NFL Week 15 grades from around the league

The Seahawks (5-9) probably dug themselves too deep a hole during the season's first three months, but had they gotten past the Rams, a favorable schedule opened the door to a surprise wild-card run. Two key fourth-quarter officiating breaks -- a questionable hold on Bless Austin and a rough no-call on pass interference by Ernest Jones -- going the Rams' way probably dooms any late Seattle push. With the exception of its failure to contain the uncontainable Cooper Kupp, the Seahawks defense played well in a tough spot. Carlos Dunlap (1.5 sacks in 13 games) awakened with three sacks, but the officials did not properly let the Seahawks finish their upset effort.

SEAHAWKS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Bears (Sun.)

From Elroy Hirsch to Henry Ellard to Isaac Bruce to Torry Holt, the Rams (10-4) have an illustrious receiver history. Kupp set a franchise single-season catch record (122) Monday and is coming for Calvin Johnson's NFL yardage standard (1,964 yards). Kupp's nine-reception, 136-yard, two-TD night created crucial separation in a close game. He needs to average 125 yards per game to be the NFL's first 2,000-yard receiver. Even if he were capped at 16 games, the now-underpaid fifth-year Ram would stand to rank highly on the all-time list. Through 14 games, Kupp's yardage total already sits 19th all time. This is one of the great mid-career breakouts in NFL history.

RAMS GRADE: B | NEXT: at Vikings (Sun.)

While Washington was to be an underdog in Philadelphia, an Omicron outbreak left the visitors little chance. Following the Browns, Washington (6-8) lost its top two QBs and could not keep up. The WFT would have remained in the NFC's No. 7 slot with a win. After this loss, the team's playoff odds fell to just 9%, per FiveThirtyEight.com. Given this variant's contagiousness, other teams' postseason viability will be affected. The AFC and NFC playoff fields will change from their pre-Omicron realities. After a fairly smooth season -- compared to 2020, at least -- the ominous cloud this past week created may lead to the 2021 slate featuring a bigger asterisk than its turbulent predecessor. 

WASHINGTON GRADE: C | NEXT: at Cowboys (Sun.)

Keen on throwing the ball incessantly early in the season, the Eagles are still riding a pivotal midseason adjustment. Nick Sirianni's belated run-game commitment lifted the Eagles into the wild-card race. That ground attack kept Philadelphia there Tuesday. The Eagles bludgeoned Washington for 238 rushing yards and acquired rare company in the process. This marked Philly's seventh straight game with at least 175 rushing yards. The last team to do that: the 1985 Bears. Miles Sanders now has back-to-back 120-plus-yard games, while Jalen Hurts' two TDs gave him an Eagles-record 10. Viewed as a rebuilding team, Philly (7-7) still lurks for that No. 7 seed.

EAGLES GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: vs. Giants (Sun.)

Despite Danielle Hunter suffering another season-ending injury and Everson Griffen again away from the team, the Vikings (7-7) lead the NFL with 44 sacks. Wonnum broke the Vikes' tie with the perennial sack champion Steelers on Monday, dropping Justin Fields three times on a career night. A 2020 fourth-round pick, Wonnum notched a 14-yard sack and stopped Fields in the backfield on one of Chicago's three failed fourth downs later in the third quarter. Wonnum doubled his season sack figure and helped a Minnesota team that totaled 193 yards -- the Vikes' fewest in a win since October 2010 -- stay in realistic contention for the NFC's No. 7 seed.

VIKINGS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: vs. Rams (Sun.)

For a team that has not been consistently successful since the mid-2000s (and that is being kind), the Bears see a lot of national TV slots. This marked their fourth straight season with at least four night games; they went 0-4. Matt Nagy's squads have gone 1-7 in primetime over the past two seasons, though this loss -- with Chicago (4-10) missing numerous cogs due to COVID-19 -- marked another uphill battle. The Bears were 4-for-17 on third and fourth downs. The Chicago market size notwithstanding, the NFL probably needs to reassess its Bears commitment in 2022. Fields developing in early-window games may be best for everyone.

BEARS GRADE: D-plus | NEXT: at Seahawks (Sun.)

