A bit of initial magic befitting the holiday season couldn't sustain itself inNFL Week 16.
The slate of games got off to a scintillating start Thursday withthe Seattle Seahawks prevailing over the Los Angeles Ramsto shift the landscape of the NFC West and the race for the conference's top seed. The excitement didn't let up on Saturday, whenthe Chicago Bears surged past the Green Bay Packersto seize control of the NFC North in thrilling fashion.
But the drama let up considerably on Sunday, reinforcing just how frontloaded the week's schedule was. Yet there was still plenty of fallout to sort through as theBearsand San Francisco 49erspunched their postseason tickets.
Here are the biggest winners and losers ofWeek 16in the NFL:
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Best images of the 2025 NFL season
Week 1: Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18)makes a catch for a touchdownagainst the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. The play was originally ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned. Despite TeSlaa's effort, the Packers won the game 27-13.
NFL Week 16 winners
Justin Herbert
TheLos Angeles Chargersquarterback has shouldered a disproportionate burden for an offense that lost its bookend offensive tackles, with his workload tipping into untenable territory in recent weeks after he suffered a broken bone in his left hand. Herbert returned to top form, however, with a dazzling performance in a34-17win against theDallas Cowboys. In completing 23 of 29 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns, Herbert balanced efficiency with aggression, keeping the offense moving with his work underneath while still connecting on two long scores and a host of other downfield shots. And despite being blitzed on a season-high 54.7% of his dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats, Herbert did not take a single sack in the game, marking a first for him in 2025. Perhaps this is more telling of the Chargers' opponent than it is of Herbert and the offense – more on that later – but it marked important progress ahead of next week's tilt against theHouston Texansand their imposing pass rush.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Two weeks ago, Trevor Lawrence ruminated on his team's place in the larger football landscape by declaring "nobody really cares about theJags, which is fine." By the end of the season, a lot more people might have to at least pay attention to them. With a34-20win over theDenver Broncos, Jacksonville not only kept its hopes alive for the AFC's No. 1 seed but also delivered a statement that the team would be fully worthy if it ends up atop the conference playoff pecking order. Against a defense that had crushed all comers in the passing game,Lawrence once again sizzled, keying in on the quick game while throwing three touchdowns and running for another. Parker Washington, who finished with 145 yards on 10 receptions, was critical to the attack's mission of doing a good deal of damage after the catch. Long an afterthought in the AFC playoff race, Jacksonville might be as dangerous as any other team in the postseason if the team maintains this trajectory.
Pittsburgh Steelers' backfield
On a day when DK Metcalf's most explosive moment washis physical confrontation with a Detroit Lions fan, theSteelersturned to their backfield to provide a needed spark in an eventual29-24win. Kenneth Gainwell got things going just before halftime when he managed to secure an Aaron Rodgers deep heave right after falling to the turf, with the fifth-year back then racing into the end zone to tie it at 10-10. Then, Jaylen Warren broke loose in the ground game for a pair of 45-yard scores in the second half. Amid a good deal of drama, the Steelers now are in prime position to seal their first AFC North title since 2020.
Lathan Ransom
One week after his unnecessary roughness penalty helped facilitate theNew Orleans Saints' upset, theCarolina Panthersrookie safety found himself in a much kinder spotlight on Sunday. Ransom hauled in his first NFL interception when he secured an errant Baker Mayfield pass to seal a23-20win over theTampa Bay Buccaneers. It was part of a stellar overall effort for Carolina's rookie class, with Tetairoa McMillan continuing to build his case for offensive rookie of the year with six catches, 73 yards and a touchdown, while Nic Scourton's persistence in the pass rush helped keep Mayfield out of sorts. Unless the Buccaneers fall to theMiami Dolphinsand the Panthers upset theSeahawks, then the division crown will still come down to a winner-take-allWeek 18rematch. But holding things down at home was still an important step, as Carolina would have been in trouble with a loss and an unfavorableWeek 17setup.
