards with three touchdowns. Two of them went to Justin Jefferson and one went to Jordan Addison. Aaron Jones had 18 carries for 67 yards in the game. He had a 14-yard run that was the longest run in the game. Justin Jefferson torched the Seahawks for 10 catches with 144 receiving yards and had a catch that went for a 39-yard gain that was the go-ahead touchdown. Minnesota would fight tooth and nail against the Seahawks in this one but when it mattered most Justin Jefferson would come in the clutch. For the Vikings, they improve to 13-2 on the season with 298 total yards in the game. 

Geno Smith had 31 of 43 passes completed for 314 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DK Metcalf and AJ Barner were the players that caught the passes from Smith for touchdowns. Kenneth Walker III had eight carries for 31 yards and had a 11-yard run that was the longest run in the game for the Seahawks. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the leading receiver with eight catches for 95 yards. The longest pass play was a 25-yard gain by Smith-Njigba and Metcalf respectively. Rain was pouring in Seattle and with it their playoff chances slipping by a bit with the Rams winning earlier on Sunday. For the Seahawks, they drop to 8-7 on the season with 361 total yards of offense. 

Next week:

Minnesota: vs Green Bay
Seattle: @ Chicago (Thursday night)

TW: 8-3

Jacksonville 14, Las Vegas 19

Pick: Raiders

Two rushing touchdowns gives Raiders a win. Mac Jones hit 25 of 39 passes for 247 yards with a touchdown pass to Brian Thomas Jr. Tank Bigsby had 12 carries for 50 yards with a touchdown run. Travis Etienne had nine carries for 22 yards and had a 12-yard run that was the longest in the game. Brian Thomas Jr. had nine catches for 132 yards and one of those catches was a 62-yard gain. A fairly decent game by the Jaguars as they did keep it close but ultimately they are likely going to stay at the #2 spot in next year's draft. For the Jaguars, they drop to 3-12 on the season with 308 total yards in the game. 

Aidan O'Connell had 24 of 38 passes for 257 yards in the game. Ameer Abdullah had 7 carries for 38 yards with a touchdown run. Alexander Mattison had 12 carries for 27 yards in the game with a rushing touchdown as well. The longest run in the game was a 13-yard run by O'Connell. Brock Bowers had 11 catches for 99 yards. he had a catch that went for a 32-yard gain. Las Vegas didn't really have a great game but the run game did its job and Aidan O'Connell did a decent job moving the ball and keeping the drives going as they held the ball for 34:18 of the 60 minutes in the game. They end a 10-game losing streak and hadn't won a game since beating Cleveland on September 29th. A long time coming. For the Raiders, they improve to 3-12 with 314 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Jacksonville: vs Tennessee
Las Vegas: @ New Orleans

TW: 9-3

New England 21, Buffalo 24

Pick: Bills

Two James Cook touchdowns fry the Patriots. Drake Maye hit 22 of 36 passes for 261 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The two touchdowns went to Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry. Rhamondre Stevenson had 12 carries for 60 yards with a touchdown and had the longest run in the game on a 14-yard run that resulted in the touchdown. Kayshon Boutte had five catches for 95 yards to be the leading receiver for the Patriots with a catch that went for a 31-yard gain. The Patriots would cough up turnovers with the interception and the fumble by Stevenson but miscues would be the killer for them. The defense played decent in this one but not enough to get a win. For the Patriots they drop to 3-12 with 379 total yards. 

Josh Allen had 16 of 29 passes for 154 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown went to James Cook. James Cook had 11 carries for 100 yards with a rushing touchdown. He had a 46-yard run that resulted in the touchdown. James Cook had three catches for 26 yards to be the Bills leading receiver in the game. The longest pass play was a 17-yard gain that was caught by Ray Davis and Keon Coleman. The game by Buffalo felt like a ease on the gas pedal as the offense kind of dropped out of scoring 40+ points in two consecutive games and went with a more conservative and run the ball plan. For the Bills, they improve to 12-3 on the season with 324 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

New England: vs LA Chargers (Saturday)
Buffalo: vs NY Jets

TW: 10-3

San Francisco 17, Miami 29

Pick: Dolphins

Miami eliminates San Francisco from playoffs. Brock Purdy hit 26 of 40 passes for 313 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Deebo Samuel and Eric Saubert were the players that caught the passes from Purdy for scores. Brock Purdy was the leading rusher with four carries for 26 yards in the game. He had a 16-yard run that was the longest in the game for running the football. George Kittle had eight catches for 106 yards and had a catch that went for a 28-yard gain. San Francisco would lose this game by not getting a good running game going and kept it close with a 19-17 deficit in the 4th quarter. Then the Dolphins scored 10 unanswered points that came with the Purdy interception. For the 49ers, they drop to 6-9 on the season and had 374 total yards in the game. There will not be a chance to get to the playoffs. 

