Greatest week of NFL motion in historical past? Listed below are the highest 10 issues to look at for in Week 15

The slate of NFL video games on CBS in Week 15 is lit, as Philip Rivers‘ youngsters would say.

We’re coming into the essential remaining month of the common season in maybe probably the most wide-open Tremendous Bowl race of all time, and we get to kick it off with maybe one of the best week of NFL motion on any community within the historical past of the sport.

Will probably be a press release Sunday for some groups and a survivor Sunday for others. All six video games on our air function playoff implications, significantly within the AFC, the place 9 of the highest 10 seeds can be taking part in on CBS. 

This is the complete slate:

There are 9 or 10 legit Tremendous Bowl contenders in motion, together with no less than one in every recreation. Sure, it is that huge open and we won’t rule out groups just like the Ravens and Chiefs till they’re lifeless and buried. 

That is the primary CBS slate on document in December or later the place groups have a collective win proportion of no less than .600. There is a potential Tremendous Bowl preview, a former vs. future MVP quarterback battle, a matchup between Offensive Participant of the 12 months frontrunners and gamers chasing NFL information.

The craziest half is that this already had a case for one of the best slate ever, after which a 44-year-old all-time nice quarterback determined to come back out of retirement after practically 5 years to crash the social gathering. Within the phrases of Philip Rivers, “Daggumit, let’s go!” Rivers’ return is the cherry on prime of a must-watch day of NFL motion on CBS.

Since your head goes to be swirling attempting to comply with all of the motion on Sunday, I’ll kind it out for you. This is my prime 10 issues to look at.

1. Philip Rivers’ return

We have to thank the NFL script writers for this one. I do not learn about you, however that is by far probably the most intriguing storyline of the NFL season to date. The utter shock and delight of Philip Rivers popping out of retirement for the love of the sport and with an opportunity to rescue the Colts’ season from a historic collapse is past exceptional. 

It is also unprecedented within the NFL. If you issue within the place he performs, how good he was, how lengthy he was retired, how outdated he’s and what’s at stake right here, there’s by no means been something prefer it. The closest examples in different sports activities could be Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson or Mario Lemieux coming again after lengthy retirements, for a wide range of causes. 

If you sprinkle in information like Rivers is a father of 10, and now a grandfather, top-of-the-line trash talkers within the sport, has been teaching highschool soccer, it solely provides to the intrigue. That is all straight out of a film. It is also why it is a lot enjoyable to look at sports activities. You by no means know what’s going to occur. 

Then there’s the on-field intrigue. I wish to see the sheer physics of how that is going to work. How is a 44-year-old QB who’s out of practice and hasn’t thrown a cross within the NFL in 1,800 days going to outlive, not to mention thrive, towards a Seahawks protection on Sunday that leads the NFL in pressures? Sure, I am assuming he’ll begin; all indicators are pointing in that course.

How lengthy is he going to final vs. this gauntlet of a schedule? It is a lengthy shot, however think about if he in some way has the Colts in playoff rivalry in Week 18 towards a Texans ferocious protection and he lights them as much as lead Indianapolis to the playoffs? I wish to dwell in a world the place it is doable for a 44-year-old grandfather to come back off the streets and sling it round towards one of the best protection on this planet that simply tore aside Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. It appears inconceivable, however so did Philip Rivers popping out of retirement up till Monday. Actually no state of affairs is off the desk as soon as a state of affairs like this happens. We’re formally allowed to dwell in a full-fledged fantasy world. 

The Colts have the toughest remaining schedule within the NFL and are attempting to keep away from turning into the primary crew in 30 years to overlook the playoffs after an 8-2 or higher begin. I would like to see Rivers preserve them in it. Rely me in as one of many tens of millions of people that can have their eyes glued to the TV because the Seahawks host the Colts at 4:25 ET on Sunday. 

