RADIO
We investigate the NFL playoff contenders as we head into Week 16 of the NFL season. Which teams improved their position and who fell following Week 15? What key games lay ahead as we look toward the postseason?
AFC Contender #1: Denver Broncos
Denver held strong against an impressive Green Bay roster on Sunday, walking away as the lone 12-win team in the NFL and the AFC’s only squad with a clinched playoff spot. New England’s loss to Buffalo greatly improves the odds of the AFC having to come through the Mile High City.
They’ll have to battle another surging contender in the Jaguars next week before traveling to an injury-marred Kansas City. If they slip and the Chargers keep on winning, then their Week 18 faceoff could decide the AFC West. Or Denver could win out and take a 14-game win streak into the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL!
AFC Contender #2: New England Patriots
The Patriots jumped out to a commanding lead early against the Bills and seemingly had the game in hand, but the defense couldn’t contain Josh Allen for a full 60 minutes. The good news is that Drake Maye rushed for the first two TDs of the game before TreVeyon Henderson ripped off a pair of long TDs himself.
But it wasn’t enough to stave off a 35-31 loss, which ends the win streak at 10 games. The weaker schedule faced over the year now remains a narrative for the naysayers, but the 11-3 record is still good for tops in the AFC East. The path to 14-3 and at least a No. 2 seed appears strong if they can get past the Ravens next week, with the Jets and Dolphins to follow.
AFC Contender #3: Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville handled business against an overmatched Jets team that was relying on its third-string quarterback. Trevor Lawrence continues to “let it rip,” as Liam Coen instructed, throwing three TDs and logging a fourth on the ground. Many had already assumed this was a win (they were two-touchdown favorites across sportsbooks), but reaching 10 wins is still a strong checkpoint on the season.
They maintain the one-game lead over the Texans, who also won, but now a massive test in Denver looms. If they drop that and Houston beats the Raiders, Houston would hold a temporary edge due to a 4-1 divisional record to Jacksonville’s 3-1.
If the Jags beat the Colts and Titans in Weeks 17 and 18 to tie Houston at 5-1 come season’s end, they could also be tied on common games at 9-3, which would yield a Texans division win on an 11-2 AFC conference record to the Jags’ 10-2 mark.
AFC Contender #4: Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh got off to a slow start on Monday night against Miami, but they poured it on once they got rolling in the second half. Not only did Aaron Rodgers only have four incompletions on the night, but Kenneth Gainwell once again proved that he’s way more than just a change-of-pace back.
The win keeps them a game ahead of the Ravens, but Pittsburgh’s fate atop the division is far from sealed. They can’t afford a sluggish start at Detroit, and then they’ll travel to battle Cleveland’s defense before a rematch with Baltimore at home.
AFC Contender #5: Buffalo Bills
The Bills found themselves in a 21-point hole before the offense came alive in the second quarter, but it’s never too late with Josh Allen in the huddle. One epic comeback later, and they’re 10-4 with a 4-3 road record next to the stellar 6-1 home mark. Buffalo is only one game behind the Pats in the division, but they cannot look past Myles Garrett’s defense in Cleveland next week before hosting the Eagles.
The Week 18 date with the Jets means 11 wins should be the floor, but will they be a postseason threat without a notable home advantage? This road statement in Foxboro goes a long way toward supplying that hope. The Buffalo faithful should also be encouraged that the top WC slot should align with whoever wins the weak AFC North.
AFC Contender #6: Houston Texans
The Texans roared out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back en route to a sixth consecutive victory. Does anyone remember how bleak things felt at 3-5? Well, they’re now 9-5 and will have a chance at leapfrogging the Jaguars on an avalanche of tiebreak options over the final weeks.
Let’s see if Woody Marks (ankle) can return next week, but Jawhar Jordan, a sixth-round pick in 2024 with zero NFL touches before this weekend, stepped up with over 100 yards. Houston must take care of business against the Raiders and not look past a weak-on-paper opponent, all while scoreboard-watching to see if the Jaguars lose in Denver.
After that, they must travel to take on the Chargers before the Colts come to Houston for the regular-season finale. If C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins bring this elite chemistry with the team’s top-tier defense to the playoffs, then anything is possible.
AFC Contender #7: Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts battled to a clutch win that eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention and gave LAC its 10th victory. It also makes them a perfect 5-0 in the division and shows that they could work around the injuries to the offensive line against a talented front. This was a massive win for the Chargers, who are in the middle of a daunting end-of-season schedule stretch.
But these two most recent wins over the Eagles and Chiefs, last year’s Super Bowl participants, show that they can hang with anyone. They’ll now have to deal with the Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos over the last three weeks, but even 10-7 should give them a good chance at a Wild Card spot.
AFC Contender #8: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens avenged their earlier loss to the Bengals with a 24-0 statement win, which puts them back at 7-7 and breaks a modest two-game slide. It allows them to stay within range of the Steelers before that Week 18 showdown between the rivals.
However, they’ll need to bring this elite defensive form to each remaining game to stay in play. Lamar Jackson and company will now host a potent Patriots squad before traveling to Lambeau for another playoff-caliber matchup before the final week at Pittsburgh.
AFC Contender #9: Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers and the Colts came one minute away from pulling off the upset over Seattle, but they left too much time on the clock for a late field goal. The defense held the Seahawks without a touchdown, but Rivers rarely pushed the ball downfield, and subsequently, Jonathan Taylor had little room to operate.
This showing was likely better than most anticipated for Rivers’ 2025 debut, but the loss is tough to stomach as the Bills, Texans, and Chargers all won. Perhaps they can pull off multiple upsets against the 49ers, Jaguars, and Texans in the coming weeks, but they’re surely underdogs in all three contests.