Circumstances certainly broke the Raiders' way, with recent practice squad QB Nick Mullens forced to start for the Browns. But the NFL's 26th-ranked run defense still needed to limit a top-tier running back to secure victory in a tough environment. It did enough, holding Chubb to 91 rushing yards. Maxx Crosby and Johnathan Hankins stopping the Pro Bowl back on a do-or-die three-and-out led to Las Vegas technically staying alive in the AFC wild-card race. The Raiders (7-7) cannot be trusted to remain in the mix much longer, but they will have a good chance to hang around another week given Drew Lock's likely Week 16 cameo.

RAIDERS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: vs. Broncos (Sun.)

If even half of the 10 Cleveland starters who missed Monday's game because of COVID-19 had played, the playoffs would remain firmly in sight. The NFL basically threw up its arms because of the Omicron variant's late-week spread, relaxing protocols. That questionable plan came too late for the Browns, who close with three above-.500 teams -- two of those games on the road. Baker Mayfield's injuries redefined this once-promising slate, limiting this Browns edition's capabilities. But in an increasingly shaky division, the Browns (7-7) had a visible route back to the playoffs. Now, they have a 17% chance to qualify. 

BROWNS GRADE: C | NEXT: at Packers (Sat.)

Running its regular-season record to 4-0 against "Tompa Bay," New Orleans (7-7) also shut out the legendary quarterback for the first time since the Nick Saban-led Dolphins did so in 2006. Even before injuries stripped Brady of his top weapons, the Saints' plan worked. Jordan became the rare pass rusher to shred the Bucs' top-tier O-line, breaking through for two third-down sacks, three QB hits, and stripping Brady to stop a potential go-ahead drive. An All-Decade-teamer who now has 100.5 sacks, Jordan bolstered his Hall of Fame case with this island-game dominance. The Saints' playoff path -- which now features a less imposing schedule -- cleared up thanks to this upset.

SAINTS GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Dolphins (Mon.)

Amid Brady's tablet-smashing, expletive-shouting extended tantrum, the Bucs (10-4) blew a prime opportunity to keep pressure on Green Bay. The Packers faced a more difficult closing schedule than the Bucs, whose tilt against the Sean Payton-less Saints was by far their toughest remaining. In Brady's defense, top chain-movers Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and Leonard Fournette left the game. Antonio Brown does serve as a de facto fill-in for Godwin, who sprained an MCL, but these injuries probably cost an injury-prone Bucs team its chance at the NFC's bye. They have dropped to the third slot, and a road Super Bowl run will be tougher in fan-filled environments this season.

BUCCANEERS GRADE: D-plus | NEXT: at Panthers (Sun.)

Aaron Rodgers moved closer to his fourth MVP by keeping the Packers offense in high gear despite a second-stringer-laden offensive line. Down four starters up front, Rodgers relied on his weapons. Normal deep target Marquez Valdes-Scantling became needed on short- and mid-range plays -- including an 11-yard touchdown -- and Rodgers kept finding him during a five-catch, 98-yard game. Even against Baltimore's battered secondary, MVS being involved beyond long-range shots is a good sign for a humming Green Bay offense. Home games against the Browns and Vikings are essentially all that stands between the Packers (11-3) and a third straight bye.

PACKERS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: vs. Browns (Sat.)

John Harbaugh's second failed do-or-die two-point try in three weeks gave Brandon Staley some cover. The Ravens (8-6) have slunk down to the "In the hunt" sector and are looking unlikely to make a fourth straight playoff berth. But targeting Andrews on that underwhelming two-point rollout made sense. While Travis Kelce and George Kittle have reached higher peaks this season, Andrews has been vital to a decimated Raven squad and deserves strong first-team All-Pro consideration. His 10-reception, 136-yard, two-TD day was certainly important for Tyler Huntley's growth. Andrews (1,062 yards) is now the first Ravens tight end to post a 1,000-yard season. 

RAVENS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Bengals (Sun.)

He of 6.5 sacks over his first three seasons, Hendrickson now has 26.5 over his past two. The Bengals' top hired-gun defender kept producing Sunday, adding a half-sack -- his 10th straight game with one -- and drawing multiple Garett Bolles holding penalties. The Bengals (8-6) pressured Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock, and Hendrickson -- the only impact player from the loaded 2017 Saints draft class allowed to leave -- led the way in a game that featured scant Cincy offensive assistance. The ex-Saint's 13 sacks are 0.5 away from Carlos Dunlap's franchise record (though Coy Bacon holds the unofficial Bengals mark). Hendrickson will be needed during a tough Bengals homestretch. 

