USFFL

USFFL Season 24 – Week 16

Week 16 of the NFL season featured several thrilling matchups, critical playoff implications, and standout individual performances. Teams battled for division leads, wildcard spots, and playoff positioning as the regular season neared its end.

Key Highlights:

  • Exciting Overtime Battles:
    • New Orleans 44, Los Angeles Rams 38 (OT) – Derek Carr led the Saints to a dramatic win with 422 passing yards and 5 touchdowns.
    • Miami 37, Dallas 31 (OT) – Tua Tagovailoa threw for 288 yards and 4 touchdowns, leading the Dolphins to a crucial victory after a back-and-forth contest.
  • Comeback of the Week:
    • Denver 21, New England 20 – The Broncos stormed back from a 20-0 deficit, scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, capped by a last-second touchdown.
  • Dominant Performances by Division Leaders:
    • San Francisco 31, Baltimore 13 – The 49ers dominated with Brock Purdy throwing for 4 touchdowns, strengthening their NFC West lead.
    • Jacksonville 44, Tampa Bay 10 – The Jaguars remained in control of the AFC South with a commanding win, as Trevor Lawrence threw for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns.
    • Detroit 26, Minnesota 7 – The Lions kept their NFC North lead with a strong defensive showing and a balanced offensive attack.
    • Kansas City 17, Las Vegas 3 – The Chiefs continued their march toward an AFC West title with a solid defensive effort and strong rushing performance from Isiah Pacheco.
  • Playoff Picture Shake-ups:
    • Buffalo 28, Los Angeles Chargers 20 – The Bills stayed alive in the AFC playoff race thanks to Josh Allen’s 351 passing yards and 4 touchdowns.
    • Philadelphia 29, New York Giants 24 – The Eagles relied on their dominant rushing attack to fend off the Giants in a game with six lead changes.
  • Close Finishes:
    • New York Jets 20, Washington 17 – A late 51-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein secured a Jets win in a tight game.
    • Arizona 19, Chicago 17 – A defensive battle where Arizona held on for a close victory, thanks to four field goals by Matt Prater.

Game of the Week

Jets 20 – Commanders 17

J  E  T  S       JETS JETS JETS   , In the most anticipated matchup in Week 16, the 4-10  Commanders vs the 3-11 Jets, did not disappoint!  Just as expected, neither team could score in the 1st QTR. However The Commanders did get inside the Jets 10 yard line  3 separate times during the 2nd , but were held to FGs twice and was denied on the last play of the half to take a 6-0 lead into halftime.  The Jets took that momentum and took the 2nd half opening drive to take a 7-6 lead on a 7 yd. TD reception from Wilson to Wilson.  Washington retook the lead on Slye’s 22 yd FG, his 3rd of the game to go up 9-7 heading into the 4th.  Zuerlein hit a 21 yarder early in the 4th to retake the lead once again for the Jets to make it 10-9. Washington went back up on a quick drive and scored on a 35yd reception by McLaurin from S. Howell, after a 2pt conversion by B. Robinson the Commanders went up 17-10.  The Jets then answered on a 5 play 75 yard drive set up by a 33yd run by Hall and a 21 reception by Wilson followed by a 17 yard touchdown catch by Wilson his 2nd TD of the game.  XP was good to tie at 17.  After holding the Commanders, the Jets hit the game winner by Zuerlein  on a 51 yarder with less than 2minutes left.  Jets hold off the final DC drive to close out the win.  This gives the Jets their 4th win and only 11 losses.    Hall led all rushers with 84 yards on only 16 carries.  ZW was 14 of 26 for 183 yards.  Washington’s S. Howell went 34 of 49 for 319 yards. He threw 2ints and was sacked 4 times by the Jets defense.  David used Brian Robinson for 51 yards on the ground and 87 yards catching.  The Jets had their hands full the whole game with Robinson.

Division Summary

AFC East

  • Miami Dolphins (12-3) continued their dominance with a thrilling 37-31 OT win over Dallas, marking their seventh straight victory and bringing them closer to securing the division title.
  • Buffalo Bills (9-6) kept their playoff hopes alive with a 28-20 win over the Chargers, fueled by Josh Allen’s 351 passing yards and 4 TDs.
  • New England Patriots (8-7) suffered a crushing 21-20 loss to Denver, blowing a 20-0 lead in the fourth quarter, putting their playoff chances in jeopardy.
  • New York Jets (4-11) edged out Washington 20-17 with a last-minute field goal, but they remain out of playoff contention.

AFC North

  • Cleveland Browns (9-6) made a statement with a 26-7 win over Houston, as Nick Chubb rushed for two touchdowns.
  • Baltimore Ravens (9-6) lost ground in the division after being dominated by San Francisco 31-13, with Brock Purdy throwing 4 TDs.
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 36-19 victory over Cincinnati, led by Najee Harris’ 144 rushing yards and two TDs.
  • Cincinnati Bengals (7-8) failed to gain momentum, struggling in their loss to Pittsburgh despite 255 passing yards from Jake Browning.

AFC South

  • Jacksonville Jaguars (12-3) remained firmly in control of the division with a 44-10 rout of Tampa Bay, with Trevor Lawrence throwing for 255 yards and 2 TDs.
  • Houston Texans (9-6) suffered a setback, falling 26-7 to Cleveland, hurting their wildcard chances.
  • Tennessee Titans (5-10) were outmatched in a 34-13 loss to Seattle, with Derrick Henry rushing for 118 yards in a losing effort.
  • Indianapolis Colts (3-12) continued their struggles, losing 21-6 to Atlanta, further solidifying their position at the bottom of the division.

