NFL Week 15 grades: Chiefs get 'C' after playoff elimination, Bills earn 'B+' for topping Patriots
Here are the grades for every team that has played in Week 15
By
John Breech
•
18 min read
Welcome to the Week 15 grades!
The NFL playoff race is in full swing, and there are several big games on the Week 15 schedule that will have a huge impact on who makes the postseason and who doesn't. Speaking of who won't make the postseason, the most surprising news of the day is that the Kansas City Chiefs have been eliminated from playoff contention.
That's right, Patrick Mahomes will not be in the playoffs. Travis Kelce will not be in the playoffs. The team that has made it to seven straight AFC title games will not be in the playoffs.
With the Chiefs out, the means the AFC is WIDE OPEN this year.
NFL Week 15 overreactions: Micah Parsons injury ends Packers' Super Bowl hopes? Josh Allen for MVP?
Tyler Sullivan
With that in mind, let's get to the Week 15 grades, starting with the AFC East showdown between the Bills and Patriots.
Buffalo 35-31 over New England
| B- |  |
| Whatever Sean McDermott said to this team at halftime, he might want to bottle some of that up and save it for the playoffs. The Bills were a total disaster during a first half where they totaled just 76 yards, but then they went back to the basics in the second half: They fed James Cook the ball and they let Josh Allen work his magic. Cook had 107 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the game with 65 of that and both scores coming in the second half. Josh Allen willed his team to the win with 194 total yards in the second half, including a 14-yard TD pass on third-and-goal from New England's 14 that gave Buffalo its first lead of the game. The Bills defense was just as good in the second half, surrendering just 100 yards. The Bills (10-4) might not win the AFC East, but they proved they can go on the road and win in a playoff atmosphere, which is big, because there's a good chance this team will be playing a road playoff game or two if they want to get to the Super Bowl. | |
| C |  |
| This was a monumental collapse by a Patriots team that blew a 21-0 lead. The always accurate Drake Maye, who threw just two incompletions in the first half, went ice cold in the second half, going just 5 of 12 for 47 yards with an interception. With Maye struggling, the Patriots turned to their rushing attack and that briefly worked when TreyVeyon Henderson broke loose for a 65-yard score, but New England only had four rushing yards in the second half outside of that play. The Patriots (11-3) are still in the driver's-seat to win the AFC East, but this second half collapse is certainly going to leave a bad taste in their mouth and it makes you wonder if they'll actually be able to win a game come playoff time. | |
L.A. Chargers 16-13 over Kansas City
| B+ |  |
| The Chargers had the chance to drive the final dagger into Kansas City's playoff hopes and that's exactly what they did here. If you're going to beat the Chiefs, you have to keep Patrick Mahomes in check and the Chargers defense did that by beating up on Kansas City's star QB. Odafe Oweh and Tuli Tuipulotu both sacked Mahomes twice on a day where the Chargers got to him five times. The defense also came away with two interceptions, including a game-sealing pick from Derwin James. The Chargers are now 5-0 in the AFC West for the first time ever and with their defense playing like this, this is suddenly a historical season that could go deep into January. | |
| C |  |
| The Chiefs offense is shell of itself this year and that's why they lost this game. Patrick Mahomes can usually muster enough magic to win a game like this, but with a banged up knee, he was a sitting duck against a Chargers pass-rush that sacked him five times. With a struggling offense, a hobbled quarterback and a team that hasn't been able to find a way to win one-score games, this season just wasn't meant to be for the Chiefs, and now, they'll be sitting at home for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. | |
Denver 34-26 over Green Bay
| B- |  |
| If the Packers defense has struggled in one spot this year, it's stopping teams in the red zone and that one weakness was on full display against the Broncos. Denver made four trips inside of Green Bay's 20-yard line and the Broncos scored a TD on all four trips. When your defense is giving up a touchdown on every red zone trip, that means the offense has to play close to perfect and the Packers just couldn't do that against Denver's defense. Jordan Love had a solid game, but he fell apart during a fourth quarter that included an interception, two failed fourth downs and two sacks by the Broncos defense. This was a stinging loss for the Packers because not only did they fall out of first place in the NFC North, but they also lost Micah Parsons to an apparent season-ending injury. | |
| A- |  |
| If there were any questions left about whether Bo Nix is clutch, he answered them in this game. The Broncos QB outdueled Jordan Love, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns and the impressive part is that he did all of that against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Broncos defense also proved that it can shut down a good team. After struggling some in the first half, the defense harassed Love in the second half: The Packers QB was sacked three times in the game (all in the second half) and he threw two interceptions (both in the second half). With the Patriots losing, the Broncos suddenly have the inside track to earning the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. | |