BENGALS GRADE: B | NEXT: vs. Ravens (Sun.)

Other than leaving Tyler Boyd uncovered on a third-quarter TD, the Broncos defense submitted an ace effort to contain a high-flying Bengals attack. This was not enough, and Denver's latest low-wattage QB plan is about maxed out. Bridgewater started slowly before his scary injury, and Lock remained erratic. But the Broncos (7-7) could have stolen this game had OC Pat Shurmur avoided giving his QB2 the keys on a costly zone read. Khalid Kareem's strip of Lock stopped the Javonte Williams-Melvin Gordon duo from giving the hosts the lead and keeping realistic playoff hopes alive. The catastrophic Lock blunder instead could lead to wholesale changes in Denver soon. 

BRONCOS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Raiders (Sun.)

Considerable fuss emerged after Tom Brady lost his top three playmakers; Ryan Tannehill has dealt with this setup for much of the season. Julio Jones left with yet another hamstring issue in a game in which the Derrick Henry- and A.J. Brown-less Titans needed him. Tannehill committed two second-half turnovers and could not topple a Steelers team that totaled 168 yards. The Titans had a chance to snare the AFC's No. 1 slot with a win, but their Henry-backed victories over the Colts keep them in good shape. With Brown due back soon and Henry on track for the playoffs, a formidable Titans squad lurks. Tannehill has to keep a leaky boat afloat to put that reality in play.

TITANS GRADE: C | NEXT: vs. 49ers (Thu.)

The Steelers' identity began to shift in 2017 when T.J. Watt and Joe Haden arrived. The All-Pro edge rusher and Pro Bowl cornerback remain essential cogs for a Pittsburgh team that has seen its offense steadily worsen. Both were needed in Week 15. Watt's 1.5-sack effort allowed him to pass James Harrison for most Steelers sacks in a season (now at 17.5), and Haden supported the Defensive Player of the Year favorite with a nifty fumble recovery and victory-preserving fourth-down tackle. Haden, who missed the past four games, allowed just one catch for six yards. The 32-year-old cover man is a big reason the Steelers (7-6-1) still have a pulse in the AFC picture.

STEELERS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Chiefs (Sun.)

The 2020 Cardinals went from 6-3 to 8-8, with a Kyler Murray shoulder injury sinking that intriguing team's hopes. This version cannot quite collapse like that, but a three-score loss to the Lions probably should induce panic. Murray fared worse against the one-win Lions than he did in Monday's Rams loss, and with 270 rushing yards (just three Sunday) this season, the one-time MVP candidate does not pose the same threat he once did. With games left against the Colts and Cowboys, the Cardinals (10-4) are in danger of being forced to wear those unfortunate white uniforms in the playoffs (barring another Dallas trip). Staying atop the NFC West is no longer a given.

CARDINALS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Colts (Sat.)

An undrafted free agent out of Division II Kutztown (Pa.), Craig Reynolds led all NFL rushers with 112 yards Sunday in the Lions' shocker. For the second straight week, the practice squad stash impressed for the Lions, who gave their new ball-carrying find the rock 26 times (Godwin Igwebuike and Jermar Jefferson combined totes: seven). This does not appear a Bo Scarbrough situation, where a late-season add produces for an injury-ridden Detroit team. Reynolds could be a long-term D'Andre Swift complement. "Netflix" forced nine missed tackles and played a lead role in dropping the Lions (2-11-1) out of the top slot in the 2022 draft.

LIONS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: at Falcons (Sun.)

Having not beaten an over-.500 team and ranking near the bottom in DVOA, the Falcons are nevertheless still in the NFC playoff mix at 6-8. A San Francisco no-show pushes them to the brink. The Ravens and Chargers' red zone gambles will overshadow the Falcons' efforts, but they did see three goal-to-go sequences end with fourth-down failures. Two of those came at the 1-yard line, with a Cordarrelle Patterson first-quarter TD reversal affecting Atlanta's momentum and fantasy playoff qualifiers alike. With a Week 17 Buffalo trip still on the docket, a talent-limited Falcon team can be discarded for postseason purposes.

FALCONS GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: vs. Lions (Sun.)

