Jonathan Taylor runs wild. Matthew Judon turns back the clock. Jayden Daniels rewrites the history books. And Jourdan Lewis makes one of the wildest interceptions you’ll ever see.
Because they did, they’re among PFN’s NFL Week 16 award winners.
NFL Offensive Player of the Week
Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts
You break records, you get awards.
Those are the rules.
And it was a record-breaking day for the Indianapolis Colts offense, with Taylor leading the way.
Collectively, the Colts ran the ball 50 times — with Taylor getting 29 of those attempts — for 335 rushing yards (most in franchise history) in their 38-30 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
By going for 218 yards (and three touchdowns) on those 29 carries, Taylor eclipsed 200 yards for the second time in his five-year career and moved into second place on the Colts’ all-time rushing yards list (5,711).
Honorable mentions: Justin Jefferson, Chuba Hubbard, Jameson Williams
NFL Defensive Player of the Week
Matthew Judon | Atlanta Falcons
Six different players scored defensive touchdowns in Week 16 — including Taron Johnson (Bills), Marlon Humphrey (Ravens), Geno Stone (Bengals), Jessie Bates (Falcons), and Nik Bonitto (Broncos).
And if the Denver Broncos had beaten the Los Angeles Chargers, Bonitto (who also had six pressures, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble) would have gotten the nod.
Instead, it goes to Matthew Judon, who in just 22 defensive snaps had a sack, a tackle for loss, three pressures — and the second of two Atlanta Falcons defensive touchdowns (their first since Week 12 of the 2023 season).
Less than an hour after Bates returned a Drew Lock interception 55 yards to the house, Judon got into the action with a 27-yard pick-six of his own. The touchdown was Judon’s first in the NFL.
Honorable mentions: Marlon Humphrey, Nik Bonitto, Andrew Van Ginkel
NFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Jason Sanders | Miami Dolphins
Jason Sanders has followed up a fantastic November with a strong December.
The reigning AFC Special Teams Player of the Month scored 17 of the Miami Dolphins’ 29 points Sunday, with makes from 44, 38, 54, 33, and 48 yards.
Sanders, on the season, is fourth in both made field goals (33) and made field goals of 50+ (11).
He is six made kicks shy of tying (and seven of breaking) the franchise record for field goals in a season (Olindo Mare, 39, 1999).
Honorable mentions: Brandon Aubrey, Luke McCaffrey, Corliss Waitman
NFL Rookie of the Week
Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders
We’re running out of superlatives for Jayden Daniels. He’s having an all-time season.
After Sunday’s five-touchdown passing day — his last coming with six seconds left to lift the Washington Commanders past the Philadelphia Eagles — Daniels holds Commanders rookie records for:
- Total touchdowns (28)
- Passing touchdowns (22)
- Passing yards (3,303)
- Total yards (4,040)
League-wide, Daniels ranks seventh all-time in passing touchdowns for a rookie, nine behind Justin Herbert’s 2020 record with two games to go. Herbert also holds the record for total offensive touchdowns by a rookie (28).
The more realistic goal for Daniels to break? Cam Newton’s rookie total yards record (4,757, 2011).
Honorable mentions: Brian Thomas Jr., Brock Bowers, Kris Jenkins
NFL Play of the Week
Jourdan Lewis Picks Jalen McMillan’s Pocket
We’ve watched Jourdan Lewis’ Week 16 interception of Baker Mayfield a dozen times and still don’t know how the Dallas Cowboys DB did it.
First, he shook off a forearm to the face late in Jalen McMillan’s route. Then, he was barely looking at the football when it reached McMillan’s hands but was able to rip it away with his left arm and come down with it in the end zone.
One of the craziest INTs you'll ever see 😳 pic.twitter.com/CXeNkXJzYd
— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2024
The play not only saved a touchdown but perhaps the game for the Cowboys, who survived a late Tampa Bay Buccaneers rally to win 26-24.
Lewis finished the game with the pick, six tackles, two pass breakups, and a pressure in 69 snaps.
Honorable mentions: Jared Goff’s 82-yard TD to Jameson Williams, Chuba Hubbard’s walk-off run, Deebo Samuel Sr. runs over Miami’s secondary
NFL Coach of the Week
Dan Quinn | Washington Commanders
Things looked bleak for the Commanders Sunday after Daniels threw a late pick to Reed Blankenship.
The Eagles had an 87.2% chance of winning just outside the two-minute warning, per ESPN’s win probability metric — only to come back to win in dramatic fashion.
It was the biggest win to date of what’s been an already successful first season in the nation’s capital for Dan Quinn, who improved to 9-5-1 against the spread on the year, winning straight up for the third time as an underdog.
Quinn, with a win (or a Buccaneers or Falcons loss) in Week 17, would become just the third first-year Washington coach in the Super Bowl era to make the playoffs in their first season.
Honorable mentions: Dave Canales, Mike McCarthy, Mike McDaniel
NFL Goat of the Week
Chicago Bears | S Jonathan Owens
Look, we are huge Simone Biles fans here at PFN. But we also need to tell it how it is.
And it wasn’t great for Jonathan Owens on Sunday.
The Bears’ seventh-year safety was the target in the Chicago Bears’ Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions.
Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes. All three were to wide receivers covered by Owens.
In all, Owens allowed seven completions on eight targets for 160 yards and those scores. His defensive passer rating? A perfect 158.3.
Honorable mentions: Russell Wilson, Sataoa Laumea, Mason Rudolph
NFL Unsung Hero of the Week
Teair Tart | Los Angeles Chargers
Teair Tart has found a home in Los Angeles after being cut by three teams in eight months, most recently by the Dolphins back in training camp.
The fifth-year defensive tackle was consistently disruptive in Thursday night’s 34-27 victory over the Broncos, both making plays and creating opportunities for teammates in his 27 snaps.
Tart finished with four tackles (one for loss) and a pressure, helping the Chargers’ defense hold the Broncos to just six points on their final seven drives.
Tart, on the season, ranks seventh on the team in tackles (14) and sixth in TFLs (5).
Honorable mentions: Jake Matthews, Frank Ragnow, Bernhard Raimann