Tua Tagovailoa had 22 of 34 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill. De'Von Achane had 17 carries for 120 yards with a rushing touchdown in the game. He had a run of 50 yards in the game that was a result of the touchdown that came late in the game. He could've ran and then slid for a 1st down and end the game sooner but the touchdown was more important. De'Von Achane had six catches for 70 yards in the game to be the Dolphins leading receiver. Tyreek Hill had a catch that went for a 24-yard gain that was the longest pass play in the game. Miami would play a tight one in the first 57 minutes of the game and then 10 unanswered points in the final 2:13 in the game. The win keeps the Dolphins in the hunt for the AFC playoffs but still need some help to get into the playoffs. For the Dolphins, they improve to 7-8 on the season with 381 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

San Francisco: vs Detroit
Miami: @ Cleveland

TW: 11-3

Tampa Bay 24, Dallas 26

Pick: Buccaneers

The Cowboys spoil the Buccaneers in Texas. Baker Mayfield hit 31 of 43 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns but also tossed a costly interception. Jalen McMillan and Ryan Miller were the Buccaneers that caught the passes from Mayfield for touchdowns. Bucky Irving had 16 carries for 68 yards with a touchdown. It was Baker Mayfield who had the longest run in the game on a 18-yard run. Mike Evans had five catches for 69 yards in the game. The longest pass play was a catch by Trey Palmer for a 27-yard gain. The Buccaneers would play from behind most of the game as they really let the Cowboys offense run over them. The final Buccaneers play was a Mayfield pass to Rachaad White for a 5-yard gain but it was fumbled and recovered by Daron Bland. It would prove to be the killer to their chances of a 9-6 record. For the Buccaneers, they drop to 8-7 with 410 total yards in the game. 

Cooper Rush had 26 of 35 pass completions for 292 yards with a touchdown pass to Jake Tolbert. Rico Dowdle had 13 carries for 23 yards in the game. The longest run of the game was a carry by Kavonte Turpin for a 12-yard gain. Ceedee Lamb had seven catches for 105 yards in the game and had one catch go for a 52-yard gain. The game was a solid one for the Cowboys as they really had the Buccaneers number for the game as the defense would take the ball away from them. Brandon Aubrey would hit field goals of 58 yards in two attempts. The Cowboys would get their third win in the last four games. It would be to of no avail as the Commanders win early Sunday eliminated the Cowboys from any hope of a playoff berth.  For the Cowboys, they improve to 7-8 on the season with 317 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Tampa Bay: vs Carolina
Dallas: @ Philadelphia

TW: 11-4

New Orleans 0, Green Bay 34

Pick: Packers

The Packers deliver a shutout for the first time this season and shutout a team since 2021. Spencer Rattler hit 15 of 30 passes for 153 yards with an interception. Rattler had five carries for 28 yards in the game to be the leading rusher for the Saints. The longest run for New Orleans was a Kendre Miller run of 10 yards. Foster Moreau had two catches for 33 yards and had one catch that went for a 21-yard gain in the game. The Saints would obviously have no answer to the Saints in this game as they gave up three touchdowns in the Packers first three drives. Not much to say but this team was at one point the highest scoring team in the league after two weeks. How the mighty have fallen. For the Saints, they drop to 5-10 on the season with 196 total yards. 

Jordan Love hit 16 of 28 passes for 182 yards with a tochdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. Malik Willis would get some action and hit 1 of 2 passes for 34 yards. Josh Jacobs had 13 carries for 69 yards with a rushing touchdown. He had a carry that went for a 20-yard gain that was the longest run in the game. Green Bay would also get rushing touchdowns on Elijah Wilson with 11 carries for 52 yards and Christopher Brooks with six carries and 23 yards. Jayden Reed had three catches for 76 yards and had a catch that went for a 37-yard gain. That was the longest pass play in the game for Green Bay. The win gives them their 2nd straight playoff berth and the fourth in six seasons under the head coaching tutelage of head coach Matt LaFleur. Not much to say other than the Packers just kept scoring and wouldn't let up the gas. For the Packers, they improve to 11-4 with 404 total yards in the game but will have a tough game next week at Minnesota. 

Next week:

New Orleans: vs Las Vegas
Green Bay: @ Minnesota

TW: 12-4

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11

Week 6: 13-1

Week 7: 13-2

Week 8: 9-7

Week 9: 12-3

Week 10: 10-4

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 7-6

Week 13: 14-2

Week 14: 11-3

Week 15: 13-3

Week 16: 12-4

Total: 172-69

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111

With the NFL starting Week 17 on Wednesday, I will be doing a partial post on Tuesday and then the rest of the week on Thursday/Friday! Enjoy your week and Merry Christmas!

-Tom