Cam Ward
Beating the empty husk that is the current edition of theKansas City Chiefsprobably isn't cause for celebration for many teams. Yet in a trying season for theTennessee Titans, the franchise has to cling to whatever scattered positive signs emerge. Most of those have typically come back to Ward, the No. 1 pick who has shown promise despite the Titans basicallycalling the season a wash after just six games. His latest outing was a showcase of significant growth, as his 2.42-second average time to throw represented his quickest mark all season, according to Next Gen Stats. Still, Ward managed to mix on some calculated shots, including an incredible 30-yard completion downfield to rookie Chimere Dike as the quarterback escaped to his left. With six touchdowns and just one interception in his last three games, Ward is enjoying the kind of steady ascension that augurs extremely well for Year 2 – so long as he is paired with a new coach who buys into the dynamic skill set he offers while still helping him become a more efficient passer.
Chris Olave
The Saints made it clear at the trade deadline that the speedy receiver would be a vital part of the team's future. But his price tag looks to be increasing exponentially. In a29-6win over theNew York Jets, Olave notched a season-high 148 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches. The fourth-year wideout is one of many figures in New Orleans to be rejuvenated byTyler Shough's installation as the starting quarterback, with five of his eight touchdowns this season coming in the last six weeks. And with 29-year-old possession receiver Jakobi Meyers inking a three-year, $60 million contract extension last week, Olave is positioning himself for a massive payout this offseason, with only his fifth-year option still remaining on his deal.
NFL Week 16 losers
Matt Eberflus
Moving from the field to the coaches' booth didn't do much for a change in perspective or efficacy for the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator. Eberflus' unit surrendered a touchdown on each of the Chargers' first three drives and allowed 7.3 yards per play on the day. Yes, being without Quinnen Williams only amplified the need to depend on the blitz to generate a pass rush. But this post-Micah Parsons front being unable to do what almost every other team has managed to do in pummeling Herbert is a massive indictment of both scheme and personnel. A clearly exhausted Jerry Jones said after the game he wouldn't make any in-season decision on Eberflus, but he stopped well short of backing the embattled coordinator. "I might not couch it as difficult," Jones told reporters when asked about assessing Eberflus' future. "It's certainly something that we have to do." With Brian Schottenheimer and the scintillating offense doing more than their part, it's difficult to find much of a case for bringing back the man who oversees a unit that ranks 31st in points allowed.
Baltimore Ravens
A Lamar Jackson injury? An offense undone by turnovers? And a defense that can't hold firm when it counts? In a28-24loss to theNew England Patriots, theRavensplayed all the hits while speed-running a season collapse. Maybe Jackson's exit with a back injury spelled doom for Baltimore's playoff hopes, which now hinge on both a win on Saturday over theGreen Bay Packersas well as a Steelers loss to the Cleveland Browns next Sunday. But John Harbaugh's crew is not merely the victim of circumstance, as there are no excuses for a team that trips itself up with this frequency.
NFL's Christmas lineup
Heading into Sunday, Netflix and Prime Video'sholiday tripleheaderwas already set to feature four teams that had been eliminated from playoff contention, including a Chiefs team with significantly less appeal afterPatrick Mahomes' season-ending knee injury. But things might be getting even more dire for the streamers. Kansas City backupGardner Minshew's feared torn anterior cruciate ligamentcould leave the team to start Chris Oladokun against the Denver Broncos and their vaunted pass rush. If that name doesn't ring a bell, fear not. Oladokun is known only to Chiefs diehards, NFL draft devotees and preseason football aficionados. Meanwhile,J.J. McCarthy's hand injurymight leave the Minnesota Vikings to again startundrafted rookie Max Brosmer, who had a disastrous debut as a first-stringer against the Seahawks. Instead of tuning in to inconsequential, unenticing games on Christmas, might be time for you to dust off an old movie ... or even spend time with family.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL Week 16 winners, losers: Is Cowboys' Matt Eberflus cooked?
