Week 15 of the NFL season turned into an extremely important one as teams fight for their playoff positions and the chance to secure home advantages.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 11. The Falcons came in with the win, but both teams played with passion, knowing their postseason chances were shrinking fast. Because of that win the 7-6 North Carolina Panthers are boosted to the first seed in the NFC south division.
“Watching that game was stressful. I’m not a fan of either of the teams, but they both played really hard. The game was very fun to watch,” said sophomore Oliver Willis.
The Miami Dolphins kept their winning streak going. They beat the New York Jets 34-10, bringing their winning streak to four games and knocking the Jets out of the playoffs.
One of the week’s biggest moments came from Houston. Despite unfair, favorable calls to help the Chiefs, the Texans took down the Kansas City Chiefs 20-10, ending the Chiefs’ nine-year run of AFC West titles and dealing a serious blow to their postseason chances.
Meanwhile, the Broncos and Patriots continued to hold their spots at the top of the conference, both standing at 11-2. Over in the NFC, things were just as crowded with the Rams, Packers and Seahawks fighting their way for the best possible playoff positions.
Several other teams including the Jaguars, Bills and Steelers played games that may not look huge now but will matter a lot as the season winds down. With only a few weeks left, everything will count. Every big play could shift the playoff picture. By the end of week 15, nothing felt settled, and has set up an even more dramatic race heading into weeks 16 through 18.