L.A. Rams 41-34 over Detroit
| B- |  |
| The secret seems to be out on beating the Lions: Going into Week 15, the Lions were 0-4 this season when they were held to under 100 yards rushing and that's now 0-5 after Detroit was held to just 70 yards on the ground. When the Lions run the ball well, that allows them to control the game flow. When they don't run the ball well, that means Jared Goff and the defense both have to be perfect. Goff did a good job of carrying the team in the first half, but the offense pulled a no-show to start the second half. On Detroit's first three drives of the second half, the Lions went three-and-out all three times while totaling just 8 yards. During that span, the Rams scored 17 points and put the game away. The defense has struggled all year -- this is the eighth time the Lions (8-6) have given up 27 points or more -- and with this latest loss, the Lions now have no margin for error if they want to make the playoffs. | |
| B+ |  |
| Every week, the Rams seem to find a new way to win. This week, they spotted the Lions an early 10-point lead before running away with the game. After throwing an interception on his third pass of the game, Matthew Stafford rebounded to throw for 368 yards and two touchdowns against his old team. Blake Corum and Kyren Williams led a surprisingly good Rams rushing attack that averaged 5.5 yards per carry. And then of course, there's Puka Nacua. As long as he's healthy, the Rams will continue to have one of the best offenses in football and although he did have an injury scare, he still manage to go off for 181 yards. The Rams (11-3) continue to look like the best team in the NFC, but they'll get a huge test on Thursday night against the Seahawks. | |
Seattle 18-16 over Indianapolis
| B+ |  |
| Considering their circumstances, the Colts knew they were going to have to play a nearly perfect game to pull off an upset in Seattle and they ALMOST made it happen. The Colts pulled off one of the most impressive defensive showings all year by any team by holding the high-powered Seahawks out of the end zone. Offensively, the Colts let Jonathan Taylor carry the load, but Philip Rivers did chip in with several key throws. Rivers had a chance to turn this into one of the most unforgettable performance in NFL history with a possible game-winning drive, but he threw an interception on his final play. The Colts didn't win, but Rivers played well enough to give the Colts (8-6) some hope down the stretch. | |
| B- |  |
| The concern with Sam Darnold last season was that he disappeared down the stretch, so the Seahawks should be slightly worried about the fact the offense didn't generate a single touchdown in this game. On the other hand, the Seahawks should also be feeling good about what they saw from Darnold because he came up big in the fourth quarter: He threw for 91 yards while leading the team on three scoring drives that all ended with a Jason Myers field goals (the Seahawks kicker went 6-for-6 in the game and was the hero of the day). A loss here would have been an all-time choke, but the Seahawks staved off the upset bid, and now, they can focus on their Thursday showdown with the Rams. | |
New Orleans 20-17 over Carolina
| C- |  |
| The Panthers had a chance to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South and they blew it. Carolina had a chance to put this game away in the fourth quarter, but the offense fell apart. There was a failed fourth-and-1 from the Saints' 35 and Young threw for just 13 yards during the final quarter when the Panthers needed him most. Defensively, the Panthers played at a high lever for three quarters, before getting torched for 172 yards in the fourth quarter. The only upside for the Panthers (7-7) is that despite the loss, they'll still win the NFC South if they win out. | |
| B |  |
| There is no team that has embraced the role of spoiler more than the New Orleans Saints. Last week, they pulled off a shocker when they beat the Buccaneers, and this week, they topped themselves by beating the Panthers. Last week, Tyler Shough used his legs to win, but this week, he used his right arm. The Saints rookie outplayed Bryce Young, which should have the Saints feeling good about their future at QB. Shough connected with eight different receivers and five of them finished with at least 30 yards. The most impressive part of Shough's performance is that he did his best work in the fourth quarter, throwing for 162 yards and a TD. The Saints (4-10) won't be winning the NFC South this year, but they might end up with the best divisional record and that's something they'll be able to hang their hat on heading into 2026. | |
San Francisco 37-24 over Tennessee
| C- |  |
| There's a reason the Titans only have two wins and that reason is because they're not very good. Cam Ward engineered several impressive drives in the first half, but he also missed several big throws that you have to make when you're a 12.5-point underdog playing on the road against one of the best teams in the NFC. Tony Pollard did hit the 100-yard rushing mark for the second straight week and he's suddenly the one guy that the Titans can count on offense. Of course, even if the offense had been perfect, the Titans probably still would have lost because their defense couldn't stop anything the 49ers did. The Titans (2-12) have a lot of holes to fix on this roster and the good news is that this loss means they're still in the running to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. | |
