NFL TEAM GRADES FOR WEEK 16

This has been one of the most fun NFL seasons in recent memory, and Week 16 brought another wild slate of action.

The New England Patriots recaptured the No. 2 seed in the AFC on Sunday thanks to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. The New Orleans Saints secured the NFC's top seed by winning a wild shootout with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Seattle Seahawks secured a playoff berth by offensively outplaying the vaunted Kansas City Chiefs, and the top seed in the AFC remains undecided.

Week 16 has set the stage for a memorable final week of the season. How did your favorite team grade out in the process? Let's take a look.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Week 16 Opponent: New Orleans Saints

Result: Lost 31-28

The Steelers continue to make mistakes at the worst possible times, and it could cost them a shot at the playoffs. With a chance to tie or win the game with under a minute remaining, JuJu Smith-Schuster was stripped at the Saints 34-yard line.

Now, if the Ravens beat the Browns next week and the Titans and Colts don't tie, Pittsburgh will miss the playoffs.

This fumble wasn't the only reason Pittsburgh lost, of course. A defense that couldn't slow Brees set up the loss, as did a terrible game plan by head coach Mike Tomlin. Though Jaylen Samuels averaged 4.4 yards per carry, the Steelers only ran him 12 times. Instead of trying to keep the ball away from Brees, Tomlin chose to engage in a shootout.

The Saints were the team to score last, and they won because of it. Now, the Steelers have to start rooting for Cleveland.

Week 16 Grade: F

Season Grade: C

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Week 16 Opponent: Los Angeles Rams

Result: Lost 31-9

The Arizona Cardinals can just go ahead and shut things down for the year. If it was a legitimate possibility, forfeiting next week's game wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. The Cardinals are not playing inspired football, and they're potentially ruining rookie quarterback Josh Rosen.

Rosen finished Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams 12-of-23 for a mere 87 yards. For the second week in a row, he was pulled for Mike Glennon.

Arizona's defense allowed 461 yards, and running back David Johnson was given just 10 carries. That's not the way to support a rookie quarterback.

According to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter, the Cardinals are already planning to part with head coach Steve Wilks after the season. With performances like this, it's not too difficult to see why.

Week 16 Grade: F

Season Grade: F

ATLANTA FALCONS

Week 16 Opponent: Carolina Panthers

Result: Won 24-10

This win may seem a little empty, as the Atlanta Falcons have been out of playoff contention. However, it always feels good to dominate a division rival, and that's what Atlanta did to the Cam Newton-less Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Falcons got another strong game from quarterback Matt Ryan (239 yards, three touchdowns). They got 115 rushing yards from Brian Hill, rushed for 194 yards as a team and forced four turnovers.

Those turnovers were huge too. The Falcons picked off Taylor Heinicke three times, all in Atlanta territory. Though the Falcons didn't score off any of those turnovers, they kept points off the board with each.

Atlanta moved to 6-9 with the win and officially put an end to Carolina's slim playoff hopes.

Week 16 Grade: A-

Season Grade: C-

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Week 16 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

Result: Won 22-10

The Baltimore Ravens are playing their own brand of football with Lamar Jackson under center. While most of the NFL is trying to create high-flying passing attacks, Jackson and the Ravens are pounding the ball on the ground, playing keep-away and winning with defense.

This strategy worked to perfection against a red-hot Los Angeles Chargers team, and it showed exactly why Baltimore will be dangerous in the postseason. This style travels well and definitely plays in the elements.

Jackson is capable of passing the ball with precision. That's what keeps opposing defenses from keying in on the run and makes Baltimore's strategy functional. He passed for 204 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers—six yards more than Los Angeles produced as a team.

Baltimore just needs to beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 to win the AFC North.

Week 16 Grade: A+

Season Grade: B

BUFFALO BILLS

Wee 16 Opponent: New England Patriots

Result: Lost 24-12

The Buffalo Bills did some good things against the rival New England Patriots on Sunday. They held Tom Brady to just 126 yards passing, forced three turnovers and didn't allow a sack on quarterback Josh Allen. However, the Bills also did a whole lot of bad things.

For starters, Buffalo had no answers for New England's rushing attack. The Patriots racked up a total of 273 yards on the ground while averaging nearly six yards per carry. The Patriots controlled the tempo and the clock all game.

We got another shaky game from Allen too. While he's shown promise at times this season, he remains inconsistent as a passer. Sunday, he finished just 20-of-41 for 217 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

With the way New England controlled this game, Allen would have had to be nearly perfect to squeak out a win. He was far from it, and Buffalo took a decisive loss.

