Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season began with an NFC South game between the Falcons and Buccaneers on Thursday night. Led by three touchdowns from tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., the Falcons won thanks to a field goal from kicker Zane Gonzalez as time expired.
In the early window Sunday, the Eagles bounced back from a five-turnover performance last week with a shutout win over the Raiders. The Bengals and Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention after losses to the Ravens and Chargers, respectively. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes left the Chiefs' loss late in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury.
In the AFC East, the Bills denied the Patriots a chance to clinch the division title. And in the NFC East, the Commanders ended an eight-game losing streak with a win against the Giants. The Texans and Jaguars also scored 40-plus points in dominant victories. Meanwhile, the Bears easily handled the Browns, marking the team's first 10-win season since 2018.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything you need to know for every team. Let's get to it.
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LAC-KC | NYJ-JAX | CLE-CHI
ARI-HOU | WSH-NYG | BUF-NE
BAL-CIN | LV-PHI | ATL-TB
L.A. Chargers 16, Kansas City 13
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Chargers
Are the Chargers Super Bowl contenders? The Chargers are riding a three-game winning streak, capped by back-to-back victories over last season's Super Bowl teams, the Eagles and Chiefs. With injuries decimating the offense, the Chargers have leaned on their defense, which sealed Sunday's win with a late interception, just as it did a week ago. This time, it was safety Derwin James Jr. who picked off Chiefs backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. If the defense continues to play at this level, the Chargers have a legitimate chance to make a run at the title.
Trend to watch: Sunday was Justin Herbert's fourth straight game with an interception, his longest such streak since 2022. He continues to be uncharacteristically careless with the football this season. After throwing the fewest interceptions in the NFL last season, he has already thrown 12, which is the second-highest total of his career. As the Chargers look to win the AFC West and jockey for better seeding, his turnovers could be an issue. -- Kris Rhim
Next game: at Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Chiefs
What's next for the Chiefs after missing the postseason? The Chiefs will have plenty of questions, especially after quarterback Patrick Mahomes left the game late in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury. Coach Andy Reid might have to make changes to his staff after the offense struggled for much of the second half of the season. The front office will also have to prioritize improving the Chiefs' pass rush and rushing attack, considering their top two running backs -- Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt -- struggled to produce explosive plays in 2025.
What to make of the QB performance: Mahomes performed his best on the Chiefs' opening drive, making two clutch plays. He converted a third-and-11 snap with a timely completion to tight end Travis Kelce, and he outwitted the Chargers' zone coverage in the red zone with a 12-yard touchdown scramble. But the Chargers made everything else difficult for Mahomes, whether through pressure against a makeshift offensive line or in man coverage, which denied the Chiefs' receivers a chance to get open consistently. His biggest mistake was a fourth-quarter interception inside the red zone, when an incompletion could've resulted in a Harrison Butker field goal to tie the game. -- Nate Taylor
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Jacksonville 48, N.Y. Jets 20
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Jaguars
Is quarterback Trevor Lawrence heating up the way he did in the second half of 2022? Sure looks like it. After throwing for 330 yards and a career-high five touchdowns (along with one rushing TD), Lawrence has now thrown for 225-plus yards and multiple touchdowns in four consecutive games. That's the longest stretch of his career, and he has 14 touchdown passes (to six interceptions) and four rushing scores in the Jaguars' past seven games, during which they are 6-1. Lawrence got hot after the bye in 2022 as well, when he threw 12 touchdown passes to only two interceptions to lead the Jaguars to a 6-1 record and a division title.
Most surprising performance: Running back Travis Etienne Jr. caught three touchdown passes, which tied his career total entering the game. Etienne now has 31 career touchdowns, which moves him into sixth place on the franchise's all-time list. His last touchdown came on a screen pass, a play the Jaguars have not had much success on. "We have got to improve there, but it's just like anything you're trying to improve but not go reinvent the wheel with them," coach Liam Coen said in late October. "I think there's some fundamentals and techniques we can improve." -- Mike DiRocco
Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Trevor Lawrence has his first five touchdown game with a 45-yard pass to Travis Etienne Jr.
Jets
How did rookie Brady Cook fare in his first NFL start? Cook could've been prime Tom Brady, and it wouldn't have mattered, considering the defensive performance. Under tough circumstances, Cook displayed poise and mobility (39 rushing yards). It was a nice first quarter (6-for-6, one touchdown pass) and a back-to-reality finish for the former practice squad player. He threw two interceptions, including his third end zone pick in two weeks. That said, it wasn't the Jets' worst passing performance of the season. Despite the hiccups, Cook (22-for-33, 176 yards) deserves another start. At 3-11, why not?
