NFL Week 16 scores, highlights: Historic WR performance, two game-winning FGs, playoff seeding shakeup, more

Everything to know about Week 16 is right here

It's Week 16 in the NFL, and there were plenty of intriguing storylines that developed. Below, you can find all of the best plays in our one-stop shop for everything that happened in the NFL on Sunday. Scores, highlights, analysis, injuries, cool stats, you name it -- we covered it all from first kickoff to the final whistle of the late games.

NFL Week 16 schedule, scores

All times Eastern

Thursday
Rams 30, Saints 22 (Takeaways)

Saturday

Steelers 34, Bengals 11 (Takeaways)
Bills 24, Chargers 22 (Takeaways)

Sunday

Buccaneers 30, Jaguars 12 (Takeaways)
Lions 30, Vikings 24 (Takeaways)
Browns 36, Texans 22 (Takeaways)
Dolphins 22, Cowboys 20 (Takeaways)
Falcons 29, Colts 10 (Recap)
Seahawks 20, Titans 17 (Recap)
Packers 33, Panthers 30 (Recap)
Jets 30, Commanders 28 (Recap)
Bears 27, Cardinals 16 (Recap)
Patriots 26, Broncos 23 (Takeaways)

Monday

Raiders at Chiefs, 1 p.m. (Preview)
Giants at Eagles, 4:30 p.m. (Preview)
Ravens at 49ers, 8:15 p.m. (Preview)

[Dec 24, 2023 at 7:31 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

DOLPHINS WIN

The Dolphins badly needed to beat a playoff-caliber team, and they did just that with their 22-20 win over the Cowboys on Sunday. Miami went down, 20-19, with under four minutes to play, but Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and the offense methodically moved down the field -- getting into field goal range while simultaneously draining the game clock. That set up Jason Sanders for the game-winning field goal on the final play of the game, and he drilled the 29-yarder to lift the Dolphins to 11-4 on the season.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 7:11 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

BRANDIN COOKS

When the Cowboys signed Brandin Cooks this offseason, it was for moments like these. Third-and-goal. 8-yard line. Down by six points. Under four minutes to play. And with the game on the line, Cooks delivered with a beautiful contested catch with a defender blanketing him in coverage and another in hot pursuit. With the extra point, Dallas took a 20-19 advantage with 3:27 to play.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 7:05 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Dortch torches Bears

The Cardinals aren't done yet. They're now within eight with several minutes to play after Greg Dortch's electric catch-and-run touchdown. Arizona has barely gotten its receivers involved in recent weeks, so Dortch's long score was a welcome surprise.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 6:24 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Trevor Lawrence ruled out, C.J. Beathard in

The season of injuries continue for Trevor Lawrence. He's had an ankle injury and a concussion in recent weeks, and now he's been ruled out with a shoulder issue. C.J. Beathard is in at QB for the Jaguars. The Buccaneers are in full control up 30-6.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:52 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Mostert back in, scores yet again

Raheem Mostert left the game for a while with an ankle injury, but he returned with the Dolphins at the goal line to end the first half. And with 17 seconds to play, Mostert did what he does best: score a touchdown. A nifty play design resulted in Mostert running wide open in the flat, and Tua Tagovailoa hit him for the four-yard score to go up 13-7. It marked Mostert's 21st TD of the season, giving him a one-score lead over the 49ers' Christian McCaffrey.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:42 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Jags nightmare

The Jaguars are lucky the Colts and Texans both lost today, because they're certainly not doing their part to try and win the AFC South. Trevor Lawrence has three turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble), the Buccaneers have three touchdowns, and Jacksonville trails by 27 points early in the third quarter.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:28 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Turning back the clock

One of the oldest players in the NFL just found the end zone. That would be 39-year-old Marcedes Lewis, whose short touchdown catch from Justin Fields put the Bears up 21-0 on the Cardinals. He's now scored a touchdown in 14 of his 18 seasons in the league.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:16 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Mike Evans, Bucs ROLLING

Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have this offense rolling the past few weeks. It's been all Tampa Bay on Sunday, as Evans has caught two touchdowns in a 20-0 game at halftime over the Jaguars.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:13 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Mostert heads to medical tent

One of the best RBs in the league this year went into the blue medical tent. Raheem Mostert appeared to injure his lower left leg on a goal-line carry. Here's the play in which Mostert was shaken up.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:10 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Bears dashing through the s̶n̶o̶w̶ Cardinals

First Justin Fields, then Khalil Herbert. The Bears have two rushing touchdowns in the first half to take a 14-0 advantage on the Cardinals.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 5:04 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

CeeTDee

The Cowboys didn't allow a goal-line fumble to stunt their offensive confidence. On the third play of their next possession, Dak Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb on a slant and just watched in glee as the star wideout outran multiple defenders, juked another and then stiffed-armed yet another as he crossed the goal line. The 49-yard score put Dallas ahead.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 4:48 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Jets win thriller

This was a blowout ... and then the Jets made Jacoby Brissett look like Tom Brady. Replacing the benched Sam Howell, Brissett led the Commanders to touchdowns on three straight possessions to improbably erase a 27-7 deficit midway through the fourth quarter.

But with the game on the line, New York stepped up. The Jets defense forced a three-and-out in the final minutes, and Trevor Siemian led the team 31 yards down the field to set up a game-winning field goal attempt. With five seconds left, Greg Zuerlein all but sealed the Jets' thrilling win when his 54-yarder split the uprights. 