Week 16 Grade: F

Season Grade: D+

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Week 16 Opponent: Atlanta Falcons

Result: Lost 24-10

Not having Newton in the lineup—he was shut down for the season because of his shoulder injury—put Carolina at a big disadvantage in Week 16. Not having him may have also cost the Panthers the game.

Newton clearly hasn't been at 100 percent, and with the Panthers needing a miracle finish to reach the postseason, it made sense to sit him. However, Heinicke's three interceptions were absolute back-breakers. All came with the Panthers in scoring position.

Christian McCaffrey (178 yards from scrimmage) had another tremendous game. While the defense gave up a lot of yards (427), it got some timely stops and forced a pair of turnovers. If not for Heinicke's picks, the Panthers would have kept this one close.

The Panthers didn't, though, and their playoff chances ended as a result. 

Week 16 Grade: D+

Season Grade: D+

CHICAGO BEARS

Week 16 Opponent: San Francisco 49ers

Result: Won 14-9

Perhaps the Chicago Bears learned from the Seattle Seahawks and their trap game last week against the San Francisco 49ers. Chicago played well enough to avoid the trap, though it wasn't a flawless performance.

Chicago stuck with the run despite struggling on the ground. At the same time, though, Mitchell Trubisky threw for 246 yards and a score. He and Allen Robinson II both had key fumbles, but the defense kept San Francisco out of the end zone. Chicago's defense allowed the 49ers to average 5.2 yards per play, but it also got an interception and a fourth-down stop on San Francisco's final two possessions.

Chicago did just enough to beat a gritty opponent on the road, and that's huge. The Bears still have a shot at the No. 2 seed, though they'll need another win and a Rams loss to secure it.

Week 16 Grade: C+

Season Grade: A

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Week 16 Opponent: Cleveland Browns

Result: Lost 26-18

The Cincinnati Bengals showed they had some fight left in them last week. They didn't show much on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

A lack of focus by Cleveland allowed Cincinnati to score two quick touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game. That made for a closer score than there should have been. Cincinnati, which is banged up and missing a plethora of starters—was thoroughly dominated. Until those late scores, the Bengals were practically rolling over for the Browns.

Cincinnati couldn't muster an answer for either Baker Mayfield or Nick Chubb. It allowed Cleveland to control the ball for more than 35 minutes of game clock, and the Bengals couldn't even get on the board until the fourth quarter.

The Bengals are injury-riddled and listless. They're likely looking to just get out of the season at this point.

Week 16 Grade: F

Season Grade: D+

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Week 16 Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

Result: Won 26-18

The Browns cannot reach the postseason, but they're playing like one of the 12 best teams in the NFL. A big reason is Mayfield, who was once again superb against Cincinnati. He, Chubb, fellow rookie Denzel Ward, pass-rusher Myles Garrett and even offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens are giving Browns fans a lot of reasons to be excited for 2019.

"We talked quite a bit about that part of it," interim coach Gregg Williams said, per Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. "Let's give the fans something to rock and roll and cheer about."

The Browns are now 5-2 under Williams, who had an excellent game plan for Cleveland's in-state rival. The Browns racked up nearly 500 yards of offense while holding Cincinnati to just 209 total yards. Cleveland dominated the game, ensured it won't finish last in the AFC North and now needs to think long and hard about keeping this interim staff on a more permanent basis.

Week 16 Grade: A-

Season Grade: C+

DALLAS COWBOYS

Week 16 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: Won 27-20

The Dallas Cowboys didn't play anything close to a perfect game. They still beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of Tampa's miscues—including a pair of lost fumbles and a missed field goal—but Dallas fans should be a bit concerned.

For one, we saw the return of an uninspired Dallas offense. The Buccaneers did a good job of limiting Amari Cooper (20 receiving yards), and Dak Prescott struggled to push the ball down the field as a result. He was 20-of-25 on the afternoon, but he only produced 161 yards with a touchdown.

As a team, Dallas produced just 232 total yards and 20 offensive points. That isn't going to cut it in the postseason.

For now, though, the Cowboys are NFC East champs, and that should make fans feel pretty good.

Week 16 Grade: C+

Season Grade: B

DENVER BRONCOS

Week 16 Opponent: Oakland Raiders

Result: Lost 27-14

What an embarrassing display by the Denver Broncos in an AFC West rivalry game. Head coach Vance Joseph should have had his team fired up to knock off the Oakland Raiders, but he didn't even have his team ready to play football.

