Division Leaders and Streaks
In the AFC, the Miami Dolphins (11-3) and Jacksonville Jaguars (11-3) dominated their divisions, with the Dolphins extending their winning streak to six games. In the NFC, both the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks stood tall at 13-1, with the Cowboys boasting a nine-game win streak. The Detroit Lions (10-4) maintained their lead in the NFC North with a two-game streak, while the San Francisco 49ers (11-3) kept pace in the NFC West.
Close Games
Several games were decided in the final moments:
- The Pittsburgh Steelers eked out a 25-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts with George Pickens scoring a dramatic 88-yard touchdown in the last minute.
- Baltimore Ravens edged the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-23 with Lamar Jackson finding Odell Beckham Jr. for a late score.
- Washington Commanders overcame the Los Angeles Rams 38-34 after a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback led by Sam Howell.
Division Leader Results
- Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa threw for 380 yards in a 31-21 win over the New York Jets, highlighted by an 83-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Despite Trevor Lawrence’s 278-yard effort, Jacksonville fell 26-23 to Baltimore.
- Dallas Cowboys: Tony Pollard’s 137-yard performance powered Dallas to a 30-21 victory over Buffalo.
- San Francisco 49ers: Christian McCaffrey’s 120 rushing yards anchored a dominant 20-0 shutout of Arizona.
- Seattle Seahawks: Geno Smith threw for 367 yards as Seattle overwhelmed Philadelphia 38-16.

Game of the Week
Washington 38 – Los Angeles Rams 34
After losing the first six games, I wasn’t sure the Commanders were going to get a win this season. This week the Commanders got their 4th win to match the real life total. I feel like I let the league down if I don’t at least match the actual wins.

The Rams took the lead early and the Commanders just hung around all game. It was a 27 – 7 Rams’ lead with about a minute left before the half when Stafford tried to hit Higbee for a quick slant in their own territory. Cody Barton, the ILB who was signed as a free agent before the season, stepped-up and returned the pick all the way to make it Rams 27 – Washington 14 at the half. This is the same Cody Barton who made a crucial interception last week against the Dolphins with about a minute left in the game which almost pulled the game out of the fire.
Anyhow, the Rams lead the entire game until there was about 1:45 left. The Commanders took the ball on their own 2-yard line with about 8 minutes to go after a nice coffin corner punt by Ethan Evans. Sam Howell (whom I curse about half the time) had the best drive of his season (and possibly career) and took the team 98 yards on an over 6-minute drive capped by a nice 12-yard TD pass to Scary Terry for the win. The Commanders’ defense came through with one of their biggest stops of the year to preserve the victory.
The skies parted and the dice gods really shined on Washington in this one. I’ll take a win however I can get it. Oh well, off to review the cards for the Jets, Niners, and the dreaded Cowboys to see if I can eek out one more. Ya gotta believe! Happy New Year everyone!
Week 15 Game Summaries by Division
AFC East
Miami Dolphins 31, New York Jets 21
Tua Tagovailoa led the Dolphins with 380 passing yards, including an 83-yard touchdown to Jaylen Waddle. Raheem Mostert added a rushing touchdown. Miami’s defense held strong in the fourth quarter to secure their sixth straight win.
Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 21
Despite Josh Allen’s efforts, Buffalo fell to Dallas. Tony Pollard rushed for 137 yards, helping Dallas dominate time of possession and remain atop the NFC East.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens 26, Jacksonville Jaguars 23
Lamar Jackson rallied Baltimore to a late victory, throwing three touchdowns, including a game-winning pass to Odell Beckham Jr. Baltimore’s defense held Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence to short gains in critical moments.
Cincinnati Bengals 27, Minnesota Vikings 10
Joe Mixon carried Cincinnati with 117 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals’ defense stifled Minnesota in the second half, allowing no points.
Cleveland Browns 34, Chicago Bears 15
Deshaun Watson threw for 351 yards and connected with Amari Cooper for a 34-yard touchdown. Cleveland’s defense forced a safety and controlled the tempo throughout.
AFC South
Houston Texans 38, Tennessee Titans 28
C.J. Stroud threw four touchdowns, including two to Dameon Pierce, as Houston outpaced Tennessee. Derrick Henry’s 245 rushing yards and two scores weren’t enough to overcome Houston’s balanced attack.
Indianapolis Colts 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 25
The Steelers mounted a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback, capped by Mason Rudolph’s 88-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 117 yards in a losing effort.
AFC West
Los Angeles Chargers 33, Las Vegas Raiders 17
Justin Herbert threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns as the Chargers controlled the game from start to finish. Austin Ekeler added 63 rushing yards and a game-high 161 receiving yards.
Kansas City Chiefs 24, New England Patriots 7
Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdowns, and Isiah Pacheco added an 18-yard rushing score as Kansas City’s defense stifled New England’s offense.