| A- |  |
| The 49ers are the team that no one's talking about, but we might want to start talking about them, because they're a very serious threat to win the NFC West. The 49ers didn't a punt a single time in this game: They had nine possessions and they scored on eight of them. The impressive offensive showing was led by Brock Purdy, who marched the 49ers up and down the field. Purdy, who threw for 295 yards, even showed off his legs on a play where he had a career-long run of 26 yards. The 49ers offense is clicking at the perfect time because this team is definitely the dark horse to not only win the NFC West, but to get the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC. | |
Baltimore 24-0 over Cincinnati
| A- |  |
| After getting embarrassed by the Bengals offense on Thanksgiving, the Ravens defense got its revenge on Sunday. The Ravens had Joe Burrow rattled in a game where they sacked the Bengals QB three times. The defense also came up with two interceptions, including a pick-six in the fourth quarter that Kyle Van Noy pitched to Aloi Gilman, who took it in for the score. Offensively, Lamar Jackson didn't put up huge numbers, but he looked sharp, completing 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards and to touchdowns. The Ravens also got a boost from Derrick Henry, who topped 100 yards for the first time since Week 11. With the win, the Ravens (7-7) are now very much back in the AFC North playoff race with just three weeks left to play in the regular season. | |
| F |  |
| This might go down as the ugliest loss of Joe Burrow's career. The offense looked completely out of sync and Burrow didn't help things by throwing an ugly pick six in the fourth quarter. This marked the first time since 2017 that the Bengals were shut out in a game. If Zac Taylor wasn't on the hot seat before this week, he should be now after an embarrassingly bad performance that ended with the Bengals (4-10) being eliminated from playoff contention. | |
Chicago 31-3 over Cleveland
| F |  |
| Shedeur Sanders played solid football in his first three starts, but he finally got his "welcome to the NFL" moment against the Bears. Sanders got destroyed by a Bears defense that sacked him five times. The Browns' rookie QB was under constant pressure and he'd didn't handle it particularly well, throwing three interceptions. The Browns had six three-and-outs to go along with their three turnovers, which put the defense in a rough spot for most of the game. It's another lost season for the Browns (3-11). | |
| A |  |
| The Bears won this game by doing what they do best: Playing smart offense and forcing turnovers on defense. Heading into Week 15, the Bears had forced the most turnovers in the NFL and they added three more to that total with three interceptions. The Bears pass-rush caused all sorts of problems for Shedeur Sanders, who was sacked five times, including two from Austin Booker. The Bears offense struggled at times, but that's to be expected when you're playing the Browns defense. Caleb Williams looked solid in spurts and D'Andre Swift was able to average 5.4 yards per carry against a Cleveland defense that was only surrendering 3.8 yards per carry on the season going into the game. The Bears (10-4) took care of business against a bad team and that's what you have to do if you want to be successful in the NFL. | |
Washington 29-21 over N.Y. Giants
| B |  |
| This was a day of big plays for the Commanders, who scored three touchdowns with all three of them coming from 16 yards or longer. Jaylin Lane had the biggest one with a 63-yard punt return TD in the first half and Terry McLaurin followed that up in the second half with a 51-yard receiving touchdown. Those backbreaking plays were a big reason why Washington was able to win. The Commanders defense also deserves some credit, especially for making two big fourth down stops in the fourth quarter, including one that came after the Giants had driven down to Washington's 1-yard line. This was a solid rebound for a Commanders team that got shut out last week. It would have been easy for them to give up on the season after last week, but this team is still playing hard for Dan Quinn. | |
| B- |  |
| The Giants had every chance to win this game, but they ended up giving it away. One of their biggest issues continues to be at kicker: Younghoe Koo missed two field goals to continue New York's season long problems at the position. The Giants also couldn't punch the ball in the end zone after driving all the way down to Washington's one-yard line in the fourth quarter. There was another opportunity lost late in the fourth quarter after the Giants got a gift with a Commanders fumble in the final three minutes, but New York was unable to capitalize on that. This loss was really just the story of the Giants' season: They couldn't capitalize on big opportunities, their QB got beat up (Jaxson Dart got sent to the blue tent in this game) and they missed several kicks. That's the 2025 Giants (2-12) for you. | |
Philadelphia 31-0 over Las Vegas
| F |  |
