Shedeur Sanders will make his fifth NFL start against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16.

Like many rookies, he’s had some good and some bad through his first month as an NFL starter.

For example, last week against the Bears (177 passing yards, 3 interceptions) didn’t go as well as his Week 14 game against the Titans (364 passing yards, 4 total touchdowns, and Rookie of the Week honors).

The good news for Sanders is Cleveland returns home where he has performed better.

The Browns were blown out 31-3 last week and the matchup won’t be easy when they host the Bills today. Buffalo’s defense has struggled at times, particularly against the run.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott has enjoyed plenty of success against rookie quarterbacks (12-4 overall vs. rookie QBs).

Can Sanders overcome that and keep Cleveland close today? Sanders’ future as a starter for the Browns will continue to be evaluated with each performance. Will Cleveland opt to select a quarterback high in the 2026 NFL Draft if he excels down the stretch?

USA TODAY Sports will track Sanders’ fifth NFL start vs. the Bills. Below is a look at his stats and highlights from the game, as well as an analysis of his performance and more.

How to watch Shedeur Sanders today: Browns vs. Bills

TV channel: CBS

The Bears and Bills Week 16 matchup will air on CBS in select local markets.

What time do the Browns play today?

Start time: 1 p.m. ET | 10 a.m. PT

The Bears and Bills are one of several games in the early afternoon window.

Browns vs. Bills live stream

Live stream:Fubo | NFL+

Cord-cutters have a few options to watch Shedeur Sanders play today. Fubo carries CBS, Fox, ABC, ESPN and the NFL Networks, and also offers a free trial.

NFL+ and Fubo will also carry the game.

Watch NFL action all season with Fubo (free trial)

Shedeur Sanders stats

Through five appearances this season – one off the bench and four starts – here’s how Sanders has performed:

72/138 passing (52.1% completion rate)
946 passing yards
5 passing touchdowns
6 interceptions
10 rushing attempts
74 rushing yards
1 rushing touchdown
13 sacks
68.1 passer rating

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 16 underway:

NFC playoff picture

x − 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3), NFC West leaders: Splitting their season series with the Rams in Thursday night’s classic means they’ll wind up with the No. 1 seed if they simply win their final two games. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at 49ers

2. Chicago Bears (11-4), NFC North leaders: A remarkable overtime win against Green Bay on Saturday night has them on the verge of a playoff berth and still in play for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Da Bears are officially in if Detroit loses Sunday. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Lions

y – 3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5), NFC East champions: With Saturday’s defeat of Washington, they became the first team this season to wrap up a division − and the first to win this division in successive years since they last did it 21 years ago. Philly’s victory also officially knocked the hated Cowboys out of playoff contention. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7), NFC South leaders: Hopefully coach Todd Bowles’ charges care (expletive) enough this week. A fifth loss in their past six games dropped them to .500 in Week 15, but Carolina’s loss put the Bucs back in first place. Their one-game advantage in the common-games tiebreaker is currently the difference with the Panthers. Beat Carolina twice − or merely win two of their final three − and the Bucs will still win the NFC South. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

x − 5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4), wild card No. 1: They became the first team to clinch a playoff spot but lost the inside track for home-field advantage and a first-round bye after failing to sweep Seattle. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4), wild card No. 2: A win Monday locks them into the field and a tie for second place in the NFC West. Win out, which would entail completing a season sweep of Seattle on the final weekend of the regular season, and the Niners would get the No. 1 seed. Remaining schedule: at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1), wild card No. 3:They were undermanned going into Saturday night, then it got worse. But the Pack should have gotten out of Chicago with a win. The Lions could pull within a half-game of them Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Vikings

8. Detroit Lions (8-6), in the hunt: They remain within striking range of a wild-card berth and maybe still the NFC North crown if they win out. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (7-7), in the hunt: Had they beaten the Saints in Week 15, they simply would have needed one win over Tampa Bay to win the NFC South. But the Panthers came up light in New Orleans. Carolina and the Buccaneers will decide this on the field with two meetings between Weeks 16 and 18. Two more wins put the Panthers in the playoffs. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

