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NFL Nation
Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season started with a Thursday night time contest between the Rams and Seahawks that had main playoff implications. Seattle transformed two 2-point conversions in an extra time win, ascending to the NFC’s No. 1 seed earlier than the ultimate two weeks of the season.
Within the first sport Saturday, the Eagles began slowly, then poured it on in opposition to the Commanders to win their second straight NFC East crown.
Saturday’s nightcap was probably the greatest video games of the season because the Chicago Bears overcame one other late deficit to tug out an OT win over the Green Bay Packers, who suffered the lack of QB Jordan Love to a concussion.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all of the motion, answering lingering questions popping out of every sport and detailing every little thing you should know for each group. Let’s get to it.
Make amends for the motion: Box score | Recap
Bears
What did the Bears show with the win? If the Bears have confirmed one factor this season, it is that they are a resilient group. The Bears have six wins after trailing within the closing two minutes of the fourth quarter, essentially the most such wins in a season for the reason that 1970 merger. Saturday’s win provides them a 96% likelihood to make the postseason for the primary time in 5 years. Josh Blackwell recovered an onside kick after the Bears made it a one-score affair forward of the two-minute warning, and that gave Chicago one final alternative for its offense to come back alive after a stagnant three quarters. Undrafted rookie Jahdae Walker got here by means of within the largest second of the sport with a late landing to ship the sport into extra time, and that is the place Caleb Williams completed it with a 46-yard landing cross to DJ Moore.
Most shocking efficiency: With out receivers Rome Odunze (foot) and Luther Burden III (ankle), Walker was given a possibility and proved how vital it’s to remain prepared. Walker’s first profession catch went for a primary down, and it was his landing late within the fourth quarter that compelled extra time. Walker is the one rookie undrafted free agent on the Bears’ 53-man roster. His efficiency highlights how very important the Bears’ depth is on offense.
Troubling development: The Bears had been their very own worst enemy at occasions with 10 penalties for 105 yards. It was the primary time since 2000 that the Bears had two roughing-the-passer penalties and two pointless roughness penalties in the identical sport, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Late within the fourth, Jaquan Brisker dove onto Malik Willis after the quarterback slid, giving the Packers 15 yards to maneuver into Chicago territory for a area aim that made it 16-6 with 5:03 left. — Courtney Cronin
Subsequent sport: vs. 49ers (Sunday, Dec. 28, 8:20 p.m. ET p.m. ET)
Packers
How deflating was this loss for the Packers? Not solely did the Packers lose a sport they managed till the ultimate minutes of the fourth quarter, they do not know if they will have beginning quarterback Jordan Love for the all-important closing two video games of the common season. Love left within the first half due to a concussion, and his standing going ahead is unknown. Whereas Willis crammed in admirably for Love — till a fumbled snap in extra time — it wasn’t sufficient because the Packers melted down within the late phases of the fourth quarter. At 9-5-1, the Packers path the Bears (11-4) within the NFC North, and the season collection ends in a break up.
Turning level: If Warren Brinson obtained a clear sack on Williams with 3:11 left in regulation, the sport may need been over. It was third-and-20 from the Packers’ 46-yard line when the rookie defensive lineman sacked Williams. However he grabbed the quarterback’s facemask and the following penalty gave the Bears a contemporary set of downs, which led to a area aim that lower the Packers’ result in 16-9 with 1:59 to play. The Bears then recovered the following onside kick and scored a tying landing to power extra time, the place they completed the sport.
Most shocking efficiency: Solely six groups had been higher at scoring touchdowns from contained in the purple zone than the Packers getting into Week 16. Their landing proportion contained in the 20 was at 64.7%. But they failed on all 5 journeys contained in the Bears’ 20-yard line Saturday. The primary 4 of them had been contained in the Bears’ 9-yard line. The Packers managed a pair of area objectives sandwiched round a turnover on downs on a failed fourth-and-1 from the Bears’ 7 and Josh Jacobs‘ fumble on first-and-goal from the 4. — Rob Demovsky
Subsequent sport: vs. Ravens (Saturday, Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ET)
Make amends for the motion: Box score | Recap
Eagles
What’s the significance of this win? The Eagles clinched the NFC East, changing into the primary group to win the division in back-to-back seasons since 2004. It hasn’t been the best street for the defending champs, however they’ve crushed up on lesser opponents over the previous couple of weeks and seem nearer to establishing an offensive id. A giant a part of that could be a dedication to the bottom sport, with Saquon Barkley having 84 rush yards after contact, his most in a sport since 2019. With the bottom sport starting to click on and the protection persevering with to dominate, Philadelphia appears to be like to be in fairly good kind with the playoffs quick approaching.