Despite missing lead rusher Elijah Mitchell, the 49ers amassed 162 ground yards and saw three ball-carriers find the end zone. Jeff Wilson (110 yards) was one; Deebo Samuel -- on a quest to be the first wideout to lead his team in rushing TDs since the 1970 merger -- was another. Samuel followed Trent Williams for his seventh rushing TD. The 12th-year left tackle is having a low-key dominant season, sitting with a strange-looking 99.0 Pro Football Focus grade (tops among all players), while the rest of San Francisco's Mike McGlinchey-less O-line has held up to aid Jimmy Garoppolo. Injuries and all, the 49ers (7-7) are seventh in rushing.

49ERS GRADE: A | NEXT: at Titans (Thu.)

Although Dak Prescott's stewardship of a workmanlike offense may be somewhat unsettling for Cowboys fans, Dan Quinn's defense keeps compensating. The Cowboys forced four turnovers for the third straight week, their first such streak since 1994. Yes, Mike Glennon's presence made these takeaways easier to come by, but Dallas having its troops back on defense injects considerable intrigue into a top-heavy NFC title race. Trevon Diggs now has 10 INTs (three more than anyone else), and Dallas' 31 takeaways are tied atop the NFL. The Buccaneers' loss moves the Cowboys (10-4) into the No. 2 NFC position, and the NFC East leaders will be favored in their final three games.

COWBOYS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: vs. Washington (Sun.)

Colt McCoy quarterbacked the Giants to an upset win in Seattle last season, and his QB2 work this year kept the Cardinals afloat amid a three-game Kyler Murray absence. The Giants (4-10) inexplicably passed on re-signing McCoy to add Glennon, who is on his sixth team in six years. Glennon threw three interceptions -- two that sailed directly to Cowboy DBs -- Sunday and has seven in four starts. The ninth-year QB is now 6-24 as a starter. With Daniel Jones expected to miss the rest of the season, the Giants have either Glennon or Jake Fromm to run the offense. Even for the Giants, this Jones-less stretch marks new territory for sheer irrelevance.  

GIANTS GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: at Eagles (Sun.)

In what is looking like Newton's final run in the NFL, his Panthers return has drifted to a sad place. The most popular player in team history has now lost his past 12 starts as Carolina's quarterback. Still posing enough of a run threat to start, the long-declining passer averaged 4.1 yards per attempt in Buffalo. Ex-Panthers DC Sean McDermott frustrated the QB who once led the franchise to a Super Bowl. The Panthers (5-9) made two buyer's trades -- acquiring C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore -- and signed Newton to stay in one of the worst wild-card chases in NFL history. Even with a No. 2-ranked defense, they have been unable to do that.

PANTHERS GRADE: D | NEXT: vs. Buccaneers (Sun.)

Rather than select one of the top receivers in a deep 2020 wideout class, the Bills traded for Stefon Diggs. They still look to have found his wingman in that draft. A fourth-round pick last year, Davis helped the Bills (8-6) navigate a stingy Panthers defense by hauling in five passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Allen found the big-bodied target on two tight-window plays on a third-quarter TD drive, and an inconsistent Bills offense did well to separate. Emmanuel Sanders is obviously a placeholder; a Diggs-Davis duo could be in place for a while. Davis will certainly help a Bills team that needs all hands on deck to return to the playoffs.

BILLS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: at Patriots (Sun.)

Sam Darnold did not pan out in New York, but he showed more glimpses on a bad 2018 Jets roster than what is currently transpiring. Darnold's replacement is still down his top two wideouts and battled a knee injury recently. Wilson did not show much before Corey Davis and Elijah Moore went down, however, and struggled again Sunday. OC Mike LaFleur mixed in solid trick plays to keep the Jets going early, but QBR's last-ranked passer could not sustain the attack. Wilson completed eight of his final 18 passes and took multiple coverage sacks, losing a fumble on one. The Jets face a crucial 2022 offseason when they must go all out to prevent another top-three QB from becoming a quick bust.

JETS GRADE: C | NEXT: vs. Jaguars (Sun.)

