NFL Week 16 was chock-full of exciting finishes, with the majority of games decided by one score.
Big-time players made big-time plays. And since they did, they’re getting a big-time honor: Game Balls from Pro Football Network.
Los Angeles Chargers | RB Gus Edwards
It would certainly be easy (and justifiable) to give this to Justin Herbert given the way he played in the second half of the Chargers’ 34-27 come-from-behind victory over the Broncos.
Herbert went 11 of 16, 144 yards, two passing touchdowns, no interceptions (136.5 rating), and points produced on three of four non-end-of-half drives after halftime.
But Gus Edwards gets the nod because of his grit. Edwards got dinged in the first half but returned to the game and was a major factor after the break: Eight carries, 50 yards, and a touchdown, averaging a robust 5.5 yards post-carry.
Edwards on the week set season-high marks in rushing yards (68), rushing first downs (3), and touchdowns (2).
Kansas City Chiefs | CB Trent McDuffie
Trent McDuffie finally got a taste of interceptions in Week 15 and wanted more. After going the first 47 games of his career (including playoffs) without one, McDuffie has picks in each of his last two weeks.
McDuffie got his second in the first half of Kansas City’s 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday. He was in the right place at the right time after pressure forced Texans QB C.J. Stroud into a bad throw.
McDuffie, who also had two tackles for loss Saturday, was a big reason the Chiefs limited Stroud to 23 of 39 passing for 244 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. On his 21 dropbacks when pressured, Stroud completed just 7 of 19 attempts for 112 yards, a touchdown, and that pick.
Baltimore Ravens | RB Derrick Henry
We aren’t used to seeing Pittsburgh Steelers defenses get run over like they were Saturday.
The Baltimore Ravens went for 220 yards on 38 carries against a top-10 Steelers run defense that entered the game having allowed less than four yards per attempt.
Henry led the way with 162 yards on 24 carries — much of which came on a 44-yard dash early in the fourth quarter.
It was Henry’s 15th career game with 160 or more yards in his nine-year career — including his third since joining the Ravens before the 2024 season.
Atlanta Falcons | OLB Matthew Judon
Matthew Judon’s contract dispute with the New England Patriots feels like a lifetime ago. And it’s unlikely that the pending free agent will ever see the money he wanted six months ago.
But Sunday was a reminder that Judon still has it in him to make impactful plays.
In just 22 defensive snaps, Judon had a sack, a tackle for loss, three pressures, and the second of two Falcons defensive touchdowns (their first since Week 12 of the 2023 season).
Less than an hour after Jessie Bates III returned a Drew Lock interception 55 yards to the house, Judon got into the act with a 27-yard pick-six of his own. The touchdown was Judon’s first in the NFL.
Detroit Lions | WR Jameson Williams
A fun postgame answer from Jared Goff via the Detroit News about how Jameson Williams was able to get behind both Chicago Bears defensive backs assigned to him on his 82-yard touchdown catch and run: “Genetics.”
Certainly DNA played a role. Williams hit a 20.9 mph max speed on the play, which was the longest of his nine career touchdown catches.
Williams finished the game with a career-high 143 yards and five catches (28.6 yards per) on just seven targets (20.4).
Cincinnati Bengals | WR Andrei Iosivas
When you’re a receiver on a roster that includes Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, you’re not going to get a lot of shine.
But Andrei Iosivas is more than capable as a WR3, as he proved again with his sixth receiving touchdown in 54 targets this season. Iosivas, a two-time All-Ivy Leaguer out of Princeton, caught all three passes thrown his way for 53 yards (17.7 average).
What makes Iosivas so valuable to Cincinnati: Position flexibility.
In 255 routes run out of the slot this year, Iosivas has 17 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns on 25 targets.
In 226 routes run from other spots on the field, he has 14 catches for 202 yards and three touchdowns on 29 targets.
Indianapolis Colts | RB Jonathan Taylor
It was a record-breaking day for the Colts’ offense, with Jonathan Taylor leading the way.
Collectively, they 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).
No. 1 on that list? Edgerrin James (9,226).
If Taylor continues at his career per-game average (87.9), it will take him 40 games to break the record.
Los Angeles Rams | CB Kam Curl
It’s hard to overstate how valuable Kam Curl has been to the Rams’ defense this year.
On Sunday, the Rams’ defense held its opponent to 14 or fewer points for the third time in their four-game winning streak. And Curl was a big reason why.
