Four Biggest Storylines from Week 16 of the NFL Season

With two weeks left in the postseason, the playoff picture is becoming clear, and the teams eliminated are piling up. Two of the admirable teams that were eliminated but played the role of Grinch in week 16 were the Cowboys and Panthers. The Cowboys showed toughness in edging the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-24 at home. CeeDee Lamb tallied seven catches for 105 yards despite playing with a banged-up shoulder. The loss knocked the Buccaneers out of first place in the NFC South, with the Atlanta Falcons owning the tiebreaker due to their head-to-head clash. On the other hand, Bryce Young continued to show his ascendency in the league by leading the Panthers to a 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The defeat officially eliminated Arizona from contending for the playoffs. Another team that bit the playoff dust is the San Francisco 49ers, who lost to the Miami Dolphins. It means we will crown a new NFC Champion in the upcoming playoffs. In this article, we will discuss the four biggest storylines from week 16 of the NFL season.

1. Daniels performs comeback after Hurts Concussion- the Eagles were in a good position to clinch the NFC East after jumping out to a 14-0 lead. However, the complexion of the game changed when Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts collided with the turf and suffered a concussion. The Eagles lost the momentum, and the Commanders offense led by Jayden Daniels led the comeback. Daniels completed the turnaround with his fifth touchdown pass of the day to Jamison Crowder with 6 seconds remaining in the game. The last-second thriller means the Commanders clinched a playoff spot and postponed the Eagles winning the NFC East division until they get another shot when they play against the Cowboys. The Eagles will also be desperate for Hurts to clear the concussion protocol because the team still has the opportunity to win the number one seed in the conference.

2. Sam Darnold defies criticism- the Minnesota Vikings entered the 2024 season with their first-round pick, Quarterback JJ McCarthy out with a season-ending injury. It meant that Sam Darnold would be the signal caller under center to lead a talent unit moving forward. However, there were many doubters whether Darnold could succeed in Minnesota as the starting quarterback because of his struggles in the league. Darnold was the third overall pick in 2018 and lasted just three seasons with the New York Jets. He moved on to the Carolina Panthers and lasted 2 seasons by completing 18 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. After playing a backup role in San Francisco, Darnold has shined in Minnesota this season. Darnold is enjoying career highs in completion percentage (67.2%), yards (3,776), touchdowns (32), passer rating (105.4) and just 11 interceptions. Darnold was stellar in Minnesota’s week 16 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Sam completed 22 of 35 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns. The remarkable season has led the Vikings to the playoffs and catapulted the USC Trojan alum into the MVP discussion.

3. Ravens halt losing skid against Steelers to become division favorites- the AFC North foes are one of the best traditional rivalries in the NFL. However, the Steelers dominated their counterparts in the past nine games, winning 8 of these matchups. Lamar Jackson somehow ended the streak in front of his home crowd, and he delivered. Jackson completed 15 of 23 passes for 207 yards, three touchdowns, and the only blemish was a bad interception that did not cost his team. The vaunted Steelers defense failed to stop Derrick Henry, who rushed 24 times for 168 yards and 6.8 yards per carry. The Steelers retained their lead in the division because they have a better record of common opponents. However, the Steelers face a tougher schedule by facing the Chiefs and Bengals, while the Ravens play the Texans and Browns.

4. Tank Dell Injury Marrs Another Chiefs One-Score Victory- C.J. Stroud entered his first matchup having clinched the AFC South but trying to send a clear message they are Super Bowl contenders. The two teams played a back-and-forth game into the third quarter when Tank Dell made a superb catch in the end zone to pull the Texans close to a 17-16 deficit. However, Dell dislocated his kneecap in completing the catch and was accidentally hit by a teammate on the ground. The injury led to a major stoppage, and it visibly affected his close friend C.J. Stroud, who cried seeing Tank’s season-ending injury. Stroud struggled for the rest of the game, and the Chiefs created further separation in the scoreline, leading to an eight-point win. The Chiefs have won 16 straight one-score games and are one win away from clinching the number one seed.