NFL Scores Week 15: Results, Playoff Picture and Top Fantasy Performances
The NFL's Week 15 matchups brought about a number of crucial results and standout fantasy performances.
Here's a look at the scores from the slate of games and a closer look at the biggest statistical games from the day's top stars:
| Sunday Matchups | |
| Chicago 17 | Minnesota 38 |
| Atlanta 23 | Jacksonville 17 |
| Houston 16 | Indianapolis 10 |
| Carolina 38 | New York 35 |
| Tennessee 16 | New England 33 |
| Buffalo 25 | Washington 35 |
| Kansas City 34 | Baltimore 14 |
| Cleveland 13 | Seattle 30 |
| Green Bay 30 | Oakland 20 |
| Denver 27 | Pittsburgh 34 |
| Miami 14 | San Diego 30 |
| Cincinnati 24 | San Francisco 14 |
| Arizona 40 | Philadelphia 17 |
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Biggest Team Win and Top Early Fantasy Performers
Still Perfect
The Carolina Panthers are 14-0, but the latest win wasn't easy. They blew a 35-7 third-quarter lead and had to rely on a 45-yard game-winning field goal from Graham Gano as time expired to prevail, 38-35. Leading MVP candidate Cam Newton was working his magic again. He led the game-winning drive in the final seconds of the fourth quarter; more on him later.
The Panthers' usually stout defense gave up 21 fourth-quarter points. The final touchdown was a pass from Eli Manning to Odell Beckham Jr. from 14 yards out. Carolina's Josh Norman shut down Beckham most of the game, but the latter got free on that crucial play to draw the game even at 35.
It took less than two minutes for Newton to facilitate the late win. The Panthers superstar engineered the eight-play, 49-yard drive to put Gano in position to nail the long field goal.
Cam Newton
There's no longer a question who the league MVP is after this game. Was Newton ready to win it for his team after Beckham scored in the fourth quarter? Take a look at this clip from Sports Pics:
"Cam Newton: "I got this." https://t.co/DG79Kk5Ou6
— Sports Pics (@AmazingSprtsPic) December 20, 2015"
Take a gander at Newton's stats: 25-of-45 for 340 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, eight rushes for 100 yards. Depending on your chosen fantasy service, Newton's big day was worth somewhere close to 50 points.
He was phenomenal.
Kirk Cousins
On most days, Washington's Kirk Cousins would have been the runaway fantasy leader. Newton's huge performance dwarfed Cousins', but it still doesn't diminish what Washington's signal-caller did as his team is fighting and clawing for a playoff spot.
In a 35-25 win over the Buffalo Bills, Cousins looked like a dual-threat QB himself. He passed for 319 yards, four touchdowns and ran for another score. If you had Cousins in a DraftKings contest or in a head-to-head traditional league, you were pleased.
Sammy Watkins
DeSean Jackson was Cousins' biggest weapon, but the Bills' Sammy Watkins was a little more productive from a fantasy standpoint. Watkins had five receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. That second score is what pushed him past Jackson and the rest of the early standout performers at wide receiver.
It was a nice bounce-back game for Watkins, as his numbers had been trending downward over the last two weeks. Unfortunately for the Bills, Watkins' big day didn't lead to a win.
The Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive on Sunday with a 34-27 win over the Denver Broncos. A special thanks has to go out to Antonio Brown. Facing the Broncos' vaunted secondary, Brown shredded the group for 16 catches, 189 yards and two touchdowns.
That's not supposed to happen to this Denver defense. Despite being covered by all-world corner Chris Harris Jr., Brown consistently got open to make a plethora of huge catches—including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
Danny Woodhead
The San Diego Chargers didn't have much to play for on Sunday, but running back Danny Woodhead did his fantasy owners a favor. While he only had a total of 60 yards receiving and rushing, he found the end zone four times.
Anyone who had the diminutive back on their squad had to be leaping for joy every time he crossed the goal line in San Diego's 30-14 win over the hapless Miami Dolphins.
Chiefs Defense
The top-performing defense in the day games was the Kansas City Chiefs. Andy Reid's club continued a recent trend of forcing turnovers. KC had three more takeaways against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, that gives them 16 in its last six games.
The Chiefs defense also scored twice and had two sacks. You'll be hard pressed to find a bigger fantasy performance from a defense/special teams unit.
Playoff Picture
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
| 1 | New England | East | 12-2 |
| 2 | Cincinnati | North | 11-3 |
| 3 | Denver | West | 10-4 |
| 4 | Houston | South | 7-7 |
| 5 | Kansas City | West | 9-5 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh | North | 9-5 |
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
| 7 | N.Y. Jets | East | 9-5 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | South | 6-8 |
| 12 | Jacksonville | South | 5-9 |
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
| 1 | Carolina | South | 14-0 |
| 2 | Arizona | West | 11-2 |
| 3 | Green Bay | North | 10-4 |
| 4 | Washington | East | 7-7 |
| 5 | Seattle | West | 9-5 |
| 6 | Minnesota | North | 9-5 |
| Seed | Team | Division | Record |
| 7 | Atlanta | South | 7-7 |
| 8 | Philadelphia | East | 6-7 |
| 10 | N.Y. Giants | East | 6-8 |
Giants' Big Loss
New York still isn't out of it in the NFC East, but with no edge in the tiebreakers over Washington or the Philadelphia Eagles, things look bleak for Tom Coughlin's 6-8 team. Washington is 7-7, and the 6-7 Philadelphia Eagles are at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night.
One more loss will push the Giants out of the race for the division lead. If Philly wins, the Giants would still need to win out and for their division rivals to tie in Week 16 and lose in the season finales.
Yeah, it's a long shot.
Panthers in Control
Because Arizona has been so good this season, the Panthers' perfect record hasn't yet been enough to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That could change if the Eagles can beat Arizona in Philly on Sunday night.
If the Eagles win, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera would have to decide if he will rest Newton and other starters in one or both of the team's final two games. With a potential perfect season on the line, the decision won't be an easy one.
Bengals Wrap Up AFC North
Behind backup quarterback AJ McCarron, the Cincinnati Bengals won 24-14 on the road against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. The win gave the Bengals the AFC North Division Title.
McCarron looked a little out of sorts in Week 14 when he threw two interceptions in relief of the injured Andy Dalton. With a full week to prepare for the Ravens, McCarron looked more equipped to spell the Bengals' starter over the last two weeks of the regular season.
The team and its second-string signal caller should be feeling a lot more comfortable heading into a Week 16 battle with the Denver Broncos.
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