Why your NFL team won, lost in Week 15

Posted by Admin December 17, 2024 NFL

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• The Chiefs‘ defense gets feisty: The unit was stiff and forced six turnovers from the Browns while allowing just seven points.

• Josh Allen leads the Bills to victory: Allen was excellent versus the Lions, scoring four total touchdowns and earning a 92.5 PFF overall grade in the win.

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Los Angeles Rams 12, San Francisco 49ers 6

Why the Rams won: Even in a game where defense took precedence and yards were at a premium, Puka Nacua managed to shine for the Rams. Nacua caught seven of his eight targets for 97 yards, earned an 84.9 PFF receiving grade and was his team’s most effective source of offense. His big moment came on a 51-yard bomb from Matthew Stafford that set the Rams up for points. Nacua has firmly taken over as Los Angeles’ top receiver and continues to come up big when the Rams need him.

Why the 49ers lost: The Rams‘ defensive front took over on Thursday night and lived in the 49ers‘ backfield for most of the game. The result was a bad night for the 49ers‘ offensive line and, crucially, Brock Purdy. Purdy was pressured on 44.1% of his dropbacks, completing five of 12 pass attempts for 51 yards and an interception while earning a 40.1 PFF overall grade on such plays. He was also sacked three times when pressured.

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Dallas Cowboys 30, Carolina Panthers 14

Why the Cowboys won: The Cowboys‘ defense went to work against the Panthers, sacking Bryce Young six times in a dominant performance. The pass rush generated 21 pressures and six sacks on the day. Micah Parsons led the way with eight pressures and two sacks, while Carl Lawson and Osa Odighizuwa combined for 10 pressures and two sacks, earning 91.5 and 91.0 pass-rushing grades, respectively.

Why the Panthers lost: Carolina was beaten up in the trenches, with the defensive line suffering just as much as the offensive line. The Panthers generated three pressures in the game and pressured Cooper Rush on 10% of his dropbacks. It’s difficult to win if the opposing quarterback can play freely in the pocket.

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Kansas City Chiefs 21, Cleveland Browns 7

Why the Chiefs won: Steve Spagnuolo’s defense looks to be finding its groove at the right time. The Chiefs held the Browns to just seven points, and the pass rush was at the center of everything good. The unit generated 23 pressures, sacking the Browns‘ quarterbacks seven times. Chris Jones led the team with seven pressures, while George Karlaftis had two sacks.

Why the Browns lost: Turnovers. The Browns turned the ball over six times in the loss, and if you’re giving the ball up at that high of a clip, there is a good chance you aren’t walking away with a win. Jameis Winston threw three interceptions and made three turnover-worthy plays, earning a 39.9 PFF overall grade before being benched for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who also threw an interception.

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Houston Texans 20, Miami Dolphins 12

Why the Texans won: The Texans‘ defense put in a fine performance and held the Dolphins to just 3.6 yards per play. Their ability to shut down the Dolphins’ offensive stars went a long way. The dynamic wide receiver duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were held to a combined two catches on nine targets for 36 yards, with Waddle drawing a blank. Derek Stingley was excellent in coverage, allowing four catches on eight targets for just 17 yards while picking off Tua Tagovailoa twice. He earned a 91.9 PFF coverage grade.

Why the Dolphins lost: Tua Tagovailoa was off all day under center. The Dolphins quarterback completed 72.5% of his passes for 195 yards but threw three interceptions and made four turnover-worthy plays in the game. His 8% turnover-worthy play rate was his second-highest clip of the season, and he was pressured on 31.8% of his dropbacks and sacked three times.

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New York Jets 32, Jacksonville Jaguars 25

Why the Jets won: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams rolled back the clock on a connection that beat up the NFL for half a decade. Adams caught nine of 12 targets for 198 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars and averaged 22.0 yards per reception, earning a 91.1 PFF receiving grade. He came up big with 117 yards after the catch, too, making multiple big plays and catching two of his targets that traveled 20 yards or more downfield.