Denver made a ton of mental mistakes, showed a decided lack of effort and didn't look like it belonged on the same field as Oakland. Considering the Broncos were still clinging to playoff hopes a little over a week ago, while the Raiders have been one of the most underwhelming teams in the league, this is a major issue.

As a result, the Broncos have clinched back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1972.

This lackluster performance is either a reflection of Joseph's inability to coach or his players' unwillingness to play hard for him. Either way, it's probably time for Denver to turn the page.

Week 16 Grade: F

Season Grade: D

DETROIT LIONS

Week 16 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings

Result: Lost 27-9

The Detroit Lions may be in need of some serious roster changes. Despite having a quality quarterback in Matthew Stafford, Detroit has struggled to get enough out of its passing game far too often this season. This was the case again against the Minnesota Vikings.

Stafford finished 18-of-32 for 116 yards. Minnesota has a strong defense, and the Lions are without injured receiver Marvin Jones Jr. Still, that's unacceptable at home.

Head coach Matt Patricia deserves some blame for this crushing loss. He made some questionable calls early—like punting from the Minnesota 37-yard line—and he didn't have his defense in position to properly defend Minnesota's Hail Mary pass just before halftime. That play allowed the Vikings to lead 14-9 at the half.

Patricia also failed to make good halftime adjustments, and the Vikings rolled after the break.

Patricia has coached his team to some big wins in 2018, though. Heading toward the offseason, a lack of talent is a bigger concern.

Week 16 Grade: D

Season Grade: D+

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Week 16 Opponent: New York Jets

Result: Won 44-38 (OT)

Firing head coach Mike McCarthy clearly hasn't fixed all of the Green Bay Packers' issues. Aaron Rodgers still missed more throws than he should have, and the defense allowed Sam Darnold to look like a future Hall of Famer. Green Bay did survive, though, beating the New York Jets in an overtime thriller.

Rodgers finished with 442 yards passing and a pair of scores, but it took him 55 attempts to get there. Running back Jamaal Williams may have been more impressive, racking up 156 yards from scrimmage on the afternoon.

The Packers defense, which allowed 370 total yards, was nothing close to impressive. If not for a missed Jets field goal early in the game, the Packers may not have gotten to overtime.

Rodgers and the offense did enough to get the win. The Packers will now look to build a little offseason momentum with a win over Detroit in Week 17.

Week 16 Grade: C

Season Grade: C-

HOUSTON TEXANS

Week 16 Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

Result: Lost 32-30

The Houston Texans had a chance to control the No. 2 seed in the AFC. All they needed to do was win out. That plan is out the window, though, thanks to Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The defense, which has played well most of the season, let the Texans down Sunday. It allowed Foles to pass for a whopping 471 yards and four touchdowns. It did pick him off once and shut down the running game. Had the Texans defense limited Foles just a bit more, however, Houston would have won this game.

Pass protection remains a concern—Watson was sacked four more times, bringing the total to 56. Watson was fantastic running and passing, but pressure is going to be a problem in the postseason. So is the loss of wideout Demaryius Thomas. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Thomas is believed to have torn his Achilles.

Losing the game also cost Houston the chance to clinch the AFC South, but it will still win the division with a Week 17 victory against Jacksonville. 

Week 16 Grade: D+

Season Grade: B-

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Week 16 Opponent: New York Giants

Result: Won 28-27

The Indianapolis Colts now head into Week 17 facing a win-and-they're-in scenario. For much of Sunday's game against the New York Giants, though, Indianapolis didn't appear all that interested in setting up such a scenario.

The Colts started slow, especially defensively, and allowed the Giants to build a 17-7 halftime lead. However, the defense tightened up in the second half, while the offense finally got into a rhythm. Andrew Luck and Co. scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half, and they took the lead with a touchdown with just under a minute remaining.

Malik Hooker sealed the game with an interception.

Was this Indianapolis' best performance of the season? No. However, the Giants have been playing well as of late, and surviving them should give the Colts plenty of momentum moving forward.

Week 16 Grade: C+

Season Grade: B

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Week 16 Opponent: Miami Dolphins

Result: Won 17-7

Everyone knew that Blake Bortles was going to play savior in Week 16, right? No, probably not, but that's what he did Sunday after the Jacksonville Jaguars decided to bench Cody Kessler. Bortles was only 5-of-6 for 39 yards, but he also rushed four times for 25 yards.

Kessler did suffer a shoulder injury in the first half, but he returned before being benched.