AFC playoff picture

x − 1. Denver Broncos (12-2), AFC West leaders: The first team in the league to 12 wins and first AFC squad to clinch a playoff berth, New England’s Week 15 loss also boosted the Broncos’ odds of winding up with the No. 1 seed. They can claim it in Week 16 if enough things break their way. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (11-3), AFC East leaders: Their 10-game heater snapped, they failed to clinch the division last weekend and lost valuable ground in their bid for the No. 1 seed. But the Pats are still in driver’s seat to win AFC East and can wrap up a playoff spot with a win at Baltimore. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4), AFC South leaders: Win their sixth straight Sunday, and they’ll get at least a wild-card spot. But they could fall out of first place with a loss. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6), AFC North leaders: They throttled Miami on Monday night, eliminating the Dolphins from postseason contention. No matter what else happens over the next three games, sweep the Ravens, and Pittsburgh secures the division. Remaining schedule: at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4), wild card No. 1: They completed a season sweep of the Chiefs, officially eliminating the three-time-defending AFC champions from playoff consideration. The Bolts have now won six of seven but need another at Dallas (and help) to wrap up a berth Sunday. A one-win advantage in AFC games (8-2) keeps them ahead of Buffalo. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills (10-4), wild card No. 1: Still alive to win their sixth straight AFC East crown after salvaging a split with the Pats, the Bills can lock into the field this weekend. Remaining schedule: at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

7. Houston Texans (9-5), wild card No. 3: They’ve won seven of eight, including six in a row. Another victory plus a Jacksonville loss jumps Houston into first place in the AFC South. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6), in the hunt: Now in the hands of 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers, they face a steep climb back to relevance − their 7-1 start already feeling like ancient history. And the Colts’ schedule doesn’t let up henceforth, including Monday night’s home date with San Francisco. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-7), in the hunt: Simply win out, and they retain the division title for the third straight year. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 16

Denver Broncos clinch AFC West and the AFC’s No. 1 seed with:

Win + Chargers loss or tie + Patriots loss + Bills loss or tie

Denver clinches AFC West with:

Win + Chargers loss or tie OR
Broncos tie + Chargers loss

Buffalo clinches playoff berth with:

Win + Colts loss or tie OR
Win + Texans loss or tie OR
Tie + Colts loss OR
Tie + Texans loss

New England clinches playoff berth with:

Win or tie OR
Colts loss or tie OR
Texans loss or tie

Jacksonville clinches playoff berth with:

Win + Colts loss or tie OR
Win + Texans loss or tie OR
Tie + Colts loss OR
Tie + Colts tie + Texans loss

Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth with:

Win + Colts loss or tie OR
Win + Texans loss or tie OR
Tie + Colts loss OR
Tie + Colts tie + Texans loss

Chicago clinches playoff berth with:

Lions loss or tie

San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:

Win OR
Lions loss OR
Tie + Lions tie

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division

z – clinched home-field advantage, first-round bye

Lindsey Vonn is getting quite comfortable on the medals podium again.

Vonn won a bronze medal for a second consecutive day, this time in Sunday’s super-G at the World Cup in Val d’Isere, France. As she crossed the finish line in a time of 1:20.60, 0.36 seconds behind her good friend, Italy’s Sofia Goggia, Vonn nodded as if to say, ‘That will do.’

Alice Robinson of New Zealand, who won the season’s first super-G last weekend, was second.

‘All in all, I’m not disappointed in my skiing,’ Vonn said, according to the International Ski Federation. ‘Yesterday I made a mistake; today, I just had the wrong direction (off a jump) but it wasn’t really a mistake, so I’m happy with it.

‘It’s really hard to always be on the podium, so I’m walking away with a smile.’

As she should. Vonn has been on the podium four times in her first five races this season, all within the last 10 days. Go back to last season, and it’s five podiums in six races. Vonn was the silver medalist in super-G at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.