| It's not often you see a Pete Carroll team that has no fight, but that was the case here. The Raiders have been bad this season, but this was rock bottom: They totaled just 75 yards of offense and they got held to zero points. It was their lowest offensive output since 2008 and it also marks the first time in 19 years that they've been shutout twice in the game season. The Raiders look ready for the season to be over. | |
| A+ |  |
| It took 15 weeks, but the Eagles finally put it all together and what they got was a nearly perfect performance against the Raiders. Actually, their defensive performance might have been perfect. The defense beat up on Kenny Pickett with four sacks, including two from Brandon Graham. who recorded his first sacks of the season since coming out of retirement in late October. The defense held the Raiders to just 75 yards, which was the lowest total they've held an opponent to since 1955. Offensively, Jalen Hurts had as many TD passes (3) as incompletions on a day where he was nearly perfect (12 of 15 for 175 yards). This was a get right game that the Eagles desperately needed and if they keep playing like this, they might be able to make some noise in the postseason. | |
Jacksonville 48-20 over N.Y. Jets
| F |  |
| With the Jets forced to start a rookie undrafted free agent at QB (Brady Cook) this game was destined to get ugly, but you can't blame Cook for the Jets' failures. Instead, the blame goes on a Jets' defense that let Jacksonville score on five of its six possessions in the first half. The Jets are now 0-6 this year against teams currently above. .500 and if you watch them play, it's not hard to see why. | |
| A |  |
| The Jaguars officially look dangerous. The Jags came out on fire by scoring a touchdown on each of their first three offensive possessions, which is something they hadn't pulled off since 1998. One thing that makes the Jags so dangerous is that they have so many offensive weapons: They had seven different pass-catchers finish with at least 20 receiving yards, including Trevor Etienne, who caught three passes for 73 yards and three touchdowns. It also helps that Trevor Lawrence is playing the best football of his career. With the Broncos and Colts coming up in the next two weeks, this could have easily been a trap game for Jacksonville, but instead, the Jags (10-4) put this one away early. That's what good teams do and the Jags aren't just a good team, they're one of the best in the AFC. | |
Houston 40-20 over Arizona
| D |  |
| This game felt like it was over before it even started. The Cardinals were trailing 17-0 before they even got a single first down. That happened because they fumbled away a kickoff after a Houston touchdown and they also had a three-and-out in the first quarter. Being down 17-0 is a hole you're just not going to dig yourself out of against the Texans' defense. Trey McBride (12 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns) was one of the few bright spots for a Cardinals team that didn't have very many bright spots on Sunday and hasn't had very man all season. | |
| A |  |
| The Texans already had the best defense in the NFL and their offense might have finally caught up. C.J. Stroud looked impressive, throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Nico Collins continues to be one of the best big play threats in the NFL. The Texans star caught just three passes, but those went for 85 yards and two touchdowns. On top of that, the Texans seemed to have found another running back in Jawhar Jordan. The 2024 sixth-round pick had 101 yards on just 15 carries in the first action of his career. Houston might be the scariest team in the AFC right now. | |
Atlanta 29-28 over Tampa Bay
| B- |  |
| With the Falcons eliminated from the playoff race, they had nothing to play for on Thursday night, so they decided to embrace the roll of spoiler. Kyle Pitts, who's set to be a free agent in March, likely just made himself millions of dollars with this performance against the Bucs that saw him catch 11 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns (all career highs). Kirk Cousins showed that he still has some juice left in his right arm with a performance that saw him throw for 376 yards with 154 of that coming in the fourth quarter. The Falcons defense struggled at times, but it clamped down on the Bucs in the fourth quarter, holding Tampa Bay's offense to just 28 yards. The Falcons (5-9) won despite getting hit with a franchise-record 19 penalties. It as a sloppy win, but as sloppy Joes have long proven, sometimes sloppy can be good. | |
| D |  |
| Considering the magnitude of this game, this was a monster choke by the Buccaneers, who blew a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter. The entire team choked, starting with Baker Mayfield, who made several errant throws in the fourth quarter, including an interception. The Bucs' defense got steamrolled for 188 yards and 15 points in the final quarter and two of their best plays went to waste because they couldn't fall on the ball after causing two different fumbles. Mike Evans ended up being one of the few bright spots for Tampa Bay: In his return to action, he caught six passes for 132 yards. The only sliver lining here for the Bucs (7-7) is that their offense should be at nearly full strength for the final three weeks of the season and they still control their playoff fate: If they win their final three games, they'll win the NFC South. | |