AFC West

  • Kansas City Chiefs (9-6) took another step toward securing the AFC West with a 17-3 win over Las Vegas, thanks to Isiah Pacheco’s 127 rushing yards.
  • Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) lost a key game 28-20 to Buffalo, weakening their wildcard hopes despite a strong game from Justin Herbert.
  • Denver Broncos (8-7) pulled off a miraculous 21-20 comeback win over New England, rallying from a 20-0 deficit.
  • Las Vegas Raiders (3-12) continued their downward spiral with a 17-3 loss to Kansas City, as their offense sputtered.

NFC East

  • Dallas Cowboys (13-2) lost a dramatic 37-31 OT game to Miami, their first defeat in over a month, but they remain in a strong playoff position.
  • Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) upset the Giants 29-24, powered by a dominant rushing attack with 232 yards on the ground.
  • Washington Commanders (4-11) lost another close one 20-17 to the Jets, continuing their disappointing season.
  • New York Giants (3-11-1) couldn’t keep up with Philadelphia despite a solid showing from Tyrod Taylor.

NFC North

  • Detroit Lions (11-4) maintained their lead in the division with a 26-7 win over Minnesota, as Amon-Ra St. Brown posted 105 receiving yards.
  • Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) strengthened their wildcard position with a 41-20 win over Carolina, behind Jordan Love’s two TD passes.
  • Minnesota Vikings (4-11) suffered a blowout 26-7 loss to Detroit, extending their losing streak to six games.
  • Chicago Bears (3-12) narrowly lost 19-17 to Arizona, as Justin Fields’ 264 passing yards weren’t enough.

NFC South

  • New Orleans Saints (10-5) pulled off a wild 44-38 OT win against the Rams, with Derek Carr throwing for 422 yards and 5 TDs.
  • Atlanta Falcons (8-7) remained in playoff contention with a 21-6 win over Indianapolis, led by Bijan Robinson’s 2 TD catches.
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) were embarrassed in a 44-10 loss to Jacksonville, further denting their slim playoff hopes.
  • Carolina Panthers (6-9) struggled in a 41-20 loss to Green Bay, as their defense gave up big plays.

NFC West

  • Seattle Seahawks (14-1) solidified their NFC-best record with a 34-13 win over Tennessee, dominating on both sides of the ball.
  • San Francisco 49ers (12-3) had a huge 31-13 victory over Baltimore, with Jauan Jennings catching 3 TDs.
  • Los Angeles Rams (6-9) fell in a heartbreaking 44-38 OT loss to New Orleans, despite a strong game from Matthew Stafford.
  • Arizona Cardinals (4-11) edged Chicago 19-17, thanks to kicker Matt Prater’s four field goals.

Key Takeaways from Week 16

✅ Dolphins, Jaguars, Chiefs, and 49ers are closing in on division titles.
✅ The AFC North remains a tight race, with Baltimore and Cleveland still fighting.
✅ Green Bay, Buffalo, and Atlanta boosted their playoff chances.
✅ Denver’s dramatic comeback kept their postseason hopes alive.
✅ The Saints and Lions are in control of their divisions after key wins.

Top Performers of Week 16

🏈 Quarterbacks (Top Passers)

  1. Derek Carr (New Orleans) – 422 passing yards, 5 TDs (OT win vs. Rams)
  2. Josh Allen (Buffalo) – 351 passing yards, 4 TDs (win vs. Chargers)
  3. Brock Purdy (San Francisco) – 240 passing yards, 4 TDs (win vs. Ravens)
  4. Tua Tagovailoa (Miami) – 288 passing yards, 4 TDs (OT win vs. Dallas)
  5. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville) – 255 passing yards, 2 TDs (win vs. Tampa Bay)

🏃‍♂️ Running Backs (Top Rushers)

  1. Alvin Kamara (New Orleans) – 170 rushing yards (win vs. Rams)
  2. Kyren Williams (Los Angeles Rams) – 146 rushing yards, 2 TDs (OT loss vs. Saints)
  3. D’Andre Swift (Philadelphia) – 145 rushing yards, 1 TD (win vs. Giants)
  4. Najee Harris (Pittsburgh) – 144 rushing yards, 2 TDs (win vs. Bengals)
  5. Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City) – 127 rushing yards, 1 TD (win vs. Raiders)

🎯 Wide Receivers / Tight Ends (Top Pass Catchers)

  1. Jauan Jennings (San Francisco) – 114 receiving yards, 3 TDs (win vs. Ravens)
  2. Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) – 115 receiving yards, 1 TD (loss vs. Jacksonville)
  3. Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit) – 105 receiving yards, 1 TD (win vs. Vikings)
  4. Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo) – 110 receiving yards, 1 TD (win vs. Chargers)
  5. Garrett Wilson (New York Jets) – 109 receiving yards, 2 TDs (win vs. Washington)

💪 Defensive Standouts

  1. Joey Porter Jr. (Pittsburgh) – 2 interceptions (win vs. Bengals)
  2. Riq Woolen (Seattle) – 2 interceptions (win vs. Titans)
  3. Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit) – 2 sacks (win vs. Vikings)
  4. Travon Walker (Jacksonville) – 2 sacks (win vs. Tampa Bay)
  5. Alex Highsmith (Pittsburgh) – 2 sacks (win vs. Bengals)

🏆 Special Teams Stars

  1. Matt Prater (Arizona) – 4 field goals, 13 total points (win vs. Bears)
  2. Brandon McManus (Jacksonville) – 14 total points (win vs. Tampa Bay)
  3. Chris Boswell (Pittsburgh) – 12 total points, including a 52-yard FG (win vs. Bengals)
  4. Greg Zuerlein (New York Jets) – Game-winning 51-yard FG (win vs. Washington)
  5. A.J. Cole (Las Vegas) – 64.0-yard punt average (loss vs. Kansas City)