American Keely Cashman tied for 11th, a mere 0.02 seconds from being in the top 10. Tricia Mangan was the third American in the top 25, tying for 24th.

This kind of consistent excellence was the standard for much of Vonn’s career. She has 83 World Cup wins, behind only Mikaela Shiffrin and Ingemar Stenmark, and had double-digit podium finishes seven times between 2008 and 2016. (She missed most of the 2014 season after a crash.)

But injuries took their toll, and Vonn was forced to retire in 2019. After a partial knee replacement in the spring of 2024, Vonn returned to the World Cup circuit, determined to end her career on her terms.

She made the podium once last season, at the World Cup finals. But with an entire off-season to train and fine-tune her equipment, Vonn is now back to her old self. And back on the podium on a regular basis.

The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-16 in overtime.
Chicago scored 10 points in the final two minutes of regulation to force the extra period.
A 46-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to D.J. Moore in overtime secured the victory.

CHICAGO – Already the best in the NFL, the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers just got a whole lot more fun.

The Packers were on the verge of yet another win over their neighbors to the south, one that would have sealed a sweep of the season series and given first-year Bears coach Ben Johnson a serious case of red face after the smack he talked about beating Green Bay when he was hired. Then the Bears scored 10 points in the final 2 minutes to force overtime, and Caleb Williams won it with a bomb to DJ Moore, setting off a raucous celebration in the stands and across the city.

It was an epic finish, one that will add juice to the rivalry for the next few years.

‘We want the fans to be proud to be a Chicago Bears fan,’ said Williams, who took a lap around Soldier Field to salute the fans after the 22-16 win Saturday night. ‘I want them to travel well. I want them to be here. I want them to show out. I want them to be proud.’

Packers-Bears is always going to be heated. The franchises are only separated by about 200 miles, and the rivalry has featured some of the NFL’s most legendary coaches (George Halas, Vince Lombardi, Mike Ditka) and players (Bart Starr, Walter Payton, Ditka again, Aaron Rodgers).

But it has gotten a little lopsided, shall we say, in recent memory. Rodgers taunted Bears fans by saying he owned them during the Packers win at Soldier Field in 2021, and he wasn’t far wrong. Green Bay came into Saturday night’s game having won 12 of the last 13 games against the Bears, including one at Lambeau Field just two weeks ago.

The disparity was even more glaring in Chicago, where Green Bay had won 14 of its last 15 games at Soldier Field and 26 of the last 31.

But these are not the same Bears the Packers have gotten used to beating up on. They might not be a great team. They might not even be a very good team, with the win over the Packers only their third against a team that’s .500 or better.

But they’re a resilient team that knows how to win, and that forgives all kinds of sins.

‘This is a special group,’ Johnson said. ‘They’re mentally tough, they’re physically tough. I know we’re going to fight you for 60 minutes. In a game like that, even though the odds were against us late, we’re going to keep on swinging and make some plays.’

Despite playing without Micah Parsons and then losing Jordan Love to a concussion in the second quarter, the Packers were on the verge of winning this one after Brandon McManus kicked his third field goal of the night to put Green Bay up 16-6 with 5:03 left in regulation.

The Bears were forced to settle for a field goal on their next possession. Getting the ball after the 2-minute warning, the Packers just needed to run the clock out.

But the Bears had made fourth-quarter comebacks in five previous games this season, and they didn’t see any reason why they couldn’t make it a sixth.

‘I don’t think I’ve been around a team that, when it’s this late in games, they don’t bat an eye,’ Johnson said. ‘You don’t feel any despair on the sidelines from any of the phases. You might feel it in the stadium a little bit. I could feel the fans kind of come to life again once we got a little momentum going in the fourth quarter. But with our guys, they don’t miss a beat. They just keep plugging along and know good things will come.’

And indeed they did. Romeo Doubs got his hands on Cairo Santos’ onside kick only to fumble it, and Josh Blackwell pounced on it for the Bears.