NFC East
New York Giants 31, New Orleans Saints 24
Saquon Barkley rushed for 157 yards, and Tommy DeVito threw three touchdown passes. The Giants’ defense forced key turnovers, helping them upset the Saints.
Philadelphia Eagles 16, Seattle Seahawks 38
Geno Smith threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns as Seattle dominated Philadelphia. Kenneth Walker III contributed 145 receiving yards, including a 57-yard catch.
NFC North
Detroit Lions 25, Denver Broncos 6
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown as Detroit’s defense limited Denver to just six points. Jared Goff managed the game efficiently with 227 passing yards.
Green Bay Packers 30, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23
Jordan Love threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns, including a 65-yard strike to Romeo Doubs. Green Bay’s defense held Tampa Bay scoreless in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
NFC South
Carolina Panthers 23, Atlanta Falcons 17
Bryce Young threw two touchdown passes, and the defense scored on a pick-six by Yetur Gross-Matos. Carolina’s early lead proved insurmountable despite Atlanta’s fourth-quarter rally.
New York Giants 31, New Orleans Saints 24
Tommy DeVito and Daniel Bellinger combined for three touchdowns as the Giants capitalized on early momentum. Derek Carr’s 289 passing yards kept New Orleans in contention, but New York sealed the win late.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers 20, Arizona Cardinals 0
Christian McCaffrey rushed for 120 yards, and the 49ers’ defense pitched a shutout, holding Arizona to just 141 total yards.
Washington Commanders 38, Los Angeles Rams 34
Sam Howell led a fourth-quarter comeback, throwing three touchdowns, including a game-winning pass to Terry McLaurin. The Rams’ early 27-7 lead crumbled as Washington’s defense and offense surged late.
Week 15 Top Performers
Quarterbacks
- Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins): Dominated the air with 380 passing yards, including an 83-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle, leading the Dolphins to victory.
- Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks): Threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns, including key passes to Kenneth Walker III, in Seattle’s dominant win.
- Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns): Accumulated 351 passing yards and a touchdown, connecting on deep throws to Amari Cooper and efficiently leading Cleveland’s offense.
- C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans): Recorded 267 passing yards and four touchdowns, showcasing excellent decision-making in Houston’s win over Tennessee.
- Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers): Posted 342 passing yards and three touchdowns, including a 161-yard receiving performance by Austin Ekeler.
Wide Receivers
- Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers): Led all receivers with 161 yards on 13 catches, showcasing his dual-threat capabilities in the Chargers’ victory.
- Kenneth Walker III (Seattle Seahawks): Tallied 145 receiving yards, including a 57-yard catch, and scored two receiving touchdowns.
- Amari Cooper (Cleveland Browns): Racked up 126 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions, serving as a key offensive weapon for Cleveland.
- Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins): Exploded for 110 receiving yards, including an 83-yard touchdown catch that highlighted Miami’s offensive dominance.
- Adam Thielen (Carolina Panthers): Hauled in 13 catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns, leading Carolina to a close victory over Atlanta.
Running Backs
- Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans): Had a monstrous performance with 245 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a 64-yard scoring run.
- Saquon Barkley (New York Giants): Rushed for 157 yards, helping New York grind out a win over New Orleans.
- Tony Pollard (Dallas Cowboys): Powered Dallas with 137 rushing yards and a touchdown in their victory over Buffalo.
- Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers): Ran for 120 yards, providing the foundation for San Francisco’s shutout victory over Arizona.
- Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Bengals): Scored three rushing touchdowns while accumulating 117 yards, playing a crucial role in Cincinnati’s win over Minnesota.
Defense
- Yetur Gross-Matos (Carolina Panthers): Scored a pick-six interception, contributing to Carolina’s win against Atlanta.
- Cody Barton (Washington Commanders): Returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown during Washington’s comeback victory over the Rams.
- T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers): Recorded three sacks, disrupting the Colts’ offense and aiding in Pittsburgh’s narrow win.
- George Karlaftis (Kansas City Chiefs): Matched Watt with three sacks, spearheading Kansas City’s defensive effort against New England.
- Martin Emerson (Cleveland Browns): Secured a critical interception, helping Cleveland control the game against Chicago.
Special Teams
- Cameron Dicker (Los Angeles Chargers): Led all kickers with 15 points, hitting five field goals, including a 55-yarder, in the Chargers’ win.
- Brandon Aubrey (Dallas Cowboys): Scored 12 points, nailing a 56-yard field goal and providing consistency in Dallas’ victory.
- J.K. Scott (Los Angeles Chargers): Averaged 55.0 yards per punt, pinning opponents deep and helping maintain field position dominance.
- Blake Grupe (New Orleans Saints): Contributed 10 points, making three field goals and keeping New Orleans competitive.
- Gunner Olszewski (New York Giants): Scored on a 79-yard punt return, providing a crucial special teams touchdown in New York’s upset win over the Saints.