2. Chiefs attempting to remain alive

There’s at all times historical past on the road on any given Sunday, however this one has loads of juice. The wheels are beginning to flip within the heads of media members around the globe as we prepare to jot down the obituary on the Chiefs’ dynasty. 

They may very well be eradicated from playoff rivalry as quickly as Sunday with a loss and wins by no less than three of those groups (Colts, Payments, Texans, Jaguars). Their present run of 10 straight playoff appearances is the second-longest in NFL historical past, behind the 11 seasons of the 2009-19 Patriots. Additionally they have AFC Championship (seven straight) and Tremendous Bowl journey (three straight) streaks hanging within the steadiness. 

It should be attention-grabbing to see if they will nonetheless salvage this season regardless of the entire struggles. They at present have a 6% likelihood to make the playoffs, in response to Sportsline, however the path is there, as John Breech laid out earlier this week. They should basically steal the Chargers’ wild card spot and hope the Colts’ collapse continues. Contemplating Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback you’d in all probability need most when you wanted to run the desk, plus the Chargers and Colts have brutal schedules, it is nonetheless inside attain.

No crew has ever gained a Tremendous Bowl once they had been below .500 this late in a season, but when anybody can pull it off, it is the Chiefs. 

3. Broncos and Patriots on 10-game successful streaks

If the Chiefs do get eradicated, groups just like the Broncos and Patriots can be among the many beneficiaries who will fortunately keep away from Patrick Mahomes within the playoffs. 

Each are at present on 10-game win streaks, however are underdogs at residence because the Broncos host the Packers and the Patriots host the Payments. A crew on a ten+ recreation win streak has by no means been an underdog whenever you exclude common season finales, when starters get rested occasionally. Now, it is occurring twice in a single week. All it means is a chance for each groups to make huge statements. 

There’s additionally somewhat historical past for CBS right here. Sunday is the primary day this century a community will air two NFL groups on 10+ recreation win streaks. The final time it occurred was on December 26, 1999, when the Colts beat the Browns and the Titans beat the Jaguars, additionally on CBS.

Networks apart, that is the ninth time in NFL historical past that 10+ recreation win streaks have occurred on the similar time, and in seven of the earlier eight circumstances, no less than a kind of groups went on to play in a championship recreation. 

Simultaneous 10+ recreation win streaks in NFL historical past

Groups in daring made the championship recreation or Tremendous Bowl that season

So I will be watching each groups to see simply how legit they’re as Tremendous Bowl contenders as they face groups with Tremendous Bowl hopes, as properly. 

I will additionally take pleasure in watching all of the quarterbacks face stiff assessments. Sophomore quarterbacks Drake Maye and Bo Nix can match a document, too. They every have an opportunity to tie the longest win streak by a second-year quarterback in NFL historical past. The mark is at present 11 straight wins held by former MVPs Lamar Jackson (2019), Peyton Manning (1999) and Dan Marino (1984). 

4. Tremendous Bowl rematch may very well be Tremendous Bowl preview

If you flip the channel to Packers on Broncos (4:25 ET on CBS), I hope you may benefit from the ’90s nostalgia of a Tremendous Bowl rematch whereas being handled to a possible Tremendous Bowl preview. 

The Broncos beat the Packers again in Tremendous Bowl XXXII, remembered greatest for Terrell Davis successful Tremendous Bowl MVP (the final operating again to take action) whereas taking part in by means of extreme migraines, plus John Elway breaking by means of together with his first Tremendous Bowl title, thanks partially to his well-known “helicopter dive”. 

If you get up from fantasy land, you may take pleasure in watching Jordan Love towards the Broncos’ protection and possibly one other thrilling comeback led by Bo Nix. If you wish to preserve the throwback theme alive, you may watch Micah Parsons going up towards a Broncos crew with the fewest sacks allowed within the league and fake he is Lawrence Taylor. 

5. Payments attempting to chase down Patriots (and MVP battle)

Moreover watching to see if the Patriots are legit Tremendous Bowl contenders, I wish to see if they will even cling onto their division lead vs. a Payments crew that has made a behavior of stealing the division currently.