Biggest hole in the game plan: Another awful performance by the defense, raising the heat on embattled defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The Jets had no answers for Lawrence, who threw four touchdowns with linebacker Quincy Williams as the nearest defender. This was the most points allowed by the Jets since 2021. Adding insult to insult, they went interception-less for the 14th straight game, tying an NFL mark for futility. -- Rich Cimini
Next game: at Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Chicago 31, Cleveland 3
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Bears
The Bears got their 10th win. Now what? Chicago needed a statement victory to get to double-digit wins for the first time since 2018, especially with three playoff-caliber teams coming up (Green Bay, San Francisco and Detroit) and the fact that it believes 11 victories will get the team into the postseason. The Bears' defense logged three INTs to bring their takeaway total to 30, and the offense scored off those turnovers with a strong rushing attack and one of Caleb Williams' best passing performances of the season. Most importantly, the Bears had the fast start they've been aiming for, with two first-quarter touchdowns.
Most surprising performance: It wasn't hard to predict a bounce-back performance by wide receiver DJ Moore one week after he logged one catch for minus-4 yards. Moore and Williams connected for two scores, sparking Chicago's aerial attack against the league's No. 1 pass defense. When Williams and Moore are on the same page, special plays like their third quarter scramble-drill touchdown can happen. This offense is better when these two are clicking.
Best quote from the locker room: "I would say 99% of the quarterbacks, you tell them don't even waste your time looking back there and trying to make that throw," coach Ben Johnson said of Williams' second touchdown to Moore. "There's usually bad things that happen, and yet he's got the ability to make that throw and DJ made a heck of a play there right on the back line as well. That was one of those highlight moments there." -- Courtney Cronin
Next game: vs. Packers (Saturday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Shedeur Sanders' pass is deflected and picked off, leading to Caleb Williams throwing a nice touchdown pass to DJ Moore.
Browns
Changes inevitable after another embarrassing Browns loss? The team was undermanned, ruling out four starters before the game, but they were thoroughly outclassed by the Bears. The mounting injuries only further highlighted the lack of playmakers on both sides of the ball for Cleveland. Owner Jimmy Haslam said before the season that another 3-14 season wouldn't cut it for the current regime. The Browns are now 3-11 and staring at that outcome again, with three games remaining against teams in playoff position.
Stat to know: Defensive end Myles Garrett recorded 1.5 sacks against the Bears, increasing his season total to 21.5. He is one sack away from tying the NFL's single-season record shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. -- Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: vs. Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Houston 40, Arizona 20
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Texans
Are the Texans peaking at the right time? Yes. Houston is thriving amid its six-game win streak. Sunday's win was more about the Texans' offense, which produced its second-most points in a game this season (40). Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 260 yards with three touchdowns, while Houston got unlikely help from practice squad running back Jawhar Jordan and his team-high 101 rushing yards on 15 carries. The defense allowed 20 points for the first time since Week 10 but still forced a takeaway. With the Raiders, Chargers and Colts left on the schedule, the Texans appear to be bulldozing their way toward the playoffs and look scarier with each passing week.
Most surprising performance: Sunday's game marked the first in which Jordan received a carry in his two-year pro career. The 26-year-old, who was a sixth-round pick out of Louisville in 2024, has been cut multiple times by the Texans and placed on the practice squad. Despite the adversity he has faced, Jordan stepped up and became the Texans' first 100-yard rusher of the season. -- DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
C.J. Stroud connects with Nico Collins in the back of the end zone to extend the Texans' lead.
Cardinals
How tough is it to evaluate this season with all the injuries? Pretty much near impossible, regardless of what anyone thinks. Seemingly every week, more and bigger names get added to the injury report and miss time. This week, the Cardinals didn't have starters at left tackle or left guard, and were without their starting receiver and safety. That's in addition to being short five of their top six receivers, their starting quarterback, three of their top four running backs, two of their top four tight ends and a right tackle. Regardless of what happens every week, evaluating Arizona's season as a whole with that many injuries doesn't paint an accurate picture. Sure, that's life in the NFL, but teams aren't built to consistently play with a second- or third-string lineup.