Why the Jaguars lost: The Jaguars‘ defense struggled all game, allowing 7.7 yards per play, and the Jets‘ offense kept finding ways to create explosive plays. Jacksonville allowed 12 explosive plays in the game (five rushing, seven passing) and surrendered 312 total yards on explosive plays. Those chunk plays, including a big Adams touchdown, helped the Jets secure the victory.

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Washington Commanders 20, New Orleans Saints 19

Why the Commanders won: Jayden Daniels was kept clean on just 56.5% of his dropbacks and faced pressure all day, but those moments in clean pockets were where he did his best work. Daniels went 20-of-24 passing for 179 yards and a touchdown when kept clean, earning a 75.9 PFF overall grade and averaging 7.5 yards per passing attempt.

Why the Saints lost: The Saints were bystanders in coverage for most of the game, allowing 25 completions on 28 passes for 226 yards. Only three Saints defenders forced an incompletion in the game, while five defenders allowed a completion on every target. Cornerbacks Ugo Amadi, Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry let up 16 completions on 17 targets for 142 yards.

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Baltimore Ravens 35, New York Giants 14

Why the Ravens won: Lamar Jackson delivered a near-perfect performance against the Giants to carry the Ravens to a decisive victory. Jackson earned a 90.1 PFF passing grade, completing 21 of 25 pass attempts for 290 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 11.6 yards per attempt and made five big-time throws. He also rushed for 65 yards on six attempts and had four rushes of 10-plus yards. Jackson is on a heater, and his incredible performance led the way.

Why the Giants lost: The Giants‘ secondary was ripped apart on deep passing plays versus the Ravens, with Lamar Jackson completing four of five deep passes for 116 yards and three touchdowns while having four big-time throws and earning a 96.3 PFF passing grade. The Giants‘ secondary struggled to cover the Ravens‘ receivers down the field, and Jackson’s pinpoint accuracy was too much.

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Cincinnati Bengals 37, Tennessee Titans 27

Why the Bengals won: It wasn’t a perfect performance from Joe Burrow, as he threw two interceptions, but the Bengals quarterback shined when kept clean. Burrow was free from pressure on 68.4% of his dropbacks and completed 21 of his 26 such pass attempts for 183 yards and a touchdown, earning an 88.5 PFF overall grade. When Burrow was pressured, his grade dropped to 45.1 and his completion rate was almost halved. The best things happened for Burrow and the Bengals when they kept him protected in the pocket.

Why the Titans lost: The Titans‘ defense hemorrhaged points against the Bengals, and their usually gritty play style didn’t show up on tape. The defense allowed 5.2 yards per play but crucially missed 17 tackles in the game. Six missed tackles came in the run game, but 11 came in coverage, with the Bengals having 117 yards after the catch while constantly finding ways to wriggle away from would-be Titans tacklers. Mistakes all over for the defense.

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Arizona Cardinals 30, New England Patriots 17

Why the Cardinals won: James Conner led the way for the Cardinals‘ offense, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns at a 6.9-yard per-carry clip while adding five catches for 28 yards. Conner was the medicine for the Cardinals‘ offense. He rushed for four first downs, forced five missed tackles and notched two rushes of over 10 yards, earning a 79.3 PFF overall grade in the win.

Why the Patriots lost: The Patriots‘ pass rush didn’t create many problems for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray was pressured on just seven of his 34 dropbacks and wasn’t sacked in the game. The Patriots tallied just seven pressures in the game, and that lack of push up front made life easy for Kyler Murray, even if the Cardinals quarterback didn’t have a great game.

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Denver Broncos 31, Indianapolis Colts 13

Why the Broncos won: The Broncos‘ pass rush feasted against Anthony Richardson, putting the Colts quarterback in constant disarray for four quarters. The defense generated 31 pressures, sacking Richardson three times in the process. Eight Broncos defenders recorded more than one pressure, while John Franklin-Myers and Zach Allen led the team with five apiece. That constant pressure shut down the Colts‘ passing game.