NFC Contender #1: Los Angeles Rams
The Rams once again eclipsed 500 total yards and 40 points in the 41-34 win over Detroit. There was plenty to smile about as the first NFC team to clinch a playoff berth, but they also saw Davante Adams go down with a re-aggravation of his hamstring injury. It’s a quick turnaround to face the Seahawks in a Thursday game that may decide the NFC West, so Adams is likely unavailable there.
Puka Nacua also briefly missed the game due to cramps, but did return as he put up 189 all-purpose yards. Both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum averaged over five yards per carry and found paydirt. The defense will need to play tighter in Seattle, but the Rams are clearly one of the most potent teams in the NFL. Their last two games come at Atlanta and against Arizona.
NFC Contender #2: Chicago Bears
Chicago demolished the Browns, 31-3, on Sunday, forcing three interceptions and recording five sacks of Shedeur Sanders. The offense avoided mistakes, with DJ Moore getting back in the groove with two scores. Rookie Luther Burden III led the aerial attack with six catches for 84 yards after Rome Odunze’s foot injury forced him out just minutes before the opening kickoff.
The 10-4 record is robust, though most of the worry was about the three remaining games against the Packers, 49ers, and Lions. Chicago’s range of outcomes still includes the AFC North crown or 10-7 without a playoff berth.
NFC Contender #3: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles had been playing some truly uninspired football lately, but a get-right matchup against the struggling Raiders team on its backup quarterback did the trick. The easy win snaps a three-game losing streak and ensures that the divisional cushion stays padded over the Cowboys. The defense was able to stifle Kenny Pickett’s offense, and while Jalen Hurts’ form wasn’t pristine, he avoided those game-turning mistakes.
They’ll finish the season with a pair of games against the Commanders, with a Week 17 date at Buffalo sandwiched in between. A pair of wins would clinch the NFC East, though it’s critical to get hot as the playoffs near and get whatever homefield edges they can down the stretch.
NFC Contender #4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs collapsed on Thursday night to a Falcons team that seemingly did all that it could to lose the game themselves. Atlanta committed 19 penalties for 125 total yards and Tampa held a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter, yet Todd Bowles’ questionable timeout usage and poor defense led to a 29-28 loss.
Despite the loss and poor recent play, they still control their destiny thanks to a pair of games against Carolina in Weeks 16 and 18. The Panthers lost a winnable game against the Saints, meaning both sit at 7-7, with the Bucs currently holding the tiebreak. Of course, Tampa must inspire confidence with convincing wins if they’re going to make a serious playoff push, rather than simply qualifying for the gig.
NFC Contender #5: Seattle Seahawks
Seattle battled back from a 13-6 halftime deficit to secure an 18-16 win on the back of Jason Myers’ six field goals. While it’s nice to see Sam Darnold start finding a rhythm with Rashid Shaheed (74 yards on five catches), the ground game was virtually nonexistent. Kenneth Walker III gained only 17 yards on nine totes, and Zach Charbonnet’s eight carries didn’t fare much better.
The defense did enough to keep Seattle in the fight, but hopes were higher given they were facing Philip Rivers in his first start since 2020. Can the offense start humming along against the Rams on Thursday? Road games against the Panthers and Niners await on the other side of that tilt.
NFC Contender #6: Green Bay Packers
The Packers took a painful loss on the chin in Denver. They not only dropped the game to fall to 9-4-1, but star defender Micah Parsons is likely done for the season with a torn left ACL, and Christian Watson had to be hospitalized after suffering a chest injury.
The ripple effects from each of those losses will make the upcoming games against the Bears, Ravens, and Vikings that much more difficult. At least we saw Josh Jacobs run well after his lingering knee injury supplied some midweek concern, and the Lions’ loss lessens the pressure for that last Wild Card slot.
NFC Contender #7: San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco rode a strong third quarter to a 37-24 win over the Titans to improve to 10-4 on the year. Christian McCaffrey racked up another 23 touches, Brock Purdy threw for three scores, and Eddy Pineiro nailed all seven of his kicks. Due to the beast that is the NFC West, 10 wins only buys you third place in the division at the moment.
However, San Fran could suit up for its next game in control of its destiny if the Rams lose to Seattle on Thursday night. Regardless, the defense will need to figure out how to contain Jonathan Taylor after allowing Tony Pollard to surpass 100 yards. Then they’ll face the Bears and Seahawks after that.
NFC Contender #8: Carolina Panthers
Carolina’s hot-and-cold 2025 campaign continued on Sunday, as they fell to the 4-10 Saints on a last-minute field goal. The Panthers committed 11 penalties on the day, including a massive personal foul call on a sliding Tyler Shough that set up the game-winner. They must play more consistently and with more discipline, but the fact remains that they have the NFC South division title well within reach.
Both Carolina and Tampa Bay are on the downswing at 7-7 through 14 games, with both head-to-head showdowns yet to be played. But a game against Seattle in Week 17 will demand the Panthers’ form that beat the Rams before the bye week. In the end, they must beat Tampa Bay twice to punch a ticket.
NFC Contender #9: Detroit Lions
Detroit held a 24-17 lead over the Rams at halftime in the track meet, only to yield 17 points in the third quarter with none of their own. In the end, a 41-34 loss puts the Lions at 8-6 and 1.5 games behind Green Bay for the final Wild Card spot. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams combined for nearly 300 yards, but the beleaguered defense may be out of its depth.
Now with 11-6 in their sights, they’ll have to take down the Steelers, Vikings, and Bears. Beating Chicago would seal up a tiebreak advantage, meaning if the Bears lost to either the Packers or Niners before that game, Detroit would hurdle them for the playoff slot.
