NFL Week 15: Biggest questions, takeaways for every game

Commanders

How badly did Washington need to end its eight-game losing streak? The Commanders’ draft stock 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 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. — John Keim

Next game: vs. Eagles (Saturday, 5 p.m. ET)

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 getting the permanent job given these results. As for Schoen, the pressure continues to build. His return 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 a loss (one) over the first 13 games of the season. He had three tackles for a loss, a sack and two forced fumbles against the Commanders. — Jordan Raanan

Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

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)

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James Cook’s 3rd TD put Bills back on top

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)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

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%, 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)

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Joe Burrow throws a pick-6

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)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

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)

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Dallas Goedert high steps in for his 2nd TD

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)

Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap

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%, 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)