The Minnesota Vikings almost couldn’t be doing this more quietly. Justin Jefferson was brilliant, with 10 catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings beat the Seahawks 27-24 to keep pace with the Lions in the NFC North and for the top seed in the NFC playoffs at 13-2. Minnesota hosts the Packers next week before that Week 18 trip to Detroit, which could wind up being between the top two teams in the NFC with the No. 1 seed on the line.
In Miami, the Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive with a 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Jason Sanders hit five field goals and De’Von Achane rushed for 121 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown to dash to seal the win. The Dolphins need some help, but close with the Browns and the Jets, and will likely be favored in both of those games.
The New England Patriots jumped out to a 14-0 lead in Buffalo, but the Bills stampeded back — led by a pair of James Cook touchdowns — for a 24-21 win. Buffalo scored 24 straight points at one point in the game. The Bills are still alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but would need two Kansas City losses and two wins of their own to get the top seed. The Bills close at home against the Jets (Week 17) and at New England (Week 18), and the Chiefs — who beat the Texans on Saturday — close at the Steelers on Christmas Day and then at Denver in Week 18.
To close Sunday afternoon in Week 16, the Raiders topped the Jaguars 19-14. Brock Bowers became the first rookie tight end in NFL history to reach 100 receptions on the year. He’s got 101 with two games to go, and the single-season NFL receptions record for a tight end belongs to Zach Ertz, who had 116 with the Eagles back in 2018.
NFL Week 16 Sunday schedule
(No byes this week)
Early window
Late window
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