NFL Week 16 - What We Learned

Written by John Edward Betancourt

I have to admit, this was one breathtaking weekend of football. With playoffs spots on the line and pride for that matter too, every single team brought forth outstanding effort in a bid to win and the end result was absolutely spectacular. The Panthers fell, a legend said goodbye and the week ended with one of the most exciting games of the year. So let's not waste any time and take a look at some of the best stories that came to us from the field in Week 16.

1. The Carolina Panthers have been an absolute powerhouse this season, winning one stunning game after another on their way to a 14-0 record. In fact they've been so good, there were few people that expected the Atlanta Falcons to beat this squad on Sunday, but surprise, surprise...the Falcons showed up ready to play and delivered the Panthers their first loss of the season in impressive fashion. They shut down Cam Newton, stuffed the run game and scored exactly when they needed to. It was clear near the end of the game that the Panthers looked pretty shocked at losing this game and there's solid proof that they broke the biggest rule in the league, don't ever underestimate or take your opponent for granted...or they will be happy to humble you. 

2. Congratulations to the Washington Redskins, the 2015 NFC East Division Champions who have truly earned this title. Granted, some may say all they did was win the Best of the Worst award but I beg to differ. This is a team that is finally coming together after years of disarray and you see that unity on the field. The Defense is suddenly stout, the offense is clicking and this is a huge accomplishment for a team that well...has not been taken seriously for a long time in this league. I don't think they're going to go super far in the playoffs, but this is a fine accomplishment to build upon and if they can retain the key players that contributed this year, there's a chance this team gets stronger in 2016.

3. Something is clearly wrong with the New England Patriots, because any way you slice it, that was a devastating loss to the New York Jets this last Sunday. It's easy to blame the mounting injuries that the team is suffering from, but let's be honest...this was a different Patriots squad on the field the other day. This is a team that used to take the field and strike fear into their opponents by appearing invincible. If they sacked Brady, he comes back with a 40 yard bomb. If they scored a touchdown on the Pats defense, the team would answer and then force a turnover. That team appears to be a thing of the past. The defense seems confused at times and at odds with one another when it comes to assignments and Brady is easily frustrated these days. Unfortunately, I can't pinpoint exactly what the core issue is for the Patriots, but I do know that if they don't fix this mess quick, not only will they kiss home field advantage goodbye, but they could exit the playoffs early and in ugly fashion. 

4. As a lifelong Broncos fan, it's rare that I say something good about the Oakland Raiders, but the game matters above all and respect is due when appropriate and I have to say that it is going to be quite strange not seeing Charles Woodson on the sideline next year. Last Thursday was his final home game with the Raiders and the team made it a magical affair by winning the game and giving him a few moments to talk with the crowd after the game via the public address system since he already announced his retirement a few days prior. The man is a fierce competitor on the field and it was frustrating to watch him if your team had to play him because he will go down as one of the best defensive backs to ever play the game. I only wish him the best on his next endeavor and it will be a shame not seeing him in the silver and black ever again.

5. The Denver Broncos won a big one on Monday night, clinching a playoff berth and increasing their chances of winning the AFC West and a first round bye and they sure did it the hard way. They found themselves trailing for quite a while last night before making a go of it and while it was a thrilling game, one has to wonder how far this team will go in the playoffs because while some problems were fixed last night...others stuck around. The receivers finally figured out how to catch passes and the run game was actually pretty stout, but...the offensive line continues to struggle, especially Right Tackle Michael Schofield and the defense apparently forgot how to tackle for the entire first half. The good news is the defensive issues can be fixed quickly, but Schofield worries me with his sub par play, something an elite playoff team will exploit all day long and it's high time for the team to either bench the kid or get him some help because if that glaring issue doesn't get fixed quickly, it could contribute to a quick exit from the playoffs for the Broncos.

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