In this series of articles, I will highlight the best NFL games of the week and the home team, the Patriots. In week 16, multiple teams were eliminated from playoff contention, while others are still fighting for spots. Here are the highlights.
Commanders vs Eagles
The Commanders come back against the Eagles despite five turnovers.
Washington started slow after they couldn’t convert on fourth and one on their first drive. Their next drive showed promise after a 47-yard kick return from Luke McCaffrey, but Brian Robinson Jr. fumbled on the first play of the drive. The Philadelphia defense continued to suffocate the Commanders and forced a three-and-out on their third drive of the game.
Towards the end of the first quarter down 14-0, the momentum shifted. Kenny Pickett, who replaced an injured Jalen Hurts, was picked off, granting Washington a great field position.
Four plays later, Jayden Daniels found Jamison Crowder in the endzone for their first points.
The Commanders' turnover woes were just beginning in this game when they lost a fumble yet again. Luckily, the Eagles punted after this turnover.
Jayden Daniels converted on fourth and four with his legs to extend the next drive. He then hit Terry McLaurin with a 32-yard over-the-shoulder touchdown catch in the corner of the endzone. It was now 21-14, Eagles.
Wahington ended the half with a pick by Eagles safety, C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Coming out of the half, the Commanders fumbled yet again, and Philadelphia recovered.
However, the ensuing drive ended in an Olamide Zaccheaus touchdown reception. Washington was now only down by six points.
With the ball back, Daniels and the Commanders put together a touchdown drive ending with another Zaccheaus touchdown. This one was a multiple tackle-breaking 49-yard catch and run. The Commanders took the lead for the first time.
Down two, Daniels threw a seemingly game-ending interception, but the Eagles only got a field goal out of the pick.
With less than two minutes left, Washington put together a nine-play, 57-yard drive that ended in a game-winning touchdown to Jamison Crowder once again. The Commanders beat the red-hot Eagles and set themselves up for better seeding in the playoffs.
The Washington receivers celebrate after a game winning touchdown against the Eagles. Photo Courtesy: commanders.com
The Eagles started hot and were looking unstoppable in the first quarter. Saquon found the endzone on their first drive. On the next drive, Jalen Hurts got taken out of the game to be evaluated for a concussion, so Kenny Pickett came in to replace him. Pickett had no problem finding A.J. Brown for their second touchdown of the day.
Pickett threw a pick on the next possession that led to Washington’s first touchdown, but Philly did not slow down. Saquon Barkley ran for a 68-yard touchdown on the second play of the following drive.
The next three drives all ended in punts.
After the half, two defensive pass interference calls against Washington led to a field goal for the Eagles. Up six, the Eagles were forced to punt yet again, and they got the ball back down by one. Next, Jake Elliot made a 50-yard field goal to take the lead again.
After Reed Blankenship picked off Daniels, the Eagles were only able to get a field goal. The Commanders scored on their next drive with six seconds left and the Eagles had no chance to win the game.
Chargers vs Broncos
The Chargers battle back against the Broncos.
Los Angeles began the game with a three-and-out. On the following drive, Kimani Vidal ripped off a 19-yard run, Herbert hit Palmer for a 24-yard reception, and Gus Edwards finished off the drive with a touchdown.
They then have to settle for a field goal on the next possession. They go three and out and then Herbert is intercepted at the goal line. The Chargers kicker, Cameron Dicker, made history just before the half when he hit the longest fair catch free kick in history at 57 yards. On the punt return, there was fair catch interference, which allowed the Chargers to even attempt the free kick.
Los Angeles went into the half down 21-13.
After a Broncos field goal, the Chargers scored with another Edwards run. They failed on the two-point conversion, so they were down by five.
On the next drive, Herbert completed a touchdown pass to Derius Davis while having pressure right in his face. They go for two again and this time Herbert successfully finds Palmer in the back of the endzone for a toe-tip two-point conversion. This put them ahead by three points.
After a Broncos punt, the Chargers were pinned to the ten-yard line. Within the drive, Herbert had a 16-yard run to move the chains. On the next play, Edwards broke through the middle for 43 yards. On 2nd and 13, Herbert pitched the ball to his running back Hassan Haskins for a 34-yard touchdown. The Chargers were then able to kneel out the rest of the clock.
The Broncos came out of the gate with a long, run-heavy drive that ended with Audric Estime running in for the touchdown. Their following drive ended in a touchdown as well to Michael Burton.
In the second quarter, the Broncos converted on third and 11 to keep the drive alive. Bo Nix then found Marvin Mims Jr. for a 55-yard catch and run. Nix found Devaughn Vele in the endzone for a third touchdown on their third drive.
After halftime, Denver got a field goal to combat the Chargers offense that started to click. Unfortunately for the Broncos, they would only score three more points. Denver punted three straight times after the field goal including a punt after the Herbert interception.
Down ten late in the fourth, the Broncos got a field goal to go down by one score, but they would never get the ball back.
Bills vs Patriots
The Bills overcome a slow start to beat the Patriots.
Buffalo had only one possession in the first quarter, and it ended in a punt. On their next possession, James Cook broke through a gap for a 46-yard touchdown to put the first points on the board for the Bills.
On a third and 16, Josh Allen threw an interception to Safety, Marte Mapu, who ran it out of the endzone but got tackled at the one-yard line. After both teams punted, the half ended with the Patriots ahead 14-7.
Coming out of halftime, Cook took over with 44 yards on the drive including a 4-yard touchdown reception to even the score. After recovering a fumble, Buffalo set up for a field goal, taking the lead 17-14.
With the Patriots in the end zone, the defense stepped up with a pick in the endzone to save New England from scoring. They did not score any points off of this turnover. After the punt, Buffalo broke up a backward lateral by Drake Maye and recovered the ball in the endzone for a touchdown, putting them up by ten points.
Up three, the Bills recovered New England’s onside kick attempt and knelt out the clock.
The Patriots had the best start to a game so far this season, but it still wasn’t enough to get a win.
They began the game with the ball and Maye orchestrated a touchdown drive that ended in a 28-yard over-the-shoulder touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte. Then, New England put together a 16-play drive that took up nearly ten minutes and was capped off by a Rhamondre Stevenson running into the endzone for seven.
The second half was filled with turnovers for New England. It started with a Stevenson fumble that led to three points for Buffalo. Then after a long drive, Maye got intercepted in the endzone. The nail in the coffin for the Patriots was the lost fumble on their own 12-yard line that resulted in a defensive touchdown for Buffalo.
New England scored another touchdown, but there was not enough time to overcome the second-half deficit they put themselves in.
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