They had been two video games behind the Patriots with 4 video games to play in 2021 once they avenged an early-season loss in Buffalo with a Week 16 win over the Patriots in Foxborough. That helped Buffalo finally overtake the Patriots within the division earlier than dismantling them 47-17 within the playoffs. It may very well be deja vu yet again in 2025.

The Payments additionally erased a three-game deficit with 5 video games to play vs. the Dolphins in 2023.

The subplot right here is the matchup of final 12 months’s MVP (Josh Allen) vs. this 12 months’s potential MVP (Drake Maye). Maye’s first MVP assertion got here in Week 5 in Buffalo when he led the Patriots to a 23-20 win because of a sequence of drive-extending conversions exterior the pocket within the second half. Whoever wears the Superman cape on this recreation will come out victorious. 

Plus, do not forget the Patriots are in the course of a historic turnaround. In the event that they win out and end 15-2, they might have the biggest year-over-year win enchancment (+11) in NFL historical past (they had been 4-13 in 2024). 

6. Lively quarterback Mount Rushmore on CBS 

There is not any scarcity of nice quarterbacks on CBS this week. That is the primary time in 4 years that Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow are all on CBS in the identical week. They had been just about the consensus prime 4 quarterbacks within the NFL going into the 12 months, however that is not likely set in stone anymore:

• Mahomes may miss the playoffs for the primary time in his profession
• The turnover bug is biting Josh Allen once more
• Lamar Jackson is within the worst stretch of his profession since getting back from a hamstring harm
• Joe Burrow missed just a few months after turf toe surgical procedure.

Three of these 4 quarterbacks are at present on the skin of the playoffs wanting in, after no less than three have made the playoffs yearly since Burrow was drafted.

There’s competitors now for his or her spots on the NFL’s Mount Rushmore of energetic quarterbacks. Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford are up for dialogue, and Jordan Love is inside shouting distance.

The highest spot is up for debate, too. I noticed this tweet from CBS’ Adam Aizer early this week and it is one factor I will be interested by on Sunday (and the remainder of the season) as I watch Patrick Mahomes. 

He isn’t having one of the best season of any quarterback, however I feel he is nonetheless one of the best quarterback within the league. He is no less than the man I would need if I needed to win one recreation, though Josh Allen is an in depth second.

Nonetheless, Mahomes’ ranks in EPA per dropback within the final three years (since he gained MVP in 2022) are as follows: tenth in 2023, tenth in 2024 and ninth in 2025. This can in all probability be the third straight season he would not end prime 5 in NFL MVP voting and his deep ball has been pedestrian since Tyreek Hill left. This is the place he ranks on deep throws (20+ air yards) in 4 seasons with out Hill:

• twelfth in completions (75)
• thirty second in completion fee (33%)
• thirty fourth in catchable try fee (63%)
• twenty seventh in landing passes (7)

He was prime two in completions and touchdowns on deep throws from 2018-21 with Hill and common in completion fee and catchable try fee. Is Mahomes one of the best quarterback within the NFL is a dialogue value having as he continues to distance himself from the MVP he gained in 2022. 

One other factor to chew on is Lamar Jackson’s efficiency since he returned from his hamstring harm. He ranks third-worst within the NFL in EPA per dropback (-0.16) and worst in off-target fee (16%) since and he is received the fewest rush yards (141) and yards per rush (3.7) in a six-start span in his profession. 

I am questioning if that is simply the aftereffects of his hamstring harm or if he is beginning to lose a step. Or, if it is a mixture of each and extra nagging accidents will begin robbing us of probably the most electrical quarterback of all-time in future seasons. 

For now, I would like to see one other observe meet between Jackson and Burrow (like final 12 months’s 41-38 and 35-34 duels) as each battle to maintain their groups’ playoff hopes alive.

