Week 15 looked like a huge one for the NFL playoff picture, and the results we saw were quite impactful. While the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos became the first teams to clinch postseason berths, the shocking fall from grace of the Kansas City Chiefs was completed as their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (combined with wins from Buffalo, Houston and Jacksonville) eliminated them from the postseason for the first time since 2014.
To make matters worse, quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in the contest, ending his season early and raising some doubts about his availability for the start of the 2026 campaign as well. Let's begin our journey through the winners and losers of Week 15 in Kansas City, as the reigning three-time AFC champs process the fact their season is meaningless before Christmas.
NFL winners and losers from Week 15
Loser: Kansas City Chiefs
It seems like all of the luck that Kansas City experienced throughout the 2024 season evaporated this year as Sunday's game dropped the Chiefs' record to 1-7 in one score games. A battered offensive line made life hell for Mahomes, who was sacked five times before crumpling to the ground in the fourth quarter with a torn ACL in his left knee.
The loss of games for the rest of this season is irrelevant for Kansas City, which is likely trending towards a sub-.500 finish with Denver coming to town on Christmas Day in pursuit of the top seed in the AFC, but the bigger worry is how Mahomes recovers prior to the 2026 campaign. The typical recovery timeline for a torn ACL is 9-12 months, which means Mahomes is in jeopardy of missing part of next season, so there is a good chance the Chiefs as we know them are gone forever. Travis Kelce is considering retirement and the team well over the projected 2026 salary cap, which could lead to some uncomfortable decisions for GM Brett Veach.
Winner: Denver Broncos
The end of the Chiefs' dynastic run atop the AFC West has opened the door for Denver to claim a division crown for the first time since Peyton Manning was under center in 2015. Many had doubts about the Broncos' ability to beat elite competition thanks to their knack of playing close games. Sunday's win against Green Bay was impressive as the Denver offense found a way to carry the load, scoring 34 points against a rugged Packers' defensive group.
The victory, combined with a loss from New England earlier in the day, gave Denver the inside track to secure the top seed in the AFC and the first-round bye that comes with it. Their odds of keeping that lead for home field also increased significantly since they won't have to deal with Mahomes on Christmas night, instead dealing with Gardner Minshew II under center at Arrowhead Stadium.
Loser: Drake Maye's MVP Candidacy
The biggest critique of the New England Patriots so far is that they have basically beaten up on cupcakes during their 10-game winning streak, with its best win in that stretch coming against the Bills in Orchard Park in Week 5. A sweep of Buffalo would not only have given the Patriots a shot at the division but supercharged the MVP odds for Drake Maye, who has been locked in a tight race with the Rams' Matthew Stafford for a while.
Maye did run for two touchdowns against the Bills but he was not impactful through the air, completing only 14-of-23 passes for 167 yards with an interception. Buffalo's defense threw enough unique looks at Maye to keep him from putting the game away, which looked possible when New England exited the first quarter with a 14-0 lead, and ensured he will fall behind Stafford in the MVP race for now.
Winner: Kevin Patullo
The Eagles' offensive woes have played a big part in their inconsistency this season with new coordinator Kevin Patullo being the poster child for criticism. A game against the Raiders was low-hanging fruit for the Philadelphia offense and they took advantage of it, piling up over 180 yards on the ground while Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns in a 31-0 victory.
The contest was never in doubt as Hurts only had three incomplete passes on the day and the Eagles' defense bullied Kenny Pickett, sacking him four times and recording an interception as well. Having a get-right game at this juncture of the season was critical for Patullo, who needs to string a few more of these great efforts together to maintain his job into 2026.
Loser: Joe Burrow
Fans around Cincinnati were alarmed this week when Joe Burrow made public comments about how he wasn't having fun playing football, raising concerns that he could pull either an Andrew Luck (retire early) or Carson Palmer (force his way out of town). Burrow did re-assure fans that his comments were not a shot at the Bengals' organization, but he certainly wasn't having much fun in a 24-0 shutout loss that officially eliminated Cincinnati from postseason contention.