We're not going to act like Bortles has saved his job, though. This was an ugly, ugly game full of inept offense and a lot of mistakes.

The good news is that Jacksonville's defense did resemble the dominant unit of 2017. It allowed just 183 yards of offense and a mere seven points. The Jaguars defense scored as many touchdowns as the offense—thanks to a game-sealing Telvin Smith interception return.

Week 16 Grade: C+

Season Grade: D

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Week 16 Opponent: Seattle Seahawks

Result: Lost 38-31

We've been concerned with the Kansas City Chiefs defense for much of the season. Now that the weather has turned and it's been just a tad more difficult for the Chiefs offense to run wild, it's become a major issue.

For the second week in a row, Kansas City's defense failed. It allowed a marvelous fourth-quarter comeback by the Chargers last week. This week, it—along with a pair of lost fumbles—put the Seattle Seahawks in the driver's seat.

Patrick Mahomes is great. So are the weapons he has around him. However, the Chiefs cannot expect to race teams on the scoreboard and have lasting success in the postseason. They've found that out over the last two weeks, and now they must survive the Raiders in Week 17 to take the AFC West and the No. 1 seed.

Week 16 Grade: C

Season Grade: A-

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Week 16 Opponent: Baltimore Ravens

Result: Lost 22-10

The Chargers got starting running back Melvin Gordon back from injury in Week 16, but he was unable to provide enough of an offensive boost to overcome the mighty Ravens defense. That defense smothered Gordon, Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense for four full quarters.

The Chargers defense, though, did enough to keep L.A. in the game until late. While it wasn't as good as Baltimore's, it got timely stops and held the Ravens to just six first-half points.

In fact, the Chargers held Baltimore to just 16 offensive points. Most of the time, that's going to be enough for Los Angeles to get a win.

This is a disappointing loss for the Chargers because they now have little chance of winning the AFC West and securing the conference's No. 1 seed. However, one off night against a playoff-caliber opponent shouldn't cause fans to panic.

Week 16 Grade: C-

Season Grade: B+

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Week 16 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals

Result: Won 31-9

No Todd Gurley? No problem for the Rams. C.J. Anderson demolished the Arizona defense, rushing for 167 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. He opened things up for Jared Goff and the passing game, though they didn't have to do a ton to get the win.

L.A. rushed for 269 yards as a team, which is impressive considering Gurley was out with a knee injury.

This was total domination by the Rams, who haven't played all that well in recent weeks. Los Angeles controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes of game clock, and the defense allowed just 269 yards and nine points.

This is the game plan the Rams should carry into the postseason. They don't have a shutdown defense, but if they can control the game and the tempo on the ground—with or without Gurley—they'll be able to beat teams better than Arizona.

Week 16 Grade: A+

Season Grade: A

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Week 16 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: Lost 17-7

The Dolphins can still finish at .500, but they have some difficult decisions to make after the season. Is being an 8-8 team good enough reason to keep quarterback Ryan Tannehill and head coach Adam Gase? If we're going by Sunday's performance—when the season was on the line—the answer has to be "no."

It was bad—Miami had 183 offensive yards and 278 punting yards—and it was Gase's offense. He's supposed to be an offensive guru, and if this was the masterpiece that Gase drew up against an inconsistent Jaguars team, Gase probably deserves to go.

We'll see if the Dolphins can save his job and preserve a bit of pride against the Bills in next week's finale.

Week 16 Grade: F

Season Grade: C-

MINNEOTA VIKINGS

Week 16 Opponent: Detroit Lions

Result: Won 27-9

The Vikings came into Week 16 knowing they needed to win out to secure a playoff spot. It was dicey early, but Minnesota got the job done against Detroit.

Minnesota's offense struggled early and for most of the first half. If not for a successful Hail Mary just before halftime—during which the Detroit defense apparently lost track of Kyle Rudolph—the Vikings would have trailed at halftime.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski adjusted after the break, though, and his offense ended up pouring on 340 yards and 27 points. That proved to be more than enough, as the Vikings defense pitched a shutout in the second half.

Up next is a date with Chicago, who survived the 49ers in the late afternoon. This means the Bears still have a shot at the No. 2 seed in the NFC and that Minnesota still faces a tough challenge to get into the postseason.

Week 16 Grade: B+

Season Grade: C+

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Week 16 Opponent: Buffalo Bills

Result: Won 24-12

The Patriots came into Week 16 on a two-game skid and in jeopardy of missing out on a first-round bye in the postseason. A decisive win over the rival Bills ended the slide and, coupled with a Houston loss, gave New England control of its destiny to get the No. 2 seed. 