Why the Colts lost: Turnovers killed the Colts. They gave the ball away five times in the game, and the Broncos scored 17 points off those giveaways. The crucial turnover came with Jonathan Taylor dropping the ball just outside of the end zone after a long run that should have ended in a touchdown. Instead, it led to a touchback. Situational mistakes cost the Colts all game, and the Broncos made sure they paid for them.

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Buffalo Bills 48, Detroit Lions 42

Why the Bills won: Josh Allen delivered yet another MVP-like performance against the Lions in a huge win on the road. The Bills quarterback completed 23 of his 34 pass attempts for 362 yards and two touchdowns with four big-time throws. He also earned a 92.5 PFF overall grade, adding 68 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Allen is a force of nature, and performances like this, with four touchdowns and more than 400 total yards, are a reminder of his dominance.

Why the Lions lost: The Lions‘ defense has been plagued by injuries in 2024, and the unit struggled against the Bills‘ offense all day. The defense was gashed on the ground, allowing 197 rushing yards on 34 attempts, with the Bills averaging 5.4 yards per rush and rushing for four touchdowns. The Lions‘ defense missed eight tackles against the run, too, and struggled to slow the Bills.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40, Los Angeles Chargers 17

Why the Buccaneers won: The Buccaneers‘ offensive line led the way with an excellent performance upfront against a Chargers defense that can get to the quarterback and is arguably one of the best defenses in the NFL. The offensive line allowed just five pressures all day and kept the pocket clean for Baker Mayfield on 83.3% of his dropbacks. Things were even better on true pass sets. The offensive line allowed zero sacks and just two pressures, with Tristan Wirfs earning an 89.0 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Why the Chargers lost: The Chargers‘ defense allowed a season-high 223 rushing yards in the loss to the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers averaged 5.7 yards per carry, with Bucky Irving leading the way with 117 yards and Rachaad White adding 64 yards. The defense allowed six explosive runs, with the Buccaneers accumulating 104 yards on those carries.

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Philadelphia Eagles 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 13

Why the Eagles won: Jalen Hurts was exceptionally efficient under center for the Eagles. He completed 19 of his 21 pass attempts from a clean pocket for 220 yards and a passing touchdown while averaging 10.5 yards per attempt. It was a necessary performance from Hurts, as the Eagles‘ passing offense has received some criticism in recent weeks. However, Hurts delivered in the big moments, earning a 79.3 PFF overall grade.

Why the Steelers lost: The Steelers‘ rushing game was completely shut down by the Eagles‘ defense, and though it hasn’t been the most efficient unit, it’s been a reliable shoulder for Russell Wilson to lean on. That wasn’t there against the Eagles, as the Steelers rushed for just 56 yards on 17 attempts and averaged 3.3 yards per carry. Najee Harris led the team with 14 rushing yards, and the Steelers‘ longest run was an 8-yard carry by Wilson.

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Green Bay Packers 30, Seattle Seahawks 13

Why the Packers won: The Packers were able to chip away at a strong Seahawks defense thanks to some efficient rushing. Josh Jacobs carried the ball 26 times for 94 yards and a touchdown, rushing for five first downs to keep the chains moving, while the offense racked up 140 total rushing yards. That efficient ground game helped the Packers get out to an early 14-0 lead and kept the clock rolling and the chains moving at the right time.

Why the Seahawks lost: No matter who was at quarterback, the Packers‘ defense found ways to generate pressure. Geno Smith was sacked three times before a knee injury took him out of the game, and then Sam Howell stepped in. Howell was pressured on 12 of his 19 dropbacks and was sacked four times. Seattle’s offensive line had a tough day and allowed six sacks and 24 pressures.

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