Chicago had been in position to tie the game late two weeks ago, only to have Williams throw an interception. But he wasn’t giving anything away in this one. Williams moved the Bears 53 yards in eight plays, capping the drive with a 6-yard scoring pass to Jahdae Walker, who’d gotten his first career catch earlier in the game, to tie it at 16 with 24 seconds left.

In overtime, it was all Bears. After Malik Willis found Jayden Reed for a 31-yard gain to get the Packers into Chicago territory on their second play, Green Bay stalled. On fourth-and-1, Willis fumbled, turning the ball over to the Bears at their own 36.

After solid runs by D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai got the Bears across midfield, Williams found Moore for the game-winner — on a play they’d just added in practice Thursday.

‘The stadium went live and blew up,’ Williams said. ‘I’m happy for our guys, I’m happy for Chicago, I’m happy for this moment. (But) we’ve got some other good games coming up. We’ll enjoy it and move on.’

This is only Williams’ second season, so he can be forgiven for not realizing that nobody moves on in this rivalry. Everything is grievance fodder for the next time, and this game will be no different.

‘It came down to the wire in both the games,’ Johnson said. ‘It’s going to be an exciting future, I think.’

Bring it on.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

The Holidays may be drawing near, but almost half of the NFL’s 32 teams have already had their playoff stockings stuffed with coal.

The most recent team crying in its eggnog? The Dallas Cowboys, who were eliminated from contention in the NFC East − and the conference at large − thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles’ defeat of the Washington Commanders on Saturday evening. ‘America’s Team’ became the 14th this season to officially fall short of postseason qualification.

And while no other clubs will join Dallas on the Super Bowl sidelines in Week 16, this did seem like a good time to check in on the also-rans … and those still running, four teams still with a shot to upgrade from playoff hopeful to playoff entry if enough breaks their way over the next two-plus weeks.

Which NFL teams have been eliminated from playoff contention?

These are the teams that have already seen their postseason chances for 2025 extinguished:

 New York Giants (eliminated in Week 12)

 Arizona Cardinals (eliminated in Week 13)

 New Orleans Saints (eliminated in Week 13)

 Tennessee Titans (eliminated in Week 13)

 Las Vegas Raiders (eliminated in Week 13)

 Washington Commanders (eliminated in Week 14)

 Atlanta Falcons (eliminated in Week 14)

 New York Jets (eliminated in Week 14)

 Cleveland Browns (eliminated in Week 14)

 Cincinnati Bengals (eliminated in Week 15)

 Minnesota Vikings (eliminated in Week 15)

 Kansas City Chiefs (eliminated in Week 15)

 Miami Dolphins (eliminated in Week 15)

 Dallas Cowboys (eliminated in Week 16)

NFL teams outside projected playoff bracket but not yet eliminated going into Week 16

 Baltimore Ravens (7-7, 38% chance to make playoffs, per NFL’s Next Gen Stats)

 Detroit Lions (8-6, 29%)

 Carolina Panthers (7-7, 19%)

 Indianapolis Colts (8-6, 12%)

Miami upset Texas A&M in a defensive battle, securing a significant win for the ACC in the College Football Playoff.
Alabama overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat Oklahoma, setting up a Rose Bowl matchup against No. 1 Indiana.
Oregon and Mississippi easily defeated their Group of Five opponents to advance to the quarterfinals.

No. 9 Alabama finally solved Brent Venables and No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 10 Miami won a defensive slugfest at No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 5 Oregon and No. 6 Mississippi had no trouble against the Group of Five to round out the opening round of the College Football Playoff.

While the Crimson Tide took the all-SEC matchup, then win by the Hurricanes in College Station is a feather in the cap for the ACC after the conference was nearly left out of the tournament entirely. In the end, Miami did what Notre Dame could not and beat the Aggies — and on the road, no less.

The two upsets in the opening round came after all four favorites held serve to open last year’s 12-team playoff debut.