It wasn't a perfect game, and the Patriots struggled to create big plays in the passing game. That's a problem heading into the playoffs because Josh Gordon isn't getting reinstated any time soon.

What the Patriots did do well is run the ball. They rushed for 5.8 yards per carry and rushed 47 times for 273 yards. The controlled the clock for nearly 36 minutes, which put pressure on rookie quarterback Josh Allen to make the most of each opportunity.

The defense did the rest, picking off Allen twice, grabbing a third turnover and holding Buffalo less than 300 total yards. As a result, New England is once again the champion of the AFC East.

Week 16 Grade: B+

Season Grade: B+

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Week 16 Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: Won 31-28

The Saints locked up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, and they ensured they won't play outside again this year. All it took was an amazing performance against Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers.

It wasn't easy. Containing Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and the rest of Pittsburgh's passing attack rarely is. However, the Saints got just enough defensive stops—and one huge late-game strip—to come out on top.

This was a pure quarterback duel, as neither team topped 65 rushing yards. Fortunately, Brees (326 passing yards, one touchdown) returned to the MVP form he had before New Orleans' three-game road trip. As has been the case all year, the Saints proved they can win in multiple ways.

This is what makes New Orleans so dangerous heading into the postseason. Having home field for the divisional round and (if they make it) conference championship doesn't hurt, either. 

Week 16 Grade: B-

Season Grade: A+

NEW YORK GIANTS

Week 16 Opponent: Indianapolis Colts

Result: Lost 28-27

Are we sure that it's time for the Giants to put Eli Manning out to pasture? He's played well over the second half of the season, and he wasn't the reason New York lost to Indianapolis.

Sure, Manning threw an interception on New York's final possession, but he was trying to get into field-goal range with just over 30 seconds remaining. Let's not act like that's what cost the Giants the game. Manning, by the way, also finished with 309 passing yards and a touchdown.

The bigger problem was a defense that couldn't protect a 10-point halftime lead. The Giants struggled to pressure Andrew Luck, and that made the comeback too easy for the Colts.

New York currently holds the seventh overall pick in next year's draft, and that may very well be spent on a quarterback. However, this doesn't mean the Giants must dump Manning after the season.

Week 16 Grade: C-

Season Grade: D+

NEW YORK JETS

Week 16 Opponent: Green Bay Packers

Result: Lost 44-38 (OT)

The Jets might not be very good, but they have some intriguing young pieces and quite possibly a legitimate franchise quarterback. Sam Darnold still needs to cut down on the boneheaded decisions and sloppy pocket management, but he has all the physical tools.

When things go right, like they did against the Packers, Darnold can shine. He finished with 341 passing yards and three touchdowns.

Unfortunately, little went right for the Jets defense, which surrendered a total of 540 yards. It gave up 18 points in the fourth quarter and blew a 15-point lead. Once the Packers won the coin toss for overtime, you could sense that this one was pretty much over.

The Jets will try to regroup and play spoiler against the Patriots in Week 17.

Week 16 Grade: C-

Season Grade: D

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Week 16 Opponent: Denver Broncos

Result: Won 27-14

If this really was the final game in Oakland for the Raiders, Jon Gruden's team went out with a bang. It's been a trying season so far, but this team came out like it was fighting for its playoff life—not for its fourth win of the season.

While Oakland looked like a lost team early in the season, it's started to jell ever since that terrible Thursday night loss to the 49ers. These players are buying into their head coach, and they've knocked off some quality teams along the way.

There are some good core pieces on this team—like quarterback Derek Carr and safety Marcus Gilchrist—and many of them showed out against Denver in the most decisive win of Oakland's 2018 season.

Heading into 2019, expectations for the Raiders should be on the upswing.

Week 16 Grade: A+

Season Grade: D+

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Week 16 Opponent: Houston Texans

Result: Won 32-30

There's just something about Nick Foles that the Eagles offense responds to. With Carson Wentz once again injured, Foles has started the last two games. The Eagles won decisively against the Rams last week, and while this wasn't a dominant win, Foles was tremendous.

He finished 35-of-49 for 471 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.

Foles briefly left the game on the winning drive after a hit knocked the air out of him. He returned after one Nate Sudfeld pass, however, and got the Eagles into field-goal range.

"He got a good one on me," Foles said, per Tim McManus of ESPN.com. "Trainers got out there, [and] I was able to get my breath back."