The Browns and Texans stationed Duke Johnson as a passing-down back, and several teams deemed him unworthy of practice squad spots at workouts this year. The Dolphins (7-7) gave the Miami native another shot in October, and it eventually led to Johnson's first 100-yard NFL outing. Used as a traditional back during his final Miami Hurricanes season in 2014, Johnson had seen more than 12 carries just three times as a pro. He shined on 22 totes Sunday. Though the Jets sport a bad run defense, Johnson shed tackles in the open field and scored on two second-effort plays in close. An unlikely hero in the Dolphins' belated wild-card push.

DOLPHINS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Saints (Mon.)

At the center of Drew Brees- and Tom Brady-piloted offenses, Cooks scored his payday after Sean McVay signed off on a 2018 trade. The second-year Texan has drifted off the grid, but he moved into position to add a sixth 1,000-yard season. Cooks tallied 102 yards (to give him 947) and two TDs in a Jacksonville rainstorm. Helping Davis Mills acclimate seems a waste of Cooks' talents, but the NFL's second player to post 1,000-yard receiving years for four teams -- following Brandon Marshall -- is undoubtedly aiding the rookie. It will be interesting to see if the Texans become the fourth team to trade Cooks or keep the veteran on this strangely constructed roster.

TEXANS GRADE: B | NEXT: vs. Chargers (Sun.)

Had Urban Meyer been able to keep Trevor Lawrence in the Offensive Rookie of the Year running, the since-fired coach likely still has a job. The next Jaguars staff will have a rather key revival effort to undertake. Lawrence went yet another game without throwing a touchdown pass. The ex-Clemson phenom now has one TD toss in his past seven games. This disastrous season now includes two losses to the Texans, both by two scores. A silver lining may come from the Lions (2-11-1) having not been beaten down by their rookie coach. Meyer's foundation has put the Jags (2-12) in position for the No. 1 pick. Can they follow the Hue Jackson-era Browns by securing a second straight top choice?

JAGUARS GRADE: D | NEXT: at Jets (Sun.)

The Patriots contending for the AFC's top seed seemed a bit optimistic at the season's outset. Now that they are here, the offseason reconstruction of their receiver room centering around Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne seems insufficient. For the way the Pats (9-5) prefer to operate, going Bourne-Jakobi Meyers makes sense. But for games like Saturday's, when Mac Jones dug the team a three-score hole with two INTs, New England seems one weapon short. The Pats are capable of beating just about anyone, but their lack of a go-to target will hurt if a playoff game script veers toward the pass. 

PATRIOTS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Bills (Sun.)

Leonard helped put the Patriots behind 17-0. The stat-stuffing linebacker picked up his NFL-leading sixth forced fumble this season and added a diving interception (his third). Leonard might not win Defensive Player of the Year, but he is forcing turnovers at a historic rate. Only one 21st-century linebacker -- the Bengals' Odell Thurman in 2005 -- bettered Leonard's combination of six forced fumbles and three picks. Thurman went 5-and-5 here in his one NFL season. Leonard has three games left. Critical to the Colts' chances of routing another 0-3 slate to the playoffs, Leonard will certainly earn his third All-Pro nod in four seasons.

COLTS GRADE: A | NEXT: at Cardinals (Sat.)

Written off by some and doubted by almost everyone in the season's first half, the Chiefs are now a game up in the AFC bye pursuit. Travis Kelce's detonation lifted Kansas City to 10-4. While 52 teams have rallied from 3-4 to make the playoffs since the 1970 merger, none of them obtained a No. 1 seed. A few teams have earned a No. 2 slot, but home-field advantage after such a start is unprecedented. With just one team (last year's Bucs, in stadiums mostly without fans) making a Super Bowl without a bye over the past eight seasons, the Chiefs' seminal march represents serious trouble for other AFC hopefuls.

CHIEFS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: vs. Steelers (Sun.)

Brandon Staley's fourth-down resoluteness obscures the fact his defense broke down when it had to stop the Chiefs' top weapons late. Many non-Raider teams have slowed Kansas City's aerial show this season, but Patrick Mahomes ripped the Chargers for 410 yards and three touchdowns. Already challenged in rushing deterrence, ranking 29th, the Bolts (8-6) saw Kelce's overtime breakaway swing their season. AFC favorites would surely feel safer if Justin Herbert were kept out of the playoffs, but the Chargers will be favored in each of their final three games. Still, it is hard to trust them as a true contender.

CHARGERS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: at Texans (Sun.)