There was plenty of drama in Week 15, in addition to last-second finishes and multiple questionable decisions by certain coaches. If you missed last week, let’s review some of the biggest storylines before jumping into the headlines for Week 16.
Plus, it’s never too early to lock in a bet for this week’s slate, so our expert has chosen a pick for Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football. Let’s dig in!
Week 15 Storylines
It’s hard to pick just three things to review from last week. A lot of action happened over the busy slate of games, so here are just a few of the headlines from the week.
Bills, Lions Put On An Offensive Show
It was labeled as the possible Super Bowl matchup and was easily the most anticipated game of the week. Fortunately for us fans, the teams didn’t disappoint. The Bills and Lions traded offensive blows from the kickoff to the final whistle, and only 4 possessions ended with a punt.
The Bills won 48-42 in the end and snapped Detroit's 11-game win streak. Josh Allen had already cemented himself as the MVP frontrunner and strengthened that campaign with another impressive performance of 362 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 68 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns.
The Lions offense looked unstoppable. Jared Goff finished with an absurd 494 passing yards and 5 touchdown passes. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the main target all night as he hauled in 14 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown. Plus, Sam LaPorta had 111 yards on just 7 catches. But in the end, their defense let them down by not making many 3rd down stops. Perhaps the worst part of the loss was that David Montgomery suffered a knee injury and is out for the rest of the season.
Panthers Lose As Favorites For First Time In Years
The Panthers were favorites in a game for the first time since Week 15 of the 2022 season. Oddsmakers finally started to give Bryce Young and the Panthers some respect for their improvement in the last few weeks, and Carolina rewarded that thinking with a horrendous performance. Young was sacked 6 times, threw 2 interceptions, and the team lost 2 fumbles. Carolina lost 30-15 and squandered the first chance of winning a game as a favorite.
Week 15 was the first time that Cooper Rush looked comfortable in the pocket. He finished with 214 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, which propelled Dallas to their 3rd win in the last 4 games. A big reason for Rush’s impressive performance was that he constantly looked for CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys star receiver had 9 catches for 116 yards with a touchdown. Rush learned to get the ball to his best playmaker and let him go to work.
Jalen Hurts Silences The Critics In Win
Philadelphia's Week 14 win over the Panthers caused a lot of damage. A.J. Brown seemed upset with Jalen Hurts, and other players mentioned that the two’s relationship was strained for a while. Drama filled the locker room, bringing multiple questions about how the offense would look in Week 15. Hurts heard the critics and had his best game of the season. He finished with 290 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, and more importantly, targeted Brown and DeVonta Smith all game.
Brown finished with 8 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, while Smith hauled in 11 receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. The two receivers seemed pleased with the increase in targets, and the offense appeared back on track. It was a much-needed win for the Eagles.
Week 16 Headlines
Only a few games left before the playoffs! But I don’t want to get ahead of myself just yet. Here are some of the biggest headlines for Week 16.
How Bad Is Patrick Mahomes’ Injury?
The Chiefs improved to 13-1 with a 21-7 win over the Browns last week, but Patrick Mahomes suffered an ankle injury late in the game. The star quarterback has a history of ankle injuries and couldn't put much pressure on his leg when he walked off the field. Kansas City announced that Mahomes has a high-ankle sprain and is questionable to play on Saturday against the Texans.
If Mahomes can't suit up, Carson Wentz will be under center for the Chiefs. Kansas City has already locked up a playoff spot, so that’s one thing the Chiefs won’t have to worry about. Keep an eye out for more updates on Mahomes as the week goes on.
Falcons Bench Kirk Cousins For Michael Penix
Kirk Cousins has been atrocious in the last month. He was lucky enough to get the win on Monday Night Football, but it certainly wasn’t because of him. He completed just 11 passes for 112 yards with a touchdown and interception. It broke his streak of 4 games without a touchdown, extending his interception streak to 5 games. His Week 15 performance was enough for Raheem Morris to make a change at quarterback for Week 16.
Rookie Michael Penix will make his first NFL start on Sunday against the Giants. Penix was a star at the University of Washington and was a surprise pick by the Falcons, who had already committed to Cousins. Although he had to sit most of the season, Penix’s patience has been rewarded with a Week 16 start.
Baker Mayfield And Cooper Rush On SNF
QB Baker Mayfield continues to be a pleasant surprise. He’s led the Bucs to a respectable 8-6 record without WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans for multiple weeks. Evans has since returned, but Godwin’s injury was season-ending. That said, rookie RB Bucky Irving has stepped up and become a vital piece of the offense. Last week, the Bucs took on an elite Chargers defense, and Mayfield still threw 4 touchdowns and finished with 40 points.
There wasn’t a lot of hope for the Cowboys once QB Dak Prescott went down with an injury. But props to Cooper Rush for stepping up in the last few weeks and leading Dallas to 3 wins in their previous 4 games. The offense has centered around RB Rico Dowdle and WR CeeDee Lamb and will likely continue that way for the rest of December. Sunday Night Football should feature plenty of points.
Week 16 Best Bets
Looking for an early best bet or two for Week 16? You’re in luck. Here’s a pick for Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football.
Buccaneers -3.5 (-115)
Tampa Bay has proven to be an elite offense. With Mayfield under center, Rachaad White and Bucky Irving in the backfield, and then Mike Evans and Cade Otton downfield, the Bucs have been pouring on the points lately.
Tampa Bay has scored at least 30 points in 6 of their last 11 games and at least 23 points in 11 straight. That level of offensive production should be more than the Cowboys can handle.
Packers -14.5 (-110)
The Packers might just be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Green Bay is 10-4 and has won 8 of their last 10 games. The two losses in that span were both to the Lions. Fortunately for QB Jordan Love, he gets a much easier matchup in Week 16.
Saints QB Derreck Carr will likely miss this week's game, and although rookie QB Spencer Rattler looked competent in last week's 4Q comeback against the Washington Commanders, New Orleans hasn't named their starter this week. Whether it be Rattler or Jake Haener, I can't see that going well for them. Therefore, I'll back Green Bay to win by 2+ TDs as they continue to chase the Lions and Vikings in the NFC North.