Stat to know: Tight end Trey McBride -- who had 12 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns -- set some records Sunday. His 12 receptions put him over 100 for the season, which made him the first tight end in NFL history to reach triple digits on catches in one season. His performance at Houston also helped him set an NFL record for most consecutive games with five or more catches. He now has done it in 16 games, passing Kansas City's Travis Kelce, who held the record with 15 in 2018. -- Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Falcons (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Washington 29, N.Y. Giants 21
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Commanders
How badly did Washington need to end its eight-game losing streak? The Commanders' draft positioning took a hit, but they needed a win after last week's 31-0 debacle at Minnesota. During the week, wide receiver Terry McLaurin said they couldn't let that happen again, especially versus a team that had lost seven straight. Washington has dealt with a lot of injuries this season, which partly explains the demise. But for a team that preaches standards and winning habits, a 12-game losing streak to end the season wouldn't help what the coaches preach. With two games against Philadelphia and one versus Dallas up next, that was a real possibility. That's not a scenario owner Josh Harris wanted to confront so soon coming after a 12-5 season.
Most surprising performance: Washington had an all-around strong day on special teams, a big key in its victory. Returner Jaylin Lane returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown, kicker Jake Moody made all three field goals and punter Tress Way averaged 45.8 yards on four punts (three landed inside the 20-yard line). The lone blemish: Moody missed an extra point.
Best quote from the locker room: "It's hard to go two months without winning a game. Games like this are never easy, weather was tough, windy, cold, snowy. So many reasons, so many things for our guys to not show up and our guys found a way today," said quarterback Marcus Mariota. -- John Keim
Next game: vs. Eagles (Saturday, 5 p.m. ET)
Jacory Croskey-Merritt scores a 16-yard touchdown to give the Commanders a 10-0 lead over the Giants.
Giants
What do all these losses mean for GM Joe Schoen and interim coach Mike Kafka? The Giants have lost all four games since Kafka took over. It's becoming close to impossible to envision him having the interim tag removed given these results. As for Schoen, the pressure continues to build. His return next season seems far from certain given that the team has dropped eight straight and is 5-26 over the past two seasons. Schoen's defense has been that the talent is better than the results. A change at head coach and defensive coordinator haven't altered much. The Giants were favorites in this game for the first time in more than a calendar year, yet still trailed from start to finish.
Stat to know: Rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter came into the contest with more benchings (two) than tackles for loss (one) over the first 13 games of the season. He had three tackles for loss, a sack and two forced fumbles against the Commanders. -- Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buffalo 35, New England 31
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Bills
Can the Bills be counted out of any game after yet another slow start? Not if quarterback Josh Allen is healthy. After looking woefully unprepared in the first half, the Bills put together a comeback that tied for the third biggest in franchise history (21 points). The Bills were previously 2-60 all time when trailing by 21 points or more. A series of five straight touchdown drives for the offense paired nicely with the defense holding the Patriots to 100 yards in the second half. There continues to be major concerns with slow starts and a struggling run defense, but this was a big win on the road that denied the Patriots a chance to clinch the division title.
Stat to know: With the four rushing touchdowns allowed against the Patriots, the Bills have given up 23 this season. That's the most in a season under coach Sean McDermott (hired in 2017) with three games still to go, per ESPN Research. -- Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: at Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
James Cook takes the handoff and finds the end zone to give the Bills a late lead.
Patriots
How did the Patriots let a 17-point halftime lead slip away, and what does it mean for the future? After playing one of their best halves of the season, the Patriots played one of their worst. They had poor coverage on the opening kickoff of the second half (allowing a 58-yard return), penalties (six after halftime), their defense struggled to stop the run and answer Allen in the clutch, and their rushing offense couldn't generate consistent positive yardage after looking dominant in the first half. The Patriots would have clinched the AFC East with a win. The Patriots still have to prove they can put some of the NFL's best teams away.
Stat to know: Henderson's 52-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and his 65-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter were the Patriots' third and fourth rushing touchdowns of 50-plus yards this season. They had two such touchdowns over the previous 15 seasons, according to ESPN Research. -- Mike Reiss
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Baltimore 24, Cincinnati 0
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Ravens
How much did the Ravens improve their playoff chances? Significantly. Baltimore moved to within half a game of first-place Pittsburgh in the AFC North and boosted its playoff chances to 48% (independent of other results), according to ESPN Analytics. Perhaps more importantly, the Ravens looked like a playoff team with their most complete game of the season. Quarterback Lamar Jackson looked like Lamar Jackson, ending a career-worst streak of five games without multiple touchdown passes. Baltimore's defense recorded its first shutout in seven years and scored a touchdown with safety Alohi Gilman's 84-yard return off an interception. It's still a challenging finish for the Ravens to make the postseason. Baltimore's final three games are against division leaders: New England, then at Green Bay and Pittsburgh.