As a gift for beating the Sooners, the Crimson Tide will face off in the Rose Bowl against No. 1 Indiana. Over in the Cotton Bowl, No. 2 Ohio State will take on Miami. The Sugar Bowl will feature another SEC rematch with the Rebels taking on No. 3 Georgia, while No. 4 Texas Tech will face Oregon in the Orange Bowl.

Before heading to the quarterfinals, let’s break down why the ACC and Oklahoma lead the biggest winners and losers from the opening round:

Winners

The ACC

We touched on why this win means so much to the ACC: Duke won the conference with five losses and James Madison cruised to the Sun Belt title after Miami remained behind Notre Dame in the penultimate playoff rankings. There was a strong possibility the conference would not have a single team in the 12-team bracket. Still, the Hurricanes were a late and controversial addition to the field despite topping the Irish during the regular season. While not changing the fact the ACC was the weakest of the Power Four leagues during the regular season, to have Miami become the first team to beat A&M in College Station this year should be a huge confidence booster for the conference.

Miami

Miami ran for 175 yards on 6.3 yards per carry and was the tougher and more physical team in its 10-3 rock fight against A&M. Nearly every inch of the yardage belonged to running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who had 172 yards on 17 carries, including a 56-yard scamper during a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that broke a 3-3 tie. Defensively, the Hurricanes gave up 4.3 yards per play and delivered three key takeaways, including an interception in the end zone with 24 seconds left to seal the win. There’s still plenty to work on: Miami’s passing game sputtered, though Carson Beck did avoid any giveaways, and the kicking game made just one of four field goals. That won’t cut it against the Buckeyes.

Kalen DeBoer

It’s extremely easy to think about how the Alabama fan base would’ve turned on DeBoer had the Tide not tied for the largest comeback in playoff history by digging out of a 17-0 deficit in the second quarter. Another loss to Oklahoma might’ve even been enough to convince DeBoer to at least take a look at the Michigan opening, given the chance for a reboot in the Big Ten. But after missing the playoff entirely last year, DeBoer and Alabama nailed down a much-needed postseason win and can begin evaluating the nation’s only unbeaten team in the Hoosiers.

Oregon and Mississippi

Neither team broke a sweat, unless you count the roughly quarter-long span against Tulane where the Rebels treaded water after jumping out to an early lead. The Rebels’ owned the second half of a 41-10 win against the Green Wave while Oregon was all over James Madison from the start of a 51-34 romp. As expected, the feel-good underdog stories the Green Wave and Dukes brought to the table didn’t quite translate when lined up across from two of the most talented teams in the Power Four. For the first time in the 12-team era, we’ll see how playing a Group of Five team in the opening round prepares the winner for a top-four opponent in the quarterfinals.

Pete Golding

So far, so good for the new Rebels coach. Making his debut in the opening round against Tulane, Golding pushed the right buttons out of the gate to help Ole Miss spring out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. While things stagnated through the first half, with Ole Miss ahead 17-3, halftime adjustments sparked a 27-0 run coming out of the break to put the Green Wave away. A bigger test awaits in New Orleans.

Losers

The Group of Five

Don’t blame Tulane and James Madison. The Green Wave earned the automatic Group of Five berth baked into the playoff format. JMU benefited from Duke’s ACC championship, since the selection committee couldn’t possibly put a five-loss team in the bracket. But the two teams were extremely uncompetitive against dramatically more talented Power Four competition, losing to the Rebels and Ducks by a combined 48 points.

Oklahoma

This was a slow-motion train wreck from the point Oklahoma took a 17-0 lead about four minutes into the second quarter. From there, miscues and self-enforced errors doomed the Sooners, none bigger than punter Grayson Miller’s fumble and John Mateer’s interception in the second quarter that allowed the Crimson Tide to tie the game heading into halftime. All year long, Oklahoma’s blueprint was to create turnovers to boost an average offense. But the Sooners made the crucial errors to pave the way for Alabama’s comeback and lacked the offensive explosiveness to regain momentum after the Tide took control in the second half. It was still a significant rebound year for Oklahoma and Venables against one of the toughest schedules in the country.