Turning level: Eagles defensive again Cooper DeJean intercepted Josh Johnson‘s cross late within the third quarter, establishing a Barkley landing run that pushed the result in double digits. Johnson entered the sport within the second half for an injured Marcus Mariota and made a important miscue when he threw throughout the sector on third-and-long. DeJean swooped in for the interception, and the Eagles reached the top zone seven performs later.
Stat to know: Dallas Goedert‘s third-quarter rating was his tenth receiving TD of the season, tying Pete Retzlaff (1965) for essentially the most by a good finish in Eagles historical past. Goedert, who’s scheduled to be a free agent on the finish of the season, had by no means had greater than 5 receiving TDs in a season. — Tim McManus
Subsequent sport: at Payments (Dec. 28, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Commanders
What else might go incorrect? Washington was taking part in a powerful sport vs. the Eagles when one more harm doomed the Commanders. With 14:18 left within the third quarter, quarterback Marcus Mariota injured his passing hand with Washington main 10-7, and he didn’t return. The loss — not less than till late within the fourth quarter — confirmed that although the Commanders nonetheless care about profitable, they simply haven’t got the firepower on both aspect of the ball to beat the Eagles. Washington has had 13 starters miss not less than one sport this season, and 9 have missed not less than seven — eight greater than all of final season. Washington additionally had two offensive linemen exit early due to undisclosed accidents: reserve deal with Brandon Coleman and beginning proper guard Sam Cosmi.
Largest gap within the sport plan: Washington’s cross protection constantly allowed key performs when it wanted a cease, partly due to the unit’s lack of stress, a weeks-long situation that will not be resolved this season. At occasions, the four-man rushes left working lanes for quarterback Jalen Hurts, who took benefit of man protection for good runs. The Commanders had been additionally referred to as for unlawful contact and defensive cross interference on a key Eagles landing drive.
QB efficiency: Washington could not muster any offense as soon as Mariota exited, with the outcome nonetheless doubtful. Josh Johnson, who hasn’t performed since August, threw an interception that modified the sport, passing throughout the sector off his again foot with no zip. In his first three collection, Washington gained one first down. If Mariota cannot play on a brief week, Washington might want to both elevate Sam Bradford off the apply squad or signal one other quarterback — or each. — John Keim
Subsequent sport: vs. Cowboys (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET)
Make amends for the motion: Box score | Recap
Seahawks
What are the playoff implications of the Seahawks’ win? They secured their postseason berth. Now, it is a matter of whether or not they can cling on to their one-game lead within the NFC West and the convention’s No. 1 seed, which they’d be assured of by profitable their closing two video games at Carolina and San Francisco. The primary NFC group to 12 wins, Seattle nonetheless has to carry off the Rams and 49ers to win the division. Los Angeles finishes with winnable video games in opposition to the Falcons and Cardinals, and the 49ers have already got one win over Seattle. This might come right down to the season finale at Levi’s Stadium.
Largest gap within the sport plan: Regardless of not having to fret about Rams extensive receiver Davante Adams (knee and hamstring injury), the Seahawks’ protection gave up 225 yards and two touchdowns to Puka Nacua. Los Angeles gashed Mike Macdonald’s unit in a means you hardly ever see, racking up 581 yards with a ton of injury on explosive passing performs. The Seahawks obtained the stops once they wanted them, they usually did so regardless of dropping Coby Bryant, Nick Emmanwori and Riq Woolen to accidents within the fourth quarter.
Finest quote from the locker room: Along with a awful day by their protection, the Seahawks overcame two interceptions by Sam Darnold, who then threw a pair of landing passes late within the win. “Simply reveals a real competitor,” Jaxon Smith-Njigba stated of the quarterback. “A whole lot of guys would get down on themselves and quit, lay down, however that is not what we do, that is not what he’s. That goes round to the entire group. Excited to have a pacesetter in Sam.” — Brady Henderson
Subsequent sport: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Rams
What does the loss to the Seahawks imply for the Rams’ NFC West possibilities? The Rams entered the sport with a 62% likelihood to win the NFC West, however these odds dropped to 25% after the OT loss (impartial of different video games), in keeping with ESPN Analytics. The ten-4 Rams fell to the No. 5 seed within the NFC, they usually might drop to No. 6 if the 49ers win Monday night time. The Rams had a win likelihood of 97% within the fourth quarter, and had they received, ESPN Analytics would have given them a 91% likelihood to win the NFC West. As a substitute, the Rams now not management their very own future within the division race.
Development to observe: Puka Nacua has 573 receiving yards in his previous three video games. It is essentially the most in a three-game span since Josh Gordon had 649 for the Browns in 2013. With Davante Adams injured, Matthew Stafford relied much more on Nacua, whose 225 receiving yards are essentially the most by a Rams participant since Isaac Bruce in 1997. — Sarah Barshop
Subsequent sport: at Falcons (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