In 63 snaps Sunday against the Jets, Curl had a key strip sack that Jared Verse recovered. Curl also totaled five tackles (one for loss).
He was a big part of the Rams’ defense that held Aaron Rodgers to 6.1 yards per attempt despite not breaking up a single pass.
Washington Commanders | WR Jamison Crowder
Football is all about stepping up when your number is called — particularly when your opportunities are few.
Jamison Crowder was targeted just four times on 21 routes Sunday. He had a whopping 15 receiving yards.
But the Commanders wouldn’t have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles without every one of them.
Crowder’s two catches both went for touchdowns, including the game-winner, a nine-yard strike from Jayden Daniels with six seconds remaining to lift Washington to a 36-33 triumph.
Carolina Panthers | RB Chuba Hubbard
The Panthers’ roster needs a ton of work this offseason, but Dan Morgan knows he has a building block in Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard was a beast on Sunday, particularly in overtime when he provided the first walk-off touchdown in the Panthers’ 30-year history, a 21-yard jaunt that capped a marvelous all-around game.
Hubbard had 65 of his game-high 152 rushing yards in the extra period. On the year, he has 1,152 rushing yards (fourth in franchise history) and 10 rushing touchdowns (fifth). His 3.5 yards after contact per carry is 10th in football.
Minnesota Vikings | WR Justin Jefferson
Sam Darnold owes Justin Jefferson a percentage of his free agent contract this offseason. Jefferson has made Darnold a ton of money.
The NFC’s leading receiver was responsible for 144 of Darnold’s 246 passing yards and caught two of his three touchdown passes in Sunday’s 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Jefferson averaged an absurd 3.6 yards per route and 11.9 adjusted yards per target against a Seahawks defense that ranks ninth in DEF+ (79.4).
Buffalo Bills | RB James Cook
James Cook has been a touchdown machine in 2024.
He had two more in Sunday’s closer-than-it-should-have-been win over the New England Patriots (one on the ground and another through the air) to give him a league-leading 16 total on the season.
What makes Cook’s stats all the more impressive: He’s done it on just 220 offensive plays, meaning he’s scoring touchdowns every 13.8 offensive snaps.
Cook on Sunday needed just 11 carries to go over 100 yards rushing for the fourth time this year and the seventh time in his two-year career.
Las Vegas Raiders | S Isaiah Pola-Mao
The Raiders snapped their 10-game losing streak Sunday because they got just enough offense to avoid wasting another solid defensive performance.
And right in the middle of it all? Isaiah Pola-Mao, the third-year safety who forced two fumbles and led the Raiders with nine tackles in their 19-14 victory over the Jaguars.
It was the third time in four games that Raiders DC Brandon Graham’s unit has held their opponents to under 20 points. Since Week 13, the Raiders rank fifth in EPA per play (-.070) and fifth in EPA per dropback (-.040).
Miami Dolphins | RB De’Von Achane
Forget the averages. De’Von Achane has been excellent this year. The second-year back has consistently been the Dolphins’ best offensive player and had his best game of the year Sunday.
Achane totaled 120 yards rushing (plus a touchdown) and 70 receiving in Miami’s elimination-avoiding win over the 49ers. A quarter of that production came on one play, a 50-yard touchdown run that salted the game away.
It was Achane’s longest run of the season and just his second of 40+ after having five in 2023.
Dallas Cowboys | K Brandon Aubrey
Brandon Aubrey is the new Justin Tucker.
And he might be even better than Tucker was at his best.
After four more made field goals in the Cowboys’ 26-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — including three from 50 yards or more — Aubrey is now a ridiculous 27 of 31 on attempts of 40+ this year.
No other NFL kicker has even 20 makes from 40 or more yards this year. In Tucker’s best season, he had 24 makes from that range.
But what really sets Aubrey apart is from 50+. He has made an NFL record 14 of his 16 attempts, including from 58, 58, and 53 yards Sunday.
Green Bay Packers | Starting Offensive Line
Certainly, it warrants mentioning that the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers posted the only shutout of the NFL season (so far).
But c’mon — it came against New Orleans Saints backup Spencer Rattler.
We’re far more impressed by the job done by Green Bay’s offensive line, which surrendered zero sacks and three quarterback hits and paved the way for 188 rushing yards in a 34-0 victory over New Orleans.