7. Bengals, Seahawks and NFL’s nightmare playoff state of affairs

Sure, that is BOTH groups. Don’t dismiss the Bengals and their 4-9 document, but. I wish to see if they will throw the whole AFC playoff image into disarray. They’ve the fourth-easiest schedule left with video games vs. the Ravens, Dolphins, Browns and Cardinals. Rely me in on the bandwagon of the Bengals operating the desk and successful the division because the Ravens and Steelers stumble to the end line.

It is loopy, however when you’ve been watching the Ravens and Steelers, it is not that loopy. John Breech mapped out how the NFL’s nightmare playoff state of affairs can really play out. The Bengals may win the AFC North at 7-10 and host the 13-4 Patriots within the playoffs.

As of Thursday morning, shedding groups may really nonetheless host 13-win groups within the wild card spherical in BOTH conferences. The 8-9 Buccaneers would host the 13-4 Seahawks if this stuff occurred.

• The Buccaneers win the NFC South (and get the 4 seed within the NFC) with an 8-9 document in the event that they end 1-3 and cut up their final two video games with the Panthers, who additionally go 1-3. 
• The Seahawks end second within the NFC West (and get fifth seed within the NFC) with a 13-4 document in the event that they end 3-1 with a loss to the Rams and the Rams go 4-0 or 3-1.

It might be loopy if Sam Darnold leads a special 13+ win crew in back-to-back seasons (Vikings and Seahawks) and neither wins its division!

For those who’re capable of cease admiring Philip Rivers within the Colts vs. Seahawks recreation, you must in all probability briefly flip your consideration to a battle of Offensive Participant of the 12 months candidates. That is the primary matchup between the NFL’s main rusher and receiver in December or later since 1999 between Stephen Davis and Marvin Harrison. Yeah, belief me, I didn’t anticipate Stephen Davis to be the reply to that trivia query, both.

Jonathan Taylor goes to have us lined on the bottom and Jaxon Smith-Njigba can be patrolling the air on this one. Taylor goes for his second dashing title and Smith-Njigba is on tempo for 1,867 receiving yards this season. The NFL document is 1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012.

It should be robust for Taylor to carry off James Cook dinner within the dashing title race. Taylor has gone below 100 dashing yards in three straight and 4 of his final 5 video games. He faces a number of robust defenses the remainder of the best way they usually’ll be keying in on him much more with Philip Rivers doubtless taking on at quarterback. 

Smith-Njigba’s tempo is slowing down, however extremely, he is in vary of turning into the primary participant within the Tremendous Bowl period to guide the NFL in receiving yards on a crew with the fewest cross makes an attempt within the NFL. What a exceptional season.

9. Broncos chasing historical past

Regulate the Broncos’ cross rush on Sunday. It’s going to be the important thing to slowing down Jordan Love and the Packers offense and they’re additionally at present on tempo to tie the 1984 Bears for probably the most sacks in a season in NFL historical past (72). 

It will not be simple to sack Love, although. Solely 10 p.c of pressures vs. Love flip into sacks within the final two years, the bottom fee within the NFL. Translation. He is one of the best quarterback within the NFL at avoiding sacks when pressured. For those who’ve watched Denver in any respect this 12 months, you already know they convey a ton of stress and normally get residence on the quarterback.

10. Polar vortex

What is the one ingredient that would in some way make this superb slate even higher? A polar vortex! There’s extraordinarily chilly climate headed for the northeast this weekend, so we may see frigid temperatures throughout the NFL, together with just a few video games on our air in Cincinnati (internet hosting the Ravens), Kansas Metropolis (internet hosting the Chargers) and particularly in Foxborough (Patriots host the Payments). 

I’ve heard it stated that nothing is healthier than watching soccer performed in wintry circumstances and nothing is worse than taking part in in it. Fortunately, I will be doing the previous. 

So cheers to Week 15! I hope it is going to dwell as much as the hype and be as fascinating to look at because it has been to jot down about.