The Ravens' defense, which was the healthiest its been in a while, made Burrow's life hell as he was sacked three times and threw two interceptions. This game also marked the first time in Burrow's NFL career that he had been shut out, which will make his performance over the final three weeks of a lost season worth watching.
Winner: Buffalo Bills
Sunday was a banner day for Buffalo, which pulled off a gutsy comeback to win on the road in New England to keep their AFC East hopes alive. Even though the odds of Buffalo winning the division require some serious help, including another divisional loss from the Patriots against either Miami or the Jets, their potential postseason path got easier in terms of marquee quarterbacks as both the Chiefs and Bengals were eliminated from the hunt.
Seeing Kansas City flame out will elicit no tears from the Bills' faithful, who have seen Mahomes and company ruin their season on a seemingly annual basis. Even though some strong defenses are in the mix for the AFC postseason hunt with Denver, Houston and Los Angeles, Allen should be the best quarterback in the AFC field and have a great shot to get Buffalo to a Super Bowl, even if they need to win three road playoff games to get there.
Loser: Green Bay Packers
Sunday's loss to the Broncos ensured that Denver continued to be a house of horrors for the Packers, who are now 1-9 all time playing a mile high. The short-term consequence of the defeat was seeing Chicago leapfrog them for first place in the NFC North, but a larger concern involves two key injuries that could sink the Packers in the long term.
Micah Parsons, the engine of Green Bay's defense, went down with a non-contact knee injury that Green Bay fears is a torn ACL while receiver Christian Watson, who was having a breakout campaign, ended up in the hospital after suffering a chest injury. Losing two key difference makers in this game may prove to be a problem for Green Bay, who still has to catch the Bears in the division and deal with Baltimore in Week 17 before a trip to Minnesota to end the season.
Winner: Chicago Bears
The Cleveland Browns are a bad team but they have a good defense, so seeing Chicago put up 31 points on the Browns' vaunted unit is a big win for Ben Johnson. D'Andre Swift ran wild, racking up 98 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns, while Caleb Williams threw for 242 yards and two more scores on the afternoon.
The results from Sunday allowed Chicago to leapfrog Green Bay in the division and deliver a potential kill shot on Saturday night if the Packers don't have Parsons or Watson available. The strong play the Bears demonstrated on Sunday was also encouraging to see as a young team learning how to win didn't let a tough loss the previous week spiral.
Loser: Carolina Panthers
Everything was set up perfectly for Carolina, who got a gift on Thursday night as Atlanta rallied late to upset Tampa Bay and hand a clear path to the NFC South title to the Panthers. A win over New Orleans on Sunday and one victory over the Buccaneers would wrap up the division for Dave Canales' team, making their performance against the Saints a major letdown.
The bad version of the Panthers surfaced as they let the Saints hang around for far too long, carrying a 17-10 lead into the fourth quarter before Tyler Shough drove New Orleans down the field for a tying touchdown. After Bryce Young gained only 14 yards in six plays, the Saints were able to burn the clock and kick a go-ahead field goal with seconds remaining, completing an improbable season sweep and severely damaging Carolina's playoff dreams with a visit from Seattle in between the two Tampa Bay matchups.
Winner: Trevor Lawrence
Nobody was a bigger fantasy superhero in Week 15 than Lawrence, a popular streaming option with the hapless Jets coming to town. Liam Coen showed no mercy against New York and Lawrence played the role of Superman, racking up 330 yards through the air, another 51 on the ground and six total touchdowns in a 48-20 rout of the Brady Cook-led Jets.
That production came in just three quarters as Jacksonville's large lead allowed Coen to sit Lawrence in the fourth so backup Nick Mullens could get some work. The degree of difficulty should increase significantly for Lawrence in Week 16 against Denver's excellent defense but Sunday's effort offered a tease of the potential he entered the league with back in 2021.