Texas A&M

A&M outgained Miami, gave up just only three third-down conversions and 12 first downs, had a clear edge in time of possession, was penalized for only 15 yards and held Beck and the Hurricanes’ passing game in check — but still lost as a result of three turnovers and an inability to win the battle on the line of scrimmage. While Fletcher carried Miami’s offense, A&M managed just 89 yards on 35 carries and was held without a rushing touchdown for the first time all season.

LANDOVER, MD – A second straight NFC East crown in hand, the Philadelphia Eagles’ playoff prospects are decidedly alive and well. As for their signature play? One of Philly’s stars fears it’s on life support.

The “Tush Push” – the nickname of the rugby-style play Philly has used with regularity in short-yardage and goal-line situations since the 2022 season – is suddenly no longer near-automatic. During Saturday night’s 29-18 defeat of the Washington Commanders, it actually skewed negative.

The Eagles not only failed to convert multiple times with the push play – including from the Washington 1-yard line on first-and-goal late in the third quarter – they were flagged for a false start on a sequence that’s become infamous for officials’ inability to consistently legislate it.

“I think, just the history that we have with that play – pretty successful – you lean on that play, you expect us to convert. One-yard line, just didn’t do it,” said Philadelphia left tackle Jordan Mailata, a second-team All-Pro in 2024. “Sometimes, that’s just how it goes.

“Teams this year have done a great job of stopping that play, and so we’ve got to do a better job at executing it and go from there.”

Not only have the Eagles been less effective while running it situationally, Mailata said officials, who have had a hard time identifying false starts when Philly linemen get a pre-snap jump, have been more watchful. Last week against the Las Vegas Raiders, Mailata said he and his teammates were told they had to keep their shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage and couldn’t angle towards the ball before the play.

That could also foreshadow yet another attempt to ban the “Tush Push” after owners voted to keep it legal in May.

“Well, I’m sure this play might not even be around next year to be honest, just the way they’re officiating it, to be fair,” said Mailata.

“I think they’re just officiating it a little bit harder. If this is the last year that we get to run it, then we’re just gonna run it until we can’t run it anymore.”

Last season, when Philadelphia was the league’s dominant team for its final four months, capping the campaign with a 40-22 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, the “Tush Push” succeeded more than 80% of the time, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

“Teams adjust. We’ve got to continue to adjust. I think, credit to them – they did a really good job of stopping us there, and then also they got us to jump offsides,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said of the Commanders, who futilely tried to attack the play by launching LB Frankie Luvu over the line of scrimmage as Philadelphia routed Washington 55-23 in last season’s NFC title game.

“We have to get this play working the way it’s been in the past, which we’ll work our butts off to do so.”

Fortunately, quarterback Jalen Hurts, so often the beneficiary of the push plays, covered Philly’s tracks with a pair of touchdown passes Saturday after brute force failed.

But expect the Eagles to apply blunt force trauma in a bid to continue leveraging their bread-and-butter play in the upcoming postseason.

“When something’s been successful, you just want to lean in on that, especially with the guys that we have up front,” said Mailata, who has not been bookended by injured Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson in recent weeks.

“We’ve got to do a better job at executing that play.”

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 16 underway:

AFC playoff picture

x − 1. Denver Broncos (12-2), AFC West leaders: The first team in the league to 12 wins and first AFC squad to clinch a playoff berth, New England’s loss Sunday also boosted the Broncos’ odds of winding up with the No. 1 seed. They can claim it in Week 16 if enough things break their way. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