Eagles fans have to be happy to see that Foles is OK because they know he can take the team to a championship. With a win and a Vikings loss next week, the Eagles will be in the postseason.

Week 16 Grade: C+

Season Grade: B-

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Week 16 Opponent: Chicago Bears

Result: Lost 14-9

The 49ers haven't been the upstart playoff team that many thought they could be coming into the season—largely because of injuries. However, that could be exactly what San Francisco is in 2019. This is a team with no quit in it, and for the second week in a row, the 49ers nearly pulled off a major upset.

The 49ers initiated a defensive battle with the Bears by shutting down their running game. As a team, Chicago rushed for just 90 yards and 3.2 yards per carry. The plan worked, as the 49ers managed to keep things close and gave themselves a chance to pull ahead late in the fourth quarter.

Unfortunately, Nick Mullens threw an interception inside the Chicago 20-yard line with less than five minutes remaining. He then couldn't get the 49ers back into scoring position on their final drive.

There's no shame in losing a close game to one of the top playoff-bound teams in the league. Also, the 49ers helped their draft positioning by losing, so there's that.

Week 16 Grade: C

Season Grade: D+

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Week 16 Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

Result: Won 38-31

The Seahawks don't have a true shutdown defense. We saw that Sunday night against the Chiefs. However, they do have Russell Wilson, a revamped rushing attack and a quality receiving corps. What this means is if the defense can get a few key stops or turnovers, Seattle can still beat even the best offensive teams.

Wilson passed for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Chris Carson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns. The Seattle defense forced two fumbles. All of this allowed Seattle to take a late 10-point lead and eventually recover Kansas City's onside kick attempt. 

If not for a missed Seattle field goal early in the game, this one might have been a Seahawks two-score victory. 

Beating Kansas City guarantees Seattle a spot in the postseason. With the way they're playing, the Seahawks are going to be difficult to handle.

Week 16 Grade: B+

Season Grade: B

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Week 16 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys

Result: Lost 27-20

The Buccaneers may still bring back head coach Dirk Koetter for another season, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

"Everyone assumes that Dirk Koetter is on his way out. My understanding is doing not necessarily make that assumption," Rapoport said on NFL Network's Good Morning Football Weekend on Sunday morning.

After watching Koetter mismanage another game, Buccaneers fans probably hope Rapoport is misinformed.

Koetter failed to make enough adjustments to slow Dallas' pass rush. Considering Jameis Winston ended up attempting 48 passes, this was a major problem. Winston was only sacked three times, but he was pressured frequently and lost a pair of fumbles.

Tampa managed to keep this one close, but the Buccaneers were never in control at all. Now they've earned double-digit losses for the second year in a row.

Week 16 Grade: D+

Season Grade: D+

TENNESSEE TITANS

Week 16 Opponent: Washington Redskins

Result: Won 25-16

The Tennessee Titans had to survive a half without starting quarterback Marcus Mariota, and the game itself certainly wasn't pretty. However, the Titans escaped a scare against the Washington Redskins on Saturday thanks to some tough running from Derrick Henry and some even tougher defense.

For his part, Blaine Gabbert (7-of-11 for 101 yards, one touchdown) did play fairly well in his relief effort. However, this game was won in the trenches. The offensive line did a great job of protecting Mariota and Gabbert, while the front seven harassed Josh Johnson most of the game.

Two interceptions on Washington's final two drives sealed this one. The second, which Malcolm Butler returned for a touchdown as time expired, made the game appear less close than it actually was.

Make no mistake, Tennessee scraped by. This time of year, for a team trying to battle its way into the playoffs, that's more than enough, though.

Week 16 Grade: C+

Season Grade: B

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Week 16 Opponent: Tennessee Titans

Result: Lost 25-16

Give the Redskins credit. They're on their fourth quarterback of the season, have a 33-year-old Adrian Peterson leading the offense and have endured a slide from the top of the division. However, they continue to play hard and stay competitive. On Saturday, that was nearly enough to upset Tennessee.

Peterson, who had another 119 yards rushing, continues to look nothing like a running back past his prime. Washington's defense, which held the Titans to just 291 total yards, kept the Redskins in the game until the very end.

Unfortunately, quarterback Josh Johnson showed his lack of experience—his last playing time before Week 14 came in 2013—with two poorly thrown interceptions (including a pick-six) at the end of the game. Washington's playoff chances essentially ended with them.

Week 16 Grade: C-

Season Grade: C-