Stat to know: Gilman's 84-yard touchdown off an interception was the Ravens' longest defensive score since 2019. Baltimore preserved its shutout when outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy picked off Joe Burrow and then handed the ball to Gilman, who raced to the end zone. This was Baltimore's first touchdown off an interception since last season's finale. -- Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Kyle Van Noy picks off Joe Burrow and passes the ball back to Alohi Gilman, who returns it for a touchdown.
Bengals
After Burrow said he wants to enjoy football, was it surprising to see the Bengals shut out for the first time with him starting? Yes. The Bengals had looked sharp in snowy conditions against Buffalo, but Cincinnati never looked settled Sunday as it was officially eliminated from the playoff race. Miscues from the opening drive onward kept the Bengals from finding that elusive momentum that coach Zac Taylor speaks about. What happened Sunday was not good when you have a QB like Burrow, who said he is looking to at least enjoy the end of a frustrating season. Sunday marked the Bengals' first shutout loss since 2017.
What to make of the QB performance: Burrow didn't get a lot of help. Cincinnati's receivers took turns being unable to make catches in critical spots. The offensive line had considerable issues, a problem made worse when right tackle Amarius Mims left the game in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury. However, Burrow didn't have his best showing either. He was 25-of-39 passing for 225 yards and two interceptions, including a pick-six thrown under pressure. -- Ben Baby
Next game: at Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Philadelphia 31, Las Vegas 0
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Eagles
Have quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense found their footing? It's hard to get carried away given the quality of the opponent, but Hurts' three-touchdown outing was exactly the type of performance needed following a five-turnover game against the Chargers. The coaching staff fed running back Saquon Barkley to strike a nice balance between the run and pass. And the Eagles showed some creativity near the goal line in particular, resulting in a pair of Dallas Goedert scores. It was a healthy step in the right direction for a quarterback and an offense that haven't lived up to expectations for much of the season.
Most surprising performance: Brandon Graham, who came out of retirement earlier this season, led the team with two sacks against Las Vegas. At 37 years, 255 days old, he is the oldest player in Eagles history to record a sack. -- Tim McManus
Next game: at Commanders (Saturday, 5 p.m. ET)
Jalen Hurts hits Dallas Goedert with a shovel pass to extend the Eagles' lead.
Raiders
Will coach Pete Carroll survive this season? Each week has made it seem less and less likely that Carroll will be the Raiders' coach beyond a disastrous 2025 campaign. Sunday's loss marked the second time that Las Vegas has been shut out this season. The last time the Raiders were shut out in multiple games in a season was 2006 (three times). Las Vegas has lost by double digits for the eighth time, and its eight-game losing streak is the longest of Carroll's NFL coaching career. Clearly, the Raiders are far from being competitive and need to embrace a true rebuild, which is why Carroll, 74, might not be the right coach to lead the team moving forward.
What to make of the QB performance: Carroll said this week that health will be the main factor when determining whether Geno Smith remains the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. And that should still be the case. Pickett started in place of Smith, who was out with a shoulder/back injury, and didn't add much of a spark despite being more mobile in the pocket. Pickett completed 15 of 25 passes for 64 yards and an interception. -- Ryan McFadden
Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Atlanta 29, Tampa Bay 28
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Falcons
Could the Falcons look to re-sign Kyle Pitts Sr. after his recent surge? What was once improbable now seems possible. Pitts came into the game fourth among tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards. On Thursday night, he went off for 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns. It was his first 100-yard receiving game since 2021. And he went over that 100-yard mark in the first half, the first Atlanta player to do that since 2018. Pitts has dealt with injuries since a record-breaking rookie season. These past few weeks have probably been enough to earn him a lucrative contract somewhere next year.
Trend to watch: Edge rusher James Pearce Jr. had two sacks, extending his streak of at least one sack to six games. That's tied for the second-longest streak for a rookie since sacks became official in 1982, per ESPN Research. Pearce already owns the rookie franchise record for most in a season since 1982. -- Marc Raimondi
Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
How badly did this loss impact the Bucs' playoff chances? The Bucs and Panthers have two head-to-head games remaining, one of which is next week. But if the Panthers beat the Saints on Sunday, the Bucs' chances at winning the division drop to 35% (independent of other results), according to ESPN Analytics. With a Panthers loss to the Saints, the Bucs have a 76% chance. But after starting the season 5-1 and then going 1-5 in the past six games, it's hard to feel optimistic even with the returns of Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan.
Most surprising performance: Even with the defense's struggles as of late, and even with the Bucs' historic struggles in prime-time games, surrendering a season-high 476 yards of total offense to a 4-9 team that had 19 penalties at home is a new low. -- Jenna Laine
Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)