NFL week 16: Browns v Bills, Panthers v Buccaneers, and much more – live | NFL
Key events
LANDING! Browns 7-7 Bills 7:47, 1st quarter
Well, they got off to a slow start. The ball carrier speeds things up with a labyrinthine run to the left and then back across the field to avoid two loose defenders. They just can’t bring him down and Cook levels him.
LANDING! Cowboys 7-0 Chargers 10:20, 1st quarter
Our AFC playoff-bound teams are off to a slow start.
Browns 7-0 Bills 10:09, 1st quarter
Josh Allen jogs for Buffalo. He rolls, pretends to throw and picks up six yards on the ground. This is our Josh.
It’s good! Panthers 3-0 Buccaneers 10:30 a.m., 1st quarter
Tampa stiffens on defense and gets the stop. Carolina narrowly takes the lead.
LANDING! Browns 7-0 Bills 10:42, 1st quarter
Blazing start for Cleveland, which covers the field in eight games. A nice tune plays behind Sanders’ arm.
Panthers 0-0 Buccaneers 13:20, 1st quarter
Carolina makes light work of Tampa’s heavy defense. Three passes and a 25-yard run from Jimmy Horn put them in the red zone.
Here we go! Kickoffs underway with the Browns and Panthers on offense in their respective games.
Did anyone see Chicago vs. Green Bay last night? If you missed it, enjoy the highlights. What a comeback from the BearsTalk about drama! Chicago just needs to beat the 49ers or the Lions to win the NFC North. Easy.
Elsewhere, we have two teams in the middle of eliminated ball looking to flex their muscles and punch their ticket to the playoffs.
A victory for the LA Chargers and a defeat for the Colts against the 49ers on Monday or a defeat for the Texans against the Raiders will later confirm LA’s place while the scenario is exactly the same for the Buffalo Bills. A win then a loss for the Colts or Texans also locks them into the playoffs. Bills fans will also look at the Chargers’ score as a loss and a win against the Browns gives Buffalo the No. 5 seed heading into Week 17.
Tonight’s game between the Patriots and Ravens has no bearing on the direct outcome of the AFC East title. If New England loses to the Miami or New York Jets to close the season and Buffalo wins its remaining three games, the Bills will take the crown. A Patriots loss to the Ravens will only help if they lose a game to the Browns, Eagles or Jets.
Now that all the boring stuff is out of the way, who can’t wait to see Josh Garrett, Cleveland’s pulverizing pass rusher, take on Buffalo quarterback extraordinaire Josh Allen? Yeah, me too. Garrett only needs one sack from Allen to earn 22.5 for the year and break the NFL regular season record.
Preamble
Happy holidays, football fans, may Week 16 be merry and bright for you all! And good luck to everyone in your fantasy playoff semifinals… if you made it! Now we march toward the harsh reality of the NFL deep into December. There are still playoff spots, top seeds and latecomers to sort through and eliminate. We start in the first seven-game window starting at 12 p.m. CST/1 p.m. EST/6 p.m. GMT (home teams listed first):
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(7-7) Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
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(3-11) Cleveland Browns vs. Buffalo Bills (10-4)
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(6-7-1) Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
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(6-8) Miami Dolphins vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
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(4-10) New Orleans Saints vs. New York Jets (3-11)
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(2-12) New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
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(2-12) Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
There’s some major drama happening in the still-uncertain NFC South. Carolina and Tampa Bay are stuck atop the division with seven wins and seven losses each. Only the odds of making the playoffs are far from equal between these rivals.
The Bucs currently hold the tiebreaker with a better record against common opponents (5-5 to Carolina’s 4-6), so a win against the Panthers would further improve their standing while pushing their chances of clinching the title to 95% (per NFL.com). So Carolina only has a 5% chance if it loses today. This thin shot forces the Bucs to lose their next game against the eliminated Dolphins and lose to the Panthers at home when they play again in Week 18, while Carolina is also expected to beat powerhouse Seattle next week.
So far, it’s so complicated. What it means to say realistically is that It’s a win or go home game for Carolina. The win keeps their season alive. Keep beating!