2. New England Patriots (11-3), AFC East leaders: Their 10-game heater snapped, they failed to clinch the division Sunday and lost valuable ground in their bid for the No. 1 seed. But the Pats are still in driver’s seat to win AFC East and can wrap up a playoff spot with a win at Baltimore. Remaining schedule: at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4), AFC South leaders: Win their sixth straight Sunday, and they’ll get at least a wild-card spot. But they could fall out of first place with a loss. Remaining schedule: at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6), AFC North leaders: They throttled Miami on Monday night, eliminating the Dolphins from postseason contention. No matter what else happens over the next three games, sweep the Ravens, and Pittsburgh secures the division. Remaining schedule: at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4), wild card No. 1: They completed a season sweep of the Chiefs, officially eliminating the three-time-defending AFC champions from playoff consideration. The Bolts have now won six of seven but need another (and help) to wrap up a berth Sunday. A one-win advantage in AFC games (8-2) keeps them ahead of Buffalo. Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Buffalo Bills (10-4), wild card No. 1: Still alive to win their sixth straight AFC East crown after salvaging a split with the Pats, the Bills can lock into the field this weekend. Remaining schedule: at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

7. Houston Texans (9-5), wild card No. 3: They’ve won seven of eight, including six in a row. Another victory plus a Jacksonville loss jumps Houston into first place in the AFC South. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-6), in the hunt: Now in the hands of 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers, they face a steep climb back to relevance − their 7-1 start already feeling like ancient history. Rivers gave a valiant effort at Seattle last weekend, his first NFL action in nearly five years, but came up short. And the Colts’ schedule doesn’t let up henceforth, including Monday night’s date with San Francisco. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-7), in the hunt: Simply win out, and they retain the division title for the third straight year. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

NFC playoff picture

x − 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3), NFC West leaders: Splitting their season series with the Rams in Thursday night’s classic means they’ll wind up with the No. 1 seed if they simply win their final two games. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at 49ers

2. Chicago Bears (11-4), NFC North leaders: A remarkable overtime win against Green Bay on Saturday night has them on the verge of a playoff berth and still in play for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Da Bears are officially in if Detroit loses Sunday. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Lions

y – 3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5), NFC East champions: With Saturday’s defeat of Washington, they became the first team this season to wrap up a division − and the first to win this division in successive years since they last did it 21 years ago. Philly’s victory also officially knocked the hated Cowboys out of playoff contention. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7), NFC South leaders: Hopefully coach Todd Bowles’ charges care (expletive) enough this week. A fifth loss in their past six games dropped them to .500 in Week 15, but Carolina’s loss put the Bucs back in first place. Their one-game advantage in the common-games tiebreaker is currently the difference with the Panthers. Beat Carolina twice, and the Bucs will still win the NFC South. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

x − 5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4), wild card No. 1: They became the first team to clinch a playoff spot but lost the inside track for home-field advantage and a first-round bye after failing to sweep Seattle. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

6. San Francisco 49ers (10-4), wild card No. 2: A win Monday locks them into the field and a tie for second place in the NFC West. Win out, which would entail completing a season sweep of Seattle on the final weekend of the regular season, and the Niners would get the No. 1 seed. Remaining schedule: at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1), wild card No. 3: They were undermanned going into Saturday night, then it got worse. But the Pack should have gotten out of Chicago with a win. The Lions could pull within a half-game of them Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Vikings

8. Detroit Lions (8-6), in the hunt: Tough loss to the Rams drops them 1½ games behind the projected playoff field. Yet Detroit remains within striking range of a wild-card berth and maybe still the NFC North crown. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Carolina Panthers (7-7), in the hunt: Had they beaten the Saints in Week 15, they simply would have needed one win over Tampa Bay to win the NFC South. But the Panthers came up light in New Orleans. Carolina and the Buccaneers will decide this on the field with two meetings between Weeks 16 and 18. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 16

Denver Broncos clinch AFC West and the AFC’s No. 1 seed with:

Win + Chargers loss or tie + Patriots loss + Bills loss or tie

Denver clinches AFC West with:

Win + Chargers loss or tie OR
Broncos tie + Chargers loss

Buffalo clinches playoff berth with:

Win + Colts loss or tie OR
Win + Texans loss or tie OR
Tie + Colts loss OR
Tie + Texans loss

New England clinches playoff berth with:

Win or tie OR
Colts loss or tie OR
Texans loss or tie

Jacksonville clinches playoff berth with:

Win + Colts loss or tie OR
Win + Texans loss or tie OR
Tie + Colts loss OR
Tie + Colts tie + Texans loss

Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth with:

Win + Colts loss or tie OR
Win + Texans loss or tie OR
Tie + Colts loss OR
Tie + Colts tie + Texans loss

Chicago clinches playoff berth with:

Lions loss or tie

San Francisco clinches playoff berth with:

Win OR
Lions loss OR
Tie + Lions tie

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division

z – clinched home-field advantage, first-round bye

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 29-18, securing the NFC East title and a playoff berth.
Philadelphia became the first team to win consecutive NFC East titles since the 2003-04 seasons.
The Eagles’ victory officially eliminated the Dallas Cowboys from playoff contention.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season during the game.

LANDOVER, MD – The Philadelphia Eagles’ title defense this season has occurred amid myriad issues, many of them internal. But the reigning NFL champions have at least now officially earned the right to compete for another Super Bowl berth.

Though it was hardly pretty at times – pretty much par for the course the way this year has gone – Philly defeated the Washington Commanders 29-18 on Dec. 20, securing another NFC East title and officially qualifying for the 2025 playoffs.

As for Saturday’s subplots beyond the final score? Let’s divvy those up to spell out this game’s winners and losers, which extended well beyond the nation’s capital:

WINNERS

Eagles

Duh. Philadelphia struggled to put away an undermanned Commanders squad that it manhandled in last season’s NFC championship game and trailed 10-7 at halftime. But the Eagles finally pulled away in the second half to lock up the division, the first team in 2025 to do so. Longshots to get the conference’s No. 1 seed, Philadelphia should have some level of flexibility as it approaches the final two games – the Eagles are almost certain to wind up with the second or third seed, and it seems like some key players could be rested in the short term.

Saquon Barkley

This season has certainly been a struggle to Philly’s star back relative to his 2,000-yard rushing effort in 2024. But with just his third 100-yard effort of the season, Barkley did reach the 1,000-yard plateau Saturday – the first time he’s done it in back-to-back seasons since 2018 and ’19 – his first two years with the New York Giants.

Jalen Hurts

Coolly efficient with two touchdown passes and nary a turnover, he appears to be settling back into the do-whatever-it-takes-form that wound up earning him Super Bowl MVP honors 10 months ago.

LOSERS

Dallas Cowboys

For some, the long national nightmare is over. For others, their slim holiday hopes have been dashed. But the Eagles’ win officially knocked “America’s Team” out of playoff contention.

NFC East hex

In one of the league’s quirkier stats this century, Philadelphia became the first team to win consecutive NFC East titles since the Eagles last did it in 2003 and ’04.

Commanders’ ‘home’ crowd

It’s been a rough season outside the Beltway … a rough three decades for that matter. But the Washington fans apparently opted to revert to recent form, getting a jump on their holiday shopping and letting the pro-Philly crowd largely take over Northwest Stadium.

Jake Elliott

He did his best to keep the game interesting early on, missing a pair of second-quarter field goals – three if you count the fact he got two cracks at hitting one before halftime after a Washington offside penalty gave him a second crack at it … but wide left twice.

Washington quarterbacks

Superstar Jayden Daniels? Inactive Saturday – and for the rest of the season. Backup Marcus Mariota? Evaluated for a concussion in the second half and injured his right (throwing) hand, which forced him out of the lineup. Third-stringer Josh Johnson? He took over for Mariota and threw an ill-advised interception at the end of the third quarter that ultimately set up Barkley’s 12-yard touchdown run – effectively the game’s knockout punch.

Tyler Steen, Quan Martin and Javon Kinlaw

The Eagles guard, Commanders safety and defensive tackle, respectively, all got ejected after the Eagles went up 29-10 after a two-point run by Barkley with 4:26 to go. Never understood guys who throw punches at helmeted men.

‘Tush Push’

It’s been ineffective of late, especially so on Saturday − when Philly’s signature scrum either wasn’t converting or, instead, was drawing penalty flags. Hurts’ pair of TD passes largely masked the issue, but can he continue doing that into January?