Justin Jefferson (18), Jordan Addison (3) and the Vikings secured a key win over the Seahawks on Sunday. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings almost couldn't be doing this more quietly. Justin Jefferson was brilliant, with 10 catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings beat the Seahawks 27-24 to keep pace with the Lions in the NFC North and for the top seed in the NFC playoffs at 13-2. Minnesota hosts the Packers next week before that Week 18 trip to Detroit, which could wind up being between the top two teams in the NFC with the No. 1 seed on the line.
In Miami, the Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive with a 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Jason Sanders hit five field goals and De'Von Achane rushed for 121 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown to dash to seal the win. The Dolphins need some help, but close with the Browns and the Jets, and will likely be favored in both of those games.
The New England Patriots jumped out to a 14-0 lead in Buffalo, but the Bills stampeded back — led by a pair of James Cook touchdowns — for a 24-21 win. Buffalo scored 24 straight points at one point in the game. The Bills are still alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but would need two Kansas City losses and two wins of their own to get the top seed. The Bills close at home against the Jets (Week 17) and at New England (Week 18), and the Chiefs — who beat the Texans on Saturday — close at the Steelers on Christmas Day and then at Denver in Week 18.
To close Sunday afternoon in Week 16, the Raiders topped the Jaguars 19-14. Brock Bowers became the first rookie tight end in NFL history to reach 100 receptions on the year. He's got 101 with two games to go, and the single-season NFL receptions record for a tight end belongs to Zach Ertz, who had 116 with the Eagles back in 2018.
De'Von Achane puts Miami up two scores with less than 90 seconds to play
While its unlikley, the 49ers have more of a shot than if he'd taken a knee or slid, but the 50-yard touchdown run puts Miami up 29-17. That number is important to some...as the game's total was 44.5, per BetMGM.
Miami leads 22-17 after Jason Sanders' fifth field goal of the game
He's been nickel and diming for the Miami offense all day, and has done the bulk of the scoring, and now the Dolphins's defense has to keep San Francisco out of the end zone.
Miami Dolphins place kicker Jason Sanders (7) kicks at field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Yahoo Sports Staff
Vikings comeback for win in Seattle to keep pace for No. 1 seed in NFC
The late interception seals the deal for Minnesota who improves to 13-2, and if they win out, they'll be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Eric Saubert on the receiving end of this one. George Kittle has been GREAT today — seven catches, 97 yards — so its no wonder Miami may not have been keyed in on the 49ers' No. 2 tight end, and its a one possession game in Miami Gardens.
Eric Saubert hauls in his first TD catch of the season!
Darnold to Jefferson AGAIN for the answer in Seattle, and now Minnesota leads!
The Vikings just won't go quietly into the Seattle night, with a clear path to the No. 1 seed now that Philly has dropped another one. Jefferson is up to 10 catches for 144 yards and now two touchdowns tonight.
The wheels have just come off the wagon for New England
Make that 24-straight points for the Bills after this fumble recovery in the end zone, and Buffalo is now up double-digits as the fourth quarter winds down.
AJ Barner is the recipient of Geno Smith's 3rd touchdown pass of the game, and Seattle is going blow-for-blow with Minnesota and looking every bit the part of a playoff team. Can they hold on in the final four minutes for a win to keep their playoff hopes in tact?
What a grab! Seahawks take the lead with 4:21 left!
Jason Sanders adds to busy day with fourth field gaol for Miami
And Miami now leads 19-10 over the 49ers. The Dolphins need the win to stay connected in the AFC playoff hunt, and while they'll need help, a win today — with Cleveland and the Jets to close the season — the Dolphins would at least have a shot to control what they can control with a favorable schedule.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Bills grab another turnover
This time it stops a Patriots' scoring opportunity. Cam Lewis on the pick, and Buffalo has a chance to add to their lead.
Buffalo's Tyler Bass hits from 50 yards, and the Bills are on top for the first time tonight
Yahoo Sports Staff
Buffalo forces a fumble and is back in business with a chance to take the lead
Dorian Williams scooped up the Rhamondre Stevenson fumble, and after going down 14-0 early, The Bills are in position to take the lead for the first time today.
James Cook gets in the end zone again as Buffalo ties it up
This time on a 3rd down pass from Josh Allen from four yards. The Bills need a win to stay alive for a shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC. A loss today would wrap up the top-seed — and with it, the all-important first round bye — in the AFC playoffs.
Brian Thomas secures rookie recieving triple crown in Jacksonville
With his 65th catch of the season, @BrianThomas_11 has set the rookie franchise record in receptions, passing WR Justin Blackmon (64).
Thomas Jr. now holds Jaguars records in receptions, receiving yards (972) and receiving touchdowns (eight) by a rookie. #ProBowlVotepic.twitter.com/qIGB4iKYUU
Seahawks tie game with field goal to open second half
Its 17-all in Seattle right now and the offenses are cooking. The two teams have combined for nearly 400 yards of total offense already and its still early in the third quarter.
