What a weekend to be alive and watching football. Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season delivered everything you could possibly ask for: two overtime thrillers that’ll be replayed for years, a rookie quarterback stealing the Sunday Night Football spotlight, and a playoff picture that shifted dramatically across the league. From Seattle’s walk-off two-point conversion to Caleb Williams cementing his legend at Soldier Field, this was the kind of week that reminds you why we fall in love with this sport every autumn.
NFL Week 16 Full Scoreboard
| Match | Score | Key Moment |
|---|---|---|
| Seahawks vs Rams | 38-37 (OT) | Eric Saubert’s walk-off 2-point conversion caps 16-point comeback |
| Bears vs Packers | 22-16 (OT) | Caleb Williams to DJ Moore 46-yard TD wins it in overtime |
| Eagles vs Commanders | 29-18 | Philadelphia clinches NFC East for second straight year |
| Steelers vs Lions | 29-24 | Jaylen Warren rushes for 143 yards and 2 TDs in Detroit upset |
| Panthers vs Buccaneers | 23-20 | Carolina takes NFC South lead at 8-7 |
| Bengals vs Dolphins | 45-21 | Joe Burrow throws for 309 yards in blowout win |
| Titans vs Chiefs | 26-9 | Cam Ward tosses 2 TDs as KC loses fourth straight |
| Chargers vs Cowboys | 34-17 | LA dominates in Dallas |
| Vikings vs Giants | 16-13 | Minnesota grinds out road win despite JJ McCarthy scare |
| Saints vs Jets | 29-6 | Tyler Shough’s first 300-yard game leads New Orleans |
| Jaguars vs Broncos | 34-20 | Trevor Lawrence erupts for 4 total TDs in Denver |
| Falcons vs Cardinals | 26-19 | Atlanta stays alive in NFC South race |
| Texans vs Raiders | 23-21 | Ashton Jeanty impresses with 128 rushing yards in defeat |
| Bills vs Browns | 23-20 | Shedeur Sanders throws for 157 yards in NFL debut |
| Patriots vs Ravens | 28-24 | Drake Maye leads fourth-quarter comeback, clinches playoff berth |
Game of the Week: Seahawks 38, Rams 37 (OT)
Thursday Night Football delivered an absolute masterpiece. The Rams looked dead and buried with a 30-14 lead and eight minutes remaining, Matthew Stafford dealing like an MVP candidate with 457 passing yards and Puka Nacua hauling in 12 catches for 225 yards. And then Seattle decided they weren’t quite done yet.
Rashid Shaheed’s 58-yard punt return touchdown ignited the comeback. Sam Darnold, who’d been picked off twice, suddenly found his rhythm. A bizarre two-point conversion—a backward pass bouncing off a Rams defender’s helmet and recovered by Zach Charbonnet in the end zone—tied it at 30. When the Rams’ Harrison Mevis, previously perfect on the season, pushed a go-ahead field goal wide right, the stage was set.
In overtime, Stafford hit Nacua for a 41-yard touchdown. Game over? Not quite. Darnold drove 65 yards, found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 4-yard score, and then Mike Macdonald made the call that’ll define his season—go for two and the win. Darnold hit Eric Saubert wide open. Seattle (12-3) now holds the NFC’s top seed. The Rams (11-4) fell from first to fifth in the conference in sixty devastating minutes.
Bears Complete Miracle Comeback Against Packers
If Thursday wasn’t enough drama for one week, Saturday’s Bears-Packers showdown at Soldier Field topped it. Chicago trailed 16-6 with under two minutes remaining. Win probability: 0.5 percent. What followed was pure magic.
Cairo Santos drilled a 43-yard field goal. Josh Blackwell recovered an onside kick when Romeo Doubs couldn’t handle it. Caleb Williams—facing a zero blitz on fourth-and-goal—floated a perfect pass to undrafted rookie Jahdae Walker in the corner of the end zone. Tied at 16 with 24 seconds left.
In overtime, Malik Willis (playing for a concussed Jordan Love) fumbled the snap on fourth-and-1. Four plays later, Williams rainbowed a 46-yard dime to DJ Moore, who hauled it in over Keisean Nixon’s coverage. Walk-off touchdown. Bears 22, Packers 16. Chicago (11-4) now leads the NFC North by a game and a half.
Williams finished 19-of-34 for 250 yards and two touchdowns—both in the final 1:59 and overtime. That’s now eight fourth-quarter comebacks in his young career, tying Bo Nix’s NFL record for a quarterback’s first two seasons. This kid is special.
Patriots Clinch Playoff Berth in Baltimore
Drake Maye announced himself on Sunday Night Football. Trailing 24-13 in the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium, the rookie quarterback delivered his first career fourth-quarter comeback win with a gutsy performance that clinched New England’s playoff spot.
Maye hit Kyle Williams for a 37-yard touchdown, then led a final drive capped by Rhamondre Stevenson’s 21-yard scoring run with 4:37 remaining. K’Lavon Chaisson’s forced fumble on Zay Flowers sealed it. Patriots 28, Ravens 24. New England (11-4) bounced back from their first loss in 83 days in emphatic fashion.
Panthers Stun Buccaneers, Take NFC South Lead
Perhaps the most surprising result of Week 16: Carolina (8-7) came from behind to defeat Tampa Bay 23-20, leapfrogging the Bucs into first place in the NFC South. It’s the Panthers’ division to lose with two games remaining, a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that looked lost just weeks ago.
Jaguars Roll to Sixth Straight Win
Trevor Lawrence continues his scorching December form. The Jacksonville quarterback threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score in a dominant 34-20 victory at Denver. Lawrence has 10 total touchdowns over his last two games. Parker Washington hauled in six catches for 145 yards as the Jags’ offense clicked on all cylinders.
For Denver, Bo Nix threw for 353 yards but was undone by two turnovers. The Broncos’ playoff hopes took a significant hit.
Chiefs Free Fall Continues
Kansas City’s 2025 season has officially unraveled. Cam Ward threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns as the Tennessee Titans hammered the Chiefs 26-9, KC’s fourth consecutive defeat. At 6-9, the defending champions are staring at a lost season and the No. 12 pick in the draft. The dynasty appears to be crumbling.
Playoff Picture After Week 16
Several teams punched their postseason tickets this weekend. The Patriots clinched an AFC playoff spot. In the NFC, the Seahawks, Bears, 49ers, Eagles, and Rams have all secured berths. The Lions’ loss to the Steelers means they’re on the outside looking in, needing help to sneak into the postseason at 8-6.
The NFC’s top seed belongs to Seattle. New England controls the AFC’s pole position heading into the final two weeks.
Looking Ahead to Week 17
The penultimate week of the regular season brings another Christmas Eve slate, with division races and playoff seeding on the line across the league. After the drama of Week 16, expect nothing less than more chaos as teams fight for their postseason lives.