[Dec 24, 2023 at 4:32 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Lions win the NFC North!

For the first time in three decades, the Lions are division champions. Detroit nearly gave up a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, but with the Vikings driving, Ifeatu Melifonwu shut the door by securing an interception on an underthrow from Nick Mullens. Dan Campbell, Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions are going back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and they'll host a game for the first time since 1993.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 4:26 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Justin Jefferson OMG

Yep, this is the catch of the day ... and eerily similar to the grab he made in the Vikings' improbable win over the Bills last season. Justin Jefferson is unbelievable.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 4:24 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

PACKERS WIN

The Packers kept their playoff hopes alive ... barely! Green Bay was in total control against the Panthers, then gave up a two-touchdown advantage, and then re-took the lead with 19 seconds to go on a field goal from Anders Carlson.

But even 19 seconds is almost too much time when you're the porous Packers defense. Bryce Young, in his best game as a pro, hit D.J. Chark for 22 yards and Adam Thielen for 22 yards -- which brought the Panthers all the way down to the Green Bay 31-yard line. But unfortunately for Carolina, it took too much time running to the line of scrimmage to take the next snap, so by the time Young spiked the ball, time had already expired. The Packers SURVIVE.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 4:13 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Cooper makes history!

It was a legendary performance from Amari Cooper on Sunday. In the Browns' blowout win over the Texans, Cooper exploded for two touchdowns, 11 catches and 265 YARDS RECEIVING -- which set a Cleveland franchise record for a single game (Josh Gordon held the previous record of 261 in 2013). Joe Flacco has been the Browns' savior, but Cooper is right behind him in terms of team importance. He's been fantastic this season.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

SEAHAWKS WIN

Last week, it was Drew Lock leading a game-winning drive. This week, it was Geno Smith. He gave the Seahawks the lead with less than a minute to play Sunday thanks to a 14-play, 75-yard possession that ended with a touchdown to Colby Parkinson. Seattle's defense then showed up big, stopping the Titans to secure the 20-17 win and improve to 8-7 on the season.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 3:56 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Panthers tie it up!

Is this the game that turns Bryce Young's career? It could be. The No. 1 overall pick has been great vs. the Packers, erasing a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter to get Carolina back even. Both scores went to D.J. Chark.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 3:44 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Panthers 👀

The Panthers aren't done yet. Bryce Young finds D.J. Chark for the score, and Carolina is within eight.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 3:38 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Brissett leads TD drive

It's been two straight games that Jacoby Brissett has replaced Sam Howell at QB. And it's been two straight games that Brissett has immediately provided a spark to the Commanders offense. In his first possession of the game Sunday, he led Washington on a six-play, 29-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Logan Thomas. 

[Dec 24, 2023 at 3:34 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Lions close in on division title

Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs' second touchdown of the day put Detroit up two possessions with 11 minutes to go. It's looking likely that the Lions will clinch their first division title since 1993.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 3:20 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

DK TD

We've got a catch of the day candidate! This was a beautiful touchdown catch from DK Metcalf to give the Seahawks the lead over the Titans with 12 minutes to play.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 3:18 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

30-piece for Green Bay

It's against the Panthers, yes, but the Packers offense looks great Sunday. Here's Jordan Love's stat line: 14-for-22 passing, 164 yards and two touchdowns. His latest passing score went to second-year WR Romeo Doubs.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:58 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Vikings lead

The Nick Mullens-led Vikings have the lead over the Lions thanks to the K.J. Osborn drive. The Vikings WR made a huge catch for a gain of 47 yards and then followed that up with a six-yard touchdown catch to give Minnesota a 21-17 advantage.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:37 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

JUSTIN JEFFERSON

Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens -- it doesn't matter: Get the ball to Justin Jefferson, and good things happen. Right before the half, Mullens found Jefferson for gains of 22, 29 and 26 -- the last of which was an impressive catch for the touchdown.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:32 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Commanders get a gift

Trevor Siemian gave the Commanders a gift when he fumbled inside his own 20-yard line, and Washington cashed in via Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s incredible individual effort for the 12-yard score.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:25 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Christmas is a season of Love

That's how Packers fans feel about Jordan Love right now, because he's got the Green Bay offense rolling. It's 23-10 Packers after Love found fifth-round rookie Dontayvion Wicks for the 21-yard touchdown. That's two total TDs (one rushing, one passing) for Love in the first half.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:21 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Browns offense comes alive

Make that 22 first-half points for Joe Flacco and the Browns. Flacco found one of his favorite targets, David Njoku, for the 21-yard touchdown, and then rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson rushed in the two-point conversion. (Cleveland went for two because kicker Dustin Hopkins is dealing with an injury.)

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:14 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

WHOOPS

Jamison Crowder had a great punt return going ... and then just lost the ball into the air. The Jets, of course, recovered. The misery continues for the Commanders, who trail 17-0.

[Dec 24, 2023 at 2:00 pm ET · Kyle Stackpole]

Kickoff return TD!

Something you basically never see nowadays: a kick return TD. With the Texans in dire need of a spark, Dameon Pierce caught the kickoff at the 2-yard line and weaved his way ALL THE WAY for the touchdown from 98 yards out. Houston cuts its deficit in half.