Tyreek from Tua for the three-yard Touchdown and Miami takes the lead
Miami jumps ahead late in the second quarter with Tua Tagovailoa's 100th career touchdown pass, joining Dan Marino (420), Bob Griese (192) and Ryan Tannehill (123) as the only Dolphins quarterbacks to reach that milestone.
Seahawks get lates first half TD on Geno Smith's second TD pass
This time it was a beauty by Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 20 seconds left in the second quarter. Minnesota is still up by three, but the atmosphere of a playoff game has broken out in Seattle.
Geno to JSN again! @Seahawks score with 20 seconds left in the half.
Miami cuts into San Francisco's lead with another Jason Sanders field goal
49ers have a 7-6 lead with just over five minutes gone by in the second quarter, Miami is moving the ball between the 20s right now, but haven't been able to get much in the way of chunk plays. The 49ers did answer the last Sanders field goal with a touchdown drive.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Raiders answer with short TD rush
Alexander Mattison gets on the board for Las Vegas to tie the game a 7-7 at the beginning of the second quarter.
Captain Cook's huge season in Buffalo keeps rolling along. He's now got 14 rushing touchdowns on the year— that's the most in a season by a Bills running back since O.J. Simpson had a team-record 16 rushing scores back in 1975. Josh Allen did have 15 rushing touchdowns last season.
Deebo Samuel trucks his way into the end zone in Miami
Deebo gets the 49ers on the board for the first time this afternoon in San Fran's first trip to South Florida since their Super Bowl 54 loss to the Chiefs. They'll miss the postseason for the first time since 2020, but Kyle Shanahan's. offense is still playing hard.
Vikings re-take lead in Seattle with Darnold to Jefferson TD connection
Justin Jefferson doing Justin Jefferson things. This is TD catch No. 9 this season for No. 18 who's just one away from his second career 10-touchdown season for a Vikings team that's suddenly in position to potentially be playing Detroit for the No. 1 seed in the NFC in Week 18, after Philadelphia's loss earlier today.
In a game where you probably CAN win for losing — the loser of this game gets a little closer to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, its Jaguars' running back Tank Bigsby who opens the scoring with a short touchdown run.
Division games are always hard, but the 3-11 Patriots are up 14-0 on the 11-3 Bills at the beginning of the second quarter after this 14-yard Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run, where he bounced off Buffalo defenders on his way to the end zone.
Miami takes a 3-0 lead late in a first quarter which has seen both defenses play well. Due to the Commanders and Rams wins in the early window, San Francisco is eliminated from playoff contention, while the Dolphins are still mathematically in the hunt in the AFC playoff chase.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Smith to Metcalf for the Seattle TD
D.K. with touchdown catch number four this season on this 25-yard connection. Despite the low TD number — he missed a couple of games with a knee injury — he's still on pace for a fourth career 1,000-yard receiving season in his sixth year in the NFL.
The Raiders' rookie tight end entered Week 16 with 90 catches on the season. That's already the NFL rookie record for a tight end, and he's looking to become the first rookie tight end — and just the 10th in NFL history — with 100 catches in a season.
Any time your accomplish in the Vikings' backfield are mentioned alongside Adrian Peterson, that means you're putting up some big numbers
Aaron Jones Sr. became just the third player to reach 1,000 rushing yards in his first season with the Vikings, joining Adrian Peterson (1,341 in 2007) and Chester Taylor (1,216 in 2006).#MINvsSEA | #ProBowlVotepic.twitter.com/6LURcqQxhC
Vikings march down the field on opening drive for touchdown
Sam Darnold came out sizzling on the opening series, going 7-for-8 for 50 yards and a five yard touchdown pass to Jordan Addison, his third catch of the drive and 8th touchdown catch of the season.
Couldn't have asked for a better start.#ProBowlVote Sam Darnold Jordan Addison
There's an interesting situation brewing at the top of the NFC right now. Three teams — the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings — could potentially end the season with the same record.
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald close the book on Week 16 with this Sunday's edition of the fifth quarter: the five games that intrigued them the most. In addition to the Commanders-Eagles tilt, the guys discuss the Minnesota Vikings staying atop the NFC leaderboards with a win in Seattle, Michael Penix's first start with a solid 34-7 win for the Atlanta Falcons over the New York Giants and close out with the two Saturday games.
Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the passing of baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the hot first-base market, the Phillies making a trade for pitching and catch you up on all the other deals in baseball.
Week 16's Sunday slate is in the books and there were performances and injuries that will have long term fantasy implications. Andy Behrens joins Matt Harmon to breakdown all the action and place the games in three categories: Games we care about the most, games we sort of care about and games that could have been an email.
Yes, the defense scored twice, and yes, the Giants are bad. But Penix's mobility means new concepts and a bigger playbook are now at Atlanta's fingertips. Here's how.
